Going for a 10,600 mile trip
Discussion
London - Sydney. Shipment organised, just need to deliver her to Karman Shipping in Barking in a few weeks.
Since she will be inactive for at least 2 months, I am after any recommendations to prepare the car for the trip. I worry that the pads will really stick to the discs - how to avoid? Any other things to look kout for?
Since she will be inactive for at least 2 months, I am after any recommendations to prepare the car for the trip. I worry that the pads will really stick to the discs - how to avoid? Any other things to look kout for?
Thanks for the intro Richard... you flatter me!
Antony, there's not much to it to be honest. Are you shipping your car over in a container, RORO (Roll On Roll Off) or is it going loose cargo (breakbulk)?
As far as prep of the car goes, little is needed except to pump the tyres up to around 40psi (this helps to avoid them flat-spotting) and to fully charge the battery (or take it on a good long run to make sure it's all fully charged) and then disconnect it. This will ensure that when you reconnect it at the other end, it'll fire right up and prevent having to jump-start it... something that could potentially prove problematic should it be done wrong.
The other main thing in getting it into NZ (Not sure about oz) is to make sure the car is FASTIDIOUSLY clean before it leaves. Because of biosecurity issues, if a car looks dirty, it'll be given a good going over by the MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries here in NZ) guys or Aus's equivalent and given a clean-up and fumigation. Because there are sometimes horror stories about this being done clumsily, it's the best bet to ge the car as clean as possible before it ships and they'll only give it a quick once-over with their eyes when it docks.
Things to check are up in behind the wheel arch liners and under the car. Things like bits of grass sticking out between seams etc or grass-seeds in the carpet on the inside will attract suspicion, so perhaps pull the carpets/mats out and give them a VERY thorough vacuum. Possibly the seats too (clean underneath). Basically the cleaner you can get it, top and bottom, the better as they'll not give it a second glance if it looks like the owner has taken good care of cleaning it themselves.
The other risk with shipping is based around who handles it at either end. This is because the wharfies just LOOOOOVE to thrash shiny sports cars around the wharf, and sometimse take souvenirs like gearknobs/badges etc. This isn't exactly widespread, but I've seen and heard of plenty of horror stories in the past of cars turning up at the other end with bits missing or signs of obvious mistreatment.
The best thing you can do is to pack it in a container yourself and strap it down, and have the container delivered at the other end so YOU are the only one who gets to handle it... this may not always be practical. Mine came in a cargo-hold (breakbulk) and I made my shipping agent pull a bunch of strings and actually get me on the boat when it docked so that I could recomission the car (hook up the car and re-mobilise the alarm) and get it ready to crane-out of the cargo hold. I was then able to personally drive it to the MAF inspection area for quarantine (without one of the wharfies doing it) and then pick it up the next day after it had been inspected/passed.
If you've any more specific questions, pop on over to www.aussieelises.com and the guys there will surely know the ins and outs of the Aussie system as no doubt it differs to what happens over here in Kiwiland. Have a good trip and hopefully your car has an easy time of it
Antony, there's not much to it to be honest. Are you shipping your car over in a container, RORO (Roll On Roll Off) or is it going loose cargo (breakbulk)?
As far as prep of the car goes, little is needed except to pump the tyres up to around 40psi (this helps to avoid them flat-spotting) and to fully charge the battery (or take it on a good long run to make sure it's all fully charged) and then disconnect it. This will ensure that when you reconnect it at the other end, it'll fire right up and prevent having to jump-start it... something that could potentially prove problematic should it be done wrong.
The other main thing in getting it into NZ (Not sure about oz) is to make sure the car is FASTIDIOUSLY clean before it leaves. Because of biosecurity issues, if a car looks dirty, it'll be given a good going over by the MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries here in NZ) guys or Aus's equivalent and given a clean-up and fumigation. Because there are sometimes horror stories about this being done clumsily, it's the best bet to ge the car as clean as possible before it ships and they'll only give it a quick once-over with their eyes when it docks.
Things to check are up in behind the wheel arch liners and under the car. Things like bits of grass sticking out between seams etc or grass-seeds in the carpet on the inside will attract suspicion, so perhaps pull the carpets/mats out and give them a VERY thorough vacuum. Possibly the seats too (clean underneath). Basically the cleaner you can get it, top and bottom, the better as they'll not give it a second glance if it looks like the owner has taken good care of cleaning it themselves.
The other risk with shipping is based around who handles it at either end. This is because the wharfies just LOOOOOVE to thrash shiny sports cars around the wharf, and sometimse take souvenirs like gearknobs/badges etc. This isn't exactly widespread, but I've seen and heard of plenty of horror stories in the past of cars turning up at the other end with bits missing or signs of obvious mistreatment.
The best thing you can do is to pack it in a container yourself and strap it down, and have the container delivered at the other end so YOU are the only one who gets to handle it... this may not always be practical. Mine came in a cargo-hold (breakbulk) and I made my shipping agent pull a bunch of strings and actually get me on the boat when it docked so that I could recomission the car (hook up the car and re-mobilise the alarm) and get it ready to crane-out of the cargo hold. I was then able to personally drive it to the MAF inspection area for quarantine (without one of the wharfies doing it) and then pick it up the next day after it had been inspected/passed.
If you've any more specific questions, pop on over to www.aussieelises.com and the guys there will surely know the ins and outs of the Aussie system as no doubt it differs to what happens over here in Kiwiland. Have a good trip and hopefully your car has an easy time of it
Oh, and as for the pads sticking to the discs, it shouldn't be a problem so long as they're nice and warm and dry before the handbrake is applied when it's packed away... if you wash it straight before it goes in the container, it very well may stick a bit, but get a bit of heat into them after its final wash to dry them well and it shouldn't be a problem... at least wasn't on mine.
Thanks for the advice guys - especially Esprit. Quarantine regulations are just as strict in Aust as they are in NZ.
The car will be going into a container - not a chance in hell that I will go with RORO or break bulk. I have seen too much of what port handlers can do in the past!
If I disconnect the battery for the trip, what effect will it have on the alarm and immobiliser system when I reconnect? Is there any special esquence that has to be followed to get the system reset??
The car will be going into a container - not a chance in hell that I will go with RORO or break bulk. I have seen too much of what port handlers can do in the past!
If I disconnect the battery for the trip, what effect will it have on the alarm and immobiliser system when I reconnect? Is there any special esquence that has to be followed to get the system reset??
Antony,
The Silica Gel bag is a good idea too. Mine was fine, but if it's in a container, it's best to do this as a safeguard as not all containers are as watertight as they should be.
As for disconnecting the battery, on the S1s it's just a matter of disarming the alarm and disconnecting the battery within ten seconds of doing so. Then when it's connected again, disarming the alarm within ten seconds of reconnection.... or something along those lines. It'll be in your owners' manual anyway for sure.
In a container, make sure it's strapped down well and if it's travelling with other stuff in there (like household goods) make sure they're strapped down as well or partitioned off from the car.
As I said, mine came breakbulk, but I ensured I was there for unloading and the car was already immobilised prior to being loaded in the UK so no thrashing could occur.
The Silica Gel bag is a good idea too. Mine was fine, but if it's in a container, it's best to do this as a safeguard as not all containers are as watertight as they should be.
As for disconnecting the battery, on the S1s it's just a matter of disarming the alarm and disconnecting the battery within ten seconds of doing so. Then when it's connected again, disarming the alarm within ten seconds of reconnection.... or something along those lines. It'll be in your owners' manual anyway for sure.
In a container, make sure it's strapped down well and if it's travelling with other stuff in there (like household goods) make sure they're strapped down as well or partitioned off from the car.
As I said, mine came breakbulk, but I ensured I was there for unloading and the car was already immobilised prior to being loaded in the UK so no thrashing could occur.
Not sure where I read this, but remember a story about someone who imported an open top sports car. They were transporting it in a container and safely secured it down. When they opened the container at the other end. The car had disappeared and the only thing left was the gear knob at the base of the container. Initially thinking the car was stolen and the thief was taking the Pish by leaving the gear knob.
It was only when they looked up did they realise the container was upside down. Probably total fiction, but pretty funny.
It was only when they looked up did they realise the container was upside down. Probably total fiction, but pretty funny.
Check the invoices when you get them in Oz, including finding out what all the abbreviations mean, before you pay. Mine included cleaning (they didn't), de-gassing the air-con (which being an S1 it didn't have)....... It seemed like standard policy was to charge for everthing possible and hope you don't notice.
Water ingress into the containers can be an issue. While I was there a container turned up which was damp and had mould growing in it. As it contained several $M of helicopter bits the company were not happy. I think it can depend on where on the ship they stack it, surrounded by others at the bottom of a stack is great, exposed on the upper level to rain and salt spray for several weeks isn't.
I shipped mine out on a RoRo car transporter ship. It was quicker, cheaper, and I figured that surrounded by 100s of brand new MINIs plus an assortment of Jaguars etc it was more likely to arrive in one piece!
Water ingress into the containers can be an issue. While I was there a container turned up which was damp and had mould growing in it. As it contained several $M of helicopter bits the company were not happy. I think it can depend on where on the ship they stack it, surrounded by others at the bottom of a stack is great, exposed on the upper level to rain and salt spray for several weeks isn't.
I shipped mine out on a RoRo car transporter ship. It was quicker, cheaper, and I figured that surrounded by 100s of brand new MINIs plus an assortment of Jaguars etc it was more likely to arrive in one piece!
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