Shipping my RS America To Europe, Going to Le Mans and a 4 month drive around Europe Options

[DonTraver]

About 6 years ago, went on a trip to Germany, even drove the Ring in a new 997S. Great trip.
While there, I got this weird idea. How great it would be to drive my RSA in Europe and the autobahn.

Well, it’s taken about a year of research and work, but it’s going to happen this year,

I started receiving all the import/export licenses a couple of weeks ago for the RSA. I got all the forms in this week. Shipping has been arranged to ship my RSA in her own private container to the UK with approximate arrival on May 19th.

Found an insurance company that will insure me in 29 countries for about $165 a month.

Joined the Porsche Club Great Britain, got my membership card on 3/31/10. I’m going to Le Mans with them.
They put together a 5 star camping trip to Le Mans every year, they camp in the Porsche Curves at Le Mans, they even put up your tent for you, It runs about $800 for 5 days at Le Mans, Euro Tunnel Pass, tickets, fully catered camp site, private restrooms and showers. How cool is that. I’ll be traveling with the PCGB from the UK to Le Mans, should help me not get lost. I’ll get to watch testing, practice, qualifying, and the race, wow.

I’ve been a member of a 964 Porsche series group for about 7 years. Since I told the group about my plans, I’ve received invitations to all over Europe, Luxemburg, France, Germany, UK, Portugal, Spain, and the Ring. Planning at least a week at the Ring.

After Le Mans heading south, Normandy, Madrid, Lisbon, Valencia, and maybe Monaco. After that head north to Germany, Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, the Ring. Etc. Want to catch a couple of Formula 1 races, Spa, Ring, etc. At least that’s the tentative schedule so far.

Found this website that lists a lot of the tracks in Europe and if they have open track days, they do. So I might get to drive Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Spa, and a bunch of others. http://www.trackdays.co.uk/tracks/

Just finished a 60k service on the RSA, new rotors, pads, brake fluid, set valves, new tires, new O2 sensor, had a ipod cable put in for tunes, and waxed and detailed her, dyno tested 250hp at rear wheels.

Had a set of PSS10 Coilovers installed, with new alignment and corner balancing last week, sweet.

Oh yeah, since I won’t be in any one country more than 4 months, I get to keep the California plates on her, cool. I wrote a lot of emails to a lot of countries to confirm that, all said fine by email, printed out all those emails, just in case.

The RSA ships in 2 weeks, when I get a confirmed delivery date, I’ll book my plane tickets.

So long story short. I’m going to Le Mans and will be spending over 4 months driving around Europe in my RSA with California plates, a dream is coming true.

Here's a picture of my RS America at the Lake Arrowhead Porsche Timeline last year.

Don

[DonTraver]

Here's the article I wrote while at Le Mans for the Porsche Club Great Britain. The picture is of the Porsche that started this crazy dream.

The seed was planted for this adventure in 2004 when I visited the Nurburgring with a new Porsche 997S. I had just finished a few laps, parked the 997S and walked over to the entry gate to watch. A white 1980’s 911 Carrera with a whale tail pulled up to the starting gate to enter the track. While I took a picture of the 911, I was thinking, that should be my 1993 RS America. I finished my laps and when back to the Dorint Hotel and the idea stayed in the back of my mind as I continued the tour with Mark and Tina.

The idea came back when I returned to home to San Diego, Ca. What would I have to do to ship my RS America to Europe, drive the Nurburgring and tour Europe, just what permits, costs for shipping , flights, hotels, food, incidental expenses. I started researching online and writing European Government Offices import/export law and regulations for each country I wanted to visit. It wasn’t long and I started getting replies to my emails.
While waiting for them I was researching shipping companies on the Better Business Bureau. What grade had the companies been given, if any complaints, what were they, how were they resolved. I picked the top 5 companies and wrote giving them my requirements for shipping. I needed an individual container, $50k shipping insurance, ship to England. I asked them what documentation would be needed, what could I do to smooth the shipping, what would they do, and complete cost from California to England and how long would the transit take.
I then contacted via email several UK banks asking if I could open an account with a minimal amount to start and then wire transfer the bulk of the funds prior to the start of the trip. I didn’t get a reply from any of the UK banks. So I had to come up with a new financial plan. I contacted my banks and asked if they could help. They all said yes we can help you set it all up for Europe. So I started cutting expenses to pay for the trip, I didn’t want to get a loan or max out my credit cards.
As I started receiving emails from European Governments, what it all boiled down to, was as long as I shipped the RS America for my own personal use, stayed less than 6 months, and shipped her home at the end of the trip, she could be imported with no government fees or taxes. She could also keep her California license plates and registration.
This was still a pleasant pipe dream; I still hadn’t had to spend any money to get all the information. As I thought of any other questions, I’d simply send out another email asking for clarification. When I receive the answer, I’d print it out and put it in the file I’d started.
In 2007 my doctor wanted to change the medicines I’d been taking and doing quite well with, agreeing and trusting my doctor was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. The new medicines came so close to just totally destroying me. Went into the hospital twice, changed my vision, massive weight gain, attacked the nerves in my feet, couldn’t walk, couldn’t wear shoes, I couldn’t walk 100 yards without needing to change clothes, affected my jaw bone, I lost 14 teeth. In 2008 they started talking about removing my jaw bone. My doctors couldn’t figure out why I continued to deteriorate. I was checking drug company and FDA websites to figure out why I just kept going downhill. I became a recluse, I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t sad, just numb. All these were side effects of the medications.
One day I went out to check the mail, while I walking out, I realized I hadn’t left the house in 10 days. I looked back and there were many periods like that. I went back into the house and did a general web search, Cymbalta and excessive sweating. It took me to a website of people who were having the same problems I was. I read it and sent the address to my Mom. Then called her on the phone and asked her to read it and get back to me with her thoughts. A couple of hours latter she called me, she said what I was going through was all explained by this website, and I needed to get off all of the medicines now. I wrote another email to my doctor with the web address and said I was going to stop taking all of the medicines. I received an email back from my doctor telling me I was not allowed to decide what medicines I put in my body. They got fired. Shortly afterwards, I fired the rest of my doctors and started detoxing myself off all the the medicines. It was over a year before all the withdrawal symptoms finally went away. Then I started an exercise program, joined a gym, and started riding bicycles because I couldn’t walk any distance anymore. It started slow, but got better over time. As I got better I reconnected with my family and friends. The most common comment I heard from them was, “It’s nice have Don back.”
As I got better the idea to ship my RS America to Europe came back. I still had all the previous information and sent out more email asking if the requirements/regulations had changed, they had. I then started applying for new import/export permits.
I received the final approval needed in March 2010 from the UK Home Office. It was on. I spent the next 4 days on the phone, sending out emails, confirming all the details, setting up shipping dates for the RS America, flights for me.
Then I set up a maintenance schedule for the RS America, she needed to be in top shape for this adventure. Performed a 60k service, set the valves, new O2 sensor, new tires, flushed and filled the brake system, made arraignments to have Bilstein PSS10 Coilovers installed, corner balanced, fresh alignment.
I made a packing list, packed it all, loaded all of it into the RS America to make sure it all fit. Signed up all my utilities, Satellite TV, phones, credit cards, and cell phone, for auto payment. Started transferring funds into a central account to pay for all the bills and fund the trip.
April 15 arrived, all the maintenance and upgrades for the RS America were completed, she was ready.
My friend Keith V of the rsamerica.net website had graciously volunteered to follow me to Los Angeles to turn her in to Branko and Rinkens International Shipping. The drive up went smooth and was uneventful. Branko had everything waiting for us, it took less than 30 minutes to complete all the paper work.
As Keith and I headed back to San Diego, I had the thought, “OMG, it’s really happening.” A 6 year dream was finally coming to fruition. All the wheels had been set in motion, there was no stopping it now.
Then the separation anxiety set in, I missed her already. I had 4 weeks to wait until my flight to London.
I was able to track her progress on the ship on the company website. Her arrival date in Felixstowe kept changing daily, not sooner, but later. So I adjusted my hotel arraingements so that I could play tourist in London for a week before heading to Felixstowe to pick her up.
Four days before my flight to London, I reconfirmed all my auto pay arraignments, had the Satilite TV, cell phone, and internet subscription shutdown for the duration of my trip.
May 18th arrived, the day of my flights to London. My Mom picked me up and took me to the airport. I had a non-stop flight to London. The plane was packed, there wasn’t a empty seat on board. While in London playing tourist, I found a Sat Nav for the UK and Europe. Essencial equipment for a visitor in Europe.
I left London and headed for Felixstowe to meet my baby. I had planned on just a couple of days in Felixstowe. After I arrived and checked into the Hotel Elizabeth Orwell, I checked my email. The ship had experience a further delay. I took my laptop down to reception and asked if I could extend my stay until my car arrived. They had room. I enjoyed my stay in Felixstowe, but wanted my RS America.
The delivery day arrived. I was waiting at the hotel for the phone to ring. It finally rang, she had just cleared customs, been loaded on a truck and was heading for the Imorex Bonded Warehouse for delivery. I jumped into a taxi and we headed there. The truck had just arrived as we got there. I went into the office, they took me to the truck, removed the seal and opened the doors. There she was and she looked perfect. They started removing the blocking and tie downs and installed the ramp to unload her from her container. The guy walked up to her, stopped, turned around and asked me if I wanted him to drive her down the ramp or would I like to, I was up the ramp like a shot. I jumped in, turned the key and she fired right up, she sounded wonderful.
I signed the final delivery papers and I was off driving for the first time on the wrong side of the road, just a bit nervous.
I found a gas station, filled her up and found my way back to the hotel. As it was early afternoon, I decided I’d leave the next day. I spent the rest of the day, checking her out and getting her loaded.
We headed for Stonehenge the next morning, she was just purring down the road. After Stonehenge, we headed for 6 days in Canterbury. Stayed at the Falstaff Hotel, I’d recommend it to anyone. Visited the Cathedral, museum, Roman Dig, a Norman Castle, and took a boat ride down the river. Went for a drive and found Upton and Rochester Castle. When I was up on the battlements of Rochester Castle I looked down and the RS America was perfectly framed by some trees, I took the picture.


After Canterbury, it was on to Morton in Marsh for the PCGB Open House on 6/6. The 914 registry was having a international meet close by and most of them then came to the Open House. I also have a 1970 914-6, so it was really nice to meet and see all of them. I bought my 914-6 from my step dad John, he owned her for 30 years and sold her to me 10 years ago.
When the Open House was over, it was on to Folkestone to the Euro tunnel and Le Mans.
The tunnel crossing went without a hitch and the drive to Le Mans went smooth, no tickets.
The excitement of going to Le Mans continued to build the closer we got, and then we were there. Wow.
I’m only a couple of weeks into this adventure. The struggles over the past few years have become moot. I have reclaimed my life, the wonder is back. To those who helped and supported my crazy dream, thank you.
The dream continues.