Question about shipping to Europe, Anyone recommend an Auto Shipper to move a car from US to Europe Options

[frostyf]

Hi All,
I've had my car for sale for a period, but I'm scoping whether I can keep it and get it moved across to Europe.

Has anyone got any experience shipping a car from the East Coast to Europe (UK, Germany, Italy)?

I'm trying to work out if there's a favourable method and whether there are differences in the cost depending on where you ship it to?

Many thanks for any advice,
Nick

[76-914]

One of our members does this. I forget his screen name now but I'll add it later as the memory comes around. Or book it yourself here......https://ivssuk.com/uk/roll-on-roll-off-shipping-roro/

[dax1969]

Hi there,

Imported 3 cars fm the usa to Europe a couple of years ago. Price ofcourse depends if you ship fm east coast or west coast. First time I shipped fm LA using the shipper https://shipdei.com/ - straight forward guys.

Second time car was shipped fm Miami port and I appointed local forwarder in Rotterdam to handle all matters (he used his agent at Miami port)

Best is to load car into a consolidated container --- then you split the cost over multiple cars which makes it cheaper. I paid around 1.000 euro to ship to Rotterdam (be careful, this was a few years ago).

Where can you save money :

* if possible bring the car to the shipper yourself (no land transport)
* put a lower value on the car (saves you on freight insurance and import duties).
* although I am located in Belgium (Antwerp !!) I used Rotterdam - saved me a few bucks on import duties.

My cost was :

* freight (loading/unloading container + seafreight)
* 3% insurance
* 6 % import duties over car + freight + insurance
* NO Vat (+30 year cars are exempted).
* 160 euro to bring car fm Rdam port to my door

Where will you be living in Europe ?

Remark : if you ship your car to Rotterdam or Antwerp I can collect and store it at my place so you can further transport your car to end destination whenever it's convenient for you (rent a trailer for example)

If other assistance needed on this side of the pond, just reach out - (fyi : I work in the port of Antwerp as shipagent (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) so know my way around)

greetings fm Antwerp
Dax

NOTE : Uk is out of European community so additional import procedure fm Uk to mainland !!

[Frankvw]

I have a same story as Dax. I also have 3 cars from US to Rotterdam (including my 914) . I also used SHipDei, with mixed experience I have to say, from really nice to stressfull situations. Different harbours in US, handled by ShipDei.
Local shippers in US that brought my cars to ShipDei warehouses.....horrorstory at one car, others fine. I used a local agent in the Europe harbour to deal with customs and import for me, that costed money but that really was the stressless part in all 3 occasions.
Will I do it again ? mmm... I think next time I would ask that local company in Europe to handle everything , which is a service from them. It is raher expensive but will save me some sleepness nights and stress .

[burton73]

Hi there,

Imported 3 cars fm the usa to Europe a couple of years ago. Price ofcourse depends if you ship fm east coast or west coast. First time I shipped fm LA using the shipper https://shipdei.com/ - straight forward guys.

Second time car was shipped fm Miami port and I appointed local forwarder in Rotterdam to handle all matters (he used his agent at Miami port)

Best is to load car into a consolidated container --- then you split the cost over multiple cars which makes it cheaper. I paid around 1.000 euro to ship to Rotterdam (be careful, this was a few years ago).

Where can you save money :

* if possible bring the car to the shipper yourself (no land transport)
* put a lower value on the car (saves you on freight insurance and import duties).
* although I am located in Belgium (Antwerp !!) I used Rotterdam - saved me a few bucks on import duties.

My cost was :

* freight (loading/unloading container + seafreight)
* 3% insurance
* 6 % import duties over car + freight + insurance
* NO Vat (+30 year cars are exempted).
* 160 euro to bring car fm Rdam port to my door

Where will you be living in Europe ?

Remark : if you ship your car to Rotterdam or Antwerp I can collect and store it at my place so you can further transport your car to end destination whenever it's convenient for you (rent a trailer for example)

If other assistance needed on this side of the pond, just reach out - (fyi : I work in the port of Antwerp as shipagent (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) so know my way around)

greetings fm Antwerp
Dax

NOTE : Uk is out of European community so additional import procedure fm Uk to mainland !!

Pictures from when we shipped 2 of my cars to Danny Feb 16th 2018- This is the way they load the containers!

Worked out very well.

Best Bob B

[dax1969]

I have a same story as Dax. I also have 3 cars from US to Rotterdam (including my 914) . I also used SHipDei, with mixed experience I have to say, from really nice to stressfull situations. Different harbours in US, handled by ShipDei.
Local shippers in US that brought my cars to ShipDei warehouses.....horrorstory at one car, others fine. I used a local agent in the Europe harbour to deal with customs and import for me, that costed money but that really was the stressless part in all 3 occasions.
Will I do it again ? mmm... I think next time I would ask that local company in Europe to handle everything , which is a service from them. It is raher expensive but will save me some sleepness nights and stress .

I was lucky that seller of my 911 and 914 - Bob (see msg burton73) brought the cars to the shippers warehouse himself. No stress on that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



cheers
Dax

[rick 918-S]

Send Juergen a pm. He just shipped his car from my place to Spain. The shipper was great. The car made it intact.

His screen name is Daiberl I don't know how to do that link notification thing.

[frostyf]

Hi All, sorry Ive been quiet on this line. Have had a lot going on.
I am really grateful for all of the advice.

Dax, i am really interested in yr kind offer.

My circumstances are that Im in the UK military and have to relocate to Italy. Italy seems to be the absolute hardest location to move a car to. Mine is running but I would not assess as roadworthy yet so I would need to trailer it either back to the UK, or to Italy, but with no intent to register it there.

I think I may need to get it back into the UK first to sort out ownership paperwork (its currently titled in VA in my name), and then look to move it to Italy as a GB titled car? Its difficult when Ive no fixed abode until Sep when I will rent in Italy. I had hoped to get the rust repairs (both longs and floor pan) myself whilst in Italy but I may have to pay someone to do that due to time!

I'll get some quotes together and reach out by DM.
Nick

[914sgofast2]

Don't use a "RORO" (Roll-on, Roll-off) shipping method, even though it is cheaper. Things will magically disappear from your car, such as the spare tire, jack, tools, and even the license plates. A friend of mine shipped his Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider to Europe from the East Coast so he could follow the Mille Miglia in his Alfa during his extended vacation. When the car arrived in Holland, things had been stolen from inside the car and its trunk, and they even stole the California license plates off the car.

[dax1969]

Hi All, sorry Ive been quiet on this line. Have had a lot going on.
I am really grateful for all of the advice.

Dax, i am really interested in yr kind offer.

My circumstances are that Im in the UK military and have to relocate to Italy. Italy seems to be the absolute hardest location to move a car to. Mine is running but I would not assess as roadworthy yet so I would need to trailer it either back to the UK, or to Italy, but with no intent to register it there.

I think I may need to get it back into the UK first to sort out ownership paperwork (its currently titled in VA in my name), and then look to move it to Italy as a GB titled car? Its difficult when Ive no fixed abode until Sep when I will rent in Italy. I had hoped to get the rust repairs (both longs and floor pan) myself whilst in Italy but I may have to pay someone to do that due to time!

I'll get some quotes together and reach out by DM.
Nick

noted. I think it's best then to ship the car to the uk and get it registered over there. If you ever move back fm Italy to the Uk then that part is already done. If you import it into mainland Europe and ship it at a later stage to the UK then you have formalities/cost again.

Anyway if you need some help just let me know

krgds
Dax

[peteinjp]

Don't use a "RORO" (Roll-on, Roll-off) shipping method, even though it is cheaper. Things will magically disappear from your car, such as the spare tire, jack, tools, and even the license plates. A friend of mine shipped his Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider to Europe from the East Coast so he could follow the Mille Miglia in his Alfa during his extended vacation. When the car arrived in Holland, things had been stolen from inside the car and its trunk, and they even stole the California license plates off the car.

Have to agree here- my car sat on the dock for months and suffered greatly. Its getting repainted now.....

Absolutely do not use CFR Rifkins. Their negligence was unbelievable. They let the car sit on the dock in Tocoma though the winter and lied about the issue. The car suffered extensive salt damage and their insurance, PAC Global, totally stiffed me despite extensive evidence to back up my claim. If I ever ship internationally again- which I probably won't, I will only use a container service. At the time it was the lockdown and there were no containers available.

[arbitrary]

In the summer of 21 I shipped the 73 914-6 conversion I bought in Minnesota to the east coast and then the U.K. via CFR Rinkens and the process went fairly smoothly. I chose the shared container option. I was aware that if you read their Ts and Cs carefully you will be on the back foot if anything happens to the car but I suspect all the shippers are pretty much the same.

[KSCarrera]

If you're shipping to the UK, then there's only one company worth considering: Kingstown Shipping. Speak to Mark Cowley.

I've used Kingstown five or six times and they are considered the go-to company by anyone shipping classic or hot rod cars. My 914 was shipped by them from South Carolina to Southampton. In the past I've shipped cars from LA to Chatham, all without drama.They will arrange collection if necessary.

www.kingstown-shipping.co.uk
Mark Cowley: info@kingstownshipping.co.uk

[Biggles]

If you're shipping to the UK, then there's only one company worth considering: Kingstown Shipping. Speak to Mark Cowley.

I've used Kingstown five or six times and they are considered the go-to company by anyone shipping classic or hot rod cars. My 914 was shipped by them from South Carolina to Southampton. In the past I've shipped cars from LA to Chatham, all without drama.They will arrange collection if necessary.

www.kingstown-shipping.co.uk
Mark Cowley: info@kingstownshipping.co.uk

I'd second that. Got mine through them. No problems at all.