Why You Should Bring in the Experts When Choosing to Import Cars into Australia
Are you tired of boring old Holdens or Fords and unimpressed with the range of imported vehicles on offer at the local showroom? If so, aside from building your own vehicle from scratch, the only option is to purchase a car abroad and import it into Australia.
Sounds simple? Think again. If you've never tried to do it, importing cars into Oz takes plenty of attention to detail and a little bit of hard work, and there are some key things to remember during the importing process.
Shipping cars can come with hidden charges
First off, before you even think about signing on the dotted line, it pays to be aware of the various charges involved in importing vehicles. At a bare minimum, you'll face thousands of A$ in shipping costs, with quarantine charges and port service charges added on top.
This is one area where those seeking import cars can really benefit from using the skills of an expert broker who knows the ins and outs of the journey from seller to buyer. A specialist broker will be able to settle any shipping costs and include every extra expense in a single budget. With plenty of details to think about, it's easy for the shipping process to become snagged, so try not to go it alone.
Consult professionals to cover every eventuality
The details involved can be overwhelming for laymen. Classic cars, specialist offroaders, racing vehicles, Aussie cars that have previously been exported abroad and assorted special-use vehicles like mobility scooters or go karts all come under approved imports, but humble family cars might not.
To get a personal vehicle into the country, requires securing Personal Import Approval, and that's where a bit of expert help can make a big difference. Australian authorities don't make it easy to import standard road vehicles, so you'll have to make a case that your vehicle qualifies.
Budget for costs in Australia as well
And then there are also costs when the car arrives. Most of the time, foreign vehicles will require some work to make them roadworthy in Australia. Any vehicles brought into the country need to be registered, which shouldn't be too hard - provided all of the required alterations have been carried out.
Examples of alterations could include switching has headlights to halogens, changing the brake pads or even changing the car from left to right-hand drive. As with the other stages, specialists make it much easier to tick off all of the amendments you need to make. If you get it wrong, it could be months before you get to register your vehicle and the process could balloon in price.
Although it sounds complex, you can import cars into Australia with ease. But if you rely on your own knowledge and skills, prepare for a tough time. This is one area where expertise makes a difference.
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