Theoretical cross-continent road trip

Fev · 10-03-2010, 10:50 AM

It's always been a dream of mine to take a car of mine across America or Europe. Maybe not in my Escort as it's too unreliable but in my old Falcon all i wanted to do was drive the alps of Switzerland etc.
How easy is such a thing to do? I'm not talking about the shipping and customs, or getting to Europe but to do cross-country driving. Do i need to change my number plates from Australian to something else?

Scenario: My brand new FG F6 Typhoon is fully registered in Australia and I have an international license. If I shipped it to Rome to drive from Italy to Sweden would i need Italian, Swiss, German, Danish and Swedish registrations?

Same goes for America, if i were to take my Australian plated/registered car to America, would i be allowed to drive on their roads legally from one side to the other?
It just seem's odd that i would be allowed to drive through Europe or the USA on Australian registration if it's so, or is there special plate and registration plate i can get?

Dave_au · 10-03-2010, 11:59 AM

Short answer: Yes you can apply and receive a variety of special permits which can allow you to import and export your own motor vehicle to another country.

Long answer: The regulations vary country to country, and you also need to consider the implications of exporting then re-importing the car to Australia, combined with insurance and freight costs. It is also highly unlikely that you would be able to use a Roll on - roll off ship to transport the car, so the vehicle would have to be loaded into a container (resulting in probable damage), or air freighted (think $$$$).

There may also be additional custom duties or compliance issues that need to be considered.

Doing a brief search on importing a car into australia for short term usage provides the following information:

Importing Your Vehicle into Australia Under the Cover of a Carnet

The simplest way to bring your vehicle to Australia on a temporary basis is by Carnet De Passages en Douane (CPD carnet).

Carnets can be obtained for motor vehicles, motorcycles, campervans, four wheel drive vehicles, caravans and trailers. Carnets are issued in accordance with the Customs Convention on the Temporary Importation of Private Motor Vehicles. Vehicles issued a carnet may not be lent, sold, mortgaged, hired, exchanged, given away or otherwise disposed of while in Australia.

Carnets are available from the motoring organisation in your country of residence. For USA residents, carnets are available from the Canadian Automobile Association in Ottawa. If you are going to use a carnet to temporarily import your vehicle into Australia you must obtain the carnet before the vehicle arrives in Australia.

A carnet is similar to a personal passport and contains all the relevant information about the vehicle - make, model, colour, engine capacity, seating capacity, registration number, owner and value.

A carnet is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. There are a number of conditions attached to the use of carnets in Australia. Some of those conditions are:

The vehicle must be exported from Australia prior to or on the expiry date of the carnet.

It is a condition of use of a carnet in Australia that you, do not leave the vehicle that is covered by a carnet in Australia while you are not here. Should you do so, this is a breach of the provisions of the Customs Act 1901 and Customs Regulations 1926. Once a breach has occurred, the security amount equivalent to the duty and GST (and Luxury Car Tax (LCT), if applicable) will be called up by Customs.

To obtain a carnet you have to provide the issuing motoring organisation with a security equivalent to approximately 100% of the market value of the vehicle (26% for motorcycles). Should a breach of the Customs regulations occur, the Customs duty rate for passenger motor vehicles is 15% and $12,000 per vehicle. GST is charged in addition to this and is charged at a rate of 10% of the VoTI. The VoTI is equal to the sum of the Customs value, plus the Customs duty, plus the cost of transporting the goods to Australia and for insuring the goods for that transport.

Further, the security should also cover any Luxury Car Tax that may become payable on the vehicles. Luxury Car Tax becomes payable on certain vehicles that are above the LCT threshold. This threshold is determined by the Australian Taxation Office and reviewed every year.

The amount of LCT payable is set out in 5-15 of the "A New Tax System (Luxury Car Tax) 1999".

Generally three types of security are available from motoring organisations.

Cash bond.

Banker's Letter of Indemnity.

Insurance policy.

Please note that not all motoring clubs offer all three options.

The security is refunded/released after the carnet is returned to the issuing organisation. Contact your local motoring organisation or the Australian Automobile Association for more information on Carnets.

Fev · 10-03-2010, 12:24 PM

Seems like a hell of alot of money just on the transport.. Seems my dreams of an F6 Typhoon on The Ring are far off :(

mik · 10-03-2010, 01:24 PM

the idea sounds good ,but the thought of the worst happening in another country , like an accident that puts your car off the road for a month or 2, or even worse trying to deal with insurance not to mention getting parts for your henry in a far off land, scares the ---- outa me, i think i`d go with a rental Fev, and put the henry in mothballs.

aussie muscle · 10-03-2010, 01:57 PM

sounds like if you've got full insurance, you should be right. i think you'll find that UK residents often drive through other countries, so they obviously have some system in place. I'd definately want a falcon to go around the nurburgring if going to the trouble of getting there, rather than a rental car. If you go to the usa, hire a mustang.

i like this bit:

Quote:

For USA residents, carnets are available from the Canadian Automobile Association in Ottawa

what, usa have to go to canada to get carnets?

EB# · 10-03-2010, 04:09 PM

Here's a small tip.....
Take a friend with you, as the front passenger has the "sight line" down the left lane
for spotting overtaking opportunities and on-coming traffic.

irlewy86 · 10-03-2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

Seems like a hell of alot of money just on the transport.. Seems my dreams of an F6 Typhoon on The Ring are far off :(

I don't think its as bad as that makes it out. I remember there was a Motorcycle touring company a while back that would organise your bike to be thrown into a container than shipped to NZ for a touring holiday before bringing it back. So it would have to be comparable to hiring a high end bike anyway.

However into the US and Europe may be a different story. Both the US and the EU have agreements in place to cover foreign vehicles so its just a matter of getting it covered in the least beaurcratic (or most corrupt) country and then moving around under that nations carnet.

If I rember correctly its about 7-9k for a car to be shipped from Houston to Perth

**ebxr8240** · 10-03-2010, 06:34 PM

I hired a G6 G.M fwd like Commodore and drove accros U.S three month's back..
A short trip into Mexico too..
Hire could have been $2200 for just over 2 weeks.. You can book online for around $600 by bidding and its up them to agree or not [3 weeks]..
http://tickets.priceline.com/default...58189da1047368

Times ARE hard in U.S.. My Brother did it for me with my visa card .. I got car hire for around $35 a day..
With GPS which I highly recomend..
Driving on other side of the road wasn't too much of an issue .. Just had to concentrate heaps when turning on intersections..No talking to the Mrs !!! Lol..
Freight to U.S is around $4k and I doubt they will let you drive it there ?? right hand drive etc..Europe maybe different as the poms often drive there...