“While the UK is on lockdown from Coronavirus measures, I thought I would take a look back through the history of our company. I hope all of our clients, staff, friends and families are well and stay safe during these difficult times”

Nick Roach – Company Director

Chapter 1 – The Beginning

ShipMyCar’s roots can be traced back to a valeting company, set up initially to fund a road trip to the USA. Little did we know this would be the start of an exciting journey that would map out our future working careers!

Myself and Kingsley had already known each other for many years, having grown up almost on the same street and going to the same school in Aylesbury, Bucks.

We both went to different universities, I went up north to Lancaster and Kingsley out east to Norwich.

After graduating we decided that rather go straight into employment we would set up a small business cleaning cars in order to fund a year out, and go on a road trip across America.

R&R Auto Valet was our business name (Roach & Read), yet trying to find a domain name to match was proving difficult. After spending days trying every variation of R-and-R, we stumbled across cleanmycar.com – it was available, and said exactly what we wanted.

Heading out across the home counties we visited clients at home or at work, but this was no ordinary van, inside was a giant water tank that was capable of flooding the likes of Tring high street if it failed (yep, that happened) along with pressure washers, mobile generators and an easy-up canopy.

We also spent a lot of time parked up outside Argos in Aylesbury providing a hand car wash service

Our website we cobbled together ourselves enabled people to book easily online and quickly started to perform well. Even though it now brings a nauseous feeling to look back at the website design, it served us well.

Valeting cars all day kept us relatively fit, but it was hard work. With each of us having to clean 15+ cars every day in the rain, wind, cold or sunshine.

We quickly grew to a few vans on the road and franchise opportunities, at this point Kingsley decided to purchase and import a Ford F-150 Lightning.

The process of shipping, testing, and registering was tricky but even after all the costs involved it quickly became apparent that a potential business venture was to be had.

We quickly set up ImportMyVehicle.com, created a website and used all the tricks at the time to get it to the top of Google. Before we expected, and very much before we had fully prepared, somebody found us online and ordered a 2005 Ford Mustang GT.

We needed to get to the USA quickly, to build up a network of trusted dealers, and to source the exact Mustang GT that was specified.

With our freshly printed Import My Vehicle polo shirts and a bag of home printed business cards we flew across the pond.

After driving around for a short while we found a Ford Dealer in Florida with the perfect cars and the first Stage 3 Roush Mustang in the world…. It was love at first site….

Carry on reading – Chapter 2 – The White Roush

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In this article we will price up a car from the USA to purchase, ship to the UK and then register ready to drive. We will use an example of a 1965 Mustang that is currently for sale at Beverley Hills Car Club (www.beverlyhillscarclub.com) – we have assisted many clients over the years from BHCC and have always been exactly as described and the guys there are a pleasure to do business with.

There are of course other places to source your classic car, for example www.ebay.com (click USA site when asked) and www.classiccars.com

The vehicle we are using in this example is listed at $16,750 which at today’s rather poor exchange rate of $1.22/£ is coming in at £13,730 – so first let’s discuss how you can save some money on transferring the payment to the US seller.

Car Shipping Quote
This is where we come in, we have spent many years developing our Instant Car Shipping Calculator – it will price up all US transport, customs, shipping, marine insurance, unloading, UK taxes and duty, testing and registration and works for all makes/models of vehicles from classics to brand new vehicles.

Try it out here: Car Shipping Quote

Paying for the car
Before paying for the car we always recommend doing some basic checks to minimise the likelihood of fraud, buying from a reputable and recommended dealer such as Beverley Hills Car Club is strongly recommended but make sure you keep yourself safe by taking into account the following: Avoid Car Shipping Fraud

The main aim of transferring funds is to get the best possible exchange rate as a small fluctuation in rates can make a big difference in how much you have to pay, the banks will give you one rate but using a broker can save a lot of money and even make the transfer to the USA quicker. Our sister company SMCFX can manage the transfer of funds to the seller at the best possible rates, far better than a bank (save on average £200 on transferring $10,000 for example) – sign up quickly and easily and use our online portal here: www.smcfx.co.uk

Instructing us to proceed
We have developed a fully online Client Portal area that can be accessed here once you have received a quotation from us: ShipMyCar Client Portal

This is a secure area where you can accept the quotation from us and complete our short application form online. We take payment upfront and the remainder of any additional costs / upgrades on completion.

What next?

Once you have made your booking with us, our experienced team get straight to work on securing the collection from the seller and making the booking at the port ready to receive your vehicle.

Your Client Portal will be immediately updated with a checklist where you can see all the documents that we require and a handy upload facility to provide the required documents directly to us.

Your Client Portal is the main point of all updates. Anything that happens along the way we add to your Client Portal. You can see photos of the car, online container tracking and more as well as authorising any works later along the process which we will discuss shortly.

The upload facility allows you to review all required documents and upload them directly from a computer or even directly from a smartphone.

Tracking your Car
Many container providers allow us to track the container in real-time. If this is activated for your container then you will be able to watch it travelling to the UK in real-time through the Client Portal. If not we will provide tracking to follow the vessel itself on a third-party website.

UK Arrival
On arrival to the UK we will provide you with the exact amounts that customs will require (if applicable) for customs clearance. As you would have already had an estimate of these on your original quote they should not come as much of a shock and for our example 1965 Mustang they will be 5% of vehicle value.

You will have the amounts required emailed to you, and also made available to review in your Client Portal. We provide you with HMRC bank details and a reference number for you to simply transfer the funds to them through online banking.

In our example case it would be 5% of $16,750 converted to UK pounds sterling at HMRC’s current exchange rate so around £650 in this case.

Collection / Workshop
Once customs have given the OK for collection of the container it will be moved to our warehouse in Milton Keynes for unloading and if applicable (and most popular) into our huge workshop for full UK testing and registration service.

In this example we have opted for our full import package. On arrival our team will check the vehicle in and notify you if any damage has occurred and how we plan to rectify this in the very rare case that it has happened.

Our technicians then carry out the appropriate modifications to your vehicle in order to pass the relevant UK IVA / MOT test requirements. In this case, the car is a 1965 model and so it will just need new headlights with clear sidelights and then for an MOT to be carried out. All of which would have been outlined and priced in your instant quote you had originally received.

What if it fails testing?
Let’s say the Mustang failed on a few items, not to worry, our team our very experienced in working on all imported vehicles from classics to modern day supercars. We will price up any repairs required, list them in your Client Portal and you can simply authorise them with a click of the mouse. This then gets our office into action to order the required parts ready to be fitted.

Our technicians will take photos of the issues which will be view-able in your Client Portal.

We can carry out all kinds of remedial work from simple MOT failures such as worn brake pads through to welding / engine rebuilds. No work is carried out without first explaining the issue to you and quoting clearly for the work required.

Further information no our workshop can be found here: Milton Keynes Workshop

DVLA Registration and Final Costings

We then register the vehicle for you, print the number plates (in this case on classic black / silver plates) and fit them to your vehicle. Any optional upgrades you requested will be carried out prior to collection such as servicing, tracker / alarm installation or valeting.

We have partnered with car insurance specialists Elevate Insurance, we can have them contact you for a quick imported car insurance quote

So how much did the whole process cost? Let’s take a look:

So all in the car cost you less than £17,000 – and that is an all inclusive turn-key shipment where you did not have to lift a finger (apart from to click the mouse). That included the cost of the car, all the US transport, shipping, marine insurance, unloading, UK taxes, testing, registration – the whole lot.

Even though the UK’s decision to leave the EU has hurt the value of Sterling, you can see that there are still some great cars out there and bringing them over to the UK is still a very cost effective way of owning the car of your dreams. Please try our instant quote system today at Car Shipping Quote.

The post Importing a classic car from the USA to UK appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.

The current owner says he bought the car in excellent shape in 2007 and had it professionally cleaned and re-awoke the engine after a long slumber. Since then, the car has been pampered and its astonishing mileage preserved.

Despite its low mileage, the Boss participated in, and won, a couple bracket races when new. The quarter windows still carry the winner’s stickers. The price for this all-original time capsule is enough to make even the most-hardcore Mustang fan gulp. Buy-It-Now is set at an astounding $550,000

Shipping a Mustang to the UK

If you are looking at shipping a classic Mustang to the UK, ShipMyCar offer a full import package including, US transport, customs clearance, container car shipping, UK unloading, MOT modifications and DVLA registration

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The numbers are impressive as well. The magazine posted a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds and knocked out the 1/4 mile in 12.3 seconds @ 117.2 mph. They were also able to record the best lateral acceleration figures yet – 1.02g – and published the first lap times of the Laguna Seca we’ve seen so far – a 1:39.5.

You can watch Road & Track’s video review of the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca below:

Shipping a Mustang Boss 302 to UK

The 2012 Mustang is no problem for us at ShipMyCar to import into the UK and perform IVA modification and testing on. The rear light cluster can be utilised to add LED lights providing an Invisible IVA modification. All additional lights are added using our Lighting Control Unit which provides adequate back EMF protection using relays and diodes.

For an instant quote on Mustang car shipping please visit us at ShipMyCar.co.uk

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Import or buy local?

We would always suggest looking to the USA first when sourcing your Mustang, there are many reasons to do this on top of the cost savings you can make. Firstly, there is so much more choice! Dealers in the US are ten times the size of your local Ford dealer, some you have to be driven round in a golf caddy just to view the cars. They usually have every single combination of colour and spec you can think of and we have not yet found an unhelpful Ford dealer who is not willing to spend time finding you the exact vehicle you want. The cars are generally in excellent condition if purchased from a dry state such as Florida or over in California, so if you are looking for a show condition car you can get hold of excellent rust free examples and protect them as soon as they get over here with paintwork protection and undersealing.

Importing one yourself can be daunting, luckily there are companies like ShipMyCar who offer a door to door package which generally works out the same price as you doing it yourself but without any headaches, hidden costs, electrical wiring issues, government agency dealings and more…. ShipMyCar even offer an instant quote facility which is a great help to price up your import as it is free to use and you can use it as many times as you like for any make/model of American car.

If you do decide to buy one in the UK, the very first thing you should do is take it to an IVA specialist such as ShipMyCar – they will be able to check over the SVA/IVA modifications carried out on the car to ensure:

• No dangerous wiring creating a fire hazard
• No obscure ways used to generate resistance to fool the cars ECU such as hidden bulbs in the spare wheel compartment
• Check over wiring connections and methods used to join wires
• If relays used for extra lights check that they have adequate back EMF protection by using diodes
• Ensure brake switch still sending signal to vehicles ECU if modifications have cut into this
• Ensure cruise control still operates correctly and IVA modifications have been carried out without affecting the cruise control operation and auto-off function
• Ensure method of adding lights has been done in a way that will not cause condensation to build up within existing light clusters and any extra drilling holes have been adequatly sealed from the weather and heat
• Ensure any wiring passing near to hot areas is suitable sheathed and protected
• Check wiring is secured around foot pedal area and no wires are likely to fall and tangle in wiring areas
• Carry out electrical testing on all bulbs to ensure no extra load will be placed on ECU or SJB causing future expensive repairs

Companies like ShipMyCar, based in Milton Keynes will also be able to advise on any upgrades or improvements to make driving in the UK a more pleasant experience in your new stang

Owning a Mustang in the UK

Mustang ownership in the UK is so much fun, no car on the market gives you that level of uniqueness, power, rear wheel drive fun, engine noise, great looks, comfort and spec than a Mustang GT for the same price. You will be part of a club which has a very active membership throughout the UK. There are many forums online where you can get great advice on all aspects of Mustang ownership with the best we have found being:

• MOCGB.net – Mustang Owners Club of GB, a more official feeling club with emphasis on meets and club events, again a fantastic resource for Mustangs

The 2010+ Modifications and LED wing mirrors

S550 Mustang Modifications

Driving LHD in the UK

Driving left hand drive in the UK is never a real issue – people say it is hard to overtake, but this generally is not the case as long as you hold back enough from the car in front and then use the big V8 grunt to zoom past easily and effortlessly once the path is safe and clear to do so. The only place you may find an issue is at the local drive-thru, but you will soon find the best way is to sit inside and watch people admiring your car in the car park while you eat your food!

Petrol costs of a Mustang

Everyone always says how expensive it must be to run a Mustang and sure, it is not as cheap as say a Toyota Aygo or a diesel Ford Fiesta, but when comparing like for like, with say a V8 BMW M3 you geniunly will not find any difference at all. In fact I have owned Subaru Imprezas and Mazda RX8s which I found much more juicy day to day than the Mustang. Especially cruising at 60-70mph, the big V8 is hardly struggled and getting 25mpg is not difficult.

Running costs of a Mustang

Amazingly cheap. That’s all we need to say really! Specialists such as www.servicemyimport.com will service your car for around £150 – they are not advanced engines and really do not require the utmost of specialist care to keep them in good conditon. Spares are abundant in the UK and very reasonably priced. Road tax is currently still under £200 per year (imports are classed as PLG and based on the old taxation class, not based on emissions). The only cost I found was the constant addiction to buying upgrades from ImportMyVehicle

What is a Mustang like to drive

So much fun, you will never get tired of that big V8 noise and the attention these cars receive – attention is always positive and you often feel something of a celebrity when people take pictures and stop you to chat. We would advise looking into Roush suspension upgrades for the UK, this certainly makes the car more UK road friendly with going round roundabouts and country road sprints made more suitable for the Stang. Mustang GTs are not actually as heavy as people make out, yes they weigh 1500kgs but compare that with a BMW M3 or Audi RS4 – no difference there…
If you are worried about driving LHD opt for the automatic, a lovely smooth gearbox and makes getting used to driving LHD that bit easier.

We hope you have found this Mustang Buyers Guide useful, should you require any further information please contact the specialists such as ShipMyCar

You can also get an instant quote for shipping, testing, registering and paying import taxes on a Mustang below:

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Gateway Classic Mustangs are a high end manufacturer of high performance vintage Mustangs and their latest offering is the ’68 Steve McQueen Mustang, the same from the movie. The difference with this one though is they are using the awesome Roush crate engine with a 5 speed manual to push output to 450bhp

The car has also been built with modern suspension using coil overs – the brakes are from Baer and the car also comes with a hydraulic clutch. To complete the modern luxury the car also comes with air conditioning and an MP3 based sound system.

Shipping a Gateway Classic Mustang to the UK

If you are lucky enough to purchase one of Gateway Classic Mustang’s fantastic vehicles you will have no problem bringing it to the UK using us at ShipMyCar – we can collect the car for you, ship it to the UK in a container and fully insured, unload it, clear it through UK customs and bring it to our workshop ready for MOT and DVLA registration.

Will a Gateway Classic Mustang need an IVA test here in the UK?

No, as the vehicle starts life using an original ’67 or ’68 Ford body, the vehicle will be titled to 1967/1968 meaning it will be over ten years old for IVA requirements and making importing one all that cheaper

For an instant quote on shipping this car to the UK, please use our unique instant quote system at ShipMyCar

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Pricing is set at $79,000 so you should be able to get one on the road here in the UK for (roughly) £68k once you have paid UK import duty at 10%, VAT at 20% and a fully comprehensive import package from ShipMyCar.co.uk which includes US transport, container shipping, marine insurance, customs administration, IVA testing, DVLA registration and road tax.

We can also bump power up with either Ford Racing or Roush superchargers.

Shipping a Mustang Boss 302S to UK

We can handle the full import of your Mustang to the UK including everything from collection in the USA to IVA testing and DVLA registration here in the UK – for a full quote please use our unique instant quote system at ShipMyCar

The post 2012 Mustang Boss 302S Video appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.

We were the first UK dealer to bring over a Stage 3 Roush a few years ago and had it quickly snapped up by BBC Top Gear to let the Stig take it round their track which, as expected by us, did exceptionally well with even the normally anti-American-car Clarkson saying that it was a truly brilliant car. Click here for Top Gear video

Well Roush have just announced their latest incarnation of the Stage 3, called the RS3. Power is up again to a huge 540bhp and there are 288 colour combinations to choose from. We like the Jack Roush signature on the back and the new faux fuel filler cap.

Importing a Roush to the UK

We are your best call for importing any Roush vehicle into the UK, our sister site ImportMyVehicle.com can sell you a Roush RS3 for an on the road price including two year UK warranty. Alternatively we can ship any Roush you have purchased back to the UK including IVA testing and DVLA registration services. If you are looking for Roush Performance or Styling products here in the UK then be sure to visit ImportMyVehicle.com and browse our online shop

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The Mustang has to be one of our favourite classics and we have shipped many of them from completely standard vehicles to fully rebuild dragsters

Due to new rulings we can now often get >30 year old Mustangs in through customs with zero duty and just 5% VAT – the car must be completely unmodified from standard, be of reasonable value and of course be over thirty years of age. It is worth contacting us to help complete your BTI forms for HMRC application.

On arriving in the UK we provide full MOT and DVLA registration services.

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This is a great way to check out some truly fantastic cars, and of course the Mustang Club’s amazing video talent! It’s astonishing to see how much they can accomplish in such a short time, and the video is riveting for those who love watching a Mustang in action.

If you’ve not seen the video yet, then this won’t take up much of your time – you can get right back to filling out your car breakdown cover forms or playing Gran Turismo in a few minutes. Then again, you might just spend the evening watching it over and over and tweeting about it, so you never know! So kick back, put the lights off, and watch the Polish Mustang Club’s best ever video production.

For more information on the Polish Mustang Club please Click here

If you are looking to ship a Mustang or any other car back to the UK and would like an instant quote for our full import package please visit our car shipping website for a full instant quote

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