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 guides can be viewed here: Shipping a Car to the UK Guides

Of course you can always use our unique car shipping calulator which gives you an instant breakdown of all costs to involve in regards to the shipping, testing and registration of your car here: Car shipping quote calculator

The post Car Shipping Guides appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.

Some of our most popular guides are:

• Full example of shipping a car to the UK with us
• Can you carry out IVA Modifications for a car I have already imported?
• I have a foreign car already in the UK, can you register it for me?
• Relocating to the UK with a car
• How much duty or taxes will I pay?
• Car Shipping Explained…
• Do I need an MOT if importing a car built before 1960?
• “Ship My Car seem expensive…”
• Paying for a car overseas
• How to avoid car shipping scams
• Import Car Finance
• Import Car Insurance

More information can be found on our Car Shipping News pages

The post FAQ Guides appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.

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:

The post Mustang UK Buyers Guide appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.

Shipping

Collection of your vehicle from country of export and delivery to nearest port (currently US only), transportation of vehicle to UK by sea or air, both sea and air transport is fully insured, air freight is more expensive but your vehicle can be in the UK within 48 hours, containerised shipping ensures your car is secure and not open to the elements. Foreign port loading fees and all administration fees are included

UK Services

Unloading of vehicle in the UK from ship, transportation of container to customs bonded warehouse, full inspection and administration carried out

UK Customs

Handling of all HM Customs and Excise administration and payments, fastest customs clearance possible. We ensure European cars do not pay just £50 duty and zero import duty for classic vehicles – for an estimate of import duty and VAT please use our instant quote system.

Transportation

It is illegal to drive an un-registered vehicle on UK roads, we therefore collect your newly imported vehicle on our specialist transporters. We complete all collection paperwork and condition reports in compliance with UK insurance regulations

IVA Modifications and Test

The IVA test is an extremely thorough and complex test for all makes/models of vehicles and we do not recommend carrying out modifications / testing unless you are an experienced IVA engineer.

All IVA forms filled in and dealt with promptly. All IVA modifications are carried out to the highest of standards to ensure that there is no damage to your vehicle – poor IVA modifications can cause severe vehicle damage, especially with the electronics.

Thanks to advances in LED technology we can now offer ‘Invisible IVA’ modifications on most vehicles requiring IVA testing.

Our IVA engineers are specially trained and have years of experience in all makes and models of imported vehicles

IVA modifications carried out to your specification, for example we can fit euro-style rear light clusters to maintain the original look of the vehicle

Vehicle prepared fully for IVA test, your vehicle is then taken to IVA centre and certificate received

If your vehicle is older than three years old an MOT test is also carried out

UK DVLA Registration

All administration included – registration number assigned, plates printed and fixed to vehicle – 12 months road tax included. Personalised number plates available on request

Full valet, storage and delivery

Your vehicle is then taken to our premises to receive a complimentary full valet and to carry out any additional services that you may require. You then have the choice of fully insured storage at our premises or a delivery service to you.

Alarm and Tracker Installations

In order to help your insurance premium and to provide you with extra piece of mind we provide in-house installation of vehicle trackers and Thatcham approved alarms.

The post How to import into UK? appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.

But don’t click away just yet because there is still some pretty big news for the 2012 Mustang. The new 2012 BOSS 302 has been revealed which will be priced at around $41,000 – just between the 2012 Mustang GT and 2012 Shelby GT-500. The Laguna Seca edition BOSS 302 will be more upwards of $50,000 MSRP but you won’t likely get one for that price as they will be allocated by a lottery system.

Two new colors have been added for 2012, Lava Red Metallic and Competition Orange. The latter will be a BOSS 302 only color. Sterling Gray goes away, making the complete color palette to include: Grabber Blue, Kona Blue, Candy Red Metallic, Red Lava Metallic, Race Red, Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat, Black, Performance White and Ingot Silver.

The Lava Red Metallic color also gets an available color matched interior with Lava Red and Charcoal leather. That ought to be a sweet combination. That new interior color will also be available with black and white. The gray or “Stone” interior will get charcoal colored door trim, headliner, sill plates, A-pillars and rear package tray trims. This will effectively give the gray interior a two toned look.

The interior also gets a pretty big new option of Recaro Leather Sport Seats. A bargain at $1595, the Recaro seating option adds a major name brand of comfort and quality to the Mustang. The Recaros are paired with a Torsen limited slip differential with 3.73 gears can be had on the Shelby GT-500 and the BOSS 302.

The electric power assisted steering also gets some enhancements with user selectable modes of comfort, normal, and sport. The variable assist settings allow the driver to set the feel of the steering assist for their own tastes. It’s a great world isn’t it?

Other little changes include sun visors with multi-purpose storage and illuminated vanity mirrors and a universal garage door opener. Now a reverse sensing system is available as an option with a new security package.

Full details on new standard and optional equipment can be seen in the Ford Order Guides

2012 Mustang Order Guide

2012 Shelby GT-500 Order Guide

The post 2012 Ford Mustang – New Options Released appeared first on Car Shipping and UK Import Specialists.