Nice work and very thorough- thanks bwillis! :notworthy:
I have received Custom's approval now for permanent UK import of my USA MY03 996 C2
HMRC just provided me with a CE388. So next is SVA testing! :help:
I have a couple issues with questions I hope you can maybe help with.
Questions:
1) Do headlights really have to replaced? I have OEM Bi-Xenon Lithronic Headlights on the facelift 996. These do have headlight washers and self-leveling. On 966 at least there is a touring option adjustment switch inside to flatten the beam so the rise of the low beam does not lift or flare to the right. However it only flattens the low beam for RHD driving. I was told by LHD Porsche, Nottingham that is all that should be required. But ... the USA Bosch headlights are DOT not 'E' rated, like EU LHD (ROW) cars. Did they check yours for 'E' rating? Complete new Lithronics would be a disappointing requirement, (I can't find these on ebay for £50! )
2) Also the Key remote radio frequency for USA cars is different than UK cars. The USA frequency is outside the allowed UK band. Was this checked? Instead of changing the system...errr... the solution could be as easy as removing the battery and 'mhz' mark from the key. The Alarm and immobilizer function required in the SVA test works without the remote. But it's great if you can help with any information.
:lightbulb: On the other information here is bit more I can add from my experience:
For USA citizens with USA passport and a valid USA Drivers license, I think it can be a little easier.
Right now I m still driving in the UK on USA plates. I keep it insured with USA company with office in London for USA citizens, like myself. The UK allows temporary imports for 6 mos than be extended to 8. But I imported into Zebruggee Belgium a year ago, on temporary as USA Citizen, and ferried it to UK after a nice LHD drive through NL! The temporary importation rules into the EU in Belgium allow for 2 years and so UK temporary registration is superseded and UK rules for temps are not enforceable. I verified it with DVLA before doing and again onc eI did to be sure. Then I had it tested twice! Last month I was stopped at a Police road block. There were 8 officers checking all cars and the the DVLA was there too! :eek: Seeing my USA reg they seemed excited as if stopping me I might have just made their day! So they took my VIN and started making checks, calls etc. They called the DVLA officers over and showed them my EU paperwork and insurance, registration etc. They shrugged their shoulders shook their neads at the officers who had to wave me on my way! "Have a nice day!" and they went back to catching road tax dodgers! :jump: Phew....I was a bit shaken though! Then a few weeks later it happened again. I was double parked at M&Ss collecting our Christmas dinner. A PC not only wrote a ticket but waited pacing back and forth next to the car for me to return! :blink: That wasn't easy! "Is there a problem officer?" He took my details & the VIN, and examined the paperwork, made some calls. He then asked to see my M&S receipt. He smiled and took the ticket back and sent me on my way!
Legal or not enough of that! So I guess its time to get it right, and pay my fair dues like everyone else.
- MOT Certificate (an MOT test pass)
- Minister’s Approval (an SVA test pass)
- Vehicle Registration
- Car Tax
...
- Parking Tickets
- Speed Cameras
Regarding shipping: . Are you aware new car mfrs, use RORO (Roll on Roll Off) and that there are far more insurance claims for transport damaged cars in containers. There is no comparison to RoRo transatlantic automobile transport. My source is experience and speaking with USAA insurance. They handle 99% worldwide auto insurance for American Diplomats and Military, and their families both in the USA and abroad. They are insuring hundreds personal vehicles being shipped all over everyday. Hands down they recommend RORO. My agent in London told me countless horror stories of complete HDI write offs to expensive luxury cars improperly loaded into containers. So its not really like it seems you might imagine! It's the containers that often end up in the sea! Containers are stacked on deck, then handled with cranes by operators who do not know your pride and joy is inside. It could be full of pajamas for all they care. Then these containers are moved about on the docks by trucks, often banging them about in the rush to get unloaded. They sometimes do end up on their side! (Imagine there are 4 cars inside!) There normally are! Known in the industry as (stack-em and rack-em) unless someone like you is bring their household over with a car and need their own container. Normally that is not the case. Cars can loaded 2 to a container for 2x premium. But the way containers are handled with cranes at the docks leaves much more room for damage. Marine insurance is higher for containers than Roro.
On RORO every car is very carefully inspected and logged, then they are driven below deck by bonded drivers and individually secured. When you collect the car you get to walk around it with an agent to inspect it. If there is any scratch or mark not there when it was loaded its covered. I have not heard of damage here. Its like a huge ferry, with no hotel or passenger area on board. There are no families, individual and truck drivers walking in between the cars and lorries carrying and dragging their luggage and duty free & scrapping along in between cars as they go! (Twice on ferries to Europe I have had £1500 in paint damage from these careless jerks, when stuck having to park by one of entrance doors on the car deck!)
Regarding insurance for transporting cars. I would highly recommend checking with your car insurance company first, before paying the very high premium for Marine Insurance to the booking agent. If there is damage getting settlement from Marine Insurance gives more red tape and paper chasing and run around than someone could imagine. It can take years to settle a claim if at all, unless the ship is lost (sinks)! Then a claimant will eventually get settlement. The same is covered under most auto policies though, so check it out first. I waived marine insurance and put the car on my auto policy for fraction of the cost of marine insurance. It went on the normal fire, theft and comprehensive part of the policy with $100 excess. Driving insurance did not take effect until I received the car. Claims on comprehensive (fire and theft) insurance (on USA policies) for damage while not being driven, do not increase policy premiums or effect 'no claims' as collision claims do. 3rd Party in the USA is called 'Liability' and separate.
BTW: USAA worldwide insurance. USA citizen are eligible who are or has been in the USA military or govt employed or related to by birth or marriage to someone who is or was. You can check with www.usaa.com There is an office in London. Car insurance is quite cheap as long as the same model is available in LHD in the USA,.... if not, then it costs twice as much!
Hopefully with all the information readers can now get through RennTech now the process is much easier for others doing this!
Cheers!
:renntech: