Shipping A Car Overseas: The Value Of Experience

The Value Of Experience

Shipping a car to another country is a big undertaking, and it can be very costly if you don’t fully understand all the guidelines, requirements, and regulations involved. The last thing you want to deal with when hauling a vehicle to another country is unnecessary delays or hold-ups, especially if they mean additional costs. This is precisely why experience counts when you’re looking for a company to ship your vehicle internationally.

For more than 25 years, we’ve moved vehicles overseas for a wide range of clients and events: military, travelers, international vacations, car & motorcycle shows, collectors, businesses & organizations, vehicle dealers, antique car owners, luxury & exotic car owners, racing events and more. Here are the two primary methods of sending a vehicle to another country:

RoRo Car Transport—RORO, or roll-on, roll-off car shipping, is the most common way to haul a car to another country. The vehicle is driven onto a ship that is specially designed to safely secure it for the voyage to the destination port, either for direct pickup or to be delivered to its final destination by Overland auto hauling. Most cars that are shipped using the RoRo method must be in running condition, though special arrangements can be made for classic, antique, or inoperable vehicles.

Container Shipping—Container transport can sometimes be a more cost-effective way to ship a car by boat, particularly if you need to ship personal items or household goods as well. If you’re hauling multiple vehicles overseas, a containerized carrier can also be a great way to save money by carrying more than one vehicle in a single container.

To inquire about air freight options or for general questions, call us at the number at the top of the page! Alternatively, use the online form to the right to get a FREE overseas auto-shipping estimate in minutes—no obligation!

What Affects The Cost Of Overseas Vehicle Transport?

• Shipping distance - Like standard auto shipping, distance is one of the primary cost factors in hauling a car overseas. For example, shipping a vehicle from the U.S. to a country in Central or South America will generally be cheaper than shipping a car to Australia.

• Overland shipping: You can save money by arranging for your vehicle to be picked up at the shipping port, or you can have it delivered from the port to a specific location for an additional fee.
• Import taxes—Taxes can significantly increase the cost of importing a vehicle to another country, so it’s important that a vehicle shipper is familiar with the value-added tax that applies in different countries. Sometimes, the value-added tax can be more than 20% of the vehicle's value—an important fact to know before you make hauling arrangements!
• Storage—The storage cost is minimal when sending a vehicle internationally, but it depends on how long you need it stored. This cost varies from country to country, but our international partners offer excellent storage facilities at highly discounted prices for clients who use our services for country-to-country auto transport.

Have questions you need to be answered by an overseas car shipping expert? Call us today or use the FREE price quote tool to get an international car transport estimate sent directly to your inbox! A Certified overseas car shipping agent gives all price quotes in real-time!

Abroad Auto Hauling Resources

Driving Guides By Country - A country-by-country guide to driving from the Vehicle Association, a British resource providing basic information about licensing and driving in European countries.

Tariff & Tax Information By Country - Export.gov provides a list of specific duties and tariffs for each country and links to resources for further information and customs offices.