Forum FAQ

Preferences

Watched Topics

Watched Forums

How to Ship my Car?!

Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Relocation and Moving

Author

Message

rmyin

Squeeker

Joined: Dec 20, 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Xu Jia Hui
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 11:03 AM
Post subject: How to Ship my Car?!

Can someone please help me out here... I need to understand the general process of shipping my car from Seattle to Shanghai. I love my car, it's fast and it's rare and I can't live without it... I'm a US citizen going on EXPAT assignment but my company does not pay to ship the car. I want to do it on my own if possible.

Can someone please shine some light on this subject for me.

Thanks a bunch...

Batavia

Rocker

Joined: Sep 15, 2006
Posts: 606

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:23 PM

What car you have until you want to ship it over the Pacific?

Batavia

Rocker

Joined: Sep 15, 2006
Posts: 606

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:24 PM

What car you have until you want to ship it over the Pacific?

phrixus
Raver
Raver

Joined: Sep 02, 2005
Posts: 383

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:32 PM

What car you have until you want to ship it over the Pacific?

dfoo

Post Roaster

Joined: Jan 19, 2005
Posts: 4140

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:36 PM

Beware my understanding is the import tax is 100% of the full value of the car.

BONNIE
Veejay
Veejay

Joined: June 17, 2005
Posts: 1890
Location: Amsterdam/Shanghai

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:40 PM

Where can you drive a car fast in Shanghai ?
If you seek danger and excitement - jump in a taxi Smile

_________________
Siberia.......Here I come !

rmyin

Squeeker

Joined: Dec 20, 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Xu Jia Hui
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 12:57 PM

BONNIE wrote:

Where can you drive a car fast in Shanghai ?
If you seek danger and excitement - jump in a taxi Smile

LOL, excellent point... I more do not want to part with it right now. Plus, the car is not something that can be found in China. I am an Audi enthusiast and would like to bring my Audi and get into the Audi scene in Shanghai.

yu888
Board Deity

Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 17971
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:05 PM

As a fellow auto enthusiast, I would recommend you garage the car in Seattle for the term of your assignment. The roads here are crap and even if you have a rally car, the hoops you will jump thru to get a limited edition car here is not worth it unless you are willing to pay for your car a few times over by the end of the while process. You will need to get the following done to get it here... An allocation for car importation, a quota slot, pay tax on the customs valuation of your car (not what its worth now but what the chinese customs deems it is valued...(limited edition =$$$), expereinced shipper with specially outfitted container to ship car over, customs broker, preferable one with lots of automotive shipping expereince.

And at the end of the expat assignment, you will need to repeat half of this again.

If you truly can't live without your car, do NOT take the assignment.

_________________
Thoughts & updates about Shanghai On my Blog for more details:Random Thoughts about Living in Shanghai...and more

kenkingdotcom

Reacher

Joined: Jan 08, 2006
Posts: 295
Location: No Longer Shanghai'd
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:05 PM

Shanghai is full of VW's and Audi's(glorified VW's)...

Unless you own an RS6, then maybe it'll be less common Smile

_________________
I NEED MY SIG SAUER! Native San Franciscan... back in the mudderland.

yu888
Board Deity

Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 17971
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:08 PM

I forgot to add the cost of licensing the car here is about $5000USD as of the last plate auction last month.

AND I forgot to mention that all those processes I listed above require $$$ too. One needs to "buy" these allocations and quotas and unless your company has an allocation for you, you will need to find brokers who will happily part you from your money just to get a slot to allow you to import the car in.

Good luck if you do go for it though.

_________________
Thoughts & updates about Shanghai On my Blog for more details:Random Thoughts about Living in Shanghai...and more

BONNIE
Veejay
Veejay

Joined: June 17, 2005
Posts: 1890
Location: Amsterdam/Shanghai

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:32 PM

Well, if it's a "Quattro" you might have have fun putting it up on two wheels and doing a spot of stunt work through the rush hour traffic Smile

But seriously, rush hour here is most of the day and if you really care for your car bear in mind that there are a lot of very scary fellow motorists on the roads here.

_________________
Siberia.......Here I come !

rmyin

Squeeker

Joined: Dec 20, 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Xu Jia Hui
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:38 PM

kenkingdotcom wrote:

Shanghai is full of VW's and Audi's(glorified VW's)...

Unless you own an RS6, then maybe it'll be less common Smile

How about a big turbo, Pearlescent, B5 S4 putting down 450+hp and well over 500 ft/lbs through the Quattro? I think there was only a couple hundred made over the 2.5 years of production in the US and I don't think many are putting down these kind of numbers. If I get it over there, I'll take you for a ride and show you how it blurrs your vision on acceleration.

I like that...

dfoo

Post Roaster

Joined: Jan 19, 2005
Posts: 4140

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:39 PM

Good luck with that acceleration... from one light to the next... or one jam to the next.

rmyin

Squeeker

Joined: Dec 20, 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Xu Jia Hui
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:40 PM

BONNIE wrote:

Well, if it's a "Quattro" you might have have fun putting it up on two wheels and doing a spot of stunt work through the rush hour traffic Smile

But seriously, rush hour here is most of the day and if you really care for your car bear in mind that there are a lot of very scary fellow motorists on the roads here.

In all seriousness, thanks for the warning. I am well aware of the traffic in Shanghai. Most of the time, the car will just be parked. I plan to live very close to work and take public transit most of the time. Like I mentioned, it's just a toy that makes people who like Audis smile.

rmyin

Squeeker

Joined: Dec 20, 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Xu Jia Hui
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:41 PM

dfoo wrote:

Good luck with that acceleration... from one light to the next... or one jam to the next.

did I mention it has really god brakes too...

kenkingdotcom

Reacher

Joined: Jan 08, 2006
Posts: 295
Location: No Longer Shanghai'd
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 01:56 PM

rmyin wrote:

kenkingdotcom wrote:

Shanghai is full of VW's and Audi's(glorified VW's)...

Unless you own an RS6, then maybe it'll be less common Smile

Give it up. You can always build another one. I had to give up my limited edition '92 Galant VR-4 (#654 or 2000 imported). And i don't need a ride in a 450hp Audi. I've had my fair share of rides in "race prepped" cars putting down huge HP numbers.

_________________
I NEED MY SIG SAUER! Native San Franciscan... back in the mudderland.

BONNIE
Veejay
Veejay

Joined: June 17, 2005
Posts: 1890
Location: Amsterdam/Shanghai

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 02:00 PM

There is a Ferrari which occasionally growls through the traffic on my 90 minute ride home every night.
I listen and watch with mixed feelings - "how could anyone be so impractical", "what an amaaaazing noise", "you lucky b**stard" are among the mix Smile

_________________
Siberia.......Here I come !

pinocchio
Lurker
Lurker

Joined: Oct 13, 2006
Posts: 31

Posted: Jan 31, 2007 - 03:06 PM
Post subject: Re: How to Ship my Car?!

rmyin wrote:

I am also very interested in the answer to your question. I like to do the same but don't even know where to start. You have to get the car "CCC" certifed before you bring it to a Chinese port, otherwise you might need to ship it back home. The shipping is not too bad but the duty tax is the deal breaker, some say 65%, some say 100%.

DouglasLim

Lurker

Joined: Jan 24, 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Shanghai/Singapore
Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 22, 2007 - 06:47 AM

Hi Guys,
I am just curious, how is the modification industry in SH? Is it active and reliable for VW and Audi? Is it legal to modify or are there any gov restrictions or limitations?

yu888
Board Deity

Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 17971
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH

Posted: Feb 22, 2007 - 06:54 AM

best for you to come over and check itout yourself. Most expats here are not car buffs and many that were are smart enough to avoid the car scene altogether seeing as driving can be a very hazardous activity here.

_________________
Thoughts & updates about Shanghai On my Blog for more details:Random Thoughts about Living in Shanghai...and more

DouglasLim

Lurker

Joined: Jan 24, 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Shanghai/Singapore
Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 22, 2007 - 07:09 AM

Thanks yu888, I believe SH shd be a very interesting place to check it out!

dezak

Talker

Joined: Sep 22, 2006
Posts: 101
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 25, 2007 - 04:22 PM

i want to bring my car as well!! any ideas how much this allocating costs and the customs broker costs??

SophieBT

Newbie

Joined: Feb 22, 2007
Posts: 6
Location: shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 25, 2007 - 09:11 PM

hi, i think you need to search google something like that for automobile shipment service. you can get free quote if you provide them with the make and modle and the dimeinmns and weight of the car. the quote will most likely not include the import taxes and fees. and also you need chinese drive license and chinese car plate, recomment you get Kunshan car palte,cause it is far way cheaper than shanghai plate, and also you need pay insurance, ect.if you don't speak chinese, you ganna have a big trouble. you can contact me. Me and my bf just purchased a car in shanghai. good luck!