Frequently asked questions

It depends on where the car is, how big it is, the time of year and how you want it shipped. Shipping lines put prices up when they are busy, and fuel costs move through the year too. That is why a person writes every quote rather than a calculator: you get the price for your car, this month. As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, sea freight runs from £1,450 (USA) to £4,000 (Malaysia), shipping only. Motorbikes start from £1,250 from anywhere.

Within Europe, usually one to four weeks. Between continents, for example North America to the UK, four to eight weeks. From Australia and New Zealand, around six to ten weeks. Air freight is a few days. Your quote will give you a realistic estimate for your route.

It can be, and we recommend it. Our marine insurance covers your car up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit. Your normal car insurance will not cover it at sea. The cost is usually a few percent of the car’s value.

Yes. Most cars travel strapped down inside a sealed container, out of the weather, and the doors stay shut until the container reaches our yard. We unload it ourselves rather than leaving it to a busy port warehouse, and we take our time doing it.

Usually, yes. A car bought in the EU pays 20% VAT. A car from outside the EU pays 20% VAT and 10% duty. Cars over 30 years old pay 5% VAT and no duty. If you are moving to the UK, have lived outside the UK for more than 12 months and have owned the car for more than 6 months, Transfer of Residence makes it tax and duty free. A car that used to be UK-registered may come back tax free too, with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C. We work out what applies when we quote.

Yes. Shipping a Car is part of My Car Import, so the testing and registration happen on the same site. We run the only privately owned MSVA test centre in Great Britain and one of only seven privately operated IVA centres, and we have a dealer-level account with the DVLA which allows us to register imported cars within 10 working days.

Container cars come to our private facility in Castle Donington, Derby, where our team unloads them. From there you can collect it, or we can deliver it to any UK address on an open or enclosed trailer.

In most countries, yes. We have long-standing partners who collect from an address or dealer and take the car to the port. For valuable cars we can arrange enclosed transport to the port. Just tell us where it is on the quote form.

No, and that is on purpose. Prices change week to week, and the right shipping method depends on the car. A person on our team writes your quote with current prices and the most suitable options for your car.