# Shipping a car



## cruizes (Oct 9, 2011)

I know that people have addressed this over the years but does anyone have up to date info of the difficulty and pain to ship a small car to Portugal from the USA. Any recommendation of companies also. Thanks,


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I shipped my (large) car from South Africa to here a few years ago & it went in the same container as our household goods & I just delivered the car & export paperwork to the shipper's warehouse.

They originally told me it had to be drained of all fluids but when I questioned that they told me it wasn't necessary.

Then the importing company cleared it through Customs (on it's SA number plates) & I handled the matriculation process (through an agent) that took just a few weeks. 

Oh and the car had to be separately listed on the certificate of baggage that has to be obtained from the PT High Commission in the country of registration. 

It was a straight forward process & I had no problems getting it in.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

cruizes said:


> I know that people have addressed this over the years but does anyone have up to date info of the difficulty and pain to ship a small car to Portugal from the USA. Any recommendation of companies also. Thanks,


Why would you want to?? They do have cars, especially small ones, in Europe and in Portugal, its not all mules and horse-drawn vehicles.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

baldilocks said:


> Why would you want to?? They do have cars, especially small ones, in Europe and in Portugal, its not all mules and horse-drawn vehicles.



Going the tax free import route can be a very good investment IF (note the big IF) it's done with the right vehicle. 

Even after I'd deducted the shipping costs from SA to here & the agent's & inspection fee for matriculating it the car was valued here (with PT plates) at more than 10 times the SA value


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

cruizes said:


> I know that people have addressed this over the years but does anyone have up to date info of the difficulty and pain to ship a small car to Portugal from the USA. Any recommendation of companies also. Thanks,


It also depends on what *you* call a *"small"* car. Many cars which would be called 'small' in the US would be termed 'medium' or 'large' in Europe and totally unsuited to our narrower roads - don't forget that we haven't got around to concreting over everything to favour the use of the almighty automobile - we even walk a few hundred yards to go to a local shop.

As far as shipping stuff US to EU is concerned, we would recommend Bekins and they could probably fit the car in the same container as other stuff.


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## cruizes (Oct 9, 2011)

baldilocks said:


> Why would you want to?? They do have cars, especially small ones, in Europe and in Portugal, its not all mules and horse-drawn vehicles.


I was really hoping to ride an ass around town for ambiance 😬


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## cruizes (Oct 9, 2011)

travelling-man said:


> Going the tax free import route can be a very good investment IF (note the big IF) it's done with the right vehicle.
> 
> Even after I'd deducted the shipping costs from SA to here & the agent's & inspection fee for matriculating it the car was valued here (with PT plates) at more than 10 times the SA value


Do you recall the company you used. I have a feeling that it would be cheaper to bring my Ford Focus with me, maybe not. Thanks


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

cruizes said:


> Do you recall the company you used. I have a feeling that it would be cheaper to bring my Ford Focus with me, maybe not. Thanks



If it helps at all, a brand new Focus would be anywhere from €23,500 ($28,000) depending on configuration.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

cruizes said:


> Do you recall the company you used. I have a feeling that it would be cheaper to bring my Ford Focus with me, maybe not. Thanks


We used the same company that shipped our household goods but that was from South Africa & you'd need to use a removal company close to you.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

cruizes said:


> I was really hoping to ride an ass around town for ambiance &#55357;&#56876;


The last guy who did that was crucified. 

Here, on Palm Sunday (domingos de ramos) there is usually a procession with a young boy on the back of a donkey.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Hi,

You should probability look at the paperwork you will need this end to put it on the road (assuming you are not being a tourist with a foreign reg car). A modern (rather then an older "historic" one) will need to go Cert Of Conformity route and a US of A vehicle is not necessary built to this. I am presently trying to reg a vehicle which, though not from the US of A does not have a European CoC which looks like I will need to have a single vehicle inspection which will then list all the bits which need altering for it to comply with EU and Local regulations, things like the headlight need to have been manufactured to EU spec and have this moulded into the lens. Altogether a a vast expense in time and money and a vehicle I can't use being kept in a storage facility 
and cannot scrap it as it is not registered so the vehicle recyclers will not take it. BEWARE of the mess you could get into.


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