We are seriously considering buying an Aussie bus and would appreciate any advice or recommendations from anyone who has gone through the process . This article http://thelatebay.com/index.php?topic=348.0 about importing from the USA is very good and contains a lot of information. Are there other sources of info ???? We have located an Aussie Bus through a UK company who would import for us, we appreciate we could save some money by doing this ourselves but hopefully this will reduce some of the risk of buying completely unseen. We are in detailed correspondence with them, we have requested and been given a large selection of photos. We have looked at UK vehicles but none seem to fit all our requirements. The vehicle in question has sound bodywork, 1800cc engine and as it's a Bus it gives us the opportunity to fit it out ourselves. Any advice would be much appreciated
I thought I 'd seen something before. Does this help ? http://vwkombi.com/shipping-kombi-to-uk.html Good luck.
I expect even Australia has wetter places you'd rather your bus never came from. If you get the code plate details, ie all the numbers, there is a website that will decode all the numbers and tell you where in Aus your bus was originally supplied to. Google that place and find out if it's wet or dry! Website is called something like decode my m plate. We got a bus from California, only it didn't start life there........ 5 grands worth of welding later! Whereas our other bus came from and started there and never needed a patch.
Hello Peter, It's been 2 years since I imported mine. Bought it off eBay Australia. Yes, it was a risk. Then again, all the important areas around, inside and under the bus has been fully photographed, so I'd no doubt she wasn't a rot box. In fact, she was in far better condition than I was expecting. Don't be misled, though, into thinking all Oz buses are rot free. They're certainly not. You really will have to look hard. Importing yourself is easy too. Over the net, I found and paid a bloke to drive it to Sydney docks and 6 weeks later I paid another bloke to pick it up from Southampton docks. Customs, UK registration, and all that, is a breeze. As for the M-plate you mention: well, I'm not sure what an M-plate is! Perhaps you might be referring to buses actually made in Oz? They were made there until around 1977, after which, for the final 2 years, they were imported from Germany. For that reason, I specifically wanted a '78 or '79 bus. Fortunately, most Oz buses also have the better 2 litre engine and 091 gearbox. I've heard their 091 boxes are slightly longer legged too, than the European equivalent. But I've never been able to find out if that's true or not. One thing I've noticed over the last 2 years is that Bays in Australia have certainly increased in price. To get mine here, all in, cost £7000 (with no raising roof and a bare interior, apart from the cab area - a 'blank canvas' as they say). That was an absolute bargain. I was offered £10k for it the day she arrived. I guess the same would today set you back at least £15k, maybe more, I don't know. For that you'd expect to get a bus which looks no-more than 10 years old; requiring no welding or panels, just a lick of paint to make as good as new. But, like I said, you will have to look very hard for one. I was very lucky. I just happened to be looking on eBay Australia one moring and saw the bus I wanted and instantly pushed the 'buy it now' button (well, 30 minutes later in fact, after calling the owner) . If you'd like to have a chat about anything else then PM me your number and I'll call you next week (am away this weekend so can't do it then I'm sorry). Cheers.
