Selling a car to the USA

M3CS

I've got a couple of older JDM cars that I'm considering letting go next year. As they're over 25 years old they're both now eligible for import into the United States and I understand that they're typically selling for 30-50% more over there than what I'd expect to get for them here. I'm wondering if anyone here has had experience selling a car that's in Ireland to a buyer in the US? I'm not sure it will be viable due to the cost of shipping nowadays but I wanted to ask and learn about how it can be done.

Are there Irish shipping companies that do this on a regular basis (I've heard plenty about Irish cars going to Africa and Australia) and would be able to provide a quote or is getting a car to the US a huge ordeal?

M3CS

Anyone?

hoodie6029

No experience of this. Top of my head, you’d probably better reaching out to jdm dealers over there to see if they would be interested. They probably have shipping and customs contacts already if that’s the stock they deal in. Give them plenty of photos and videos and tell them about the salt free Irish roads.

What cars have you got?

Oops!

It depends on the state and no matter what way you look at it it's going to be very expensive to ship it over! I would'nt dwell on it too much unless you have something ultra rare....

Del2005

Everyone I know who bought vehicles in foreign countries always arranged their own shopping and knew how much it would be before buying.

Stick them up on USA sites and make sure that they know its in Ireland, if people want it they will look after the shipping etc.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119791887#Comment_119791887

Shipping isnt very expensive. I imported 2 cars from the us including a 4 ton chevy suburban and it was around 1500 quid for shipping. The taxes on entry to EU is 2X or more the cost of shipping.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119792199#Comment_119792199

When was this? Shipping has doubled in price in the past year or two

beertons

Any pics?

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119792613#Comment_119792613

Hmm, last was 2017 so it's possible

Even doubling to 3k, it's still not a lot if you're looking at an r32 or something

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119792613#Comment_119792613

It's crashed in the last few months. Sailings and routes being cancelled due to lack of demand.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799451#Comment_119799451

No it hasn’t. I’m waiting over 6 months for cars to arrive from Japan and all the boats are full. And shipping prices have doubled

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119791832#Comment_119791832

Sadly it's been a long time since Irish roads were salt free.

SDCC are addicted to the stuff, often lashing it out when temps won't actually reach freezing, but it's a nice little overtime earner I suppose.

cuttingtimber22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119816157#Comment_119816157

Yep. They bought a **** load ten years ago when we had the big snow on the basis that 100 years of weather data/trends would immediately change and we would have arctic winters. Nowhere to store it so chuck it out on the roads.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119816157#Comment_119816157

It does work. I start work very early and leaving my estate the roads are slippy, even at low speeds my traction control will kick in and the car will slide a bit on roundabouts, once I hit the main roads there's rarely any issues.

It was Kildare used urea and it was during the Beast from the East, everywhere was running out of salt.

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119816079#Comment_119816079

I hear ya, still not as prevalent as it is in the UK though. Even if he did include it, he wouldn’t be the first person to lie in a car advert 😂

That is, if the OP isn’t that same dreamer that’s been stalking the forum for the last while with their fantasy threads.

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119816157#Comment_119816157

10 years they have been putting salt on the roads here in the west for over 20 years at this stage. I know as when you drive past when they are spreading it you get pelted all over your car.

Ericmorr

It's doable, but like you said it's rather expensive. If you want to get an idea of what the cost is, I know this company ships cars between the US and Ireland https://www.a1autotransport.com/ship-car-to-ireland/ They'll give you an estimate at no charge so even if you don't end up doing it, you can at least get a price point and make your decision from there. My guess is that it won't be worth it, but that's one way to get a definitive answer.