Belgium to Tacoma...

[Gary73Super]

More pictures of Prugna at port. The black Alfa sedan is Roland's daily driver.

Gary

[David Hiatt]

Does anyone have a recommended customs broker preferably in the Seattle/Tacoma area, but Portland might work as well? I've already got a good recommendation for one in the L.A. area, but was hoping to find someone who has worked with items (especially vintage cars) coming into the Port of Tacoma. Or, does that matter at all whether the broker is physically close to the port and is familiar with the operation?

Gary[/quote]


Gary,

You do not need a broker. Do it yourself. There is a $100 fee (cash as I recall) to the shipper, and then everything should run smoothly. Customs is easy. They just want a percentage of the value of the car. Make sure it is very clean before it leaves Europe. The Ag department can slow you down with washing the car before it hits US soil.

I have brought in a Lotus, two Mini-Coopers, and a JZR on Ro-Ro in Tacoma.
I used a broker once, (first Mini, second experience) and it was a total waste of time and money.

Everyone in Tacoma is willing to help. Good people everywhere. I used WWW lines and they were great.

I lived a long time in Walla Walla. Where are you?


Best,

David
1969 GTV
1972 Spider
1982 JZR (think Morgan 3-wheeler)

[Gary73Super]

Wow, thanks for the timely response David! I'm just up the road from you an hour away in Tri-Cities. Always good (and rare) to find folks who browse the AlfaBB in the eastern part of the state. I'll PM you for more information, but it certainly appears you have done exactly what I'm looking to do down to the port and the shipper. You're also thinking along the same lines as I am as far as why pay for something that's really not that hard--I'm already paying shipping, customs duty, and licensing and don't feel compelled to add another in-between person wanting to grab a bit more. The one customs broker I contacted already looked to be intentionally trying to cloud and complicate the whole procedure to make themselves appear indispensable.

Best regards,
Gary

[Gary73Super]

David,

Ooops, didn't pay close enough attention. Actually about 3-1/2 drive away since you are now in Enterprise, OR instead of Walla Walla. Still, we're both "out in the sticks" compared to most people are who buy these types of vintage cars.

Gary

[Damo105]

That Super is just stunning!!!

[101/105guy]

Man, that pic of your car at Zeebrugge looks familiar!
Oh, yea! Here are mine at the same spot.
Wallenius did a great job shipping mine. NO problems!
Can we expect a full drive report when she arrives ? ;^)
Randy

[Gary73Super]

Roland got the details today confirming the car was loaded on the ship and the ship is out to sea. I can now track when it hits ports on the shipper's web site. Next one is the Panama Canal towards the end of the month

I'm also happy to report that completing the customs paperwork should be an easy task without need for a customs broker. The shipper has an office at the Tacoma port and I should just be able to work with them and save the broker's fee. The AlfaBB comes through again (first with Roland for making this all possible of course) on that count with help from Peter and now David who has used both the same shipper and the same U.S. destination port!

Gary

[Giulia Bianca]

OK !!!, now I only hope the ship does not sink

@ Randy, you are right ,exactly the same spot

[AlfaandMazda]

theres some cars you can be proud of.

[Gary73Super]

Just a quick update to my thread. I've gotten more information on the logistics of getting the car through customs talking to the office that the shipper (Wallenius) has near the Tacoma port and then the Port of Tacoma customer service office. It should be a very straightforward process to pick up the car with no customs broker being needed saving that extra fee of $300 or so. Just a stop at the shipper's office to pay a fee and get the arrival notice stamped and then it's off to the port to get the customs paperwork done and pay some more fees before I can take the car.

The ship my Super is on went through the Panama Canal over the weekend making it's way through a tropical storm in the Caribbean, hopefully in front of the storm. Now it's the final stretch up the Pacific Ocean coastline and within a couple weeks it will be at port in Tacoma.

A word of advice to others: Don't talk to a customs broker unless you are sure you need that service (I learned that the hard way). They are very skilled in making the process sound more complicated than it really is in order to make their service seem indispensable even when you tell them the car is over 25 years old. It was only through a couple folks on this board that I learned it's really just as easy to do it yourself rather than bringing in another person. Of course, some shipping companies and ports might make the process more difficult where a broker would make sense. Also, if you're not actually picking the car up in person at the port that could be another reason. Then you probably have to deal with yet another service called "forwarders" to get the car from the port to your door.

Gary

[Giulia Bianca]

Almost there I think ?? ship did not sink and arrived safe and sound in Tacoma

[Gary73Super]

I will be retrieving the car later this week and will bring my camera to post some pics to this thread. Looks like we hit a rainy week in the Pacific Northwest unfortunately, but hopefully no snow over the mountain pass. It's about a 3-1/2 hour drive normally from Tacoma to home in southeastern Washington.

Gary

[Giulia Bianca]

Looking forward to see the pictures !!!, keep me posted !!

[Gary73Super]

The Prugna Super is now safely back at its new home in Richland, WA, USA I venture to say it's the only Giulia sedan within a 150 mile radius (it's possible one or two are hiding in the Spokane area outside that distance).

I will post some pictures of the car at the Port of Tacoma (last Wednesday) and one back in Richland the next day (southeastern Washington). Everything went smoothly with picking up the car as far as clearing customs and no hidden fees. It was just a matter of going to a few different places at the port and no need at all to involve (and pay) a customs broker. I will post another thread detailing the total cost for importing a 25+ year old vehicle (shipping, customs, etc.) in a day or two since several people have requested that information.

It was raining most of the way home over the pass and then through most of the weekend. Sunday though it was dry and I spent a couple hours meticulously cleaning the exterior. The only word I can use to explain the condition (the exterior especially) is WOW!! Absolutely no rust and the repaint that was done 7 or 8 years ago looks remarkable--just a touch-up here and there, but no dings, no scratches. It definitely has some show potential and a couple thousand invested in the interior primarily and it would be approaching concours material as long as it isn't going up against one that someone spent $55K on Because it's a "driver" to me though, money will go towards the mechanicals first--both the ignition and carbs need some work to make it start and run as smoothly as it should. But, it's perfectly reliable and a bunch of fun as-is so I'll enjoy driving it the next 3 or 4 weeks before storing it for the winter.

My deepest gratitude again to Roland (Giulia Bianca) for finding a truly great car (actually he found this one twice--the first time down in Italy when his friend in Belgium was looking), doing all the upgrade work on the brakes and suspension, even replacing a bad head gasket that wasn't on the schedule, and handling all the logistics of getting the car shipped. Before that he looked at several other Giulias on my behalf sending back detailed pictures and descriptions after traveling to see the cars. Roland, you are an invaluable asset to this board and the entire Alfa community, both in northern Europe and to us in the U.S. as well!!

Gary

[Gary73Super]

Here are the pictures of the Super at the port in Tacoma and back home.