My MME photo turned up the other day (yes, I can see the faces at the back) and btween HMRC and the Post Office they wanted an extra £12.46 in VAT and handling fees !!
Ask Cheleker about the 17.5% deposit he had to leave with them when he brought two cars over for Mini 40...

Metric is for people who can't do fractions.

Appreciate the heads up Andy,  I saw the port lady with a copy and said "Hey can I get a copy of that"  I figured anything that could hold up my mini for that long I should have a copy of it...so I'll check tomorrow to make sure it has the right numbers on it!

Now if I can figure out how to post a picture ? 

Chris

Before you head home make sure that your 7501 Form has been stamped by US Customs, or you have copies of the CF7501 and CF3461. Michigan will not let you get a title and registration without a stamped form. Guess who found this out the hard way.....

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1631_8849-29164--,00.html

Andy

Zip,

It wasn't that bad, I had planned a family vacation on the shores of NJ that just happened to fall several weeks after the cargo ship docked, so it was just an additional 3 hours out of my life.

Wife still hasn't figured out how all this worked out....and I hope she never does!

1147 Congratulations. I'll bet it was a sleepless niight last night but you have to be busting with excitement now. Take it easy on the way home. Do post pictures soon.

Another mini in Michigan!  Maybe you will someday meet my son that finally has his mini in Detroit (Royal Oak)

My experiences with brokers and we used them for every car that barnhill minis and Westpaminis did was that for the most part I think the money they made was from something else much more profitable than clearing minis. I think shipping freights was a much more generous proposition. I only base this on the fact that a good number of the brokers we used would be out of business if the service given to us as mini importers was the same they gave to everyone.

we had EXCELLENT experiences with 2 of the brokers we used, One as mentioned no longer deals in small potatoes and I don't know about the other.

cheers. Peter

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

Hustion,  The Mini P/U has landed on my trailer and I have spirited it away from the evil empire known as Customs and the Port of America.

Pictures to come!

Metric is for people who can't do fractions.

sorry to hear about your problems. Hopefully you can get your car today.

My '65 arrived in Baltimore from NZ and it was almost uneventful. My broker was great, cleared customs w/o problems...all was good until I went to get the car. I went to the dock office and handed my papers to the 'chief in charge' there as he was yackin' it up with another 'chief in charge' from the Newark docks....for 1 hour and 45 minutes....he shuffles my papers while talking about the upcoming local elections('06). When he finally decided to hang up his phone and work, he sees me and a line of angry truck drivers behind me and says 'what do you want?' I say ' I'm here to pic up a car, I handed you the papers over an 1.5 hours ago while standing here' He picks up the papers and without looking at them at all...hands them to the girl at the desk next to him and says 'Take him out to find his car, who's next?' All that waiting for him and he passes the papers to someone else!!!

 I wanted to drag him out to the water and drown his arse. The truck drivers knew the drill well and remained calm while my blood was boiling over the deal. I guess if someone speaks up, they will ignore you or something.

Uhm,

Isn't that their ONLY job? WTF?

Another reason to do it yourself.

Make it idiot proof, and someone will make a better idiot....

Our broker for the PA operation was like controlled aggravation, never a clear answer and forgetting things was a full time habit. At least we never sent the hauler until everything was cleared but sometimes that took long enough to seriously test our patience. Forgotten paperwork or tasks were the norm.

Peter

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

That brings back the memories!

I had almost the exact same scenario when my Mini came into Newark. Arriving just as they closed for lunch, having to make a trip to Custom's myself (fortunately uneventful) and then finding out I didn't have the correct paperwork to prove the shipping was paid. The Newark offices were willing to accept verbal confirmation from the UK office but by this time the shipping company offices and the broker - both in the UK - were closed. I had to go home sad-faced and come back the next day.

Of course, once you get your P/U you'll be all smiles even with they delay.

Make it idiot proof, and someone will make a better idiot....

Oh she had a bunch to say

Actually she realized that I was a bit steamed   and the ess said the better, see my Canadian Customs saga.

As much as I like road trips, I don't think the trip home would be much fun. I'm sure it was filled with lively conversation.  I feel for ya buddy.

Wife and kids still speaking to you?

So today was the day! After several years of searching and once I found one the months of planning, calling, paying and waiting I was ready to head up to Newark N.J. to pick up my P/U.  The broker had called last Friday while my family was being escorted out of Canada to let us know the P/U was good to go.

Tuesday night was hard to sleep as I was keyed up for the trip to the port of Newark.  Finally the alarm clock sounded and out the door I went.  The wife and my 2 girls decided against my advice to come along...Mom said it would be educational....Boy was she right but for the wrong reasons. 

We had to find the Brokers office first as he had all the paperwork plus my title, he was located in a house in Elizabeth NJ and unfortunetly was on vacation but had left my paperwork with some of his associates.  We arrived at the Port at 11:46am.....one minute after they close for lunch....a sign of things to come ?  I was informed to come back at 12:45 pm and I would be taken care of...I'll say!  So after an hour drive around the docks and Elizabeth...not to be missed if you liked hardcore industrial sites we arrived back at the Port.  I waited my turn and finally I was able to proudly present my paperwork...or should I say my incomplete paperwork.......OH-OH   I figured it couldn't be easy...or everyone would do it! (2pm)

I find out that I'm missing the shippers papers that say I've paid and more importantly my stamped Customs paperwork that says the P/U has been cleared.  I did mention that my Broker was out today!!!  I called the office and although everyone was helpful no one really knew what to do. So what can you do but call the Broker while he's on vacation. (3pm)

My Broker has one of his guys run to Customs to get the paper signed, while I call my shipper to get the release paper faxed...so far so good.  I'm told 1/2 hour and all should be taken care of by customs....an hour later I call the broker....A little issue has happened, his runner confused the Customs agent and the agent has now put the P/U back on hold for another inspection.  My Broker then sends out another person to fix this issue...yeh right!  (3:30pm) It's now 30 min. before the Port closes, family has been sitting for hours in 90 degree heat.....

At 4pm  I go home....empty trailer.

I have been told tonight by my Broker that he has the stamped paperwork in his office and I should be a go for tomorrow.....more to come.

I could see my P/U the whole time I was waiting......

TO BE CONTINUED.

Chris