Category: News

With the traffic, stress and congestion associated with day to day car use, it can be easy to forget about the joys of driving on an open and free road.

Taking a road trip can allow you to use your car for what it was made for, all the while taking in some spectacular scenery on the way.

There are few places in the world that combine as much varied scenery into as small a place as Europe. From Alpine climbs, to coastal roads, a journey through Europe can see you take in a huge variety of different types of scenery and roads in one trip.

What’s more is that the roads in this part of the world are often well kept, which can make your ride even more comfortable.

Here is a look a look at five of the best roads to drive on in Europe.

TRANSALPINA: ROMANIA

This road through the Carpathian Mountains, with a high point of 2,145m, is sure to take your breath away. It is 140km long and full of breathtaking views, brilliant valleys, and long mountain top plateaus.

Thought to have been first built in the second century by the Roman Empire, it twists and winds its way throughout central and western Romania.

A word of warning, though, it is closed in winter due to snow and ice caused by its elevation so be sure to check it will be open before planning a trip.

COL DE LA BONNETTE: FRENCH ALPS

This road, with a high point of 2807m, is the highest in Europe. It offers spectacular views of one of the most famous mountain ranges in the world and all on a really well looked after road.

Used by the Tour de France, you know the inclines, twists, and turns on road will be a real test of your driving metal, although the surrounding scenery and panoramic views will be the perfect reward!

GABERL MOUNTAIN PASS: AUSTRIA

Another road with its history based in Roman times, this 50km stretch in Austria follows the Mur River valley and all the twists and hairpin turns that go with it.

As one of the lesser known roads on this list, it is unlikely to be too busy. This means you will have stretches of the pristine countryside completely to yourself.

On a clear day, and depending on where exactly on the route you are, you will have views into both Hungary and Slovenia.

ROMANTISCHE STRASSE: GERMANY

No prizes for guessing what the name of this road translates to! However, once you see the fairytale castles and palaces that line this road you will know exactly how it got its name.

Roaming through Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg, this road takes in such sights as medieval villages, spa towns, castles and rivers all before finishing just after a 15 million-year-old meteorite crater.

NEBIDA-BUGGERU: SARDINIA

If you want to keep things closer to sea level, this could be the road for you. It is a beautiful coastal road that twists and winds its way past the types of stunning beaches and cliffs that Italy is famous for.

A trip along any of the roads in this article is sure to be a memorable experience. If you are planning a trip to Europe and want to take the stress out of bringing your car get in touch with Willship to find out how we can help you with shipping your car! Also check out this page for more information on shipping to the UK.

Nothing beats the thrill of taking a classic car out for a ride on a crisp spring morning. The purr of the engine and the feel of the roads in the first ride after a long winter is a true feeling to behold!

However, to make sure this experience is a good one, not one of stress and a hefty repair bill, you must make sure your car is always stored properly. If not when you take your car out for that first ride of the year, the experience may be less than expected.

Read on to find out how to store a classic car properly.

FILL THE TANK

This is the easiest thing to do, and also one of the most important. If you are storing your car for any period kind of extended period of time, having a full tank of gas should protect the fuel tank from moisture and damage.

Use the best quality of gas that you can, and add some fuel stabiliser to give you take an extra layer of protection. After adding your fuel stabiliser make sure to go on a short drive to make sure it spreads throughout the system.

WASH AND DRY YOUR CAR

Before storing your car, make sure you fully wash both inside and underneath your car. Let it dry in the open air (to help this process along you can go for a short drive), then fully wax the car to protect the paintwork during the car’s time in storage.

Also be sure to check the car’s interior for forgotten dirt and rubbish, especially any foodstuffs.

PLACE YOUR CAR ON JACKS

This step is especially important if you are leaving you car in storage for a long time. By placing your car on a jack you will stop your car’s tires from gaining flat spots and take the pressure off the suspension during its time in storage.

If you are just keeping your car in storage for a short amount of time and you don’t have any jacks, pumping the tires up fully will give you some protection from flat spots. However, it is best to stay on the safe side and simply use a Jack.

CHANGE THE OIL AND COOLANT

Changing the oil in your car will help prevent rusting as the old oil may contain acid or water. Changing the coolant will have a similar effect, although admittedly this is not quite as necessary as the oil change.

CONSULT THE PROFESSIONALS

If you are having trouble with any of these steps, or if you want to best possible storage for your car you can always use a professional service to store your car.

As well as performing all the steps seen above and clearing up some space in your garage, a professional storage company will be able to add some extra protection by ensuring the storage unit is at the correct temperature.

This way you can be sure that when you take your car out after its time in storage, it will be in the best condition possible.

If you are interested in shipping a classic car overseas you can visit this page for more information.

FOX CLASSIC CAR COLLECTION

The Fox Classic Car Collection showcases an awesome collection of classic vehicles collected by trucking businessman Lindsay Fox. Over a period of 30 years Fox collected Ferrari, Jaguar, Bentley, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce models. Many of these are one off prototypes and some have been owned by celebrities. Housed in the historic Queen’s Warehouse in the Docklands precinct, the collection is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

GEELONG MUSEUM OF MOTORING & INDUSTRY

Geelong is around an hour’s drive south-west of Melbourne but car lovers won’t mind hightailing it to the Geelong Museum of Motoring + Industry (GMOM for short). The port town has a fascinating automotive and manufacturing history and this is reflected in the museum which follows Australia’s journey throughout the 20th century to becoming a car-centric nation. The museum is open every day of the week except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and everyday during the school holidays.

MORRIS MINOR GARAGE

If you’re part of a classic car group and looking for a place for an event then get in touch with the Morris Minor Garage in Harcourt. Around an hour and half drive north of Melbourne this art deco designed garage is open to Car Clubs and groups of 10 or more by appointment only. A blast from the past it has a private collection of Morris Minors and other historic vehicles dating back to the 1920s. It also has a cafe themed on the same era. Phone Kim on 0409 351 509 to reserve your date and time or email them through the website.

DUTTON GARAGE

If you’re in the market for a luxury, exotic or classic sports car, or just want to drool a little, then look no further than Dutton Garage. Situated in the heart of Melbourne in Richmond, the showroom has an eye-opening array of modern and classic sports cars sourced from all over the globe. Rather than salespeople, it’s run by car experts and motoring enthusiasts. You’ll find everything here from classic Porsches and vintage Ferraris, to a lineup of current prestige models. Dutton Garage is open every day of the week but Sunday.

TRIPLE R

What better way to explore Victoria than with a classic car tour? From the comfort of your own privately chauffeured classic Rolls Royce, no less. Triple Roffers classic car winery and scenic tours through the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Dandenong Ranges. The tours are ideal for small groups (up to 7 people) wanting to spend a memorable day out from Melbourne at a relaxed pace. They can customise the tour to your own itinerary or provide one, they’ll even throw in a complimentary bottle of bubbly. Make an enquiry through their website.

HOW TO SHIP YOUR CAR OR VEHICLE FROM AUSTRALIA TO THE UK

 

Shipping your car or vehicle from Australia to the UK can seem like a complicated and expensive process.

While there are certainly a number of things that you need to take care of, if you break the process down into smaller steps it can seem much simpler.

This guide to shipping your car from Australia to the UK aims to do just that!

The steps you need to take to send your car to the UK can be split into two categories. These are things you need to do in Australia to ready your car for export and things you need to do in the UK to ready your car for import.

THE FULL LIST OF STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE IS AS FOLLOWS:

 

IN AUSTRALIA:

 

1. Work out the total cost
2. Choose your preferred shipping method
3. Choose an appropriate sailing date
4. Prepare export documentation
5. Choose a drop-off/collection date
6. Clean the vehicle
7. De-register vehicle (if registered)
8. Drop vehicle off and collect ‘Bill of Lading’

 

IN THE UK:

 

1. Import duties
2. UK compliance and registration
3. Drive!

 

CALCULATE TOTAL COST

 

The first thing you need to do is estimate the total cost. This will help you decide if shipping your car is the best option for you. The main fees you need to take care of are as follows:

1. Transport cost and Escort fee
2. Local charges and Ocean Freight to your destination
3. Arrival and Clearance charges
4. Import taxes and duties
5. Transit insurance
6. Compliance and registration costs

If you are interested in finding out how much it would cost to send your car to the UK, use our free instant quote tool at the top of this page to find out.

 

CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED SHIPPING METHOD

 

The first step when thinking about sending your car to the UK is to choose your preferred shipping method.

The two options you have here are roll-on/roll-off and container shipping. Both of these shipping methods have plus and minus points but a quick summary of each is as follows:

If you choose the Roll-on/Roll-off method your car will be rolled or driven onto the ship and then lashed to the deck. It is the cheaper of the two methods but unfortunately you are unable to put any extra luggage or items in the car.

In container shipping, your car will be put into a container. Despite being more expensive you can fill your car up with other items which can be useful if you are moving house or have a lot of luggage.

For a more in-depth look at the two shipping methods please click on the link HERE.

 

CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE SAILING DATE

 

After you have decided on your preferred type of shipping you will need to choose a shipping date.

Shipping a car from Australia to the UK can take a while, up to several months. When planning your car’s journey make sure to think about how long you will need to use your vehicle in Australia, as well as when you will need it in the UK.

 

PREPARE EXPORT DOCUMENTATION

 

The next step is that you need to prepare your export documentation. This includes things such as a bill of sale or the vehicle’s registration paperwork, a copy of your passport and photos of the vehicle plus the vehicle’s price if you want to get it insured for the journey.

 

ARRANGE A DROP-OFF/COLLECTION DATE

 

Once you have all the required paperwork and you have set your dates and shipping method you can arrange a date for collection/drop-off with your shipping company. This is usually three to five days before the ship set sail.

 

CLEAN THE VEHICLE

 

The next step is to clean the vehicle, this includes all cobwebs and plant residue that may be in or on the car. If your car is not clean enough it can fail the inspection and be banned from loading onto the ship. This can lead to extra fees and delays. Read more about preparing your car for shipping here.

 

DE-REGISTER VEHICLE

 

You will then need to de-register your car at the appropriate transport authority in Australia. Then when the day for collection/drop off comes, you will need to remove your plates.

 

DROP VEHICLE OFF AND COLLECT ‘BILL OF LADING’

 

The final thing you need to take care of in Australia is actually dropping the car off with the shipping company. They will take care of loading the vehicle and once this process has been completed you will receive a ‘Bill of Lading’. This allows you to track your vehicle throughout its journey.

So now your car is on its way to the UK, you can just sit back, relax and prepare for your trip over!

Well, actually, not quite.

Before you can drive your car in the UK there are a number of things you will need to take care of. These are mainly to do with getting through customs and getting your car or vehicle ready for the UK roads.

 

UK IMPORT TAXES AND DUTIES

 

The first thing you will need to take care of is the import duty on your car.

Luckily there are a number of agreements and deals between the UK and Australia that mean many people are eligible for exemption from import duties. Some of the reasons for eligibility include:

1) That you lived outside the EC for at least 18 months
2) That you have possessed and use the vehicle outside the EC for at least six months
3) That you are moving to the EC to live for at least six months in the following 12 months
4) That the vehicle arrives no more than six months after you arrive
5) That you do not sell the car for at least 12 months after UK customs clearance

If it turns out that you do not meet the above criteria then you will need to pay import duty based on the value of your car, the cost of shipping and insurance.

 

COMPLIANCE AND REGISTRATION

 

After getting your car or vehicle through customs you then need to check your vehicle for compliance and register it for use on the road.

While most vehicles from Australia are compliant for use in the UK, a few changes often have to be made to the vehicle. These changes include things such as switching the speedometer to one that uses mph and fitting a rear fog light to the UK off-side. The exact work that needs to be done will depend on the make and model of your car.

Luckily for those of you with cars over ten years old, no compliance work is necessary. Instead, the car simply has to pass its MOT test.

Once your car has passed its MOT and compliance checks you will still need to pay road tax and get the car insured before you use it on the UK’s roads.

At that is the final step! Once you have completed this process your car will be good to use in the UK.

While there are certainly a lot of things to get your head around, shipping your car can be a cheaper and more convenient option that selling your old car and buying a new on.

And remember, if you need any help with the process, Willship can organise your journey from the collection of your car in Australia to customs clearance and compliance in the UK. For more info gives a call on (61) 7 3267 3694 or enquire online to find out how we can help you!

1. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY – AUCKLAND TO NAPIER

This epic coastal journey starts in Auckland and finishes in the Art Deco town of Napier on the east coast of the North Island. The route covers 1,072 km and takes around six days to complete encompassing old gold towns, geothermal beaches, active volcanoes and wineries. There’s more than enough activities here to satisfy anyone with an interest in discovering one of New Zealand’s most historic regions.

2. THE THERMAL EXPLORER HIGHWAY – AUCKLAND TO LAKE TAUPO

The centre of the North Island is alive with geothermal activity which makes it an exciting place to tour in a motorhome. The Thermal Explorer Highway is a 457 km, four-day route that starts in Auckland and heads through the farming country of the Waikato where you can explore the Waitomo Caves, either on foot or on a guided boat tour. Continue onto Rotorua where you’ll find bubbling mud pools, geysers and natural hot pools to soak in. Next it’s onto Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand and the site of an ancient volcano, offering plenty of lakeside camping grounds and a mixture of adrenalin-based and relaxing activities.

3. INLAND SCENIC ROUTE – CHRISTCHURCH TO CHRISTCHURCH

One of the South Island’s most popular road trips, you can spend up to six days on the Inland Scenic Route, which does a loop around the Canterbury region. It starts in Christchurch and takes in several small farming towns including Oxford, Methven, Geraldine, Ashburton, as well as the French colonial town of Akaroa. There are some short hikes you can do in the Mount Somers area near Methven or for experienced trampers, the Mount Somers summit offers rewarding views of the surrounding plains.

4. SOUTHERN SCENIC ROUTE – DUNEDIN TO QUEENSTOWN

This 610 km route commences in Dunedin and takes in the lower South Island before terminating in the adventure capital of Queenstown. Southland is known for its rugged coastline, crystal clear lakes, native wildlife and ancient forests. The route takes in Invercargill, New Zealand’s most southern city and Fiordland, considered the most beautiful part of the country. To get the most out the journey plan for four days, there are plenty of scenic camping grounds to park your motorhome along the way.

5. GREAT ALPINE HIGHWAY – CHRISTCHURCH TO GREYMOUTH

As the name of this 255-kilometre route suggests it involves traversing the mighty Southern Alps, and the scenery along the way is breathtaking. After crossing the Canterbury plains, the road climbs 900 metres to Arthur’s Pass Village before crossing the incredible Otira Viaduct. The West Coast offers a completely different landscape with lush rainforest, barren beaches stretching for miles and heritage gold mining towns. A short drive north of Greymouth is the fascinating natural limestone formations, Punakaiki or Pancake Rocks.

Want to explore another country in your campervan? It’s easier than you think. Contact Willship today and we’ll walk you through what’s involved.

In this article, we take a look six key ways to prepare for your move overseas:

• Using checklists
• How to move your belongings
• Organising your finances
• Purchasing travel insurance
• Changing your mailing address
• Registering with your embassy

Read on to learn more…

 

1. MAKE CHECKLISTS

Before you begin packing your things and turning your house upside down, it’s a good idea to make a checklist of all of the things you need to do. You might like to have a checklist for errands you need to run, like getting vaccinations or new passport photos, and another one for children-specific tasks, like enrolling your kids in a new school or picking out destination-appropriate clothing. Whatever the case, lists will help you to stay organised and keep on track!

2. PACK AND SHIP YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS

Whether you plan on shipping everything you own to your new country or just a few select items, it’s important to make sure that you’re doing it the right way. There is nothing worse than spending months preparing for a move, only to realise that once you arrive all of your furniture is damaged or broken.

We always recommend moving your items with a professional. At Willship, your goods will be safely packed and easily trackable in your very own shipping container. It’s also more affordable than many think to ship your car, and you can even include personal belongings at the same time!

3. ORGANISE YOUR FINANCES

If you’re planning to move overseas permanently, it’s essential to get your finances in order before you leave. You should look into opening a local bank account in your new country and do some research on the tax implications of moving overseas. You may also like to speak with your accountant about your superannuation, investments, and business accounts.

4. PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE

As the saying goes, “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel”. Travel insurance is an essential part of your ticket overseas. Without it, you are placing yourself at high risk of financial loss (especially due to medical bills and related aid). Accidents and illnesses are unavoidable; get the right insurance policy today, so that you can travel with ease.

5. CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS

You may think that postponing some of your boring administrative travel tasks to a later date is a good idea. However, procrastinating on your paperwork can lead to unnecessary overdue bills, outstanding fines, and unhappy businesses. Before you get on your plane, you should get in touch with anyone who sends you important mail (e.g. your bank, superannuation fund, insurance provider, tax office, and utility providers) and notify them of your change in address.

6. REGISTER WITH YOUR EMBASSY

Whatever your reason for moving overseas, it’s important to be properly prepared for your new environment and all of the related risks that come with it (e.g. tsunamis, earthquakes, terror attacks, etc.). We recommend reading up on the Australian Government’s current travel advice articles, and registering your details with smarttraveller.gov.au before you depart. By registering your details with Smart Traveller, you will make it a lot easier for the department of foreign affairs to get in contact with you if there is ever an emergency.

 

Are you shipping your car or personal belongings overseas? Willship have over 25 years experience in international shipping. Chat to one of our friendly staff members today to find out how we could help you reach your destination sooner!

After the team at SCR racing spent the offseason rebuilding their car to be more reliable and user-friendly they headed back over the ditch to New Zealand for the Demon Energy D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series 2015 – 2016 season. For those who don’t know, D1NZ is a production car drifting series in New Zealand which began back in early 2003, and has since become an event recognised around the world.

THURSDAY 26TH

The race started a few days before the championship, with a Thursday morning flight from Melbourne to Wellington followed by a 2.5-hour drive north to Fielding where the Manfeild Autocourse was located. The team arrived in Fielding late that afternoon and got some much-needed rest for their upcoming days.

FRIDAY 27TH

The next morning they started prepping the car for some intense competition. The team had 2 hours of practice that was spent trying to adapt the car to the new track and layout. SCR Drift Team struggled most of the morning with too much grip in the rear of the car. They decided to run a much higher tyre pressures (over 20psi more than normal) and played with spring rates and dampening to compensate for the high grip surface of the new track. Once the rear grip was sorted, driver Michael Prosenik could concentrate on running the right racing line while keeping pace, but with new front steering components, Michael struggled not to throw too much angle in the first clipping point and wash off speed. The team explains, “Qualifying was decent”, with a few small corrections they ended up in 15th place.

SATURDAY 28TH

The next day the team awoke to heavy rain that continued right through to the team’s practice where the car was handling great. The team was on pace (and the ones to beat) as the team’s car over-gripped. The team explained, “No one was even close to us!”.

After the morning practice session, SCR had a 4-hour break before the start of the battles, that’s when the weather changed, and the sun came out drying the cold track. D1NZ race control agreed to give every driver a three lap warm up just before the battles to adapt to the changed weather conditions that were warm, sunny and dry.

On the team’s second warm-up lap, the serpentine belt snapped, and team driver, Michael Prosenik, managed to limp the car into the pit entry where the team worked flat out to have it changed in time. D1NZ is live streamed around the world and needed to stick to a schedule. As a result, the team didn’t have time to change the rear tyres.

The first lap of the battle was strong. SCR Drift Team were leading first with a good clean run, but on the chase lap, the tires were too worn out. When they initiated into the first corner behind the lead car, the team’s car didn’t have enough grip in the tyres. With a 160+ kph entry, SCR team driver, Michael Prosenik, ran wide with one wheel off track and was heavily deducted. SCR Drift Team lost the first battle in the top 32 and were out of the competition.

OVERALL RESULT

Even though the team didn’t get the result they were hoping for, they are extremely happy with how the car performed knowing that the six-month offseason wasn’t wasted rebuilding a car. With some more seat time and a few little tweaks, they have no doubt that SCR Drift Team will make their way to the top spot!

If you are wanting to enter international professional racing or just wanting to ship your vehicle overseas, then the team at Willship can help! Contact us today.