Berlin to Melbourne - Bit of advice please!

[0jay]

Straight up I need to admit I have left this much too late to be organised.

I have been quoted $1600 (not including crate) for pickup from Berlin to land in Melbourne. The company (BikesAbroad.com.au) will do the necessary paperwork and they seem to be genuinely nice people.

My question is can I get this service significantly cheaper? I have seen may quotes tossed around in forums at around 500EUR and $1600 looks excessive form this perspective.

I'm stressed and at the very tight end of the decision - I leave Tuesday next week and there is little chance to dance around and compare. I may have to leave the bike behind if I can't sort it satisfactorily - something I am clearly reluctant to do.

Any advice/opinions gratefully received.

Oscar

[pecha72]

"can I get this service significantly cheaper? I have seen may quotes tossed around in forums at around 500EUR and $1600 looks excessive form this perspective"

Use only one currency, using several will just confuse you. And was that USD or AUD??

(..and your quote is by sea or by air?)

I sent my DL650 crated by sea from Sydney to Helsinki in April-08, and payed roughly 700€ total including everything (got the crate for free, though). I'd expect that same shipping to cost at least 1000€ nowadays, not absolutely certain but I doubt its possible to do this for 500€. Cheapest quotes, that I got for airfreight back then, were around 2200€. It's a long way even by plane.

(Was supposed to take 6 weeks, but in reality it took just about two months by sea, that's another thing to consider.)

[0jay]

Thanks pecha

yes, by sea and the quote is $1600AUD. The forum quotes I'm referring to are in the mid 500s and always quoted in euro. I've found free crate and I guess it could be worse but am pretty concerned about charges for quarantine cleaning etc and have no real idea about reg costs on the other end.

I appreciate your input - looks as though $1600 is a reasonable rate.

[RogerM]

Before you go rushing off and organising transport have a read of VSB10 - do a weblookup. If you are a tourist you'll need a carnet de passage, its now the only way that tourists can bring a vehicle into Australia.

If you are a returning resident then read VSB10 and make sure that you can comply with the conditions.

I doubt a company in Australia can organise a carnet for you as you have to provide the insurance or bank bond.

Find out exactly what the company in Aus is providing - Customs clearance, quarantine clearance, dock charges, transport to warehouse, etc etc.

[0jay]

Thanks RogerM,
sound advice and just the things I needed to hear. As it happens I've decided against it. Too much involved in the time I have left to organise.

Many thanks to all who responded.