Carnet questions (and for Egypt)

[whereisgibson]

Does anyone here have first hand experience with the carnet system - specifically for Egypt? I'm following the chaps in the LC80s at the moment but not much info on their site, and don't want to burden them with the questions while travelling.

The internet/hubb has intermittent 'blagging' stories that suggest there is a local equivalent / emergency carnet...

For RAC I'm not so keen on the bank guarantee, nor the insurance keeping 5% (aka £2400! For a week!!) - has anyone tried the "refundable cash deposit (maximum amount accepted is £10,000, based on vehicle value x security)" option?

Presumably if I exit somewhere after stamping in with the carnet, I don't necessarily have to use it to enter the next country - ie I can temporarily import it into a less-restrictive state without carnet and leave the vehicle there and still claim the carnet back. (ie just use the carnet to get through Egypt, claim it back, and carry on).

Muchas gracias!

 

[Andy]

Not quite sure what you are intending when you say leave the vehicle there & claim the carnet back.

I have now entered egypt with my 80 several times at both alex & sollum, and they stamp your carnet on entry (after loads of checks on the chassiss / engine numbers etc etc), then when you leave with the car , they check these things again & put an exit stamp in the carnet.

You need this exit stamp to 'clear' the carnet when back in uk.

in feb this year when going egypt / libya, the libyans wanted the carnet & stamped it into libya & again out agin when entering tunisia, even though it states clearly on the carnet that its not valid in libya!!

I think you will struggle pulling the wool over the eyes of the egyptian border people, theyare very fastidious when it comes to the carnet.

as for costs from the rac, its 8 x the vehicle value, for my carnet this year, the car value was £2000 which the rac were quite happy with, i believe actual the cost that i will pay, going down the insurance route is about £700, and probably getting 3 uses out of it, its not quite so bad!!

Just value the basic car, without any mods etc as low as poss, this is all they are interested in

Where are you planning entering egypt?, I may be able to give u a few pointers on the procedure which is a bit of a nightmare!

Andy