Vehicle Shippers (to Cape Town)

[Gary Stockton]

Hi all,

I know some folk are using / have used vehicle shippers to Cape Town in SA (Olazz??) so any input from anyone on whom to use,and which folk to avoid? I'm aware of two styles - RoRo and container - RoRo is lots less, but a lot less secure ... but how secure is secure really? I have a 'tame' customs and clearance agent in Cape Town to get the vehicle released for me, so that shouldn't be too difficult.

Why? Well, I reckon I'd like to go to Algeria or Libya - but either of those I'd be going solo, and if I go on an organised tour (which makes sense right now) then there is a hefty single supplement. So much so that, with all costs factored in, loss of earnings over the trip, fuel, visas, ferries, insurance, etc. etc., it's probably just as expensive for me to ship the 120 to Cape Town, fly the 2 of us out there and go to Namibia / Botswana for 3 weeks instead, with a week in Cape Town first.

So that's the thinking - today, anyway . Unless I win the Euromillions or Lotto, I'll look at doing this winter 2013 (SA winter - July-ish - oh - wait - temperatures will be the same ) or maybe as late as Easter 2014 ... so no big rush, but we know how time flies ... and still so much prep work (small stuff) to do to the truck.

Accommodation etc. in SA is all free, I can borrow a fully-rigged safari trailer if I want it, built to track the 120, so I may leave the roof-rack and roof-tent behind, which makes RoRo a more attractive option, so just fuel and camping costs, and some decent grub to factor in

Plus I can get a bit of custom build work done in Cape Town too

 

[warrenpfo]

What about renting would it not save you the hassle and cost of shipping?

 

[Gary Stockton]

Not really - renting is fairly expensive, and I know what I get if I take my own. I can probably borrow an 80GXL or a 120-V6 petrol VX so that's my fall-back so far. But it would be nice to use my own - all my own stuff etc.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Just had a quick shufti on tinterweb - I can get a fairly complete (ito roof-ent, camping gear, etc.) 76 series 4.2 n/a Cruiser for about £150 / day. Not sure if that includes VAT or insurance - I assume it does. So rental would be a lot more than a RoRo trip at about £1000 each way over 3 or 4 weeks ...

And I can get to go to R&D Offroad and / or Burnco to get them to make up some bits for me at the same time (Like a long-range fuel tank, rear bumper and swing-out, etc. All good custom stuff!), and JB's for a great vehicle service Hmm - I like this idea more and more

 

[SimonD]

When we went to Botswana is was great to have a truck with all the kit but the thing we found was that little niggly things were not in the right place, or missing compared to our truck set up. So Gary, i think you are right to consider your own. If we had the holidays we'd ship our own for sure. The rentals can be good but add up over a long period.

 

[Olazz]

Gary,
Yes all sorted and I spent a lot of time on this. Just as importantly sorting a reliable clearing agent in SA who will save me the hassle and some cost in clearing customs.

If you need more info PM me chap.