Shipping POV to England?

[Guest cheap]

tentoad, it's something like that... a roadster version of the Daytona Coupe. Unfortunately, catalytic converters are not even possible on my car:

The headers go right out the side and never completely join up into a single pipe. I will take your advice and look for a jag forum in the UK for advice and thanks for the info on the MOT and the cop cameras.

[B*D*A]

We also have regulations that relate to noise from the exhaust, although many young people over here regularly flout these!

Good God man! The gaul of those ruffians!

[/british accent]

[Steve Davies]

Good God man! The gaul of those ruffians!

[/british accent]

Very good

How old do I feel now!?

[Dupe]

A question on overseas auto insurance. Has anyone been able to save more using USAA overseas, or do they even cover the UK, Germany, or Japan?

They covered the UK when I was there and even had a London office with a free-phone number. Unfortunately, they're only an insurance company in Europe, so you'll have to use Communist(Community) Bank to exchange your currency to pay your non-US dollar bills.

[Guest IncompletePete]

What about the other way around? If I somehow get accepted for OTS and UPT, would any US insurance company recognise my years riding a motorcycle in the UK without claiming on my insurance? I'd want to treat myself to a new bike, but would hate to be deemed a new rider and therefore be raped on my insurance premiums.

I'll find a UK expat forum for advice, but if you guys know off-hand that'd be awesome.

[Vetter]

Another quick question about an Overseas PCS and the ole auto...

Heading to Spang in a few months and I want to keep my F-150, but I don't wanna take it with me. Will the government pay to have it stored here rather than shipping it? Thanks!

Edited February 24, 2009 by Vetter

[Finance_Guy]

Another quick question about an Overseas PCS and the ole auto...

Heading to Spang in a few months and I want to keep my F-150, but I don't wanna take it with me. Will the government pay to have it stored here rather than shipping it? Thanks!

I'm going to say no, but check with your TMO. What I get out of the JFTR reference below is that if you can ship it and decide not to, then you cannot be reimbursed storage. Now if the F-150 is not permitted to be shipped to Germany, then you may have something. Again, check with TMO.

AF SUPPLEMENT/JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS VOLUME 1/ JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS VOLUME 2

6.10. (U5460) Care and Storage. Except as authorized in JFTR, pars. U5455-E2 and U5464, storage of a POV at government expense or by government arrangement is NOT AUTHORIZED. The only exception is free holding time at the WPOE/WPOD incident to shipment of the POV to,

from, or between OCONUS areas. Normally, such holding time cannot exceed 45 days. (See Part B, paragraph 6.14 of this chapter for POV storage when POV transportation to PDS is not authorized.)

JFTR: U5464 GENERAL

POV Storage is in lieu of POV shipment. This Section prescribes POV storage allowances for eligible members ordered to a foreign/non-foreign OCONUS (see par. U5462) PDS to which a POV is not permitted to be transported, or sent TDY for more than 30 days to a contingency operation.

[Flare]

In less words, you can ship or store 1 car. The AF doesn't care at all about your 2nd vehicle. I feel your pain Vetter...we shipped the mini-van over here while my F-150 is sitting in my parents driveway.

[60 driver]

Steve mentioned the MOT, but I don't think anyone pointed how stringent it is/used to be. It's a consideration - While I was stationed in the UK it was routine to fail for items such as "excessive body rust" on cars that looked 100% normal to me. I don't know if it's the same now, but if your car wasn't in at least above average mechanical condition, it could turn out to be way more of a pain in the ass to get it inspected than it was worth. I had the 1989 equivalent of the Toyota Tacoma when I was there (in newish condition), and mine failed the MOT the first time because the (stock) tires stuck out about 1/4" past the edge of the sidewall flares. The second time the guy decided I needed special fog lights drilled onto my front quarter panels. I finally got around all of that, but I guess the point is, be ready for some surprises even if you think you have everything covered.

Bottom line, I enjoyed having my truck there. Driving took some getting used to but wasn't that big a deal after the first 2 weeks, and I enthusiastically recommend (stomp stomp) sticking with USAA if you have it.

Do they plan on dredging it through salt water?

Reminded me of a somewhat animated conversation that was taking place at the Lakenheath TMO as I was outprocessing many years back - the only line I clearly overhead was the TMO agent saying in a very polite tone, "Sir, I'm afraid you don't understand, they've dropped your entire vehicle into the North Sea. So if you'll just have a look at this form..."

Edited February 24, 2009 by 60 driver

[Guest Flyin' AF Hawaiian]

Thread Revival:

So I just got RAF Mildenhall for my assignment. Currently torn between either taking my current vehicle ('05 Mazda 6) or trying to buy something new when I'm there. I've seen that you can get some pretty nice deals on BMWs in Germany and Italy through Pentagon Car Sales or whatever it is, but is there a similar deal in the UK? Just looking for some advice on either option.

[M2]

Yes, they have the same car sales in the UK as they have in Germany; just remember that you'll be driving a US-specs car on the opposite side of the road.

That said, depending on the shape your Mazda is in, you may want to consider shipping it. It is small enough to fit in, and they sell the 6 there so parts and maintenance shouldn't be a problem.

Or, if you can sell it for a decent amount, do so and buy a UK-specs car for your time there. I found driving a righthand-drive car a lot easier in the UK...

Cheers! M2

[Flare]

Anyone paid out of pocket to ship a 2nd car to/from Europe recently? How much was the damage?

[Guest alfakilo]

Thread related question.....any tips/lessons learned before you throw your vehicle on the bo-at?

Also, the paper suggests to protect the undercarriage....thoughts on how to do this?

Yes. Ziebart, as thorough a coating that you can get. Winters are tough on cars.

Our Toyota Corolla got a complete Ziebart job before we went to Bentwaters...after four years there, it was surprisingly relatively rust free.

Don't take a big car to Europe, particularly the UK. It literally doesn't fit.

[zrooster99]

While I was stationed in the UK it was routine to fail for items such as "excessive body rust" on cars that looked 100% normal to me.

I had similar experiences but it also depends on where you go. I brought a '97 vette (5 years old at the time) over with headers and straight pipes (no mufflers, but precats and cats remained). They didn't give me any crap about the exhaust but tried to fail me for excessive play in my front end and "low effort" on my e-brake. I asked them what the standards were for both items and how far off those standards I was. Turned out I was actually within standards on the e-brake and the front end wasn't even close to being out of limits. I later purchased a 83 Porsche 924 for $500 while there...it was practically a basket case. I brought it in for its MOT inspection and the only real issues were the emissions and the e-break. Advanced the timing and adjusted the e-brake and it (amazingly) passed. They were far less anal than the first place.

[M2]

Anyone paid out of pocket to ship a 2nd car to/from Europe recently? How much was the damage?

Flare

We paid ~$1400 but that was back in 2002. You might want to check with the company that is shipping your other vehicle, as we used the same one. I can't recall the name right now, but I did look around and the prices were just about the same (or more) everywhere else.

Where are ya going? I just got back from a TDY to southern Germany, I do miss being stationed in Europe but the weather in Texas is definitely better!

Cheers! M2

[Guest]

Don't take a big car to Europe, particularly the UK. It literally doesn't fit.

It depends. I got that same advice from some former Bentwaters IPs at DM before I went to Alconbury so I sold my almost new Bronco. I pulled into the squadron parking lot on day one and there were two full size pickups, two Broncos and three Blazers. I was bummed.

The roads around Alconbury were as wide as the roads in the US (almost). The roads around Bentwaters were like paved ATV trainls. Lesson learned...ask someone from the base you are going to for specific advice.