Date:         Mon, 27 May 2002 14:04:20 -0400
Reply-To:     "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Organization: Bulley-Hewlett
Subject:      Re: Suggestions for shipping a van from Germany to Halifax NS
In-Reply-To:  <079501c205a6$ff9b40f0$0100a8c0@MEDION1800>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hmmm. Looking for a different perspective, eh? Well, not my own
experience, but that of our 1982 Westfalia's beloved Previous Owner... 

She shipped our van to Europe and back 4 times (actually, she bought it
in Luxembourg, so there's one more time). Anyway, she never used an
intermodal/cargo container, and always loaded the van with all her
gear/luggage for a lengthy stay. I have no explanation as to why things
didn't get stolen or molested, but she talked at length about how to go
about it (encouraging us to do the same), and never mentioned anything
of the sort.

She said it was about $800 each way, and I think she typically went
RoRo. The last time she went was the only time that some one (on one end
of the trip) used a forklift or similar thing to place the van on the
boat. Our fuel tank is about 2 gallons shy because of the resulting
dent; mild-mannered, even she was pissed.

She was a mother of 8, and a Red Cross super-volunteer. Sometimes she
was taking a few of her kids to see Europe, other times she was helping
in a troubled Eastern/Balkan area. The van has been in 31 countries,
according to her records. 

Anyway, there is your "other perspective".

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley 
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications 
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com         
Alliance: www.ntara.com 
Phone: +1.919.658.1278

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Robert Steven Fish
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2002 1:51 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Suggestions for shipping a van from Germany to Halifax NS

snipped -----
a Vancouver-area shipper tells me that if we pack our belongings in
unmarked
boxes (no recycled liquor boxes, electronics boxes, etc.) and keep it
all
covered with tarps or blankets, it will be fine...
end snipped -----

There are apparently two DIFFERENT ways to get a vehicle across the
Atlantic... One being the Ro/Ro method (Roll On / Roll Off) which is
what I
did, and which is generally very cheap, quick, and easy.

The other method would be getting your goods moved by packing them in a
container, which could be the size of a small 18-wheeler trailer, or
something.  This container has a lock on it... a big one.... like 2 inch
thick steel bar, etc.  The container carrier will guarantee that your
goods
arrive safely (other than damage by shifting, which is not to be taken
lightly... on high seas, there are weather conditions which make the
cars,
trucks, and containers all jump around, and often if poorly secured,
things
get completely trashed)...

Anyway, if all is safely inside a locked container you will receive at
least
the shaken up goods, and if not (for example the container falls off the
ship) you will receive insurance reimbursment.

The catch is that to have your own container is already out of the price
range for what I was referring to... the container would most likely
cost
between 5-10 grand, and all contants are weighed to get the final price.

I had all my "goods" shipped by NorthAmerican, and they took care of
placing
everything in a "shared container" for me, and delivered it to my door
in
Salzburg Austria... cost around 10 grand, including insurance etc.

The Vanagon went Ro/Ro and cost under 800 bucks if I remember correctly.

If you do Ro/Ro and you pack anything in the car, it will be gone when
you
pick it up... that's just the way it is.  On a ship where there are like
2000 cars, and months of boring sea time, and bored crew members, who
may or
may not be well paid, and may or may not be honest.... the probability
of
you ever seeing something like a nice bike, or any other toy, is pretty
much
0%.

It is possible that other list members have a different opinion... if so
I
would be glad to hear  any additional and/or contarary information.

Good Luck!!

RSF

<º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{

Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf