I imported a container to Winnipeg!

I wonder how many Miatas you can fit in a sea can.

 

I'm in.

 

Probably 6 if 4 are on there side and 2 on top?

 

I've been meaning to put this on my website...
So, I had 5 cars in there. Yeah, they still have go go through a soil inspection and all the usual rigamarole at the border - it's the exact same process. The fear was that they'd want to take out all the cars for the soil inspection - which would be on our dime (probably). They didn't. They just opened the door, saw 5 super clean cars and passed it. Though, it was stalled at the dock for 2 or 3 working days.

My rates were about 92.905 CAD / JPY

Packing & Container Movement JPN: 25,000yen per vehicle = 125,000yen (1358 CAD)
Shipping: 557,000yen (6054 CAD)
Insurance: 16,000yen (173 CAD)
Taxes (for all 5): $2000CAD
Unloading: $900CAD
Shared cost total: $10485
Per car cost (previous /5) = $2097


Other notes: Think about where the cars you buy first will be in the process. I don't know if that dude stores cars for free. You can only keep cars ont he dock for free for a limited time (5 days? boys?). After that there's a daily fee. Also things go missing the longer they sit on the dock.

Props to going through brave auto: He'll store cars for free indefinitely in a locked lot.

 

Mark @ Brave Auto stored my current Land Cruiser for about 8 months until I was ready to take delivery, definitely comes in handy sometimes.

Very cool that you were able to import the container straight to WPG, but one of my favorite parts of importing is the trip to the west coast and the drive back through the mountains!

 

I am coming to find that everyone is much more brave than me. I was nervous driving from Nisku to Camrose, it's only like 75 kms.

 

The 1st one (Hilux Surf) I had an oil change done, and headed out, this was in the winter.

The 2nd one (Land Cruiser HDJ81) I had ATEB do the BEB's, oil change, tranny flush, and give it a look over. This trip was in early summer.

The 3rd one (Land Cruiser HDJ81) I had ATEB do the above, plus a front axle rebuild, rear axle rebuild, 3" exhaust, and give it a look over. This trip was late summer.

The 4th one (MB E55t) I had shipped via rail, I'm very glad I did! I'm not confident it would have made it, and I had several friends offer to make the trip for me as I didn't have the time to go get it myself only a month or so after making the trip for the 2nd LC. The Merc has needed some significant maintenance so far, it is very un-Toyota, lol.

So I guess it depends on what you're buying, and how much piece of mind you're willing to buy before you head out. The trip is roughly 2300kms if you don't take any detours, so it's got lots of opportunities for things to go wrong on a vehicle you're unfamiliar with.

 

Well, that's a good point. I wouldn't have any issue driving a 3.4l hilux back, but that's what I know.

 

I've driven 2 from Vancouver to Winnipeg now.

1st - WRX. Checked the oil, added fuel and went. It was awesome.

2nd - Pajero. Fuel filter was clogged, couldn't do more than 80km/h. It was kinda brutal.

I've got a kiddo now, so the drive back is a little harder for me to arrange. It's a cavalier thing to do too - drive for over 2000km in an unproven car.

That being said. It was a lot of work organizing everything.

 

We have a kid now too, whereas we didn't for the 1st and 2nd imports. She got time-shared between the grandparents while Mommy and Daddy got a nice trip away to collect the Cruiser! I'd be very hesitant to take a kid on a trip like this, too much could go wrong and it's a way bigger deal when you have a kid in tow.