Importing a truck

[Teds]

I am headed to Europe in April and started to look into buying a Rover or Santana (Spanish rover) while in Barcelona and shipping it back home. The Spanish market is a bit different from the UK.... Santana bough the rights to build series trucks, LR shipped over parts and they were assembled there. Santana also built some better engines and military vehicles. Pros: no salt, left hand drive, cheaper, but the engines may be harder to find parts for. Cons: not a 'true' land rover. Spain didn't start importing true defenders until 1991 which ironically is 25 years from 2016 so there is a chance of finding one, but they sell for a premium. I have a contact in Spain who will be on the lookout for a truck if I decide it is worth doing.

 

After a few weeks, I have my first shipping quote from Schumacher cargo. They will only do a container shipping, no drive ons. After the endless taxes and paperwork, it would cost roughly $5800 to ship it to the west coast. Ironically, that is more expensive than a few of the Santana 110s from the late-80s! 

 

A was thinking about importing a Santana first just to see how cumbersome the process is. My contact said he can update the interior without raising any red flags, just not tough the engine. They essentially look like identical to a defender with a different logo. If things go smoothly, I think I could have it on my doorstep for less than $10k. I don't think it would be hard to re-coup the costs and then import a true defender later. 90s are plentiful, 110s harder to find but I will only buy a 110 with a family of 5. 

 

Thoughts?

 

(unfortunately a 90 and 110 won't fit in one container)

[El Solis]

One of these Santanas that I just saw in Spain?https://vimeo.com/149092001

 

There was a military convoy.

 

There was some random Santanas scattered about. Did see a sweet old modified Landie and left a NCLR sticker and a note. Have swapped some emails with the owner who had travelled from England.

[LandRonB]

PM David aka dcproven or hope he chimes in.  He's from Spain and member of a local LR club in Spain and can tell you more about the market for Santanas and Defenders in Spain.  Good luck!

 

Or just buy my 1990 CT 110 and be done w/your search

[Teds]

While I do like your CT a lot, I'm not prepared to pay that premium. I can get into a Santana for less than $15k. If I like it, I would build it up as a trail rig and sell my p38. Or I may sell my first one and bring in a defender to build up depending on logistics. I am actually amazed at how cheap parts are for the 110. Would update the interior to 2000+, lift, sliders, wheels, winch and abuse it.

[psykokid]

If you're going to go through the trouble of importing a truck then my pick for importable 110's would be a ex ADF Perentie.  And here's why:

• galvanized/reinforced chassis
• Isuzu 4BD1 diesel engine is on the CARB list so able to get it registered with fewer hoops to jump through
• 4BD1's are also easy to slap a turbo on for more powah.
• from Oz so less of a concern with corrosion/rust/rot
• military maintained so usually no expense spared 
• some come with a PTO winch.

Drawbacks are RHD, manual steering, and most of the ones that are coming in are soft tops. The one pictured below is owned by a local guy, he made the custom top so that it would fit into his reduced height parking garage in Hollywierd. The stock hard top was too tall. 

 

[SLOHybrid]

Portugal is also a good place to find Santana's

 

$5800 seems awfully high to import?   try having it shipped to Galveston @ least a quote.

[DHappel]

I'm surprised you can't get RoRo; that would certainly be cheaper on the shipping.  Was it not available on the Spanish end, or the CA end, or both?  

[GraemeWare]

I'm surprised you can't get RoRo; that would certainly be cheaper on the shipping.  Was it not available on the Spanish end, or the CA end, or both?  

 

Don,

 

Lloyds are not great supporters of RoRo now ...

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/05/246D64D900000578-2896966-image-a-25_1420455355159.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

[DHappel]

Don,

 

Lloyds are not great supporters of RoRo now ...

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

Don't tell Matson - they run tons of cars to HI out of Oakland.

 

For that matter, it's not like containers are the last word in reliable shipping

http://www.ktvu.com/news/57470265-story

 

Hope they track them down - I'm looking to take an 80-footer up the coast in March depending on yard schedules and that's the sort of thing that could make for a very unhappy day.

[Teds]

That Percentile definitely looks cool, but since I am headed to Barcelona and Rome, I am concentrating on those areas as I want to see an inspect the vehicle before shipment. I will be calling the DMV as they have a weird clause in the smog section:

 

"Currently, smog inspections are required for all vehicles except diesel powered vehicles 1997 year model and older or with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) of more than 14,000 lbs, electric, natural gas powered vehicles over 14,000 lbs, motorcycles, trailers, or gasoline powered vehicles 1975 and older.

 

NOTE: Upon initial registration, nonresident;

• Diesel powered vehicles 1998 model year and newer with a (GVWR) rating of no more than 14,000 lbs, and specially constructed vehicles 1976 and newer require smog certification. The six or less model years old rule does not apply to these vehicles."

So, what is considered a 'specially constructed vehicle'? Typical red tape for the DMV to be able to flag anything. So, upon initial registration, I am a bit worried. Will call and try to talk to someone, but I will probably get a different interpretation by each DMV employee.

[Teds]

Portugal is also a good place to find Santana's

 

$5800 seems awfully high to import?   try having it shipped to Galveston @ least a quote.

Ocean Freight is $3500, but all the port fees, taxes, etc brings the cost to about $5800.

[Teds]

My contact in Spain says that he usually ships from Barcelona to Jacksonville 'roll-on-roll-off' for around $2500. I do have a cousin in Jacksonville, but need to get it from there to California.  I am also going to contact Shayne Young (CT in Death Valley a few years ago) and see where he is. He has a 130 from the UK he is working on right now.

[DHappel]

You can always go to U-ship for the cross-country part of the trip.  

 

I have no idea what the port taxes/etc would be in Jacksonville, but if you can ship for $2500, maybe $1000 to move it from FL to CA, and $1000 for port issues, that's still cheaper than what you were looking at before, and that's without factoring in the time/money to go down and drive it back from SoCal.  

[Teds]

I think my dreams went up in a cloud of diesel smoke yesterday. Yes, I could import a 25 year old defender/santana, but getting it registered with the DMV is a whole different story. None of the rover engines are on the CARB list and therefore and no CARB certified and will not be registered unless it is earlier than 1979. A guy on defendersource.com is going through CARB certification for an engine swap on a CARB certified range rover engine from 1991 into his defender and its costing him an additional $6500 for certification. ouch! and that is after he paid for the engine swap. Even trucks that have been registered in California are subject to audits and could be flagged for CARB compliance unless it is a NAS vehicle. So you could buy one, and then get hit with not being able to register it eventhough it was previously registered. California is just bonkers with this. I love and hate this state....

[dcproven]

Hey Ted,

I already sent you some info and contact# to chat about this, it's not easy, expensive and not practical, but hey, I am sure it is doable.

I got some quotes for Roro from Tarragona to Hueneme (I think), about $3K, the taxes and duties will be added to it anyway... so you may still be looking south of $10K when all is said and done.

 

Also, the video mentioned before is not a LR, it is an Anibal Santana, which is not bad, nice 2.8 turbo, but too new, it won't make it legally here

 

Your best shot to import something is a pre-1979 diesel, LR Series Santana in Spain. Many of them, fairly cheap. Depending on how many days you are in Bercelona, it may be worth exploring other markets like Jaen, where they made them, tons of them over there.

 

Let's talk later.

[Teds]

Thanks for the info. I am going to stay an extra day in Spain for some site seeing and possible truck shopping. Older Series trucks will require a lot more work to update to a robust overlanding platform, but then if it is old enough, it open up the door to any engine/drivetrain transplant... 300i, LS1. At least it is fun to dream....

[Jethro]

I just saw this Santana for a decent price...

 

http://www.valenciaclassicvehicles.com/new-page/

[Teds]

I just saw this Santana for a decent price...

 

http://www.valenciaclassicvehicles.com/new-page/

Thanks. They have a few nice Santanas but looks like it has been sold. Still talking to my contact over there and hoping he has some trucks I can view online. Very mixed experiences from other people getting trucks registered in CA. Some nightmares and others had no issues. Being a Santana might actually be better since it doesn't mention the dreadful words 'defender' that seems to set off alarms and whistles everywhere. My contact quoted me $2 to 2.5k ROR to Jacksonville from Barcelona and he has shipped a few trucks. Will keep you posted.

[dcproven]

SEFCO does RORO Barcelona to Port Hueneme, for about that price. Check with them.

I am more scared with the registration process and fees/taxes than the actual import which seems straightforward enough.

In the Club Land Rover of spain (CLRTTE) there is a couple of Santanas for sale usually, also I am in the facebook group for LRs and parts in Spain, if you can read Spanish you may want to join.