ISF accepted!

I had notification from Netbonds today to say that Customs have accepted my ISF shipment - I guess this just means that they have deemed the cargo as not dangerous and that it is pre-approved for importation into the US.. No idea but it's good news!

I am going to call customs tomorrow (now that I'm on local time) and make sure that I bring everything they need at Brunswick (by their advice). I'm also keen on going up to Savannah to check it out as everyone tells me it's beautiful, so I will ask Customs in both Bunswick and Savannah if this is something I can do: File the 7501 form with Brunswick and do the rest in Savannah.

Stay tuned!

Thank goodness for that!

That means that everything is up to date and above board! So far...

My next challenge will be convince CBP that the car needs to stay for a year to cover the two lengthy trips that I am here. 

Cross your fingers and toes that the vessel doesn't sink on the way here!!! I'm led to believe that cats (even big black Pumas) are not great with water!

ISF woes are no more...

So, I chose to use a company to file my form, which cost me about $60. Worth it to not have the stress!

I still had to fill out a few bits and pieces myself online as per my last post… I just spoke with the team on the phone and they said that their system automatically tries to re-file until the bill of lading number has been submitted by the shipper.

I asked if I had to do anything else at this stage, he advised me not and just to relax!

I will probably try and post a few cheeky videos between now and the arrival of the car. Ultimately, in two weeks time I should receive a notice of arrival (Which is an actual document by the way!).

Stay tuned…

Shipping day!

Ladies and gentlemen. The day has come. As clean as she will ever be, the little Ford Puma has had the last few photos taken in Brighton (by day this time), with the sea in the background and a few little videos taken to document the last time it will probably drive on the left (because it's supposed to be driving on the left!).

 Such a nice day in Brighton!

I then continued on to Southampton, to the eastern docks where my shipper operates from. 

And there you have it. Parked up with cars whose tyres are worth more than my entire car, the Puma is now sitting at the dock ready to board the vessel. She sails on Sunday, by which point I will have arrived in Florida, so two weeks with no car. 

The delivery and paperwork at this end I have to say; has been a doddle. I literally booked the shipment with a V5C, turned up at the port with a shipping note, got it stamped and handed the keys over. The only surprise was how short the walk was out of the port and into this lovely little French Café in the high street!

ISF filed with netbonds.net - just awaiting confirmation back from CBP. 

Stay tuned to see how smooth it goes at the other end... Or not!

Some pics of my Puma

Some last minute shots of the car on home turf before its adventure in the USA!

Last UK fill up!

Brighton Royal Pavilion - hard shot to get!

St Peters church; most of which is older than the USA!

Cheeky R33 Skyline in the background!

Talk about last minute!

I Puma  goes to Southampton tomorrow  and I fly on Friday!

I have found a company online that will file my ISF as I'm not sure I can wait for my account to be set up with ACE.  This is one part that I have left a little bit too late…  I have emailed across my requirements and they're going to charge me 60 bucks to sort it out for me. To save myself the stress, I would rather pay the 60 bucks! 

Since I finished at work, I have been a busy boy prepping the car - I broke the ariel, so raided a scrap KA for a new one, replaced the Heater Control Valve and a headlight (whining adjustment motor), given the car a full service and changed a wheel bearing. I fixed the handbrake (was only locking one wheel) and attacked the rusty rear wheel arches… I wasn't going to bother but given all the rain that has come down recently, the OS (soon to be NS) wheel arch was ready to fall off!

With the arches now repaired, a new set of plugs and a vacuum, the Puma is ready for cleaning. 

If the car is not without mud when it arrives, I will either have to write it off or pay a heavy cleaning bill to customs (really!). 

Needless to say, I've jacked the car right up in order to jet wash underneath and get all the mud out from the wheel arches and suspension components. The vehicle is now as ready as it will ever be… Let's just hope they don't crush it at the other end!

The revenge of the ISF

So, the last time I posted I had found that my vehicle was going to be going to a different port. Since then, I have been very busy making new relationships and arranging a new escort to assist me stateside. I did have an interesting conversation with customs and border protection at the Port of Brunswick… 

I think I may have upset the guy by assuming this is going to be more difficult at Brunswick than Savannah. I didn't tell him that my concern was because I have a good relationship with customs at Savannah just from being on the telephone. The guy at Brunswick was impossible to get a hold of and when I did, he didn't appear to have a sense of humour. That is the general consensus with customs and border protection in North America in general but I feel like I cracked one human at Savannah and I'm still keen on getting my paperwork done there. I'll have to have a conversation next week.

The most difficult thing I'm now dealing with is the ISF form, which in itself is not difficult. It is simply data that I already have. The difficulty is getting it to customs and border protection using the protocol they want. I cannot simply email it or even send it by carrier pigeon. It must go through an automated system online that I do not have the access to, let alone the authority. I was concerned that I might have to go through a broker on the other side who will charge me for the privilege.

After a little research, it turns out that I can use the automated system as in individual, but I have to apply to ACE (The system provider) online myself. Not a problem, only there is a 3 to 5 working day turnaround on the applications… That will take me to Friday, which is the day that I fly. I have now applied using their complicated PDF form (with the service representative on the phone at the same time) and I'm now going to be waiting eagerly for a response. In the meantime, come Monday afternoon, I will have to shop around for a broker has a plan B. Either way, the form must be submitted using the online system at the very least, 24 hours before the vessel departs. 

This is the only thing that is now worrying me and it's the simplest part to do! I suppose the only other option would be to ship the car later, give myself more time to file this stupid form. 

Anybody that is reading this because they are going through or thinking of going through this process, I will include links to everything you need either soon or at the end of the ordeal!

Confidence is a bit knocked but we're getting there…

In other news…

Typically, when everything runs a bit too smoothly, something has to give…

So yesterday, I called the shipping company to make one last enquiry about the voyage. I asked what day the car will be expected into Savannah in Georgia and was advised that it would be going to Brunswick in Georgia, not Savannah. 

Brunswick is actually an hour closer, so this normally would not be a problem only that I had contacted every link in the chain and organised an escort for the Port of Savannah! Not a problem… It can't be helped and I have had plenty of time to make new relationships with customs, the port and an escort in Brunswick. Just as well I learned this all now and still have plenty of Skype credit.

I called Officer Gavin at Savannah for some advice and she advised me that the customs office in Brunswick is just as clued up and are very nice. She said to namedrop her if necessary. Ironically, this is the only link in the chain at Brunswick that I have not had any luck getting through to at this stage!

I have contacted the port authorities and the shipping company office there and also managed to get through to the company that supply the port-escort service onto and off of the port. (This is $50 at Brunswick, which is cheaper :-)

On the plus side, the shipping is booked and the only thing I will need now is the formal bill of lading, which becomes available once I have dropped the car off at Southampton. Once I have this document, I can complete the ISF form to notify customs of the inbound cargo.

Paperwork so far:

V5C

To present on both sides and at Customs

Draft Bill of Lading

To be replaced by formal bill of lading once the car has been delivered to Southampton

Shipping Note

To present along with the car at Southampton

CBP-7501

To be completed with a Customs Officer BEFORE collection of the vehicle

DoT & EPA forms

To be completed by a Customs Officer AFTER retrieval of the vehicle AND in their presence

ISF form

Simple data collection document drafted by me to supply to Customs Security Filing by email 48hrs BEFORE departure of the vessel

To finish up this little post, here is some footage stopped at some lights near the seafront in Hove :)

Stay tuned… Pretty soon, these will be videos driving in the States!

Making some alterations to our little transatlantic kitty cat

The Ford Puma is old now and has many age related issues, but nothing that cannot be handled cost effectively.

My car has done 124,000 miles and given the state of the engine that I had to replace, I'm guessing the rest of it has not been looked after it either! The rear wheel arches are still just about attached, the heater control valve has failed, it needed a clutch and a damn good compounding to boot. One of the parcel shelf string clips has failed, the steering wheel has melted, it needs a rear wheel bearing and the brakes are rubbish… Nothing out of the ordinary for a 15 year old car that has not been looked afterd then!

The advantage of a 15-year-old Ford Puma however, is that these are relatively simple repairs compared to something of the same era that was more complicated. My point is that Pumas are probably the last cars there really are simple and can be repaired on a shoe string with basic tools.

I ordered a service kit the other day for £13.50 which included pollen, air, oil and fuel filters. Oil was £12 for 4L (gonna need a little more annoyingly) and a wheel bearing was a tenner delivered. Hardly breaking the bank, which is a consideration as it is likely the entire car will be going in the bin at the end of the year.

On the weekend, I fitted a standard fiesta steering wheel to replace the manly leather Puma one. Now fitted, it looks and feels 10 times better.

Manky, horrible and unloved wheel

New wheel vs old

New fiesta wheel installed

I have also bought brake pads, brake fluid and new parcel shelf straps (£3.50 for both on eBay). 

On the advice of the users of PumaPeople.com, I have opted to replace my heater control valve (which I didn't know was faulty until it was suggested that I take a spare) and… I'm taking a spare! Hove Car Spares will supply me with two genuine Ford units that have been tested as working for 20 quid. Bargain!

I already have a spare coil pack… Need to take a look at the headlight rubbers, which I think are shot and will get to Ford to grab a spare thermostat housing in due course.

What is part of a well-oiled plan?

One person that has been invaluable to this process has been a chap known only as 'Charlie'. He drives a (formally) imported RHD Saab 900 in the US.. He has driven from his home state MA to CA at least twice in it and has become quite the expert on importing UK cars to the US. 

Charlie has been able to help me make decisions and given me some of the best advice. He has put me in touch with the shipping company that he spent a lot of time looking for; consequently I am now doing business with them to make the shipping actually happen.

A mixture of Charlie's advice and my initiative (or scepticism, however you prefer) led me to contact (by telephone) every party that I may be dealing with during this transatlantic transaction. I have become acquainted with Officer Gavin at the Savannah Georgia customs office; who has given me advice as to the paperwork I will need to complete. Officer Gavin led me to call the port and speak to a lady called Janet, who deals with the release of vehicles.

Janet led me to Trina who will be my escort on the port as I am not allowed to be in the port unsupervised. I have learned that this is not the case at every port but it certainly is the case at this one. I have also spoken with Rob at the shipping company on the US side and Debbie on the UK side. I am fully aware of which forms I need, how to fill them out or where I can get help to fill them out and which bits the government were trying to scare me with that I don't actually need and which bits I do need to do, which is not actually all that much as it turns out.

Here is the plan so far on the advice of all the officials that play a part in the transaction:

1. Arrange with the shipping company (UK contact) for my delivery of the car to the port. Also make arrangements for payment either on the UK side or to send "collect" on the US side. Incidentally, it seems easier to do it on the UK side and potentially more cost-effective as I will have conversion charges and the US side do not accept credit or debit cards. It must be a money order or personal cheque… Its little details like these that one must be fully aware of!

2. Thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) clean the car inside and out. Anything agricultural found on/in the vehicle at the US port will lead to the necessity for very expensive cleaning and will not make the transaction viable. That means underneath the car, in all the nooks and crannies, under the wheel arches and all traces of mud out of the tires and suspension components. Apparently, regular road dust is acceptable but I think I will be washing the car at the last jet wash before the port at Southampton.… Just to be on the safe side.

3. Depending on the monetary arrangements, do the paperwork, show the V5 logbook, receive the bill of lading and remove the number plates; a little odd, but this is advice given by the shipping company as presumably they can go missing in transit. Not a problem for me as I have ordered new ones with the GB logo on the sides. I'll just pack them.

4. Depart Southampton leaving the car behind and contact officer Gavin at customs to advise that the car can now be registered against a bill of lading. Gather any advice from her as necessary.

5. Get on the plane, enjoy Florida for two weeks while the car is being shipped and wait for the NOA (notice of arrival). 

6. Once the notice of arrival has been received, arrange to get to the Port of Savannah customs and border protection office. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8.30 in the morning. Information like this is critical because some offices will close between certain hours for lunch and not be open to the public on certain days of the week. Fortunately, I have been advised by Officer Gavin who works there that arriving any time during office hours is perfectly fine. I have been advised only to bring a cbp7501 form. No other forms are necessary and I have been advised that I will receive some assistance in filling the form out correctly for processing. I will also need to call the shipping company in the US to find out the exact amount payable if I have not already made payment in the UK before arriving. 

7. Get to customs and border protection office, Savannah Georgia. Fill out 7501 form with customs officer and once processed, head to the port itself. It should be noted that my escort advised that I should book an Enterprise Rent-A-Car as its the only company with an drop-off point close to the port itself. Otherwise, I would need to use the airport to drop any other brand of rental and then make my way from there, which apparently is a mission.

8. Meet with Trina, my port of Savannah escort and get to the shipping company office at the ocean terminal. Once arrived, pay my dues (if I have not paid for the shipping in the UK that is) with a Western Union money order or a cheque. Supply the bill of lading and receive authorisation for release to take to the dispatch office.

9. Jump back in the car with Trina and head to the dispatch office where I must pay an administration fee of $70 by debit/credit card (another critical detail) to release the car. They will check on the system that the 7501 form from earlier has been processed and that the shipping company have authorised release of the vehicle.

10. Receive vehicle and jump with the jump pack if necessary before following Trina out of the port as I must still be escorted.

11. Once out of the port with my car, pay Trina $75 in cash as arranged. Receive a receipt and head back to the customs office. In my Puma.

12. The customs officer will come out and inspect the car and make sure it is not covered in mud. S/he will need only 10 minutes (apparently) to make an inspection, stamp the paperwork and send me on my merry way back to Florida. 

It all sounds a bit too easy, doesn't it? This is exactly what Charlie had said. As it happens, I was so sceptical I had to call all of these different links in the chain and speak to them personally over the phone to believe it. On the advice of all the official parties, I have now spoken to every single link in the chain and feel completely informed. 

The only document I am not sure of at this stage is an ISF form, which is to advise customers that an import is car will be arriving. I intend to call the customs office and speak to Officer Gavin again to ask her advice on this phone but it does seem as though it is terribly simple and I'm not worried too much about it. The only bits of data I cannot complete at this stage are to do with the shipment itself.

The only other bit of paperwork I was concerned about was "prior authorisation from the EPA". I called the EPA and spoke to the chap that writes the authorisations. He told me that I would need to file it now because it can take three weeks to receive authorisation. I called the customs office back in a panic and was advised to ignore this information as I am only importing the vehicle temporarily and that all the necessary paperwork with the EPA and DoT would be dealt with on my return to the customs office following collection of the vehicle from the port itself. Phew! 

So all told, things so far are under control.

(Charlie, thank you.)