Frequently Asked Questions

Car Purchasing

Will my car need to be converted to a Right Hand Drive?

  • This is a misconception that pre 1989 cars need to be converted. You can register and drive a LHD (Left Hand Drive) vehicle in any state in Australia providing it is 30 years or older. Vehicles manufactured before 1989 but less than 30 years old will have to be converted to RHD (Right Hand Drive) to be able to be registered. Read more about the pre 1989 vehicle scheme at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/import_options/pre1989scheme.aspx

What is the entire process if I want to purchase a vehicle on your site?

For vehicles purchased off our website:

  • Complete and return paperwork sent to you from Southern Cross US Importers.
  • Pay the deposit to us using many different ways of payment.
  • Leave the rest to us
  • Approximately within 30 days from government approval your car will set sail.  Vehicles can arrive in less than 20 days after departing US ports to select ports within Australia.
  • Southern provides you updates of your shipment throughout the shipment process

For vehicle shipping only:

  • Before you purchase any vehicle, call us and we can confirm if the vehicle can be shipped. (Generally you CANNOT import modified vehicles into Australia).
  • Make sure the seller has the original Certificate of Title for the vehicle
  • Purchase your vehicle in the US
  • Complete and return paperwork sent to you from Southern Cross US Importers.
  • Leave the rest to us
  • Approximately within 30 days from government approval your car will set sail.  Vehicles can arrive in less than 20 day after departing US ports to select ports within Australia.
  • Southern provides you updates of your shipment throughout the shipment process

 

How long will it take to receive my vehicle?

  • Shipments vary from port to port. After all the Australian government approvals and necessary paperwork return, shipments arrive within 20 – 30 days of leaving the US port.

Can I return my vehicle if I don’t like it?

  • Once we are in contract and the deposit is paid, you’re not able to return the vehicle. Please take advantage of our Skype calling to have an interactive view of the vehicle.  You are also welcome to order and pay for a third party inspection which we would be happy to coordinate for you.

I am looking for a specific car, can you help me find it?

  • Absolutely!!! Let Southern Cross US Importers’ staff based in the US get to work finding the car you’re looking for. We love working closely with our clients to fulfill their automotive needs. We call that our “Total Customer Service Experience”. We want to service you in any way we can.

Can my vehicle have modifications?

  • Generally you CANNOT import modified vehicles into Australia

Can you arrange an independent vehicle inspection of my car before it’s shipped?

  • We are happy to aide you with any independent inspection needed. (All cost at the buyer’s expense)

Shipping

What other items can you ship for me?

  • Southern Cross US importer specializes in shipping ANYTHING with wheels!!! Whether you’re shipping a large item like a RV or bus or smaller vehicles such as ATV’s or motorcycles, we have got you covered. We can also ship hard to find car parts.

Can you ship a motorbike or RV?

  • Yes

Will my vehicle be shipped via RoRo (Roll On, Roll Off) or Container?

  • All of our cars ship within one of our containers. Larger item such as RV, trailers, and 5th wheels ship RoRo.

What ports do you ship from in the US?

  • We can ship from all major ports throughout the USA

What ports do you ship to in Australia?

  • We can ship to any major port in the southern hemisphere!!

Can you ship my car from Australia to the US?

  • We are able to ship anywhere in the world…

I’m moving from the US to Australia.  Can you ship all my household items as well?

  • Southern Cross US Importers doesn’t handle household goods; however if you’re one of our customers give us a call and we help you head in the right direction.

What happens if my vehicle is damaged during shipping?

Southern Cross US Importers provides a “white glove” service for your shipping needs. We take excellent care of your item while in our hands. However, once the vehicle leaves the US port and is on the seas, it’s out of our control what happens to the vehicle. Southern Cross US Importers has great relationships with vendors we trust and we generally do not experience any issues at all with shipping damage.  You may purchase optional insurance to protect your items during overseas shipping.  Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing this optional insurance.

I have found a vehicle in the United States already; can you help me ship it to Australia?

  • Contact us through our website or give us a call and we can begin the process.

Payment & Receipt

Where do I pick up my vehicle?

  • Most cases the car will be delivered to your door!! Other options are to pick the car up from the dock after it clears customs

How is the vehicle’s title transferred to me?

  • All of the vehicle’s documents needed to start the rego process will be given to you at the time of pickup of the vehicle. Southern Cross US Importers is happy to guide you in the steps of gaining rego of your vehicle, or for a optional fee we will do it for you.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept the following forms of payment:

  • Bank transfer (Westpac)
  • PayPal
  • Bank cheque
  • Cash
  • Visa and MasterCard

 

 

Are your prices in Australian or US Currency?

  • All prices on our website are in Australian Currency