Jez_1966 Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 Planning to ship motorhome, trailer and car for a >12 month tour of Canada &USA. Struggling with finding 1.Motor insurance requirements / provider 2. Rules / Requirements for "MOT" / Tax while vehicles outside UK Anyone with experience please advise. Thank you Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 Hi Jeremy and welcome, The stumbling block in your question is the 'over 12 months' part! From Gov.uk about taking cars out of the UK... "Taking a vehicle out of the UK For 12 months or more You must tell DVLA if you’re taking your vehicle out of the UK,... for 12 months or more. This is known as permanent export." https://www.gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk Basically you have to un-register it in the UK and register it in the country you are importing it into. Unfortunately there is no way you can legally take it out of the UK for over 12 months and keep it road legal. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 Thank you, I did read these but thought I was missing something between < 12 > 12 especially as motorhome does not require MOT til 24 so theoretically could be Taxed and Insured for 2 years while outside UK. Guess we'll have to reduce length of trip then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Given all the grief and expense involved perhaps consider buying a reconditioned ex-hire motorhome from Cruise America (they have a factory in Phoenix, Arizona which reconditions them). Use it for the period you wish, and then sell it over there privately. As for the insurance, that's a bit trickier. When we did it we used a Post Office Box number in a town in Texas to use as a home address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Couple from UK just bought one very informative on registering it for a UK visitor after 12.30 on video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 Unfortunatly this is sort of the opposite of what were trying to do. We have the motorhome in UK and want to use it in the US/Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 Thanks for the thought but other than only being permitted 12 month due to UK DVLA rules 6 months less that permitted by Canada & USA visa's, insurance seems to be the only "grief". We have a motorhome, tow car so don't want to spend another £50k ish on a US one and gain only the extra 6 months and no tow car. Then when you come to resell your over a barrel if you hold out for max time in country for quickly sale and there are 1000's for sale already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 Less than 12 months requirements: UK law still applies to a UK-registered vehicle if you take it abroad for less than 12 months. That means you need to make sure: your vehicle is taxed in the UK while it’s abroad you have a current MOT you have UK insurance Implies we'll have to reduce length of trip but spent the past week call all sorts of UK insurance companies & brokers, none so far will provide cover in Canada & USA. How do we comply? Looks like I'll need to call/contact the DVLA! First though 2 weeks on IOM for TT, pick this up after 15th June or I would have had the Le Mans tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Sorry Jez. I think you need to take a deep breath and get real. We can't all have what we want. You need to adapt to what is permissible. A lot more research is needed by you.Why do you need a tow car? When we did it in 2008 we took the motorhome just about everywhere we needed to go, and when we couldn't take it we used folding bikes and public transport. Have you costed the shipment of a motorhome, tow car and trailer to the USA and back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 When we were planning to take ours to the USA and Canada we got a quote. From sea bridge,they have an arrangement with a firm that will quote you for insurance. Having contacted the DVLA for advice, the van has to be mot’d if required, insured, and taxed. Whatever country the van is registered it has to comply with their rules. As far as the USA is concerned you can bring a vehicle into the country for a maximum of 12 moths without having to import it or comply with their own mot rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 I've always believed in using the 6P's, so I've done a lot of research already and this is part of my continuing research. @ 8.1m we don't want to be taking motorhome "downtown" to park for sightseeing. Happy with public transport where available but as we've have already visited many major cities the plan is to use the motorhome to see less populated areas. Folding bikes not a real option due to locations and Angie can't ride a bike. 2 Quotes, shipping whole set up (8.1m+6m) £6k each way, the same as 3 months or so renting an RV locally, and no "kit", meaning shipping our current motorhome, with kit, is the most cost effective for 12 months. Motor Insurance in Canada/USA is the only issue encountered. It's looking like we'll have to take out UK policy to comply with DVLA and a 2nd policy with a Canada/USA company to comply with Canada/USA regulations. I'm sure all the work will be worth it in the end and all great learning for future adventures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 Thank you, we have a shipping quote from Seabridge and are awaiting reply regarding motor insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 If hiring take note of the mileage charges, we hired one in Canada for three weeks to have a good look around. Hired it from Calgary dropped it of in Vancouver, the mileage charge was almost as much as the hire?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan k Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I understand Motorhome Shipping - SeaBridge https://www.seabridge-tours.de › motorhome-shipping can help with insurance and other admin as well as getting your motorhome across the pond alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 witzend - 2022-05-27 11:02 AM Couple from UK just bought one very informative on registering it for a UK visitor after 12.30 on video now its gone pear shaped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 Update: All nearly sorted: Progressive will provide insurance 12mt full time RV living $1,700 including breakdown cover, trailer and Toyota Aygo cover. There are quite a few "extras" we've had to buy as well, such as inline water filters, hook up cables/adaptors/surge protector and step up tranformer and left hand drive headlights, bought from US via Amazon.com account. I think we've got all the bases covered but always rechecking, just the Visa interview Feb 2023, route to plan and then Bon Voyage in April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 On 5/29/2022 at 11:14 AM, alan k said: I understand Motorhome Shipping - SeaBridge https://www.seabridge-tours.de › motorhome-shipping can help with insurance and other admin as well as getting your motorhome across the pond alan Booking with seabridge however Progressive more comprehensive for insurance. I was in Florida in August, bumped into and spoke with 5 European Motorhomers (2 Swiss, 2 Italian & 1 German) motorhomers all used Seabridge and all using Progressive for insurance. A significant point is loading motorhome in UK or Belgium gas bottles just have to be "empty". If loaded in Germany you have to get a certificate certifying the bottles are "Empty" @ 800 Euro a bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Having done quite a lot of research ourselves we found seabridge to be the best quote. A word of caution re the mains. The USA runs mostly at 110 volts 60 cycles where as the UK is 240 50 cycles. A step up transformer will not normally change the cycles and could damage some electronics. When we were planning ours we have a Victron 12/2000/80 inverter charger this will not work on 60 cycles know will the Truma mains heater or the dometic Freshjet 2200. Hence we have 700 watts of solar and 200 amps Lithium. Better to look at buying a USA battery charger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 9 hours ago, weldted said: Having done quite a lot of research ourselves we found seabridge to be the best quote. A word of caution re the mains. The USA runs mostly at 110 volts 60 cycles where as the UK is 240 50 cycles. A step up transformer will not normally change the cycles and could damage some electronics. When we were planning ours we have a Victron 12/2000/80 inverter charger this will not work on 60 cycles know will the Truma mains heater or the dometic Freshjet 2200. Hence we have 700 watts of solar and 200 amps Lithium. Better to look at buying a USA battery charger. Thank you for the thought, I did checked our mains powered items Domestic Series 10 Fridge, Alde Boiler Alde Compact 3020 HE & Aobosi Double Induction hob (Freestanding unit link below) and all work 50-60Hz. We did look at the Lithium route but cost of batteries, additional solar panelss (only have 100w), battery to battery and suitable altenator to recharge meant we went with 2 x 11kg refillable Gaslow as back-up we can run Fridge/Heating on gas. The induction hob is very good, saves using our gas when hooked up. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B8N2XR2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez_1966 Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 21 hours ago, Jez_1966 said: Thank you for the thought, I did checked our mains powered items Domestic Series 10 Fridge, Alde Boiler Alde Compact 3020 HE & Aobosi Double Induction hob (Freestanding unit link below) and all work 50-60Hz. We did look at the Lithium route but cost of batteries, additional solar panelss (only have 100w), battery to battery and suitable altenator to recharge meant we went with 2 x 11kg refillable Gaslow as back-up we can run Fridge/Heating on gas. The induction hob is very good, saves using our gas when hooked up. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B8N2XR2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Had a reply from Alde regarding Boiler Alde Compact 3020 HE and use with 60hz AC: "Frequency on a resistance load of an electric heating element isn't relevant to the operation---the pace of the back-and-forth of the electrons is effectively ignored---just ensure that the voltage is in the 230 V range, otherwise power output will be compromised.In the Alde Compact 3020 HE, the electric motors and controls are all 12 VDC so shouldn't be affected either (unless the AC/DC adaptor in your battery charger has some issue)." Guessing the same would apply to other heaters as well. And why are my posts "double spaced" for new line?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 The lpg adaptor with the male external thread found in Germany and some parts of Belgium is the same as the USA filler guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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