Comparitive Value USA to AUS

7173Mustangs.com

Help Support 7173Mustangs.com:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Hux

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2016
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Location
Australia
My Car
Looking for the right one
Hi all

New to the forum and live in Brisbane Australia. No surprise that 71-73's are not common here and not much choice but heaps cheaper to buy than the 67-70 fastbacks.

I am looking for a resto project that doesnt involve heaps of rust repairs, paint and engine and the mechanical side of things is not a real issue.

This is something I can probably get home for the equivalent of say USD$11k from one of our southern states. Originally 302w 2v now with a 351c 4V

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/henley-beach/cars-vans-utes/1973-ford-mustang-sportsroof-fastback-mach1-351-manual/1126122767

There is an easy $1k in door trims, roof lining plus another $1.5k to ditch the old 3 speed and go to a rebuilt 4 speed toploader.

Bit of an ugly colour but I am not after a show car but a weekend toy so a colour change is not a deal breaker.

So my question is, how does this compare to the current US market?

I can ship a car here for @ USD$3.5k, if I'm in for say $USD$14k for a local car, do I get a better car for my $$ importing?

What say you.

Thanks

Craig

 
Hi all

New to the forum and live in Brisbane Australia. No surprise that 71-73's are not common here and not much choice but heaps cheaper to buy than the 67-70 fastbacks.

I am looking for a resto project that doesnt involve heaps of rust repairs, paint and engine and the mechanical side of things is not a real issue.

This is something I can probably get home for the equivalent of say USD$11k from one of our southern states. Originally 302w 2v now with a 351c 4V

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/henley-beach/cars-vans-utes/1973-ford-mustang-sportsroof-fastback-mach1-351-manual/1126122767

There is an easy $1k in door trims, roof lining plus another $1.5k to ditch the old 3 speed and go to a rebuilt 4 speed toploader.

Bit of an ugly colour but I am not after a show car but a weekend toy so a colour change is not a deal breaker.

So my question is, how does this compare to the current US market?

I can ship a car here for @ USD$3.5k, if I'm in for say $USD$14k for a local car, do I get a better car for my $$ importing?

What say you.

Thanks

Craig
Welcome to the site from Oklahoma. It must have been a good deal as it shows it has been sold. Good luck with your search. Chuck

 
Thanks all. Well can cancel that off the list now.

Jason, same as you, I am more after a driver than a show car.

Thanks for the links on Ebay. That black 73 looks a nice car (not a great colour for our weather (summer temps here normally sit around 90f and humid). The yellow car would be a great driver base with all of the suspension work done.

The USA option is certainly something I will need to think more heavily about, I know I would love a silver or red M or Q code 71 Fastback. No idea how that sits in your market I will have to just watch a while and see how the prices run.

 
Hi all

New to the forum and live in Brisbane Australia. No surprise that 71-73's are not common here and not much choice but heaps cheaper to buy than the 67-70 fastbacks.

I am looking for a resto project that doesnt involve heaps of rust repairs, paint and engine and the mechanical side of things is not a real issue.

This is something I can probably get home for the equivalent of say USD$11k from one of our southern states. Originally 302w 2v now with a 351c 4V

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/henley-beach/cars-vans-utes/1973-ford-mustang-sportsroof-fastback-mach1-351-manual/1126122767

There is an easy $1k in door trims, roof lining plus another $1.5k to ditch the old 3 speed and go to a rebuilt 4 speed toploader.

Bit of an ugly colour but I am not after a show car but a weekend toy so a colour change is not a deal breaker.

So my question is, how does this compare to the current US market?

I can ship a car here for @ USD$3.5k, if I'm in for say $USD$14k for a local car, do I get a better car for my $$ importing?

What say you.

Thanks

Craig
I saw the add before it expired. From what I could see and read about that car, it was a reasonable price in Aussie $$. Your dollar is comparable to our Cdn $, and that is how I viewed it. Seeing the costs associated with importing one, this car would have been a good starting point for the asking money...

 
Hi HUX,

Welcome to the forum. I sold a car to Aussie member JamesS. You may want to PM James for any tips he may have. He is in Adelaide.

 
Hux, don't be fooled by the price of "shipping" @3500 or $2500 or whatever. Those prices are only for putting a car on a container. They do not include GST, port charges, insurance etc. You will pay 10k for shipping by the time you are done. I have imported 2 in the last couple years, can share exact expense. GST is not on the purchase price either. It's on the total cost to get it here plus its value in Oz.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
Hux, don't be fooled by the price of "shipping" @3500 or $2500 or whatever. Those prices are only for putting a car on a container. They do not include GST, port charges, insurance etc. You will pay 10k for shipping by the time you are done. I have imported 2 in the last couple years, can share exact expense. GST is not on the purchase price either. It's on the total cost to get it here plus its value in Oz.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for that. Its something I will need to do a lot more research into. If you have any contacts or specifics I would appreciate them. I am on Shermatt's mailing list and will initiate some contact after Xmas.

Alas the mustang minefield here. Importers wanting what seems premium for resto projects and the limited number of 71-73' Mach1's around that match my interest.

 
Hux, don't be fooled by the price of "shipping" @3500 or $2500 or whatever. Those prices are only for putting a car on a container. They do not include GST, port charges, insurance etc. You will pay 10k for shipping by the time you are done. I have imported 2 in the last couple years, can share exact expense. GST is not on the purchase price either. It's on the total cost to get it here plus its value in Oz.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for that. Its something I will need to do a lot more research into. If you have any contacts or specifics I would appreciate them. I am on Shermatt's mailing list and will initiate some contact after Xmas.

Alas the mustang minefield here. Importers wanting what seems premium for resto projects and the limited number of 71-73' Mach1's around that match my interest.

Well, even knowing the costs I still imported my 73. I couldn't find exactly what I wanted here so I went for it. I'm only saying do it with your eyes open:)

PM me and I'll send you my spreadsheet of what the last car I imported cost. It was $10,500 USD but with the exchange rate and all fees Inc FX it cost me close to 23k AUD all up. That was with a $3500 USD shipping charge that included $800 road transport to get it from the east coast to a west coast port.

Greg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have seen the price of parts in Australia(they come up in Ebay UK search) and the parts are very very expensive in your country. If you do buy your car from America you may want to consider asking one of the forum members to inspect the car and give you a full report on parts required. Once you have a full picture you could purchase the parts from America and either have them put in the trunk or better still get the parts fitted Stateside before it leaves America. You may also want to find out which port the boat sails from and buy the car from same city or close to the city as this will save costs in transportation to the docks.

Here in the U.K importing a classic car (over 30 years old) costs 5% import duty and 20% import duty on parts. However if the parts are placed in the car theres no duty to pay on parts as they are a part of the car. So you may want to look into Australia's import rules and duty payable for cars and car parts

 
Welcome. According to my 4 year old, we can drive all night and be in Australia. Wouldn't that be nice?

1971 M-code Mach 1

From WI it is probably more like all night and half the day in an A380 ::thumb::

 
I know one can drive a full day in Texas in one direction and still stay in Texas...

 
I know one can drive a full day in Texas in one direction and still stay in Texas...
I'm here to confirm that, as someone who lives about 50 miles from the geographical center of Texas. Trust me also when I say there ain't squat out here, either. ;) :D

rofl

 
Unless you're looking at building something to your own tastes, then I'd buy something in really good condition with known history. The price of parts and importing them is expensive and with a project, what you see on top usually goes much deeper, remember these cars are now atleast 43 years old and most were used as just a transport earlier in their lives. Whether buying from over in the US or here in Australia, I'd buy the best car body wise as I could afford. It's much easier and cheaper doing mechanicals than it is body work. Bringing cars into the country can get expensive, but like everything do your research and look into every avenue, also creative accounting helps with prices. A good mate of mine is always bringing in cars and I know what it costs him to do so and its not as bad that's been mentioned, like I said, do your homework before anything. I've found places shermat are some of the dearest guys to bring cars in, but you don't want cheap Charlie either. Look for smaller guys that's been doing it a long time, as that's who he uses. All the best in your search and hope it works out for you.

 
G'day Hux

Keep looking something will come up and the other guys are right the extra fees add up. I bought a coupe locally for $6.5K but will need to spend upwards of $15K to get it anywhere near what I want so either way you will need to get a second mortgage or win the lotto!

Here is an example form close to my home -

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/pinjarra/cars-vans-utes/1971-ford-mustang-coupe/1132426059

Or this one for example

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/narre-warren-south/cars-vans-utes/1972-ford-mustang-coupe/1130087359

If you have your heart set on a Mach 1 or similar fastback then keep looking and be patient although the US option could be worth it for the right model

Cheers Mick

 
Thnks guys

Got my heart set on a Mach 1....although wife wants a vert. Hmm one container, two cars (add in cost of divorce).

Been looking hard at craigslist and ebay US to get an idea on what is around. 71's seem light on the ground compared to 73's (@ same production number in total).

Although I have a 408c stroker in parts to put in the car, I do want as rust free a car as possible with matching numbers (an M or Q code really) as I think the 71-73's will go up in price a fair bit in the next 10 odd years - the market cant sustain the difference in price to the 69-70 once that segment gets saturated and full priced.

There has been a lot of good tips about filling the car with parts before its shipped to save $ which is great, and the chart I got was really helpful in laying out all of the extra costs.

I fully expect that this is a $40k project when its finished, it comes down to how much I want to put out up front vs in build. I have the $ to spend so that its about the car.

 
Back
Top