[petew]

Hi folks,

me, MCS, daughter and wife moving to Aus hopefully early next year and looking to be in Melbourne area due to visa and work commitments.

Any advice on good areas for family life and near enough to city for work?

Whats its like owning a Mini in Aus, is it expensive on the insurance. Anybody imported one personally from outside the country? Any problems associated with bringing a UK/Ireland car in??

Any advice appreciated

thanks

Petew

[swamos]

I would be the wrong person to advise you about living in Melbourne, but i'm sure I could just ask around, as our state is crawling with Victorians - make at that what you will

Mini's are pretty easy to own here, apart from the cost. Most people are paying high 30's for a Cooper, and mid-high 40's for an S. The One is not sold here. I believe the average income in Australia is $34k, so that should help you get the picture.

As to your new alternatives, you can buy a Toyota Yaris (Echo) drive away for $16k, a huge Aussie barge family car for $35, or even a Subaru WRX for $40.

So you see, to buy a MINI in Aus you really should be ---- I mean need to be committed to the brand. And after you have bought one you will then have to contend with savage depreciation - 50-60% residual after 3 years (although that is quite a lot better than most cars sold here).

As for brining one out from the UK, if you email me I'll send you some information I have on it. I looked into importing a Elise a couple of years back. Our importation laws are designed to stop the flood of used Japanese cars that have invaded nearby NZ. As a result, it is nearly always completely unviable to bring a car in. The whole system is designed to make it cost you exactly what you could have bought the car here for. People usually only do this if there is sentimental value to the car, or it has no value in the UK. I would recommend selling yours there, and buying another car here.

Good Luck

[CoopeR]

Hi Pete,

Where abouts from Ireland are you from ? I am heading over there in Late November to see my Fiancee, I am trying to get her over here too.

As for the car I agree with Swamos, unless it has sentimental value you would be better to sell it there and get another one here.

If you are still keen to do so check this website out. It has plenty of information about it.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~freight/mv.html

[snoopy]

G’day

On the importation of your MINI, have you owned the car for more than 12 months? If so all of the problems that have been meation here will disappear. (well almost)

Steve was right about an Australian person trying to bring a car in, but people who are outside the country have it very much simpler in bring in a car.

If you like I can post some links I have about the matter.

[Neeshil]

Also insurance is a lot more reasonable in Oz than in UK/Ireland (from what I hear).

I am 23 and pay just under $1000 (350 pounds approx) for my insurance on my Mini Cooper. A Cooper S would have been about $300 more.

Just make sure you get a letter from your current insurance company stating how long you have been insured with them and what rating / NCB etc.. you are on. This will help you start at the same level in Oz.

Neeshil

[swamos]

Actually, it just occurred to me that if you ring a dealer here, and order your mini now you might be able to travel with it early next year

[petew]

Thanks Folks for your input and advice, i thought that might be a catch as we found out when we imported the car from the UK to Ireland earlier this year.....

We are in Dublin at the moment, looking to arrive in Aus early next year.. Will look into the cost for import but as she is a fine machine fully loaded, and the wifes loves the car it will be difficult not to bring her over.

Any more advice appreciated.

thanks again

Pete