Shipping a car from the West Coast
A West Coast car has further to travel, so we price the route both ways when we quote.
On this page 8 sections
Plenty of good American cars are for sale out west. California alone is a huge market, and the dry states around it tend to be easier on bodywork. From there the UK is on the other side of the country and then an ocean away, so a West Coast car has further to go than one bought in New Jersey.
It is still a good place to buy. The route takes a little more planning, and the whole job takes longer.
Which states usually ship west
We collect anywhere in the United States and route the car to whichever export port suits where it is. For these states, that is normally the west coast.
- California
- West coast. The biggest market of the lot, with ports on its own doorstep.
- Washington and Oregon
- West coast. The Pacific north-west has ports of its own as well as California's.
We ship from the east and west coasts only, so a car in Texas goes one way or the other, and the quote shows which.
Why people buy out west
Most people buy out west for the choice. The West Coast has a lot of cars for sale, from pickups and SUVs to classics that have been kept in a garage for years.
Condition is the other draw. Much of the south-west is dry, and many of these states see little or no road salt in winter. Cars that have spent their life there often have less corrosion underneath than cars from the snow belt, though not always. A car may have lived somewhere else first, or by the sea, so it still needs checking.
A car can look clean and still carry a branded title. We only import clean-title vehicles, so check the title before you commit to the car. Our salvage and rebuilt titles guide shows what to look for, and checking a US car before you buy covers the inspection.
The west coast ports
Oakland, on San Francisco Bay, is one of the ports we name for West Coast cars. The other big container ports on that coast are Los Angeles and Long Beach in southern California, and Seattle and Tacoma in Washington. Which one a particular car leaves from depends on where it is collected and on the sailing at the time. We choose the route and tell you the port and the ship once it is booked.
The inland leg to the port is usually the part of the cost that moves most. A car near the coast has a short trip to the port, and one in Phoenix or Las Vegas a much longer one. That is why the quote form asks for the ZIP code, not just the state.
Two ways to the UK
There are two sensible routes for a West Coast car, and we compare them when we quote.
-
Sail from the west coast
The car is trucked to a west coast port and loaded there. The ship heads south, goes through the Panama Canal and then crosses the Atlantic. It is the longer sea leg of the two, but the car spends less time on a truck.
-
Truck it east, then sail
The car goes across the country by road to an east coast port. East coast crossings are the quicker ones, so the sea leg is shorter. In exchange, the road leg is much longer and dearer.
| Journey leg | Sail from the west | Truck east first |
|---|---|---|
| Road leg | Short, to a west coast port | Long, right across the country |
| Sea leg | Longer, via the Panama Canal | Shorter, straight across the Atlantic |
| Usually suits | Cars near the Pacific coast | Some inland cars, depending on the sailings |
Which route is cheaper or quicker depends on exactly where the car is and what is sailing. Either way it can go in a container or by roll-on roll-off, and marine insurance is included in our shipping quotes. Our container or RoRo guide explains how to choose.
A West Coast car takes longer to import. We price the route both ways where both make sense
California emissions kit
California sets its own vehicle emissions rules through its Air Resources Board, known as CARB, and some other states follow them. A car sold new there may be certified to those rules and carry emissions equipment that a car from elsewhere does not.
In practice this is rarely a problem for an import. Leave the emissions equipment in place and working, and do not buy a car that has had it stripped out. A car under ten years old takes an IVA here, which covers noise and emissions. The IVA or MOT guide explains which test your car will take, and US-spec vs UK-spec covers what else differs.
How long it takes
Our working range is 8 to 16 weeks from collection to UK registration. It is typical, not a promise. A West Coast car tends to sit towards the longer end, because the crossing is longer or the truck east is long. Clean paperwork and a driveable car help, wherever it starts.
Once the car is booked we give you the vessel and the expected arrival date, and we tell you if it slips. The how long does it take guide breaks the whole job into stages, and US export paperwork covers what the car needs before it can leave.
Before you buy out west
- Check the title is clean and in the seller's name
- Have the underside inspected, even on a dry-state car
- Ask whether the emissions equipment is original and working
- Note the collection ZIP code, not just the city
- Say whether the car runs, brakes and steers properly
- Check it can be imported with our import checker
Getting it priced
Run the numbers on duty and VAT with the calculator, and work through the import checklist so nothing catches you out. Then send us the listing and the ZIP code through the quote form. We will price the route from the west coast and, where it makes sense, the truck east, and tell you which one we would pick.
Quick answers
Which port does a car from California leave from?
Usually a west coast port. Oakland is one we name, and the sailing decides the exact port. Sometimes it works out better to truck the car to the east coast instead, and we compare the two when we quote.
Is shipping from the West Coast slower?
Yes, the crossing is longer. A ship from the west coast goes down to the Panama Canal before it crosses the Atlantic, so the sea leg is longer than from the east coast. We give you the vessel and the expected arrival date once the car is booked.
Should I truck the car east instead?
Sometimes. It swaps a longer sea leg for a long road leg, and which works out better depends on where the car is and the sailings at the time. That is why we ask for the ZIP code and price it both ways where both make sense.
Are West Coast cars rust-free?
Often less rusty, not guaranteed rust-free. Much of the south-west is dry and sees little road salt, but a car may have lived somewhere else first, or near the sea. Have it inspected before you pay.
Does a California-spec car cause problems in the UK?
Not in itself. California sets its own emissions rules, so a car sold new there may carry extra emissions equipment. Leave it in place and working. A car under ten years old takes an IVA, which covers noise and emissions.
How long does the whole import take from the West Coast?
Our working range is 8 to 16 weeks from collection to UK registration. A West Coast car tends to sit towards the longer end because of the crossing. It is a typical range, not a promise.