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Moving to Australia involves a long list of decisions, and what to do with your car is one of the most common, and surprisingly personal, ones. Your car represents familiarity and independence at a time when almost everything else is changing.
That’s why people often ask, “Should I ship my car to Australia or sell it before I go?”
In practice, people tend to regret this decision for one of two reasons:
- They sell too quickly and struggle to replace the car they actually wanted
- Or they ship without understanding whether it made financial sense
Before looking at costs, it helps to briefly understand when shipping a car usually makes sense in principle because that context stops the numbers being misread later.
When Shipping Your Car Usually Makes Sense
Shipping a car to Australia is rarely about saving money in the short term. It tends to make sense when certainty, familiarity, and long-term value matter more than convenience.
Your Car Is Hard to Replace
If you would actively try to buy the same model, specification, or condition again after you arrive, shipping often becomes the safer option.
You Value Certainty Over Convenience
Shipping allows you to keep a vehicle you already understand how it drives, how it’s been serviced, and what issues it does or doesn’t have.
You’re Moving for the Long Term
For permanent or long-term moves, the decision shifts away from short-term cost and towards long-term ownership.
Now Let’s Get to the Costs
Understanding when shipping makes sense is useful but, for most people, the decision ultimately comes down to cost.
Step 1: Find the Real Selling Value of Your Car
Start by working out what your car is realistically worth in the UK today. Not what you paid for it and not an optimistic asking price.
You can do this quickly by checking live buyer offers and market-backed valuations on UK car-selling platforms such as Motorway.
Use these figures to establish:
- A realistic sale value
- The cash you would actually have available if you sold before moving
This number becomes your baseline for comparison.
Step 2: Estimate the Landed Cost of Shipping Your Car to Australia
To make a fair comparison, you need a realistic estimate of what it would cost to ship your car to Australia and have it arrive ready to clear customs.
As a rough guide, you can use the following method:
- Take your car’s current UK selling value
- Add around 15% to allow for:
- Australian GST and any applicable duties
- Marine insurance
- Customs, quarantine, and clearance charges
- Add approximately £1,200 for shipping
This gives you a ballpark landed and drive away cost in Australia.
Step 3: Compare With Australian Replacement Prices
Next, look at what a similar car actually sells for in Australia. You can do this by searching AutoTrader Australia for comparable vehicles.
Try to match as closely as possible:
- Model and year
- Mileage
- Engine and specification
- Overall condition
Step 4: What the Numbers Usually Tell You
Once you compare the estimated landed cost with the value of selling your car and replacing it in Australia, one of three outcomes usually becomes clear.
- Shipping is clearly more expensive
In this case, selling your car before you move and buying locally in Australia is usually the more practical option. - Landed costs and selling are roughly similar
When the numbers are close, non-financial factors often become more important such as knowing your car’s history, avoiding the risk of buying blind, and whether you plan to keep the car long term. - Shipping is cheaper than selling and then buying in Australia
This does happen, particularly with well-maintained or higher-value vehicles. In these cases, shipping can make financial sense, provided the car is eligible to be imported into Australia.
A Note on Short-Term Transport After Arrival
If you sell your car before moving, there is often a short period after arriving in Australia where you may need temporary transport while you look for a replacement. Depending on where you’re living and how quickly you buy, this can mean short-term car hire or alternative transport costs. These costs vary widely and aren’t easy to estimate upfront, but they’re worth keeping in mind when comparing selling or shipping your existing car.
Decided to Ship Your Car to Australia, We Can Help.
If your cost comparison suggests shipping could make sense for a move to Australia, the next step is to understand how the Australian car import process works in practice and what’s required for your vehicle.
Autoshippers ships cars from the UK to Australia on a regular basis, offering both roll-on/roll-off and container shipping options depending on the vehicle and requirements.
If shipping your car to Australia is the right choice for your move, having accurate information from the start makes all the difference. To get a quote visit our Australia Car Shipping page for all the information at your fingertips.
