$3500+gst ($3850), bond store LA to "here are the keys" + your Duty or GST on the vehicle as charged by ACS... .. ex Sydney. All inclusive..finished... done no more.. nothing...!
With alot of personal care, as in this week with a US$40,000 muscle car coming in - we have a guy on the spot overseeing & photographing the opening, unloading, tactical moving (not a fork under the side.. or drag it with a chain etc..), cleaning & pushing for release the same day..onto a trailer.. the same day & delivered - its expected & planned NEVER to leave our sight.
We do not ship for everybody that comes along & frequently turn down requests for various reasons.
DIY.....You can obtain your own 20 footer (FCL).. ex LA on a direct shipment ..but in honestly.. by the time its here.. the REAL cost.. is about A$6500 with little or nothing else inside it. Your FCL payment stops when the ship dock's.. All charges including the crane to remove it to the dock are additionals.. as are extended dock storage / demurage times.. normally 3 days. Your agent or you..need to be right on the ball.
As a general rule of thumb... <b>add about 40%</b> of the cost of the quoted containers international Bond store to Australian DOCK voyage... <b>AGAIN..</b> as local expenses.. and you would be close enough to budget it thru.
Your further "real costs" can be damage caused by reckless redneck unpackers who don't give a damn.. :23 passing the buck in a locked industry.... they dont' take any responsiblity and play the "see nothing know nothing sue us - if you like"... blame game.
Be carefull who you use.. BOTH ends. Roll-on-roll-off is also VERY prone to petty theft.
Another recommendable shipper & in house packer FROM BOTH ENDS... .is John Cain in Newcastle..... and people with a few years under their belt will know of him.. JC's son is set up in LA doing the packing, and JC out here looks after the unpack. Controled and they DO give a damn. Cheaper then many by a little but they are specifically set up to do the work.
You can do it yourself.. much like you can do the legal work on selling and buying a house yourself etc.. but there are traps for the novice.
Hope with what the guys are saying... & from alot of experience here.... this has been a bit more help.....