Hi.

My mini is apparently soon to be ready for collection (shipped from UK) after clearing customs after 6 weeks of sitting in some warehouse somewhere.

I need to get the car Blue Slip'd by an AUVIS inspection station.

Apparently I need to have the car trailered to an AUVIS station for them to carry out the inspection (and any necessary work) and also have the car weighed, then have it trailered to an RTA to register and finally be allowed to drive it.

The company that the shipping agent put us in touch with reckons it'll cost about $800 without any mods and about $1300 if there's rear seatbelts to be added (I'm pretty sure I've got some but never really sat in the back and can't remember for sure!).

I dunno if this is an OK price, it just seems a bit much for a bit of trailering when the inspection part (as far as I can tell) only costs about $100.

Does anyone know of any mini-friendly garages in Sydney (preferably Inner West but happy to go further) which would pick the car up for me, carry out the inspection and weighbridge and meet me at an RTA for less than $800 (Assuming no work reqd)??

Any info much appreciated, cheers, Steven.

Did it come in through botany docks? Theres a few public weighbridges around - one in botany, and one in Alexandria. I'm sure theres a few more around.. As far as mini places go, there arnt many this end of town.. From my experiences with getting blue slips with places around here, is you have to organise your own towing. You might find someone that will do it for you however.. sorry I can't be much more help.

Not sure of the requirements for an imported car, but you normally don't need to tow it for a blue slip. I have registered a number of cars in the last few years (three to be exact) where I have driven it to a registered inspection station (with an appropriate appointment) to get a blue slip - no problems.

A colleague at work imported his mercedes and volvo from England recently (last few months) and he drove his around to do this as well. He had to take it to the authorised RTA inspection location to get the engine and VIN numbers checked, but other than that he didn't encounter any difficulties.

I'd double-check either with the RTA or your local police station first.
KB

There is an inner west mini man - he is in Balmain or somewhere near.
His name is John Centrone and he knows his stuff

mobile 0412 117 397

For a weighbridge, I think it's called LPD automotive (AKA Blue Slip Solutions) , Mellor St (off of Victoria road) Ryde.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Thanks very much guys.

I emailed a place in Brookvale (listed in the mini contacts section) and they can do the whole lot for about $4-500 less than I was originally quoted, so that's a big saving straight away.

I'll check with the RTA to see if driving it is possible in case of maybe driving it directly to a testing station, which might help save another $150!

The John Centrone contact is also much appreciated, especially if he's in Balmain, as that's where I live!! Even if I don't use him now, it will be handy to have a local mechanic that I can trust.

Cheers again, Steven.

when i got my mini blue slipped we just drove it the whole 15kms to the blue slipping place. with an appoingtment ready (or atlest we thought we had one turned out we didn't to our suprise seeing as we had arranged one 3 days ago) but yeah if the cops pull you over you just tell them your going to get it registered or blue slip or whatever, they check it out and if you do have an appointment all they can really do is escort you there.

but then again this is out in the country a bit, into byron bay, and you can get away with quit a bit.

just stick to the backstreets and alleyways

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Good luck mate, let us know how it goes.

Update!!

Have spoken with the RTA and there is allowance to drive the car but it's a bit of a grey area....

As soon as the car is driven on public roads, it is an unlicensed vehicle BUT you are allowed to drive it to a testing station/garage. However if you drive it for further than necessary (ie not the closest) and you were to be stopped by the Police, you would need to convince them that you:

a) Were driving from port to test centre by the most direct reasonable route; and
b) Were driving to the most appropriate test centre location.

I guess it would depend on the individual police officer and a bit of luck as to whether it was a problem.

The second option is to get a pink slip, then go to the RTA and get a rego for an unlicensed vehicle, then get green slip and then you are more legal for driving to the blue slip tester of choice!!

quite why you'd go to that trouble to then still have to only drive the vehicle a short distance, i don't know, but the RTA guy said that that's what you'd do if you lived in Brisbane for example and needed to get the car from Sydney to QLD to rego it there!

I live in a loosey goosey town when it come to cars. I have blue slipped a few cars now and have spoken with the local constabularly on the subject.

basically as far as they are concerned - a car can be legally driven to a point of inspection. However it cannot be legally driven from that point of inspection unless it is deemed roadworthy. In other words, the law only recognised licensed motor repairers.

On a human nature side, the police tend to feel that an inspected car is safe on the roads and tend - within reason - to be lenient on restored cars awaiting a blue slip. A bucket of rusty bolts will attract the attention it desrves.

good luck with it mate!! What sort of mini is it?

Are you aware we are all going for a cruise on the 27th of december and meeting
at stanmore maccas? (close to balmain)

I live in stanmore and h0nk in Redfern. we should catch up for a coffee sometiume

Chris

hey dude if this thing comes from the uk it needs to comply with aussie design rules for example you would need to have child anchorage restraint points fitted...
Ring Morry Arkbarian in Hornsby
9482 4572....
he's an engineer and will comply it for you and also do the work on the car for u as well if you wish....
Lucas

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My rides-74 fj40
74 clubman hopefully rego'd soon....
and 76 clubbie van!! - Ratschite after what i found what it was covered in when i found her...
http://photobucket.com/albums/b44/minimechanic/?sc=1

Thanks for the replies guys.

It's still stuck at the import agents, awaiting clearance. Should be available soon but unlikely to be ready in time for the 27th as the two places that I had sounded out about doing the work are on holidays until January.

Even if it was done by then I wouldn't be able to go on the 27th as the girlfriend's relatives in Newcastle have invited us for lunch! Seems a bit of a long way to go for lunch but what can you do?

Would love to go on the odd cruise/run once I finally get the car. Only got the chance to go on one run in Scotland with my girlfriends old mini and it was great fun.

The car's got three-point seat belts in the rear already so hopefully won't need much work, it's been imported as a personal import by my girlfriend which apperently means it doesn't need to comform to the same rules as a car brought in under the low-colume scheme for instance.

Although everyone I speak to has a slightly different opinion on the rules and processes for getting the car reg'd, the consensus is that it shouldn't be too difficult and hopefully I'll be motoring by the end of January at worst! Can't wait to be able to wave/toot/flash at all the great minis I keep seeing - almost waved at one the other day before remembering I was driving a Mirage

Just gonna get it trailered from agent to garage in January cos it just seems like too much hassle to do it any other way!

czerial - it's a 1990 Rover Mini Cooper LE (RSP) in British Racing Green. It's just had all the bad structural bodywork fixed and resprayed but still looks a bit rough around the edges.

Again, thanks for replying and Merry Xmas & Happy New Year, etc....

Mate even if you can drive it are you covered by CTP insurance? What about property insurance etc. What if you hit somebody? Plus you dont know what condition the car that has been standing for god knows how long in the UK and transported across half the world, would be in (for example whether the brakes are reliable).

Just get it towed (make sure its a flatbed towtruck) to avoid the risk and hassle till its inspected and insured and organise for the weighing and the inspections yourself. You will always pay significantly more when they are agents involved (they have to earn their bread too somehow dont they). A tow truck for 2 hours will cost you under $100 if you shop around (I had mine towed from Coogee to well past Liverpool for $80).

BTW There's a mini mechanic around Maroubra Junction which is right between the docs and the inner west. I've spoken to him and he seems knowleadgeable but never actualy used his services.

Oh and you better ask around about one particular mini place you mentioned. Many people here have a very specific opinion about that business.

Cheers Mike.

I am going to get it trailered, had pretty much ruled out attempting to drive it already - too much hassle anyway!

I'll make sure that it's being trailered or on a flat bed rather that just plain towed too! Thanks for that.

the guy at the RTA did mention some sort of cover which is legally placed on the vehicle which does cover you for any damage to others if something did happen but i can't recall the name of it now....but that's irrelevant now due to my aforementioned decision.

The car is perfectly safe (or at least as safe as any car). I've just moved from the UK and was running it over there no problem and it just had a new engine and bodywork and passed it's MOT test in August which covers brakes, lights, structure, seat belts, windows and all the important safety stuff!

I'm not taking it to any of the places mentioned so far. They're gonna handle if for me but they don't actually do the Blue slip themselves, sounded OK on the phone. (GBs Mini & Moke World). Any horror stories, PM me, any praise, feel free to let me know too!

The car is already at the shipping agents warehouse in Seven Hills so it's just gonna have a trip along the M2 and then over to Warringah, been quoted $150 by the garage which I thought was fairly reasonable. I'll probably just let the garage deal with it to save me having to co-ordinate with different companies.

Generally wishing i'd never bothered to be honest but you live and learn!!