Any recent experiences picking a car up at Galveston Port?

[Whee]

I have a Mini Moke arriving in Galveston on 3rd September.

I read this article - very helpful http://miniownersoftexas.com/forum/index.php?page=page4830 but was wondering if there are any more recent experiences picking up in Galveston. I have hired a customs broker.

I haven't decided how to get the Moke back to Colorado yet. My options are:

1) Fly down, pick it up myself and drive it back (it's not done a long journey in years, so this worries me a little)
2) Fly down, pick it up myself and tow back with a rental car/tow-dolly
3) Fly down, pick it up myself and leave it in storage somewhere and have it shipped
4) Have a shipper pick it up direct from the port (How does this work with TWIC card though?)
5) Have someone pick it up from port, and store it and get it shipped
6) Drive down and tow it back

I can get free flights to Houston for my son and myself which helps the cost of some of the options.

Right now I'm thinking 1, 3 or 4, but would love to hear your thoughts/recent experiences at Galveston, or ideas where I could store the Moke while waiting for a transporter to pick it up

Thanks!

-Peter

[BruceK]

Hi Peter.  I've imported Minis through Galveston twice.  The first time was in 1999 and the second time was in late 2014.   So neither was too recent.   But I'll tell you about them anyway in the hopes it might help.   Memories are a little fuzzy since it's been nearly 20 years, but in 1999 I got all my customs paperwork done in a the Customs location up in Houston, and then I drove down to Galveston.  I was able to go right into the port and physically pick up my Mini at a big warehouse filled with other imports (tractors, other interesting cars, trucks etc.).  I lived in San Antonio at that point so I drove my new Mini on its UK plates back home from Galveston, about a 4 hour trip.  Nothing went wrong and it was a great adventure.

When I imported my current Mini in late 2014 I used a broker and I hired a shipper to pick up the car and deliver it to me at my home.  The big difference, in our post-9/11 world. is access to the port.  Since I don't have a TWIC card I would not be allowed access to inside the port.  I figured it was much easer to pay to get the car to me, rather than trying to transport it myself.   My car took about a week to clear Customs if I am remembering correctly.  I think that is because Customs is now fully aware of re-VIN'd Minis (we've all the seen video of them crushing a later model Mini during a snowstorm) and they are really checking out them out to make sure they are what they are supposed to be.   So, had I traveled to Galveston after the ship with my car got into port, I would have been cooling my heels for a week until the car was finally released.  I'm in Dallas now and the transport cost from Gaveston to here was quite reasonable, especially when factoring what the cost would have been for my travel to/from there and at least one night's hotel and perhaps U-Haul car dolly and etc.    It was just a much of a thrill to have my new Mini appear on a truck right in front of my house as it would have been to spot it sitting in a parking lot somewhere in Galveston.  At least that's my opinion.  Plus, the first trip in my new car was around my home, so if it broke down (it didn't) at least I'd be in my home town rather than some strange city.  If I import another car, I'd probably do things the same way as I did in 2014.   P

[BruceK]

Thank you Bruce. Very helpful. How did you find a shipper with a TWIC card, or did they have to get an escort?

Glad I could help a little.  The shipper I used had his own TWIC card.  I was told by the customs broker that any good shipper would have his own card.

[Jims5543]

I have nothing to add except a big huge thank you to Osama Bin Laden for effing up everything.

May he rot in hell.

[Lone Star Mini]

Bruce nailed it all.. I picked my Mini up from the Galveston Port in 2015.  I hired an escort who was essentially useless, but had to pay to get on the docks.  One thing to keep in mind (you probably already know this) is that if you decide to pick it up yourself, then the ramps on a standard U-haul are not quite sufficient enough.  The pull-out ramps on a standard u-haul are fixed and the the wheel base on the mini/moke is just shy.  I use a spare ramp for one side (just hauled a mini up north).  I am three hours north of the ports, but can possibly help you if needed to pick up and/or store for a short time.

[MiniDave]

I've put several Minis on UHaul trailers, they fit just fine.

[BruceK]

Let me add a good reason for not driving an unfamiliar car upon import. When I got my car the alignment was awful - if had driven it from Galveston to Dallas I certainly would have ruined a set of brand new tires.   

[94touring]

I drove a mini from the port of Galveston of all places to Tulsa and the head gasket failed mid trip. 

[MiniDave]

There's plenty of room in the back of a Moke for tools and luggage, I say if the time of year is OK, drive it! There will be stories to tell indeed!

I bought a Clubman Estate in Baltimore and drove it home to KC - 1100 miles. You really get to know a car on a trip like that, and start making lists of all the things you'll be doing to it once you get it home. It's a real voyage of discovery. And if it breaks down and you can't fix it, then you go to U-Haul and rent the trailer and truck to tow it home.

However, I wouldn't want to drive into Colorado in an open Moke in the dead of winter......

Once you get the car out of customs, then you could drive it around and decide whether it's road worthy of a trip like this, then you have options.

[Scargo]

You might want to consider contacting Hugh Cannon about having the car transported to you. He may also be able to help with all the logistics at the port. He works rather reasonably priced.

[MPlayle]

Hugh does not have a TWIC card for entering the port to actually pick up the car.  Someone would need to still escort him and would likely need an approved document authorizing Hugh to be your shipping rep.

Hugh is good for shipping when picking up at any other location than an entry port.