Steam Cleaning Before Customs Clearance

[MearCat]

Under what conditions do the customs guys deem your car to require a steam clean after it's come off the boat. I got pics of my R33 just before it left Japan and at that time it had a full detail inside & out and was immaculate (including the engine bay). It arrived in the port about 2 weeks ago and now I've been waiting about a week for my car to get steam cleaned, also referred to as a "Quarantine Wash". A healthy $60 charge to transport the car to a wash station (1-2km away from the wharf) and another $97 to wash the car is included in my bill.

Sure - if a car is quite dirty it might need a clean but mine was seriously immaculate. Is it a scam to make money for the cleaning guys? Or would each car genuinely require a wash like this.

[SteveL]

It's an AQIS thing (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service). Basically they're looking for bugs and things like dirt/mud in the wheel arches/under the car. Foot and mouth disease is one of the big concerns. So if the AQIS inspection detects something they don't like or are not sure about they'll demand a steam clean. Not much you can do about it (well, nothing really). My car didn't need it.

[Beer Baron]

at sydney docks i dont know of any car that didnt get steam cleaning requested. and in sydney it's 220 or 230 depending on which place you go to.

i've had a car require a pressure wash at brisbane docks, it was only 60 there. not much you can do, if they request it, it has to be done. simple.

[wrxhoon]

Even if its spotless they look around the fuel filler, inside the little door and if there is any dirt there ( always is it sticks to the old fuel ) they want it steamwashed . Mine was spotless i detailed it myself in japan and they picked the fuel filler, thats all they had to clean and Hobbs charged me $120 if i remember right .

[MearCat]

Well - at least my car will be even cleaner now

[Beer Baron]

Well - at least my car will be even cleaner now

dont bank on it, they do fcuk all cleaning as they are very busy counting money.

[NXTIME]

Yep *cha-ching* they *cha-ching* sure *cha-ching* are *cha-ching* busy *cha-ching* cleaning *cha-ching* cars *chahahahaha-chiing*

What is it, a few thousand cars per ship x $220-230 each = plenty of *cha-chinging* -erm, cars to wash.

Unfortunately not much we can do about it.

[wrxhoon]

dont bank on it, they do fcuk all cleaning as they are very busy counting money.

I have to agree with that, the only other thing i have to ad, they try to steal stuff from them .

[PHATR32]

those sons of bitchs charged me for a clean, and yet wen i dropped my diff and tank there was tons of dry mud under there!!

they didnt do jack sh!t

[NXTIME]

Welcome to world of importing, OZ-style.

[MearCat]

They take their sweet f**kin time too. I've had my car in the queue to get cleaned, with the other imports for 8 days now and it hasn't been done yet. I've been advised that it may take another 2-3 days. Just like trying getting your car ON the boat at Japan, it seems that new cars take precedence over 2nd hand imports when they reach Oz as well.

Edited February 22, 2006 by MearCat

[Paradizzle]

dont bank on it, they do fcuk all cleaning as they are very busy counting money.

My car was held up at quarantine, i thought "$200 atleast my car will be steam cleaned", spoke to the dead shit who was meant to do it and all he did was high pressure spray the car. Probably made it more dirty then clean if anything. Beurocratic bullshit.

[MANWHORE]

My 'steam cleaning' took the best part of about 1 minute (literally). It involved the guy rinsing under the car and in the wheel arches with a hose.

When I gave him my key, he just chucked it on top of a drum sitting out in the yard. I picked it up straight away and near slapped his bitch ass back to where he came from....

bloody rip off schemes. I've heard many stories of parts or even whole cars stolen from hobbs

Next time, i just won't get it steam cleaned, and wait and see if quarantine/customs calls me. I'll just say it was cleaned and see what they say.

[raz0r$harP.UK]

I dunno how Hobbs is now since they've moved, but it wasn't secure before.

Anyway in Sydney they can now clean your car at the docks so you don't need to arrange to take it to Hobbs or anything.

[Beer Baron]

yes AAT clean them at the docks as i mentioned above, but it costs around 10 or 20 more than hobbs, but is much more convenient.

[Baz]

Had my car imported required a steam clean and I thought fair enough.. Put it up on the hoist, was checking around the car. Gave the rear bumper a bit of a bash and a bit of sand and grass feel out. So much for thorough cleaning and decent quarantining. Oh yeah and they swung $330 odd dollars for cleaning the entire car.

[MearCat]

I picked up my car today and I asked the guy at the cleaning place why he thought my car had to have a wash. He said "This car is one of the cleanest cars I've seen in a long time. I have absolutely no idea why they would want it done. It certainly didn't need it"

When I got the car home, I proceeded to pull out all the stock parts that were sitting in the boot... in plastic bags... full of sand.

I CALL SHENANIGANS!!!

[NXTIME]

I got slugged $242 for steam cleaning. What a CROCK!

[jen-]

I'm due to go and pick up my linesky at Glebe Is. (sydney) soon.

And since I know someone who can steam clean my car, I might just ask them if he can do it instead.

You think they'll allow it?

I cant really afford the extra $200 cos i imported the car on a shoe string budget.

[Beer Baron]

no, there is only two places that can do it in sydney. AAT, or Hobbs bros.