The only way to find out is to try will a small shipment. You have heard almost all the bad points to importing your own container, but there are risks involved. There are also rewards for taking those risks. But when things do go bad, they are not small insignificant issues. I'll give you an example ;

A container from Europe arrived in 2008. The supplier filled out all the correct info on the Commercial Invoice, the Packing Dec and the Bill of Lading. It arrived in Port Melbourne, and the "night staff" ticked the wrong box. Instead of going from the wharf to Sunshine, it went to Newport. That's just a "tick box" - does not seem like much - but - At Newport, they empty the container. That's the AQIS inspection depot. My Driver goes to Sunshine to pick up the container, only to find it was not there, and it was moved overnight to Newport and then the staff emptied the container, and as per process, my pinballs were inspected. Every single game was removed. My container (58 games) lay in a warehouse with forklifts buzzing around, and priceless EMs and SS games with backglasses exposed. It WAS a big deal. what should have cost $700 suddenly cost me 2 transport trips, then a Hire truck for 2 days. no help from anyone (accept a fellow pinhead - Marco). AQIS don't care, my former Freight forwarder didn't care and the Staff at Newport wanted my games gone.

That's what I called a mess ! I use a different freight forwarder - and they are the best in the business.

Every container (3 other countries) have been successful.

The other point worth mentioning - I don't charge for the hours upon hours of research, collecting info on the games, the time spent with the Freight forwarder, the trips to the bank - small things that all add up. It is part of the fun for me now, and I sleep well knowing I can track my container as it floats around the world. It is part of the game - but it is not all as "glamorous" as the container Threads depict it as.