Granny and the Gators

[Crashramp]

This ones on US eBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bally-Granny-and-the-Gators-Pinball-Arcade-Rare-machine-/171260847097?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27dff123f9
I wouldn't have a clue what it's like as a player but it would sure look cool in the games room. I think this would be the sort of game you'd buy to add a bit of uniqueness and variety into a line. To bad it's not in Australia, I'd grab it in a heartbeat.

[MartyJ]

Wayne (Mr Pinball) did have one down in Melbourne a while back.  Not sure if it was sold or still available..

[pinsanity]

To bad it's not in Australia, I'd grab it in a heartbeat.

You should be able to get it to your door for ~$800 including shipping fees and all customs charges inc. GST. I have found when I have imported pins from the US, the biggest cost incurred (as a percentage of the total) is when the machines are NOT located on the coast near a major shipping terminal and you have to pay a moving company like NAVL to ship the machine to a coastal international freight company and prep it for export.

In this case, you are in luck as the machine is located on the West Coast and a lot of the major West Coast freight importer/exporters are also located in Redondo Beach, California.

If it is a machine you really want to have and there is nothing comparable locally, a few hundred extra over and above the cost of shipping internally in Aust is neither here nor there.  

[Crashramp]

To bad it's not in Australia, I'd grab it in a heartbeat.

You should be able to get it to your door for ~$800 including shipping fees and all customs charges inc. GST. I have found when I have imported pins from the US, the biggest cost incurred (as a percentage of the total) is when the machines are NOT located on the coast near a major shipping terminal and you have to pay a moving company like NAVL to ship the machine to a coastal international freight company and prep it for export.

In this case, you are in luck as the machine is located on the West Coast and a lot of the major West Coast freight importer/exporters are also located in Redondo Beach, California.

If it is a machine you really want to have and there is nothing comparable locally, a few hundred extra over and above the cost of shipping internally in Aust is neither here nor there.  

Thanks that's good to know. It's not a title I was looking for but I do think its cool but I won't be buying this one. Probably like most of us here I occasionally enjoy looking at eBay in the US and seeing what's about and for what price they're asking. For that price locally I'd have it but for the effort and cost to buy this one there are other games I'd go for first.
Out of interest is there much to importing single machines? Is it just a matter of engaging the right freight importer to get it from terminal to terminal and through customs or is there a few more steps in between? I guess that you'd also want to make sure it gets packaged properly for the trip. Is that something that the freight importers would do or would you need to make sure the seller gets that part right?

[pinsanity]

A decent freight forwarder will handle 99% of the paperwork on your behalf so there is very little from that aspect for you to do. Also make sure they handle LCL (Less than a container load) shipments.

All you need to provide is the sender's and receiver's details to them, a couple of signatures, a copy of a proof of sale invoice obtained from the seller and they basically handle the rest.

If you sweet talk the seller, they should be able to wrap,pack it for you. It doesn't need to be any more packaging than any decent domestic seller would do when shipping interstate (cardboard/bubble wrap/shrink wrap) but it must be palletised and strapped to a pallet with tie downs (some insist you need to use a plastic pallet, but I have had seller's use wooden pallets and from my experience I have never been pulled up on one by customs).

I have used both DHL Global Forwarding and First Port Logistics for both exporting a machine and importing and have had no problems with either.

[Crashramp]

Thanks for the info. 

[Strangeways]

Adam - I can give you the details of my freight forwarder who has organized freight for me in the past from the USA. I've referred them to other members with positive experiences.

[oldskool1969]

I wonder why there isn't a photo with it powered up? Always a bg problem in my view, it is like they are trying to hide something
In saying that the machine looks very cool and would fit my critique, UNUSUAL.

[Crashramp]

Adam - I can give you the details of my freight forwarder who has organized freight for me in the past from the USA. I've referred them to other members with positive experiences.

Thanks Niño, I'd appreciate that.

I wonder why there isn't a photo with it powered up? Always a bg problem in my view, it is like they are trying to hide something
In saying that the machine looks very cool and would fit my critique, UNUSUAL.

It's funny you say that because I thought the same thing because the first time I looked at it I could swear there were only 3 or 4 pics. None of which with it powered up, then I looked again and there were a heap more photos including with it powered up. I figured by iPad must have been slow to load first time around.

[Strangeways]

PM Sent !

[Crashramp]

Thanks Nino.

[riverinapinball]

Cool looking game!

[Crashramp]

I wonder why there isn't a photo with it powered up? Always a bg problem in my view, it is like they are trying to hide something
In saying that the machine looks very cool and would fit my critique, UNUSUAL.

Here's the photos of this one lit up.

[Strangeways]

Relisted - same price.

From memory Wayne had one listed for quite some time at the $3000 ish price ?

Rare game, especially in this condition.

[Pintoxicated]

There is also a customs agent based here in Albury that I have used to bring in a few machines.  They handled the administration side of it no worries but the seller organized the shipping.

Just get it, you know you want it.