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Moving Overseas with an iMac

R

ribbonthecat

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 23, 2006
219
2
Chicago, IL
I'm currently living in Chicago, but it looks like I'll be moving to Germany in August for at least a year. I have a 24'' iMac that I would very much like to take with me, and I'm wondering if anybody has advice on how to transport the computer. With UPS, it looks like it would cost about $300, each way, and at that rate, it would be cheaper to sell the iMac and buy a Macbook Pro. The other option I can think of is the iLugger bag, but that appears to be too large to be a carry-on, and I don't know if it offers enough protection to be checked. I still have the original packaging for the iMac. Should I just put it in that and check that?

I would appreciate advice from anybody who has moved overseas with a large computer before.

Thanks!
 
I definitely wouldn't check it on the airline. Checked baggage gets abused and knocked around, and what's worse is if they break or lose it, you're probably going to be SOL. I don't believe airlines offer insurance against lost or damaged baggage.

I would either ship it (at least that way, you can insure it) or like you said, sell it and buy a MBP.
 
Never trust an airline with valuable equipment.

Also, you're gonna hate Germany. Where exactly will you be living?
 
Shotglass said:
Also, you're gonna hate Germany. Where exactly will you be living?
Click to expand...

Jeez, that's harsh. I live in Germany and I like it.

I reckon if you can take it as handluggage that would be the best bet. Most airlines here seem to follow the rule that the dimensions l+b+h can't exceed 150cm (I think!). However, Lufthansa for example lets you go over that limit, so it'd be worth checking with the airline.
 
I transported my G4 iMac in it's original box from the UK to Japan.
I booked it on to a cargo flight with the same airline I was flying out of the country with, KLM. They do a special price if you are travelling at the same time, only 20% of the full cost.

I had to take it and the other stuff I wanted flying out to the cargo dept. at the same airport I was flying from around one week before.
I then picked it up from the cargo dept. at Tokyo Narita airport on the day I arrived. In fact I just completed the customs papers and had the iMac etc. delivered to my new home.

When I checked in the iMac etc. for shipping I told customs it was household goods, all used and was for my own use in my new home. Everything cleared, just fine with no charges.

That was two years ago and I'm typing on that iMac now.
 
powerdave said:
Jeez, that's harsh. I live in Germany and I like it.
Click to expand...
Wrong. You live in Hamburg and you like Hamburg. Berlin, on the other hand, is horrible. It's a very nice city, but the people are crude, unfriendly and generally unpleasant. Southern Germany is a whole other story. It depends on where you live, really.
 
It looks like the 20'' iMac in an iLugger is small enough to be a carry-on, at least on United. Maybe I should wait for the Penryn iMacs, and then trade my 24'' for a 20''. I'll miss this large screen, though.

Personally, I find Berlin to be one of the best cities I've ever been to. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to live there, but I won't have a lot of choice. I'll be teaching English in a Gymnasium, and I'll have to go wherever the government sends me.
 
Even if this were the case, which I doubt, I'll bring a backup HD with all my relevant information, just to be safe. I've never understood people who complain about the lack of HD space on iMacs. Just plug in an external! it's not like the iMac is going anywhere, as my problem clearly shows.
 
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