How To Ship Cars From Mecum Kissimmee 2026

Step 1: Plan What You Want from Mecum Kissimmee

Mecum Kissimmee 2026 is promoted as the world’s largest collector car auction, with around 4,500 vehicles expected to be showcased at Osceola Heritage Park across nearly two weeks. That scale lets international buyers treat Kissimmee as a one‑stop shop for muscle cars, classics, trucks, Ferraris, and more instead of jumping between smaller auctions.

Before the sale, study Mecum’s online catalog and decide what you are really coming to Florida for:

• A few hero pieces (for example, a Bachman Ferrari)

• A container’s worth of American muscle and trucks for resale

• A mix of classics and late‑model performance cars

Label each target as “must‑have,” “nice‑to‑have,” or “only if shipping costs work.” That clarity will drive better bidding decisions once you factor logistics into the equation.

Step 2: Pre‑Price Shipping and Build All‑In Bids

With your target list in hand, use West Coast Shipping’s international car shipping calculator and set origin to somewhere in Central Florida (for example, “Kissimmee” or “Orlando” for planning). Run scenarios for:

• A typical muscle car or classic

• A heavier truck or SUV

• A high‑value sports or exotic car

Combine those estimates with expected hammer price and buyer’s premium to create all‑in budgets for each lot. WCS’s guide on car auction shipping costs and bidding shows why this approach is so important: once you know how shipping affects profit or total spend, you can set firm maximum bids and avoid “shipping shock” after the sale.

Step 3: Use Preview Days to Inspect and Check Paperwork

When you arrive in Kissimmee, make time to walk the lots before cars cross the block. For inventory cars, focus on structural condition, rust, and drive‑train health; for high‑end pieces like those in the Bachman Ferrari Collection, you’ll also want to verify documentation, originality, and service history.

At the same time, confirm export‑critical details:

• VIN matches the catalog and the title

• Title status (clear, branded, or salvage) is understood

• Any liens will be cleared as part of the sale

• The seller or auction house can provide all necessary paperwork

For help, lean on WCS resources like the documents you need to ship an auction car and the classic car documentation guide. Bring printed or digital copies of those checklists to use while walking the auction grounds.

Step 4: Keep the 25‑Year Rule in Mind

Some Mecum Kissimmee cars are old enough to qualify under the U.S. 25‑year rule, which affects U.S. import eligibility (and may influence buyer demand in some markets depending on local rules). West Coast Shipping’s content on 25‑year‑exempt classic imports and related model‑year guides explain why certain years and models are easier to move into the United States than others.

If you are buying for a country that watches model year closely, use that information to favor cars that already clear the 25‑year threshold or soon will. They may not only be simpler to import into the U.S. but also more attractive to your customers or future buyers.

Step 5: Treat the Auction as a Rolling Pickup Window

Because Mecum Kissimmee runs over many days, your purchases are unlikely to all close on the same date. Some lots may sell in the first few sessions, others on the final weekend, and special collections such as the Bachman Ferraris are typically grouped in featured blocks.

Plan for cars to be released from the auction site in waves rather than all at once. As a rule of thumb, allow roughly 24–72 hours per car for payment to clear and titles/release paperwork to be processed, recognizing that each auction and seller can vary. Coordinate with West Coast Shipping before the event so that as each vehicle is ready, a carrier can pick it up and move it to the export facility without unnecessary storage charges.

Step 6: Use Containers to Turn Multiple Wins into One Shipment

The real strength of Mecum Kissimmee for overseas buyers is volume. It is one of the easiest places in the world to fill a container—or several containers—with auction buys. West Coast Shipping’s article on why ship cars in containers outlines why containers are so useful here:

• Better protection for high‑value or freshly restored vehicles

• Ability to send multiple cars together

• More control over routing and timing than many RoRo options

In practical terms:

• A dealer who buys four mid‑size muscle cars can often fit them into one 40‑foot container, spreading ocean freight across all four.

• A collector who wins one or two top‑tier Ferraris plus several “support” cars can work with WCS to design a layout that positions the most valuable cars in the safest spots and fills leftover space with more utilitarian inventory.

If you’re unsure how many cars you can reasonably fit, WCS’s article on how many cars fit in a shipping container is a good reference.

Step 7: Choose the Best Port for Your Route

From Kissimmee, West Coast Shipping can route cars to several Florida ports, typically Port Everglades. WCS’s comparison of top U.S. car import ports helps explain how these ports compare with other East and West Coast gateways.

As a buyer, think about ports in terms of strategy:

• Port Everglades or PortMiami may be better if you’re consolidating Kissimmee purchases with cars bought at ModaMiami or if your carriers offer better frequency and pricing from South Florida.

The goal is not just to choose the closest port but to align your shipment with the roster of cars you bought and the destinations they’re headed to.

Step 8: Set Realistic Arrival Expectations

Transit times will depend on the port pair, season, carriers, and whether your container is direct or requires transshipment, but some planning ranges help. For many Europe routes, sailings from Florida might be around two to three weeks at sea; for Gulf and Middle Eastern ports, four to six weeks is a common planning window.

Treat these strictly as estimates. West Coast Shipping can help you match Mecum’s calendar with actual sailing options so you know roughly when your container is likely to arrive and can plan sales, marketing, or personal use dates accordingly.

Step 9: Integrate Mecum with Amelia and ModaMiami

If you’re also attending Amelia and ModaMiami, treat Kissimmee as the final piece of a three‑stop buying tour rather than a standalone event. The Amelia–ModaMiami–Mecum 2026 pillar article shows how these events line up on the calendar and how to combine their buys into a single logistics plan.

One effective strategy is:

• Secure the rarest and most historically important cars at Amelia

• Add modern exotics and hypercars at ModaMiami

• Finish by filling out containers with muscle cars, trucks, and broader inventory at Mecum Kissimmee

West Coast Shipping can collect cars from all three venues, hold them at its Florida facilities, and load everything into containers once your buying is complete.

Turn Your Mecum Kissimmee 2026 Wins into Efficient Shipments

Mecum Kissimmee 2026 is one of the best opportunities anywhere to buy multiple collector cars in a single trip—but only if shipping is built into your plan from the start. Use the international car shipping calculator to model costs for one, four, or a dozen cars. Then plug those numbers into the Amelia–ModaMiami–Mecum 2026 pillar article and work with West Coast Shipping to turn your Kissimmee bidding strategy into a streamlined, container‑based export plan.