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Shipping car to Europe! Help?!

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Mydel

Mydel

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 8, 2006
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Sometimes here mostly there
I have a question. Anybody here know or can recommend company which can ship my car from US to Europe?? I'm slowly finishing my contract in US and gonna try to buy Nissan 350Z. Would like to know which company is reliable and whats the estimated cost of this kind of shipment (to Germany would be perfect)
 
Mydel said:
I have a question. Anybody here know or can recommend company which can ship my car from US to Europe?? I'm slowly finishing my contract in US and gonna try to buy Nissan 350Z. Would like to know which company is reliable and whats the estimated cost of this kind of shipment (to Germany would be perfect)
Click to expand...

You want to buy a car in the US shortly before you leave, and then import it to Europe? that seems like a whole lot of hassle--don't you have to get european specifications on it-emissions, taillights, spedometer, etc.? Importing "gray" market cars into the US is a hassle. Can't imagine it's easier in Europe.

FWIW, while I don't have a company to recommend, I understand the cost is on the order of $2000. But there are a lot of variables.
 
You will also lose the vehicle warranty if you buy it here and ship overseas.
 
Le Big Mac said:
You want to buy a car in the US shortly before you leave, and then import it to Europe? that seems like a whole lot of hassle--don't you have to get european specifications on it-emissions, taillights, spedometer, etc.? Importing "gray" market cars into the US is a hassle. Can't imagine it's easier in Europe.
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I think its worth the hassle. here its about 30 000$, when I call dealer in Poland they told me for the same car nearly 70 000$ !!!!!:eek: :mad:
 
I shipped my '93 Mitsu 3000GT VR4 to the UK around (wow) 6 years ago. Actually I really must post a picture to the Photos of your Car thread.

Anyway I lived in Mountain View, drove it down to LA (I could have dropped it off in Newark CA but fancied one last burn) it then got transported to Galvaston and onto Southampton.

The company I used was called Alligator Exports which was basically a retired Florida customs guy who was therefore quite well known to the Customs people in Southampton, so everything went really well.

It only cost $1400. Unfortunately Fred (I think he was called) retired a couple of years ago.

As far as converting the car in EU, well most of the EU is probably the same as the UK: the car has to pass a Single Vehicle Approval test. This is a test for a car which isn't available for sale in the EU, even though there's a UK version of the 3000GT, my US model (as would a JDM model) hasn't ever been approved for use in the EU so they have to check things like the positioning and height of the bumpers, lights etc.

Main things are indicators must be amber, running lights on the indicators need to be disabled, if there are no side repeaters then they'll need adding, you might have issues finding a licence plate that fits the bumper's licence space, you need to add a read fog lamp and there's probably a few others too. Fortunately the 350Z is available in the UK so you'll be able to source new light clusters etc (to effect the amber indicators).

The other issue is that to avoid paying both import tax and duty (in the UK I think the combined import and duty is 35% - I could be wrong) you need to have owned the car for 6 months I think. I'd bought my car from a friend then visited the UK for holiday and decided to move back home, so I'd only just owned the car for 6 months when I finally moved back.

If you move to the UK Adrian Flux is a good insurance broker who runs an American Car policy, your car will be classed as American and not Japanese.
And for SVA conversion in the UK, my regular garage tuning-japanese.co.uk might be able to help.

Never thought I'd be posting this to MacForums!
 
tullys said:
Main things are indicators must be amber, running lights on the indicators need to be disabled, if there are no side repeaters then they'll need adding, you might have issues finding a licence plate that fits the bumper's licence space, you need to add a read fog lamp and there's probably a few others too. Fortunately the 350Z is available in the UK so you'll be able to source new light clusters etc (to effect the amber indicators).

The other issue is that to avoid paying both import tax and duty (in the UK I think the combined import and duty is 35% - I could be wrong) you need to have owned the car for 6 months I think. I'd bought my car from a friend then visited the UK for holiday and decided to move back home, so I'd only just owned the car for 6 months when I finally moved back.
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Fortunately I dont have to pay taxes cos according to our law as long as you legally worked over two years your belongings are tax/duty free.
Yeah lights could be a problem but I have to check that out. I saw many times registered/Polish tags/ cars with red lamps and indicators.

By the way. Love Mitsu 300GT!! :)
 
Make sure about the tax/duty situation.

As far as I know the 6-month rule applies to imports into the EU -- that is, you can only import a car without having to pay tax and duty if you have owned it and had it registered in the US for at least 6 months, precisely to prevent people form doing what you are planning to do -- bring a new car over just b/c it's cheaper in the US. Self imports without duty are only supposed to be for *used* cars that you've owned for a while and now happen to want to bring back with you.
 
I don't have anything to add about importing your car to Europe but with prices there are great disparities. I had a look here http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/sectors/motor_vehicles/prices/report.html
and although they didn't have your car (more family car orientated) it does highlight the price differences.

Eg A Nissan Primera 1.8 Visia 5dr
Denmark 38,295€
Hungary 17,317€

Perhaps you could find a better deal than Poland?
 
I was doing a search of the web on this topic and couldnt believe a thread came up on macrumors! yet here I am

So I was just wondering if you wound up shipping your car over, how much it was, who you used, how it went etc?
 
Mydel said:
I have a question. Anybody here know or can recommend company which can ship my car from US to Europe?? I'm slowly finishing my contract in US and gonna try to buy Nissan 350Z. Would like to know which company is reliable and whats the estimated cost of this kind of shipment (to Germany would be perfect)
Click to expand...
_____________________________________________
Wiem ze post Twoj jest od roku -ale jesli bedziesz byl zainteresowany zagadniem ponownie daj znac...
 
Funny, I had a friend from Slovakia do the same with a Nissan 350Z. Never asked how much it cost him, but he did say the car was less than 1/3 of the price it would have cost to buy in Slovakia..

I've always wanted to try it just to be able to drive my car around Europe and then have it shipped back when I return. That or do BMW/Mercedes' European Delivery program.
 
It's very difficult to import cars to Europe. Once you get it there you have to make it meet regulations i.e. headlight angling & heights, side repeater requirements, tail light requirement. They make it a really pain the @$$ to do. I would imagine that emission requirements are less strict in poland though.
 
Driving a US car in Europe

does anyone know if it is possible.legal to drive a US titles/registered/Insured car in Europe? I will be there for a time and want to take my car with me.
 
nick0126 said:
does anyone know if it is possible.legal to drive a US titles/registered/Insured car in Europe? I will be there for a time and want to take my car with me.
Click to expand...

It depends. You'll probably have to get it insured in Europe, and register it there too so probably not possible, but it depends on what country if it's legal. Europe is a big place with many countries whose laws are totally different in some departments.
 
rdowns said:
You will also lose the vehicle warranty if you buy it here and ship overseas.
Click to expand...

Only if you don't live here and do it, if you move and can prove it they will transfer the warranty.

If you buy it after you find out you will be moving, they might consider it grey market and not transfer the warranty.

Still need a new speedo, headlights, and tail lights to conform to the new country.

Shouldn't be as bad going from US to Europe since the US bumper should be enough to meet most euro specs. Though factor that as a possibility of needing changes also.
 
CHAPS! Why not phone the embassy of the country you're going MO Ve from

Edit: lf you move from the US to the UK then you're good for speedos as they're both MPH. And lights might be OK on the continent because you drive on the right
 
Ship car to Europe for 2 months travel

I'm not moving there, but want to use my car to travel around France and Spain for a couple of months, possibly three. Last time I was there, I reserved an automatic-transmission car a month early, but the night before I was supposed to pick it up, I received an email telling me that no car could be found. The places I want to visit aren't accessible by public transportation. I can't drive a standard. I am making payments to American Honda Finance (have done 15 of 36 payments), does this mean I don't own the car (for purposes of shipping)? I have title showing Honda Finance lien. Is it possible for me to ship the car? If so, what will I need to do/know? Thanks.
 
Unfortunetly you cant export a car that has a lien by the bank anywhere. If your car was paid off, then you cna use i to travel in Europe and bring it back when you done. You can get a specia llicense plate and auto insurance to travel in Europe or can purchase temporary plates and Insurance in Europe. Usually Temp Plates nad Insurance is goodfor a month at the time.
My company specialty is Auto/Boat Shipping from USA and Canada to various countries in Europe, CIS, Russia and Middle East.
Just FYI, cost of shipping for 1 small / mid size car from New York or Miami to Bremerhaven Genrany for example is $675.00. Plus you will pay aprox Euro 200.00 for local charges. Average cost to most Europe Destinations is beteen $675.00 to $900.00 per car depending on thje size.
 
Doesnt always work. If you would want to register your car in Germany for example, you will need to change your rear light. There are different requirements but there are companies that do that. Emission is Ok in most European Countires. However "Grey Car" may be an issue for some models.
 
wanna travel in europe with my first car

I want to take a vacation to europe but at the same time i'm into about getting my first car, the thing is that I want to finance it but if I do, would they allow me to travel in europe with it?
 
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