Exporting TSX to Europe... (???)
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Exporting TSX to Europe... (???)
I'm moving to Europe and my mom suggested I take my car with me in lieu of selling it. Anyone have any experience on car exports to Europe? I know that many Americans will take their cars with them, specially SUVs...
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I found this in the NY Times - it's a little old, though
DRIVING; Traveling Abroad? Export the Car
By RICH BEATTIE
Published: September 12, 2003
WHEN Charlie McCall, an industrial engineer, took a job six years ago in France, he did not want to go alone. Mr. McCall longed for his companion, his 1972 DeTomaso Pantera. ''Europe is a great place to drive,'' he said. ''The speed limits are higher than the U.S. The roads are more challenging.'' His company car, a Renault minivan, was just not going to cut it.
''I didn't know if it would even be feasible to bring my Pantera,'' he said. ''Only that it would be a blast to have a sports car in Europe.''
For Americans spending more than a few weeks abroad, for work or pleasure, renting cars can be expensive, and buying or leasing can pose problems. For a week in Paris, Avis charges a base rate of $283 for a Renault Laguna; Hertz, $330 for a Peugeot 406. Tax (at 19.6 percent) is extra, as is insurance, and Hertz only provides 1,087 free miles. So for many Americans, it's best to ship their cars from home.
Mr. McCall, after some research, found that he could ship his Pantera for $750 through Wallenius Wilhelmsen. Because he had already left for France, he had a friend drive the car from his home outside Syracuse to Newark.
After 10 days at sea, the car arrived in Le Havre, France, and was unloaded with its shipmates, a bunch of John Deere tractors. In less than 15 minutes, Mr. McCall was behind the wheel.
When Kathy Stackhouse and her husband, Gregory Zaretsky, who are from Pittsburgh, sold their translating service in 1997 and moved to Italy for a year, they decided to take their BMW 325is.
''We didn't want to buy a car,'' Ms. Stackhouse said, ''and we found it was less expensive to ship ours.''
Shipping is not all about money. There's separation anxiety, too, especially for people like Mr. McCall, who said his enthusiasm for his Pantera ''borders on the obsessive.''
Shipping a private car out of the United States is relatively painless; Ms. Stackhouse and Mr. Zaretsky did not even have to change their license plate. If cars are being moved permanently, however, they must be registered and pass local safety and emissions muster.
Regardless of the length of stay, most people send their cars by boat, a process that usually takes two to three weeks. But because shipping lines most often deal with agents and manufacturers, private shippers like Mr. McCall must use freight forwarders. For as little as a few hundred dollars, forwarders arrange with the ship lines to take the car anywhere with a port.
The forwarders also file the required documents, including dock receipts, bills of lading and Customs Service export declarations. An owner takes the car and original title to a port -- forwarders can also arrange to have the car trucked to the dock -- where it has to sit for three days so the United States Customs Service can verify that it was not stolen.
Insurance is one matter that needs to be taken care of before the voyage. Since United States automobile insurance policies cover only the United States and Canada, drivers usually need to arrange European insurance before they go.
Cars can be individually crated, for about three times the price. But damage during shipping is not usually an issue because vehicles bound for many ports are safely parked on a weathertight deck of a ship that is essentially a floating parking lot. The decks can move up and down, depending on the cargo requirements.
That is how Mr. McCall and Ms. Stackhouse and Mr. Zaretsky's cars made the crossing, and they came through unscathed.
Although there are many forwarders, ship lines are far fewer, and their prices tend to be similar. For shipping a Honda Accord from Jacksonville, Fla., to Southampton, England, a forwarder in Jacksonville, Sims, Waters & Associates, charges $740 for freight plus a fee of $170, according to Myra Sims, a vice president. Insurance can be added; the ship line's liability is usually limited to $500.
For some, three weeks may be an eternity, so they can make jet setters out of their cars by speeding them at 30,000 feet on a cargo plane. The process is essentially the same as by boat because even these highflying vehicles have to wait three days for customs. The additional requirements and paperwork include making sure that the gasoline tank is less than a quarter full, and the owner has to fill out a declaration of dangerous goods.
The shipping time, of course, is hours, not days. But the price runs from $4,000 to $6,000 for Europe-bound cars. Sending Hummers and other larger vehicles that are going, say, to the Middle East, can cost up to $12,000. Wealthy buyers in the Persian Gulf states do not seem to mind.
Some cars, like VW Golfs, are small enough to put on passenger planes, and that can cut costs by half. But Felix Flaig, vice president for sales and marketing for Schaefer Trans, a freight forwarder in East Rockaway, N.Y., said, ''Anyone who owns a Golf isn't likely to need it that fast.''
Indeed, most private customers can wait the few extra days, said Bernhard Kindelbacher, a director of sales for Lufthansa Cargo, one of several airlines that can fly cars. Many Lufthansa customers are manufacturers. BMW flies cars made in South Carolina to Europe on Lufthansa.
The airline has up to 10 private customers a week. Not surprisingly, many of their cars are high-end Bentleys, Lexuses and Mercedes-Benzes, as well as rare cars.
''When you spend $150,000 on a car,'' Mr. Kindelbacher said, ''spending $5,000 to ship it usually isn't a problem.''
No matter how a car travels, it is usually not the worse for the experience, and receiving it certainly makes its owner happy. Mr. McCall, who now lives in Spain, has been exploring Europe in his Pantera and loving every minute of it. ''A long drive in a boring car is a long drive,'' he said, ''but in a Pantera, it's an adventure.''
RESOURCES
You'll Need Help To Get Under Way
FREIGHT forwarders are what you need if you want to take your car overseas. Here are three, with examples of time estimates and prices, based on the kind of car being shipped.
SIMS, WATERS & ASSOCIATES -- 444 Talleyrand Avenue, Jacksonville, Fla.; (904) 356-4455. Sims will deliver a Ford Taurus from Baltimore to Le Havre, France, for $895 in about three weeks.
K INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT -- 74 Trinity Place, New York, (212) 267-6400. Shipping a Toyota 4Runner from Newark to Bremerhaven, Germany, costs $1,065 and takes about three weeks.
CARMICHAEL INTERNATIONAL SERVICE -- 533 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, (213) 353-0800. Sending a Chevrolet Cavalier from Los Angeles to Genoa, Italy, costs $2,285 and takes about four weeks. Shipping autos to the Mediterranean from the West Coast can be considerably more expensive because a 20-foot container is generally required.
By RICH BEATTIE
Published: September 12, 2003
WHEN Charlie McCall, an industrial engineer, took a job six years ago in France, he did not want to go alone. Mr. McCall longed for his companion, his 1972 DeTomaso Pantera. ''Europe is a great place to drive,'' he said. ''The speed limits are higher than the U.S. The roads are more challenging.'' His company car, a Renault minivan, was just not going to cut it.
''I didn't know if it would even be feasible to bring my Pantera,'' he said. ''Only that it would be a blast to have a sports car in Europe.''
For Americans spending more than a few weeks abroad, for work or pleasure, renting cars can be expensive, and buying or leasing can pose problems. For a week in Paris, Avis charges a base rate of $283 for a Renault Laguna; Hertz, $330 for a Peugeot 406. Tax (at 19.6 percent) is extra, as is insurance, and Hertz only provides 1,087 free miles. So for many Americans, it's best to ship their cars from home.
Mr. McCall, after some research, found that he could ship his Pantera for $750 through Wallenius Wilhelmsen. Because he had already left for France, he had a friend drive the car from his home outside Syracuse to Newark.
After 10 days at sea, the car arrived in Le Havre, France, and was unloaded with its shipmates, a bunch of John Deere tractors. In less than 15 minutes, Mr. McCall was behind the wheel.
When Kathy Stackhouse and her husband, Gregory Zaretsky, who are from Pittsburgh, sold their translating service in 1997 and moved to Italy for a year, they decided to take their BMW 325is.
''We didn't want to buy a car,'' Ms. Stackhouse said, ''and we found it was less expensive to ship ours.''
Shipping is not all about money. There's separation anxiety, too, especially for people like Mr. McCall, who said his enthusiasm for his Pantera ''borders on the obsessive.''
Shipping a private car out of the United States is relatively painless; Ms. Stackhouse and Mr. Zaretsky did not even have to change their license plate. If cars are being moved permanently, however, they must be registered and pass local safety and emissions muster.
Regardless of the length of stay, most people send their cars by boat, a process that usually takes two to three weeks. But because shipping lines most often deal with agents and manufacturers, private shippers like Mr. McCall must use freight forwarders. For as little as a few hundred dollars, forwarders arrange with the ship lines to take the car anywhere with a port.
The forwarders also file the required documents, including dock receipts, bills of lading and Customs Service export declarations. An owner takes the car and original title to a port -- forwarders can also arrange to have the car trucked to the dock -- where it has to sit for three days so the United States Customs Service can verify that it was not stolen.
Insurance is one matter that needs to be taken care of before the voyage. Since United States automobile insurance policies cover only the United States and Canada, drivers usually need to arrange European insurance before they go.
Cars can be individually crated, for about three times the price. But damage during shipping is not usually an issue because vehicles bound for many ports are safely parked on a weathertight deck of a ship that is essentially a floating parking lot. The decks can move up and down, depending on the cargo requirements.
That is how Mr. McCall and Ms. Stackhouse and Mr. Zaretsky's cars made the crossing, and they came through unscathed.
Although there are many forwarders, ship lines are far fewer, and their prices tend to be similar. For shipping a Honda Accord from Jacksonville, Fla., to Southampton, England, a forwarder in Jacksonville, Sims, Waters & Associates, charges $740 for freight plus a fee of $170, according to Myra Sims, a vice president. Insurance can be added; the ship line's liability is usually limited to $500.
For some, three weeks may be an eternity, so they can make jet setters out of their cars by speeding them at 30,000 feet on a cargo plane. The process is essentially the same as by boat because even these highflying vehicles have to wait three days for customs. The additional requirements and paperwork include making sure that the gasoline tank is less than a quarter full, and the owner has to fill out a declaration of dangerous goods.
The shipping time, of course, is hours, not days. But the price runs from $4,000 to $6,000 for Europe-bound cars. Sending Hummers and other larger vehicles that are going, say, to the Middle East, can cost up to $12,000. Wealthy buyers in the Persian Gulf states do not seem to mind.
Some cars, like VW Golfs, are small enough to put on passenger planes, and that can cut costs by half. But Felix Flaig, vice president for sales and marketing for Schaefer Trans, a freight forwarder in East Rockaway, N.Y., said, ''Anyone who owns a Golf isn't likely to need it that fast.''
Indeed, most private customers can wait the few extra days, said Bernhard Kindelbacher, a director of sales for Lufthansa Cargo, one of several airlines that can fly cars. Many Lufthansa customers are manufacturers. BMW flies cars made in South Carolina to Europe on Lufthansa.
The airline has up to 10 private customers a week. Not surprisingly, many of their cars are high-end Bentleys, Lexuses and Mercedes-Benzes, as well as rare cars.
''When you spend $150,000 on a car,'' Mr. Kindelbacher said, ''spending $5,000 to ship it usually isn't a problem.''
No matter how a car travels, it is usually not the worse for the experience, and receiving it certainly makes its owner happy. Mr. McCall, who now lives in Spain, has been exploring Europe in his Pantera and loving every minute of it. ''A long drive in a boring car is a long drive,'' he said, ''but in a Pantera, it's an adventure.''
RESOURCES
You'll Need Help To Get Under Way
FREIGHT forwarders are what you need if you want to take your car overseas. Here are three, with examples of time estimates and prices, based on the kind of car being shipped.
SIMS, WATERS & ASSOCIATES -- 444 Talleyrand Avenue, Jacksonville, Fla.; (904) 356-4455. Sims will deliver a Ford Taurus from Baltimore to Le Havre, France, for $895 in about three weeks.
K INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT -- 74 Trinity Place, New York, (212) 267-6400. Shipping a Toyota 4Runner from Newark to Bremerhaven, Germany, costs $1,065 and takes about three weeks.
CARMICHAEL INTERNATIONAL SERVICE -- 533 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, (213) 353-0800. Sending a Chevrolet Cavalier from Los Angeles to Genoa, Italy, costs $2,285 and takes about four weeks. Shipping autos to the Mediterranean from the West Coast can be considerably more expensive because a 20-foot container is generally required.
Vollgas auf der Autobahn!
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From: Dresden, Deutschland/Germany
FWIW,
The TSX is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Although you could bring the car over keep in mind that unless you are in the military service your car will have to registered in the country of residence and suitably modified to local safety emissions etc. standards. Besides the cost to import the car you will also need to (if you are here as a private citizen) pay the duty tax on the car plus keep in mind local tax laws are often dependent upon engine size or horsepower claims. If you have modded the car these mods are difficult to keep as each mod must have a clearance from Honda as an acceptable mod. Window tint is a flat out no no . Overall I would say that since the TSX is available here anyway(albeit under the Honda badge and with the Accord moniker) you would be better off buying a new one or a low mileage one here. You can still mod the car if you so desire but ofcourse only with officially approved parts (TÜV registered parts in Germany as an example).
The other side is that frequently cars made specifically for the US market are difficult to service due to differences between your cars and ours. Another point is that the warranty (if it is still covered) is null and void as the car was specifically made for the US market with it's laws regarding such things. Typically in Europe warranties on cars are not nearly as generous as in the States. Typically a car will have a 2 year warranty with mileage limits and then a year of shared costs with the manufacturer or at least one year where the dealer under unusual circumstances can apply for coverage from the manufacturer.
Jens
The TSX is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Although you could bring the car over keep in mind that unless you are in the military service your car will have to registered in the country of residence and suitably modified to local safety emissions etc. standards. Besides the cost to import the car you will also need to (if you are here as a private citizen) pay the duty tax on the car plus keep in mind local tax laws are often dependent upon engine size or horsepower claims. If you have modded the car these mods are difficult to keep as each mod must have a clearance from Honda as an acceptable mod. Window tint is a flat out no no . Overall I would say that since the TSX is available here anyway(albeit under the Honda badge and with the Accord moniker) you would be better off buying a new one or a low mileage one here. You can still mod the car if you so desire but ofcourse only with officially approved parts (TÜV registered parts in Germany as an example).
The other side is that frequently cars made specifically for the US market are difficult to service due to differences between your cars and ours. Another point is that the warranty (if it is still covered) is null and void as the car was specifically made for the US market with it's laws regarding such things. Typically in Europe warranties on cars are not nearly as generous as in the States. Typically a car will have a 2 year warranty with mileage limits and then a year of shared costs with the manufacturer or at least one year where the dealer under unusual circumstances can apply for coverage from the manufacturer.
Jens
Go Dutch !
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From: The Netherlands
Originally Posted by JensH1963
FWIW,
The TSX is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Although you could bring the car over keep in mind that unless you are in the military service your car will have to registered in the country of residence and suitably modified to local safety emissions etc. standards. Besides the cost to import the car you will also need to (if you are here as a private citizen) pay the duty tax on the car plus keep in mind local tax laws are often dependent upon engine size or horsepower claims. If you have modded the car these mods are difficult to keep as each mod must have a clearance from Honda as an acceptable mod. Window tint is a flat out no no . Overall I would say that since the TSX is available here anyway(albeit under the Honda badge and with the Accord moniker) you would be better off buying a new one or a low mileage one here. You can still mod the car if you so desire but ofcourse only with officially approved parts (TÜV registered parts in Germany as an example).
The other side is that frequently cars made specifically for the US market are difficult to service due to differences between your cars and ours. Another point is that the warranty (if it is still covered) is null and void as the car was specifically made for the US market with it's laws regarding such things. Typically in Europe warranties on cars are not nearly as generous as in the States. Typically a car will have a 2 year warranty with mileage limits and then a year of shared costs with the manufacturer or at least one year where the dealer under unusual circumstances can apply for coverage from the manufacturer.
Jens
The TSX is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Although you could bring the car over keep in mind that unless you are in the military service your car will have to registered in the country of residence and suitably modified to local safety emissions etc. standards. Besides the cost to import the car you will also need to (if you are here as a private citizen) pay the duty tax on the car plus keep in mind local tax laws are often dependent upon engine size or horsepower claims. If you have modded the car these mods are difficult to keep as each mod must have a clearance from Honda as an acceptable mod. Window tint is a flat out no no . Overall I would say that since the TSX is available here anyway(albeit under the Honda badge and with the Accord moniker) you would be better off buying a new one or a low mileage one here. You can still mod the car if you so desire but ofcourse only with officially approved parts (TÜV registered parts in Germany as an example).
The other side is that frequently cars made specifically for the US market are difficult to service due to differences between your cars and ours. Another point is that the warranty (if it is still covered) is null and void as the car was specifically made for the US market with it's laws regarding such things. Typically in Europe warranties on cars are not nearly as generous as in the States. Typically a car will have a 2 year warranty with mileage limits and then a year of shared costs with the manufacturer or at least one year where the dealer under unusual circumstances can apply for coverage from the manufacturer.
Jens
Lots of good points there... I think though if you are permenantly moving to europe that there is a law that for once off you can import a car without having to pay the tax on it... Not sure exactly, but worth to dive into and find out. Honda has a 3 year factory warrenty (at least in the Netherlands). Most other brands have only 2 years...
Cruisin'
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if you move (back) to europe and bring your car like property after at least 12 months abroad, you can have some tax reductions, but i guess that's only for people who returned to their home country. if this is the case when you move to europe i'm not sure of.
and yes, you might have to alter your car quite a bit to have it comply with local regulations. better check with the authorities in the country you're moving to. if it's sweden i can assist you..
and yes, you might have to alter your car quite a bit to have it comply with local regulations. better check with the authorities in the country you're moving to. if it's sweden i can assist you..
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From: NY
I would just buy a car over there....get a good diesel one.
My parents just lived in Belgium for 4 years. They bought an Opel Astra new for my dad and a used VW Polo for my mom. Both were diesels and got great gas mileage and they made out on the resale of both. It'll be a lot less hassle for you to just get a car over there.
My parents just lived in Belgium for 4 years. They bought an Opel Astra new for my dad and a used VW Polo for my mom. Both were diesels and got great gas mileage and they made out on the resale of both. It'll be a lot less hassle for you to just get a car over there.
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Vollgas auf der Autobahn!
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From: Dresden, Deutschland/Germany
Originally Posted by Mokijoki
Lots of good points there... I think though if you are permenantly moving to europe that there is a law that for once off you can import a car without having to pay the tax on it... Not sure exactly, but worth to dive into and find out. Honda has a 3 year factory warrenty (at least in the Netherlands). Most other brands have only 2 years...
I had looked into importing a Mustang (latest generation) and it was not worth it.There are several good gray market outfits here in Germany that import the car. But the fuel costs alone make the car senseless even if you buy a 6 cylinder.
Jens
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I'm in a unique situation. I'm moving to Italy (non-military) for a 15-month MBA program. I have an Italian passport, but I'm actually native from Brazil; so I can't say "I'm going back". I didn't have residency in Italy before.
I can't afford a new car, at least not a Honda Accord. I'm curious what the Italian regulations are, but my Italian is not good enough to understand the gov't web sites. Are they very different country to country in the EU?
I can't afford a new car, at least not a Honda Accord. I'm curious what the Italian regulations are, but my Italian is not good enough to understand the gov't web sites. Are they very different country to country in the EU?
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From: NY
Originally Posted by slo007
I'm in a unique situation. I'm moving to Italy (non-military) for a 15-month MBA program. I have an Italian passport, but I'm actually native from Brazil; so I can't say "I'm going back". I didn't have residency in Italy before.
I can't afford a new car, at least not a Honda Accord. I'm curious what the Italian regulations are, but my Italian is not good enough to understand the gov't web sites. Are they very different country to country in the EU?
I can't afford a new car, at least not a Honda Accord. I'm curious what the Italian regulations are, but my Italian is not good enough to understand the gov't web sites. Are they very different country to country in the EU?
Also, is your school in a city or out in the country? If it's in a city, you shouldn't need a car. Never in a million years would I drive in Rome, either....they are madmen over there!!
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Originally Posted by JensH1963
FWIW,
The TSX is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Although you could bring the car over keep in mind that unless you are in the military service your car will have to registered in the country of residence and suitably modified to local safety emissions etc. standards. Besides the cost to import the car you will also need to (if you are here as a private citizen) pay the duty tax on the car plus keep in mind local tax laws are often dependent upon engine size or horsepower claims. If you have modded the car these mods are difficult to keep as each mod must have a clearance from Honda as an acceptable mod. Window tint is a flat out no no . Overall I would say that since the TSX is available here anyway(albeit under the Honda badge and with the Accord moniker) you would be better off buying a new one or a low mileage one here. You can still mod the car if you so desire but ofcourse only with officially approved parts (TÜV registered parts in Germany as an example).
The other side is that frequently cars made specifically for the US market are difficult to service due to differences between your cars and ours. Another point is that the warranty (if it is still covered) is null and void as the car was specifically made for the US market with it's laws regarding such things. Typically in Europe warranties on cars are not nearly as generous as in the States. Typically a car will have a 2 year warranty with mileage limits and then a year of shared costs with the manufacturer or at least one year where the dealer under unusual circumstances can apply for coverage from the manufacturer.
Jens
The TSX is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Although you could bring the car over keep in mind that unless you are in the military service your car will have to registered in the country of residence and suitably modified to local safety emissions etc. standards. Besides the cost to import the car you will also need to (if you are here as a private citizen) pay the duty tax on the car plus keep in mind local tax laws are often dependent upon engine size or horsepower claims. If you have modded the car these mods are difficult to keep as each mod must have a clearance from Honda as an acceptable mod. Window tint is a flat out no no . Overall I would say that since the TSX is available here anyway(albeit under the Honda badge and with the Accord moniker) you would be better off buying a new one or a low mileage one here. You can still mod the car if you so desire but ofcourse only with officially approved parts (TÜV registered parts in Germany as an example).
The other side is that frequently cars made specifically for the US market are difficult to service due to differences between your cars and ours. Another point is that the warranty (if it is still covered) is null and void as the car was specifically made for the US market with it's laws regarding such things. Typically in Europe warranties on cars are not nearly as generous as in the States. Typically a car will have a 2 year warranty with mileage limits and then a year of shared costs with the manufacturer or at least one year where the dealer under unusual circumstances can apply for coverage from the manufacturer.
Jens
The car is not modded. Warranties in Brazil are usually only one year old!! We are very spoiled here in the US. I wonder if those taxes are less considering the age of the car (3-year old) vs. a new one.
How much does your annual registration cost in Germany? I paid US $190 here.
How about insurance?
Thanks!
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Originally Posted by LuvMyTSX
Also, is your school in a city or out in the country? If it's in a city, you shouldn't need a car. Never in a million years would I drive in Rome, either....they are madmen over there!!
The transportation fees may pay for itself when my parents come visit me and take my car out instead of renting one. It's EU $200 per week for a rental, and they'll visit me often. My brother will also come visit me.
I'm going to Milan, and like you said, the mass transportation systems are excellent and traffic horrendous. Still, I want something to get out of that mess on the weekends/holidays. I hate being stuck in a metropolis. Milan is a mess, and I was there in August -- when Italians are off on vacation...
I've also been considering getting a moped.
But I want to research everything so I know what the "real" options are.15 months might also become more; but I agree they'll pass fast.
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Originally Posted by LuvMyTSX
Also, try a PM to whiskers. He just moved to the UK; maybe he considered taking his car with him. He ended up buying a car over there.
She left her CA plates on the car so when she goes out so she doesn't have to pay the Congestions charges - 8 Pounds per day - while driving downtown (where she lives).
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Originally Posted by TSXey
How about the fact that the TSX needs premium gas ...do you know what that stuff costs in Europe?
I saw some stations that had a Premium blend, but I couldn't tell the difference. They don't have stickers all over the place telling you the benefits of their more expensive stuff.
I will be driving only on the weekends, so the gas price is not a heart breaker for me. I know it's more expensive there.
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From: NY
Originally Posted by slo007
In Italy, many stations only have Diesel or Gasoline. I think their std gas is already plenty close to our Premium here in CA (91).
I saw some stations that had a Premium blend, but I couldn't tell the difference. They don't have stickers all over the place telling you the benefits of their more expensive stuff.
I will be driving only on the weekends, so the gas price is not a heart breaker for me. I know it's more expensive there.
I saw some stations that had a Premium blend, but I couldn't tell the difference. They don't have stickers all over the place telling you the benefits of their more expensive stuff.
I will be driving only on the weekends, so the gas price is not a heart breaker for me. I know it's more expensive there.
LOL...make sure you put the right gas in the car. My dad accidentally put regular gas in his brand new diesel Astra, drove a km, and the car stopped dead. Had to have it towed back to the dealer.
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Originally Posted by LuvMyTSX
LOL...make sure you put the right gas in the car. My dad accidentally put regular gas in his brand new diesel Astra, drove a km, and the car stopped dead. Had to have it towed back to the dealer.
Vollgas auf der Autobahn!
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From: Dresden, Deutschland/Germany
slo007
You are welcome,
So to answer your questions, in Germany vehicles are taxed amongst other factors on engine size and age however contrary to American practice you are actually taxed more for an older car here. The reasoning is that older cars pollute more, My car has Euro 4 emissions which is currently the lowest tax bracket. The idea behind this is to make driving an older car unattractive and sort of force the extinction of cars that pollute more.
If you have a car 20 years old or older you can apply for a flat rate registration for a "classic car or old timer" however there are strict rules regarding the condition of the car and yes you must present the car to a person certified to estimate the cars originality and physical condition.
The exact tax I would have to find as it is automatically withdrawn from my account. Insurance is based in part on the car but also the number of years you have as experience plus your age. Initially my insurance was very high as I was positioned as a new driver with 0 years experience.
I will have to look up the actual costs involved with my car but I think the annual insurance with what is called "vollkasko" would be about 1200 to 1300 Euros annually for a car with a 1.8 litre 4 cylinder top speed of 220 KPH.
You pay a one time registration fee for the car and then you must pay for an every other yearly TÜV inspection and also the UA inspection which is our equivalent to your emissions. The intervals vary with which the Emissions class your car is in.
Add to that the mandatory red triangle in the trunk a yellow or orange warn vest, and new emergency medical kit every two years as these kits have expiration dates as well.
Italy has I believe the highest fuel costs In the EU at this time.
My advice: if your stay is only for 15 months buy a clapped out Fiat for the time you are here. Dealers are everywhere and rust is not an issue in sunny Italy. Learn to take public transport and save your money for better things later in life. And whatever you do learn to negotiate........the Italian Police does it's job but depending on your attitude and ability to negotiate you can often turn a heavy fine into a mild slap on the wrist.
Jens
You are welcome,
So to answer your questions, in Germany vehicles are taxed amongst other factors on engine size and age however contrary to American practice you are actually taxed more for an older car here. The reasoning is that older cars pollute more, My car has Euro 4 emissions which is currently the lowest tax bracket. The idea behind this is to make driving an older car unattractive and sort of force the extinction of cars that pollute more.
If you have a car 20 years old or older you can apply for a flat rate registration for a "classic car or old timer" however there are strict rules regarding the condition of the car and yes you must present the car to a person certified to estimate the cars originality and physical condition.
The exact tax I would have to find as it is automatically withdrawn from my account. Insurance is based in part on the car but also the number of years you have as experience plus your age. Initially my insurance was very high as I was positioned as a new driver with 0 years experience.
I will have to look up the actual costs involved with my car but I think the annual insurance with what is called "vollkasko" would be about 1200 to 1300 Euros annually for a car with a 1.8 litre 4 cylinder top speed of 220 KPH.
You pay a one time registration fee for the car and then you must pay for an every other yearly TÜV inspection and also the UA inspection which is our equivalent to your emissions. The intervals vary with which the Emissions class your car is in.
Add to that the mandatory red triangle in the trunk a yellow or orange warn vest, and new emergency medical kit every two years as these kits have expiration dates as well.
Italy has I believe the highest fuel costs In the EU at this time.
My advice: if your stay is only for 15 months buy a clapped out Fiat for the time you are here. Dealers are everywhere and rust is not an issue in sunny Italy. Learn to take public transport and save your money for better things later in life. And whatever you do learn to negotiate........the Italian Police does it's job but depending on your attitude and ability to negotiate you can often turn a heavy fine into a mild slap on the wrist.
Jens
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Master in Science
Joined: Aug 2003
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^^ Wow! Thanks Jens! That stuff sounds complicated. I'm in for quite an experience.
My family had a '78 Benz while we lived in Germany '85-87, and it worked great. A used car may be just the solution.
I can't wait to board the plane!
My family had a '78 Benz while we lived in Germany '85-87, and it worked great. A used car may be just the solution.
I can't wait to board the plane!
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