Moving Car to Germany
Jun 30, 2010 | 7:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 195
Moving Car to Germany
Hi everyone,
Might be moving from Los Angeles to Berlin and trying to figure out if I will encounter the insurmountable mountain of bureaucracy when shipping my car in a container. Ive found a company that will ship it, although if anyone has some recommendations would love a Flyertalk suggestion, and want to discern if I am bringing more pain on myself than is good for my grey hair. If it matters I will be moving a 2005 330i BMW which has been CA smogged etc. Will the German equivalent of the DMV make mincemeat of me? Anyone been through this?
Might be moving from Los Angeles to Berlin and trying to figure out if I will encounter the insurmountable mountain of bureaucracy when shipping my car in a container. Ive found a company that will ship it, although if anyone has some recommendations would love a Flyertalk suggestion, and want to discern if I am bringing more pain on myself than is good for my grey hair. If it matters I will be moving a 2005 330i BMW which has been CA smogged etc. Will the German equivalent of the DMV make mincemeat of me? Anyone been through this?
Jun 30, 2010 | 8:25 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany
Programs: Miles & More, Amex
Posts: 678
You might find a few answers about needed paperwork at the site of the German TV covering importing cars: http://www.tuev-sued.de/car_vehicles...vehicle_import. The TV - or any similar organization - will be responsible for the technical approval of your car, which is mandatory in Germany.
Jul 2, 2010 | 7:44 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: DCA
Posts: 727
Jul 2, 2010 | 8:14 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 195
Ooooo..very helpful. Thank you
No need to rent a container, check out http://www.ehharms.com/ EH Harms. Generally around $900 from the West Coast to Germany.
Jul 3, 2010 | 11:38 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,872
I second the recommendation for E.H. Harms.
BMW and other German car makers use Harms to ship tourist delivery vehicles over to the States.
The following article (Shipping the 335d) will give you some idea of (if nothing else) where your car will be on the boat.
Regarding TV, you will have to make some modifications to the car relative to lighting and a few other things. BMWs are more expensive in Germany than in the U.S. so you are still probably off taking it with you.
Also, if you are only going to stay for a year, you can leave the U.S. registration and number plates on (I believe).
BMW and other German car makers use Harms to ship tourist delivery vehicles over to the States.
The following article (Shipping the 335d) will give you some idea of (if nothing else) where your car will be on the boat.
Regarding TV, you will have to make some modifications to the car relative to lighting and a few other things. BMWs are more expensive in Germany than in the U.S. so you are still probably off taking it with you.
Also, if you are only going to stay for a year, you can leave the U.S. registration and number plates on (I believe).
Jul 4, 2010 | 10:09 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 195
Very helpful. Thank you very much
I second the recommendation for E.H. Harms.
BMW and other German car makers use Harms to ship tourist delivery vehicles over to the States.
The following article (Shipping the 335d) will give you some idea of (if nothing else) where your car will be on the boat.
Regarding TV, you will have to make some modifications to the car relative to lighting and a few other things. BMWs are more expensive in Germany than in the U.S. so you are still probably off taking it with you.
Also, if you are only going to stay for a year, you can leave the U.S. registration and number plates on (I believe).
BMW and other German car makers use Harms to ship tourist delivery vehicles over to the States.
The following article (Shipping the 335d) will give you some idea of (if nothing else) where your car will be on the boat.
Regarding TV, you will have to make some modifications to the car relative to lighting and a few other things. BMWs are more expensive in Germany than in the U.S. so you are still probably off taking it with you.
Also, if you are only going to stay for a year, you can leave the U.S. registration and number plates on (I believe).
Jul 4, 2010 | 12:40 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,872
Jul 9, 2010 | 1:32 am
#11
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 52,672
Haven't read the links, but as an ex-expat in the US, I've done the math on importing a German car bought in the US back into Germany and the numbers don't add up: a used car of the same age is pretty much the same price as the cost of the car and the associated transfer, refit, inspection and registration cost, not to speak of the time wasted on the process.
Of course this doesn't apply if you buy a classic old German car or a high high priced Porsche or other luxury car. The mass produced Audi/BMW/MBs that sell very cheap in the US required quite a bit of a refit when you import them back to Germany,
Of course this doesn't apply if you buy a classic old German car or a high high priced Porsche or other luxury car. The mass produced Audi/BMW/MBs that sell very cheap in the US required quite a bit of a refit when you import them back to Germany,
Jul 19, 2010 | 12:24 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Catania, Sicily(CTA)/South Jersey (PHL)/Houston(IAH)/Red Stick, La.(BTR)/airborne in-between
Programs: United Plat (1MM), AA ExecPlat, ITA/AZ Freccia, Hilton Diam, Bonvoy Gold, Hertz Prez, IHG gold
Posts: 3,870
E.H Harms was very popular with US-NATO personnel shipping "second" vehicles to and from Germany (and Europe in general).
I had my truck shipped to Germany (Schinnen, Netherlands actually, but for use in Germany) by the US gov't so there was little paperwork involved, and with a NATO ID I don't have to worry about full German registration (though must have inspection and green card-insurance, which was also easy). I know some people who brought a "Second" vehicle, which is not authorized by the US/German treaty meaning it would have to be done fully by the German law and system and they did have to jump through hoops. E. H. Harms came up many times as a shipper of choice.
Shipping the vehicle over is actually not that expensive, it is the registrations and sometimes modifications that can add up.
As an aside/anecdote, American trucks were extremely popular near the dreilandpunt where I lived. Farmers there would pay a premium for them, even with extra taxes and other fees due to the German gov't.
If you change your mind and decide to buy in Germany, try and get near a US military location and you can find used car lots with fairly good deals and various vehicles, and get the transactions done in English (not sure if you speak German). Good luck.
Ciao,
FH
I had my truck shipped to Germany (Schinnen, Netherlands actually, but for use in Germany) by the US gov't so there was little paperwork involved, and with a NATO ID I don't have to worry about full German registration (though must have inspection and green card-insurance, which was also easy). I know some people who brought a "Second" vehicle, which is not authorized by the US/German treaty meaning it would have to be done fully by the German law and system and they did have to jump through hoops. E. H. Harms came up many times as a shipper of choice.
Shipping the vehicle over is actually not that expensive, it is the registrations and sometimes modifications that can add up.
As an aside/anecdote, American trucks were extremely popular near the dreilandpunt where I lived. Farmers there would pay a premium for them, even with extra taxes and other fees due to the German gov't.
If you change your mind and decide to buy in Germany, try and get near a US military location and you can find used car lots with fairly good deals and various vehicles, and get the transactions done in English (not sure if you speak German). Good luck.
Ciao,
FH
Jul 19, 2010 | 2:39 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 195
thank you, looks like E Harms is the way to go
E.H Harms was very popular with US-NATO personnel shipping "second" vehicles to and from Germany (and Europe in general).
I had my truck shipped to Germany (Schinnen, Netherlands actually, but for use in Germany) by the US gov't so there was little paperwork involved, and with a NATO ID I don't have to worry about full German registration (though must have inspection and green card-insurance, which was also easy). I know some people who brought a "Second" vehicle, which is not authorized by the US/German treaty meaning it would have to be done fully by the German law and system and they did have to jump through hoops. E. H. Harms came up many times as a shipper of choice.
Shipping the vehicle over is actually not that expensive, it is the registrations and sometimes modifications that can add up.
As an aside/anecdote, American trucks were extremely popular near the dreilandpunt where I lived. Farmers there would pay a premium for them, even with extra taxes and other fees due to the German gov't.
If you change your mind and decide to buy in Germany, try and get near a US military location and you can find used car lots with fairly good deals and various vehicles, and get the transactions done in English (not sure if you speak German). Good luck.
Ciao,
FH
I had my truck shipped to Germany (Schinnen, Netherlands actually, but for use in Germany) by the US gov't so there was little paperwork involved, and with a NATO ID I don't have to worry about full German registration (though must have inspection and green card-insurance, which was also easy). I know some people who brought a "Second" vehicle, which is not authorized by the US/German treaty meaning it would have to be done fully by the German law and system and they did have to jump through hoops. E. H. Harms came up many times as a shipper of choice.
Shipping the vehicle over is actually not that expensive, it is the registrations and sometimes modifications that can add up.
As an aside/anecdote, American trucks were extremely popular near the dreilandpunt where I lived. Farmers there would pay a premium for them, even with extra taxes and other fees due to the German gov't.
If you change your mind and decide to buy in Germany, try and get near a US military location and you can find used car lots with fairly good deals and various vehicles, and get the transactions done in English (not sure if you speak German). Good luck.
Ciao,
FH