No problem! It really is intriguing how it all goes down. The customs process is quite involved also. They check every single vin plate and make sure the engine in the car is what came from the factory. If anything like that is off the there is a whole other process for it.
I know it was stressful and turning into a nightmare going at it blindly. So even though I missed a few details thought I would throw out the info for others.
Thanks man. Im about to to the same thing with the same company but to Italy. I am hoping my GTI can pass inspection 😉. And I definitely will be looking for a inspection site off post. Once again, thanks for great advices.
So glad you did this cause we are coming up on the same issues. We both have new cars and don't want to buy another one. And we want a reliable company to ship our car.
The documents you will need are a release letter from your bank if the car still has a loan in it. Copy of the title, orders, and some documents that the shipping company will ask for and provide.
great video, lots of information that has helped me out, i am moving to germany from the uk and i will be bringing with me my mazda rx7 fd, im very nervous as to how they are going to reach to it because of it being a rotory vehicle, however it is prety much standard bar a few little pieces such as coil over suspension, wheels, intercooler. Do you have any advice for me on the best way to proceed getting it though a TUV
Nice video dude. I just arrived at Ramstein and I'm trying to do exactly that. Do you know if they're any restrictions when importing your car from the US to Germany? Such as fuel type, year, milage, make, etc? Do you know where could I call to find more info? Can't find much of it online. Also, what kind of paperwork do you need to bring get your 30day temporary tags? Do they give you a new German tittle? What happens to the US title. Hope you can get back to me, thanks.
The car has to pass an inspection once it gets here. The biggest thing is having catalytic converters, not going over 95DB with the exhaust, not having a rust bucket, parts falling off, wheels sticking out past the fenders. There really isn’t E85. 30 day tags will be with with your orders, USAURE drivers license, insurance, and if the car has a lien you need a document from the bank saying you where allowed to ship the car. You won’t get a German title you will get a registration card which then you use to get your fuel rations card from the PX. The car is a US vehicle just registered in Europe through the SOFA agreement
@@HMDriven thanks for fast reply! This is really helpful as it gave me a general idea. Before I ship I have a few other questions would it be ideal to contact via email? Hope you can help brother out. Thanks again!
What do you know about modifying a car overseas and then returning it to the states ? I’m in the UK with a late model car I bought in the us and brought here and it has now a bunch of engine modifications. Worried about returning it
Returning it to the states shouldn’t be a huge issue as long as it doesn’t have a euro spec engine in it. I have seen guys PCS back with cars modified and have no issue and then I have seen them ship Euro or JDM spec engines back in their house hold goods and all they had to do was get customs paperwork done.
Tint can be as dark as you want from the rear doors back. Front windshield can’t have the “eye brow” and front windows can not be tinted. As for the tail lights it’s a hit or a miss depending on the inspector.
Did you ship both cars or just 1. Wife is military I work for DOD, army allows 1 vehicle to go overseas, so she is bringing her bronco, and I'm thinking on bringing my Elantra N out there but, it is heavenly modified, tinted windows, aftermarket exhaust, does have the converters factory still. Uh cosmetic work. Chrome delete and all. I know you need to have good tires and stuff. My question is do you recommend to pay off both vehicles and bring both or just sell one and take one. I'm gonna be honest. Itd hard letting go of my car. I've only had it for 2 years and only had 12,000 miles on it.
Honestly, the vehicle that you prize more I would send through military and one that you’re OK with having a small thing here or there I would send via private shipping. I’m fighting right now to get $3000 paid and damages on my 2023 BMW M3 while military shipping paid the scratch, they left on my wife’s SUV. No questions asked since they took the pictures showing the damage wasn’t there. Also, you don’t have to pay off the vehicles you just have to get permission to ship from the lender that’s what I did when I shipped my Subaru and the family vehicle. Asked for modifications as long as your car can pass a safety inspection stay under the 95 dB exhaust sound, and has the catalytic converter. You should be fine to get the car inspected and registered. Only thing is make sure the window tint in the front windows is gone.
How does car insurance work over there? I just had an accident here in the states so I'm wondering if it would save me money (or not) to go with German insurance (under the assumption that they don't have access to my US driving record), or just stay with whatever US insurance companies that will cover me over there and just suck it up and pay the increased premium.
In my time in Germany I kept USAA. Also getting a US spec fixed in Germany is a huge pain due to the lack of parts accessibility. Getting some simple body work at times can take weeks as they source the parts and have them shipped in. Also depending on the damage to the car the car won’t be shipped and if it is it will not pass TUV inspection making things more of an asspain. I would just fix it state side and then ship
The shipping process takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks and if you aren’t military or on government orders then you will have to abide by EU standards when it comes to emissions and regulations. Not sure how all that would work. Just know that if you are being brought over under the status of forces agreement (SOFA) there is a lot of things that we are able to do that most can’t.
How modified are we talking? I have an 89 dakota I'm thinking about shipping but it has all aftermarket gauges (stock cluster was replaced with autometers). The truck stock had a fuel injected small block now it has a very healthy carburated bigblock. Also has a fuel cell and battery box located in the bed of the truck. I'm thinking it maybe a no go?
At this level of modified I’m not 100%. But you can hit up the VPC for a booklet of their guidelines. I just know in my experience if you can pass it off as oem they don’t question it much.
What’s the biggest difference in the American and German inspections? You aren’t restricted to base if you go out and get the American inspection so that way mods are overlooked? I have a 95 Cherokee 4WD that id like to keep if I can if I get stationed overseas in the future. If it’ll pass inspection in the states (which it does) is it automatically ok to ship overseas or is it a more complicated process due to age of vehicle?
The big things is no rust, falling panels, and have catalytic converters. The inspection is then putting the car on rollers to test the brakes, inspection underneath of all components, and testing the lights.
HM Driven no rust period? I have some in the passenger floor pan but structural rust is non existent. I’m sure I’ll have it fixed well before I’d have to worry about it but still lol
One of our guys that just PCSed out had to go get his car’s rust fixed and repainted. I went to a TüV off post and got my Subaru inspected and got away with a hell Of a lot of modifications. But if you get an anal person they will get you and not pass you.
Thanks for that I knew I forgot some things. You will need all of the shipping documents to include PCS orders State side registration Documents that where given to you by the shipping company filled out And estimated values of the items (should be included in the shipping documents)
Thank you for your video. I also got orders to pcs to Grafenwoehr from AIT, and it would be my first duty station. But, I could not decide yet to ship my car. I thought I should sell my car when I get 10 days leave after AIT, but because of COVID-19, active duties cannot go back to their home before they get to their duty station. If I want to sell my car eventually, so would it be better to just ship to Germany and sell it? or should I just leave it to my dad's house and sell it whenever I go back?
The army should cover you being able to ship your car. But if for any reason they do not then I would say yes. The used car market out here is a hit or a miss. And if it’s a miss the car is going to cost you more time time and money than just shipping your own vehicle. Also make sure your car is in good shape they are very strict out here with their laws.
Thank you for the helpful video, I’m about to ship a car as well. Quick question, when I Google the company you used to ship your car I get several results. Would you mind linking me the shipping company you worked with? Thanks again!
Hopefully not. I have seen a couple trucks around that are lifted but it’s not a huge lift. If this is your only vehicle contact the VPC and see what they tell you. This was my second vehicle so I had to pay out of pocket. Transportation office should have a list of restrictions.
My STI was heavily modified when I shipped it here. The vehicle inspection for American cars does not do emissions. BUT depending on who you get as the inspector on post can affect if you pass or not since they look at our kinds of cars all the time and know what’s stock and what’s aftermarket. To bypass that I took the car to a Tüv and got it inspected on the economy. 53€, a couple questions from the inspectors and me playing dumb when asked if the car was modified and car passed. Just make sure you have 0 CEL on.
Also there isn't much when it comes to subaru support out here. I have found one shop out here that seems pretty reputable but nothing else after that.
You will need the stock exhaust. It won’t pass inspection. Sound needs to be bellow 95Db and needs to have all catalytic converters if not it will fail inspection.
what if the car is over 35 years old? what are the differences there.. i also don’t have a title for it and have been informed that i don’t need one for a vehicle of this age
Definitely contact the vehicle processing center they should be able to give you more definite answers. I just know that with older vehicles they must not be rusted over or have missing body panels along with having everything in working order.
Would you happen to know how your process would differ if you were doing this for a temporary/vacation purpose? I would like to ship my car over from Texas as a tourist and then have it shipped back a few weeks later
Unless your are coming over under the Status of Forces Agreement you would definitely get hit with quite a bit of import fees when you get here. If you are coming to visit. Public transportation isn’t that bad and the railroad system is I’ll get you just about anywhere.
If the military is shipping it for you then it will go to the nearest Vehicle Processing Center (VPC) at the nearest base. If it’s a private party ship like I did with this vehicle it will go from the port to the nearest customs office where you will do all the customs paperwork.
Let me ask you this, i am in the same situation but was told it would cost 3000€ alone just to convert it to european standards… did you have to do any of that?
If you are coming here under Any type of US MILITARY/GS/CONTRACTOR ORDERS you will not have to convert anything on the vehicle. If you are just moving here and want to ship your car over then you will most likely have to convert it to EU standards.
In 2019 took about 5 weeks to get and don’t remember the exact amount. It’s in the video. $1700ish. Right now prices have gone up though due to rising energy costs
For your case. Clean the hell out of the car and you will have to set up an appointment with the closest vehicle processing center. They will process the car and take it. From there they will transport it to your pcs location. While your car is being shipped you will have to take your drivers exam (done on Jko). Once the car is here you will have to register it, have it inspected, and then get your permanent tags. They have an app that you will be able to track the car through while it’s being shipped.
@@HMDriven fabspeed muffler/axle back and secondary cat bypass. :( They aren't monitored and really just act as resonators. Primaries are intact still.
I also thought about shipping a car from U.S to germany , but not because i already own it and want to keep it, but because i want to buy a one (copart iaai, manheim..). But then i woud have to pay the 19% taxes?! i just don´t understand why immigrants dosen´t have to pay te taxes but germans have to. Did they transport your car to your hometown in germany? As i looked for transportation they only offered shipping to harbour (Bremerhafen) for about 1600EUR, waiting time t get the car 2months if not even possibly 3. idk if it would be smart. Also the process with TÜV, for an american car is unknown to me. What happens to milage switching to km, and the whole software from american to german?I dont think this can be done easily? What happened in your case? And how much did you pay for it? And where will TÜV take a look at your car? Because to drive through TÜV you will need to have streetlicense, but without TÜV you wont get the permission to drive on german streets..funny. So will there be someone from TÜV as the car gets to the harbour? I´m confused.
US military that are being stationed in Germany fall under the status of forces agreement. That agreement allows us to ship our American vehicles to Germany and register them for use. Part of that agreement it also excuses us from paying the 19% VAT as long as we use a VAT document that we have to pay a small fee for. Also we can not buy newer European spec cars and ship them back to America anything we buy has to be US spec and if it’s not it has to abide by the 25 year import rules. When it came to transport I dropped the car off at the the port in South Carolina and I paid for it to be transported to the customs office by where I live in Germany. Since we are here under the status of forces agreement to get a US army Europe license we have to have a valid American drivers license along with taking an online course and then we can get the USAEUR license. That allows us to register our American vehicle under the USAEUR vehicle registration system in Germany. The Tüv inspection also has to pass a modified German Tüv inspection. Some things change (like no opf filters) since US spec cars don’t have some one the emissions stuff that europe has. Hopefully that answers your question.
@@madlenj.4644 the Subaru was US spec and was sold to an American soldier. My M2 Competition was US spec bought directly from bmw military sales in Germany and traded in for my G80 M3Cx. I’ll be able to take the car back to the US due to it being US spec. But say if I get a EU spec car it will only be able to be imported if it meets the US’s 25 year import rules.
@@HMDriven you sold it to BMW military in germany? Oh nooo! Please don´t do this again 😞. My heart is bleeding. You could have easily sold it to a german private person.
The used car market isn’t bad but the cars are beat to hell most of the time. Most are bought and resold during PCS seasons. And to be honest the dealerships outside are huge scams The only one that I have found to have the best benefits is Bavarian motor cars but that’s on new vehicles.
HM Driven even name brand dealers like Renault, Porsche and the like? I’m sure most new cars overseas are held to a similar standard as the US but you never know I guess.
If you are looking for brand new the. Yes but you are looking to get a Euro spec unless you find someone like BMW that has a military sales thing going on. You won’t be able to get them back to the states unless over the 25 year mark. What most service members do is ship one car and then buy a beater. But I have seen them spend more money keeping it alive. One dude in my office bought an older x3 for $7k and then had to drop $1500 on new head gaskets and now the car is sitting because of electrical issues. He’s had it under a year...
HM Driven older bimmers can be a blessing or a curse depending on if they were maintained. Of course I’m sure you know the older it is, the simpler it’s electrical and mechanics. But that’s what you get for BMW. Bring Money With you. I’d be looking for a Renault Clio Sport V6 (Phase 2) which will be 25 years old starting in 2028. Lol
@@HMDriven what if you are not military and importing a car "permanently". I.e. you are intending to live in EU. What is the rough estimate of the import fees and taxes for a non modified modern vehicle? Like euro5 standard. Just started my research and found your video the most helpful so far.
@@andreivyrypaev5636 that’s a hard one to be honest. I don’t know how much the charges would be but expect to pay import charges, registration charges, inspection charges, on top of however much you end up paying to convert the vehicle to EU spec.
@@HMDriven thanks for your reply and I really appreciate it. I have my Ford truck 🛻 fully paid off and I want to ship it to Pennsylvania to Malaysia ( it’s in Asia) what is your thoughts and recommendations . I also am wondering. EU and Asia drive left side of the road and we drive here right side of the road. Will American car be fit to drive ?
They only will ship one car. A second car has to be out of pocket. This is what I did with my second vehicle. It’s way cheaper to ship your car than to purchase one that is beat up over here.
HM Driven okay thanks i PCs to hohenfels Germany in October this year so is it restrictions on how loud your car can be because i got exhaust on my car ?
Yes it’s 95Db I had to throw on the stock catback exhaust because they will get you in the inspection line. You will end up getting a 30 day tag so you can get the car to standard and then once you pass inspection you go up and get your permanent plates. I ended up going to Tüv and paid the 56€ since they didn’t catch me being uncatted.
Sadly they do not have it in the area. I know guys that have got it from outside the area but you are going to end up paying a premium. Also Gas on the economy is ridiculously expensive. 1.25€-1.50€ per liter. Once you register the car on post you will get an ESSOS fuel card that allows you to fuel up on post and ESSOS fast stations in country at US prices. For example I took a trip with the family and had to fill up our van. Had I paid economy prices it would of been 88€ but with the card it went down to 36€. Pumps here have 98 RON (93 OCT) and 95 RON (91 OCT) and then E95 RON (91 OCT with up to 10% ethanol)
Авто/Мото
Awesome! Thanks! That tip on shipping stuff in the car is money!
Absolutely! Hope all goes well!
Ty for the video very informative. I'm sure I will never have to know this but its fascinating the process.
No problem! It really is intriguing how it all goes down. The customs process is quite involved also. They check every single vin plate and make sure the engine in the car is what came from the factory. If anything like that is off the there is a whole other process for it.
Thanks Dude, for all your information
You’re welcome!
Very nice overview on shipping.
Thank you. Glad it helps!
jeez brother I'm shipping out to BMT soon and if I ever get shipped out overseas you're my lifesaver 👍
Thanks for the information very hard to find such good content about this particular topic 👍
Absolutely! Hope it helped! I did miss a few things but if you come up with questions don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you I needed that
You are absolutely welcome!
Super informative fam
I know it was stressful and turning into a nightmare going at it blindly. So even though I missed a few details thought I would throw out the info for others.
@@HMDriven im sure appreciate the info for sure!
Thanks for the info, doing the same right now with the same company,.
No problem at all!
Great info. Thanks.
Glad it helped!
My big take away is letting my state dmv know that I am shipping my vehicle. This will definitely save me money and headache. I appreciate it.
Thanks man. Im about to to the same thing with the same company but to Italy. I am hoping my GTI can pass inspection 😉. And I definitely will be looking for a inspection site off post. Once again, thanks for great advices.
Absolutely brother! Best of luck and enjoy your time in Italy!
Need to ship from Gambia to Sierraleone
So glad you did this cause we are coming up on the same issues. We both have new cars and don't want to buy another one. And we want a reliable company to ship our car.
Can you post the docs please
The documents you will need are a release letter from your bank if the car still has a loan in it. Copy of the title, orders, and some documents that the shipping company will ask for and provide.
@@HMDriven thanks battle
What company did you use?
I used trans global here is their website. tgal.us/
great video, lots of information that has helped me out, i am moving to germany from the uk and i will be bringing with me my mazda rx7 fd, im very nervous as to how they are going to reach to it because of it being a rotory vehicle, however it is prety much standard bar a few little pieces such as coil over suspension, wheels, intercooler. Do you have any advice for me on the best way to proceed getting it though a TUV
Thank you for sharing your video. Is window tinting authorized in Germany?
You are absolutely welcome! Window tint is authorized as long as it’s not on the front drivers and passenger windows!
What about tinted front windows and a tint strip on the windshield ? Should I take it to a TUV for that as well?
Front windows are not allowed to have any tiny at all and the front strip is fine they didn’t say anything on mine
Nice video dude. I just arrived at Ramstein and I'm trying to do exactly that. Do you know if they're any restrictions when importing your car from the US to Germany? Such as fuel type, year, milage, make, etc? Do you know where could I call to find more info? Can't find much of it online. Also, what kind of paperwork do you need to bring get your 30day temporary tags? Do they give you a new German tittle? What happens to the US title. Hope you can get back to me, thanks.
The car has to pass an inspection once it gets here. The biggest thing is having catalytic converters, not going over 95DB with the exhaust, not having a rust bucket, parts falling off, wheels sticking out past the fenders. There really isn’t E85. 30 day tags will be with with your orders, USAURE drivers license, insurance, and if the car has a lien you need a document from the bank saying you where allowed to ship the car. You won’t get a German title you will get a registration card which then you use to get your fuel rations card from the PX. The car is a US vehicle just registered in Europe through the SOFA agreement
@@HMDriven thanks for fast reply! This is really helpful as it gave me a general idea. Before I ship I have a few other questions would it be ideal to contact via email? Hope you can help brother out. Thanks again!
@@jorgejim28 hit me up on Instagram at HM_Driven
What do you know about modifying a car overseas and then returning it to the states ? I’m in the UK with a late model car I bought in the us and brought here and it has now a bunch of engine modifications. Worried about returning it
Returning it to the states shouldn’t be a huge issue as long as it doesn’t have a euro spec engine in it. I have seen guys PCS back with cars modified and have no issue and then I have seen them ship Euro or JDM spec engines back in their house hold goods and all they had to do was get customs paperwork done.
What was considered a modification? I have blackout film on my lights and a dark (but Texas legal) tint.
Tint can be as dark as you want from the rear doors back. Front windshield can’t have the “eye brow” and front windows can not be tinted. As for the tail lights it’s a hit or a miss depending on the inspector.
Did you ship both cars or just 1. Wife is military I work for DOD, army allows 1 vehicle to go overseas, so she is bringing her bronco, and I'm thinking on bringing my Elantra N out there but, it is heavenly modified, tinted windows, aftermarket exhaust, does have the converters factory still. Uh cosmetic work. Chrome delete and all. I know you need to have good tires and stuff. My question is do you recommend to pay off both vehicles and bring both or just sell one and take one.
I'm gonna be honest. Itd hard letting go of my car. I've only had it for 2 years and only had 12,000 miles on it.
Honestly, the vehicle that you prize more I would send through military and one that you’re OK with having a small thing here or there I would send via private shipping. I’m fighting right now to get $3000 paid and damages on my 2023 BMW M3 while military shipping paid the scratch, they left on my wife’s SUV. No questions asked since they took the pictures showing the damage wasn’t there.
Also, you don’t have to pay off the vehicles you just have to get permission to ship from the lender that’s what I did when I shipped my Subaru and the family vehicle.
Asked for modifications as long as your car can pass a safety inspection stay under the 95 dB exhaust sound, and has the catalytic converter. You should be fine to get the car inspected and registered. Only thing is make sure the window tint in the front windows is gone.
How does car insurance work over there? I just had an accident here in the states so I'm wondering if it would save me money (or not) to go with German insurance (under the assumption that they don't have access to my US driving record), or just stay with whatever US insurance companies that will cover me over there and just suck it up and pay the increased premium.
In my time in Germany I kept USAA. Also getting a US spec fixed in Germany is a huge pain due to the lack of parts accessibility. Getting some simple body work at times can take weeks as they source the parts and have them shipped in. Also depending on the damage to the car the car won’t be shipped and if it is it will not pass TUV inspection making things more of an asspain. I would just fix it state side and then ship
I always wanted to drive my camro in around Europe would this cost more if you just wanna take it over there just for vacation
The shipping process takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks and if you aren’t military or on government orders then you will have to abide by EU standards when it comes to emissions and regulations. Not sure how all that would work. Just know that if you are being brought over under the status of forces agreement (SOFA) there is a lot of things that we are able to do that most can’t.
How modified are we talking? I have an 89 dakota I'm thinking about shipping but it has all aftermarket gauges (stock cluster was replaced with autometers). The truck stock had a fuel injected small block now it has a very healthy carburated bigblock. Also has a fuel cell and battery box located in the bed of the truck. I'm thinking it maybe a no go?
At this level of modified I’m not 100%. But you can hit up the VPC for a booklet of their guidelines. I just know in my experience if you can pass it off as oem they don’t question it much.
@@HMDriven did they need to plug into the obd for any reason?
No OBD2 scan at all
Do I need to take any forms to the local German TUV for inspection?
You will need to take your temporary registration to any of the inspection spots. On base or off base.
What’s the biggest difference in the American and German inspections? You aren’t restricted to base if you go out and get the American inspection so that way mods are overlooked? I have a 95 Cherokee 4WD that id like to keep if I can if I get stationed overseas in the future. If it’ll pass inspection in the states (which it does) is it automatically ok to ship overseas or is it a more complicated process due to age of vehicle?
The big things is no rust, falling panels, and have catalytic converters. The inspection is then putting the car on rollers to test the brakes, inspection underneath of all components, and testing the lights.
HM Driven no rust period? I have some in the passenger floor pan but structural rust is non existent. I’m sure I’ll have it fixed well before I’d have to worry about it but still lol
One of our guys that just PCSed out had to go get his car’s rust fixed and repainted. I went to a TüV off post and got my Subaru inspected and got away with a hell
Of a lot of modifications. But if you get an anal person they will get you and not pass you.
You forgot to add all of the documents you need to go to the on-post customs office.
Thanks for that I knew I forgot some things. You will need all of the shipping documents to include
PCS orders
State side registration
Documents that where given to you by the shipping company filled out
And estimated values of the items (should be included in the shipping documents)
Following a script can be a PITA at times!
Thank you for your video. I also got orders to pcs to Grafenwoehr from AIT, and it would be my first duty station. But, I could not decide yet to ship my car. I thought I should sell my car when I get 10 days leave after AIT, but because of COVID-19, active duties cannot go back to their home before they get to their duty station. If I want to sell my car eventually, so would it be better to just ship to Germany and sell it? or should I just leave it to my dad's house and sell it whenever I go back?
The army should cover you being able to ship your car. But if for any reason they do not then I would say yes. The used car market out here is a hit or a miss. And if it’s a miss the car is going to cost you more time time and money than just shipping your own vehicle. Also make sure your car is in good shape they are very strict out here with their laws.
@@HMDriven Thank you for your advice!! As long as its more complicated to sell there, I would just sell my car in States.
It’s actually not that complicated. I just actually sold the Subaru out here
Thank you for the helpful video, I’m about to ship a car as well. Quick question, when I Google the company you used to ship your car I get several results. Would you mind linking me the shipping company you worked with? Thanks again!
@teddy. Welcome glad it helped! Here is the link for them. tgal.us/
@@HMDriven thanks for the link, and your service. Stay safe!
@HM Driven There is a few companies with trans global logistics can you post the link in Bio. Big help will use this asap
tgal.us/ that’s the link
You think I’ll have any issues bringing a lifted Jeep Wrangler?
Hopefully not. I have seen a couple trucks around that are lifted but it’s not a huge lift. If this is your only vehicle contact the VPC and see what they tell you. This was my second vehicle so I had to pay out of pocket. Transportation office should have a list of restrictions.
Trying to plan for our pcs to Germany while still building my wrx. Should I not get a tgv egr delete? I hear emissions tests could be a problem.
My STI was heavily modified when I shipped it here. The vehicle inspection for American cars does not do emissions. BUT depending on who you get as the inspector on post can affect if you pass or not since they look at our kinds of cars all the time and know what’s stock and what’s aftermarket. To bypass that I took the car to a Tüv and got it inspected on the economy. 53€, a couple questions from the inspectors and me playing dumb when asked if the car was modified and car passed. Just make sure you have 0 CEL on.
Also there isn't much when it comes to subaru support out here. I have found one shop out here that seems pretty reputable but nothing else after that.
Big help! I've found NOTHING about importing a modded car
Yeah the biggest things they are going to get you on is front window tint, obvious modifications, retarded camber, and things obviously falling apart
what if i have
, muffler delete and downpipes in? would they just dont care
You will need the stock exhaust. It won’t pass inspection. Sound needs to be bellow 95Db and needs to have all catalytic converters if not it will fail inspection.
what if the car is over 35 years old? what are the differences there.. i also don’t have a title for it and have been informed that i don’t need one for a vehicle of this age
Definitely contact the vehicle processing center they should be able to give you more definite answers. I just know that with older vehicles they must not be rusted over or have missing body panels along with having everything in working order.
Would you happen to know how your process would differ if you were doing this for a temporary/vacation purpose? I would like to ship my car over from Texas as a tourist and then have it shipped back a few weeks later
Unless your are coming over under the Status of Forces Agreement you would definitely get hit with quite a bit of import fees when you get here. If you are coming to visit. Public transportation isn’t that bad and the railroad system is I’ll get you just about anywhere.
@@HMDriven Import taxes for a long vacation?
@@coconutmacaroon4907 I’m not sure on people vacationing but German Government love taxing so I’m sure you would get hit with something.
How much cost the shipping for 2 cars
And how much the fee or the tax when the car it’s arrive
@@adamgaming6527 to get the best answer contact the shipping company. They will have the most up to date information.
Do you know if they could ship it to Naples Italy Nissan Versa 2015
If the military is shipping it for you then it will go to the nearest Vehicle Processing Center (VPC) at the nearest base. If it’s a private party ship like I did with this vehicle it will go from the port to the nearest customs office where you will do all the customs paperwork.
Have you seen any diesel trucks there?
Yup see them all the time. One of my guys had a huge f250 super duty
Hey do you know if it’s the same for shipping a car from japan to Germany ??
Unfortunately I’m not sure on that process.
Let me ask you this, i am in the same situation but was told it would cost 3000€ alone just to convert it to european standards… did you have to do any of that?
If you are coming here under Any type of US MILITARY/GS/CONTRACTOR ORDERS you will not have to convert anything on the vehicle. If you are just moving here and want to ship your car over then you will most likely have to convert it to EU standards.
I’m thinking of buy a Mercedes Benz c class from Germany 🇩🇪 and ship it to us , it’s cheaper over there how can I do that .
You can but needs to be US spec or if its EU spec needs to be 25+ years to be shipped back.
So the Army doesn’t pay for one vehicle like the Air Force does?
Army pays for one vehicle. Not a second one. This video is for those shipping a second vehicle.
ok, go to the point.
how much, and how long
In 2019 took about 5 weeks to get and don’t remember the exact amount. It’s in the video. $1700ish. Right now prices have gone up though due to rising energy costs
@@HMDriven very good! Thank you so much for your response!
@@Papiringou no problem
Hey man. I have orders there. Only plan on shipping the one car I have. How different is it for the car the military ships vs the second one?
For your case. Clean the hell out of the car and you will have to set up an appointment with the closest vehicle processing center. They will process the car and take it. From there they will transport it to your pcs location. While your car is being shipped you will have to take your drivers exam (done on Jko). Once the car is here you will have to register it, have it inspected, and then get your permanent tags. They have an app that you will be able to track the car through while it’s being shipped.
@@HMDriven Thanks . That sounds easy. Really worried about the few mods I have tho. Hopefully I can get a pass else it's gonna be spensive. Lol
What do you have done? I ended up taking the STI off post to a TÜV because on post I would of been failed.
@@HMDriven fabspeed muffler/axle back and secondary cat bypass. :( They aren't monitored and really just act as resonators. Primaries are intact still.
Make sure the exhaust isn’t over 95 db or it will fail inspection. After inspection ride at your own risk lol
I also thought about shipping a car from U.S to germany , but not because i already own it and want to keep it, but because i want to buy a one (copart iaai, manheim..).
But then i woud have to pay the 19% taxes?! i just don´t understand why immigrants dosen´t have to pay te taxes but germans have to.
Did they transport your car to your hometown in germany? As i looked for transportation they only offered shipping to harbour (Bremerhafen) for about 1600EUR, waiting time t get the car 2months if not even possibly 3.
idk if it would be smart.
Also the process with TÜV, for an american car is unknown to me. What happens to milage switching to km, and the whole software from american to german?I dont think this can be done easily? What happened in your case? And how much did you pay for it?
And where will TÜV take a look at your car? Because to drive through TÜV you will need to have streetlicense, but without TÜV you wont get the permission to drive on german streets..funny.
So will there be someone from TÜV as the car gets to the harbour? I´m confused.
US military that are being stationed in Germany fall under the status of forces agreement. That agreement allows us to ship our American vehicles to Germany and register them for use. Part of that agreement it also excuses us from paying the 19% VAT as long as we use a VAT document that we have to pay a small fee for. Also we can not buy newer European spec cars and ship them back to America anything we buy has to be US spec and if it’s not it has to abide by the 25 year import rules.
When it came to transport I dropped the car off at the the port in South Carolina and I paid for it to be transported to the customs office by where I live in Germany.
Since we are here under the status of forces agreement to get a US army Europe license we have to have a valid American drivers license along with taking an online course and then we can get the USAEUR license. That allows us to register our American vehicle under the USAEUR vehicle registration system in Germany. The Tüv inspection also has to pass a modified German Tüv inspection. Some things change (like no opf filters) since US spec cars don’t have some one the emissions stuff that europe has. Hopefully that answers your question.
@@HMDriven wow! intresting! I had no clue!
But you couldnt for example import your car, mport a second one and sell it?
@@madlenj.4644 the Subaru was US spec and was sold to an American soldier. My M2 Competition was US spec bought directly from bmw military sales in Germany and traded in for my G80 M3Cx. I’ll be able to take the car back to the US due to it being US spec. But say if I get a EU spec car it will only be able to be imported if it meets the US’s 25 year import rules.
@@HMDriven you sold it to BMW military in germany? Oh nooo! Please don´t do this again 😞. My heart is bleeding. You could have easily sold it to a german private person.
@@madlenj.4644 I can’t because it was US spec had to go to them or a military card holder
How’s the used car market out there in Germany?
The used car market isn’t bad but the cars are beat to hell most of the time. Most are bought and resold during PCS seasons. And to be honest the dealerships outside are huge scams The only one that I have found to have the best benefits is Bavarian motor cars but that’s on new vehicles.
HM Driven even name brand dealers like Renault, Porsche and the like? I’m sure most new cars overseas are held to a similar standard as the US but you never know I guess.
If you are looking for brand new the. Yes but you are looking to get a Euro spec unless you find someone like BMW that has a military sales thing going on. You won’t be able to get them back to the states unless over the 25 year mark. What most service members do is ship one car and then buy a beater. But I have seen them spend more money keeping it alive. One dude in my office bought an older x3 for $7k and then had to drop $1500 on new head gaskets and now the car is sitting because of electrical issues. He’s had it under a year...
HM Driven older bimmers can be a blessing or a curse depending on if they were maintained. Of course I’m sure you know the older it is, the simpler it’s electrical and mechanics. But that’s what you get for BMW. Bring Money With you. I’d be looking for a Renault Clio Sport V6 (Phase 2) which will be 25 years old starting in 2028. Lol
HM Driven are the dealerships there like here where there’s foreign and domestic? But instead ours are considered foreign? Lol
Does the car need to be paid off ?
It does not. You will need to get a permission to ship letter from your lien holder.
@@HMDriven thank you appreciate it so much!
@@johngutierrez9714 no problem at all!
Wow I thought it had to be paid off? I’m going to the Netherlands
did you have to pay any taxes?
No you will have a customs form done which exempts you from taxes and import fees. Registration is $35 per year
@@HMDriven what if you are not military and importing a car "permanently". I.e. you are intending to live in EU. What is the rough estimate of the import fees and taxes for a non modified modern vehicle? Like euro5 standard. Just started my research and found your video the most helpful so far.
@@andreivyrypaev5636 that’s a hard one to be honest. I don’t know how much the charges would be but expect to pay import charges, registration charges, inspection charges, on top of however much you end up paying to convert the vehicle to EU spec.
Hi there, Germany drive left side of road ? Thanks
We drive in the right side of the road.
@@HMDriven thanks for your reply and I really appreciate it. I have my Ford truck 🛻 fully paid off and I want to ship it to Pennsylvania to Malaysia ( it’s in Asia) what is your thoughts and recommendations .
I also am wondering. EU and Asia drive left side of the road and we drive here right side of the road. Will American car be fit to drive ?
i thought the army ships your car for free ?
They only will ship one car. A second car has to be out of pocket. This is what I did with my second vehicle. It’s way cheaper to ship your car than to purchase one that is beat up over here.
HM Driven okay thanks i PCs to hohenfels Germany in October this year so is it restrictions on how loud your car can be because i got exhaust on my car ?
Yes it’s 95Db I had to throw on the stock catback exhaust because they will get you in the inspection line. You will end up getting a 30 day tag so you can get the car to standard and then once you pass inspection you go up and get your permanent plates. I ended up going to Tüv and paid the 56€ since they didn’t catch me being uncatted.
HM Driven do they have e85 ?
Sadly they do not have it in the area. I know guys that have got it from outside the area but you are going to end up paying a premium. Also Gas on the economy is ridiculously expensive. 1.25€-1.50€ per liter. Once you register the car on post you will get an ESSOS fuel card that allows you to fuel up on post and ESSOS fast stations in country at US prices. For example I took a trip with the family and had to fill up our van. Had I paid economy prices it would of been 88€ but with the card it went down to 36€.
Pumps here have 98 RON (93 OCT) and 95 RON (91 OCT) and then E95 RON (91 OCT with up to 10% ethanol)
Do you have instagram? I have a few questions I want to ask
Yes I’m @HM_driven
Hey bud do you got instagram or telegram? they want to charge $400 for inernational car shipping insurance what do you think about that?
Yeah man you can reach out at HM Driven on IG.