Exporting the F80 M3 from the US to the EU

[finnishjoe]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but my love for the M brand has been strong for a while now. I previously DD'd an Euro-spec 1M coupe , but now I decided to put down a deposit on a F80.

I spend a lot of time in FL throughout the year and I decided to order the car over there, but I am planning to ship the car to the EU in the summer of 2015. Since I spend more time in the EU, it will be more suitable to have it there.

I am looking for information on the most reliable shipping companies in South Florida, since I have not this before. If anyone has any solid information or experience on what changes are to be made to the vehicle so I can register it in the EU, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

[ozinaldo]

I am a diplomat and have some (but not all kinds of) experience on importing cars from one place to another. First of, you will definitely need a Euro Certificate which is normally provided only Euro spec vehicles from the factory. I have it for my 1M, which means that I am good to go if I desire to take my 1M with me when I leave Chile for somewhere in EU, which is going to be the case in a few months.

I am not sure you can have that certificate or can make changes to a US spec car and go and drive it in EU. If you are also a diplomat or military, you may but at the end you will also be forced to take it back to US.

I advise you to contact a professional import/customs broker who deals with car imports between US and EU in any case.

This might be much more complicated and/or costly than you think, so be cautious before going ahead and putting an order.

[signes]

I brought over a US car but was limited in how long the car could be in the country (UK and France for me) without getting a Euro certificate and having modifications done. Would be a total PITA - just lease a US car while you are here and sell/transfer it when you move back. Then buy a car in the EU, at which point you will likely benefit from revisions like a comp pack.

[Boss330]

It depends on which country in the EU you are moving to. Some countries, like Norway and England, have special legislation for importing cars from the US. In Norway all you need is a factory built and original spec car, a Title that shows the cars has been registered in the US, a VIN tag that says the vehicle complies with all FMVSS requirements (all US cars have this) and have the correct colours on the parking lights, turn signal lights etc (EU has slightly different colours for certain lights).

EU has also implemented a legislation (183/2011) that governs importing new cars from the US to the EU and which makes this process much easier than it was. New car is classified any car that is either brand new or has been registered less than 6 months in this case. It's not as easy as the Norwegian legislation mentioned above as it usually requires some testing of certain components according to EU Law. But most of the US requirements are accepted as is. There are several companies in Germany that helps with this process though.

Make sure that the country you move to either has a legislation in place for registering/approving a US spec vehicle, or how much red tape a 183/2011 approval will require...

[Lups]

Originally Posted by finnishjoe

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but my love for the M brand has been strong for a while now. I previously DD'd an Euro-spec 1M coupe , but now I decided to put down a deposit on a F80.

I spend a lot of time in FL throughout the year and I decided to order the car over there, but I am planning to ship the car to the EU in the summer of 2015. Since I spend more time in the EU, it will be more suitable to have it there.

I am looking for information on the most reliable shipping companies in South Florida, since I have not this before. If anyone has any solid information or experience on what changes are to be made to the vehicle so I can register it in the EU, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

Moi.

Jollet ole huomannut, ex-ministeri Kyllönen kumppaneineen on uusinut autoverotusta taas. Näillä näppäimin liri on iso, vaikka ennen expaatit näitä saivatkin tuoda mitenvain. Onko tämä sattumoisin asia, josta kiroilemisesta olisit kiinnostunut?

Terveisin se toinen Suomalainen täällä

[Imola3]

Originally Posted by ozinaldo

I am a diplomat and have some (but not all kinds of) experience on importing cars from one place to another. First of, you will definitely need a Euro Certificate which is normally provided only Euro spec vehicles from the factory. I have it for my 1M, which means that I am good to go if I desire to take my 1M with me when I leave Chile for somewhere in EU, which is going to be the case in a few months.

I am not sure you can have that certificate or can make changes to a US spec car and go and drive it in EU. If you are also a diplomat or military, you may but at the end you will also be forced to take it back to US.

I advise you to contact a professional import/customs broker who deals with car imports between US and EU in any case.

This might be much more complicated and/or costly than you think, so be cautious before going ahead and putting an order.

So when I take delivery of my M car here in the US because it is where I live, and say I want to ship it over to the EU to enjoy a road trip through west Europe I can't do it unless I request this certificate when i order the car? I am curious because I am without question going to drive my car in west EU.

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by Imola3

So when I take delivery of my M car here in the US because it is where I live, and say I want to ship it over to the EU to enjoy a road trip through west Europe I can't do it unless I request this certificate when i order the car? I am curious because I am without question going to drive my car in west EU.

Visiting and residing are different by nature; you can take the car from US to EU and enjoy it there, I have little doubt about that, but I thought that OP doesn't plan just that; will desire to 'import' his car to a EU member country, to sell it later there etc. Fundamentally different things to do. Maybe he clarifies what he plans to do with his US spec car in the EU and also which country he is planning to import it inside EU and then we will have a better view. In your case, I wouldn't worry at all. After all it is very similar to US spec cars making ED and 'enjoying' European roads for some time before finally getting exported to US, their final destination. That is an exception, kind of a temporary permission and am sure comes with time limits that you have to obey, can't drive it there forever. I know for sure that Euro spec cars come with that document which is the legal proof that the car in question matches all relevant EU norms and regulations, technically speaking, even though there might still be tax/customs job to be taken care of: i.e. car with EU spec certificate is eligible to be imported in the EU, others either not at all or needs extra work depending on which EU country we are speaking of.

[finnishjoe]

Thanks for the information guys! To clarify, I am importing it to Estonia and do not plan to sell the car for a long long time.

Originally Posted by ozinaldo

I am a diplomat and have some (but not all kinds of) experience on importing cars from one place to another. First of, you will definitely need a Euro Certificate which is normally provided only Euro spec vehicles from the factory. I have it for my 1M, which means that I am good to go if I desire to take my 1M with me when I leave Chile for somewhere in EU, which is going to be the case in a few months.

I am not sure you can have that certificate or can make changes to a US spec car and go and drive it in EU. If you are also a diplomat or military, you may but at the end you will also be forced to take it back to US.

I advise you to contact a professional import/customs broker who deals with car imports between US and EU in any case.

This might be much more complicated and/or costly than you think, so be cautious before going ahead and putting an order.

Thanks for the information! I am neither military or diplomat, so I will definitely need to look in to this. Worst case scenario I will keep it as a holiday car in FL. I will definitely be contacting import&export brokers to see what they have to say.

Originally Posted by Boss330

It depends on which country in the EU you are moving to. Some countries, like Norway and England, have special legislation for importing cars from the US. In Norway all you need is a factory built and original spec car, a Title that shows the cars has been registered in the US, a VIN tag that says the vehicle complies with all FMVSS requirements (all US cars have this) and have the correct colours on the parking lights, turn signal lights etc (EU has slightly different colours for certain lights).

EU has also implemented a legislation (183/2011) that governs importing new cars from the US to the EU and which makes this process much easier than it was. New car is classified any car that is either brand new or has been registered less than 6 months in this case. It's not as easy as the Norwegian legislation mentioned above as it usually requires some testing of certain components according to EU Law. But most of the US requirements are accepted as is. There are several companies in Germany that helps with this process though.

Make sure that the country you move to either has a legislation in place for registering/approving a US spec vehicle, or how much red tape a 183/2011 approval will require...

Thats great information, thanks! I have a few friends who have successfully imported US spec cars to the country I am importing to (Estonia), so I should be good to go. As for the new car status, what is the limit for it being new? 6 months or more?

Originally Posted by Lups

Moi.

Jollet ole huomannut, ex-ministeri Kyllönen kumppaneineen on uusinut autoverotusta taas. Näillä näppäimin liri on iso, vaikka ennen expaatit näitä saivatkin tuoda mitenvain. Onko tämä sattumoisin asia, josta kiroilemisesta olisit kiinnostunut?

Terveisin se toinen Suomalainen täällä

Moikka! Joo suomen maalle en ajatellut rekisteröidä kyseistä autoa missään välissä, verotuksen ja muiden vaikeuksien vuoksi (Asun siis vakituisesti Eestissä).

[Imola3]

Originally Posted by ozinaldo

Visiting and residing are different by nature; you can take the car from US to EU and enjoy it there, I have little doubt about that, but I thought that OP doesn't plan just that; will desire to 'import' his car to a EU member country, to sell it later there etc. Fundamentally different things to do. Maybe he clarifies what he plans to do with his US spec car in the EU and also which country he is planning to import it inside EU and then we will have a better view. In your case, I wouldn't worry at all. After all it is very similar to US spec cars making ED and 'enjoying' European roads for some time before finally getting exported to US, their final destination. That is an exception, kind of a temporary permission and am sure comes with time limits that you have to obey, can't drive it there forever. I know for sure that Euro spec cars come with that document which is the legal proof that the car in question matches all relevant EU norms and regulations, technically speaking, even though there might still be tax/customs job to be taken care of: i.e. car with EU spec certificate is eligible to be imported in the EU, others either not at all or needs extra work depending on which EU country we are speaking of.

Oh okay, this is what I had originally believed in my case. Thank you for the clarification.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by finnishjoe

Moikka! Joo suomen maalle en ajatellut rekisteröidä kyseistä autoa missään välissä, verotuksen ja muiden vaikeuksien vuoksi (Asun siis vakituisesti Eestissä).

Juu, en ihmettele. Katselin taannoin verotaulukoita, ja sellasen 100ke tästä käytettynäkin joutuisi pulittamaan säkällä veroihin. Näemmä vuoden omistus ulkomailla ei enää riitä. Noh, valittaa tästä voi aina, tai pysyä poissa.

Sano jos voin olla avuksi projektissasi,

Lups.

[Candide13]

Originally Posted by Imola3

Oh okay, this is what I had originally believed in my case. Thank you for the clarification.

When I looked at reimporting a new-ish BMW back to Germany a few years ago, the main problem was the import duty of some 30% that they levy on you. That together with the technical red tape hassle pretty much cancels the money savings from the much lower US retail price.

[chmura]

It was very easy for us to import a car into Poland when we did it.

We bought a brand new 2009 Honda CRV in California kept it here for 6 months (that's a requirement for Poland, vehicle has to be registered for 6 months prior to shipping). Shipping company dropped off a ~45ft trailer at my house. We loaded up the car into the trailer along with other stuff.

Once it arrived in Poland we went to the port and unloaded the container and went through their customs people at the port. We gave the people at the Port that were helping us unload the container 2 big bottles of vodka so show our appreciation. I guess this is how you do business in Eastern Europe.

When getting the vehicle registered I remember we had to change some light bulbs to a different color that European cars use. There was another issue with the lights but the inspector let us slide on that.

Overall it was an easy and smooth process. We did not have to pay any tax either since we are a resident of Poland.

I might actually send a new M3 over there and try to make some profit as M3's cost 40% more over there.

[bmwm4f82]

Be very careful. You will need to prove that you have used the car, for at least one year before export. And you may be still accountable to pay the additional VAT for this, and extra taxes. In the case of Finland, additional VAT is 25%, and and additional import taxes can add 100% to your original US purchase price.

Moving cars back and forth between continents is not easy. International tax rules make the cost prohibitive.

Buy a car to use in Europe, and have fun.

Don't waste time and energy further on this quest.

[ake]

Originally Posted by bmwm5e60

Be very careful. You will need to prove that you have used the car, for at least one year before export. And you may be still accountable to pay the additional VAT for this, and extra taxes. In the case of Finland, additional VAT is 25%, and and additional import taxes can add 100% to your original US purchase price.
...
Don't waste time and energy further on this quest.

That is not true... you will not have to use the car for a year, you could export it right away, but will have to pay all kinds of taxes then. If you own it longer then 6 months, I suppose it even is tax free (customs payment might still be necessary).

Below the German regulations for importing a car:
You must have lived in the States for 12 months or more and the car must be registered under your name for at least 6 months. In that scenario you will not have to pay customs or tax because the car is considered a moving good.

How do I know? Well... that is my plan and I will follow that next year when my path leads back to Germany At that point in time the car will finally meet its original environment again
You will need to do some changes (possibly in the electronics, eventually for the head and rear lights), you are not supposed to have windows tinted, and you will need some certificates (in Germany these can be either purchased at the TUEV or in the best scenario BMW will provide these).

So I do not see why someone should give up a thought like that. Mass manufacturers are trying to use as many identical parts as they can so the car in the US is very, very similar to the German/European one besides some legal adjustments. It was far more complicated a few years back to export a car to Europe as it is today!

[Candide13]

Originally Posted by ake

Below the German regulations for importing a car:
You must have lived in the States for 12 months or more and the car must be registered under your name for at least 6 months. In that scenario you will not have to pay customs or tax because the car is considered a moving good.

One more detail: you are not allowed to sell the car for 12 months after you imported it to Germany, otherwise you need to pay the 30% tax after all. So make sure that you are planning that correctly!

[ake]

Originally Posted by Candide13

One more detail: you are not allowed to sell the car for 12 months after you imported it to Germany, otherwise you need to pay the 30% tax after all. So make sure that you are planning that correctly!

Yes, that is true... and sorry I forgot to mention it.
It has to be registered under your name for the 12 months to come once you are in Germany to live on free of taxes and customs.

[finnishjoe]

Originally Posted by chmura

It was very easy for us to import a car into Poland when we did it.

We bought a brand new 2009 Honda CRV in California kept it here for 6 months (that's a requirement for Poland, vehicle has to be registered for 6 months prior to shipping). Shipping company dropped off a ~45ft trailer at my house. We loaded up the car into the trailer along with other stuff.

Once it arrived in Poland we went to the port and unloaded the container and went through their customs people at the port. We gave the people at the Port that were helping us unload the container 2 big bottles of vodka so show our appreciation. I guess this is how you do business in Eastern Europe.

When getting the vehicle registered I remember we had to change some light bulbs to a different color that European cars use. There was another issue with the lights but the inspector let us slide on that.

Overall it was an easy and smooth process. We did not have to pay any tax either since we are a resident of Poland.

I might actually send a new M3 over there and try to make some profit as M3's cost 40% more over there.

Sounds like Eastern Europe for sure That sounds good.

Originally Posted by bmwm5e60

Be very careful. You will need to prove that you have used the car, for at least one year before export. And you may be still accountable to pay the additional VAT for this, and extra taxes. In the case of Finland, additional VAT is 25%, and and additional import taxes can add 100% to your original US purchase price.

Moving cars back and forth between continents is not easy. International tax rules make the cost prohibitive.

Buy a car to use in Europe, and have fun.

Don't waste time and energy further on this quest.

If I was importing it to Finland - sure I agree, a waste of time, but Estonia is a different story. I made a few phone calls to customs offices here in Estonia and well the information I got is the following:

10% import tax added on top of the purchase price
20% VAT added on top of that.

Lets say I pay 60,000€ in the states for a full spec M3
+6,000€ import tax
+13,200€ VAT
=79,200€ + approximately 800€ in registration and light bulb fees
=80,000€

Whereas an identical vehicle in Germany with the same spec would cost 92,000€ (including 19% VAT)


It's a lot to think about, but as you never know how life changes , I might even move back to the states within the next three years. I think I might have to take it easy on rushing to ship the car to Europe, might as well enjoy it in the US for the winter at least.

[bmwm4f82]

Originally Posted by finnishjoe

Sounds like Eastern Europe for sure That sounds good.



If I was importing it to Finland - sure I agree, a waste of time, but Estonia is a different story. I made a few phone calls to customs offices here in Estonia and well the information I got is the following:

10% import tax added on top of the purchase price
20% VAT added on top of that.

Lets say I pay 60,000€ in the states for a full spec M3
+6,000€ import tax
+13,200€ VAT
=79,200€ + approximately 800€ in registration and light bulb fees
=80,000€

Whereas an identical vehicle in Germany with the same spec would cost 92,000€ (including 19% VAT)


It's a lot to think about, but as you never know how life changes , I might even move back to the states within the next three years. I think I might have to take it easy on rushing to ship the car to Europe, might as well enjoy it in the US for the winter at least.

Ah, Estonia, i thought you were taking it to Finland. Good that you did more research, so you have a picture of the true cost.

Lycka till

[PeterPure]

If you go to uk car config you will find it much cheaper. Maybe thats an option instead?

[ake]

Originally Posted by Darkhold

If you go to uk car config you will find it much cheaper. Maybe thats an option instead?

Including the exchange rate you say? I hardly believe that.
Plus, UK is treated a little different then continental Europe. It could cause taxes or customs even though it officially all is EU I believe.

[finnishjoe]

Originally Posted by ake

Including the exchange rate you say? I hardly believe that.
Plus, UK is treated a little different then continental Europe. It could cause taxes or customs even though it officially all is EU I believe.

On top of that the steering would be on the wrong side.

[ake]

Originally Posted by finnishjoe

On top of that the steering would be on the wrong side.

Haha. Absolutely right... how could I simply forget about that.
Always these countries driving on the wrong side of the road - d'oh!