Buying a car from Europe and shipping it

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Thu 10 Jun 2004 18:46
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - jubly
Hi everyone,

I live in the US where any car of any worth drinks petrol like there's no tomorrow. I want to research buying a car from Europe, i.e. left hand drive, maybe Luxembourg, France or Germany, and shipping it to the USA. Does anyone know anything about this? I'm looking at a Diesel vehicle, primarily, probably a Mondeo.

Thanks!

Phil
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Thu 10 Jun 2004 18:53
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - SjB {P}
A new car?

If so, most manufacturers have organisations within their company to handle sales like this. Volvo, for example, has Tourist and Diplomatic Sales.

As an aside, don't overlook servicing and spares availability in the US. Your nice, shiny, new motor will look a bit folorn whilst you wait for a cam belt to be shipped over, or a new wing after a car park ding.

Not all cars of any worth in the US are gas guzzlers anyway, and friends of mine happily ran a US-sourced 2.0 VW Golf for two years.
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Thu 10 Jun 2004 19:03
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - jubly
I was thinking of an ex car rental company vehicle, i.e. Hertz. I drive 60 motorway miles each way to work every day, so I need something that will move. I've had good experience with a Mondeo in Europe. I had one for 6 months on a long term assignment and I loved it, especially the diesel consumption. Does anyone know of any ex-rental sellers in Europe? I also will have to look at the complications of importing at the US end. If anyone knows about this, again, I would be very grateful.
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Fri 11 Jun 2004 21:39
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - sic102
Importing a car from Europe to the US is much more difficult than the other way around!

If the car has not been homologated for the US, you could be asked to provide some example for the NHTSA to crash test to prove the car's crashworthyness....and putting US-style side marker lights on the car isn;t going to fool them...

However, I think there is a way around this, if you drive less than a certain number of miles a year.

the easiest thing would be to stick to something European that is sold in the US - eg most VWs, BMWs, Mercedes, or any Volvo or Saab - although I think cars like the Golf/Jetta are built in Mexico.

Steve
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Thu 10 Jun 2004 18:59
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - mare
Why not look at buying a US spec VW Jetta (Bora in Europe) or Passat. 100bhp TDI engine available for the Jetta and 130 bhp for the Passat.

http//:www.vw.com

hope the link works
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Thu 10 Jun 2004 19:26
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - carl_a
Agree with mare you are much better off getting a US Jetta or Passat, MPG is different in the USA so the figures you get quoted in europe will be higher than those of the US.

Take a look at:
www.cars.com/carsapp/national/?srv=parser&act=disp...l
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Thu 10 Jun 2004 19:48
Buying a car from Europe and shipping it - DavidHM
If it can be done, the experts and those who have done it will be on www.tdiclub.com

The Mondeo's an excellent car but in the US parts availability would be a nightmare and it may or may not comply with safety and emissions regulations. Even if it does comply, you may have difficulty persuading a bureaucrat that it does.

Get a Passat TDi instead.
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