Exporting my 911 to Europe... Advice?

My wife and I are considering a move to northern Italy in the Alps and would really like to keep my car. Has any one done this with advice on costs, import regulations etc... I will be going there in a week and a half for a couple of weeks to visit the wife's family. We have been considering this for a few years. She is part owner of the family hotel and farm there. I have always been in automotive engineering and am sick of plant closures and the downturns. My current company wants us to move to Ohio, not that there is anything wrong with Ohio but... Anyway, does anyone have firsthand knowledge of the issues I'll be facing with exporting the car to Europe? Thanks in advance

I'll be doing the same thing most probably myself in 6 months as I plan to end my current Expat assignment after 3 years. If you own the car since more than 6 months in the US and don't sell it within 12 month of ownership in Europe, then you'll be able to classify the vehicle as moving good and are not subject to customs and VAT. However, some countries have in addition to that registration related taxes/dues that can be as high as 15% on the (usually local) current market value of the vehicle (e.g. NOVA in Austria). You can not avoid paying these dues. You've also to expect that the registration authorities request small changes to your car (e.g. speedometer, lighting ...) but they should be minor and not too expensive. Some countries are further pretty strict with aftermarket stuff like exhausts. I believe the German TUF regulations are a good benchmark.

Why bother IMO. Porsches are everywhere in Europe. Besides, there are better ones over there. Sell it, save the money and buy a nice one over there. Proly a heck of a lot easier than to worry about a car that might sink to the bottom of the Atlantic. Just my.02. C.

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Actually with the exchange rate cars are way cheaper in the US. I don't think he could find a nice 1999 Carrera for less than 25,000 EURO and that currently translates to $36,000.

Is it worth the stress? Not really, IMO. C.

even independent of exchange-rate issues, cars are way more expensive in europe than in the states-- even in the used market. often 50% higher. assuming the mods aren't too costly (i've heard headlight conversions can be costly), i think one may be better off transporting the car.

Cheapest 996 C4 currently advertised in the Uk is $41,000 - 99 with 108,000 miles. They will be cheaper in Italy, but not a lot. Cars in Europe are way more expensive than in US - a new 997 S retails at close to $160,000!

That is why I want to bring mine, the cost savings should be substantial if the taxes are not too high. Plus what a place to own a C4.

I think hwk72 covered it very well. Key things to remember is to own the car for minimum 6 months in the US and not to sell until 12 months later and it will be considered moving goods. I have the same plans for my 911. We are planning to move to Europe in 12-18months and I'm definately taking two cars with me. If you look at the prices in Europe for Porsches you will quickly see the benefit of bringing it with you. The exchagne rates now has just made it an even better deal. A friend of mine brought his lifted Jeep with winch in the front etc last year to Europe and was surprised of how easy it was to get it registered. When the car is "moving goods" you get to by-pass a lot of laws and the rules are not as strict as if you just import it. Good luck!

Yeah..but guys...you're base line is the dollar to Euro conversion. If he moves there, he's making Euros not US dollars. There would be no exchange... C.

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yeah. doesnt quite work like that. Porsche in the US is HALF the cost of Europe. I wouldn't think twice about it. I would aslo look at importing it into a country other than Italy just for the transport costs. For example I know there is quite a strong trade between the UK and US for imported cars and therefore many companies offer the servicve. I have no idea if the same is for Italy. As long as it lands in the EU, it shouldn't really matter which country.

Since you can switch the electroninc speedometer to kph, and Litronics already have self-levelling, the most significant change will probably setting up the side markers as indicator repeaters. I will be doing the same thing when I move back to Britain around 2009, but I will probably leave the car US-registered for the 12 months I'm allowed to get away with, so I can deal with other moving issues first. You can insure through GEICO, just like servicemen and women serving in Europe.

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Rear fog light too. Driving a lefty in the UK is going to suck; overtaking on those narrow country lanes - or even the motorway - is hazardous. Car parks and drive-thrus suck also . Make sure you get some good rain tyres on there . As for comments on the Exchange rate: you guys do realise the dollar sucks right now and is incredibly weak? Cost has nothing to do with the exchange rate, it's the taxes that make European cars more expensive.

Those that are commenting without living in the EU should be disregarded. This post and the ones by PSriderv6 and NNH are posted by members that have lived in the EU. It's a fact that cars are more expensive there and salaries are not proportionally higher. There's a reason that so many Brits own Porsches in the US, it's because they cannot afford them in the UK.

There are lots of forums online for expats living in all parts of the world. For the US expats that move to EU this question is not infrequent. Many are corporate temporary relocations but some are as you, pick up and start a new life. I'd spend some time on those boards or e-mail lists and read about the issues of the expats that do this. I'm interested in relocating to Switzerland someday. It might be years from now but have the same question. Can I bring my car with me, how long can I have it there before I have to modify it, and what process would be required to do so. You still also need to consider whether the local garage can fix your not-quite EU car. Regards, Marc

Other issues to consider is that there amy be changes required to register your car. A friend of mine moved from the US to France 18 months ago and he had to change a bunch of annoying things to meet French specifications.

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Issue with Litronics is that most EU countries require the washer unit which does not come standard with Xenon lights in the US.

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True that taxes are a significant point; if you e.g. buy a luxury car in Denmark, you've to pay >100% tax. However, it's also that the whole pricing structure for cars is different in Europe so car manufacturers actually adjust their pricing depending on the underlying market. For example: in the US a BMW 3 serie is always cheaper than a 5 serie. In Europe a 335i is much more expensive than a 525i. There is no pricing in vehicle classes as we're used to have this in the US.

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You will not have an issue with European cars but you'll have problems with Infiniti, Acura, US cars ...

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The existing US foglight setup should work in Europe - it certainly looks like a European foglight setup to me. Driving an LHD car in Britain is no big deal - like most Brits, I've taken my RHD car into Continental Europe without any major issues, and there are certainly no problems on main roads. On narrower roads, you just hang back another couple of car lengths to get a good vie before overtaking. Drive-throughs will not be featuring on my list of things to do with a 996 in England, thankfully... Finally, it's MUCH cheaper to take a used US car to Europe than to buy one there, even after transportation and minor adjustments. A quick glance at www.autotrader.co.uk may prove interesting/terrifying.

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I had a 2002 MG without headlight washers in Britain, so I presume this rule is for newer cars only.

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The UK has rear foglights, and they're normally in the rear bumper or rear light cluster. I'm pretty certain the US model doesn't have a rear fog light. I've driven a LHD car in the UK and it's a major PITA. Sorry to hear you're too upperclass for drive-thrus but I'm sure you'll encounter the odd car park or two. I also know how much cars cost in the UK considering I was born there and lived there for 28 years....

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I used my foglights this morning in heavy fog on Topanga Canyon. They're in the rear clusters, and they engage by pulling the headlight control out to the second notch. I assume they're also present on MY99-01 models. Nothing upper-class about skipping drive-thrus, I'm just too clumsy to eat in the car without making a mess of the seats.

Yup, mine has fog lights in the light cluster

I am not driving in the UK. I don't like driving in the UK, when I drive I forget I'm driving, when I'm not driving and in the passenger front, I wake up every now and the and freak out when I can't steer or brake. I usually just try to sleep in the back seat when I go there. My car does have litronics and a rear fog light light system. Thanks for all the response...

I'm moving my 2003 C4S to Stuttgart, when I move there as an expat in March '08. My car has been registered in the U.S. and Canada, and I can't wait to drive it in Europe. You have two choices depending on whether you're going to become a "resident" in Europe. If you will not be a resident, you can bring the car in and keep your N.A. registration, plates and insure it with Geico. You can do this for 12 months, but it is only tax-free for 6 mts. (i.e. after 6 mts you have to pay the duties). You cannot sell your vehicle, without registering it and paying the duties/taxes. If you are moving to become a resident in Europe (stays longer than 6 mts in a calendar year deems you an automatic resident), you can bring it in as personal goods if you have owned it for longer than 6 mts, and you can't sell it for 12 mts after registering it in Europe. You can bring it in tax free. Ship it with Schenker Logistics - they handle freight for Porsche. Better to use a 20' container than a RoRo vessel. Since I'm moving to Stuttgart, I have the luxury of consulting with the manufacturer with regard to importation rules. The right person to talk to about any required changes to your vehicle is Ms. Susanne Lelonek at Porsche. Her phone number is +49 711 911-25339. I will probably end up selling my vehicle in Europe because of the higher resale value and the advantage of bringing it in tax-free. Please post/correct any new information in this thread so it can be a resource for all of us who are making this move.

Timely - I'm probably moving to the UK in the next few months. Of course I'm taking my Porsche.

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Well, moving forward, we can just assume I have no clue what I'm talking about. I had no idea the headlight switch could be pulled out a second time for the rear fogs. Must read that manual some time ....But, in my own defense, I'm still getting used to the gas pedal being upside down.

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Thanks for the tip on Schenker. I see you're in North Van, me too. It rains like a basterd here eh? Can you believe I'm looking forward to better weather when I move...and I'm moving to Northern Wales? I also plan to sell my car after a year or two. I'm also thinking of buying a GT3 in the US while the currency is rock bottom, importing that , and either keeping it or selling it on. I'm only planning to stay for three years, but it's not known where I'll be going after that.

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It certainly does rain a lot in North Vancouver. That's what happens when you live in a micro-climate. I'm off Capilano road, in the Edgemont area. Wherabouts are you? It's not ideal bringing a LHD vehicle to a RHD country, especially in the U.K where roads are narrow to begin with. I was driving in London last month, and it is an anti-car city. I like the place..but only as a visitor. I'm still trying to decide whether I should truck the car across the country and place it on a vessel on the east coast, of ship it from the Port of Vancouver to Hamburg.

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I'm in Blueridge - off of the Mount Seymour Parkway. I'm taking an assignment with my company so they'll cover moving costs. I have to move everything I own, so I'll be taking one container of stuff, and another one for the car. I plan to ship out of Vancouver My argument for bringing the car with me is mostly about dollars. I only just got the car a few months ago. It will be very hard to sell the car in any kind of short time frame. I will almost certainly take a $ hit no matter what. Plus I am really quite used to driving a Porsche every day now, and I won't be able to afford one over there. As far as driving on the wrong side of the car goes...the oads are so narrow I can't see it making all that much of a difference. I won't be anywhere near London, I'll be in rural Wales mostly, and an occasional trip to Birmingham where head office is.

Sure the roads are narrow, but you'll have access to some of the best country roads in the world to play on - Wales and western England has some great Porsche roads - you'll have a blast.

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The biggest problem with the narrow roads is when you get stuck behind Farmer Dafyd driving his tractor at 3 MPH and you have 50 meters to pass him before the next blind corner. My old boss had a Dodge Viper in the UK and he set up a suction cup mirror at a 45 degree angle on the right side of the windshield so he could see the road ahead. Get off the beaten track in North Wales and you'll find some stunning driving roads. I used to holiday in Anglesea and loved driving there. [edit] You might have to do something with your headlights too as you'll probably blind oncoming traffic.

Nah! I learned to drive on those roads. You don't notice that they're narrow when that's all you know. The only thing that will happen is that you will adapt. I drove faster and more aggressively in the UK than I've ever been able to drive in the US - why? because the style of driving encourages you to take the pass and the drivers are polite, considerate and disciplined enough to let you.

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My point is: in a RHD vehicle you can nudge out and look past the tractor to see if the road is clear. In a LHD vehicle you have no visibility until you're practically occupying the opposing lane. Of course, if you have a co-driver, I mean passenger, it's all good. I'll be back in Blighty over the holidays and now you've got me yearning for the back roads of Chester, or even Wilmslow . Shame that my parents both drive Daewoos....

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Good point - I never thought of that... could be an issue.

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I was in Birmingham a couple of years ago on a work assignment. It has a bad rep, but the city has done a lot to improve the image. Some pretty decent bars along the canal area. There are nice windy roads there. Again, with a LHD car, you will find youself naturally tending to drift toward the middle of the road, which in an unmarked narrow hilly road can be rather dangerous. Driving in London...you can forget it. Parking is close to impossible to find in the evening, and the private garages charge you STL25 (USD$50) flat-rate just to park. Not to mention the roads are clogged in the city even at 3 a.m on a Saturday night! I went shopping along Jermyn Street and thought it was no big deal to leave my car for a few extra minutes past the meter's expiry. I thought wrong. STL40 ticket...and the place is crawling with meter-maids. I'm in a similar situation to you. I'm an expat in Hong Kong and hardly ever get to drive my 911 in Canada. One of the big reasons for the move to Germany is for the entire experience of hitting a new city in Europe every weekend with the 911. Being young and single has its advantages.

I stayed with some folks in their B&B in the foothills of the alps last summer and Italian taxes are brutal. Operating costs are also significantly higher than anything in the USA. Insurance,--also very high. There's a reason so many Italians ride mopeds. Gas last summer was $6.50-$7 for premium (gallon) and synthetic oil about $25 a litre. PM me and I can get you the email address of the folks in Italy. The wife is American and the husband Italian. She's been there about 19 years but it's not easy.

London is overrated. It's fine for tourists, but a PAI if you have to get in and out on business. I only ever visited there when I had no choice.

^^Exactly. Heathrow is a nightmare. I also have to get a German Driver's License, which I hear is quite a challenge. However, German hwys are driving utopia in my opinion. Lane discipline and unlimited speeds make all the difference. I spent the last 2 mts driving in Stuttgart, Munich, Zurich, Prague...and it is such a pleasure. I got back to British Columbia for the weekend, and I was ready to blow my brains out. Time to send my baby back to the Fatherland.

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I'm envious. I'd like to spend more time in Germany.

It's all true, driving in London is no fun at all, except early on a Sunday morning when you can drive across town and feel like you have "the City" (Business District) all to yourself. Still lots of speed cameras, but it's great to drive past St Paul's Cathedral and other sights on empty roads.

I bought my car in the US and had it shipped to Germany and had 0 big issues in doing so. First thing you need to do is find an exporter who will crate your car, I paid like $890 for this if I remember correctly. Once the car arrives to port you need to either show up with the custom paperwork at the port or let a transportation company take care of that for you and deliver your car straight to your house. Things could be different in Italy compared to Germany so research the requirements but I can tell you it was no issue in Germany. As everyone has said the 996s are more expensive here and the Euro is getting stronger by the day. The set up for your Porsche is just fine for Italy and worst case is you may have to change your pumpkin side lights for some clear ones but if you have been on Rennlist for long I am sure you have already done this. If I was you I would contact an importer to see if you have to pay any taxes on your car, my guess is no since you have owned it for awhile, and again check with their motor vehicle department on any potential issues with transfer of title. Lastly, if you need a European driver’s license you need to find out if your states license is accepted for a direct transfer. If not go get one from a state that is or expect to pay some money. Best of Luck

I would caution you against taking a LHD car to the UK. I've been there, done that and it IS a pain in the ***. Alfa Spider V6 3.0. THE sexiest engine you ever did see, and the sound......beats my 911 any day (ok, it handled like crap and had ridiculous torque steer, but that sound!). You can try and convince yourself otherwise, as I did at the time, but, really, it's just a pain. Then when you eventually come to sell the car you will get another pain in the ***. Going into a parking lot is a pain. The ticket machine is way over to the right there. Forget drive-thru. Passing on those country lanes IS dangerous. You DO need more space, you can't quite see what you need to. You will end up driving much more cautiously and slowly. It will frustrate the crap out of you. As I said, I've done it and I would not do it again.........

Wouldn't the topic be called: RETURNING 911 TO EUROPE?

I brought my 1995 993 cabriolet with me when I moved back to Europe after having owned it for 1 year in new york. to be noted: + you keep the car you know + you are allowed to drive 1 year with US licence plates (no issues of speeding or tickets, at all) + the US 993 has split rear seats with 3 point seating belt - someone offered (unsuccessfully) to buy mine just for that because fo kids transportation + most US 993 have more options than europeans ones (especially cruise control, AC, 17@ wheels) + porsche recalls work on a global basis = cost is limited (I had it done by a shipper in order to avoid dealing with the paperwork - cost of 2500 usd all in door to door) - transportation (1.5 month new york to geneva) and paperwork time (2 weeks to get appointment) - if you want the car to look similar to european cars you should remove front and rear plastic additions to the bumbers and change the suspensions (US are higher) - but most people do it anyhow - you may want to change the speedo to kmh even though the mph version shows km inside - resale value will be 5-10% lower than similar european cars because of foreign origin - you have to keep the car 1 year to avoid paying taxes in summary, I did it and am very happy of my experience.

Any feedback as to how the radio fm frequencies got adjusted from us to europe?

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I would just buy a used stereo. Way back when I know people who would take the radios apart and change few transistors. This works in 2nd and 3rd world countries were skills like that are cheap and plentifull. In US buying new US spec will be cheaper.

Specifically, I have a pcm 2.0, and would rather keep using that

The dealer did it : it took a few seconds!!

I have a US spec 928 and a UK spec 996 and I have to say overtaking is not a problem on twisty roads in the UK for the 928, nor in Europe for the 996. You just drop back a bit to get a clear view, different if your driving a normal saloon but not in a powerful car, you're still past quicker. The only issue I have with the 928 is roundabouts which bring cars in at an angle with a hedge down the centre. This causes an isssue with the rear pillar obscuring your view, again though being aware and chosing the middle or inside lane counters this. LHD is great for track days! Abundance of great drives in UK; and a whole variety of race tracks to experience which are all commutable. I wouldn't let it put you off bringing your car to the UK. I would note that the price comparisons to UK are not valid, since LHD car can be worth as little as half that of a RHD car in the UK, you'd be looking to sell in europe if you decide too...good luck!