I like to drive. I've driven to honduras, and all around the US. I thought it would be fun to drive around Europe and maybe sell the car so I don't have to ship it back. Anybody know how tough it is to get papers to drive your car there? What it costs to ship it there? I figure around 3 or 4 grand. Do I need euro insurance? Are kustoms worth more or less there than california, all things being equal? I saw a guy in one of the mags that did it a while back, and it looked like a lot of fun. If I could unload the car and maybe get enough over a usa sales price to cover some shipping that would be ideal. I just don't want to pay for return shipping. Just for arguments sake say my '51 ford is worth 10 grand here. Cars in central america are worth a lot but you have hassles getting out of the country if you have a car stamped in your passport, supposedly anyhow, 10 years ago.
I don't know the details regarding insurance, but I'm pretty sure it's a good idea to bring something interesting over and sell it! Also, if you drive on american plates and you bring some documentation that proves you live in the USA, you're just a regular tourist driving your car around on vacation, so I can't see any problems crossing borders (as long as you don't plan on going to Russia or farther east). The swedish guy from American Hot Rod ships cars from Long Beach to Europe and I see on some local forums that people paid less than you were suggesting. And as a general rule, EVERYTHING is more expensive over her...
Not sure if this is still the siutation, but my father shipped a brand new 59 Buick Electra 225 convertible to Europe. Registered in Massachusetts. His idea was to travel all over and then sell it and pick up a new Ferrari at the factory. Turned out to be a super hassle. When we brought a race car, Targa Florio, even if it was a total wreck, the entire wreck had to leave the country or pay a SUPER high duty. You definitely want to check with whatever countries you are going to visit and find out what the current regulations might be. Some may be better candidates than others, maybe none are friendly.
Used to be fairly simple to do that in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium back in the early '90s, but since the EU has its tentacles reaching everywhere, I'd bet the procedures have changed quite a bit since I was over there. There are plenty of European HAMBers here that can give you better info, I'm sure. Good luck! Your plan sounds like a lot of fun!
Might be best to "pre-sell" the car (through a HAMB ad, of course) with the condition that you can insure and drive it for a month after you (and the car) arrive. Gotta be a way to do it. vic
If the car is licensed w/US plates, you´re a US citizen, and the documented owner of the car, this is no problem. (at least in the most countrys over here) . Of course youre in need of a insurance, in EU you need a "green-card" on insurance. Legal driving license of course..Some outside EU has the need of tourist permits...but others, just normal bordercrossing, driving over... Yes, some countrys does have very high tax about import of a car, but thats the buyers problem.....and if sale is done, the car must be going to custom,perhaps to a border to get the right documents, and rest is tax on the buyer.......Be sure to have all documents on car, title,etc. Prices in Europa differences in which country you sell, but mainly prices are higher on cars here, and present of some car meetings,shows,etc. you got a better way to find a buyer. And if a custom car, who become intresting in style /parts/quality, this got a good chance.......Customs/Hot Rods got a lot of interest over here these times. Pre-sell.....well, if you can find a guy who agrees on paying up front, trust you he getting title later after the trip, who could get a ruined/wrecked car,or similar...what if stolen? Then for sure the guy wants all his money back......... The rest is a "normal" tourist tour....meeting up with Hambers, strolling around, etc. Buy roadtax, higher gasprice, expensive alcohol , etc........ Have a nice trip, its a great way to see some of Europa!! As a Scandinavian, i recommend to check up some of the great meetings here....A-bombers, CoupeDevils Bonanza,Power BigMeet, and a lot more....
the best way to sell a car is in germany holland and belgium,the tax are cheap than the rest of europe,also the registration is more simple,as the trip there are a lot of good place here in europe france italy greece,sweden norway germany you can stay here 3 months i think but i'm not sure at 100% take in your hand a lot of money for the gas here in italy it's about 1.50 euro for 1litres 1/4 gal more or less,if you want to sell the car you need of bill of sale and title,if you came here in italy also a registration card,let me know if you need something this is my email hdluca@alice.it i hope to meet here!!!! regards Luca
Insurance in Holland on my Model A is only 40 euro a year (liability only), not sure how easy it is for foreigners to insure them for a period only.
The biggest problem I see is the price of gas...I think it is 4 times the price of gas in the U.S. it sure takes the fun out of driving. If you want the heads up on what you are suggesting, ..drop Flat Ernie a line...he is on here....he is based in England with the USAF.
obviously the price of gas could be a pain in the ass for you living on the other side of the pond. if you plan to use some highways get some informations before, for example here in Italy you take a ticket when you get in and you pay when you exit, and the price increases with the mileage, in Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia you have to take a "vignette" that you have to stick on your windshield, so a fixed price allow you to use their highways for some days, in Germany the highway is free, and in some parts you don't have speed limits and so on. You'll need an insurance for sure, but I'm sure that some insurance company in the US or here in Europer could look after this, just write some emails and wait for answers. A lot of times US cars are sold for higher prices here in Europe, take a look to the different ebays to have an idea ( .de for Germany, .it for Italy, .fr for France and so on) and as Patrick66 told you it's going to be easyer to sell it in Germany, Belgium or Netherlands, not only beause of the taxes, but also because it's easyer to get papers and license plates there, here in Italy it's going to be a little harder. If you plan to drive your car across Europe during summer you can also enjoy some nice meetings that could also be a nice advertising for selling your car, and maybe you can get in touch with some car clubs on that side of the pond before to start advertising your car if you really want to sell it. Plan everything carefully, that so easy to find waterpump or starter won't be so easy to find here, so maybe buy double there, and you can easily ask some more money for spares with your car or sell to some other people here in Europe! Let me know if you decide to do it, if it's possible it would be nice to meet you along the way! good luck with this project!
I, had a 35 coupe shipped from Los Angeles to Oslo Norway 3 years ago, It was shipped in a container and I payed around 1400 USD. The shipping company was California shipping www.calship.com
If you have collector car insurance they can help you out, if not check with your own insurance carrier they can provide you with the necessary riders or stand alone policy. I know when I travel in Canada I get a rider card from my insurance company. I find its better to know you are covered then to find out something went FUBAR when you least expect it.
What if the car had an engine failure and was sold that way. Take along some extra gaskets, and a "broken" rocker arm. The new owner can "repair" it later.
I think you'll find that your US car policy doesn't cover you in Europe any more than it does in Mexico or Central America. You can get visa information from the consulate or from the consulate site of whatever your port of entry is going to be. I'll just about bet that you are going to be responsable for paying the tarrif to get out of the coutry after you peddle your car. And yes a well built American custom should be worth a ton in Europe but I don't know how you are going to go about selling it. maybe you can peddle it before you leave and just deliver it at the end of your drive.
you have to consider that an european buyer already adds something around a 30% on the value of an US car because of the shipping, vat and customs, so obviously we're already used to pay more than you for old US iron. Customs and hot rod are becoming something big here in Europe right now, so maybe you'll find someone that prefers to buy an already finished custom from the USA than buy an original car and customize it. As Porknbeaner told sell the car online and then deliver it driving would be the easyest task, so you're sure that the car would be sold, and maybe it would be easyer to get the papers to drive across europe in that way, I know that here in Italy if you buy a car from the USA you can drive it for one year with the US license plate.
I second "Leaded". Sort out your insurance. You must bring some sort of paperwork showing car is insured, title and drivers license. Then you can drive it anywere you want. Contact european Hambers as you go along, and they´ll help you out. Some places you need to pay "roadtax" in form of stickers you put on the windshield. When you´ve had it with gasprices and european food, you sell the car, make sure you and buyer write up some sort of "bill of sale". Thats about it You are free to sell you car if you want, buyers problem paying taxes. Niels
Grundy DOES cover the car while its being transported overseas and also while you're traveling abroad. http://www.grundy.com/news/articles/news10-16-2006-16-8-8.asp
Now that I've gotten some great ideas, I at least know where to begin looking for the answers! Thanks for all the excellent ideas and insight. I don't even particularly want to sell it, I just don't want to pay to ship it back. Driving around Europe is a good sendoff anyway, and I can get something else to build when I return.
Just send a PM if you're planning to hit Amsterdam, and we (gompies nohol cc) are there to cruise with you trough A'dam. Drink some beers at the Cruise-inn, and bake some eggs to kill the HO's next morning... See Ya!!!
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