[toymaker]

Going to Germany to live. I need to take my new 2011 328i. I am told I have to convert the car for Euro spec to drive and register in Germany. Can anyone tell me what is required? How much it will cost. Is it worth it? Should I be better off doing it in the US? Thank you for all your help BMW friends in Europe! Maybe someone has done this before?

Thank you!

[smellthebeans]

Nope....I have seen many US spec vehicles imported to Germany and not in the hands of US Service members. I recently test drove a US spec volvo XC 90 MY 2003, with zero modifications for sale at a German (turk) used car dealer. During the in processing briefing we were told you could sell your US spec vehicle to a German citizen. It required some extra paperwork to "import" the vehicle but otherwise there were no limitations.

taxes are a different story.

[manari06]

Originally Posted by toymaker

Going to Germany to live. I need to take my new 2011 328i. I am told I have to convert the car for Euro spec to drive and register in Germany. Can anyone tell me what is required? How much it will cost. Is it worth it? Should I be better off doing it in the US? Thank you for all your help BMW friends in Europe! Maybe someone has done this before?

Thank you!

I never been to Germany but will be in November for a few years, I'm a service member, but I guess you wouldn't need to do anything to drive it there since the US Spec has more safety features than the Europe. Now I know for a fact that to bring a German Spec to the States does requires to be swap to US Spec.

[MJB1975]

Nowadays Xenon without sprayers is forbidden in the EU (at least on new cars). Maybe non-EU citizens can get an exemption. Anyway, getting EU plates is going to take some time. I recently bought an E90 in Germany and I am still busy getting the thing on Dutch plates (should be finished at the end of the week tough).

[recerdude]

I am planning on moving to The Netherlands later this year. I am interested in learning if anyone has had experience in converting an 2011 BMW to EU specifications.

I have learned that I can bring a car into NL w/o having to pay import and VAT...only the road tax if I have owned it for at least 6 months. Assuming $5,000 shipping charges I can land a six month old, fully loaded (except Individual exhaust) M3 Cabrio in NL for under 60,000 Euros. The same car would be over 120,000 Euros in NL...so even w/o a warranty this is a no brainer...I think.

I have an E39 M5 which I took European delivery on. When I took it to the dealer in Amsterdam because it had a problem thier computer (DCS) could not talk to the car except for very basic items.

Does anyone have experience having a late model BMW converted from USA to EU spec?

Thanks,

-jeff

[haitz16]

If your a service member then you will be good no matter what.