Importing a US spec 2007 335i to Spain

M0.92 · 01-31-2013, 11:02 AM

I am an European citizen looking into moving to Spain. Has anyone here had any experience with this? I'm not too concerned with import duties as it would be treated as moving goods as I have owned it for more than six months. I'm more thinking in regards to what, if any, mods I would have to do to the car to conform to Spanish regulations. I know that if I were to import it to Sweden (my home country) the car would get exemptions from this as it would be considered moving goods. Does this apply in Spain too?

I did a search online and on this forum but didn't come up with a whole lot specifically about imported BMWs.

SharkBait · 01-31-2013, 11:55 AM

I don't know of any specific requirements for Spain but by and large, bringing US spec cars into Europe is pretty easy and hassle-free. You may have some minor adjustments for local compliance but it is usually trivial. You can even keep your car on US plates even though you're supposed to convert and pay the local road taxes. I had a friend with an E30 325is in London that was on Illinois plates for years. If you are still under warranty though, you may want to look into that further. I've heard it can be convoluted.

M0.92 · 01-31-2013, 12:02 PM

My car is CPO only until October of this year, so no biggie there.

Regarding driving in Europe on US plates you're really allowed to do so for six months only from what I have read. Whether or not you can get away with it for a longer time is a different story.

SharkBait · 01-31-2013, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0.92

My car is CPO only until October of this year, so no biggie there.

Regarding driving in Europe on US plates you're really allowed to do so for six months only from what I have read. Whether or not you can get away with it for a longer time is a different story.

Yes, it's 6 months but not very actively enforced. I imported an Audi S4 from Sweden to the UK and drove it around London on the temporary transit plates for 3 years avoiding speed cameras and parking tickets. I had the UK plates in the trunk along with the import and road tax documents just in case but no one ever made a fuss.

01-31-2013, 11:02 AM	#1
M0.92 First Lieutenant 18 Rep 368 Posts Drives: 2007 335i e92 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Barcelona, Spain iTrader: (1)	Importing a US spec 2007 335i to Spain I am an European citizen looking into moving to Spain. Has anyone here had any experience with this? I'm not too concerned with import duties as it would be treated as moving goods as I have owned it for more than six months. I'm more thinking in regards to what, if any, mods I would have to do to the car to conform to Spanish regulations. I know that if I were to import it to Sweden (my home country) the car would get exemptions from this as it would be considered moving goods. Does this apply in Spain too? I did a search online and on this forum but didn't come up with a whole lot specifically about imported BMWs.
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01-31-2013, 11:55 AM	#2
SharkBait First Lieutenant 14 Rep 308 Posts Drives: 2010 E92 335i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Lost Angeles iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 BMW 335i (E92) [10.00] 1983 BMW 528e (E28) [10.00] 1988 BMW M6 (E24) [9.33]	I don't know of any specific requirements for Spain but by and large, bringing US spec cars into Europe is pretty easy and hassle-free. You may have some minor adjustments for local compliance but it is usually trivial. You can even keep your car on US plates even though you're supposed to convert and pay the local road taxes. I had a friend with an E30 325is in London that was on Illinois plates for years. If you are still under warranty though, you may want to look into that further. I've heard it can be convoluted.
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01-31-2013, 12:02 PM	#3
M0.92 First Lieutenant 18 Rep 368 Posts Drives: 2007 335i e92 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Barcelona, Spain iTrader: (1)	My car is CPO only until October of this year, so no biggie there. Regarding driving in Europe on US plates you're really allowed to do so for six months only from what I have read. Whether or not you can get away with it for a longer time is a different story.
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