Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:11:44 -0800
Reply-To: Zoltan <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Zoltan <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Subject: Re: Tales from Europe and VW campers (part 3)
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=response
As an interested customer, I was reading the story from the beginning. The
last part was the most important, about how to register one and all the
little things to know about that. Throughout the story, I could see myself
going through the same. It will be helpful when I would have to do the same
things. Sorry to know that the 'dream turbo diesel' did not pan out. But
the one you got will be just as good for Europe.
Thanks for the write up. Fun reading.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Jagersand" <jag@CS.UALBERTA.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 12:20 AM
Subject: Tales from Europe and VW campers (part 3)
> Recall from the previous episodes that my dream of buying a mint
> VW turbo-Diesel camper didn't pan out and instead I ended up with
> a well used gold/brown US re-import. The first few days of ownership
> involved trying to get the most essential things fixed on the
> van and trying to get it insured and registered in Germany.
>
> Insurance and registration is always a tricky matter in foreign
> countries. I had read on the web that it should be possible to
> register a car in Germany also as a non-resident alien. However
> the local bureaucrats would have nothing of that. Options seemed
> to be either temporary "for export only plates" or to register
> as a resident in Germany.
>
> "For export" plates apparently anyone can get, but only for up to
> three months. As we wanted to use the camper longer, it would not
> be a good option. Another issue is that one also would need a much
> more expensive insurance for this kind of plates. I heard that
> can cost up to Eur 500/month, but didn't verify this.
>
> For the second option, normal German plates and insurance, one
> has to be registered as a resident on some physical address in
> Germany. Since we were staying in an apartment the physical address
> was no problem. Fortunately, I have a Swedish passport and since Sweden
> joined EU some years ago, getting the German residency was as easy as
> going to the city hall with my passport. I heard from my German friend
> that Americans need to apply for the residency (for instance based on a
> study or work objective -- not sure if "vacation" would do it) and
> additionally show adequate health insurance coverage.
>
> Getting insurance involves pretty much the same procedure as in
> north America. Insurers are private, and it pays to ask for several
> quotes. Discounts are available based on driving experience and
> accident free years. Most companies will insist on a signed original
> from your previous insurer. I got answers ranging from Eur 162/year
> to nearly Eur 400 for liability. Comprehensive and collision would
> add about Eur 150-200 each, but wasn't really necessary given the value
> of my camper. The cheapest company insisted to increase the liability
> quote to 208, claiming that the transfer directly into the quote group
> they first mentioned was not possible using my Canadian record. Still
> very reasonable, and much cheaper than e.g. France. Thank the Germans
> for their apparently relatively safe driving habits.
>
> German registered cars have to have safety (HU/TuV) and emissions (AU)
> tests done every two years. Since my bus was soon up for reinspection
> I made the test a condition of the sale. The safety inspection involves
> mostly a brake test done on a machine, and a causal visual inspection.
> It is probably more strict than many US state inspections, but
> perhaps a bit less picky than e.g. the Alberta out-of-province inspection.
> At least my camper got through with slightly grooved brake disks.
>
> Now all the preconditions for registering were met. I went to the
> Landsratsamt (approx county government) with the title, old registration,
> insurance, valid safety test and emissions test, proof of
> residency, and passport. Half an hour later I walked out with new
> plates for the camper.
>
> The registration and plates costs about Eur 50, but in addition to this
> comes a yearly tax. The tax can vary quite a lot, and the rules have
> just been revised for campers. The general (IMHO sound) idea is to tax
> proportional to pollution. A clean car with a moderate engine size costs
> about Eur 150/year, but a gross polluter can be Eur 700 or more.
> Unlike e.g. California the system is however quite flexible.
> You add a particle filter or catalytic converter to your vehicle and
> you drop to a less expensive tax class. Change the engine to a new,
> cleaner one and again save on tax. This means one can legally swap
> in the newer 1.9l TDI engines and save on tax.
>
> Luckily my US 1.9l had both the catalytic converter and oxygen sensor in
> working order; passed the emissions and therefore got a
> reasonable Eur 260/year in tax.
>
> Martin ('85 Westy in Europe and '82, '94 Westies in Canada)
>
>
> --
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>
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