jre002

After 3 years of separation, I'm finally getting my white GS shipped over to Germany !

I'm so sick of driving this A6! Even though it's a 2012, it's a FWD model and it sucks. You know what I really hate about newer cars is the automatic shutoff on stops. Yes, I know you can disable it, but you have to do it every time you start the car. With the F Sport sway bars, my GS handles like a champ. It just feels so solid too. No real point to this thread, just miss my baby!

I've been seeing quite a few 3GSs over here lately. Still not a lot of them, but more than usual. I have seen one 4GS on the road here as well (Stuttgart).

07LEXPL

enjoy your baby.

maying856

iTrader: (31)

Congrats! Why such the long seperation? And if you dont mind, can you give some insight on the whole "shipping" process? Like costs, time, regulations etc.

jre002

I've been working overseas for several year now, but always in a status that I could get sent somewhere else at any time. Now my job is giving me an acceptable minimum time that I will be here, so I am shipping the car.

It will take 3-5 weeks. My job is paying, but the shipper they hooked me up with costs about $4,500. I've heard people shipping as low as $1,000-1500. Depends on how fast I suppose. Regulations aren't bad. You just can't sell the car within the first 6 months. You have to show them the title, registration, etc... Normal things you'd expect. The shipper picks up the car from your house and it gets delivered to your overseas address. They handle everything at customs. The car has to be completely free of any loose articles and empty. The gas tank must be less than 1/8th full as well.

maying856

iTrader: (31)

Wow, that doesnt sound too bad. What if you had modifications? Cause I know that automobile regulations in germany are super strict, especially when it comes to modifications.

rld14

Some advice...

Check Hual Line, I've found them to be reasonably priced.

Take EVERYTHING out of the car, including the Nav disc, because it will get stolen. Aftermarket radio? Remove it, it WILL get stolen. Accessories? Mods? Remove em, they will get stolen.

Ro-ro from the US to Europe is a grand or so, maybe $1500. $4500 should be by itself in a container, that never happens, the shipping company will put other cars in the container as well.

It's too much, shop around.

Silver10

congrats on being reunited with your baby... Anxiety separation has got to be the worse.

jre002

Everything has to be removed or they won't ship it.

If I was paying for it and setting the shipping myself, I would have shopped around. Matter of fact, when I had a different job, I was going to pay for it and found $1500 to be the average price. But with my new job, I just call the relocation specialist and they do all the work. I'm not paying for it or dealing with the shippers directly. My job takes care of it all.

jre002

If I was registering it in the German system, perhaps I'd have to go through all their TüV B.S. for modifications. Since I am registering it on a military base, they are less concerned about mods unless it is something ridiculous. We have our own TüV on the base and they are very meticulous and picky. They do check the overall car's condition much harder than the Germans. On my previous beater cars when I didn't have a rental, they made me change everything from worn bushings to controls arms. There can be zero oil leaks, not even a drop. Lights must be exactly aligned perfectly. They even make you clean rust off the fuel lines. Most people fail the inspection and have a laundry list of (expensive) maintenance repairs to do before they can get a license plate. I hate those guys. lol.

FWIW, my car is stock inside and out, minus the F-Sport sway bars and VaisTech. I have BC coilovers sitting here uninstalled because I'm not sure as to whether I want to deal with wobbling or vibrations.