Buying out of Europe
Has anyone got tips on buying out of Europe. later this year I intend to buy a G320cdi , It will not be new and I will have to drive it for 90 days to enable its return . Does germany for example allow a foreigner to buy and drive about for that length of time. Is any particular country best to register the vehicle in for 3 months?
john
There are all kinds of tricks to buying in Germany for export. I presume you're taking it to NZ?
But be ware that to convert a G320 CDI (or for that matter any 2007+ G) to RHD is very expensive compared to older Gs. Someone in the UK did it recently and if I recall the new lights were something outrageous like £1,000. I'm not sure if the driving lights need to be changed but the new ones turn with your wheel so would be expensive if so. Then add the speedo, changing fog lights etc...
i think you misunderstand - I'm not talking about converting the car itself to rhd drive but merely the lights, speedo etc. to make it compliant with a rhd country. it is a lot more complicated to do with the G320.
i don't think the lights can be fiddled - unless you can get away with taping them in NZ. someone here tried it.
Just like to chip in here.
I have just done this and would recommend doing so as long as you are prepared to do your homework and jump through the hoops in the right order. Bear in mind this was between EU countries though, I can't comment on how it would be to countries outside the EU.
It took me a long time to find the right vehicle after a few false starts and I regard myself as being lucky in finding a good vehicle/vendor combination. A certain element of trust needs to be placed in them when transfering funds etc. as well as relying on them to guide you through the German registration process. Although it must be said that all vehicles I researched seemed to have trustworthy and helpful owners. Must be a G thing. I found it invaluable in determining this by making a viewing trip before purchase. I would not have liked to have bought my car remotely. This may not be that practicable from NZ I admit. All of this you could expect I suppose if you bought from a dealer - mine was a private sale
Max is right too, my bill for conversion work stands at about £1000. Lights, and spedo being the biggest portion of this. I could have saved the instruments if it had a MPH readout option. Later cars may have this I don't know. Are you not Km's in NZ anyhow?
It has taken about six weeks so far and I'm on the last lap now, only the DVLA to satisfy.
LHD isn't a problem from what I have seen so far although I don't come to driving them as a complete novice.
On the whole I have found it to be a good experience, with no major surprises as long as you are prepared to wait for the right vehicle and do the leg work first.
I wish you luck.
I had a lot of good sound advice from other GWOA members here too, for which I am very grateful. (Look up my post "G500 Classic advice" from the end of last year)
Give me a shout if I can help you further.
David
Max is right too, my bill for conversion work stands at about £1000. Lights, and spedo being the biggest portion of this. I could have saved the instruments if it had a MPH readout option. Later cars may have this I don't know. Are you not Km's in NZ anyhow?
David - unfortunately the G320 is a lot more to convert that yours or my G due to the new lights.
Tanex - i suggest you contact David Watkins - I believe that he knows the person who converted the G320. By the time you add €1,500-€3,000 for a conversion to the price of a used G, it may be cheaper for you to buy a "new" G320 direct from MB as at least this way you will get the VAT back (19.6%) something that you won't necessarily get with a private sale.
I have just completed the formalities for importing a used Autotrail / Boxer camper from the UK to NZ after the owner (a New Zealander by birth) with rights of residence..had previously tried to import a used LHD Winnebago from UK on UK plates...he was told in writing that LHD would only be allowed as a temporary import "for visitors only" with a limit of 6 months.if the vehicle was to be registered in NZ then it must be converted to RHD...along with this a maximum overhang aft of the rear wheels limits the overall length for a camper ...and the speedo had to be changed to dual reading or KPH....maybe these stipulations do not apply to 4 x 4 vehicles but you might be wise to check......
All good info. So okay on all except Headlights . Had read somewhere there was a lever accessed in behind the light assembly but seems there is more to it than that. If the RHD G55 has the same lights then all will be well but expensive.
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But be ware that to convert a G320 CDI (or for that matter any 2007+ G) to RHD is very expensive compared to older Gs. Someone in the UK did it recently and if I recall the new lights were something outrageous like £1,000. I'm not sure if the driving lights need to be changed but the new ones turn with your wheel so would be expensive if so. Then add the speedo, changing fog lights etc...
Shant be converting to RHD Not worth the expense and the height of the G makes LHD less of a liability, taking a gamble on the Xenon lights. just may be possible to fiddle them. Will find out on that score when i return.
The 90 days of ownership means it can return in LHD.