buying a used or new car in Europe

The issue you will run into is that you simply cannot purchase a car in Europe, less than 25 years old, and just ship it back for use. A newer car coming into the US needs to comply to all EPA and Safety regulations, which, due to the tangle of regulations, European cars typically do not.

About the only way to do it is to either work with VW direct, or work with a dealer (usually there are a bunch near US Military bases) where you can order your car, usually drive it while there, then they arrange shipment, including prepping the car and getting it back to drive ready condition once in the US. I would start with VW, then go from there.

I had a friend that went with two friends. They each bought a VW, shipped two home immediately anddrove the third for two weeks before shipping it. They then sold all three and paid for their trip and then some.

I would contact VW.

In just looking quick, a couple other issues that came up....VW seems not to offer a direct European Delivery program. Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Saab do, but worth noting that their programs are limited to models built in Europe (Obvious when you think about it), both Mercedes and BMW build many of their US cars in the US. VW builds many more cars in the US or Mexico...so as a start, you might want to find out where the car is built for the US market, if not in Europe, then you may have to consider other brands or models.

The other option of going through a dealer that specializes in US Spec cars in Europe would offer more choices, the transaction may not be as easy as going to your local dealer, and shipping might be an added cost , but it may be worth doing some searching. My brother bought his BMW in Germany, but he was Military, a senior non-com, so Uncle Sam helped with the shipping.

Another consideration, as we looked in to this over the years. Volvo (as had Saab, but no longer applicable since their effective demise) has a great program for buy overseas and they ship it over when you are ready to go home - you take it to one of their ports -and include airfare for 2, 1 hotel night, and a factory tour. And they take care of the import process, just as if you had bought it here (in fact, this is all done through their dealerships here). But you may only order a car as would be made for the US market. In our case this is now a non-starter as we drive only manual transmissions, which Volvo will no longer sell for the US market, even though they do in the rest of the world.

I would suspect as has been pointed out already that any VW manufactured in Europe will not be to the US specs and would not be shipped here by VW. And that you would have major expense trying to import it yourself -both for the shipping and then getting it through customs and EPA.

You would probably do a lot better long term with a short lease while in Europe.

The responses to my inquiry about buying a car in Europe have been intelligent and helpful and greatly appreciated. Here are some of the issues which make me want to do it this way: 1.) I prefer a German-built VW to one manufactured here or in Mexico in terms of quality of construction, or "fit & finish"; 2.) It would be wonderful to have the car to use while I am visiting my family for two months in Italy instead of having to rely exclusively on public transportation; 3.) It would be nice to save on the price of the car and recoup some of the cost of the trip; 4.) It would be delightful to be able to order a car with exactly the features desired instead of having to pay for one-or-more of the option-packages that the US retail dealers foist on consumers.
Thanks for responding...any other ideas that might be helpful? David C, Newburyport, MA

LIKE IT OR NOT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A DEALER and do a VW overseas purchase plan. Otherwise, if you buy in Europe you will have the fun of having to find an agent to handle all paperwork required to register and insure a car for a non resident. Then if you have any time left on your trip you can find another agent to handle the shipping and modifying the car to pass US FMVSS and EPA requirements so it will clear customs when it gets here. Since you are old enough to have grandchildren, this may take the rest of your natural life. There was a time when it was easy for an individual to bring a car into the US ( cousins did it a couple of times) but that was back when color TV was a new idea on the horizon. By the way, I just checked the VW USA web site and the Golf Sportwagon sold in this country has your choice of two engines, a 2.5L gas engine or a 2.0 L turbo-diesel so you are looking at a car that has not been and will not be certified for US emissions. That is why, like them or not, you need to work with a DEALER. If you want your own transportation on the continent for two months or so, the best thing to do is a purchase plan or a lease through Renault or Peugeot.

You cannot just purchase a used car and send it to the U.S. without meeting current emissions and structural standards. European cars often have different bumpers and even brake lines that don't meet U.S. spec's. You might find a U.S. spec. car in Europe, but they're few and far between.

It'd actually be easier to ship your car to Europe to drive and ship it home later. The alternative would to pickup a lease car and return it at the end of your trip. Most of those are Renaults out of France.

David, this is an old thread from last November, resurrected by [EDIT: a now removed] previous poster to push his list.

And his list is not a list of cars, but a spam website.

The VW Golf Variant (that's the station wagon version) is called Jetta SportWagon in the USA. I am not sure about any minor differences between North American and European models. All of them are manufactured in Puebla, Mexico. And all I can say from my car is: The build quality is excellent. I have the TDI diesel (one of the last 103 kW Pumpe-Düse) and cannot be more happy about it. The car is quite popular here in Germany (I thought all VW wagons are Passats, but the Golf is even quite popular with corporate fleets). If it's worth the hassle to import one yourself? Have no idea. I bought a 4 year (4 years is the tax writeoff time for cars here) old one in very good condition at a large dealership in my town for 1/3 of it's new price (9.5k instead of 29k - our new car prices are insane).