Shipping Personal Car to Europe or Leasing a car in Europe

(I'll be the first...) You don't mention your citizenship, but for most of us (Americans and non-EU citizens), one can only stay a total of 90 days in the Schengen area (most of the EU) in any 180-day period (at least without getting a visa). You should consider that when thinking about your "6 month" trip.

Shipping a car to and back from Europe is hideously expensive. Simply having a car in Europe is often not terribly efficient - though yes, it does make sense sometimes in some places. For most tourists, it often makes more sense to be strategic about the specific places where a car makes the most sense, and simply rent one when you really need it, do without at other times. Requires a bit of planning though.

You likely are not going to be able to buy, drive, and then sell a car in Europe as a non-resident.

Shipping your car, there, and back is not cheap, several thousand, plus the logistics of picking up, and safety or regulatory add-ons you might need (mostly safety equipment like high vis vests, warning signs, each country has their own requirements) might make leasing a car a better option. Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot all have programs; Kemwel and AutoEurope are rental agencies that also have leases.

The third option often mentioned is Purchase program, automakers sell you a US qualified car, you pick it up there, drive it, and they ship it to the US when done. However, nearly all European manufacturers have halted those programs since they now make cars for the American market in the Americas. Volvo may be the only option left.

Of course, obligatory...six months, takes some care not to overstay your visa waiver in the Schengen zone, but make sure who you might lease from knows your travel plans.

I work in logistics.

Rent/lease in Europe.

Thank you for these replies. I am US citizen and just starting this research. I am also looking at leasing a car for 6 months.
I appreciate the info on the Schengen visa which I will investigate. I have found what I believe to be reasonable pricing for shipping my car $2100 there (this includes all of the fees); right now more expensive shipping back but the agent I talked to said prices should fall by the time I want to return.

You can also used the search function of this site to read some prior postings on the same subject. More than one discussed shipping an RV over and back. Probably would be cheaper to look at leasing a vehicle for 6 mos or so. Part of the problem would be insurance required and the vehicle's compatibility with local laws, etc. Leasing solves that problem.

The next that you will need to explain is how you intend to deal with the Schengen zone limitation of 90 days out of any 180 day period. Are you applying for a long term stay visa? Unfortunately the longer the trip the more hurdles that will be placed in front of you. If you were not familiar with the Schengen zone visa requirement, that would suggest you need to do a lot more research. It is easy to be tourist but a lot tougher to be semi-resident.

A car could be useful but it can be a pain in the butt. You might consider a mix of long stays in cities and then a period of time with a rental car in the country side. Remember gas, fees, tolls, etc. and especially parking garages can be expensive in the city.

". I have found what I believe to be reasonable pricing for shipping my car $2100 there (this includes all of the fees); right now more expensive shipping back but the agent I talked to said prices should fall by the time I want to return."

Don't believe them.

I'd suggest that you do a search for previous forum threads on this subject. There have been a few in the last 2 years. Shipping sounds easy, but it's not. Been there, done that, and wouldn't do it again. And we had the benefit of (sort of) special circumstances, since we were living there under NATO auspices.

How will you insure the vehicle while in Europe? Does it meet acceptable standards for the countries you will be in? How much will it cost for the necessary inspections and possible modifications? How long is the estimated shipment time? Can you be without your vehicle for the weeks before you leave for Europe? How much to actually ship it, each way? What will the storage charges be if the car arrives before you do? What will you do if the cars arrival is delayed? Can you be without your car for weeks or months when you return from Europe?

And I haven't even started on costs while there- gas, parking, tolls, vignette stickers, knowing the various European traffic laws, Schengen stay limits or long stay visas... the list goes on.

I think you need to seriously consider why a car, whether your own, a lease, or a rental, will be more practical than primarily depending on public transportation and occasionally renting a car for rural forays.

ETA: $2100? I have my doubts, unless your car is an old POS clunker, in which case it likely wouldn't pass inspection on arrival.

If you get your proposed $2100 one way shipping. And, if you get the same sending it back, that is $4200. Then, if you get to stay 6 months, that is 180 days.
4200 / 180 = $23.33 a day.
All the other replies above are very pertinent. This plan, seems like the plans of people whose last book on Europe was “Europe on $5 s day”. Or of frequent posters here who want to visit all of Europe in 2 weeks.
Untenable, unrealistic, unresearched.

Per the other responders a long-term lease might be your best bet. Use the search function here to research a little more.

I think Volvo still offers an Overseas Delivery program, which includes R/T airfare between a US gateway city and their factory in Goteborg. Last I looked the package also included discounted pricing on one of their car models (they used to refer to it as the "Diplomatic Rate"), 2 weeks of insurance coverage that can be extended for up to 6 months, and then your return flight to the US. Shipping is free if you return the vehicle to Goteborg. There's a modest surcharge for dropping it at any of the other trans-Atlantic shipping ports in Europe if you want to do it as a one-way trip.
Might investigate whether Mercedes, Porche, and some of the other European car companies may offer a similar program if you're interested in something like that.

I haven't done further investigation since it hasn't applied to us yet, but I was just told by my Delta AMEX rep that their rental car insurance is only good for 30 days. This probably doesn't apply to this specific question, but I thought I'd through it out there because I wasn't aware of it.

Thank you all for your comments. All very helpful! I will continue my research with this additional intel. Will probably come back along the way with additional questions.

The work to bring even a “European” car from the US to real European specifications for registration are significant.

Between this and the visa issues there’s learning to do.

You think it will cost $2100 to ship a car to Europe from the USA? That is less than shipping a car in the US from coast to coast which I have done several times.
But before you even think about a car, you need to study up on the Schengen agreement limiting you to a 90 days in most European nations.

The work to bring even a “European” car from the US to real European specifications for registration are significant

I am not supporting the idea of shipping a car over for tourism purposes, but just to add some information on that...

Since you are not registering the vehicle, you do not need to meet full requirements for European safety, emissions, and other engineered items to drive the car, just as you visiting do not need to meet all citizenship requirements. Just like you, the vehicle also has time limits it can be there, but they apply by country, not Schengen, and have no "So many days in X days"

You will have to pass essentially a road worthiness inspection on arrival, and you do have to comply with safety equipment requirements for at least the arrival country, and then any country you drive in (Safety Vests, warning placards, flares, fire extinguisher, whatever applies.

Do you not want to go to places like London, Amsterdam, Paris, Venice and Florence? I don't mean those places exclusively, but unless you are planning an itinerary focused mostly on places like the Scottish Highlands, the Cotswold in England, the Dordogne or Provence in France, rural Tuscany, etc., a car will be an expensive impediment for much of your trip. To the extent that you have travel legs linking major cities in western Europe without small-city stops along the way, a car will also be much slower than traveling by train.

Linda,

Your post and response posts indicate you seem to be ignoring the Schengen Law and are more focused on a transportation solution. Laws are quite different than they were in 1969 when your parents purchased a car and drove all over Europe. You can still do that, but for only 90 days. I would figure that out first and then make a transportation decision. Best of luck!

Let's realize this instead of criticizing Linda:
She was thinking she could recreate her parents' 1969 trip.
Since she didn't know much, she wisely came to this forum and realizes she needs to do a lot more research.
Most people are not the experienced European travelers who hang out on this forum.
She said thank you for the help you have given her.

All very helpful! I will continue my research with this additional intel.

Be sure to include researching how to obtain insurance that applies in all the places you intend to go.

I suspect the Schengen countries may have some commonality of insurance requirements, but what each of the non-Schengen countries you go to will very likely have a requirements unique to each country. Finding an insurance policy that will cover you everywhere could be challenging.

Be sure to factor that cost into your analysis

Another issue to consider is what happens if your car is damaged or has a breakdown. Parts for an American car could be hard to obtain.
Even a minor fender bender that destroys a light would render the car unusable.

For that reason I think leasing is preferable to shipping.

I strongly dislike having a car in Europe. We only rent a car when there is something we want to do/see that is impossible or difficult or time consuming to do with public transportation. You can have a trip with segments using public transportation and segments with a car. I would suggest first constructing an itinerary. Then determine which pieces require a car. For example when we went to Spain, Our itinerary was Madrid, Sevilla, pueblos blancos, Granada, Cordoba, Madrid. We determined that it was all doable with public transportation except the pueblos blancos. So we picked up a car when we were leaving Sevilla and dropped it off when we arrived Granada. This way we were not paying for parking and driving around congested city centers. I love to stay in city center/old towns, a car would be such a hindrance and a source of added stress.

This sounds like such an exciting trip. How fun! I envy you.

Hi Linda,
I hate to echo the same sentiment regarding shipping your personal vehicle but it’s not worth the hassle. There are a lot of stipulations regarding the car itself. Several years ago, when moving to Germany (husband is retired Army), we shipped our Porsche. When we picked the car up and went to the mandatory inspection, the tread on our tires were just a smidge outside the regulation which meant we had to purchase 4 new tires….and the Euro wasn’t what it is today. Can you afford unexpected costs if the car doesn’t meet inspection?

Save yourself the money & trouble and take advantage of the wonderful transportation options provided through trains & buses.

I wish you the best,
Amanda

Thank you, Cala. I too, am sceptical of shipping a car to Europe, but we need to be gently with newbies, especially when they're as excited and optimistic as this one.

I won't repeat what everyone else has said (but I agree), but it would helpful if you told us a bit more about what you are planning to get out of the trip and what you want to see and do. The world is very different compared to 1969, and having a car for 6 months to be honest sounds like a really bad and very expensive idea.

Regarding the "90-day stay within 180 days" limitation: it applies to "Schengen" countries, so not all of Europe. The UK, Ireland, Norway, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria have their own, separate policies, and you can plan a longer trip if you include those countries.

Norway is part of Schengen, and Croatia will probably be soon.

My bad about Norway!
The timeline for Croatia is hazy at best, as the joining date got pushed back many times. Some sources do point towards 2023, but there.is no certainty!
In a nutshell: research is necessary 😊

Linda, maybe I missed this but would this be your first trip to Europe? It's sort of sounding like that but I don't want to make assumptions. I will agree with the poster above who said things have very likely changed a LOT since your parent's adventure 53 years ago (Heck, just the currency situation changed a lot since my first rodeo in 1973!) so be a little cautious about using them as a research source....other than for the excitement factor, of course! :O)

If this would be your first time, I'd suggest exploring the wide range of public transit available in Europe as well as exploration by personal vehicle? For instance, the cities are often best gotten about via foot and public transit due to dense traffic, expensive parking and pedestrian and/or locals-only drive zones. Historic villages may mandate parking outside of their walls/centers, and there is also the caution of leaving anything, especially anything of value, in an unattended vehicle during along-the-way stops.

Anyway, it can be more efficient, both cost and energy-wise, to use public transit for certain parts of the trip, and rental vehicle for others, such as for rural exploration, Public transit is also better for the planet so give it some consideration?

And oh yeah, that 90-day visa waiver thingy: probably one of the biggest changes since Mom and Dad did their thing! Happy planning!

Thank you again for your comments. This is not my first time in Europe. I have travelled extensively, drove through many countries, used pubic transit in all of the cities. However, it was one country and/or city at a time. This trip, I plan on visiting several countries and explore both rural and cities - thus my desire to have a car. I appreciate all of the comments, suggestions and ideas. It has really helped adding ideas and research to my plan. I actually have the map my parents used on their 1969 trip marking all of the places they visited, even with dates! And I have my Mother's letters with exquisite detail of what they saw and who they met. I did connect with AutoFrance for leasing a car and it is very reasonable for 90 days. I also appreciated the comment about the countries that require the Schengen visa and the ones that don't - allowing me to schedule longer exploring the countries that do not require it. I appreciate any and all comments and ideas.

Ok, Linda. Even more jealous. I hope you will report back on this trip. How amazing to be retracing your parents' trip.

Really helpful background, Linda. Thanks for that!
When you get around to making this adventure, I'd love to read some trip reports if you have time to post them along the way. :O)

Sounds like trying to recreate "Europe on $5 a Day". My sister keeps telling me of her summer in Italy in 1970. The admission fee to the Uffizi was the equivalent of $0.05.

Following in your parents footsteps sounds like a fascinating way to travel. As long as you don't try to duplicate everything, including going everywhere by car. I encourage you to journal your experiences, so that later you can sit back and compare your trip with theirs.

Hi, linda. Welcome to the Forum.

I think this sounds like a seriously cool trip - what a wonderful way to honour your parents! I wish I could do that, and read the letters as I went.

I saw your comment,

I also appreciated the comment about the countries that require the Schengen visa and the ones that don't - allowing me to schedule longer exploring the countries that do not require it.

and I'm glad to know that you have visited our side of the pond before.

A lot of people get confused about the details of the Schengen area and its stay limits, so I hope you don't mind, for the benefit of other new folks reading your thread, if I just summarize the key points...

It is not a visa as such, it is a visa waiver program. It allows people from many countries, US, Canada, UK among others, to stay up to 90 days anywhere within the Schengen area in any 180 day period without a visa.

People can exceed the 90/180 requirements only if they are admitted under a normal visa (not always very easy to get these days).

The 90 days go from midnight to midnight (pedants might say 00:00 to 23:59) and include entry and exit days. Any portion of a day, even if just a few minutes, counts as a day. There are no grace periods.

To know if you are legal count backwards 180 days, and add up all the days and part days you have spent in all Schengen countries during that 180 days. If less than 90 you can stay another. If 90 you need to leave that day. Most people leave a buffer so if something unexpected happens like a flight cancellation or getting sick they won't inadvertently over stay and become illegal.

There is no limit (covid rules aside, currently there are none) on border crossings with the zone. You could for example go between Strasbourg France and Freiberg Germany 5 times in one day and it would make no difference - both France and Germany are part of the zone. The day only counts as one day no matter how many times you cross the border that day.

Leaving the Schengen zone during your trip stops you accumulating days but does not stop the 180 day clock or reset it. There is no reset. To be perfectly clear, the benefit is Schengen Zone wide, and any stay in any Schengen country counts towards the cumulative total. You don't get 90 days in France and 90 days in Switzerland and 90 days in France again. If you want to stop accumulating days you must leave the Schengen Zone completely.

The 26 member countries of this benefit are: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The 4 micro-countries of San Marino, Monaco, Vatican City and Andorra are all completely within member countries so although not signatories they are treated as part of the Zone.

have you reached any decisions, linda?

Hello to everyone and thank you again for all of your very valuable input. SO, shipping the car is out! Leasing a car looks like the winner. Since I want the freedom of exploring several countries, cities, villages, it's the best bet. And the pricing was very reasonable from AutoFrance. I don't need to book it until a month or two before I depart and I pick it up in France and return it to France. i have friends already planning to meet me in certain countries and traveling with me for a week or two. So this might just actually happen!!
And in thinking about it the three months is probably a good length of time. I love my home and I have a dog that I would miss terribly although I have very good friends that would take loving care of her while I am gone. Thanks again everyone. I will be back on this forum as I get closer to locking down arrangements.

One or two months for booking a leased car was okay pre-Covid. Today with shipping and parts problems, you should book this car four to six months out. These are new cars, straight off the assembly line, so arrivals have been delayed and spotty.