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Old 05-31-2016, 11:00 AM
Stretch's Avatar
Stretch Stretch is offline
...like a shield of steel
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Netherlands
Posts: 14,461
Well roll on roll off has gotten a bit more expensive! It used to be about 500 USD between Newark and Rotterdam / Liverpool a few years back (perhaps a few more years than I care to say!)

The safest way is a container - but that is more expensive.

The problem with moving a car from the US of A to Europe is that you can not keep your "American car status" for long. If you are living in Europe (and registered as so) most European countries (even if you are an EU resident - which I guess you are not) will expect you to IMPORT the vehicle as well as YOURSELF! You will not be legally able to drive on an international driving licence for more than a few months and you will have trouble insuring a vehicle in the country of your choice if it is not imported.

To import your W123s you need to bear in mind that Switzerland is probably a bit like Germany in their road worthiness standards (I'm not sure about this so check). Some of the "bodywork" repairs I have seen on this site are simply not acceptable in most parts of Europe. Pop rivets - fibre glass - ****e welding etc is not acceptable. Now I don't know if your cars have been repaired that way but you need to consider this before you bother dragging them back this way.

Other things like orange indicator lights need to be considered.

Also you need to be aware just how unfriendly European governments are towards old diesel vehicles. Again I don't know about Switzerland - so check - but there are some cites in Holland that have banned them - the road tax is also stupid high here for diesel vehicles that are younger than 40 years old. Where I live in Holland it would cost me nearly 3000 euros a year in road tax for a W123 diesel.


(Sorry to pee on ye olde bonfire but I'd rather you go into this with your eyes open to what might / can happen)
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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