rowada

I would like to buy a car for (or with) my son in Croatia. I live in the US, he lives in Croatia. We're both US citizens, but he's a Croatian resident. What difficulties are involved in doing this? I know I would have to pay shipping costs to get it there. I assume I would also have to pay some sort of import tax. Can the car be registered in my son's mane? In my name? Would it have to be modified? Can it be resold later on down the road? Are there insurance problems?

fmpden

And the reason for not wanting to buy a car in Croatia is??????

sofarsogood

forget this madness and move on

RM67

I don't know the first thing about Croatian motoring laws but its not beyond the realms of possibility that it will need adjustments to things like headlights, number plates and safety/breakdown equipment at a very minimum. If Croatia has rules about winter tyres would it be easy and affordeable to source the right type/size overseas? Yes insurance might be a problem (unless its a brand known and sold in Europe already eg Chrysler or possibly some sort of classic car for which there are specialist policies). No, no-one will want to buy it when he comes to sell it on because it could be hard to get spares and the suspensions of US cars are usually a lot softer than most European and Japanese models which does not go down well here.

RM67

Not to mention, too big, perceived as gas guzzlers etc etc.

Travel_Nerd

You would probably be better off to travel to Europe and buy the car THERE, rather than here. While I understand you don't live in Europe; however, you will spend loads more than a plane ticket to ship the darn thing than you would to actually purchase the car IN Europe.

But if you decide to buy the car here and ship it, you will need to contact Croatian attorneys/officials for your questions regarding regulations and other legal stipulations. None of us here have that kind of international law experience (travel forum and all) to properly give you legal advice. OR, have your son do some research since he actually lives there...

Ackislander

Why would you send a car over there? Why would you own it in your name? I doubt that you could register it there in your non-resident name, though out-of-country ownership might be possible.

But, maybe 8 years ago, I saw a Jeep Cherokee with California plates parked in a street near the station in Zagreb. It didn't look like a tourist or military.

So there are or have been US cars in Croatia. It was not a Eurojeep, though they and lots of other US cars are available in Europe, often rebadged Chrysler products: PT Cruisers, minivans. 300's, etc.

Most of the issues raised above (tires, etc) are non issues. Fuel and suspension might be.

If you want to buy and bring a REAL US car, e.g. '70's Hemi or Saleen Mustang or Shelby, I think enthusiasts' insurance would be available (costly) and I bet you would find a buyer in a minute. Shipping is easy from any port. They put it in a container and it winds up somewhere in the Adriatic, if not conveniently in Split.

But you need to talk to the Croatian consulate about duties and ultimately sales tax and to a good international shipping company.

nytraveler

My understanding is that cars are much cheaper in the US than in europe, not just US cars but Japanese as well - so perhaps the OP is thinking of that. But not sure why he would want to buy a car that won;t have access to warantees as well as service/repair places that have experience with the specific car.

I can't imagine that he won;t find a suitable car in europe. Really a much better idea to buy a european car in europe - that fits the local conditions and will be easy to resell when he is done with it

NewbE

Actually, I think if you ask all these questions of a car dealer in the US, you'd get all the answers you need, as long as it's a dealership in a fairly cosmopolitan place. When we bought a car recently, the salesman said he sells cars to foreigners all the time, and ships the cars to them.

Digression mostly irrelevant to the OP:

There are American cars in Europe. American service people stationed in Europe routinely sell their cars to locals at high prices. RM67's post is almost entirely inaccurate: certain American cars are very desirable in Europe, and do not require modification because emissions standards in the US are actually stronger than in Europe. We got asked to sell our Jeep Grand Cherokee all the time when we lived in Europe; the people who could afford to buy our car in cash didn't care that it was certainly a gas guzzler by European standards, they just wanted a car hardly anyone else there had, for their own reasons. Replacement parts can be ordered online, and mechanics who can work on foreign cars exists in every major city.

I doubt it would make sense for the OP to buy an econobox in the US and ship it to Europe; a model more sought after in Europe, such as an SUV, would resell well but eat lots of gas for the OP's son in the meantime. I'd send the fellow money to buy a car in Croatia. But as I said, a car dealer in the US could hep the OP figure it all out and make a decision.

RM67

Where on earth do I mention the emission system in my post??

NewbE

Ah, you're right. You were correct, then, by omission, on that one point. All the rest, though, about plates, tires, safety equipment, insurance and so on was wrong, or speculative. Better?

RM67

These threads are so predictable. US posters take offence at the suggestion that their vehicle aren't particularly popular over here and/or it just makes more sense to buy locally with regard to warranty, spares, insurance, local laws, taxes, shipping and so on. Isolated examples of sales of ex US vehicles are then dragged up as though they are typical and/or to try to prove the previous posters wrong, thereby giving the OP misleading, unrepresentative or inaccurate advice. It's like a disease on Fodors.

janisj

>>US posters take offence at the suggestion that their vehicle aren't particularly popular over here and/or it just makes more sense <<

No, 'US posters' don't take offence. <i>Some</i> US posters take offence (and then the rest of us have to deal w/ the backlash)

People mentioning Service members having US cars in Europe . . . neglect to mention that the Armed Services ship the cars for them. And many young airmen/soldiers can't imagine leaving their baby back home if the air force/army will pay to ship it.

NewbE

Who took offense? RM67 did, because s/he's wrong, knows little, but wants to sound knowledgeable. So let's break it down:

<I don't know the first thing about Croatian motoring laws but >
Ignore everything after the "but".

<it will need adjustments to things like headlights, number plates and safety/breakdown equipment at a very minimum.>
Headlights, nope. Number plates, duh. Safety/breakdown equipment: a box of plastic triangles.

<If Croatia has rules about winter tyres > IF it does, those can be purchased online, in advance. If. This is just RM67 speculating.

< Yes insurance might be a problem > It needs to be purchased in Croatia, so duh again.

<No, no-one will want to buy it > Flat, dead wrong.

<US cars are usually a lot softer than most European and Japanese models which does not go down well here.> Utter nonsense.American cars have all sorts of suspensions, and European drivers (and, oh, hello, Japanese drivers, what are you doing here?) have all sorts of preferences in cars.

I think that about covers it. Unless RM67 keeps posting.

On to janisj:
<People mentioning Service members having US cars in Europe . . . neglect to mention that the Armed Services ship the cars for them.>

Yes, that is the point of selling your American car in Europe if you are a service member--you didn't pay to ship it there, so it's all profit for you. that's irrelevant to the OP, which is why I didn't "mention" it.

< And many young airmen/soldiers can't imagine leaving their baby back home if the air force/army will pay to ship it.>>

The military ships cars overseas because service members can't afford to buy European cars and then struggle to resell them just a few years later. It's got nothing to do with your remark.

Dubrovniktravelady

Not all American cars are permitted to be shipped to Croatia. You need to find out from the Croatian consulate the legal requirements. Your son is only a resident and does not have Croatian citizenship, this can make a difference.

bilboburgler

Given the size of the roads in Croatia, the cost of American spare parts, any lack of skill in servicing foreign cars, let alone the legal issues, I struggle to think of a sillier idea.

I doubt if any dealer in th US would even know where Croatia is let alone what the legal issues were to get sorted.

Wouldn't a book token be more sensible?

lincasanova

Judging from some rules in other European countries, he MAY not be able to use his US driver's license as a resident once he is there for six months.
Also, unless he has a Croatian driver's license, local insurance companies may not insure him.

Also, as mentioned, most times the blinkers and /or brake lights need to be redone as only certain lights should come on with ignition, and others later. Very unusual requirements but they do exist. No one would know this unless they had tried to import a car from the US. I assisted an American couple in getting their US minivan "up to EU regulations" and let me tell you.. it was EXPENSIVE.

So.. unless you have done this before, consider some of these criticisms about regulations, etc. are not based on fact or experience.

Also, any local who wants to buy a car from a US citizen is most likely oblivious as to what awaits him once he purchases it and tries to put his own country's plates on it...import tax.. unexpected modifications, etc.

Buy a nice, used car there or elsewhere in Europe ( Germany?) from a dealer with a warranty and be done with it.

Most US dealers will NOT know the ins and outs of what needs to be done to their sales once they hit Europe. All they know is, that , of course, it is being done. You must ask these questions at Croatian tax office and car importer.

willit

"< Yes insurance might be a problem > It needs to be purchased in Croatia, so duh again."

You really are an obnoxious creature - but I suppose you are an expert on European car insurance, and Croatia in particular?

RM67's comments on insurance are probably based on UK insurance. Here, insuring an imported car , in most cases would be prohibitively expensive because of the likely cost to the inurere of any repairs based on non availability of spare parts. Equally any modifications to a standard model, for whatever reason would add significantly to monthly premiums.

Odin

<<My understanding is that cars are much cheaper in the US than in europe, not just US cars but Japanese as well>> Not sure where this understanding came from as there are not many things cheaper in the US anymore. Cars are not cheaper in the US, they are expensive, even secondhand ones.

There are places where you can buy American cars in Europe that are already converted to the EU standards.

Nonconformist

There's some useful info about registration and insurance requirements for cars in Croatia here:

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens...a/index_en.htm

It doesn't address the specific question of cars imported from outside the EU, but should act as a starting point.

This Croatian site does mention US cars:

http://www.trcz.hr/en/importing-used...and-taxes.aspx

It seems there *are* some issues which make US cars not legally drivable in Croatia, and it implies you might be advised to import it via Germany, where they can make the necessary modifications. There is a significant tax bill if the engine is over 1600cc.

I hope this helps.