Hi ,
i´m a MC fan from germany and i own 2 of them...a ´95LS & a ´97 Z34 with the LQ1 engine.
I have other american cars too... 9 in summery... like the american engines, the sound and the design. Over the years i own more than 27 car... most GM, some Ford an some AMC Eagles and Concords. Found them @ the net for cheap money and bring h it back to live, because there are precious to give them a longer live. American car are exotic here in germany and the knowlege about the cars, there history and the technic are rare... especially if it goes about the sensors, electronic and othe technical stuff.
I repair it mostly by myself, self learning experience since the last 30 years, my own private workshop with all the equipment i need ( or think i should need).
Hope to find answers and will help all the other, if i can, give the right tip or say what i think about themes are discussed...

My english is hopefully understanding.... sometimes i search for the right word to explain... so be indulgent, if it is not so exactly.

Robert

p.s.: I have a Youtube channel if somebody is intrested to see what i´m doing: YT name is rosch1964 (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFd...n-tfsbAHGpNQhg)

 

That's really neat!

I'm very curious about the import process if you don't mind expanding a bit. Is it hard / complicated to do? How do you select the cars - fly over to buy them and then ship them back to yourself?

I had a friend who imported a Japanese car once (trying the DIY route to avoid the huge dealer markup from the big import companies) and even though it met the age requirment for US import, it was still a pain to sort through all the logistics bringing it in.

 

Thx for your interest...
No, i dont import cars from the US or CDN...its not nesseccary... because, there are so many cars offered in Europe in the car-sites, that i dont need to do it.
Yes, if you want a special car ( like the iconik classic cars or special new cars) - i think than its the best way to fly over, search an bring it home.
The way is easy: Find the car, bring it to the port it will handled by a shipping agent... pay the transport costs and weeks later it come by ship to Germany, the Netherlands or other countries...pay the import fee & tax and bring it to the safty inspection.
The hole process could takes week, sometimes months...and i always think: Is it worth? Add 30% from the price you payed for the car.
If i search a little bit longer, maybe i can find the car i wont here in europe... and most for less than the import price.
Because: Many Expats or soldiers leave there cars when they go back in there homecountries. Also we have small import shops and brand dealers, witch haul cars from the US or CDN over the atlantic... also in the Netherlands, Belgium or the east european countries, witch offer the cars online. Also in Austria or the Swiss are many cars for sale.
Long time ago i´m interrestet for an Olds Aurora (1st series)... find some cheap in CDN but it was too expencive to bring it to Germany. Last summer i found an example next to me here in germany an bought it for less than a grand... the car was sitting >10 years in a barn... doesnt run, has some rust... but was complete. Now the car is running after some inspection, change some parts ( pump, sensors, exhaust & other stuff)... and now i´m working against the rust, give him a new paint...
So i do with my 2 MCs´...and sometimes it takes a little bit longer to bring it back to the road...
Parts where ordered at the big onlinestores, ebay or other parts dealer...most of them i get within 10 days to my door...
The safty inspection is the hardes thing here in germany... we have so many rules for cars... it is hard to pass the inspection ( amber signal lights, emission control & other...) and you need for every car a special permission. Otherwise you have a good standing car. Not a runner...
If the car have german title its easy, otherwise: good luck. But it isnt unpossible... it takes a litlle more work an patience...
Right now i own 9 cars...all american...an work on it & drive some of these...my daily is a 95 MC LS in burgundy red w/ caramel interior...

Thanks
Robert

 

Agreed, very interesting. Welcome, what other cars do you own?

 

Interesting, I honestly didn't know soldiers brought US cars over. I always assumed they just used local transport or bought a car while there depending how long they were stationed for.

Parts availability was my next question, but your response makes sense given how global the big companies are now.

I'm also curious to hear what other cars you've got.

What is the reaction of others when seeing your American cars on the road?

 

Right now i own:
1992 Caprice Classic Wagon (waiting for a tranny renovation an bodywork)
1996 Olds Aurora (as discribed)
1998 Seville (sitting after engine rebulid, wont start)
1991 Fiat Panda (still in restauration w/ new Interior & Paint)
1986 Bronco with 4´´ suspension & 35 tires (w/ many problems...)
1982 F100 w/ 460 FBB ( my Transporter)
1995 MC LS (Daily)
1997 MC Z34 ( still in progress, because of issus @ the engine)
2002 Deville (needs permission & safty inspection, many issues in onboard diagnosis)

In my area (north of Berlin) it is not a sensation, if a US Car comes along, because many workshops here located. Around 5 mls are 5 shops. Most of them repair older cars, PUs´& Vans´...mostly from the 60th to the late 80th... but infact, american car have always a good show at the gasstation or in a parking lot. Also you can see many Mustangs, Corvettes, Camaros - sold at the dealership as new...american cars became are very popular in the last 10 years, most are RAMs´because the german automaker Daimler/Mercedes was owned Chrysler for some years and sold many US cars ( Dodge, Chrysler) in germany over the years. GM also had in the late 90th sold many new cars ( as owner from Opel until French Peugot buy them)... especially the Olds Alero, labled as Chevrolets & many of the korean cars as Chevys´.
Thank god the Internet make it more and more easy to find Infos for the cars... when i startet in 1990, there was very hard difficult to get parts... mostly from german parts dealer, or you by a car and used it for parts. And it was expencive !!! All parts are importet and you have to pay among fee for transport an import tax.

here some pics´:


1995 MC LS




Thanks for intresting...
Robert

 

...as far as i know, soldiers can move her personal car for free by the army... or use special conditions to buy a car where they stationed...there are many dealers round the barracks (Kaiserslautern, Rammstein...) witch buy the cars from the soldiers or the army... so many of "normal" cars come to germany. My 1998 Seville was one of them. Also my 2002 Deville... it comes as a parts car to the army from Florida... but the original car was damaged befor the partscar arrived in germany. So they sold it to the public.

 

Nice fleet of cars, welcome to the site.

 

Thanks for sharing, its really neat to hear about that!

Nice variety in that vehicle collection too!

 

Hi Robert Welcome to the Monte Carlo forum! My ancestors came from Germany. I know how to count to Ten in German and say no. that's about it. However my Father could speak German When he was 93 I was visiting wiht him and some other people could speak German and said something to him in German and he replied right back, he had alzhimers disease. I have no idea what any of them said but, the other person said he gave the correct response.
Great photo's I have seen. I have a 99 Monte Carlo. I attached a few photo's Sometimes I change the Car to look like the famous #3 .