Likely moving to Germany ... need some advice
 

Hey guys, so I will likely be moving to Germany for 3 years. I've been at my present company for 12 years, and I am an engineering group manager. I got offered an interesting position in Germany starting late fall. It's a 3 year expat assignment. Great advancement opportunity, guaranteed position on return, paid relocation, good financial setup, most expenses paid, shortcut to next promotion etc. Good for my career as long as I don't **** up. ;)

Only hang up right now is my dog. My Pitbull is considered dangerous, and I'm still trying to figure out if I can legally bring him. I think the answer is yes, but there are lots of conditions I need to navigate. We've had the dog since before we've had our daughter, so dog stays with us. He's family.

So I will likely be selling my house and cars, including the Mustang. I hear from Germans who work here that importing makes sense for Camaros, Challengers and Corvettes (low supply, high demand), but not for Mustangs. Particularly now that they are sold in Europe. I considered bringing my car over but that costs $4k, then another $2k for modified lights, and I would have to undo some mods to pass inspection upon arrival, plus a 6% import tax.... :doh:. And I'd have to do more work to it so it can survive the Ring and finding parts for these cars abroad is hard.

We would live near Stuttgart, so Hockenheimring is less that an hour away. Nurnbergring is about 2. Monza, Spa, as well as few other great tracks are 4-5h drive. Goal will be to hit them up at least once per year.

But what should I drive? Budget would be 35-40k Euro. Right now I'm leaning towards a used V8 M3. I guess I could also buy a Mustang there, but as you all know I'm not a huge fan of the S550 in the first place, and I don't know if PP2(only one worth it in my opinion) is even offered in Europe. Plus the sales tax (VAT) is 19%. 19%!!! :banghead:

So I'm not happy about selling my car, not happy to leave the community and torn on what to drive as a weekend warrior.

Has anyone shipped a car to Europe? Was it worth it? What else should I consider? I'm looking for your thoughts and suggestions.

Wow, so this is the big news! Congratulations, that's awesome, I'm sure it will be a great experience for you and your family . . . way out of your comfort zone, but most major growing experiences are. I work for a big multi-national company and had toyed with the idea of moving to France for a while but it never came to pass.

I say "while in Germany, do as the German's do" and go for a BMW or a Benz. I think I'd probably move over there and look around for a while to find a good deal; hard to tell from here what the market is like over there. Kinda sucks to sell the stang, but way too expensive to take it over there like you say, and you can get a "new" one when you come back.

sorry but I really don't have any clue about the dog

That IS big news! Honestly I'd go for something you can't get here. Go obscure!

Dacia Sandero.

Wow, that's great news Marty!
Congrats and best of luck! :nice:

Thanks Pat and Tony!

Pat, I like your obscure notion. Perhaps I can find an Alpha Remeo not offered here or something along these lines. But it needs to be reliable and take some hard abuse without flinching. And obscure typically does not.
Thanks John, to be honest I think I'm set on the car I want when I get back. It will either be 13+ Z06 or 17+ Grand Sport Corvette.

It's what to drive on the Autobahn and the ring that I'm scratching my head at. But I'd be happy with an M3 or even a more recent M240i or something.

What could I get from Daimler? C63? :dunno:

Ha, at least you didn't say Trabant or a Fiat Panda or a Scoda. :D

C63 S Estate!

Congratulations to you and your family, that sounds like an awesome opportunity! I'd probably sell the Mustang, and get a car over there. M3 or C63 would be good choices, and there may be other models not sold in the US. Also check Audi, Porsche.

Congrats and what a wonderful opportunity for you! Best of luck and I'd say M3 all the way! :yup:

Wow, that sounds like an awesome opportunity. Can't pass on that one. Hope things work out on the pet. Sad that you have to unload the Mustang, but really in the scheme of things that is a small sacrifice for what you will get out of this. No chance you could store your car? Sorry no pointers from me, but an M3 sounds nice. Never been to Europe. Have a great time and share your adventures with us!

Google search on shipping a pet to Germany. It tells you everything needed. Many years ago (1972-1975) when I was in the Army and stationed in Germany, my wife and I bought a Saint Bernard. When my wife came back to America, all we had to do was buy a large wooden crate and the dog flew with her in the cargo section of the plane, all the way home :)


Join the Corvette Forum so you won't look like a 'newbie' when you get your Vette. I've been a Member there for 5 years and still don't have a Corvette :(


A BMW M3 sounds like a good idea.:)


You'll love the food and the beer :)

I have to disagree on the beer, American micro brews are WAY better, IMHO. Unless you really like that malty German thing.

Makes me think, Marty while you're over there, maybe we can start an export/import business, selling American craft beer at insane prices . . . or maybe they have some kind of law against that, they're probably bigger beer snobs over there than even me! LOL

This would be really tempting if I could only get one car. I would sooo join the station wagon mafia and drive 150mph. I think we will have another car, like a Santa Fe Sport for longer trips and for the pooch. So my search is focusing on a small, nimble fast fun car. :D

Thanks! S3 or something might be great too. Also started looking at Cayman's and Boxters, and that may also be an option. So expensive though!


Thanks guys. M3 is high on the list. How do you all feel about the M2 or the M240i? Not V8, true, but might also be an option as well.

Navigating the German dog laws has been a bit of a nightmare. There is some conflicting info and laws vary state to state. I think I need to get a permit from the city I will live in, and then as long as shots/micro chip and other paperwork is in order Customs should be ok.

I love Hefeweizen. Germans have the best Weizen in the world by far. Not much section tho due to German Beer Purity Law of 1516. Also the reason Amarican beer can't be sold as "beer" unless it only has Hops, Water, yest and barley. But IPAs have been making a sweep and now you can find some in bars. It would be nice to run an import business. There are a ton of great micro brews here in Michigan, and I'd love to be able to get it there. :cheers:

Good luck on the new gig, sounds like a good one. Some high speed practice on the Autobahn with the right car should make for good entertainment.

I spoke with a German who ran a stereo shop, that moved here from Germany when he was in his 20's and told him that I wanted to move to Germany. He told me, "Oh, no you don't." I said why not? He kept insisting that the US is one of the best places to live in and how many places close early all over the place in Germany. In the big cities you got Best Buy and Walmart and all the stores that stay open until 9 or even 24 hours. He said that doesn't exist in Germany. He told me I would not be happy living there. I guess the best part would be the German beer and the German women.
Anyway, he said to just stay here. So that totally killed my idea of wanting to move. And basically every single immigrant I ever speak with all tells me basically the same thing about moving to their countries as well. They all say that the USA is the best place to live. There's a reason why you need a VISA to come here I guess. My wife is also an immigrant and I've told her about moving to her country for over 10 years and she tells me, "HELL NO!" I wish I could go for 3-6 months and see for myself what these people are all talking about.

that's the beauty of an "ex pat" assignment -- you get to come home when it's done!

If you're passing through, I can see that. You pay a 45% income tax rate, and then as much a 19% Value Added Tax. And if you're there for a few years you get nothing in return.

But if you live there, roads are fantastic, college education is paid for and health care is free. So your 55% take home is all expendable income. You just go to a clinic, or a hospital and you never get any bills. As long as your grades are good enough college is free. The generations before you already paid in for it all. It sucks for the first generation, and perhaps the second, but after that it's smooth sailing. German's have had it going for over 60 years now. Oh, and Social Security you pay is is your retirement. Hardly anyone there has a 401k, because it's not really needed.

Yes, you don't have 24h Mejier. But no one works more than 40h work weeks. So it just depends how you look at it. Plus Germany is floating the rest of Europe financially right about now, so it may be worth paying attention to.

Thanks and yes, high speed practice is always good!

True that. And the nice thing is the big multi national corporations make sure these sort of things are favorable to the employees and you come out on top financially.

Marty, first of all, congrats on the new position and for the opportunity to live over in Germany. The bad news, however, was finding out that you'll have to sell your Mustang, especially knowing how much you invested in modding it just the way you wanted and how much you've really enjoyed and loved that car has to really suck. But like you said, getting the chance to relocate to Germany along with moving up in your company is a once in a lifetime opportunity for both you and your family. Therefore nobody can blame you in the least bit for doing what is best for them and for you, as family always comes first. As for cars, perhaps you might be interested in considering either a Porsche, Audi, M3 or possibly even look into buying a new Mustang over in Germany thanks to being able to buy them now in Europe which would save you all the import, tax, and modification costs involved to pass inspection. Needless to say, I really hope you don't leave the Mustang community as you're friendship as both a Mustang enthusiast and as a person has been highly regarded as very valuable by everyone here on TMS, myself included to say the very least, as you'll always be part of the Ford and Mustang family. In the meantime, I wish you and your family nothing but the very best in Germany :nice:

You own a Fiat Panda. You know nothing......:poke:

Best of luck on the move. I would pick something to drive over there that isn't readily available in the states. You may never get another chance to experience what Europe has to offer. Oh, and we are going to miss you track videos in the mustang.