I know I have read somewhere the age where importing a vehicle from Europe but I cant find it. I seem to remember this being 25 years? If you find something which is this age or older is the process fairly straight forward and not ridiculously expensive to bring the truck in to the US?
Age for importing Unimog/DOKA
- Thread starter supermoo
- Start date
mhiscox
Exp. Leader Emeritus
Your memory is correct. Once the vehicle is over 25 years old (to the month from date of manufacture, IIRC), the process is relatively straightforward. Well, as straightforward as buying big, expensive things from foreign countries can be.
The duty associated with importing the vehicle will vary based on what it is. My Unimog camper, because of clearly being a "recreational vehicle," had only a 2% duty. However, had it been deemed a cargo truck, the duty would have been 25%. Things may have changed--this was 15 years ago--but it is definitely worth checking. And shipping on a RoRo ship was smooth enough, but very expensive (and I doubt it's gotten any cheaper).
Two other things . . . make sure the bottom of the truck has been steamed cleaned (they can impound your truck if the underside might have live stuff on it) and make sure that you have the title to the vehicle all complete and matching and everything else. A certified translation to go with it is even better; some state DMVs require this.
I'm guessing that you've diligently searched for an equivalent vehicle already imported. Between the cost and the paperwork and a level of stress and hassle that varies depending on the exact situation, the agents you draw, and perhaps the phase of the moon, there area lot of advantages to picking up a USA titled and registered vehicle. If you can't get what you want here, have at the importation. But give extra credit to something that's here in the country (LEGALLY, of course, with documentation) when making the comparisons.
Under 25 years? Best to forget about it. (And, regardless of age, a Californian, or anyone hoping to ever sell to a Californian, should be sure to learn the regulations associated with the state's rather stringent campaign against older diesel trucks.)
Good luck, and let us know how you make out.
mogwildRW1
Adventurer
As Mike says importing a Unimog as a motor vehicle you are bound by the 25yr rule for the most part. There are written exemptions for newer ones and certain Unimogs fall into those categories (as motor vehicles), the U1550 I belive is one example. Also as mentioned the duty varies, firetrucks for instance I believe are duty free.
This is assuming you want to plate the unimog. If you import it as a tractor, the year doesn't matter, but I believe now they need to meet a certain emissions level. Depends on your use, being an expedition website I'm going to assume camper and plated but you never know
There are documents pertaining to most Unimogs (round cabs, square cabs, big and small) for this purpose, I can't dig them all up as I'm on my mobile but here is an example of the ruling:
http://rulings.cbp.gov/detail.asp?ru=e81123&ac=pr
This is assuming you want to plate the unimog. If you import it as a tractor, the year doesn't matter, but I believe now they need to meet a certain emissions level. Depends on your use, being an expedition website I'm going to assume camper and plated but you never know
There are documents pertaining to most Unimogs (round cabs, square cabs, big and small) for this purpose, I can't dig them all up as I'm on my mobile but here is an example of the ruling:
http://rulings.cbp.gov/detail.asp?ru=e81123&ac=pr
Terrawagen
New member
I'm going to second the idea of looking for Unimog's that are already stateside. Inspecting a truck that is on an other continent can be tricky, and the German's version of rust is much different than ours.
mogwildRW1
Adventurer
If it's an SBU DoKa your looking for, this unit is pretty skookum looking
Thanks. I have been looking at a few different vehicles in Germany (family over there to help with the previewing), which I why I have been considering the importation process. I know it is far from a straight forward but felt it was worth asking about. There are so many options over there if you can get something that has been well prepared and cared for. In the end we will be used as a camper here in Colorado (and beyond).
MHISCOX, any ideas on what a rough estimate of the costs for the RoRo boat trip might cost from Europe? Sounds like you have some previous experience.
The other vehicle I am considering is the U500 GXV Unimog on the site. There are some obvious advantages to this vehicle (location/time to use) but then it does seem like it might be paying a premium for the vehicle mainly due to these 2 factors. This newer year of the Unimog is also a big plus assuming we can get the seating setup for 3 up front.
MHISCOX, any ideas on what a rough estimate of the costs for the RoRo boat trip might cost from Europe? Sounds like you have some previous experience.
The other vehicle I am considering is the U500 GXV Unimog on the site. There are some obvious advantages to this vehicle (location/time to use) but then it does seem like it might be paying a premium for the vehicle mainly due to these 2 factors. This newer year of the Unimog is also a big plus assuming we can get the seating setup for 3 up front.
Mike,
I have a few vehicles which meet the 25 year criteria and have the setups that I am interested in, do you know of any recommended importers that I should talk to about what this process looks like? If you are past the 25 years, it sounds like it is straight forward enough but is it still advisable to go thru an importer?
Thanks.
Thanks. I am not looking to go that route (I hope) as the trucks I have been looking at are right at the 25 year old mark but all rebuilt. They all have nice camper boxes built on them, and I am wondering if that will cause any issues as well.
So I am wondering:
1. Do I have to use an importer to bring the truck/camper in if it is 25 years or older? If no, am I opening myself up to enormous hassles?
2. Is the Ro-Ro the process I should be looking at? The truck wont fit in a container, so the seller would be getting the truck to the port and onto the ship for transport. I would then be looking to get the truck transported to Colorado (how I am not sure yet - enter recommendations here)
3. Apart from the large amount of inevitable paperwork and the cleaning of the vehicle, what other known areas of concern should I be looking at?
Thanks ahead of time.
From what I understand (I've looked more at getting vehicles out of the US than in), duty as a motorhome will be less than as a truck.
Importers make it easier for you, for what you pay them to do the paperwork and arrangements it can save you both the headache and possibly money by reducing mistakes.
RO-RO is how you'd need to ship it across. Here's a link to a blog that goes through shipping details for a truck of similar size from England to Baltimore. http://jimthetruck.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/how-much-316-days-of-travel-cost-us-and.html#more
Taking it from the port to home, can you drive it? Sounds like a good time for a roadtrip
Importers make it easier for you, for what you pay them to do the paperwork and arrangements it can save you both the headache and possibly money by reducing mistakes.
RO-RO is how you'd need to ship it across. Here's a link to a blog that goes through shipping details for a truck of similar size from England to Baltimore. http://jimthetruck.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/how-much-316-days-of-travel-cost-us-and.html#more
Taking it from the port to home, can you drive it? Sounds like a good time for a roadtrip
Thanks. I would expect it is worth the cost for using the importer, only as they have gone thru the process so many times. The truck would be coming from Germany and then I guess I could go out and pick it up on the East Coast and drive it back to CO, not my preferred road trip, but might need to happen. I dont even know how you could get something like this 'transported' out to the West. I am still wading thru the requirements of the importing process.
nick disjunkt
Adventurer
Have you visited Jay at Couch offroad in Denver, or Rob Pickering at Terry Lee Enterprises in La Junta? Both have a stock of Unimogs for sale so it might save you some money and hassle if you look at theirs first.
I am currently looking at a Mercedes 1120 4x4 with a custom camper already fabricated on the truck. This will save a ton of time for us as we wont be building anything. We are also considering the Unimog/GVX in CA. As much fun as building your own box sounds, time wont really allow for it. The GVX thread that is on the board is a bit worrisome but I am going to take that as an isolated case. The MB 1120 that is in Europe is very well built and tested, it is cheaper but it is older. It would obviously necessitate a trip to view it.
I am more concerned that I could end up with a wild goose chase on getting it licensed in the US. It will be 25 years old in June, but learning about all the other items is a lot ot take in.
This is a good starting point also:
http://jalopnik.com/here-s-everythi...6580874#_ga=1.162305084.1692256585.1423081109
http://jalopnik.com/here-s-everythi...6580874#_ga=1.162305084.1692256585.1423081109
Importing a vehicle into the USA is not DIY but it is something you can arrange on your own.
-First the vehicle has to be 25 years old and you have to have translated documentation to prove it. The registration is usually fine. If you want to legally drive it on-road this is not a general rule, it is a requirement.
-Prior to shipping, the vehicle needs to be thoroughly cleaned, and for Ro/Ro, it needs to be empty.
-You need an invoice, and in Europe, you need export documentation. Export documentation is not particularly hard to get if you know the process and speak German. However, if you don't have a permanent address in Europe and/or don't speak German you should have a European shipping/logistics company to arrange this. If the paperwork is not done correctly it will not be loaded onto the ship and it can get expensive in fees and taxes.
-You need to declare to USA Homeland security that the Unimog will be on the ship 72 hours before departure. Unless you are bonded , you can not do this, you need a customs broker. If this isn't done or done wrong you will be fined and the vehicle will be refused entry.
-Once the vehicle enters, you need to clear it through customs. Unless you are bonded by customs, you can not do this yourself either - you need a broker. You also have to submit the DOT and EPA paperwork, which is supposed to be done by brokers but they often loose track of this paperwork.
-You have to pay the extra fees associated with the shipping (terminal handling charges, customs charges, duty charges, port charges etc) before anything will be released.
-You need to clear it out of the port. Some ports won't let you in the port unless you have Homeland Security clearance I.D's - others don't seem to care. If they won't let you in, you need to hire a truck to tow it out. I personally think this is a union scam to throw work to drivers but if they hassle you, you gotta pay.
-You need to get the vehicle registered in your state. Some states are easy, some are virtually impossible. Most states want all kind of DOT, EPA and customs paperwork that you may or may not get when you clear the vehicle. Some states that are notoriously picky. You should find out what the process is in advance. There is a lot of misinformation on this. I was once told by DMV in Michigan that it was impossible to register and title a Unimog. Ironically I had a Unimog that actually belonged to Michigan and it did have a title and reg already. However, if my only documentation was a few customs forms and a German reg, there is no way that office would have issued a title or registration even though they should have.
Overall, you need to get a good customs broker / shipping company. Ones with experience can sort out most of these issues. Ones who don't regularly do vehicles will get it through but may make some expensive mistakes or dump all the loose ends on you. When all is said and done, you are probably looking at USD 5k-6k (up to double that if something goes wrong) to get a Unimog Ro/Ro'd. You may be able to do it for less but shipping includes all kinds of hidden extra charges and fees. For example, if the battery dies, you get charged $300 for “non-runner” or customs agent or broker messes up paperwork and you are charged $50 a day parking, or if dept of ag wants to inspect it you are looking at delays and fees. It's a crapshoot. Mostly things go pretty smoothly but sometimes they don't.
If you have a camper then those are usually clear cut and have 2.5% but if you don't, you could be liable for 25% duty. Ultimately it will be up to the customs agent to determine the classification. If he thinks it's a truck, then it's a truck. Also, in the case of a 1120, if it is classified and registered as a truck in Germany, it will most likely be classified as a truck in the USA despite a camper back. If it is registered as a camper you should be all set. This is an example of where a good customs broker is important. A good broker will present paperwork to support your tariff classification. A mediocre broker will just file the paperwork and leave it up to customs. In the end you pay the duty, not the broker, so many couldn't be bothered to submit extra paperwork since it is you problem, not theirs. Same goes for making sure you get all the paperwork you will need to register it. A lot of this is done electronically now but States still require stamped official looking paperwork. I know somebody who submitted original registration and DOT/EPA paperwork. The Broker subed it out to another broker who in turn had a courier submit the paperwork. However nobody stuck around to collect the completed paperwork. He not only didn't get the EPA and DOT paperwork, he also lost the original registration! A good broker will make sure all the correct paperwork is filed and that you get back the necessary documentation.
The biggest hassle to importing yourself is all the unknown variables. In theory it is pretty straight forward, in practice there is a lot of potential for snafu's. It's kind of like getting audited by the IRS. Getting a good customs broker with experience importing vehicles will make the process much smoother. A cheapie broker who clears anything and leaves you holding the bag will cost a lot more in the long run. Getting a vehicle that is legally registered in the USA cuts out those risk and makes the process much more clear cut. It will most likely also save you a lot of time and money if you don't know what you are doing.
-First the vehicle has to be 25 years old and you have to have translated documentation to prove it. The registration is usually fine. If you want to legally drive it on-road this is not a general rule, it is a requirement.
-Prior to shipping, the vehicle needs to be thoroughly cleaned, and for Ro/Ro, it needs to be empty.
-You need an invoice, and in Europe, you need export documentation. Export documentation is not particularly hard to get if you know the process and speak German. However, if you don't have a permanent address in Europe and/or don't speak German you should have a European shipping/logistics company to arrange this. If the paperwork is not done correctly it will not be loaded onto the ship and it can get expensive in fees and taxes.
-You need to declare to USA Homeland security that the Unimog will be on the ship 72 hours before departure. Unless you are bonded , you can not do this, you need a customs broker. If this isn't done or done wrong you will be fined and the vehicle will be refused entry.
-Once the vehicle enters, you need to clear it through customs. Unless you are bonded by customs, you can not do this yourself either - you need a broker. You also have to submit the DOT and EPA paperwork, which is supposed to be done by brokers but they often loose track of this paperwork.
-You have to pay the extra fees associated with the shipping (terminal handling charges, customs charges, duty charges, port charges etc) before anything will be released.
-You need to clear it out of the port. Some ports won't let you in the port unless you have Homeland Security clearance I.D's - others don't seem to care. If they won't let you in, you need to hire a truck to tow it out. I personally think this is a union scam to throw work to drivers but if they hassle you, you gotta pay.
-You need to get the vehicle registered in your state. Some states are easy, some are virtually impossible. Most states want all kind of DOT, EPA and customs paperwork that you may or may not get when you clear the vehicle. Some states that are notoriously picky. You should find out what the process is in advance. There is a lot of misinformation on this. I was once told by DMV in Michigan that it was impossible to register and title a Unimog. Ironically I had a Unimog that actually belonged to Michigan and it did have a title and reg already. However, if my only documentation was a few customs forms and a German reg, there is no way that office would have issued a title or registration even though they should have.
Overall, you need to get a good customs broker / shipping company. Ones with experience can sort out most of these issues. Ones who don't regularly do vehicles will get it through but may make some expensive mistakes or dump all the loose ends on you. When all is said and done, you are probably looking at USD 5k-6k (up to double that if something goes wrong) to get a Unimog Ro/Ro'd. You may be able to do it for less but shipping includes all kinds of hidden extra charges and fees. For example, if the battery dies, you get charged $300 for “non-runner” or customs agent or broker messes up paperwork and you are charged $50 a day parking, or if dept of ag wants to inspect it you are looking at delays and fees. It's a crapshoot. Mostly things go pretty smoothly but sometimes they don't.
If you have a camper then those are usually clear cut and have 2.5% but if you don't, you could be liable for 25% duty. Ultimately it will be up to the customs agent to determine the classification. If he thinks it's a truck, then it's a truck. Also, in the case of a 1120, if it is classified and registered as a truck in Germany, it will most likely be classified as a truck in the USA despite a camper back. If it is registered as a camper you should be all set. This is an example of where a good customs broker is important. A good broker will present paperwork to support your tariff classification. A mediocre broker will just file the paperwork and leave it up to customs. In the end you pay the duty, not the broker, so many couldn't be bothered to submit extra paperwork since it is you problem, not theirs. Same goes for making sure you get all the paperwork you will need to register it. A lot of this is done electronically now but States still require stamped official looking paperwork. I know somebody who submitted original registration and DOT/EPA paperwork. The Broker subed it out to another broker who in turn had a courier submit the paperwork. However nobody stuck around to collect the completed paperwork. He not only didn't get the EPA and DOT paperwork, he also lost the original registration! A good broker will make sure all the correct paperwork is filed and that you get back the necessary documentation.
The biggest hassle to importing yourself is all the unknown variables. In theory it is pretty straight forward, in practice there is a lot of potential for snafu's. It's kind of like getting audited by the IRS. Getting a good customs broker with experience importing vehicles will make the process much smoother. A cheapie broker who clears anything and leaves you holding the bag will cost a lot more in the long run. Getting a vehicle that is legally registered in the USA cuts out those risk and makes the process much more clear cut. It will most likely also save you a lot of time and money if you don't know what you are doing.
mhiscox
Exp. Leader Emeritus
Working with the shipping company and customs was a hassle, but not the ultimate hassle. If you use one of the small number of RoRo shippers--I used Walenius Wilhelmsen Logistics--they are used to all of the procedures and will likely have your paperwork in order. And if everything is complete and accurate at the port, Customs will be doable, too. But it's all a big, strange world down at the docks, and it might be worth some money to know someone experienced was handling the importation for you.
For something that can't be containerized, shipping on a the enclosed RoRo ships is a good deal more secure and quite a bit faster than having it as deck cargo on a general-purpose freighter. (My Mog came over with about a zillion Volkswagens.) Have the seller lock the cabin with everything valuable shut in it, and have the key to the cabin door mailed to you, leaving only the ignition key available to the crew so they can get the truck on and off the ship.
I wouldn't proceed without a good scheme for getting the Mog to Colorado. A pretty slow, noisy and, most of all, new-to-you Mog is not a very good choice for a 2,000 mile interstate cruise to get you home. (I had more than enough adventure getting from Tacoma to Portland.) All will be well once you're used to the truck and have an on-board selection of equipment and tools to cover contingencies, but if you're going to set out unequipped from the Baltimore docks and head west, expect an adventure (and bring a music player and earbuds). On the other hand, if you ship it, you will almost certainly need a lowboy transport, whcih will seriously inflate the cost. Get the weight and exact dimensions and make a few calls to get a ballpark idea of the shipping.
The scariest part is wiring the funds to a foreign country. Make sure your seller's reputation is impeccable and that he/she/it is used to the paperwork for the shipping at the European end. Be very certain of the title being correct in every aspect. You might want to check out the CBP importation information here:
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...ments-for-importing-a-vehicle-/-vehicle-parts
and take a look at the all-important Form 7501 you covet to make sure you can provide all of information and documentation they'll ask for.
======
FWIW, I've found your questions and approach to this possible importation to be very good and your approach quite realistic. Getting the truck in from Germany, through Customs, and through the state DMV is an adventure, kind of like, and about as stressful as, doing a difficult trail. Your circumstances are very similar to mine when I imported Camper Mog . . . no vehicle like it in North America and it was 25 years old and what I wanted. It was pretty much a voyage through the unknown, but once I got the plates on it, it was a great feeling of accomplishment.
Incidentally, thinking about a European Mog now seems pretty shrewd given the drop of the Euro versus the dollar. It's a great time to buy a European Market truck given the Euro is near an 11-year low today ($1.12), and the savings versus a dollar-denominated truck will help offset the importation expenses if you decide to go that route.
