Date:         Tue, 20 Feb 2007 01:20:13 -0700
Reply-To:     Martin Jagersand <jag@CS.UALBERTA.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Martin Jagersand <jag@CS.UALBERTA.CA>
Subject:      Tales from Europe and VW campers (part 3)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Recall from the previous episodes that my dream of buying a mint
VW turbo-Diesel camper didn't pan out and instead I ended up with
a well used gold/brown US re-import. The first few days of ownership
involved trying to get the most essential things fixed on the
van and trying to get it insured and registered in Germany.

Insurance and registration is always a tricky matter in foreign
countries. I had read on the web that it should be possible to
register a car in Germany also as a non-resident alien. However
the local bureaucrats would have nothing of that. Options seemed
to be either temporary "for export only plates" or to register
as a resident in Germany.

"For export" plates apparently anyone can get, but only for up to
three months. As we wanted to use the camper longer, it would not
be a good option. Another issue is that one also would need a much
more expensive insurance for this kind of plates. I heard that
can cost up to Eur 500/month, but didn't verify this.

For the second option, normal German plates and insurance, one
has to be registered as a resident on some physical address in
Germany. Since we were staying in an apartment the physical address
was no problem. Fortunately, I have a Swedish passport and since Sweden
joined EU some years ago, getting the German residency was as easy as
going to the city hall with my passport. I heard from my German friend
that Americans need to apply for the residency (for instance based on a
study or work objective -- not sure if "vacation" would do it) and
additionally show adequate health insurance coverage.

Getting insurance involves pretty much the same procedure as in
north America. Insurers are private, and it pays to ask for several
quotes. Discounts are available based on driving experience and
accident free years. Most companies will insist on a signed original
from your previous insurer. I got answers ranging from Eur 162/year
to nearly Eur 400 for liability. Comprehensive and collision would
add about Eur 150-200 each, but wasn't really necessary given the value
of my camper. The cheapest company insisted to increase the liability
quote to 208, claiming that the transfer directly into the quote group
they first mentioned was not possible using my Canadian record. Still
very reasonable, and much cheaper than e.g. France. Thank the Germans
for their apparently relatively safe driving habits.

German registered cars have to have safety (HU/TuV) and emissions (AU)
tests done every two years. Since my bus was soon up for reinspection
I made the test a condition of the sale. The safety inspection involves
mostly a brake test done on a machine, and a causal visual inspection.
It is probably more strict than many US state inspections, but
perhaps a bit less picky than e.g. the Alberta out-of-province inspection.
At least my camper got through with slightly grooved brake disks.

Now all the preconditions for registering were met. I went to the
Landsratsamt (approx county government) with the title, old registration,
insurance, valid safety test and emissions test, proof of
residency, and passport. Half an hour later I walked out with new
plates for the camper.

The registration and plates costs about Eur 50, but in addition to this
comes a yearly tax. The tax can vary quite a lot, and the rules have
just been revised for campers. The general (IMHO sound) idea is to tax
proportional to pollution. A clean car with a moderate engine size costs
about Eur 150/year, but a gross polluter can be Eur 700 or more.
Unlike e.g. California the system is however quite flexible.
You add a particle filter or catalytic converter to your vehicle and
you drop to a less expensive tax class. Change the engine to a new,
cleaner one and again save on tax. This means one can legally swap
in the newer 1.9l TDI engines and save on tax.

Luckily my US 1.9l had both the catalytic converter and oxygen sensor in
working order; passed the emissions and therefore got a
reasonable Eur 260/year in tax.

Martin ('85 Westy in Europe and '82, '94 Westies in Canada)