Exporting A CR Sebring 5000
 

Hey guys & gals!!

Has anyone had any experience exporting a CR Cobra or Sebring to Europe??

What disasters am I welcoming since a guy in Germany wants my car really bad??

Thanks in advance!!

Jack

As long as the title is clear and in your name, there is no issue selling in to Germany. If the car is "vintage titled" it makes it even easier for the buyer.


Bill S.

Thanks Bill!!

Here in SC it is titled as a 1967 "Aust" Sebring which it really isn't since nothing like that was ever made......just wondering if Customs will ZAP it??

coosawjac;
1st for heavens sake and yours make sure it isn't a scam. 2nd and most Critical you have to hire a licensed Exporter-no big deal, they will help you with everything you need so it goes smoothly and legally, and good luck!

I make the buyer responsible for any and all export arrangements these days.


Bill S.

So far...wire transfer for the $$$'s.......Exporter to pick up car after payment confirmation.......load on enclosed hauler for trip to port.......load into container......sound of ticking clock??:confused:

I called the ND DMV and found the "ND VIN" assigned to Classic Roadsters cars was not available since records didn't go back that far?? Only glitch is how to register in Germany......needs to be a "pre-85" car and no real way to figger this out so is this my problem?? :(

Talk to the "Exporter" who ever they are. Sometimes nothing more than a Notarized letter from you, two witness' , and a certified letter of the engine serial # showing the year- hopefully pre '85, and hopefully your off and flying!

Thanks Ed but the motor is a 1988 roller 302!!:(

:( Not lookin' good. (This is one reason why I tell guys to get a copy of their MSO before they turn it over to the State.)

Your prospective buyer should be telling you what is required for him to register the car.
There is a recent thread where a guy in Italy/Switzerland took a Cobra as compensation for real estate , turns out it was a Kirkham titled in CA as an '61 Bristol. Long long thread. If you have the money first you may think your golden, but if he runs into paperwork problems, there may be repercussions. Just sayin' I would want proof that what your selling would work as far as acceptance in his country.

Agree Mr. MOTORHEAD.......

I just sent him copies of the title and VIN......in order to register "smog free" in Germany it must be pre-'85 he says........exporter to advise!!

Perhaps a contract stating "Buyer" assumes ALL responsibility for compliance with German laws??

I have told him all I know about the car.....it was re-titled in 2007 in Grand Forks, ND due to "Title being lost in the Great Flood of 1997".......the MORE I dig the worse it gets!!:JEKYLHYDE

This one may just be a "KEEPER"....UGH!!:(

I'm not expert, but I recently imported my car in to Canada, so let me speak from that perspective.

It is usually the importer's responsibility for complying with applicable standards, but it is reasonable for the importer to satisfy himself/herself as to whether those standards are likely to be met, and that is what he/she is attempting to do via the 'exporter to advise' language. The exporter may advise, and both vendor and purchaser may believe everything is okay, but the authorities will have the final say as to whether the documentation that's presented is good enough.

For my car, I ran into two issues: 1) whether the car met Canada's requirements for the car to be a minimum of 15 years old; and 2) country of origin (VIN was interpreted as issued by Malta, not Michigan). In order to satisfy the broker used by the transporter as well as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) I had to get two documents produced: 1) a letter from the Michigan Secretary of State (MSoS) explaining how to interpret the VIN they issued as to issuing jurisdiction and date of issue (records couldn't be searched as they're all purged after 10 years); and 2) a letter from a local CBSA agent that his opinion was the car met the 15 year test, based upon the documentation I provided (MSoS letter, title issued by CT, etc.). Please note I was the one dealing with CBSA, MSoS, etc., not the vendor.

I don't know whether contacting the ND authorities would help but, based upon the fact you have a 1988 engine in the car, it would seem unlikely the car was produced 'pre-85' - though it is possible the engine was replaced.

Thanks for your input!!

The car originally had an '85 motor but the guy I bought it from took the '85 motor and auto trans out and installed the '88 one and a T-5.......BTW, he was the 3rd owner and I am the 4th!!

The guy I have negotiated with in Germany now wants me to sell to another guy there for duty/tax reasons but I have said no.

I told the buyer to simply have his US partner buy it from me and then sell it to whomever he pleases......I want no involvement or liability once it leaves my possession!!

Stay Tuned!!

Here are the people that are negotiating with me and putting the deal together!!

We Help Locate, Ship, Inspect and Negotiate Specialty Vehicles

Anyone ever heard of them?? They are plowing forward like the Pope works for them......and I'm quite skeptical!!:cool:

Well......

I got a purchase agreement from them and it has some weird stuff in it and I complained so they dropped an entire paragraph pertaining to "disputes"!!;)

I next sent them some additional verbage today and will see what happens Monday??:confused: If they go for it I'm in......if not it's a dead issue!!:cool:

Stay tuned!!

I should have posted before now...sorry!!:(

We loaded the car and crate with the hardtop in it onto an very nice enclosed car hauler on November 13th and it was in Ft. Lauderdale in a container ready to ship the 27th!!

The exporter called me to confirm and said it would sail the first week of December......probably in Bremerhaven, Germany by now??

Everything went smoothly.....so far?? I guess no news is good news??:confused:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Export Update
 

The Sebring made it to Bremehaven, Germany on 12-22-14 and went through Customs OK!!

New owner picking it up this week and beginning the registration process......hopefully he can figger out how to date it "pre-'85"....if not the registration will be expensive!!

Photos of it in Germany forthcoming!!

BTW.....this would NOT have happened had it not been for the US company that coordinated it and dispersed the funds!!