Do you think it's a good idea for me to purchase an 8 stateside and then have it shipped overseas? My only concern is how the warranty will work in that instance.

I'm an American service member currently stationed in Germany. Got 2 more years here, maybe more if I'm lucky, and considering how fine everyone thinks the 8 is, I don't think I'm patient enough to wait until being assigned back home to buy one.

Great site BTW - makes for another reason to buy an RX-8.

 

I bought one in the states and it's on its way to me in Germany now. There's two ways to look at it.

1. It will be cheaper to buy the car stateside and have it shipped even if you were to use a VAT form and buy it here.

2. If you buy it here, it will be different specs, and you'll pay out the nose to have it converted when you return stateside.

Mine will be here on the 29th! If you're in the Heidelberg area, PM me and we'll have a beer and talk cars.

 

Also, you can most likely get the military to give you orders to ship the car. If not, I had mine shipped for around $1000 (not too bad IMO)

 

Ok, once again a login was screwed up I (AutoBahnRX8) made those last posts. Sorry about that WooSaenge!

 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention about the warranty deal, well that's the downside. Instead of your typical stateside 3 year 30k, you'll get the German plan which is only 1 year kind of sucks, but if planning a bunch of mods like yours truly, won't hurt too bad

 

When transfering between US and Europe fellow workers have found it always cheaper and easier to sell and purchase vehicles locally. Exceptions would be 'special' vehicles where repurchase of a similar vehicle is not possible. I think being military makes things much easier for you.

Bringing back a US spec car for one family turned out to be fairly easy for the one case I know of. It took three of us an hour at the port to reinstall all the emission equipment for the inspecion.

If you plan extensive mods that could be emission or safety related in the government's mind then reimporting the car will be a problem. Again being military could make this easier. Decades ago japanese bikes coming back on gray ships never anything except the VIN checked by the California DMV to get imported.