It seems the world’s woken up to the fact that cars from ‘dry’ US states lack rust – and rocketing prices reflect this. But what about all those lovely, cared for older Veedubs still trundling around across the water in mainland Europe? With the pound strengthening, there’s a  good chance of bagging an EU bargain…

So where are the overseas treasures, and what’s out there? The answer is just about everywhere, and anything; just like here though it’s a case of trawling the various websites to uncover the bargains.

Virtually every European country has their own ebay and there’s some specialist classified websites that you may not of heard of also. If you like the idea of a trip to France, try searching for possible candidates on www.leboncoin.fr (which roughly translates to ‘the good corner’) while if you fancy a bit more sun and don’t mind traveling further afield to Spain, give www.segundamano.es a look. Here, using the term ‘Coches clasicos’ or ‘classic cars’ in any searches could prove useful. These sites allow you to narrow your search to certain regions, allowing you to focus on areas near to a port or parts of the country served by a low cost airline for example.

Needless to say, just like the UK there will be sellers trying to flog their cars for much more than they’re really worth – and you’ll need to factor in travel and accommodation costs to determine whether it’s really a bargain after all. If you fly over, don’t forget to add the necessary car hire or taxi costs involved in viewing cars for sale – and it would make sense to line up two or three potentially good viewings in the same area to make the trip worthwhile. Also, from experience, people in mainland Europe aren’t always as open to haggling as we are here – so don’t turn up hoping to make a stupidly low offer because the result could be a wasted trip!

As for exchanging currency and paying for the car, an international money transfer is probably the best option, although there’s likely to be bank charges involved. Carrying cash is dodgy and few private vendors are likely to accept a credit card. If you’re transferring a large amount into Euros, deal with a specialist currency exchange company who are likely to be able to offer a better rate than your high street bank.

But, of course, it’s not always about the money. Buying abroad often enables you to find models that weren’t available in Britain, and the prospect of driving something a bit different and the kudos it brings might be all the incentive you need. For lovers of two-door Jettas, oddball ‘de luxe’ models, or cars festooned with unusual period accessories, the continent is Dub delving nirvana.

An added bonus, especially if you go further south to hotter, less rain-drenched countries like Italy and Greece, is that rust may not be so much of an issue. I once owned a fabulous ’76 Beetle Cabrio which was imported from Southern Italy which was as shiny underneath as it was on top!

Wherever you buy, don’t let details such as originality, mileage, year and who actually owns the vehicle get lost in translation. All the usual checks apply and because of the language barrier, you need to be extra cautious before parting with any cash.

As for the nitty gritty of getting the car home, technically it’s illegal for a permanent UK citizen to drive a car in the UK while it’s still registered overseas – so trailering can often be best. If you decide to take the risk, you’ll certainly need to take out insurance (giving your UK insurer its chassis/VIN number) first and to do this you will need all the necessary paperwork from the old owner so you can prove the model, age and spec of the vehicle. A signed and dated receipt with the old owner’s address to prove it’s yours will offer additional peace of mind as you make your way back to Blighty. The rest, in theory, can be refreshingly straightforward. What you do when you get home is get an MoT (again, based on the chassis/VIN) and then apply to the DVLA for a V5C document in your name. This registration process involves completing a V55/5 form (downloadable from the internet via www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration) and paying a £55 first registration fee, as well as the cost of the Vehicle Excise Duty (if applicable). Your local DVLA office will then issue a tax disc, with the V5C usually arriving a few weeks later.

The other thing you may have to consider for the first MoT test is making an import UK-compliant, which may mean swapping the kph speedo for a UK equivalent and modifying the lighting so you have the necessary sidelights, etc. Nothing too difficult, in other words.

The great thing is, with more countries joining the EU like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania and Malta – the chance of retrieving VW bounty is growing all the time!

So come on, what are you waiting for?

Ian

 

The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of VW Heritage