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Is it possible to import a 2005 BMW 318D from Germany and register it?

Rob50lx

Rob50lx

Well-known member
Joined
May 29, 2020
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1660
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93
My wife is TDY in Germany and has a 2005 BMW E46, Diesel, Manual 5-speed, wagon. She loves the car and would like to import it but it seems like 25 year old vehicles is the minimum. Are there any ways to do this? I think the vehicle is cool but I'm not sure shipping it here and waiting 5 years for registration is practical. Does Montana registration provide a loop hole?

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Montana would work if it was titled / registered in any of the lower 48 but out of the country FMPOV is another matter ATG.

I have titled a few trucks from local adjoining states for friends.

If you like I can pm you the # to titles in Helena Mt and you can take it up with them or you might want to go the LLC route.

Just make sure its always on / in a trailer

Figure out the cost to ship and take it from there..
 
I don't think so, by bringing it in whole, you risk it being seized and crushed


Either buy one 25yo, or buy one for a donor, tear it apart, crate everything you need, then buy a matching chassis state side and build what you want, probably without emissions, so you might need Montana registration or similar
 
Ebs said:
Have you ever had vin tags inspected? Buy a E46 wreck/title for $350 stateside and go get a plate.
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Yes...my '70 Bug was from Washington, when I did the title transfer they checked all three spots...dash, door and trans tunnel...
 
is that front fender mismatch as bad as it looks in the photo?


You're gonna pay through the nose for a manual e46 wagon if you're not building one out of parts/salvage vehicles.

www.atlasmotorsnc.com

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If you'll take an auto they can be had under $10k.
 
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Regardless of what you do with it once it's "here"


I'm 90% sure a 2005 gray market car would be seized and crushed when it rolled off the boat in Port. Thank the auto manufacturers for that.

25 years, hard line.


Friend of a friend bought a right hand drive supra in Japan, at 24 years old, and paid to have it stored in some "legal holding pattern " somewhere until it turned 25. Suddenly it was a whole lot more valuable, and US legal, and even more valuable. But yours is 19. So buy a 2000 version, does it exist?


Or you could ship it to Canada, and then "visit" the US for 5 years.

Or you could cut the car up, at the A pillars, and stuff all the special pieces in the cargo area, and rebuild a different gas sedan when it gets here. It'll probably take you until 2030:laughing:


There's some way cool shit to buy over there, bring back a 99 or older toyota 4wd diesel to use or resell and get her a 425lbft 335d until 2030 and go back for the other car. She probably won't, 335d is a blast to drive:laughing:
 
I will probably not risk it. I was hoping there was a relatively safe way of importing it.

She only paid $2500 for it with another set of rims and snow tires. It has a around 228,000 km so about 142k miles and runs great.

WTF? said:
is that front fender mismatch as bad as it looks in the photo?


You're gonna pay through the nose for a manual 346 wagon is you're not building one out of parts/salvage vehicles.

www.atlasmotorsnc.com

USED 2002 BMW 3 SERIES for sale in Raleigh, NC | Atlas Motor Co.

Buy USED 2002 BMW 3 SERIES for sale at $39,995 in Raleigh, NC at Atlas Motor Co. today!
www.atlasmotorsnc.com www.atlasmotorsnc.com

If you'll take an auto they can be had under $10k.
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She says you can't see it in person and she can't see anything obvious under the hood. She has had it up to 150kph (@93mph).


I was stationed in Germany from 2001-06. I had probably 7-8 BMW E30 325s. I would pick them up from the Military JY for $350 at a silent auction. I would fix them and flip them. I also was an "importer" of European e30 parts on eBay back in the day and made some good money.

I wish I new someone in Canada but 5 years seems like on long time to store a car at a reasonable rate.
 
fordguy said:
whats TDY?

importing a car thats been hit :flipoff2:
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TDY is temporary duty station/assignment. She is a civilian nurse on an army post. She volunteered for an 11 month assignment in Wiesbaden Germany.

I will be visiting her and I would be able to inspect the vehicle to determine if it is worthy.
 
Rob50lx said:
She says you can't see it in person and she can't see anything obvious under the hood. She has had it up to 150kph (@93mph).
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:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

That's it? My 87 325i MTechnic would run out of gears at 250 KMH (155 MPH). It didn't like and wind at that speed, though, as the front end began to float wherever it wanted.

The only way to do this is to get a 2000 model and import it in 7 weeks.
 
Rob50lx said:
I will probably not risk it. I was hoping there was a relatively safe way of importing it.

She only paid $2500 for it with another set of rims and snow tires. It has a around 228,000 km so about 142k miles and runs great.


She says you can't see it in person and she can't see anything obvious under the hood. She has had it up to 150kph (@93mph).


I was stationed in Germany from 2001-06. I had probably 7-8 BMW E30 325s. I would pick them up from the Military JY for $350 at a silent auction. I would fix them and flip them. I also was an "importer" of European e30 parts on eBay back in the day and made some good money.

I wish I new someone in Canada but 5 years seems like on long time to store a car at a reasonable rate.
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PM me, I might have a storage solution for you
 
If it were a Porsche old school 911 .. I could understand..

It being a station wagon I just don't get the thinking behind it.

That's why not ? For me... Pony_Driver Screenshot_20241115_171330_Gallery.jpg something along these lines, however "Priscilla" is already stated side..
"Not ⁴ Sale"! :flipoff2::smokin:
 
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