Getting Euro spec parts in the US is not easy. I had a Euro spec BMW and needed parts. I tried a dozen BMW dealers. No dice. BMWUSA blocks all orders. The only way was to order from a dealer or parts house in Europe and then hope they make it through customs. I thought GM pulled out of Europe when they sold Opel and Vauxhall. Don't know who is selling and servicing Corvettes in Europe.

 

Ditto for GM - US Chevy, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealers will not sell UNECE parts in the USA - including obviously the larger wing mirrors with the attached turn signals, the amber tail lights etc etc.

 

^^^
So instead of simply buying a proper size outside mirror from GM, I had to get the aftermarket wide angle version from Sandyeggo Designs.
Yes, the stock outside mirror is "adequate". Just like my wife's Toyota has "adequate" power.

 

I live in Dubai so our cars are the same as EU Spec (they call it Gulf Spec here). Love the side mirrors

 

I looked at some C7 cars for sale in Germany and it appears as though the front and rear fascias are slightly different too. My guess is that this is to accommodate the wider (but shorter) European license plates. Our tags are a different size & shape than theirs.

I own a 2017 Stingray (non-Z51) and noticed that the prices on C7s over there seem to be a lot higher than here in the USA. There is a 1 in 5 chance that my better half will be getting a job transfer to Wiesbaden, Germany in June. If she gets it, we can take ONE car over there free of charge - and bring one back with us (doesn't need to be the same vehicle) when we return to the USA. If she gets it, the assignment is for three years and extendable to five.

I thought it might be nice to ship my Stingray over there, enjoy it awhile and then sell it for a good price. We would buy a new Audi, Bimmer or Mercedes (US specs) before coming home. However, I now think that selling a "USA spec" Stingray there might not be very easy. I wasn't aware that there were so many differences. Under agreement between the USA and the EU, we can drive "US spec" vehicles whilst living there, but selling one to a German native might be verboten.

Lots of things to consider regarding our vehicles - not to mention having to sell the house - if she gets the position.

Thanks to all who posted comments in this thread!!

 

I can recall being in the Frankfurt airport when either the C5 or C6 was in production. There was one on display in the terminal, complete with price and options for that particular vehicle.
IIRC, the sticker price was about $10k more than the equivalent car would would have stickered for in the US.

 

You should be able to sell it to a US military person stationed in Germany or a similar US citizen working for DOD if they are authorized to ship a car home. Don't think s EU citizen could register a US spec car in Europe.

 

On EU ones, Eco mode doesn't work the same way. V8 change to V4 only in ECO, not when you are in TOUR, SPORT or TRACK.

 

On my 2017 Stingray, it only goes into V4 if I am driving in "ECO" mode (which I never do). It never switches to V4 in TOUR, SPORT or TRACK modes at all. Of course, that's because my car has a 7spd manual transmission. The 8spd auto-shift Stingray will always try to switch to V4 all the time - unless you install a Range AFM device OR drive it in "manual" mode.

If my better half does get the overseas transfer, we will probably sell my Stingray before we leave. The market for clean C7s is strong right now.

P.S. Thanks to everyone for the informative comments.

 

Even with a A8, a EU C7 won't switch in V4 in TOUR, SPORT or TRACK. Only in ECO. No need for range AFM device for that. The electronic doesn't work the same way, EU specs are probably different.

 

When we had the 2019 Stingray (which was automatic), the first thing we did is buy a Range AFM device for it. It kept the engine from going into the V4 mode. I wish that the US market cars were like the European ones in that regard - where the car only went into V4 when driving in the "ECO" mode.

We sold it back in October (for 4 grand more than it cost us new) and I removed the Range AFM device. I ended up giving it to a fellow Corvette club member who has a 2017 with automatic shift. We kept my Torch Red 2017 only because it has a manual transmission. Heaven knows that the Elkhart Lake Blue 2019 certainly looks a whole lot sharper!

 

Yes you can sell your US-spec car in Europe unlike in the US where you cannot sell your European-spec Corvette. I have done this a number of times. Cars sold into the EU incur a 10% import duty + a 15-25% (VAT) sales tax depending on the country which explains why cars are more expensive in Europe than in the US. Furthermore all European-spec Corvettes have many many differences vs the US version and the cost of those changes add up. Most are not visible. For returning expatriates (Europeans) and Americans moving to Europe they are allowed to bring with them as part of their personal belongings a car and not pay either the import duty or the sales tax. If you are just coming over as a tourist you do not get the discount but can still sell your Vette. Understand though that there is no arbitrage opportunity for you because anyone can do exactly what you are doing - coming to the US buying a US-spec Vette and shipping it back to Europe and paying the import duty and sales tax. It is worth doing simply on the merits of being able to drive your Vette with total freedom. Being able to drive your Vette in Europe is total freedom - you will finally understand the excellence of the performance envelope of the car without having to do it in an artificial environment like a track. You can drive from Italy to Germany in less than a day and then put your car in sport mode and watch the speedometer go past the magical 300 km/h mark - the clear delineation between a utilitarian and a performance missile. CAN'T DO THAT IN NA. You can drive a phenomenal road like the Cirque de Navacelles slicing between the Gard & Herault regions of France - CAN'T DO THAT IN NA; or drive the pass made famout by Sean Connery's James Bono in Goldfinger - the Furka Pass in Switzerland - CAN'T DO THAT IN NA. I could go on but you get the idea. Take your Vette to Europe - it will be the best vacation your ever take.

 

It is something you have to check very precisely. When I was in Virginia, due to the agreement between the US and EU, I was able to come and drive any French cars, but it was forbidden to sell it in the US. If I come with a French car, I have to come back with it. No exception.
In fact, just one exception, if I have a major crash and the car is not repairable, it is possible to let it to a car breaker in Virginia. But the process is not so simple withe the DMV.
As a French guy, it was perfectly feasible to come back in France with a US car. VAT and import charges are one aspect to consider. Homologation is the other one and in EU homologation is often a long process, not so simple, and pretty expensive.
To be honest, of course there is less C7 in EU than in US, but it is not rare and Corvette lovers know pretty well all the differences between US and EU ones. There is enough choice . They know that to have a title, homologation is mandatory and add a certain cost to the price of the car.

As says gogmgo, using your vette in Europe is a total freedom, exactly as in the US, but one major difference is that the cost is absolutely not the same. Everything is much more expensive here in EU. Gas, insurance, speed control... that's something you have to consider too. I have been using mine almost daily in Norfolk for the past 5 years, it is not possible so easily here in EU.

That said, if you have a legal office where you half is about to be posted, do not hesitate to contact them. It could be very helpful. Especially because if there is a EU legislation, each State has his own rules too. And it is not so easy to fully understand everything.

 

Great question for Ask Tadge.

 

Yes Flo is correct. You can bring an EU-homologated car to the US for up to six months as a tourist but then the car has to be re-exported or it will be destroyed. In terms of costs, driving a Vette in Europe is more expensive because anything automotive in Europe is more expensive - gasoline/diesel is 3x the cost of the US, highway tolls are much more expensive but I would say that insurance is probably more reasonable. On the other hand you can drive at much higher safer speeds in Europe and European highway surfaces are excellent - France probably has the most amazingly well-engineered and maintained highway network in all of Europe but it is expensive. Driving from Paris down to Nice costs $55 in tolls - if you charged Americans $55 in tolls they would revolt but as the saying goes, 'you get what you pay for' And the drivers in France are much better and more disciplined but you all know that because we all know how distracted are drivers in the US.

 

She is actually an attorney herself.......works for the Department Of Defense as a civilian (she is a retired lieutenant colonel and formerly a JAG officer).

If she gets the job, we are going to marry (we already planned to do so anyhow, but will merely speed it up a bit) before going overseas. We can take one vehicle over and bring one back with us.......but it doesn't need to be the same one..

We can take the Corvette to Germany and enjoy it duty-free and without any modification to Euro specs. Something about a "status of forces" agreement of some kind. It's not unlike when I was a kid and my dad was stationed there with the Army. We took our Chevrolet Caprice Estate station wagon with us.

Now it would be a problem selling a US-spec Corvette to a German national. They would likely have to pay a duty and get some things added/converted. Another option might be to sell the car to another American stationed there.

Before coming back to the USA, we could order a US-spec Audi (as she did when she was over there before), enjoy the car there for awhile and then have it shipped back home when the assignment ends (3 years - extendable to five) and she retires for a second time.

Lots of things to consider, though. The way car prices are here now, maybe I would be better off selling it here before we leave. Don't want to count our chickens, though.. Her interview is Wednesday and she's one of 3 or 4 candidates who made it to this part of the hiring process.

 

good luck then

 

Cross fingers for her

 

You damn right 😅😅😉

 

Facts are facts.....