mmm... I bet you're fun at parties
Permanently Relocating to Germany and taking 2016 4runner along
- Thread starter californium90
- Start date
I forgot to mention the annual road tax if you’re not military. The bigger the displacement - the more expensive you will pay. I was also , paying $220 for a 6 cylinder 2012 bmw while I was there.. insurance coverage aren’t the typical 100/300K.. it’s cheaper to insure euro spec
the_fornicator
New member
I lived in Germany for a handful of years (Munich) and besides making your 4runner meet Deutsch standards being a problem, I'd also look into insurance -from what I recall, any large vehicle only qualifies for a certain type of commercial insurance. I didn't bring a truck over for that very reason (that an gas being like 3EUR for a liter).
Calling into the Kreisverwaltungsreferat or TÜV or whatever exists in your destination city, you'll have to jump through hoops if you don't know fluent German. They're supposed to speak fluent English to get the job, but the second you start speaking English, they'll say "kein Englisch" and then hang up on you.
Keep us updated though! I'm curious how this pans out. I'd personally sell and buy something cool over there. Everything in Europe is turbo'd lol you'd have limited parking too if you're going into a lot -the ones around my place around central Munich couldn't fit Porsche SUVs so they had to find meter parking on the streets which was a completely different battle.
Calling into the Kreisverwaltungsreferat or TÜV or whatever exists in your destination city, you'll have to jump through hoops if you don't know fluent German. They're supposed to speak fluent English to get the job, but the second you start speaking English, they'll say "kein Englisch" and then hang up on you.
Keep us updated though! I'm curious how this pans out. I'd personally sell and buy something cool over there. Everything in Europe is turbo'd lol you'd have limited parking too if you're going into a lot -the ones around my place around central Munich couldn't fit Porsche SUVs so they had to find meter parking on the streets which was a completely different battle.
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blackened_offroad
New member
sick burn. You come up with that one by yourself?
mteolus
New member
California 163,696 sq mi
California 137,847 sq mi
But you can drive to other countries without even stopping at the border. Switzerland as a slight exception requires a sticker which cost me I think 13 Francs. You should be able to find plenty of off-roading in the EU. In fact I saw a guy from Texas at the border. I can't remember what he was driving though but there were plenty of bigger cars driving around. Unfortunately the 4Runner won't be much fun on the Audubon. Plenty of big luxury cars hauling ass passing me going 150 mph. Besides the Alps, there is the Black Forest which is pretty rad.
California 137,847 sq mi
But you can drive to other countries without even stopping at the border. Switzerland as a slight exception requires a sticker which cost me I think 13 Francs. You should be able to find plenty of off-roading in the EU. In fact I saw a guy from Texas at the border. I can't remember what he was driving though but there were plenty of bigger cars driving around. Unfortunately the 4Runner won't be much fun on the Audubon. Plenty of big luxury cars hauling ass passing me going 150 mph. Besides the Alps, there is the Black Forest which is pretty rad.
I lived in Germany for 8 years with the military. Getting a car inspected on a base and on the road is not a big deal if you are going through a SOFA (status of forces agreement) station. Can't say if you are through the local economy.
I brought a 2 door Yukon over when I moved (which I loved at the time) and sold it to a buddy within 4 months. It just could not keep up on the Autobahn, and quite frankly was dangerous by being too slow (topped out about 85MPH) A T4R is not any faster, so i think you will be in the same boat. I would recommend getting a nice German car once you get over there. I had a Mercedes, a VW, A Porsche and a couple BMWs. Parts are cheap over there, maintenance is not too bad and you will be much happier when you can keep up with traffic on the highways.
Best of luck.
If you get the chance, I would enjoy hearing about where you are going and details on the area.
I brought a 2 door Yukon over when I moved (which I loved at the time) and sold it to a buddy within 4 months. It just could not keep up on the Autobahn, and quite frankly was dangerous by being too slow (topped out about 85MPH) A T4R is not any faster, so i think you will be in the same boat. I would recommend getting a nice German car once you get over there. I had a Mercedes, a VW, A Porsche and a couple BMWs. Parts are cheap over there, maintenance is not too bad and you will be much happier when you can keep up with traffic on the highways.
Best of luck.
If you get the chance, I would enjoy hearing about where you are going and details on the area.
cb1111
Member
the OP hasn't been back since he first started this thread, so it is unlikely that he cares.
That said, yours was the only intelligent post in this thread - the amount of wrong information in this thread is staggering.
Trying to get a 4R through TUV will be nightmare and the costs for an older car will be staggering. Getting parts will be difficult (Toyota sells a tiny amount of cars in Germany, gas is expensive (1.269 Euros/liter today - $1.485 a liter or $5.62 a gallon) and that is at the current "cheap" rates. Parking isn't easy as parking garages are too small.
Because of the age of the car, it is most likely that the annual car tax will fall into the higher category - so roughly 25 Euros per 100cm displacement. The 4R has what, a 4 liter engine, so 40 x 25 or 1000 Euros a year road tax.
Military/Sponsored civilian have no issues - no road tax, to German inspections (the on-base inspection is an inspection which is a mix of US and German regs - the car must be safe but as long as it meets US regs it is OK. Rust is a huge issue for the inspectors and I've seen them go after something that looks like rust with a screwdriver and a hammer) cheaper gas, but parking is still an issue.
californium90
New member
Well, guys, Thank you for all your advise. I have been carefully reading everything you guys have put out here. I also reached out to the TUV and the Insurance Companies in Germany, So, it turns out that the car insurance there is not based on driving history as it is based on the Cubic Displacement of your engine. So our 4Runners would cost about 250-300 euros a month to ensure. Totally not worth it. The only modification I found out would be a re-wiring of the tail lap to be on when the fogs are on. Not that hard to do. However, I guess it will be us selling it in the US and getting something that will suit our needs better in Germany. We will be relocation to Germany ( not thru the military ) but as civilians in the upcoming month or two and will be in the Frankfurt area! I have loved our 4runner and will miss it a lot, but I guess it is time for a change afterall!
