Easy Step-By-Step Process To BUYING YOUR CAR In Germany
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มิ.ย. 2024
- #buyacaringermany #usedcarsingermany #expatsingermany #lifeingermany #expattips #expatservices
We bought a used car in Germany recently and we realized that buying a car in Germany can be an overwhelming process. In this video, I share with you a detailed step-by-step guide on how to buy a car in Germany.
📼 RELATED VIDEOS:
For an over-the-shoulder guide on how to get car insurance, make sure to check out our video: • How to get car insuran...
✨ RELATED GUIDES:
Buying A Car In Germany: bit.ly/3abBBSZ
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:29 - Pick the car that is right for you
01:08 - Things to look out for when searching for a car
02:25 - Visit the dealership
04:30 - Car warranty vs. guarantee
05:36 - Sign purchase order
06:01 - Make online appointment to register car
06:42 - Car insurance
07:11 - Get licence plates
07:49 - Go to the car registration appointment
09:45 - Recap
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/ simplegermany
We know how frustrating and painful it might be to move to a new country, especially if you don't fully speak the language. That's why we created Simple Germany.
Simple Germany provides tips & information in English about living in Germany as an expat. We talk about services that are friendly and easy to use to beat German bureaucracy. We also cover the cultural aspects of living in Germany. All of this brought to you from the eyes of an expat and a German duo. We want to help you settle in Germany more smoothly. 🍻
🍿 Visit our website for more in-depth information on life in Germany:
www.simplegermany.com/
This was great! Thanks for all the detail and touch of humor, that definitely lightens up the whole process. Thanks from one Guatemalan to another!
Found a ton of information from this video in a detailed and concise manner. Subbed!
Your videos are very informative and well structured. It's immensely appreciated and of great help !
Hello Andre
Muchas gracias por todos los excelentes videos que hacen.
Both of you make a great job👍.
Gut gemacht.
Great info/content and presentation! THANKS!!!
i love you guys, very informative and useful tips you are sharing with us thanks a lot. 😍
That was so interesting, thanks for the passionate explanation
amazing work as usual. I am following your videos/guides gradually as I settle in this country: getting a flat, internet, bank account, etc... Hopefully I will have my wheels soon (German soon: 1-2 months )
Such a helpful video, thank you!
Very informative video, thank you for sharing.
Regarding the TUV at 1:37 I would like to point out that i did buy a car in Germany in April 2021 and the TUV expires in August 2021, i was able to register the car in my name (also in Dusseldorf). The lady at Straßenverkehrsamt Dusseldorf just reminded me to do the TUV in August and that was it.
Amazing video very well explained ❤
Very helpful, thanks!
Wow, thanks so much for all this information ❤
More more more blessings to this girl 😭🔥🔥🔥
Great video.. awesome info.thank you for sharing.. Vielen Dank 💙
immense info. Thanks.
amazing video thanks!
Thanks for the informative video. In the east part of Saxony, my car dealer told that they will register the car for me. The car dealer asked for my Ausweis and my eVB for registering my car. But next day, they informed me that, they couldn't register my car as the employee in the registration office also need my city registration documents (Meldebescheinigung)!! Ok, I submitted it, now waaiiiiting for more documents request!!!!
Thanks to your videos, I could manage to buy my own car, do the plates and get a good insurance deal.
Fantastic! Have fun on the German roads and always stay safe! 😊
to take away the fear... a good seller makes all these things for you, including the insurance, the plates and the registration. Normally, in bigger cities, within one or two days.
And how much do they charge you for this "extra service"?
@@ankurmitra7587 That is not fix. You pay for what the dealer pay. On most Dealers you can´t bargain the price of the car. But you can bargain the extra Service like this. Other Service like TÜV, new Tires and other stuff, too.
You can buy cars from private person. This is much cheaper, but you have no warranty. We say: sale as seen. There are scammers out there
Sorry my English is very bad. I hope, i use the right words.
@@richardb.9391 how much time to make it happen (registration of the car for new owner) please?
@@youssefaloui3073 In COVID time i do not now this. Week was normal before covid. In this time it can take weeks. Speek this the dealer, he can make it faster as you self.
If you are using the vehicle in the same province I guess!
Nice video 👍🏼
Great video! Doing my registration tomorrow got all the requirements. Please remind me not to forget to ask fro the GREEN sticker! Aka emissions sticker aka Euro 4 as you named it !~
verey informative
thnx
Thanks for the superb video! I’m fan of your channel 😊 Could you please also make a video explaining what is to be done and what all to be kept in mind in case of any accident to our car Germany? Be it an accident involving other parties or some unavoidable damage.
Thanks for your request! Will add it to our list of videos to record ☺️
Super helpful video, thanks! As an expat in Germany, I am friggin' terrified to get into the whole owning a car story, so it's reassuring seeing someone being so chill about it :D
Hahaha thanks Anna, that made me smile. Good luck getting your own car :)
Thanks so much 😊
Good information
Hi Guys- Can you post a Leasing car in Germany guide for us in a separate video? thanks in advance and you are doing great job! cheers...
Mil gracias por toda la ayuda! Aquí estoy con todos los papelitos tratando de averiguar esta madre 😂. Gracias a las dos.
Jajaja mucha suerte!! 🍀
I am coming from future 🙂 this channel will be so helpful for many 😅
Excellent
thank you.
Thanks
Oh my god ! A lot process, I got dizzy, here in Chicago takes one to two hours process. And you get everything same day.
I think you forgot one thing. A direct debit authorization (Sepa mandate) is essential to register. so that the state can collect the vehicle tax from your bank account.
Smooooooothly!
Congratulation to your amazing videos, ladies, thanks a million. Can I use it for my English lesson focussing on automotive vocabulary? How many coffees?
Thanks for your feedback, feel free to link to our content wherever you want :)
Great job in creating this video! I literally used the information from here (and also from the web article) to create the checklist in buying my car. One thing that I am currently confused at is when purchasing the plate online via STVA. Probably you could help shed some light here. I was expecting to pay for something online before it gets delivered, but I only received an email with the "Bestellbestätigung". How and when did you pay for your plates? Thank you and more power to you both!
Sounds like you will get an invoice together with the plates. Then you should wire the amount, whenever you receive them. 😊 Happy to hear that our content guided you through the process!
Hi like your videos 😊 could you do a video about carwash in Germany????
Thanks for all your videos. They are all very useful. 🤗
Do you know what should be the step order if I want to register my own car, which I previously registered in another European country?
-Tüv inspection
-appointment to register the car
-car insurance
-license plates
-register the car
-emissions sticker?
We are not sure if its any different, when you are importing the car. But here is a detailed guide on how to generally register a car in Germany: www.simplegermany.com/how-to-register-a-car-in-germany/ 😊
That was really helpful. How long did it take you to get the registration and plates?
Hey Style, The plates we bought them online on a Thursday and they were delivered on a Saturday. If you buy them personally near the registration office, it should take like 10-20 minutes.
The registration appointment itself took around 10 minutes.
Hello
Maybe one thing to point out: usually you cannot simply choose your car plates. In the whole of the EU the schemes of letters and numbers for a car plate are defined and fixed, and you cannot choose something outside that scheme. But: in germany (and since germany is quite rule driven and therefore restricted, other countries may be more generous ;) the car registration office (which is a government facility) may let you make suggestions and will try to fulfill them. but that's purely customer service. There's no law (germans like laws ;) requiring the car registrar to do so. Keep in mind, even in 2021 germany is still an analog country, and especially in some more rural areas, the internet is still science fiction (at least for government
facilities). So, making an appointment online may be impossible, and the car registrar may still depend on index cards to figure out available car plates. And that significantly reduces your chances to suggest a letter-number combination for a customized car plate (how dare you even demand such a thing ! ). So, anyways you've got to get the letter-number scheme assigned to you by the registrar and only then you may go to a plate manufacturer and get your plates (well, he'll make you any plates you want, but this wouldn't serve you any good. At least, when you're trying to put them on a registered vehicle ;)
So, in the land of rules, if you want things get done, don't add personal preferences to any requests. Otherwise, if may get tricky...
Thanks for sharing. In some areas, Germany is still very analog (unfortunately so!), however, regarding the custom license plate, ourselves and friends had no issue reserving the desired plate online for a small fee. I would also argue that most expats don't live in rural areas, but rather cities with more digitalization.
I live in a rural area and even here you can choose your license plate. Only limit is if the license number is already in use.
@@jorgbecker5028 Yes, almost all cities offer an online reservation for the license plates. You have 4 to 12 weeks to use the chosen combination when registering your car. You can then buy the plates on ebay for cheap. There are some websites that combine the reservation with sending you the plates, but you pay a premium there for the service. The most expensive is getting them at a shop outside the registration office. Instead of 10-15€ online you then pay up to 50€ for 2 plates.
Very good content, great job! To the smart people here, Can an expat from another EU country drive to Germany, buy a new car, then register the car where he/she is a resident? Will the VAT apply where the new car is bought or where it will be registered? Thanks in advance.
Better when you make Video together not separated 👌
I wonder how much time does it take usually 🤔🤔🤔
Do you have any information if I want to move and register the car in other EU countries, such as Estonia?
Thank you for making such great and informative videos, i'd just like to ask if for the registration you would need an Aufenhaltstitel (Card) or if it could be done with a visa (Blue Card EU), since im new here in germany i dont have my ID Card yet. Thanks!
According to our research your passport and Meldebescheinigung (which you get at your Anmeldung) should be enough. But check the website of your Zulassungsstelle, it tells you the documents you need to bring as well. We have a written guide that guides you as well: www.simplegermany.com/how-to-register-a-car-in-germany/
@@simplegermany thanks a lot!
Thank you for the info, it is very helpful. I have a question though, I have to buy a car in this December but I will have a permanent german address just from March. I live in Germany now. Is it a problem? Do I need a german address for buy a car? Thank you for your answer in advance.
Our website has a detailed guide with everything you need to know when buying a car! www.simplegermany.com/buying-a-car-in-germany/
Thanks a lot for this helpful video. What if I would like to buy the car and take it to another country? Do I have to do this stuff too? Thanks
Yes. Buying a car to export it is a different story. You have to do all those steps first to actually be able to drive it off the dealerships lot.
@@simplegermany thank you :-)
Thank so much for the info. This answered a lot my questions that my wife can't answer. 🤣 I have a short question though. Which is better? Buying the car or leasing it?
Hi Jerrold! I'm glad our video has helped you answer some questions regarding buying a car in Germany.
Regarding your question of buying vs leasing, I have to give an 'it depends' kind of answer. Whether buying or leasing a car is the right choice for you depends on your lifestyle and your plans for the vehicle.
Some things to point out about leasing a car are:
* Contracts for leasing a car are for a set amount of time. It is really hard to get out of that contract. So if your leasing contract is for three years, you can rarely return the car before that time. However, if you only want to have a car for two years, then returning a leased car is less of a hassle than selling your own car.
* If you lease the car you have to pay for every damage yourself, no matter how small it is. If you own the car, you can decide if you want to fix the damage or just let it be.
*The good side of leasing a car is that you always get new cars to try out 😋
The best of luck to you!
Cheers - Jen
Leasing is fine if you want a new car anyway. But there are some things you have o look out for. Only sign a kilometer leasing deal. Here you pay a fixed amount for driving the car per month and if you don't get in an accident you have no really bad surprise additional costs. The bad alternative is rest value leasing. You negotiate a value the car is supposed to have at the end of the lease. Now if the car's value is lower than that, you have to pay the difference. Also there are so many leasing deals online. You shouldn't sign a bad local deal. If the monthly rate is above 1/100 of the car's list price with a 10000km/year contract, you get ripped of.
Hi, i want to register my car from other eu country, i need TUV but i though they should put the sticker on the plate in the servise , on new one that i purchade online, so i only need the confirmation that it passed tuv? And on the registration office will be done everything?
Yes, that is correct 😊
How to get financing? Is it available right at the car dealership? Is it better to search for it by yourself?
There are specific car loans in Germany. Some dealerships offer financing, but it's always a good idea to compare the market. We have a detailed guide on the topic: www.simplegermany.com/loan-in-germany/
Hi.. Nice Video with great clarity, could you please help me with the website where you can select your number plates and reserve it for a fee.
Thanks
Of course. I have explained in more detail in this section: www.simplegermany.com/how-to-register-a-car-in-germany/#4_Purchase_your_license_plates_online
I suggest that you use Chrome as a browser, do a right click and select 'translate page to English'. Is this helpful or do you have any further questions? :)
Thanks a lot.... appreciate the swift response. Cheers.
If you pay all at once, you can get a nice discount. But as usual, it depends on the car dealership.
No you don't. The thing is, the dealer always get the monay at once. Either from you, or from the bank.
@@Asgaia Wrong. If you can pay cash, you always get an extra discount. If you have to pay per month, you don't.
It happened plenty of times, with many cars I or my family or friends of mine bought a car.
Does anyone know if I can buy a car in Germany/Berlin and transfer to my address in Ireland?
I mean transfer/register the car docs to Ireland country
Hi JenY, Could you tell me be how much does it cost yearly to have a car without speaking about the car purchase or gas price but registration + insurance.....
Hey Sophie, we talk about the different cost involved in buying and owning a car in our guide: www.simplegermany.com/buying-a-car-in-germany/#How_Much_Does_It_Cost_To_Buy_A_Car_In_Germany
Hope it helps! 😊
Oops, ok! Thx
You should’ve start with , „you should be a German resident“
😂😂
What if the car I found is in a different state like Bavaria and I live in NRW?
No problem, you can either go pick it up yourself or arrange a delivery.
I'm moving to Düsseldorf next year, is buying a motorcycle the same procedure?
Pretty much, yes :)
Hi! I recently moved to Düsseldorf and am looking to buy a car. Can I use my International Driver's Permit to buy a used car in Germany? Or do I need to first get a valid German driver's license?
Hey Stephanie, for just buying a car you don't need a drivers license. You can use your foreign license for the first 6 months, afterwards you need a german one
Absolutely informative.done.
May I know Ur contact about expat in Germany please?
❤
it's possible to buy car and drive also at the same day,i don't know why it took 1week for you
buying my second car,takes me now more than a week..
Oh My Holy God....
I'm So Lucky to live in The US.
I used to live in different parts of Bavaria for some years.
Why does "LIFE" OR Better To Say "EVERYTHING" Is Extremely Difficult in Germany !?!?!?
Can I buy a car in one city but register it in another? Like maybe a car that I like is available in Dusseldorf, can I buy there, and then register in Cologne?
Yes, of course. But you can only pick it up in Düsseldorf after you have registered it in Cologne.
@@simplegermany Awesome thank you :)
Hi Shrivaas, could you register your car in Cologne? I’m finding difficult to find the link where to book an appointment. I also don’t understand if I have to buy the license plate before and where I can do it here in Cologne. Could you help me please? 🙏
Do you know also where to buy the license plate?
Can you drive in Germany with a us ( cal ) driver license ? How about the rest of Euro zone?
Your foreign license is valid for 6 months in Germany. Afterwards, you would require to transfer your license to a German one. We write about it in our guide: www.simplegermany.com/german-driving-license/
Do they ask for driving license for purchase or registration ?
Nope, you do not need to have or show a driving license to buy or register a car. But you certainly need a valid one for driving it 😉
@@simplegermany Thanks a lot for your quick reply. I have an international license which is valid for a year, I will apply for German license before it expires.
Fun fact: this is the first time I got an answer on TH-cam comments section.. your channel rocks \m/
You will have a better deal if you buy from the owner of a car instead of a dealer. A dealer will show you the paperwork and maintenance records but they know nothing about small problems, oil consumption and so on. It’s easier to bargain with the owner.
And you don't get a warranty of any kind from a private seller...
I like your video but what about international buyer
Unfortunately we can’t really give you any advice on exporting a car from Germany. At the end of the day you still need to go through all the steps described as you won’t be able to drive the car into another country.
Do you have to pay extra to have a personalized license plate?
Yes, there is usually an extra fee. We have written about it in this guide: www.simplegermany.com/how-to-register-a-car-in-germany/
what are the websites to find new and used cars?
Hey Sophie, next to this video, we have written all about it in our guide: www.simplegermany.com/buying-a-car-in-germany/
Some one say u have to pay 19% on a used car is that part of the price ?
Yes the VAT tax is always included in the price shown to the customer.
What cars do most people drive in Germany ? Manual or auto ?
Mainly manual, but automatic has become more and more popular in the past years.
Hello. I am working in germany, and want to buy a car. Do you know how many cars in one year i can buy and sell in germany?
We don't know, however, if you want to buy and sell cars on a frequent basis to earn money, you need to register a business for it.
@@simplegermany and how hard it is to open buisness in germany? Small one?
Is EUR6 or EUR5 better than EUR4?
The higher the number, the 'greener' the car and the more access you have to city centers etc.
@@simplegermany Awesome! Thank you for the superfast response!
the register part is not 100% accurate
you forgot tha when your car is registerd in a fiffrent eu country and you then should decide to move you can kepp your licenceplate number
I always see czeck licens plates or some from outside of my city or Bundesland and those are gegid people who live here
go to dealer,see the car,don't negociate,vrum vrum authobahn,then go home,rathaus for registration,online for insurance then go back to dealer to sign the rest of paper and then go home with new car ?!?!?!? what if the dealer is 23847928 km away?germany is big
Yes, usually you will have to go twice to the dealership, so make sure to consider that when choosing one. But don't worry, Germany is not 23.847.928 km big 😅
@@simplegermany i guess i`ll have to buy locally,too bad,in my region there are so few cars.
I want to purchase old car
Can you buy a car without having a German License?
Yes, you can.
@@simplegermany thank you
Can international students buy a car in European countries?
Well, we cannot tell you about other European countries, but in Germany you can buy a car, as long as you are above 18 years of age and are a resident in Germany 😊
@@simplegermany thankyou for your information
But I want to know about in Lithuania
Why don't the dealers get the registration and license plates done ? This is definately not an easy process. Bureocracy at is peak in all processes in germany. Still the govt does not learn anything and way off the track in digitisation. The feeling of driving the car right after you buy the car on same day is another level , 😂😂 germany is living in still 90's
A lot of car dealers do, but not all.
Looks so much complicated ,even with bad german language skills and no friends 😢 im gonna stick with my bicycle better
Please say TÜV again 😃
😂🙈
TUV..... :)
so, you need to be a german resident. doh!
I would prefer not to buy a car in germany :D
It is not necessary at all if you live in a city. We have lived in Düsseldorf for 7 years without a car. You could cycle or use public transportation 😊
@@simplegermany thank you for your response. Actually I live in Cologne, but frankly car is important to have if we live with family. The comment was just outburst frustration by seeing the long process. :) You both are doing a great work. I refer to your website and TH-cam videos for any of the topics I would like to know. Keep up the good work.
❤