Moving your home is a stressful business, but if you have to move your car, you might think that that is quite easy – think again! There is a mountain of paperwork, depending on which country you come from and which you wish to move to, insurance, import tax, export regulations, foreign road tax issues…the list goes on.

What are the Pros?

The pros of moving your car overseas are that you get to keep a vehicle you might have enjoyed driving for some time, one you feel confident and comfortable to drive. New cars might be far more expensive in the country you are planning to move to – even after you’ve applied the import tax to the current value of your old vehicle it might be far more. New cars might be difficult to get hold of and second hand cars might not be up to much, if the country you are moving to have some “creative” ideas about roadworthiness and car maintenance.

If you are moving abroad, because you have accepted a job offer there or because your current employer is moving you to an overseas branch for a period of time, you will not have enough time to hunt around for a new car. You will need to get on with your new tasks, concentrate on your new home, neighbours, your kids’ new schooling and your new colleagues at work. You also might have to come to terms with speaking a new language. The last thing you need is to negotiate car prices with a dealer, who doesn’t understand the meaning of “Customer service” and “How can I get money off for this scratch”?

Keeping your car may make economic sense, if loans are hard to come by in the new country you are moving to. Usually, even in better economic days, banks wanted to see at least three months’ worth of regular income going into a bank account, before they would lend. Now with money so tight that many countries are facing bankruptcy, banks are even less inclined to lend and car dealerships no longer offer favorable terms. Even if your present car is relatively new, the drop in value can be considerable and you are still liable to pay the difference of your current car loan, if you didn’t pay outright.

Any move instigated by your current employer usually involves a reimbursement of specific moving overseas costs. You could negotiate that this should include your car, making you mobile from the moment you get to your new place of work and home.

When you move your home, regardless of how far you move, you will need to have immediate transportation to get around. Shipping your car to a foreign country is no different. Let the professionals handle it and you can be mobile soon after you get yourself settled in your new residence.

Reference: Auto Transport > Shipping > Cons of Moving your Car Overseas