Exported car to Europe, now cannot pass emissions. Please help!

[DrHax]

Here in Germany car-modding is a very common thing because we've got some of the lax regulations in the EU and our aftermarket-stuff has the "KBA-Numbers" that our Government needs. I you have parts with this numbers and make them legal on your car at the "tüv" (state inspection company) you´re fine.

But if you got an american car, it´s a nightmare to get this thing legal, the papers for my Merc has 3 pages. You have to convert the headlamps to H4 and the turn signal lamps in the back has to be amber, for that you´ll have to do your own custom wiring for the taillights and put amber bulbs into place where the reversing lights are - what a bullshit! Next thing you´ll only get EU1, because in Europe catalysts only came here in 1992 (exept switzerland 1986) and "EU1" came in 1994…

And the taxes… usually 735 Euros per year for a Box-Panther with the 5.0 engine. If you´re in the business and know about emission-standards and you´ve got a supporting Ford dealership behind you, you can get a "EU3" for 1986 CA-Emission Box, thats 317 Euro per year.
This year the car turns 30 - time for historic plates and "only" 191 Euro tax per year (and 61 euros insurance per year)

so you see… having a Box here in Germany is very expensive. But its worth every Euro

I'm surprised somebody hasn't used a 3d printer and printed out some different taillights.. granted from the sounds of it THOSE would need to be approved. I heard about some bitching from the classic VW scene where they have to mod their old classic cars to keep them on the road... if they want to drive. Germany seems to be one of the stricter places.

I'm surprised you can't see about upgrading the emissions system with a more modern exhaust and cats. Somebody on the CVN did it with a custom made exhaust system with new cats and the car barely read on the smog test. But then again that seems to be iffy because of the numbers deal. I don't know.

I'm always curious to hear about how other parts of the world mod their cars. I know Australia a box would probably easy to mod.. They're a bit bonkers down there as it is. How's driving a box in germany? I know my car's considered a yacht here.. In germany it must look like a battleship rolling down the streets.

[Chris84]

If you compare Germany with Switzerland or Austria, then Germany is more lax then they are.
Our Problem is, that every aftermarket part hast to be approved (that´s the so called KBA-Nummer), that´s why the prices here a much higher than in the US. But because you´ll ned certificated parts on our domestics, it´s easier for a Box.
Every Box has a single approval, so no KBA-Nubers has to be there (Boxes where never sold in Germany, exept for 1979).
I got the EU3 Emission-Standard because of new Cats, EGR, AIR-System and the "high idle when cold"-factor - all these things are needed for EU3 and higher.
Here some companies has modern catalysts for cars from the states, they are approved and so you get the better Emission-class.

Driving a Box here is not a difficult Thing, ok, you´re the slowerst car on the Autobahn (exept the trucks) and in the more rural regions with tiny villages and tiny streets it could be difficult when a 90 degree corner is in front of you
Here the People a crazy about FWD, so no great numbers of sharp Corners. My Box has the same turn-cirle as a compact like a Toyota Aygo (RWD rules)
You´re right with the battleship Thing, even when a XC90 or Porsche Cayenne is in front or behind the Merc, the people staring at you. Fake-wood on the sides, a wagon witch is nearly 6 Meters Long, not an every day thing here.
I live in the City of Rosenheim, it´s 20 km´s from the border to Austria, where the liter premium is about .99 Euros at the Moment, so no thoughts about city-mileage

[Chris84]

[sly]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44653[/ATTACH]

Parking space consumption... 95%
I call that high efficiency.

[DerekTheGreat]

That's awesome. Those other three have the same cookie-cutter shape yet the big wagon stands out.

[gadget73]

I love parking next to tiny cars. Its not so obvious here in the US since the massive trucks dwarf my Lincoln, but it looks silly next to something like a Mini or a Fiat.

[GM_Guy]

Your gas price is the same as ours here in Canada, for premium.

Alex.

[DerekTheGreat]

Minis & Fiats look silly regardless of what's parked next to them. Turds.

[Chris84]

this summer, i´ll post a thread with some pictures here. "Box-life in Germany"