"Tim Challenger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Sorry, did you say which country yo'll be going to ? I missed your first email.
    >
    >
    > > Not sure what CEFTA is, i'll take a look but it is a east-block country.
    > Central European Free Trade Association: Poland, Czech rep., Slovakia, Hungary,
    > Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria.
    >
    > > If the taxes were fair and human i would definitely pay them and not
brainstorm
    > > about some insurance but the method they use to calculate them is a rule
of
    > > thumb not sane logic and some pre-written sheets like in most civilized
    > > countries.
    > mmmm, I think that could start a whole new thread here...any takers?
    >
    > > The fact that i'm gonna stay there only as much as the project i have lasts,
    > > makes it even less smart to go hussle with the paperwork
that's
    > > probably not gonna be done until the time i leave
    > Don't underestimate the "civilisation level" of these former eastern- block
    > countries. Some of them have come a long way in a very short time.
    >
    > > And why i want to keep the plates is because i have a need to travel to neighbour
    > > EU countries where those things matter.
    > Where having US plates matter? (I doubt it - nobody gives a toss about what plates
    > you have on the car in the EU - they are only concerned that you're basically
    > insured etc. - ie legal)
    >
    > Don't forget, if you have an accident then you're in deep shit.
    >
    > TIm.

dream on - given the choice between CEFTA plates and US plates in the EU I'd take
CEFTA any day. The 'obvious' conclusion customs / plod would jump to with US plates
coming in from CEFTA is 'another arrogant US ex-pat who thinks they are exempt from
the law / taxes outside the US'. Of course, *I* wouldn't think that... just how
public employees would take it I think I'd be happier with a CEFTA insurance cert
as well, but then I don't need to have 'CEFTA' explained to me

"The Oik" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    > 'East Block' vanished a while ago - I think its even in the history books
by
    > now. I suggest you check out temp import for re-export plates. If its *really* east
    > and not central Europe, then I wouldn't even bother, the car will go walk about
    > within five minutes anyway. Are you familiar with the Ukrainian regulations on car
    > ownership? Or why Merc closed its Albanian dealership? Get a good customs agent
    > and/or relocation agent and let
them
    > sort it (and, if you want, tell them its a 'no invoice' transaction as far as their
    > work is concerned)

Guy, if you really wanted to ask me what country i'm from you could have just sent me
an email and i would have replied.

Sasha

"Tim Challenger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Sorry, did you say which country yo'll be going to ? I missed your first email.

No i intentionally didn't.

    > > Not sure what CEFTA is, i'll take a look but it is a east-block country.
    > Central European Free Trade Association: Poland, Czech rep., Slovakia, Hungary,
    > Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria.

Yeah, i found it on google.

[snip]
    > Don't underestimate the "civilisation level" of these former eastern- block
    > countries. Some of them have come a long way in a very short time.

Some of them really did and i admire them.

    >
    > > And why i want to keep the plates is because i have a need to travel to neighbour
    > > EU countries where those things matter.
    > Where having US plates matter? (I doubt it - nobody gives a toss about what plates
    > you have on the car in the EU - they are only concerned that you're basically
    > insured etc. - ie legal)

I didn't say US plates but _plates_ (in general). I would really love to see you
drive in a foreign country without your plates attached. Please post your experience.

    > Don't forget, if you have an accident then you're in deep shit.

With the legitimate European insurance (and green card). Why? Can you explain?
Thank you,

Sasha

The Oik wrote:
    > "Tim Challenger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> Sorry, did you say which country yo'll be going to ? I missed your first email.
    >>
    >>
    >>> Not sure what CEFTA is, i'll take a look but it is a east-block country.
    >> Central European Free Trade Association: Poland, Czech rep., Slovakia, Hungary,
    >> Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria.
    >>
    >>> If the taxes were fair and human i would definitely pay them and not brainstorm
    >>> about some insurance but the method they use to calculate them is a rule of thumb
    >>> not sane logic and some pre- written sheets like in most civilized countries.
    >>> mmmm, I think that could start a whole new thread here...any takers?
    >>
    >>> The fact that i'm gonna stay there only as much as the project i have lasts,
    >>> makes it even less smart to go hussle with the paperwork that's probably not
    >>> gonna be done until the time i leave
    >>>
    >> Don't underestimate the "civilisation level" of these former eastern- block
    >> countries. Some of them have come a long way in a very short time.
    >>
    >>> And why i want to keep the plates is because i have a need to travel to neighbour
    >>> EU countries where those things matter.
    >> Where having US plates matter? (I doubt it - nobody gives a toss about what plates
    >> you have on the car in the EU - they are only concerned that you're basically
    >> insured etc. - ie legal)
    >>
    >> Don't forget, if you have an accident then you're in deep shit.
    >>
    >> TIm.
    >
    > dream on - given the choice between CEFTA plates and US plates in the EU I'd take
    > CEFTA any day. The 'obvious' conclusion customs / plod would jump to with US plates
    > coming in from CEFTA is 'another arrogant US ex-pat who thinks they are exempt from
    > the law / taxes outside the US'. Of course, *I* wouldn't think that... just how
    > public employees would take it I think I'd be happier with a CEFTA insurance
    > cert as well, but then I don't need to have 'CEFTA' explained to me

Or they might think you were US military personnel.

"Killian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Sasa Stiasni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Hi, I've been reading about this in this newsgroup but never found an
    > answer
    > > I needed. I'm planning to take my car to Europe and since that is going to be for
a
    > > while, my car registration is going to expire (but I would love to be
able
    > > to extend it). The problem is that the car insurance I have in US is no good in
    > > Europe
    > and
    > > therefore I would like to suspend it. I'm not sure if at that point I
will
    > > be able to renew my registration since I need the insurance to register
    > the
    > > car. I know if I cancel the insurance I won't be able to register the car. I
    > > phoned the insurance company and the agent told me that if I suspend
the
    > > insurance it is the same as if I canceled it since I only have one car
    > (and
    > > few months ago I had it suspended with no problems) so I don't trust
them
    > > with any of their statements (they just want money). I also phoned DMV (MVS) and
    > > they told me that without valid insurance I can't register the car (which I
    > > already knew). They didn't even
understand
    > > what I'm talking about I know I have to take European insurance in order to
    > > drive there and I
    > don't
    > > feel like paying for both of them.
    > >
    > > Does anyone have any experiences? Car has NJ plates and is insured in NJ (State
    > > Farm) but any other experiences welcome.
    > >
    > > Please DON'T suggest to sell the car and buy one there or similar
because
    > I
    > > already tried and they offered me an unreasonably low amount compared to both
    > > Blue Book and NADA and where I'm going car taxes and registration
    > fees
    > > are so high that I would be able to buy a better bicycle for the money I would
    > > get out of selling
    > >
    > > Thanks,
    > >
    > > Sasha
    > >
    >
    > All you need is insurance to register the car? Why is European insurance not valid
    > for this?

Unfortunately, most, if not all, US states require that the insurance be written by
an insurance company that is licensed to offer insurance in that state. US based
automobile insurance will provide coverage in the US and Canada, but not further
abroad. Taking a US car into Mexico even requires additional special insurance.

European insurance doesn't meet the requirements that US states have for the type of
insurance you must maintain to keep your registration valid.

It's unfortunate, but auto registration laws in the US were not written with
this type of scenario in mind (taking a US registered car to Europe, on a
temporary basis).

Stephen Gallagher

"Sasa Stiasni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >
    > Guy, if you really wanted to ask me what country i'm from you could have just sent
    > me an email and i would have replied.
    >
    > Sasha
    >
check it - lets take it off line where it wont hurt anyone

"Rick Jacobs" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

    >
    > Or they might think you were US military personnel.
    >
ha ha, coming back from CEFTA? Oh, they're really likely to believe that one! Say
'hello' to mister welding touch...

Megan wrote:
    >
    > On Wed, 29 May 2002 14:02:00 -0400, "Sasa Stiasni" <[email protected]> wrote:
    > but then again I might just have mucked up the snipping as usual!
    > >Hi, I've been reading about this in this newsgroup but never found an answer I
    > >needed. I'm planning to take my car to Europe and since that is going to be for a
    > >while, my car registration is going to expire (but I would love to be able to
    > >extend it).
    >
    > You may be better finding a group/mailing list connected with military families,
    > since they are practically the only group who regularly do this type of thing
    > (since families posted in Europe often bring their US registered car) and will know
    > about the technicalities.

Of course some countries grant special circumstances for NATO military...

Rick Jacobs wrote:
    >
    > Or they might think you were US military personnel.

Which in some places will make you a big target.

With the current state of things, I don't think driving a car with US plates is the
safest things to do.

mrtravel wrote:
    > Rick Jacobs wrote:
    >>
    >> Or they might think you were US military personnel.
    >
    > Which in some places will make you a big target.
    >
    > With the current state of things, I don't think driving a car with US plates is the
    > safest things to do.

Hadn't thought of that. Probably the best advice so far. Perhaps there is a Tourist
tag like the "Z" tag in Germany.

Sasa Stiasni wrote:
    >
    > Hi, I've been reading about this in this newsgroup but never found an answer I
    > needed. I'm planning to take my car to Europe and since that is going to be for a
    > while, my car registration is going to expire (but I would love to be able to
    > extend it). The problem is that the car insurance I have in US is no good in Europe
    > and therefore I would like to suspend it. I'm not sure if at that point I will be
    > able to renew my registration since I need the insurance to register the car. I
    > know if I cancel the insurance I won't be able to register the car. I phoned the
    > insurance company and the agent told me that if I suspend the insurance it is the
    > same as if I canceled it since I only have one car (and few months ago I had it
    > suspended with no problems) so I don't trust them with any of their statements
    > (they just want money). I also phoned DMV (MVS) and they told me that without valid
    > insurance I can't register the car (which I already knew). They didn't even
    > understand what I'm talking about

You should be able to let the DMV know that you will be taking the car out of
circulation for a while. And renew the license when you return.

And in Europe, I doubt you'll need valid US plates. Temporary import documents should
be good for a year. It's quite possible you'll need to get export plates issued to
you in whatever European country you'll land though. Which should be doable.

I did the opposite: I brought a car from Europe temporarily to the US. Car had
Swedish export plates. Which meant nothing after I left Europe. The valid document
was the US custom form which allowed me to keep the car in the US for up to a year.
Eventually I drove the car home to Canada, where I had to formally get through the
import process. And I even drove in Canada on the Swedish plates for a while too.

"mrtravel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Rick Jacobs wrote:
    > >
    > > Or they might think you were US military personnel.
    >
    > Which in some places will make you a big target.
    >
    > With the current state of things, I don't think driving a car with US plates is the
    > safest things to do.

That's what i'm starting to think myself.

S.

Sasa Stiasni wrote:
    >
    > "mrtravel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Rick Jacobs wrote:
    > > >
    > > > Or they might think you were US military personnel.
    > >
    > > Which in some places will make you a big target.
    > >
    > > With the current state of things, I don't think driving a car with US plates is
    > > the safest things to do.
    >
    > That's what i'm starting to think myself.

Come on, let's not overdo this. The Bush policies may not be terribly popular
(basically, almost anywhere outside the US) but still, most people are reasonable
enough not to hold this against individuals.

(BTW I saw a car with American plates in Paris the other day.)

"Devil" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Sasa Stiasni wrote:
    > >
    > > "mrtravel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > Rick Jacobs wrote:
    > > > >
    > > > > Or they might think you were US military personnel.
    > > >
    > > > Which in some places will make you a big target.
    > > >
    > > > With the current state of things, I don't think driving a car with US plates is
    > > > the safest things to do.
    > >
    > > That's what i'm starting to think myself.
    >
    > Come on, let's not overdo this. The Bush policies may not be terribly popular
    > (basically, almost anywhere outside the US) but still, most people are reasonable
    > enough not to hold this against individuals.
    >
    > (BTW I saw a car with American plates in Paris the other day.)

against individuals? No... against cars?? Oh yes! (the 'lil shits specially like nice
new polished ones)

"Rick Jacobs" <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Hadn't thought of that. Probably the best advice so far. Perhaps there is a Tourist
    > tag like the "Z" tag in Germany.

What is a "Z" tag?