Importing a car from Germany and the rest of Europe is an excellent option, but the main question remains: «"How much does it cost to import a car?"» The total cost is directly affected by expenses transportation, the age of the vehicle, the pollutants and of course customs clearance. At Car For You we choose absolute transparency and we provide you with the cost of importing a car, real examples and costs for popular models on the market. Below we have how the final cost is formed customs clearance car (based on Euro and LPFA – Retail Pre-Tax Value) specifications, the prices of insured transport and all individual costs, so that you can discover which cars are most advantageous to import turnkey.
In the examples below we assume that the car we want to import is 50 months old (euro6 2of generation), has traveled 60,000 km and has additional equipment, in addition to its retail price before taxes of approximately €10,000. We will make this assumption because as we have explained on our customs clearance page, these are factors that affect the registration fee.
- Mercedes GLC 300e 4MATIC
Retail value before taxes (€51,754 + €10,000) €61,754.
Emissions 50 (WLTP) grams of CO2
Body type 4X4 SUV
The end of classification will be €2,180 and here you will have to add the customs agent's fee which is usually €250 so in total you will pay for customs clearance 2.430 €. This car is a plug-in hybrid car, it has less than 51 grams of CO2, resulting in the 25% paying the registration fee it would pay if it were purely gasoline-powered.
Furthermore, an average cost for a car inspection can range from €150 – €350 depending on the inspection body.
OR transport has an average cost of €1,400
The fee of carforyou.gr *
- Mercedes GLC 300 d 4MATIC
I use the example of this car because while they are the same make and model, they differ in fuel. In the case of Diesel, we are dealing with a car with a purely thermal engine, so it does not have any discount on the registration fee.
Retail value before taxes (€44,4003 + €10,000) €54,403.
Emissions 169 (WLTP) grams of CO2
Body type 4X4 SUV
The end of classification will be €8,930 and here you will have to add the customs agent's fee which is usually €250 so in total you will pay for customs clearance 9.180 €.
Furthermore, an average cost for a car inspection can range from €150 – €350 depending on the inspection body.
OR transport has an average cost of €1,400
The fee of carforyou.gr *
Here it is clear that it is in our best interest, in terms of registration tax, to purchase the Mercedes GLC 300e 4MATIC as this, while being a more expensive car, pays 6.750 € less registration fee compared to the Mercedes GLC 300d 4MATIC.
- Introduction of electric car.
Here things are clear as there is no end of classification, so the cost of customs clearance is constant at 250 € regardless of whether this car is a MINI COOPER SE, PORSCHE 4, Audi Q4 E-TRON, MERCEDES EQA or a TESLA.
Furthermore, an average cost for a car inspection can range from €150 – €350 depending on the inspection body.
OR transport It has an average cost of €1400.
The fee of carforyou.gr *
- Range Rover Evoque 1.5 Liter T/C Petrol MHEV FWD 5 Door Auto 160PS SE.
Retail value before taxes (€40,146 + €10,000) €50,146.
Emissions 179 (WLTP) grams of CO2
Body type 4X4 SUV
The end of classification it will be his 4.120 € and here you should also add the customs agent's fee which is usually €250, so in total you will pay €4,370 for customs clearance. This car is a mild hybrid car, as a result of which the 50% pays the registration fee that it would pay if it were purely gasoline-powered.
Furthermore, an average cost for a car inspection can range from €150 – €350 depending on the inspection body.
OR transport It has an average cost of €1400.
The fee of carforyou.gr *
- Mercedes E220d for taxi use.
Retail value before taxes (€42,958 + €10,000) €52,958.
Emissions 125 (WLTP) grams of CO2
Body type Sedan
The end of classification will be €406 and here you will have to add the customs agent's fee which is usually €250 so in total you will pay for customs clearance 656 €. This car is a mild hybrid car, as a result of which it pays 50% in registration fees and, in addition, because it is intended for taxi use, it pays 13%, which it would pay if it were a purely diesel-powered private car.
Furthermore, an average cost for a car inspection can range from €150 – €350 depending on the inspection body.
OR transport It has an average cost of €1400.
The fee of carforyou.gr *
- BMW M4 Coupe Competition
Retail value before taxes (€79,500 + €10,000) €89,500.
Emissions 227 (WLTP) grams of CO2
Body type Coupe
The end of classification will be €14,250 and here you will have to add the customs agent's fee which is usually €250 so in total you will pay for customs clearance 14.500 €.
Furthermore, an average cost for a car inspection can range from €150 – €350 depending on the inspection body.
OR transport It has an average cost of €1400.
The fee of carforyou.gr *
* The fee of carforyou.gr has to do with the value of the car, the range of services it will undertake (from finding the car to issuing a Greek registration certificate) and finally the possible complexity of importing the specific car. You can contact car for you via contact form, by phone or visit us at our offices. We will calculate for you free the total additional cost of importing the car you want.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why is there such a big difference in the final classification between the Mercedes GLC Hybrid and Diesel?;
As shown in our example, the Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) version pays only 25% of the registration tax compared to a purely thermal (Diesel) model, because its emissions are below 51g CO₂/km. So, although the Hybrid has a higher purchase price, its final "turnkey" cost comes out 6,750 € cheaper due to the huge discount on customs clearance.
2. Is the customs clearance cost a fixed €250 for all electric cars?;
Yes, for the pure ones electric cars (EV) such as a Tesla, a MINI Cooper SE or an Audi Q4 e-tron, the Registration Fee is zero. The only fixed expense at customs is the customs agent's fee (approximately €250), regardless of the factory value (FV) or the size of the electric vehicle.
3. How does additional equipment (extra) affect the LPFA and customs clearance?;
Optional equipment on a car (e.g. panoramic roof, premium audio system) is added to the basic Retail Pre-Tax Value (RPT) of the model, increasing the total taxable value. In our examples we have calculated extra equipment worth €10,000, as this is a realistic cost of additional equipment, of course it can be far exceeded in cases of very richly equipped cars.
4. What applies to the registration fee for mild hybrid (MHEV) cars?;
Mild hybrid cars (Mild Hybrids), such as the Range Rover Evoque in the example, are eligible for a 50% discount on the registration fee compared to regular petrol cars. Although they do not have the maximum exemption (75%) of Plug-in Hybrids, they remain extremely advantageous options for import from Europe.
5. What special discounts apply to the import of commercial Taxi cars?;
For the import of vehicles intended for use Taxi (like the Mercedes E220d in the example), Greek legislation provides for double relief. If the vehicle is a hybrid, it initially gains the discount of 50% and, subsequently, an additional reduction is applied, paying only 13% of the expected registration fee of a corresponding P.X.
6. How is Car For You's final fee for the import process determined?;
Our fee is not fixed, as it is fully adapted to your needs. It depends on the purchase value of the vehicle, the complexity of the import and the range of services you choose – whether it is just the inspection and transport, or the complete «turnkey» processing up to the issuance of Greek license plates.
7. Can I find out what the retail price before taxes (RPT) is of the car I am interested in?;
Retail prices before taxes are posted on the page of the Association of Car Importers and Dealers (SEAA) and you can find it from there.
7. Can I find out for free if the car I found is worth it?;