Hi,

does anyone have experience importing a car with aftermarket parts on it? I'm looking to import my Subaru Impreza WRX with cold air intake and a blow-off valve installed. Will it pass emissions or inspection test? Also what are the rules about tinted windows? I currently have 30% tint on. Will I need to have it removed? I think the laws in Europe are lot stricter than in US at least for the front drivers and passenger side windows. Also is there a CO2 tax or something like NOVA tax in CH, that the neighboring Austria has? Thanks for the help.

Matej

i have imported a vehicle that was modified, unless you have a certificate then the car will not pass - or should i say as long as the parts look standard then you may get away with it.

tinted windows, just from what i have seen, no one has the front tinted but averything else is ok - but this is just from what i have seen.

Thanks for the reply.

What type of certificate will I need to pass with mods? It's hard to make cold air intake look standard unless the people that check the car have no idea it isn't standard. Maybe the blow off valve will not be problem since it's somewhat incognito.

Any idea about the CO2 tax?

There is no CO2 tax yet. However, it's supposed to become effective in May or July of 2012. The tax will be levied once at the time the car is imported.
There's no final decision yet, but according to the draft that's been published it will only affect new or relatively new cars, i.e. until 3 months or 1 year after the first registration. So if you import before May or if your car will be older than a year by the time you import it there's no need to worry.

find if the manufacturer has an importer in switzerland if they do then you can buy a certificate from them - its an approval certificate to say its been tested - only a swiss issued cert will be accepted.

Please make sure you post you importing experience, because im debating what would be my best option.

I believe that since the Swiss acceptance of the Cassis de Dijon principle now certificates from any EU country are OK?

Thanks,
I might have to worry then, because I'm moving during the summer, after May, but before July.

Thanks,
I'll look into it.

I am planning on posting a thorough explanation of how everything will go, but I won't be moving until the summer of 2012. It's tough to say right now if it'll be worth it to import my car, but since Subaru's are twice as expensive in Europe than in US, I am giving it a try.

Just crossed my mind. I checked bunch of forums, but haven't seen any mentioning of this. In some EU countries (if not all), new cars have to have side signal lights (on panels or side mirrors), is this the case in CH? How about the rear fog light? Is it also required? I can change one of the reverse lights into fog light, I think that's how the EU bought Subaru's have it. I'm planning on making the known changes to the car myself, before I move.

Hi,

This is based on my experience:

I imported a European built but US specification car.

Tried to make life simple by first importing the car into the UK then driving it accross the border and regsitering it in CH thinking that with UK plates it would be straightforward. Not so.

First thing you need will be a European certificate of conformity. Normally this is ssued by the manufacturer. If you cannot get hold of this (which with a US spec I doubt greatly) then it becomes more tricky.

Without the CoC the car will need to be tested to meet the 75bd noise limit. This requires a drive to Biel and a drive by noise test. If you pass they issue you a certificate. You will need to organise an emissions test, if you pass this they issue you a certificate.

Before your car is registered it needs to undergo a thorough technical check. At this point you would also need to present EU certificates of conformity for any non standard components. These are normally obtainable from the CH importer of said parts for a small fee. If there is not one then you can chance it. I needed these for wheels, struts, exhaust and air box. As part of this test your lights will be tested. My car has fog lights but I'm not sure if these are a legal requirement. My car does not have side repeaters but still passed (the Euro version does). None of the front windows can be tinted to the best of my knowledge.

Subarus are very common in Switzerland and it is likely the tester will spot any rogue modifications!

After all this I finally got my plates. It is hard work and only worth it if your car is really special. Might be easier to sell it, buy one here then modify it here.

Good luck.

What's the car's date of first registration?

19. september

2011. Sorry