Hello all,
I am thinking of getting my car from Greece to Switzerland and I was wondering what should I do. I have a B permit and a steady going job over here and I was thinking to get it via Italy.
The car is a Suzuki SX4 4x4 1.6 petrol, bought on 9/2009. What will be the importation tax? How about insurance. I don't mind to put swiss plates on, but do I have to wait for a year or two, or I can put them right on. What else should I check before the importation.

Thank you in advance.

When did you arrive in Switzerland?

Do a search, all will be revealed!

I arrived in Zurich on October.

If it's under YOUR name for at least 6 months, then you don't pay any importation tax, as far as I'm concerned.

You can put Swiss Plates right on. Actually, you are obliged to put Swiss Plates if you have been living in Switzerland for more than one year (after your entry date in Switzerland).

That's all I have from my research in these topics, I hope I'm saying things right.


And yes, via Italy is the best option. You get a ferry from Patra to Venice and then it's around 6h by car. Maybe more, if you get stuck in a traffic jam, what had just happened to me.
[I may be wrong in the driving time you may need, but you get the idea]

you mean after you have imported it, passed the emissions and MFK tests, and insured it here, then yes, you can put the plates straight on

on the Greek side you will need to return your Greek number plates as well as your car papers - you will need to speak to your Greek Accountant. If you do not do that, you are likely to receive to your Greek address demands every year for the Road Tax. It is a bit awkward so make sure you get that part right. You have paid your Greek Road Tax for 2012, so you will not a cent back from that.

Yes, I know that but I prefer to have it with swiss documents and avoid all the other expences from Greece.

For all greeks that live in switzerland as for the Greek licence plates should I just give them to IRS "eforia" to be able to get them back if it's needed or give it to the ministry of transportation for destruction. The car is 50% in my name, 50% to my mothers name, but I can't sell it because I still owe some loan money to the bank. Is there someone who knows what is to be done?

is the car financed via the bank, eg the bank own it, or did you get a loan from the bank and buy it.

If its bank financed, rather then a loan, then you cannot export it, you don't own it, as soon as you try the bank will be notified and you'll be in sorts of bother

Hi there,

Following on from the last thread...

I am thinking to buy a new Suzuki 4x4 here in CH.

I see there are many new un-registered Suzuki 4x4 cars available from none Suzuki dealers here in CH, they are imported from overseas. These cars are at least 4000 CHF cheaper than the same new cars at the Suzuki CH dealers.

I asked a Suzuki dealer here and he stated these cars are cheaper (due to the import) but when bought from a none Suzuki dealer the normal 3 year Suzuki Supplier warrantee is no longer valid.. does anyone know if this is this correct??

I would have thought as these cars have zero milage then the dealer Warrantee should still apply?

Nomally I would not mind to buy from a Suzuki dealer but 4K CHF is a big price diffrence to pay....


Many thanks,
Matt

Hi Saradis, I just went through the import process and finished up most of the process yesterday. Car from Greece also.

You have to import your car within a year of the car arriving which could be different from when you arrived initially. Unless you only plan to be here for a couple years then you can drive with a temporary import but i dont think that is your case.

1. Order a certificate of conformity or COC (will need this for registration). This takes about ten days and can be ordered from a suzuki dealer or online for about 120 Euro.

2. Take customs form 18.44 to the customs office. This is the form where you declare the personal property you brought with you. I went to the one in Embra-port. You will need to take along your B permit, work contract, rental contract, Greek car registration paper (green paper) and the car of course. (20 Francs)

3. The customs office will issue you form 13.20a - This will have your new plate number and blank inspection sheet (to use later).

4. Take your car to a Suzuki dealer and get the exhaust inspection. They will give you a certificate and put a sticker in your car (100 francs). After getting this initial sticker and certificate then in two years you can use any Garage.

5. Once you have all these documents then scan them and submit them online to the traffic bureau and they will set an appointment within two weeks. http://www.stva.zh.ch/internet/siche...rivEGFORM.html

6. During this time you should get the car serviced and washed. Tell the garage that you need to get the car ready for inspection and they will check everything to make sure it will pass (up to 500 francs in swissland cause they are all Kleftis here)

7. Get car insurance. Try comparis.ch. You can get the policy online with the number you get on the form 18.44 (white sticker)

8. Take the car for inspection once you get the appointment (this is the stage I am at so I dont know the price but i hear they charge you for the new plates, inspection and the road tax. (cost my Spanish colleague about 700 francs for a 2010 BMW 3 series).

9. The Traffic bureau will take your Greek plates and green registration card and send it to the Greek embassy in Zurich. Its best to call the Greek embassy for your situation. I will keep paying my road taxes to Greece to make the re- import to Greece easier after the Drachma returns

I hear they can also require you to get a Swiss drivers license but that is supposed to be Easy. fill out the form from this link http://www.stva.zh.ch/internet/siche...umschreib.html and take it to an eyeglass shop and get a quick eye exam. Take this completed form and your foreign drivers license with you when you go for the inspection and registration and they will issue you a new drivers license. Some colleagues have just dropped the form and foreign drivers license at the Gemienda and had it processed there.

Kalo Tixi

OH and dont worry about the bank loan. In Greece you own the car. The bank just owns the loan and you owe the bank. There is no connection.

Hi goochflies, a question:

I am in exactly the same situation (car with Greek plates to change to Swiss ones). I cleared my car already and got the 13.20 form from customs. I didn't however got the COC before the customs. I guess that this can also be done after the clearance, right?

And something else: As soon as the Greek plates are returned to the Greek embassy then the car is automatically delisted from the Greek ministry of transportation and you don't have to do anything extra for that?

thanks,
s.

Yes, the COC is only needed for changing the plates. As for the plates with the Greek embassy, I have not been able to get a clear answer after a couple calls. Maybe another Greek on this forum could give them a ring and try. My Greek is not the best.

Cheers

Hi guys, one question from my side: at any point in this process did they ask for any translation of some document?

No translation required.

Hmmm... Sounds familiar for Greece?

So I finally finished the process and got swiss plates on my car but not without a bit of a nightmare and being financially raped.

After submitting all the papers to the traffic office i received an appointment about 2 weeks later. 2 days prior to the appointment I took my car to the mechanic for a "klien Service" and engine wash, (basically an oil change and a safety inspection). In Greece i would pay about 120 Euro for this service, in Switzerland it cost me 695 francs!!!! Robbery. My doctor charges less than this for his time. I did get new windshield wiper blades in that price...

I took the car to the inspection at the date and time on the letter. My appointment was at 0711 in the morning. Seriously 0711, not 0700 or 0715. The letter did state that I should show up 4 minutes in advance. Well, I showed up at 0700 which screwed up the whole process it seams. At 0704 the big doors opened and i drove in first with another car behind me. Seems his appointment was at 0704. I got scolded for being at the wrong place in line.

At exactly 0711 the inspector, who was standing a few meters from my car drinking coffee, put down his coffee and came over to my car and scolded me again in German. I informed him that my German is extremely limited. This seamed to infuriate the inspector who preceded to yell at me and call me an "auslander" about 5 times. I knew at this point that the inspection would not turn out well and I was right.

I have never had my car so thoroughly inspected before, it's actually pretty impressive, but... The inspector failed my car noting three problems. 1. My left headlight was adjusted 3 cm too high. 2. The bottom of my engine was not washed completely. 3. The flow of water from my rear windshield wiper was not sufficient. Seriously?????

Took my car back to the Garage and passed some of my angst back onto the mechanic. The mechanic informed me that he could take the car back in for the inspection and it would probably go better. Of course this service would not be free. The garage spent about ten minutes improving the water flow from my rear windshield wiper and then took it for an inspection the next day. Where of course it passed.

Picked up my car from the Garage where he had already installed the new swiss plates and charged me an additional 300 francs for the 10 minutes of work and the time to take the car for the inspection. So 1000 francs just for the mechanic. I think they must be in business with the inspectors... ha

Traffic office charged me 377 francs for the inspection, plates and taxes which is good until the end of 2012. They sent this bill in the mail and I should get the 2013 road tax bill in January next year.

Anyway the total costs were about 1650 francs plus 291 for full coverage insurance for the rest of 2012.

As my car is just over 10 years old now I have to take it in for an inspection every year. So that gives me 12 months to find an honest mechanic, if at all possible, and arrange for a German speaking friend to drive the car in for the inspection or to learn German myself.

If anyone can help with a decent and honest BMW mechanic near Zurich airport or Wallisellen i would very much appreciate it.

Good luck.

Did you take you car to Wintherthur or to Uetliberg? Just to know where NOT to go...

I went to Wintherthur. Maybe just dont show up earlier than 4 minutes before your appointment and or have Greek plates.

Update: Just received another bill from the traffic office for 85 CHF for translation of my license??? Oi.....