Taking a Q5 from USA to Europe
11-16-2016, 06:29 AM
#31
AudiWorld Expert
Just FYI since this is an old thread, but from personal experience, I took a 2001 A4 from US to Europe back in 2003. Headlights needed to be replaced due to a different beam pattern at the time between US and EU. Not sure if that is still the case on modern Audis today. Anyway, having ecodes at that time was a cool mod in the US, so I had that done while still in the US.
As for tail lights, somehow I got away with not having to replace them due to the amber color, but I think technically they are supposed to be yellow.
The biggest challenge with registering the vehicle in Europe was having to find the engine serial number. The US doesn't care about it, so it's not tracked anywhere, but some European countries report it in the registration paperwork. It took many visits to various repair shops and audi service departments, and they still couldn't find it. Finally, after some extensive searches on the internet, I was able to find it on my car. It was located in such a spot on the engine that it wasn't an easy task.
As for tail lights, somehow I got away with not having to replace them due to the amber color, but I think technically they are supposed to be yellow.
The biggest challenge with registering the vehicle in Europe was having to find the engine serial number. The US doesn't care about it, so it's not tracked anywhere, but some European countries report it in the registration paperwork. It took many visits to various repair shops and audi service departments, and they still couldn't find it. Finally, after some extensive searches on the internet, I was able to find it on my car. It was located in such a spot on the engine that it wasn't an easy task.
11-16-2016, 06:41 AM
#32
AudiWorld Super User
The beam cut-off patterns on headlights differ significantly in the US and EU, so a US-DOT certified headlamp and an EU-CE certified headlamp will remain two different things. Other jurisdictions may be more (or even less) sensible about whether certain headlights are sufficient, or deadly.
06-08-2018, 01:44 PM
#33
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2016 Q5 Conversion
It is little late to the game but i need to go thru the same process with 2016 q5. Can you share the cost and the company that you used?
Just got done going through the process, benefited from reading this thread, so thought I would summarize my experience as well. Much of it is similar to what others have posted.
Shipped a 2015 Audi Q5 from California to Berlin. Overall, it's unclear to me if it was worth it, compared to selling the car and buying a new one. Perhaps financially it made sense, but altogether with the hassle, I'm not sure.
I paid a company here in Berlin to take the car, and bring it back to me with all required changes, and with the German equivalent of a title and registration. They took the car to DEKRA for me (for the inspection to see
what needs to change).
Changes required, written on the DEKRA report:
1) Xenon headlamps did not have the CE symbol on them, so they had to be replaced. This was a bummer. If you have the CE stamp, then you just need to program the car to turn off the yellow side lights... or perhaps clip a wire.
2) Had to add headlamp washers, and therefore a new front bumper so the nice looking pop out doors are there. Apparently the new bumper also has a place to mount the pump, so not sure it would have been possible on the old bumper. Bumper arrives unpainted, so the shop needs to match the color.
3) Replaced taillights
4) Replaced rear bumper lights
5) Required VCDS programming changes, which not every mechanic can do. The definitions of what to change are not really defined online, so I had to find a guy who just makes coding changes for VW cars, and he needed to play around for a while to get the lights working correctly.
My speedometer was in MPH and KPH (KPH smaller), but this was OK.
I will now be sending my MMI to Suwtec to be reflashed so I have European maps, traffic reception, and for the display to have a German option (for
future resale). They can also do something so you can receive all radio stations, which the stock US radio can't (US only has odd stations like 103.7, not even ones like 103.6, which they have in Germany).
I didn't have to pay import duties since I had owned the car for longer than 6 months before establishing residency in Germany (barely). If I would have had to pay taxes, I really doubt importing the car would have made sense when you take everything into account.
Shipped a 2015 Audi Q5 from California to Berlin. Overall, it's unclear to me if it was worth it, compared to selling the car and buying a new one. Perhaps financially it made sense, but altogether with the hassle, I'm not sure.
I paid a company here in Berlin to take the car, and bring it back to me with all required changes, and with the German equivalent of a title and registration. They took the car to DEKRA for me (for the inspection to see
what needs to change).
Changes required, written on the DEKRA report:
1) Xenon headlamps did not have the CE symbol on them, so they had to be replaced. This was a bummer. If you have the CE stamp, then you just need to program the car to turn off the yellow side lights... or perhaps clip a wire.
2) Had to add headlamp washers, and therefore a new front bumper so the nice looking pop out doors are there. Apparently the new bumper also has a place to mount the pump, so not sure it would have been possible on the old bumper. Bumper arrives unpainted, so the shop needs to match the color.
3) Replaced taillights
4) Replaced rear bumper lights
5) Required VCDS programming changes, which not every mechanic can do. The definitions of what to change are not really defined online, so I had to find a guy who just makes coding changes for VW cars, and he needed to play around for a while to get the lights working correctly.
My speedometer was in MPH and KPH (KPH smaller), but this was OK.
I will now be sending my MMI to Suwtec to be reflashed so I have European maps, traffic reception, and for the display to have a German option (for
future resale). They can also do something so you can receive all radio stations, which the stock US radio can't (US only has odd stations like 103.7, not even ones like 103.6, which they have in Germany).
I didn't have to pay import duties since I had owned the car for longer than 6 months before establishing residency in Germany (barely). If I would have had to pay taxes, I really doubt importing the car would have made sense when you take everything into account.
05-18-2021, 02:01 PM
#34
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Hello
Thanks for this great post. I see it's pretty old, so you've all probably moved on, but I'm looking for information on what changes needed to be made to the bumper lights?
I've found codes for the tail lights, but I'm struggling with bumper light codes. Are those necessary, or did I missunderstand?
Thanks
Dan
Thanks for this great post. I see it's pretty old, so you've all probably moved on, but I'm looking for information on what changes needed to be made to the bumper lights?
I've found codes for the tail lights, but I'm struggling with bumper light codes. Are those necessary, or did I missunderstand?
Thanks
Dan
05-19-2021, 07:07 AM
#35
AudiWorld Member
Hello
Thanks for this great post. I see it's pretty old, so you've all probably moved on, but I'm looking for information on what changes needed to be made to the bumper lights?
I've found codes for the tail lights, but I'm struggling with bumper light codes. Are those necessary, or did I missunderstand?
Thanks
Dan
Thanks for this great post. I see it's pretty old, so you've all probably moved on, but I'm looking for information on what changes needed to be made to the bumper lights?
I've found codes for the tail lights, but I'm struggling with bumper light codes. Are those necessary, or did I missunderstand?
Thanks
Dan
Besides the challenges of modifying the vehicle to meet EU requirements and all the headaches from shipping (including breaking into the container to steal things off the vehicles), they discovered challenges getting parts and service. The US-Spec vehicles were different enough (engine size etc) to make it difficult to source parts. Passing the annual inspections wasn't a cakewalk either, my brother's MR2 was junked after three months due to rust on the floorpans and the gov't wouldn't accept welding in sheet metal. And finally, when my parents left Norway nobody would purchase their Tempo so off the junkyard it went. Their only saving grace is that they got decades of use out of it.
In retrospect it was more hassle than it's worth.
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