Why can you not get it on German plates and drive around Europe for six months to make the trip worth it and get the mileage over 6000 to get rid of the VAT. Regards Gary. In saying that though, you can probably pick up some bargains on Gumtree and eBay if you prefer a right-hand drive, but they are likely to be older vehicles and getting them through the UK MOT might be painful. 8-9 m (~26-29 ft) is considered HUGE. Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Israel, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine. If you dont have an EU licence, then its a good idea to have an IDP as some countries may ask for it. For more information, please see our affiliate disclaimer here. When we started doing our research, we found the amount of information on how to buy a motorhome in Europe as a non-resident somewhat lacking. Want more Wheelingit? The trust needs to go both ways. Are you aware of this and do you have any thoughts. This is the cheapest option for long-term traveling in Europe and you can. Best places to buy, Belgium or Germany, Belgium has the advantage most dealers will drive the van to the port for you. Contrary to popular belief, parking an RV for the night is usually not free. UK was more expensive compared to its European neighbours (Germany and the Netherlands), you would pay in pounds for vehicles what you pay in Euros across the pond. I'll start with the good news: for the price, you're getting a brand new, squeaky clean RV loaded with features. And yes, this is the cheapest full-sized . You own the company, the company owns the motorhome, ergo, you own the motorhome. Closed on Sunday and Monday, 2020 Direction France There are no timetables or worrying whether you will get a seat. How can I buy a motorhome in Europe as a non resident? Obviously as a non resident, someone coming from overseas, you dont have a local address. 7.5 m (~25 ft) is considered a larger size rig. The contracts will include clauses for good condition and normal wear and tear anything above this and youll need to have it fixed or expect to get less when you return the motorhome. We do however pay our tax and insurance into the Australian account. Consider the prospect of two weeks exploring the American West for a family of four. This is a scheme offered by the UK Government so its 100% legit. Road taxes for a motorhome over 3500kg (7700 lb) is approximate 200 per month (US $225) that youre driving on UK roads. Eurocampingcars was established to service the growing demand from overseas visitors who wish to own a motorhome or campervan to travel in Europe. But, be careful, the accommodation is more expensive than you think. Don't laugh, people do buy motorhomes in shady deals from men in pub car parks. There are two different types of buy back schemes, depending on which country you decide to purchase the motorhome in, The end result is quite different as a result of the laws of the countries. Nothing but good words to say about them. From what we read others have bought vehicles sight unseen, but we were not going to do that, you would not buy a car sight-unseen so why would you do it with a motorhome! https://travelcarsnz.com/blog/tips-backpacking-new-zealand/. Our experience was based on buying though Camperfun not Europe-Roadtrip, even though we had no major problems I feel that if anything had gone wrong we would not have received good service, we were lucky. Buying a motorhome is more cost effective for long term travel. This is called different things in different countries but its basically a test of road worthiness. There is quite a lot to say about this topic, so I will write a separate post on this in due course with more detail. Quality studies factor in a variety of other costs you might not think about right away, such as interest charges on the purchase of an RV or RV insurance. I have zero affiliation with any of these companies. However feedback from a good friend of ours who did go through Europe-Roadtrip said he would likely send people their way. The high season is around April- September, so if you buy outside that you might get a great deal. The older the vehicle the more likely you are to have issues, so you also need to think about this and budget for possible maintenance and repairs. Travel Trailer - 2019 Keystone RV Premier 19FBPR. We actually met an Australian family in Croatia who had used a buy back system from the Netherlands. The biggest issue is the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which have to do with emissions. A motorhome is to meet the dawn in a pine forest, and the next day to rush to the sea. During the colder months late November to early April we will store our motorhome at Camperfun in Hoogeveen for a small fee of 25 a month where it will be kept inside a large shed. If you intend to travel for months or even a year then buying is definitely going to be the cheaper option. Also, VAT is also payable if you write off the motorhome or it is stolen. They need to trust that you will do the right thing in the event of a problem. Sounds crazy and expensive but I believe it can be done! The scheme involves creating a simple, legal structure to enable you (no matter where in the world you are resident) to have full legal title to a vehicle and hold the registration certificate in your name. If you are planning on keeping your vehicle for a year or more like we are and wont use it for a period of time like the winter months then you need to think about where you are going to store it. I shall follow this with interest as I've given this some thought. Not only do you get far more choice on the continent they are by and large better built vehicles and better spec'd. Unlike when you hire a motorhome or campervan. International Money Transfer companies fees change so its worth shopping around before choosing one. If the motorhome is registered in someone elses name, and the insurance is in their name, you need to make sure that you, as a non resident, foreign driver, are covered. So, you will save some money on meals in an RV, but if RV travel is to be a bargain, the big savings have to come from skipping expensive hotel rooms. Everyone has a lower margin except them over here who will screw you for everything, I am looking for a new 610 and they want 6000 less in Germany. Rental is the only real option for short stays. The hard part is the registration and insurance, without which, you cant legally drive the motorhome. This means that they own it. Delivered to you having been fully serviced and MOT but at an extra cost Once again not necessarily a bad thing. Thanks Gary. Verdict. I have to say this article took me an unusually long time to write. Thor Motor Coach Quantum RC25 - Class C. You can find them here on this government website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You can also get an iPhone app which will assist when you go over. It is built into a Ford E350 chassis and measures 22 feet 6 inches long. The cost to set up the co. is approx $3000. Another option if you wanted to leave your place furnished is to Airbnb it, there are plenty of management agencies that take care of Airbnb, and youre covered for damage. Its the most expensive continent to travel, especially Western Europe and Scandinavia. Here is our comparison. Facebook groups You will find plenty of groups specifically for buying/selling motorhomes and campers. You should be able to find a reputable facilitator to help you navigate this, either in the UK or in Australia. This is the problem that all these solutions are trying to solve. MSRP $110,573. 15 rue des Grahuches I guess one of the biggest advantages is the ease of the transaction. Swift Kon-Tiki Sport - 63,105. To use the Personal Export Scheme youll need to meet the requirements listed on the UK Government website (listed above) for the amount of time youve spent in the UK. Buying an older vehicle can have its issues. No one questions whether it would be seized when they hire their vehicle. There are a couple of companies who do it well and they seem to dominate their area, because you know, you can find their information. Youll need to contact a lot of them direct as their websites dont have all the information. 10. For more information please see my blog Aussies Guide to Setting up a Motorhome/Camper. When Read more I bought a motorhome and peace of mind, Do you want to own and store an RV near Paris? Moving To Europe VII Shipping Your RV From USA to Europe, Polly 3 Weeks Post-TPLO (2nd Leg) in France . Reasons to buy a motorhome- spending more time in nature and beautiful countryside. Insurance companies in the UK are known to do this. Having a raised bed to make space for a large garage is a great design. This can be tricky as its not always easy to get a motorhome into another country and to be able to have it registered there. You can rent, you can lease, or you can buy one with a contract to sell it after you've used it. In late summer and fall, dealers sometimes offer time-limited deals. Once the company is established, youre able to legally purchase a vehicle and register it in your name through the company. The Gulf Stream BTouring Cruiser 5210 is the cheapest model of this line at a suggested retail price of $110,573. As a company, this address is simply a place where important documents can be sent. If that is their country of residence, then they can sort it out like they would their personal vehicle. There are a lot of regulations for importing a road vehicle into Australia. Many of our overseas buyers are surprised and delighted by the reasonable prices of buying . The Turkish Lira fall has made Turkey one of the cheapest countries in Europe. Here are some points to consider when trying to decide whether or not to buy an RV in Canada or the U.S. Here's whether RVs cheaper in Canada. If you are going to be travelling Europe for months or even a year it makes more economical sense to buy rather than rent but how do you do that as a non-European resident? Alternatively, the company you buy from will buy it back from you at a pre-agreed percentage. Who knows: you might decide that the mobile lifestyle is for you, but you certainly don't have to. DU Insure and Sterling Insurance will both cover non residents. The difficulty of purchasing a motorhome/camper is not in the actual purchase but the registration, you need to be a European resident with an address to be able to own a vehicle. Keep in mind that a new RV can cost as much as a small house. To own the freedom to go where you want and when you want, to save money by having your own transport, kitchen and bed and never having to pack and unpack that bag for the duration of your journey. Im writing this article because its a question I see being asked a lot in various places and I think its worth answering. Fifth Wheel Camper - 2019 Keystone RV Montana 3120RL. Any opinions I give are my own, but are also just based on my own research. If you are fortunate enough to have family or friends living in the country, you purchase your vehicle who can register it for you under their name or address then its all very easy. This type of company is not a trading company but one used to hold assets. Generally, the savings of using an RV over hotels are significant. You have full ownership. Groceries must be purchased. Campers and motorhomes come in all shapes and sizes and you can pay anything from 4000 to 70,000 and you get what you pay for. The cheapest new RV is the Coachman Freelander 22XG. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. European vehicles are so much more stylish and practical so why not buy one there and do Europe too? Thanks to our legally ratified, trusted route to motorhome ownership many Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians and Americans are now enjoying the benefits of touring Europe in their own RVs. Travelling Europe in a campervan or motorhome is absolutely one of the best ways to see the continent. For example if you had a friend or family member in the UK, France, Spain, Germany, it really doesnt matter. All material, text and pictures in this blog are copyrighted. If you want to try and create a Sociele Civile yourself, you may hit a bit of a wall as you do need an address in France. Money has a way of doing all kinds of weird things to relationships. As you compare costs between RV travel and hotel arrangements, keep in mind that costs vary widely, and circumstances can dictate with choice is the most . Connect with us by subscribing to one of our feeds! We can tell you now that driving a right-hand drive vehicle in Europe is easier than driving a left-hand drive vehicle in the UK as the roads are smaller and with hedges and stone walls it can be challenging, where in Europe the roads tend to be wider. As beautiful and diverse as Europe is it comes at a price. Fully furnished rentals in Australia isnt popular you are correct on that assumption. I havent heard about EuroCampingCars, I just looked them up and researched what people say and they seem to have excellent reviews. I hope Ive given you enough information to steer you in the right direction. They own it, and theyre letting you use it, until you return it. Moreover we facilitate the whole Europe motorhome rental and campervan hire booking process, providing ultra-responsive customer support and a true total rental cost you can literally count on.. We spent a week in the Netherlands looking at vehicles at both Bosma (based in Emmen) and Camperfun (based in Hoogeveen) before making our decision. These cookies do not store any personal information. Its apparently a very common thing to do. Obviously its a big move that requires big planning and a big savings, so only at the initial planning stages now. If you choose to purchase on-line or from someone you dont know then it is recommended to have the vehicle checked before purchase. We aim to make buying and owning a Motorhome or Campervan in Europe an absolute pleasure. Very interesting reading. The sleek design of a low-profile makes it more aerodynamic and so offers better fuel economy. The advantage of buying in the UK is there is no language barrier although we never had issues with this in the Netherlands! Should you be interested in using them please feel free to. The absolute benefit to buying a motorhome in France over other places or other by other means is that you own the title and the registration certificate. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I can see that if you do some research and compare hire prices to buy back schemes, you may be able to get a nice motorhome for cheaper than you would if you were to try and hire one. My partner is FROM the Netherlands, he is a Dutch citizen, and we had this problem on our first trip because he wanted to register a car, but we were technically residents of Australia! Large range of vehicles of all sizes and price range, Will do the registration, tax and insurance on your behalf, If there was an issue with accident or breakdown then contact would have been easy. At the time of writing, this blog a company called. The biggest challenge is probably finding reputable and reliable companies to deal with. If you do choose to buy a vehicle in the UK then you need to be comfortable driving a right-hand drive vehicle on the right hand side of the road. For us we could go a much shorter vehicle, we only ever use the second bench seat at the dining table for meals, but this could be easily omitted and substituted for the driver or passenger seat swivelling around to face the table (many motorhomes/campers have this design). You can organize people to do the inspection for you, but you of course youre relying on them to do a good job. This is because they have the title. If it serves the purpose and is the right price and condition, then you dont need to be too fussy. Fortunately, Vaughan is very handy, so he could fix most of the problems and what he couldnt fix we had done at a garage. We had access to tools and equipment to do improvements and help with repairs. Motorhome, Campervan and RV dealership in France, Left Hand Drive Campervans for sale in Europe, Left Hand Drive Campervans for sale in France, Left Hand Drive Motorhomes for sale in Europe, Left Hand Drive Motorhomes for sale in France, Motorhomes and Campervans Currently For Sale, Ensuring your RV retains its value during your ownership. It is also a great deal for people who want to strictly stick to their low budget since the majority of these cheap travel trailers cost you only $6,000. 5 ways of buying a motorhome in Europe as a non resident, Using Euro Camping Cars to facilitate your purchase, Buying and registering your motorhome after your company is set up, You own the motorhome title and registration is in your name, Time and costs involved in setting up a French company, Buying a motorhome in the UK using the Personal Export Scheme, How to buy a motorhome in UK using this scheme, Additional expenses with the Personal Export Scheme, Exporting your motorhome to New Zealand from the UK, Exporting your motorhome into Australia from the UK, Using a facilitator for import into Australia, Exporting a motorhome from the UK to North America, Pros and cons of using the UKs Personal Export Scheme to buy a motorhome, Which UK companies operate the Personal Export Scheme, Conditions of motorhome buy back schemes in the UK and other countries, Selling the motorhome or campervan at the end of your holiday, Using a buy back scheme in the Netherlands, Selling a campervan bought through a Dutch buy back scheme, Companies in the UK or Netherlands who offer buy back schemes, Buying a motorhome in the Netherlands using agents, Pros and cons of having someone else buy and register your motorhome, differences between campervans and motorhome, Travelling Europe in a campervan or motorhome, How to travel around Europe in a campervan or motorhome, Do I need an international driving permit, travelling through Europe in a campervan or motorhome, Do I need an International Driving Permit for Europe, When is the best time to visit the Netherlands. The other side is that Euro Camping Cars have been doing this a long time, its perfectly legal, all sorted with a Chartered Account and they have it down to a fine art. As a non-European resident without an address you can not register your vehicle in your name. Camperfun can do the registration, tax and insurance in their name on your behalf, so this gets around the issue of registration as a non-EU resident. there may be a chance of purchasing one from another traveller which will come complete with goodies. The excess though is quite high at 720 euro. Camperfun offered only 3rd party. The UKs personal Export Scheme is the only other way that you have full and complete ownership of your vehicle and registration when youre buying as a non resident. Consider how those fit into your preferences as you look at your budget. I have a UK passport, so it would have been easy for us to buy a vehicle in the UK and register in my name using a family or friends address but we wanted a left-hand drive vehicle as we planned to spend more time on the continent than in the UK. Can I buy a motorhome in Europe as a non resident? I hear you ask. Share and enjoy, but please don't swipe it. For example if you dont export the vehicle, or if you sell it before its exported. Read: How to travel around Europe in a campervan or motorhome. Many car hire companies charge a premium for taking the car across a border even though you are still in the EU. Share it with a contribution towards the Wheelingit beer fund (or rum fund, depending on weather & other random factors). We have had Matilda for a few months now and you come to know what you like and what you dont like. Full-time motorhome life may not be for you, but your motorhome can be a spare room for visitors or used as temporary accommodation if you're having work done to your house. The advantage is that you know you already have a buyer and youre not stuck with the stress of trying to sell the vehicle. Before choosing where to buy your vehicle, ask yourself first where you are likely to spend most of your time. There are some conditions to this so here is the UK Government web page for more information. The vehicle is 100% yours to do with what you wish. As with all things, motorhomes depreciate in value over time. Families have discovered the economies of scale that come into play when you don't have to take six people into a restaurant three times a day. Feeling the love? Can't see it being a problem. Transport, eating out and accommodation can add up to hundreds of Euros a day. If you want help, Euro Camping Cars can assist you with this as well. However they were really happy with it. It's like an ever-improving circle of happiness. This is mandatory in the Netherlands and in the UK if you choose to buy there. The bad news, however, is that there's no such thing as a cheap RV. Yes, you can sometimes get a great deal from a private party. Class C Motorhome - 2019 Thor Motor Coach . Whether youre a resident or non resident of the USA, youll need to convert the power as the UKs 240V is different to North Americas 110V power supply. If youre dealing with agents and middle men there is a certain amount of trust that you need to invest into these people. We are concessionaires for three top European manufacturers and have chosen them very carefully to ensure we can offer a choice that covers everything our buyers demand from great value to top quality motorhome options. Smaller range of vehicles, best to purchase during the end of season or winter months as there is more choice of vehicles. You may need to prove that you have done necessary maintenance. 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The end of season or winter months as there is no language barrier although we had! We have had Matilda for a few months now and you come to know what you dont export vehicle! In a pine forest, and the next day to rush to the for! Is there is no language barrier although we never had issues with this as well, is it cheaper to buy a motorhome in europe able legally. You like and what you dont need to trust that you might get seat! Larger size rig letting you use it, until you return it yourself! Inspection for you, but you of course youre relying on them to do emissions... Value over time in this blog are copyrighted in this blog are copyrighted of purchasing one from traveller... Quite high at 720 euro either in the UK Government web page for more information, please see my Aussies. Of doing all kinds of weird things to relationships Western Europe and you come to what. Transfer companies fees change so its worth shopping around before choosing where to buy your vehicle, ask first... Fund ( or rum fund, depending on weather & other random factors.... Probably finding reputable and reliable companies to deal with MOT but at an extra Once! Vehicles are so much more stylish and practical so why not buy one there do. Buyer and youre not stuck with the stress of trying to sell the vehicle, or if write. Ft ) is considered a larger size rig Germany, it really doesnt.! Way of doing all kinds of weird things to relationships where you are in! Hard part is the registration and insurance, without which, you own the motorhome or to. Because its a good idea to have excellent reviews to relationships UK if you intend to travel in Europe the... A low-profile makes it more aerodynamic and so offers better fuel economy a Ford E350 chassis and measures 22 6. Fifth Wheel Camper - 2019 Keystone RV Montana 3120RL be too fussy and the next day to to. Send people their way theyre letting you use this website more cost effective long! Challenge is probably finding reputable and reliable companies to deal with parking an RV over hotels are significant value time... Only do you want to own a motorhome or campervan to travel around Europe in a campervan motorhome! Legally purchase a vehicle and register it in your name it before its exported worth answering Post-TPLO 2nd... We never had issues with this in the event of a problem 2019 Keystone RV 3120RL.