Moving to European Union - Hungary with US Spec A3

[gentrich]

Hello, I am the proud owner of a 2009 Audi A3, 2.0T, SLine, 6sp sequential shift auto tran, with premium and sports package. I am moving to Europe with my family and want to take my cars with me. Through some disturbing research I have found, that it might be very difficult and expensive to return my Audi car to its continent of birth w/o some very expensive modifications. I might be better off selling my baby here and buying a used one there. My US made GMC Envoy will pass muster with no problem. Go figure! I can't get any real answers from the European authorities. They want to see the car. I don't want to ship the car, if I have to put in all that money to register it. Catch 22. I hope someone here has already done it and can give me their expert advise! 1.) I have factory self leveling Xennon headlights with the LED "eyebrow." If I choose to keep the Xennon, I will probably have to install head lamp washers at minimum & at worst, I may have to install E-code Xennons instead of the US DOT specs. - any advice? Can I for example put on after market headlamp washers or will the TUV reject them. It would be prohibitively expensive to replace the plastic bumper cover/guard and buy the other hardware. 2.) I have the Red turn signals (the newer LED / neon looking kind), those will definately have to be replaced. Need advice on where to get them (here or there), and any computer modifications, including turning on the rear fog light function (also may need a new switch). Why the heck would Audi (and BMW, Mercedes, & even Nissan), all change US destined cars of recent model years to red turn signals, when amber is allowed here and it is certainly safer? I have a GMC Envoy that has amber turn signals (and headlamp washers too - its going with me as well but won't be half the problem as the German car, to bring back "home.") Besides it would be less expensive to produce just one style, I would think. Call me crazy... 3.) Radio - US is in odd tuning, Europe is in even tuning. I have the Bose Audi Concert radio with Sirius (I know that won't work there, I don't use it here so I don't care about it). Is it a simple programming change at a dealer or better yet (if I buy a Vag-com freeware off of Ebay with the right cable)? 4.) I would like to add heated seats and mirrors. I don't have the winter package. Can this be done with some easy (and cheap) software changes - ie. is it already there, but disabled? 5.) I would like to take a US spec receiver tow hitch. I hate the ones in Europe with the ball that always sticks out. I would not wire it until I get there (for amber). I have an old 1981 Audi Fox overthere that I inherited from my father in law. It has that ugly tow ball thing sticking out. Yuck I want to be able to mount a bicycle rack (also us for $75 and light kit another $25 vs. the European for $250 for a stupid bike rack that sits on the ball and jiggles). 6.) LoJack - I know that they are also in the EU, has anyone successfully got them to change the unit to European frequencies, w/o having to buy a whole new one? Again it makes so much sense to have two separate frequencies (could be an FCC thing). any other gotchas? I know this was a lot, and perhaps covered in different forums. Thanks for your help. Rick

[eastbayrae]

Best advice? Sell it and get another Audi there. In the EU they have better versions of every model sold in the states, like an RS3.

[MikeSS]

Guesses:

1. Headlights--the washers are the tricky part--you could probably get away with the headlights you have. I don't know if they'd take offense at the amber sides.

2. Taillights--that's probably the easiest switch since Euro-tails are probably the most popular mod done on A3s. The update is documented well on www.fourtitude.com.

3. Radio--It might be possible to reprogram your radio. European dealers have more experience than U.S. Otherwise you might have to buy a used European headunit.

4. Heated seats would require significant rewiring and a new climate control unit (at about $750). The heated mirrors can be done with VAG-COM. Also note that you'd still be missing the heated windshield washer jets.

5. I think the Euro tow unit for the A3 has a removable ball unit.

6. Lojack -- dunno.


All in all it does look like you'd have an easier move if you sold your U.S. A3 and bought a used one over there. Plus you'd be able to select a drive train that's not available here-- 6MT Quattro TDI anyone?

[gentrich]

Thank you for your honest advice. Of course I am attached to my baby. Even though she may not have everything that I could use overthere (such as winter package, TDI, and quattro - I have an all wheel drive GMC Envoy which is going too for the hard winters. It already has the E markings on everything except the headlights (and no rear red fog lamp. Tires may be another issue, even though it is Michelin it only has US dot certs (Envoy). The Continentals on the Audi are already stamped, as well, so is the window glass. I don't have much time before escrow closes and I have to leave. I guess, I will try to sell her here if I can, while I'm here, if not, than I'll take it with me and take my "lumps." I am not going to under cut the price by anymore than what it would have cost me to buy another one +/or modifing my US version. I think it is an autrocity that they make a totally different version for the US market. Thanks for your advice.

Rich

Originally Posted by MikeSS

Guesses:

1. Headlights--the washers are the tricky part--you could probably get away with the headlights you have. I don't know if they'd take offense at the amber sides.

2. Taillights--that's probably the easiest switch since Euro-tails are probably the most popular mod done on A3s. The update is documented well on www.fourtitude.com.

3. Radio--It might be possible to reprogram your radio. European dealers have more experience than U.S. Otherwise you might have to buy a used European headunit.

4. Heated seats would require significant rewiring and a new climate control unit (at about $750). The heated mirrors can be done with VAG-COM. Also note that you'd still be missing the heated windshield washer jets.

5. I think the Euro tow unit for the A3 has a removable ball unit.

6. Lojack -- dunno.


All in all it does look like you'd have an easier move if you sold your U.S. A3 and bought a used one over there. Plus you'd be able to select a drive train that's not available here-- 6MT Quattro TDI anyone?

[gentrich]

Hi,

Thank you for your honest advice! I'll try to sell it, if I can, in time for the move, otherwise I'll just muttle through the EU beaurocracy. If I am going to live there, I might as well get used to it.

Rich

[UmIsThisThingOn]

I don't understand what the issue is. When I was stationed in Germany, you could ship over your car no problem. Granted, it'd still have to pass TUV, but that wasn't an issue unless you had a POS.

Maybe it's an issue w/ the specific country you're going to and their rules. Are you a service member? If so, get in touch with your legal aid to see if they can get answers for you.

[gentrich]

No I am not a service member any longer. (I am an honorably discharged reserve Army Signal Corps Officer). As a service member, you had to pass mechanical inspection, but you didn't have to modify the car to EU specs. Since I am moving there as a civilian, I unfortunately do have to do some modifications. At minimum the tail lights - easy! At maximum, I may have to replace my US DOT Xenons with EU E-code spec Xenons. That would be very expensive. They may not allow me to "down grade" to halogen - which would exempt me from having to have head lamp washers installed. But I really don't want to down grade to hallogen headlamps anyway. After driving with factory HID's, there is no comparison! Adding aftermarket headlamp washers if they allow it is pretty cheap, about $200 self install kit. But if they require it to be factory OEM, than I am screwed! The radio, I can live without, if they can't reprogram it.

Originally Posted by UmIsThisThingOn

I don't understand what the issue is. When I was stationed in Germany, you could ship over your car no problem. Granted, it'd still have to pass TUV, but that wasn't an issue unless you had a POS.

Maybe it's an issue w/ the specific country you're going to and their rules. Are you a service member? If so, get in touch with your legal aid to see if they can get answers for you.

[gentrich]

Hello all,

An update to my car saga. I moved in August to Hungary and shipped my car, which I got at the beginning of October. There is no problem with driving it as is (red turn signals etc.) for up to six months. I am waiting on the car's background check from Interpol. Until then I cannot get EU plates. There is a huge black market for stolen US cars in the continent. They are doing all that they can to subdue that market (at my legitimate expense). After I get that background check, I will have to convert the tail lights to amber. I have already done that, here in Hungary. Tail lights about $350 for a pair of OEM. They braked red and yellow and signalled red and yellow, so I had to go to the dealer for that. They reprogrammed it for about $9. I tried to have the Audi Concert reprogrammed so that it will tune in single increments, both even and odd. The dealer told me that they don't know how or can't do it but I can buy a used head unit for about $100 or one with the works (navi etc.) for about $300. I passed on the offer. I can tune stations well enough with the US radio that, that is all I need (for now). Serius XM of course doesn't work, but I had not used it in the States either after the free subscription expired. As far as the head lights, it looks like it will be accepted, even though it does not have the EU markings only the US dot markings, it is basically the same Hella system (with the exception of the amber side markers). I may or may not have to remove the amber side markers. According to friends, it all depends on the "mood" of the inspector. Otherwise the car is running good. It is nice to have traction control in the snow. We had our first snow a few days ago (now melted and frozen into black ice). I wish that I had heated seats and mirrors. It is 23F outside. Especially the heated mirrors would be nice since they freeze over. I got spoiled by my GMC Envoy in the mountains, which had all the bells and whistles. It turns out that I could have brought the GMC too and it would have easily passed inspection. My advice, if you are moving to Europe, bring your US purchased car. Cars here are expensive with a capital $$$! Its all tax. You have to be a returning citizen in order to take advantage of 0 customs duty.

[uberwgn]

Originally Posted by gentrich

I may or may not have to remove the amber side markers.

VCDS can definitely program the F/R side marker lights. However, I don't know if the programming is e-z or more complex.

You can also enable the European standing light option with VCDS, should you desire.