How to check a BMW from the USA before buying it and importing it to Poland?

The U.S. auto market is highly competitive. This causes many dealers and individuals to import overpriced premium cars, including BMWs. Failure to thoroughly verify the condition of the car and oversights in the documentation can result in the vehicle being scrapped. Find out how to protect yourself from this.

Why do a lot of people import BMWs from the US to Poland?

Passenger cars offered on the US market are very popular among European car enthusiasts. The reasons are many. Richer interior equipment for standard versions, engines with large capacities – mainly gasoline engines, and extras found only in American versions are part of the arguments. A very important detail is also the price of the vehicles offered.

However, most of the imports are vehicles from post-accident auctions. Little-exploited new models sometimes after innocent-looking collisions are offered at very competitive prices. The condition assessment report does not always show all the damage and defects that occurred due to the collision or after the disaster. See an example of three thousand “almost new” BMWs buried in snow.

How much does the same BMW model cost in the US, and how much in Poland?

The range of available models in Europe and the US is very similar. However, a lot of competition among American dealers and traders means that the same model can be about 10-20% cheaper compared to the European price. However, this is not enough to make it worthwhile to bring such a car to Poland.

This leaves the search mainly at online auctions, where the asking prices are encouragingly low. With a little luck, you can bid on such a vehicle for a fraction of the price of a new one offered in Poland.

How much does it cost to bring a BMW car from the US to Poland?

Transporting a purchased vehicle to Poland is usually a multi-step process. It has to be transported from the auction site to the port, where, after customs clearance, it is transported by ship usually to some port in Germany or the Netherlands.

The cost of such freight fluctuates around the amount of $1,000. What remains is the transport from the port to Poland. Here the price range is large and depends on the number of vehicles in transport. Usually the price starts at 1000 PLN. Finally, there are customs and excise duties made during clearance.

What needs to be done before registering an American BMW in Poland?

In most cases, after customs clearance if the vehicle is technically sound, you can proceed to register it with the Department of Motor Vehicles. In order to register the vehicle, in addition to the documents of purchase and customs clearance, you will need a certificate from the Diagnostic Station about the technical examination.

Prior to the test, the vehicle must be checked and prepared for lighting compliance with EU requirements. Other issues are covered in the vehicle approval. On most BMW models, they will be in accordance with EU approval.

We have written more about the restrictions on the technical condition of the car and the fitment of American BMWs to EU requirements in these articles:

• Check the car before it is immobilized during technical tests
• Converting American BMWs to European versions
• How much do services and parts cost at BM Cars?

Is it easy to register an American BMW in Poland?

If the vehicle complies with the conditions of admission, has exterior lighting that complies with EU standards, there should be no obstacles to its registration. Be especially wary of accident cars that have been recalled in the US.

These vehicles are not repairable and should not be allowed to operate. Attempting to repair such a vehicle and operating it could expose the owner to unexpected additional costs associated with the recall.

The automotive portal of the Interia website wrote about the problems of terminology used to describe the condition in English. The terms “salvage,” “junk” or “non-rebuildable” may be interpreted differently by Polish authorities. In extreme cases, your car may be scrapped, even after its successful registration. We advise you to get a direct opinion – before buying the car.

Is it worth it to use a certified translator to get the right documentation for registering an American BMW?

Yes. Both when clearing customs and when registering the vehicle, you need official documentation with the appropriate translation. Only a sworn translator is authorized to make translations of official writings from one language into another.

How to check an American BMW before buying?

If possible, we advise you to make a video call with the seller to see the condition of the car live.

The seller should also provide the VIN number of the vehicle. We have access to BMW AG’s central database. Based on the VIN number provided to us, we can check the vehicle’s history and write our recommendation.