Hi guys, this is my first time posting in this subforum. I hope you all are doing well!

Here is my question: My company is sending me to the Netherlands and I am planning to bring my S2000 with me. Worth it?

Profile of my car,
2006 yellow S2000
2.2L engine (I believe the European one is 2.0L?)
Stock, no modification

I am trying to do the math to see if it is worth shipping the car...
- I bought the car for $21,000USD and it will sell for $17,000USD if I get rid of it now (not to mention the tax I need to pay).
- Shipping cost is 1,600USD plus 300Euro for custom clearance. Getting driver lisence and all the other fun stuffs would cost me another 1,000Euro. Given my situation, I believe I don't need to pay VAT.
- What is a typical price for a 2004 S2000 in the Netherlands? The closest I found was autotrader in UK and the price ranges from 12,000 pounds to 13000 pounds. Am I close or way off base?

Thoughts?

Thank You very much!
Michael

 

way off base... in the UK prices are low to reasonable, here in holland ... well...

http://www.gaspedaal.nl/?merk=Honda&model=...=&grnt=&o=0&s=1

prices range from30k euros to 42500, depending on mileage etc

Given the current dollar exchange rate, that would make it almost 45k dollar for the cheapest one! (2006 model)

the cheapest 2004 model i can find at this moment is 25900 which equates to almost 37k dollar...

Mind you, this is from dealerships / other garages, not private sales. Private sales will mostly be a bit cheaper, but nothing compared to the prices you're used to.

For example: new prices for the s2000 have always been over 47000 euros in Holland.
Compare that to the 30000 dollar you guys pay and you know why you have to bring your own

question: how long have you owned your 06? If more than 6 months, you can import it as if it where you bed / couch... making it very cheap in comparison to what we have to pay to import one. Normally, importing one from the US would mean 19% VAT + something called BPM (an extra tax on top of the vat, deemed illegal by the european union but hey, whatcha gonna do )

basically: ((($17000 + $1600) * 1.19) * exchangerate) + BPM (around 3500 euros I guess.
But that's when you have to pay all costs, which you hopefully won't...

But even if that, the 17k + shipping is about 13k euros right now. You won't even find a decent '99 for that price over here!

 

WOW! I am shocked!

I can't believe it is that expensive in Europe! However, I notice that there are some minor difference between the US model and the European model, I hope this wouldn't make much difference in price.

Yes, I did own it for more than 6 months. I also got a quote from a US shipping company that they would ship my S2000 for $1,600 USD plus 300Euro for custom clearance. In addition, to get all the paperwork and modification to make the car road legal, they charge me another 900Euro. At the end I am looking at about $3,000USD to ship it over here...

Now that I know it can sell for 30k euro in Netherlands, I will shipt it for sure! Hope to see you all in 2010 Euro meet!

 

once you're here, go to honda-s2000.be (or .nl, same site) and hit up the forums... you know, for meets etc

 

Another question...

I am planning to put in some modification before (or after) I ship my S to the Netherlands. Should I do it before or after I ship? (my car is stock now) I think it would best be done after because I don't have to worry about not being able to pass the inspection... thoughts? Thanks!

Things that I am planning to put in,
- Intake
- Header
- High flow Cat
- Exhaust
- ECU reflash

What about the road legal modification standard in the Netherlands? Is there any mod above will cost me a fortune if I got pull over by a cop?

Thanks!
I already got an account from the honda-s2000.nl website and have been reading some post there!

 

I'm not sure on the spcifics for the 06+, so best would be to install that stuff afterwards...
most of that stuff shouldn't be a problem, but the high flow cat might be too high flowing (although you should be good) and I'm not sure as to how the reflash will alter emissions...

when it comes to modding in holland, well, there's not too much you have to worry about. Emissions are the most important thing to keep ok. And don't go with any sharp stuff on the outside... they don't like CF wings over here, at least not the sharp endplates

Just check out the cars on the website I gave you and see the kind of modifications mostly done... you'll get an idea.

 

You can pretty much get away with murder in terms of modification here, but the catalyst must 'work'. Car as part of moving goods or household effect is golden, because the car can comply as-is with all modification parts. In general a test-pipe is a no-go, but intake and exhaust are pretty acceptable. In theory, your car could get 'approved' here, but the police could immediately pull you over for loud exhaust, if it's too much, but that is all highly subjective.

IMO, 900 Euros to do the import paperwork and 'modify' your car to make it road legal is very steep! If you do it yourself you can save a lot of money on this. Only important things to modify on a S2000 for Holland are: orange parking lights at the front must be changed out to white (in your case '04 just replace the tiny orange bulb with a white one) and install a rear fog lamp with switch in the interior (must have indicator tell-tale light also). In theory you could put a red bulb in the left backup lamp and wire that as your new rear fog lamp solution. I did pretty much the same on my '03 with a red LED bulb, so relatively stealth-ish.

Take care,


Siepel

 

Here is a price breakdown on the quote...

Car export - $1600 (include US custom)
Unload - 450Euro
NL custom clearance - 125Euro
Handling - 35Euro
Modification on car - 375Euro
VIN inscription - 87.5Euro
Dutch Technical approval handling - 227.5Euro
RDW legislation cost and technical approval - 116.5Euro
Handling for BPM declaration - 115Euro
License plates and mounting - 32.5Euro
Local transportation charge - 75Euro
19%VAT on cost above (not the car) - 173.38Euro

Total is about 2955Euro... =(

Thoughts? Think I can deal with the paperwork myself instead?

 

What about the xenon headlights?
Don't they need to be automatical adjustable?
EUDM S2k's have a sensor (potentiometer) at the left rear lower arm, so the headlights auto adust to load in the trunk.
And "we" have the headlight washers, with the extra tubing and (I'm not sure) an extra pump, at least an extra valve to route washing liquid to the bumper.

As fas as I know those parts are mandatory with xenon healights.

It would be nice to "see" a F22 in the Netherlands

 

Thanks everyone!

Maybe it is better to let them deal with these things and paid the 375Euro modification cost...

Any thoughts about the cost?