Buggin,

I went with the same tires as you. So far everyone on base is saying the all season will pass inspection, it will suck to have to buy a winter only set and make the car look like crap.

Definately will meet up with you. Of course the factory tour is cool, and both Benz and Push have new museums. BMW world in Munich is worth the drive too, besides Munich in general. I want to hit the AMG factory for a photo opp too.

I'm headed over this week. I guess I get to deal with the seasonal sun deprevation. England was the same way when I moved there. Dark on the way to work, dark on the way home and cloudy all day. I swear I didn't see the sun for six weeks.

I tried to get a few mods done before I shipped but it didn't pan out. There is a shop on the Eurocharged website just north of Stuttgart. I'm going to check it out when able.

As far as shipping cost, Uncle Sugar picks up the tab. In general shipping works on size of the vehicle (how much space it takes up on the boat). I shipping a car on my own dime 10 years ago and it was only a 100 bucks to England.

 

I am shipping mine over in around 4 weeks and from LA to Germany in a container it costs around €1,300 for everything.....

And yes, I am very happy for all the safety laws we have here. I love the autobahn and use it as much as I can. I already had a lot of super dangerous situations caused by left lane hoggers....

@Buggin: Thanks for looking it up. German law is very complicated in those things. I am just super glad to have real snow tires on our cars, because I felt a massive difference between M+S and real snow tires.....

@Jimm: When my Crossfire is here I am taking it to Stuttgart to meet a friend to get some special TUV certifications for some mods, I hope to meet you when Im done there...

 

I would be interested in meeting some folks that do mods for the 3.2. Hoping to find some a shop with a good rep and AMG expereince.

 

tell me if you do. Because I had no success so far in finding any performance parts what so ever that are legal. Only thing I know off that are legal here so far are lowering springs and chiptuning. Thats about it.....

 

No real info here, just blabbing about getting my car back

My car finally arrived in Germany! I picked it up 2 days ago. It wasn't dirty liked Buggin discribed his shipping experience, but it was covered in salt spray from where it had been trucked down from Northern Germany in all the snow.

It got a well deserved bath first day. I will make use of the stream cleaner in a few weeks when the salt is hopefully done for the year.

The inspection process here is stiff, as others on the forum mentioned. They have a pit with dyno type rollers to check brakes and then smog. The car is them pulled on plates and the inspector goes underneath in the pit and watches these plates shift and move watching all the joints and suspension at the sametime. The local inspector had seen crossfires but not and SRT. Had got a kick out of the AMG resonator and the MB supercharger info . The new all season tires passed just fine too. If we were this strict there would be a lot less cars on the road.

I spent yesterday running around finding a front plate mount. I was given the long style tags and the mount I bought a few months ago with help from this forum didn't work. BTW I have a pop up mounting system new in the box for sale- cheap!

I found a Sebring OEM mount for a car with optional grill. I removed the plastic cover under the car and was able to pull the grill "chin" down enough to drill two holes in the air scoops there. Mounted up nice, doesn't rub or touch the car and can't see the holes and won't see them when the mount is removed.

I also did the poor man fix to the cup holder from more advice in the forum. Instead of the $220 replacement or $85 storage hole I went the velcro option. Works great and can't see it either.

Now I have a fully legal German car and DL so hopefully good weather this weekend and some good drive ahead of me.

Planning a AMG trip with Buggin, but will also go soon on my own has the factory is less then 25 miles away.

Great to have my car back after a 1.3 liter rental. can't wait to "blow the carbon out!"

 

I guess I got lucky with the inspection process than... our base has a Status of Forces Agreement that allows us to get them inspected at the service station on post. The inspection is mostly safety-related items. Don't have have to worry about passing the TUV-type inspection...

Washed and waxed mine today also, as it was almost 50 deg and sunny!