Buying from Tesla Germany from outside Germany (i.e. export to another EU country)?

[Tiger]

From Tesla. It's no issue.

I said "I know many people who have bought Teslas from Tesla Germany or Netherlands"...

Sorry, misread this one, and thanks. I will try this when time is right and update here how it goes.

The main issue is "sometimes cars don't have deductible VAT for some reason" because if you purhcase as a corporation it should always be reverse vat even if it is a used car in EU. Above in "After having handed in all required documents they came back and said their VAT manager didn’t authorise it" I understand the issue was exactly this that Tesla would not issue a reverse vat invoice (it's probably not even possible to sell legally without reverse VAT which means Tesla declined to sell).

Tesla could require a deposit for the VAT if it has any worries about compliance.

 

[ElectricDrive]

To clarify my specific case, we had intended to purchase a used Tesla M3 where it was specifically mentioned on the Tesla website that the VAT was deductible for the specific vehicle we wanted. Yes some used vehicles on the Tesla do not have deductible VAT. I assume those with deductible VAT were purchased by businesses and sold back to Tesla or traded in for a new vehicle. Those without deductible VAT come from private individuals (my assumption).

For my specific case, I am intending to purchase as a private individual. As a staff member of an international organization I am allowed to purchase a vehicle tax free once every fours and import it into Austria.

 

[Zuikkis]

Hmm, your special case probably explains it. Tesla might be used to selling non-VAT-deductible cars to private individuals and VAT-deductible cars for companies, but it's probably different thing buying as an individual and still asking for VAT deduction?

 

[Tiger]

From Tesla. It's no issue.

I said "I know many people who have bought Teslas from Tesla Germany or Netherlands"...

Did they drive their car from Germany or did they have to get transport? I'm asking because it doesn't seem trivial to get transport plates if you are not a German resident, and I am curious if Tesla will arrange for those?

 

[Zuikkis]

Many have driven the cars. It is possible to get the transport plates, but it does seem to be very difficult.

Temporary License Plate - Zulassungsdienst Stocker

A temporary license plate (Kurzkennzeichen) is a license plate valid for only five days. The license plate has a yellow band on the right and it shows the expiration date. ...

zulassung-stocker.de

Here's one company that offers them, but only operates in Munich and the car must be registered in that area! I assume you can find other services for other areas.

Really weird system. And it seems you get a real metal license plate, in most other countries temporary plates are just plastic stickers.

These days many Finnish buy their cars from Sweden. It's super easy, as you can get the transfer permit from Finland and it's valid in entire Nordic area.. so if you know the VIN you can buy permit before you leave.

 

[ElectricDrive]

One point I would like to mention is the following. When we ordered the car from Germany, they informed me that they can only send the car papers to a German address even though they had accepted our order coming from outside Germany. Luckily I have a good friend in Germany who was willing to receive the documents and send them on to me. Of course in the end it was all irrelevant as the VAT manager rejected the order. But just thought I would mention this piece of info.

 

[Zuikkis]

Hmm but why do you need the papers? Can't they just give them when you (or transport company) pick up the car?

In Finland cars have no papers anymore, everything is electric.

 

[ElectricDrive]

My idea at the time was to receive the papers in advance and register the car in Vienna and come with my plates to pick up the car the drive back. (In Austria we still need the papers, there is currently no digital way to register a car here).

 

[Zuikkis]

My idea at the time was to receive the papers in advance and register the car in Vienna and come with my plates to pick up the car the drive back. (In Austria we still need the papers, there is currently no digital way to register a car here).

Ah. That's not possible in Finland because they need to see the car when registering. They check things like VIN engravings etc to see it is really the correct car. You would think that's required in Austria too? Otherwise it would be far too easy to swap the plates to get a clean title for a stolen car, for example...

 

[ElectricDrive]

You know, actually I had not considered that. So maybe it is good it didn't work out, otherwise it may have been a mess

 

[Tiger]

Hmm but why do you need the papers? Can't they just give them when you (or transport company) pick up the car?

In Finland cars have no papers anymore, everything is electric.

I believe he meant the CoC document. It is possible to request Tesla to send it as PDF and you can initiate the registration process with that an then it is faster to register the car when it arrives (yes they will check VIN etc.).

 

[Tiger]

Many have driven the cars. It is possible to get the transport plates, but it does seem to be very difficult.

Temporary License Plate - Zulassungsdienst Stocker

A temporary license plate (Kurzkennzeichen) is a license plate valid for only five days. The license plate has a yellow band on the right and it shows the expiration date. ...

zulassung-stocker.de

Here's one company that offers them, but only operates in Munich and the car must be registered in that area! I assume you can find other services for other areas.

Really weird system. And it seems you get a real metal license plate, in most other countries temporary plates are just plastic stickers.

These days many Finnish buy their cars from Sweden. It's super easy, as you can get the transfer permit from Finland and it's valid in entire Nordic area.. so if you know the VIN you can buy permit before you leave.

I googled that if the car was already registered, it would theoretically be possible to drive with the old German plates (you have few days grace time to register as new owner, same in Finland). But I wonder if Tesla (or any car dealer) would allow that, or they require registration at time of purchase latest when you pick up the car. I assume the car dealers have direct connection to registration databases but yeah.

That link you posted says "The temporary permit allows the car to be driven only within Germany (no border crossing)." so it would not be very useful for this particular purpose

So maybe a car transport service is the only feasible option.

 

[Zuikkis]

That link you posted says "The temporary permit allows the car to be driven only within Germany (no border crossing)." so it would not be very useful for this particular purpose

That's what people have been using. They use a direct ferry from Germany to Finland, though. So Germany plates run out of juice when leaving the country, but then you need Finnish temporary plates when you arrive at Finland.

 

[Tiger]

That's what people have been using. They use a direct ferry from Germany to Finland, though. So Germany plates run out of juice when leaving the country, but then you need Finnish temporary plates when you arrive at Finland.

Would then be stuck in Finland

Found this link and I am inspecting it: https://europakonsument.at/system/files/2021-02/Transit plates in EU_2019.pdf

So it dependes on country whether they give plates without car physically present.

Really cumbersome.

 

[Tiger]

Many have driven the cars. It is possible to get the transport plates, but it does seem to be very difficult.

Temporary License Plate - Zulassungsdienst Stocker

A temporary license plate (Kurzkennzeichen) is a license plate valid for only five days. The license plate has a yellow band on the right and it shows the expiration date. ...

zulassung-stocker.de

Here's one company that offers them, but only operates in Munich and the car must be registered in that area! I assume you can find other services for other areas.

Really weird system. And it seems you get a real metal license plate, in most other countries temporary plates are just plastic stickers.

These days many Finnish buy their cars from Sweden. It's super easy, as you can get the transfer permit from Finland and it's valid in entire Nordic area.. so if you know the VIN you can buy permit before you leave.

They actually offer also "export plates": Export license plate - Zulassungsdienst Stocker

 

[Zuikkis]

Oh, export plates seem like the way to go.

"Processing time 24 to 48 hours" suck though, if you were planning to just fly there and drive away.

 

[Tiger]

Would then be stuck in Finland

Actually, it seems to be easy to get the car out from Finland: Hae ajoneuvolle vientirekisteröintiä | Traficom

Simply give power of attorney via paper exhibit to someone in FI to do the paperwork (Tesla if purchased from Tesla Finland?) and this can be done.

 

[stevoh6]

Hi all, I'm from Slovakia and I make and paid order for used Tesla Y (8months old +23t km ) from Tesla. After I paid (invoice with VAT), Tesla advisor notice, that they cannot sell the vehicle to person, because something. So I decided to buy it as company. They generated new invoice for company with VAT(even we agreed it is durable and it will be without VAT), but I need to have invoice without VAT. Im trying to communicate with them, but they just keeping ignoring me and moving pickup date. Is this normal? Are they trying pushing me to drop order? What I can do? It is taking them 2weeks to correct the invoice, still no progress.

 

[Tiger]

Hi all, I'm from Slovakia and I make and paid order for used Tesla Y (8months old +23t km ) from Tesla. After I paid (invoice with VAT), Tesla advisor notice, that they cannot sell the vehicle to person, because something. So I decided to buy it as company. They generated new invoice for company with VAT(even we agreed it is durable and it will be without VAT), but I need to have invoice without VAT. Im trying to communicate with them, but they just keeping ignoring me and moving pickup date. Is this normal? Are they trying pushing me to drop order? What I can do? It is taking them 2weeks to correct the invoice, still no progress.

Don't pay without correct invoice, and don't worry. Huge discounts coming soon at end of eoy/quarter.

 

[stevoh6]

Don't pay without correct invoice, and don't worry. Huge discounts coming soon at end of eoy/quarter.

Its already paid and after that they relized that they make mistake.