When we move to Germany, can I take my car? How different is driving there than here in the U.S.?

Question

When we move to Germany, can I take my car? How different is driving there than here in the U.S.?

Answer 1

Yes you can take your car.Its free.Military will pay for it.

The driving is somewhat different.Roads are small compared to the states.There are a lot of little alley ways and one way streets.So if you have a truck you going to have a lot if fun...lol...especially parking.

Theres the highway called the "Autobahn" and you can go pretty fast on there.There is a speedlimit yes...but people go as fast as they like.

Answer 2

If you are coming over thanks to the US Military, Yes, you can bring your car and they will pay for it.

I will not comment about how different the driving is betwwen Germany and the US. Just be thankful you are not going to to England. Now, that is different!

With the Autobahns, there are still some parts of the Autobahn system that have no speed limits, but thanks to all the cars it very seldom that you can drive that fast. Still compared to the the US Interstate you will be going faster than what you are used to.

As far as comments about Automatics and lazy Americans; Do what I did - learn to ignore the comments.

Answer 3

im from germany, i do not recommend you to ignore the speedlimits and laws!! due to the small roads we have here and really alot of signs on the road everywhere- there are many accidents...its way different from the driving in the states, you have to focuse and drive carefully. Most cars

over here are manual , but surely you can also get an automatic model....in case you would have to pay for the shipping costs of your car-- as  i heard that would be very expensive. your car has to be aproved by the TÜV first anyway ( i dont know about exeptions for the US military) ...

Answer 4

You can take your car. It's not different at all, just

that most people don't use automatic cars here,

though I heard most Americans do. I have a friend

from the UK who brought her car and she's fine

even though they have the traffic the other way round

in the UK.

You won't have any problems I guess and I think

it's really cool you're moving to Germany!!

I love Germany and I am German.

Answer 5

Just to drive home how expensive gas is in the German economy: A liter is currently around 1.40 EUR, which equals 8 USD per gallon.

And recommended (read: average, non-traffic jam) speed on the autobahn is 130 kms per hour, which equals roughly 80 mph. It is however not unusual to have a driver in the far left lane zip up to you going 200 kph (124.3 mph) and flashing his headlights at you to kindly move out of the way.

I also completely agree with the statement that Americans drive oversized cars. Germany has (second only to the Netherlands) the highest rate of cyclists in Europe. Quite a number of people do not have driver's licences at all and they get everywhere by foot, bike and public transport. This is for the practical reason that it is often easier and cheaper to go places by bike or public transport instead of a car, simply bc you do not have to search for a parking space.

Europe is different to the USA in that regard that the cities and roads in Europe were built with pedestrians and the occasional rider in mind. In many medevial towns some of the roads are barely broad enough to let a car pass through, and if a pedestrian and a car meet on this road the car has to stop to allow the pedestrian to squeeze himself past the car. It is impossible to allow for space for parking slots on the side of the road under these conditions.

Answer 6

If you're coming over as an American in the military and it's an official PCS move, then yes, you're authorized to bring over one car at the military's expense.  I would recommend bringing something economic, and not some uselessly-large gas guzzler, however... lots of people bring ridiculously large trucks or SUV's over to Germany with them and they look out of place... not to mention they have a h**l of a time trying to find parking if they go anywhere.  That, and if you ever need to buy gas on the German economy (as opposed to on post, which has comparable prices to what you'd find in the U.S.), you'll be glad to have something economical.

The driving is very, very different in Germany than in the U.S.  The biggest difference?  Germans know how to drive; Americans do not.  You won't fully appreciate this until you've lived in Germany a while and have done lots and lots of driving, then return to the U.S. and see just how good you had it in Germany.  Germans, unlike most Americans, actually follow their own traffic laws--passing on the left (never the right), staying to the right UNLESS they need to pass, using turn signals, observing local speed limits.  That's not to say you won't find jerks on the road, because you will, but for the most part, Germans are very safe, very predictable drivers.  It's illegal to use a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving, or to run out of gas on the autobahn, or to make rude gestures at other drivers... things that ought to be common sense, really, but don't seem to be, here in the U.S.

Fuel, however, is so expensive that you'll appreciate just how cheap we have it in the U.S.--and yes, our fuel is CHEAP.  Visit a dozen different European countries or so and you'll appreciate why I say that.  Whenever going on a road trip through Germany be sure to anticipate how many gallons you might use or might need, and buy an appropriate amount of gas coupons on post--which are usable on the German economy at Esso stations, and Essos/Arals/BPs on the autobahn.

You have to take a class before you can get the American military German driver's license; study beforehand, and take it seriously.  There are many signs you need to know, and even more right-of-way rules and situations.  Germans are very picky about their right-of-way laws, and they're very different than in the U.S.  The most important thing you can do in Germany--or anywhere else in Europe--is to drive like the Germans do, not like an American.  In communities with a large American presence, Americans cause most of the traffic accidents in the area, much to the chagrin of the natives.  That usually happens when said American is driving like an American.  Also--get an ADAC membership.  ADAC is the German equivalent of AAA, and if I remember right they even accept AAA memberships to an extent.

There's much more I can tell you about driving in Germany, having driven thousands and thousands of miles across Germany and the rest of Europe myself.  Feel free to shoot me a message if you want to know more.

Answer 7

You can take your car when you've got a military license, but I suppose it's an automatic, and there will have changes to be made for you to drive on German public roads, like, direction indicators must be yellow, red is not allowed, and a few more things. Your license will be valid anyway, and I'd suggest you buy one or two cheap cars here in Germany. They all have manual gear boxes; automatic will be the exception. I've learned how to use manual gear and was stunned when I first saw an automatic. Maybe so will you when you first see a manual. But you can work wonders with it. Things you never dreamt of. Don't miss that occasion. It's once in a lifetime. Get ready to rumble, hit the metal, shift back to third, clutch-slide, and fourth around the corner, handbrake-turn 90 degree! I love it. You've seen it in police movies; here's the way to DO it. (But have some practice first.)