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Hi and Welcome,

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs but if you are importing a vehicle then try and find out all the procedures, rules and costs before even thinking to do it. Stuff like getting a COC for the EU/Portugal as the build of US of A probably differs from the EU build.  PT residents are not allowed to drive non-PT registered vehicles so your local SUV garage will not drive it, it can only be in EU for 6 months on foreign registration.  I;ve known prospective importers having to get their vehicle transported back to country of origin when not being able to complete the paperwork in the time limit.

@maxwmitchell1997

Strontium gives sound advice.

A good shipping agent in Portugal would give you the correct advice, and then you get a US-based company to do the actual exportation with the company you trust in PT.

Doing it alone - may as well just get a local vehicle!

The cost of shipping it, then paying the import taxes, and registering it all adds up. It would be a lot better for you to buy a car in Portugal 

It would be a lot better for you to buy a car in Portugal
-@SimCityAT

I would correct this to "buy a car in the EU", as car prices in Portugal can be significantly higher than e.g. in Germany or France. This is especially true when buying a used car. However, the easiest way is buying a new or used car in Portugal.

@maxwmitchell1997 We plan to ship two cars but dont yet know how.

@maxwmitchell1997 Speak to Anna Lucia at Algarve Car Solutions, brilliant company and will help and give advice

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    @maxwmitchell1997 We plan to ship two cars but dont yet know how.

    -@andiehotpants

Hi Andie,

Try to find out first about the costs of this transport + customs procedures + change of licence plate and legalisation ...

@maxwmitchell1997 Contact Algarve Car Solutions on facebook they are a fantastic company.  They helped me ship my car last month and were excellent.

Good afternoon!

As a current resident of NH and owner of a small SUV who is looking at relocating to the same area in the next six months or so, I will say that I have chosen not to take my vehicle with me for some of the reasons listed above, as well as one other.

I spent about 6 weeks earlier this year driving around Portugal (including Caldas/Obidos area) trying to figure out where I wanted to settle. During that time, I cannot tell you how many times--almost on a daily basis--I was thankful that I had the tiny (compared to my RAV4) standard transmission Citroen that I rented due to some of the roads/places/parking spaces I encountered. Full disclosure--I am a retired firefighter who is no stranger to wedging large vehicles into small spaces.

Not saying don't do it if you are really attached to your vehicles, but consider where you might not be able to go in those vehicles in Portugal.

Also,  assuming there will be a need for maintenance/repairs on your vehicle then having a similar make/model to those of your Portuguese locals makes it easier to find a suitable mechanic who works on that type of vehicle and get the right parts etc. A wander round a local supermarket carpark on a busy day will give an indication of popular local vehicles.

@tdudgeon

Hello!

Thank you for your insight on buying a vehicle in Portugal instead of shipping one. I will be moving to Torreira later this summer. At that time, I will also be a retired firefighter from Washington State.

I really wanted to bring my Honda CRV, because it’s been such a great vehicle! I have been in Portugal more than a few times and have rented cars while there and understand your perspective on the size factor, and to mention folding mirrors and etc.

Did you end up buying a vehicle? If so, what did you get and do you have any advice on where to buy one?

I look forward to hearing back from you!

Take Care,

Jason

Buying a car in Portugal is easy. You can have a look on the internet on websites like and see what is available for what price. Then have a look at a few cars offered by dealerships and ultimately buy a car with a one year warranty (for peace of mind). On the above website you can limit the search to only a specific area.