½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Menu
½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Owning a car in Romania

Post new topic

kiki2010

Hello everyone!

I am so glad I found this website! I am thinking about relocating to Romania (Bucharest in particular) due to a job offer. Currently I am in Germany. I have always had a car in Germany and would like to own one in Romania as well. I do have some questions and concerns and I hope that some of you would be able to help me.

How much money would I need to spend on buying a new car in Romania? What about insurance rates? Is it safe to own a car in Romania? I mean, are the theft rates high there (in Bucharest in particuluar)? What about anti theft devices? my insurance company in Germany enforces specific anti-theft devices in order to get coverage...is that the same in Romania?


Thanks in advance,

Kiki

Christine

Welcome on Expat-blog Kiki! :)

I hope another member will be able to help you.

All the best,
Christine

bssf

Hello Kiki,

How much money you would need to buy a new car in Romania. That, of course, depends on the type of car you are looking for. I am no expert in cars, but I think prices start at about EUR 10.000. And the sky is the limit... :)
Regarding the insurance costs questions. I drive a car that costed about EUR 13.000 and my total yearly costs with insurance are about EUR 800 (about EUR 50/month for CASCO insurance and about EUR 200/year for civil liability insurance).
In 15 years of driving in Bucharest I never had any theft issues with my car (and almost always kept it in the streed, not parked in a garrage). And I don't recall any of the cars of the people I know being stolen. Thinking about it, I remember that about 5-6 years ago somebody broke into my girlfriend's car and stole what he found in the boot.
However, cars are being stolen in Romania, but I wouldn't say that at an allarming rate. Of course, it depends a lot on the type of car; I suspect some types are being stolen more often.
Regarding special anti-theft devices: I don't think such devices would be required for a regular car. If you would have a very expensive car, maybe the insurance company might ask for them. But for regular cars, i don't think you would be asked for it. I don't have any sort of alarm or anti-theft device on my car and my leasing or  insurance company didn't ask for any.
As a final note: when I travel to Bulgaria I am a bit worried about my car being stolen. When I am in Romania I do not think about it.

Regards,
Tudor

ljpro

Cars in Romania are the cheapest in Europe. Dacia For example which is owned by Renault prices start at less than 6000 euros and are very reliable. Actually you can buy a Jeep Dacia Duster for approx. 10.000 Euros! Even if you choose other makes (Ford, Peugeot, etc) you will see that they are cheaper than in Germany.As far as theft is concerned in the years I have been living in Bucharest never had any problems with this issue. Regarding insurance shop around because rates are different from company to company. Omniasig for instance are the most expensive but have the best coverage and service.

kiki2010

Thanks for the tip ljpro ;-) that is pretty cheap...

Maykal

New cars seem to be reasonable - about the EU average or less. The Duster looks to me to be a very good buy and the Dacia Logan is ok if you want a well-priced runaround motor.

Second-hand cars, on the other hand, seem to me to be overpriced, up to about 30% more than you'd find them in other places in Europe. Lots of people took advantage of this and brought cars in from Europe (mostly from Germany) and sold them here for a good profit, that is until the government cottoned on and hiked up the taxes to get their greedy little fingers in the pie!

In almost six years I have never heard someone having their car stolen. I'm sure it happens, but not particularly often.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Romania

  • Driving in Romania
    Driving in Romania

    Whether you are coming for a short stay or moving to Romania for a period of time, it is a pity not to ...

  • Driving in Romania
    Driving in Romania

               Driving licenses issued in another EU country ...

  • Accommodation in Timisoara
    Accommodation in Timisoara

    Also named the City of Roses, Timisoara is an urban adventure, a popular destination for both people living in ...

  • Phone and Internet in Romania
    Phone and Internet in Romania

    A digital nomad cannot live without an internet connection or a smart mobile phone. Therefore, the country they ...

  • Accommodation in Constanta
    Accommodation in Constanta

    Constanta is one of the most effervescent cities of Romania, which combines modernism with a millennial history. ...

  • Working in Romania
    Working in Romania

    According to the Financial Times, Romania is one of Europe's most fast-growing economies, a fact that has ...

  • Opening a bank account in Romania
    Opening a bank account in Romania

    The community of expats in Romania is becoming more and more numerous. Therefore, opening a bank account is ...

  • The lifestyle in Romania
    The lifestyle in Romania

    If you are considering moving to Romania, you must be looking for information about the future lifestyle you will ...

All of Romania's guide articles