# Importing a 30+ year old vehicle from the US



## Karmav (Mar 15, 2021)

My wife and I are beginning the process of moving to Portugal (roughly 2 years out). One question I have not been able to get a clear answer to is the importation of my vehicle, a 1986 Toyota 4Runner that we would like to bring with us.

The vehicle is over 30 years old but from what I can find is not listed as a "classic". Also, it would be my daily driver so although I am not sure of the limitation on miles classically designated cars have placed on them, I am sure I would exceed that. It is fitted with the 22RE motor, a 2.4-litre petrol engine.

Any insight on the viability/cost of this or links/contacts I should look up would be appreciated.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Do you really want to use a gasoline engined SUV for a daily driver? The first cost I'd look at are your weekly fillups. If that doesn't shock you think about shipping. Everything else will likely pale. 

Weekend run about? Maybe. Daily driver? Pretty hard to justify for most people with the cost of gasoline.


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## Karmav (Mar 15, 2021)

Nick, you may not be familiar with the vehicle or my driving habits. The truck gets nearly 25 mpg (10 kpl) so not horrible, and when I say daily driver, well, I mean my main form of transportation. I don't drive much now in the States and we all know the US is the worst for relying on a car. Plus my wife would buy a car so I guess that would be better classified as the daily driver.

The vehicle is irreplaceable in today's market. An open top 4x4 that is ultra reliable, will go anywhere and is both easy and cheap to repair and maintain as that Toyota motor was used all around the world. A shipping a container is already in the plans so that cost is calculated. Not spending 20k+ euros on a car that I won't be happy with buys a lot of fuel. Not to mention the truck is appreciating rapidly in value. It would sell for more now than it cost new. That is not going to change.

I do appreciate your comments and my wording may have been poor regarding the amount of use, but yes, the idea to bring it is justifiable in my mind as long as it is reasonably possible.


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## newinnz (Sep 4, 2016)

Karmav said:


> I do appreciate your comments and my wording may have been poor regarding the amount of use, but yes, the idea to bring it is justifiable in my mind as long as it is reasonably possible.


I miss our 1996 4Runner SR5. It was awesome and the only car in the family that reached over 160k miles pretty much trouble-free. I was shocked when the Toyota dealership offered $5k as a trade-in towards a new Toyota... was expecting $500.

The main issue with bringing "classic" cars to Europe is that the annual tax is based on pollution specs. I saw a Benz for sale yesterday that had a tax of 540 Eur per year due to the V6 engine here in Ireland. I suspect Portugal will be very similar.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

A view on viability is, after years of having to use them for work in Africa, Arabia, Spain etc they are not suitable for sustained high speed - ie European Motorways - as then the engines go "ping". If you have spent time here (presumably as you intend to move here) you'll know the small country roads, normal car parking spaces, tight corners in towns/villages would make it a PITA. If you were to do some research on this very forum there are several "vehicle importation" threads. One is a step by step list of instructions, with costings and links, for importing and registering some vast old Jeep 4X4 (I think the importer lives is some forested area and has a boat to tow) you'll also find a plethora of informations about becoming resident here and being permitted to import one vehicle without having to pay the punitive vehicle import tax. Obviously you'll have checked out the differences between your one and the EU ones and the availability/non-availability of parts and there's, possibly, E10 etc. fuel to contend with. If you can be bothered to look in other places you may also find "for sale" adverts where the seller has imported Toyota HiLux/Runner or some such thing. 
Here's one, there are others and if you ask them maybe they would outline the process/costs/problems.









Toyota 4Runner 3.0 Td Alto Do Seixalinho, Santo André E Verderena • OLX Portugal


10000 €: 10.000 €: - viatura importada em 1996 (inspecção em maio e iuc em outubro), - proprietário desde jun2000 até à presente data (compra com 78.000kms aprox), - mecânica impecável (revisões e assistência ...




www.olx.pt


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