It doesn’t have to be difficult

Savvy American collectors have noticed something.  There are certain collector vehicles, popular and affordable in Europe, that are exceedingly rare in the USA.  As a result, prices in North America are higher.  Importers have picked up on this fact, and are bringing many of those vehicles into the states, but for their time and effort they command a premium.  And to an extent, it makes sense.  The idea of buying a car yourself in Europe is fraught with legitimate concerns, and navigating the laws and logistics of importing it yourself is a daunting prospect.  Still, the lure of speciality cars at European prices is strong.

At Autology, we finally make the process simple, expedient, and hassle free.

You buy the car from our salon in Spain.  We are a fully legal and licensed collector car dealership located in Pedreguer, about an hour south of Valencia, with an American collector car expert on staff.  We provide honest, clear descriptions of each vehicle, complete with all the photographs and videos you need to make an informed decision.  We can speak on the telephone, or by video chat, so you can see the car in real time, and you are even welcome to fly here and test drive the vehicle yourself if you wish.

When you decide to buy, we deliver your car to the port of Valencia free of charge, and complete all the export paperwork on your behalf.  We offer two different shipping services. “Standard” shipping and “Personalized” shipping. Standard shipping cost is a flat rate of $3900 to your choice of New York, NY, Baltimore, MD, or Houston, TX and when the car arrives in the USA we complete all the import documentation on your behalf to make sure the vehicle is fully cleared and ready for pickup.  No additional costs.  You pay nothing more.  No duties, no port fees, nothing.  $3900, port-to-port.  You just pick it up at the port of your choice and take it home.

Don’t want to collect it from a port? No stress. We work with trucking companies who will collect it and bring it directly to your driveway, and rates are extremely reasonable.

We have shipped and delivered more than 300 vehicles to buyers throughout the USA, Europe and destinations further afield. Delivery is a well-oiled machine, and you don’t need to do anything - the process is handled for you.

Once you have the vehicle in your possession, we make sure you have all the documents you need to register the car in your state, quickly and easily.

You get the car you want at a European price, and you get the delivery to the USA at cost.  Best of all, you have a team of proven professionals who guide you every step of the way to make sure things go quickly and smoothly.

Not American?  It doesn't matter where you live, the same process applies.  We'll help you get your new car from our showroom to your garage, anywhere in the world, at cost. We have successfully shipped vehicles to Canada, the Middle East, major European ports, the Caribbean and more.

Frequently asked questions about our process…

“How are you able to sell restored vehicles so inexpensively?”
With few exceptions, we are not selling ‘restored’ vehicles at all. We are selling used vehicles. Even when we custom build them for ourselves or for customers, refinish and repaint the bodywork, reupholster the interiors, fit new wheels and tires, fully check them mechanically, the final result is still a used vehicle. Great running and driving, safe, reliable and honest, but you can expect them to have many of the characteristics of any 25, 30, 35 year old four-wheel-drive vehicle, both good and bad. Are you looking for more of a restored vehicle? We can certainly restore one for you to your specifications, and have done so in the past. Body-off strip and restore, with rebuilds of the major mechanical components, and much, much more. In general, this type of comprehensive overhaul is around four times the price of our normal used vehicle builds.

“How does shipping work and how much does it cost?”
We currently offer two different shipping and delivery services to the USA. Our “standard” shipping and our “personalized” shipping. Both services are all-inclusive, meaning they include shipping to the USA, customs paperwork on both sides of the trip, US Customs duties, clearance and release, port fees, brokerage charges, etc. You just pick the car up at the port and take it home.

Standard shipping costs $3900 and includes the above services, with your car delivered via “RoRo” dedicated car-carrying ship to either New York, NY, Baltimore, MD, or Houston, TX. It is all-inclusive, so you just pick the car up at the port and take it home. No additional charges. Standard shipping usually averages around 8 weeks for delivery and clearance in the USA.

Our “Personalized” shipping is also available, and offers similar service but to more ports. Your vehicle will go alone, in a 20’ shipping container. We can ship by container to pretty much any port in the world, but particularly of late, container shipping of vehicles has become expensive. In most cases, if you are in the United States, it is cheaper and easier to ship the car to one of our standard ports and have it collected there by truck and transported directly to your home. This results in “door to door” service and prices are usually less expensive than personalized container shipping. Contact us to discuss the best options for your needs.

"What is included in the shipping cost to the USA?"
The short answer is everything, from our dealership in Spain to the port of your choice. We cover everything.  Delivery to the port of departure here in Spain, export paperwork and fees, shipping, importation paperwork and duties in the USA, port fees, customs brokerage fees... everything.  You just collect the car at the port and take it home.  No additional costs, with exception of full-coverage cargo insurance, which is optional.

"I live in Vancouver.  Can you ship the car to Canada?" 
Sure.  We currently offer Personalized shipping to Halifax. Contact us for current pricing.

"What about a different port.  Can you ship it to Toyko?"
Sure.  We can ship the car to you anywhere in the world.  We might not always be able to help with customs at the destination, depending on your location, but drop us a line with your needs and we can get a quote together for getting it to you.

"I need door-to-door delivery to my home.  What's the price?"
We can certainly provide door-to-door delivery, but it is difficult to provide a precise quote in advance.  It depends on where you are and how much local trucking costs to get the car from the closest port to you door.  If live close to one of our destination ports, it's usually quite reasonable.  A few hundred dollars or thereabouts.  If you live very far from one of our destination ports, it can be $2000 or more to truck it your driveway.  Contact us with exactly where you live and we can give you a rough idea.

"How long does shipping to the USA take?"
Well, a lot depends on the destination and the time of the year, but the boat itself takes around three weeks to sail from Spain to any of the destination ports in the USA listed above.  And boats leave about every 3 weeks.  Then figure a week on either side for customs. So assume somewhere around 7-8 weeks from the time we receive payment, as a rough figure, until the car is cleared and released at its destination.  Once we have the name of the boat your vehicle is booked onto, we'll give it to you so you can track the boat online, using one of the many vessel tracking websites on the internet.

"Do I have to ship with you?"
No, of course not.  If you would rather handle the shipping yourself, you are more than welcome to do that.

"How do I get a title in my state?"
In 49 states, the process is quite easy and you will almost invariably walk into your local Division of Motor Vehicles and walk out with your title and registration that same day.  (For California buyers, see separate question below.)  When you buy a vehicle from us, we send the paperwork to you separately, by UPS international express, as well as clear, simple instructions and advice for obtaining the title.  All the vehicle documentation will arrive in your hands before the vehicle gets to the port.  With this paperwork, and the documents you receive from the relevant government agencies when the car is cleared through the port of your choice, you will have everything you need to title and register the vehicle.  We will walk you through the whole process.  It is not complicated, 100% legal and correct, and we are always here to help if needed. We have shipped nearly 300 vehicles to USA buyers at this point, and every buyer has received their title and tags easily, in short order.

"Can I register the vehicle in California?"
The answer depends on what type of vehicle we are talking about.  For 1979 and older diesel-powered vehicles, or for 1968 and older gasoline-powered vehicles, our understanding is that you can title and register in California without major hassle.  For 1980 and newer diesels, however, or for 1969 and newer petrol-powered cars, the process becomes more difficult.  Many people have different interpretations of the California laws regarding this, and many people have had wildly divergent personal experiences registering imported vehicles in California, so if you plan to register in California it would be wise to consult with knowledgeable professionals in the State of California before buying a car from us.  Registering it in any other state, however, will not be a problem. For more information on direct California registration of imports, see: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr09a

“How can you be sure the mileage is original?”
We can’’t. No one can. We list the indicated mileage, and we inspect each vehicle thoroughly and service it fully, and make sure it is healthy and strong and in proper working order when it leaves us. With vehicles which are 25, 40, even 60 years old? Many of which have 5-digit odometers? No one can verify mileage 100%. But after a certain amount of time mileage isn’t important anymore. Condition is the only thing which truly matters, and servicing and repair takes care of that.

"Can you help me import a vehicle that is less than 25 years old?"
No.  In almost all cases, importing a vehicle which was manufactured less than 25 years ago is illegal and we do not import such vehicles.

“I found a car I want to buy in Europe. Can you just ship it to me?”
No, regrettably we are no longer offering this service. We only ship the cars we own and sell from our facility here in Pedreguer.

"I have heard horror stories about imported vehicles being seized at the port, or even from an owners home, and crushed!  How do I know my purchase will arrive safely?"
These 'horror stories' are common internet fodder, and serve to discourage many people from importing a vehicle from another country.  The bottom line though, is that the laws are very clear, and the process of legal importation is a safe and proven one.  The only time anyone has any difficulty is if they are trying to operate illegally, swapping VIN plates or doing something unethical to scheme the system.  We only import vehicles which are 100% legal for import to the USA, with clear, legal paperwork, and we only import them 100% by-the-book, using an established Customs Broker in the USA. Playing by the rules makes everything very straightforward, and we play by the rules.

"I'd love an excuse to visit Spain.  Do you offer any kind of 'European Delivery' option?"
Sure!  If you would like to drive your vehicle in Europe before shipping it to the USA, you are more than welcome to do so.  You can come to our facility in Pedreguer, Spain (about an hour south of Valencia), collect the car, and drive it anywhere you like, for up to 60 days, entirely legally.  When you are finished touring, you simply drop the vehicle back off at our facility in Denia and we will get it to the port and ship it to the USA for you. We can even arrange bespoke vintage vehicle holidays for you, tailored to your specific needs and passions. Want to tour the Spanish wine regions? Visit historic sites? Do some overlanding and off-grid camping? Let us know and we’ll make it happen.

"Who is responsible if the vehicle is damaged during shipment?"
We primarily ship your vehicle using a RoRo boat. Each vehicle is driven onto the boat and secured carefully in its own location. It is, by the large, the same way major auto manufacturers ship new cars around the world, and damage with RoRo shipping is exceedingly rare.  That said, we offer cargo transport insurance, which covers the vehicle against total loss, from port to port, for $450 additional. It is an optional service, but if you do not purchase the cargo insurance, damage liability of the shipper is typically limited to US$500.

“How does payment work?”
Payment is by bank transfer. When you wish to buy a vehicle, contact us and we will provide you with a pro-forma invoice with the total cost, including shipping, and complete payment details. Once payment is received, we will ship the vehicle to you. To make things easy for US buyers, we maintain an account here in US Dollars. You pay the US Dollar price for the vehicle, without needing to worry about changing exchange rates.

“Can I pay for the vehicle after I receive it and have it checked out? Is there an escrow option for payment?”
No. The process works the same as it does with any used vehicle purchase anywhere. Nothing leaves our shop until it is paid for in full. In the case of international delivery the process is also handcuffed by the laws relating to such shipments. By law, when a vehicle leaves Spain for the USA, it must be deregistered from the Spanish traffic authority, and when it arrives in the USA all the US Customs documentation and paperwork lists the buyer as the “consignee.” As a result, when it leaves Spain we don’t legally own the vehicle any more, and when it is cleared through Customs in the USA, the buyer is the legal owner. If you decide at a later date you don’t want the vehicle for some reason, legitimate or otherwise, we could not recall it. All your due diligence must be done before the vehicle leaves our shop for the port, and we will help in any way possible to allow you to know precisely what you are buying.

“I want one of your vehicles, but I need a little time. Can I give you a deposit to hold the vehicle for me for a while?”
Unfortunately, no. We do not accept deposits or hold vehicles for people.

“Is there any kind of warranty on the car?”
No. By definition, the vehicles we are selling, whether totally original or refurbished specifically for you, are vintage vehicles, and in most cases vintage off roaders. 4x4’s that are usually at least a quarter century old and many times far older. We buy only the best vehicles we can find, and we do everything in our power to ensure they are ready for daily use when they leave our facility, including a full mechanical check over by a qualified and experienced technician, but they are still vintage vehicles and they will always be vintage vehicles. Like any vintage vehicle, no warranty is provided. For more on this, see "our “Harsh Truths” page, here.

“How reliable are your cars?”
They are as reliable as you would expect a 25, 35 or 45 year old vehicle to be. We start with good, honest vehicles in fully operating condition, and during our builds we check and service and attend to any issues that are noted. And before your car leaves our facility for the port it passes the Spanish national ITV inspection, which is a rigorous safety inspection not dissimilar to the German TüV inspection. When our vehicles leave, they are in good condition, period. But they are old vehicles, and old vehicles can (and will) break down and require servicing and maintenance and repairs. When? No one has a crystal ball. If you require the type of “hands off” reliability you would expect of a new Toyota, you should buy a new Toyota not a 40 year old Land Rover. But in the framework of vintage vehicles? We take enormous steps and spend a great deal of time and money making sure they are healthy and reliable and ready-to-drive-anywhere as we can make them.

Have a question you don't see here?  Drop us a line and we'll be happy to answer it!