Grey imports of motorhomes - how does it work? This Sunday, we're taking a look at this hot and controversial topic. The word 'grey import' is sometimes used in the motorhome context almost as a term of abuse and sounds like something that happens in the 'twilight zone', even though it is actually perfectly legal.
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ShareIt is not easy to make sense of this soup, which is sometimes as murky as a grey water tank, but we have tried. During the week, we spoke to both companies and individuals with experience of grey imports, and today we present our findings.
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What are grey imports of motorhomes?
"Grey import" sounds a bit weird, but the fact is that it's perfectly legal to grey import motorhomes in the EU. Maybe it shouldn't even be called grey import, but since that's the term used by the whole market, we do it too. We have no personal experience of grey imports, but have become curious because there has been so much talk about this recently.
What exactly is grey import of motorhomes and what does it mean if you want to grey import? This week, we talked to three different motorhome companies and some private individuals with experience of grey imports. We tell you what we found and hope that you will contribute with your experiences or thoughts!
How to describe grey imports of motorhomes
It is not easy to find good information about grey imports online, but on Husvagnsguiden.se and in Campagon's industry lexicon you can read exactly the same wording. They say that grey imports are "caravans and motorhomes imported via companies, without being sold via a Swedish authorised dealer".
Further reading reveals that grey imports are associated with certain risks for the customer. It says, among other things, that "the state has the opportunity to claim VAT from both the importer and the customer who bought the vehicle", that in the event of a guarantee error, the customer must "turn to the grey importer for help, who in turn may contact the dealer", that "grey imported caravans/motorhomes are often significantly less well equipped than those sold in Sweden" and that "the resale value of an imported vehicle is lower than that of a vehicle sold in Sweden".
Grey imports of motorhomes via companies
A company that is not an authorised dealer of a motorhome brand and imports directly, without a general agent in between, may end up selling its motorhomes at a lower price than the authorised dealers.
Since there is free trade within the EU, this is perfectly legal, but it is frowned upon by the large general agents because they face competition from companies selling similar motorhomes at a lower price. The authorised dealers, of course, want to keep the market, so we understand that the general agents are trying to play hardball to minimise grey imports. So, what can they do?
It is common in many industries to put pressure in various ways. For example, we have been told that the spare parts market can be told that "if you deliver to companies that import grey, we will take our spare parts from elsewhere" (external spare parts). We've also been told that some branded workshops avoid fixing warranty defects on grey imported motorhomes, even after receiving the OK from the manufacturer, explaining that they "don't have the time".
Equipment for grey imports
There are reports that grey imported motorhomes may be less well equipped than those sold on the Swedish market. Is this true? According to the companies we spoke to, this can sometimes be true, as some motorhomes imported through authorised dealers are equipped with a "Scandinavian Edition" package, adapted for our Nordic climate.
However, according to the same company, there is often no difference at all. Moreover, the motorhomes produced for German consumers and the German climate often work in Sweden as well. This can thus be a real difference sometimes, but it can sometimes also be exaggerated.
Guarantee for grey imports
Another thing you can read is that it can be difficult to get help in the event of a guarantee error, and we have received confirmation that this can sometimes indeed be the case. There is a European guarantee, and according to it, you have the right to get help with guarantee issues regardless of where you are in Europe, but in practice it is not so easy.
When you bring a grey imported motorhome to a branded workshop in Sweden, they may not be keen to help, which may be because they are unsure whether they will receive compensation from the factory. To get help, it is likely that you will first have to contact the grey importer, who in turn will have to contact the dealer in, for example, Germany. But, as we described above, even after this has been done, it has sometimes been difficult to get help...
Grey imports as a private individual
We've spoken on the phone with some private individuals who have bought their motorhomes themselves in Germany, and they've told us that, if you have the time and are reasonably knowledgeable, you can get a really good deal and save several hundred thousand euros.
In addition to "cutting a link", we were told that motorhomes in Germany are often sold in simpler halls, which ultimately results in a lower price for the customer. One person told us that a motorhome that cost almost 1.3 million here in Sweden (new) was sold for 880 thousand in Germany (six months old, but the same brand and the same equipment).
We have realised that, in several ways, it is cheaper to buy a car that is not brand new when you buy it in Germany. In addition to the fact that an older car has dropped in price, you also avoid paying some of the VAT that you would otherwise have to pay in Sweden. What applies is that the motorhome must be at least six months old and have covered at least 600 kilometres to avoid a large part of the VAT that you would otherwise have to pay on a new car.
There are many motorhome owners who have set up this system, and who then make a profit when they sell their motorhomes in Sweden. There is free competition and the European guarantee should apply, so why not?
Competition in the industry
Competition can be tough, but is necessary to keep prices from being too high for us consumers. Of course, there are always some who want to use mafia methods to stifle development, and most of the people we spoke to talk about groups of retailers and general agents who are like a family where everyone is pulling in the same direction. Everyone knows everyone, the people on the boards are related, and everyone has each other's backs, as perhaps in many industries.
Of course, the big motorhome companies won't go under - they've weathered stormy winds before - but new times with more competition may benefit us motorhome owners in the future. No matter how you buy your motorhome, don't forget that there are margins in this business! Get three bids from three different dealers and see where you get the best price!
How do you think?
As usual, we are curious about your thoughts and concerns! What are your views on grey imports of motorhomes?
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Nils-Åke Hansson says:
We have taken the safe route and shopped here at home. But to buy a more expensive motorhome 1.4 million new in 2006, we bought from a dealer who had one for sale that had travelled 1200 miles about a year old and it was a good deal for us.
But I know several people who have bought in Germany and many of them drive down there and service their cars.
25 March 2018 - 9:06
Matts Torebring says:
We ourselves would not even think of buying an imported or importing a vehicle ourselves. We never put price as the first criterion. First and foremost, it is the way we are treated where we shop, number two, getting the car equipped to suit our requirements, then comes proximity to service and, not least, help with warranty issues.
But it's nice that everyone can choose to do what they want, within the limits of the law. When we have replaced our motorhomes, we have been around within about ten kilometres and negotiated. On one occasion, we saved eighty thousand kronor.
25 March 2018 - 9:11
Anna says:
We got lots of tips from all over the place about importing ourselves when we told them we were buying a motorhome. We thought it was a lot to familiarise ourselves with before the purchase anyway so importing never came up as a current choice for us. Then I agree with Matt above, the price is not always the most important... there are many advantages to buying locally.
25 March 2018 - 9:43
Steve says:
"Grey imports" sounds more dramatic than what it actually is as I interpret it. As stated in some comments, it depends a lot on what you as a buyer prioritise and how knowledgeable you are. About the industry as such, specifically about motorhomes and of course how driven you are to do business. Of course, it is important to weigh safety against risk. In other words, not too different from other major deals I do as a consumer.
25 March 2018 - 10:20
Ama de casa says:
As you know, I don't have much experience with motorhomes, but we imported our car to Spain when we moved here. Mostly because we used it as a "moving car" with the pinals we felt we could not do without. Bought a new car in Sweden that we stuffed full of stuff (mostly computers as I remember... 😉 ) and brought it here.
Did things in the wrong order. Had a setback with the new car and the VAT... This is because we registered here in Torrevieja about a week early. You have one month (if I remember correctly) to bring certain things with you VAT-free, but that time expired before we got to the point and then the car was also a week too new to be counted as old enough... Damn annoying, but there were so many things to check and read when we emigrated / immigrated and you may not be able to think of everything...
Well, that's all forgotten now - at least until I was reminded here 😉 😀 .
25 March 2018 - 10:37
Helena says:
But how annoying! Not easy with all the rules ... Fortunately, most things are forgotten over time (until you happen to be reminded in a blog post ;)).
25 March 2018 - 20:12
Kurt says:
From experience, warranty measures work on vehicles sold in Sweden. If you buy a new "right" vehicle elsewhere, there is a high probability that you will not get the fault fixed near your home town but will have to go to the place of sale. Often far away.
To pay dearly here in Sweden for poor service and simply bad guarantees or none at all, well, then we go abroad. At home we don't buy anything new.
Met a couple who bought a new Bürstner in 2012, fridge that worked poorly or not at all. Much struggle and it ended up that the fridge was repaired with the involvement of the insurance company, 5 years later. The car bought new in Sweden! One of many.
A recreational vehicle sold in Sweden can actually and is often sold with a so-called RH guarantee, i.e. it is just around the corner. No guarantee at all!
25 March 2018 - 10:44
Kurt says:
From experience, warranty measures on Swedish sold vehicles work BADLY!
it should be regrets the omission of the word Bad.
25 March 2018 - 10:48
Pålle says:
I think it is important to distinguish between PRIVATE IMPORTS and SIDE IMPORTS, and not to call everything "grey imports".
Private import is, as the name suggests, when a private individual buys a (usually used) motorhome in another EU country and brings it into Sweden. The procedure is governed by the same regulations as for all other private imports of motor vehicles, and much information can be found on the Swedish Transport Agency's website.
Side import is when someone (usually a company or an "agent") brings in a motorhome (usually new) without having any agreement with the manufacturer of the motorhome in question. This can be done, for example, by buying the motorhome from a German dealer and then bringing it into Sweden. If the German dealer makes many such transactions, his volume-based bonus with the manufacturer increases, allowing him to keep a low price to his Swedish partner.
Unfortunately, it has become apparent over the years that some people who have engaged in side imports have not fully complied with Swedish regulations, with costly consequences for the buyer as a result.
In the case of the so-called 'Europe Guarantee', this is mainly intended to help people travelling with their motorhome, wherever they are in Europe.
(Moreover, remember that a guarantee is a voluntary commitment and that the conditions are determined by the guarantor).
25 March 2018 - 10:46
Kurt says:
The Consumer Sales Act takes precedence over so-called "guarantees", although many people tend to ignore this.
25 March 2018 - 10:50
Pålle says:
And the Swedish Consumer Sales Act only applies when a private individual buys from a Swedish company.
It therefore does not apply to purchases from a foreign company (e.g. private imports) or if you use an "agent" in Sweden.
25 March 2018 - 11:01
Mikael L says:
I am one of those who brought in vehicles for their own use. Searched in Sweden for the model, but the dealer with his network could not find it with the equipment we wanted. We were offered an equivalent model from another brand at a good price, but we wanted the other one. So we had to investigate the German market, which is much larger, and there we found it with even better equipment at a good price. We are currently thinking of switching to a Niessman Arto 77, but the Swedish organisation has chosen to only pick up the one with the small engine and that is not interesting. So the risk is great that we will have to look south again when the time comes.
25 March 2018 - 11:36
Mikael L says:
In other words, it's not just the lower price that attracts people to buy abroad, but the wider choice.
25 March 2018 - 11:38
Lars Permelin says:
I have been reading about grey imports on various forums for many years. I think it's good to have competition and believe it benefits us consumers. We originally chose to buy Swedish-made motorhomes and have continued to do so. We believe that we want to favour Swedish companies so that they have the opportunity to expand and build functional service facilities for motorhomes. Similar to what Bossings in Linköping and Caravanhallen in Haninge have done.
25 March 2018 - 12:05
Bengt Håkansson says:
I have imported 6 motorhomes for my own use over 10 years.
The reason is of course the price.
The difference is approximately from 1300000 to 850000kr.
Traders have themselves to blame when they charge such excessive prices.
Feel free to call it parallel imports.
Regards
Bengt Håkansson
25 March 2018 - 12:59
Per-Ove Carlsson says:
Hello Bengt,
I see that you wrote a post on this page. According to the date stamp, the post seems to be from yesterday 25/4 2018. See that you are experienced in the import of motorhomes. Looking for current information on importing a campervan probably from Germany. Have a limited experience of "importing" some cars and motorbikes from Germany during the 90s.
Would like to know what the rules are now in 2018, for importing a second hand campervan with a total weight over 3500kg. Is it as simple as my previous vehicles that I imported in the 90s?
Thanks for the tips.
MVH
P-O Carlsson
26 April 2018 - 14:21
Solan says:
We bought our car new through a recommended agent. Have had no problems whatsoever with workshops in Sweden.
However, we prefer to service and possibly repair the car in Germany. We book well in advance...never any problems. We feel "super safe" ?
25 March 2018 - 14:20
BP says:
Here, reading your post is almost as interesting as reading the comments.
25 March 2018 - 18:48
annar says:
It's a shame that it's called grey import, because it's perfectly legal. Our car was imported by someone who does this, and we in turn bought it from the Swede who first bought the car. His changed family situation made him sell. We got a lot of car for the money and Bengtiorkelljunga who imports the car has been easy to deal with. We intend to switch to a fully integrated and we feel that the company is completely fair in the price discussion of a slightly more expensive and more exclusive car. Not everyone sees this with self-import as a problem, they import themselves.
25 March 2018 - 20:56
Helena says:
Agree that the word "grey imports" is probably misused (even by us now, but we chose it because it was the word we wanted to raise and discuss), and makes it sound like it's always some kind of shady business.
27 March 2018 - 8:15
Husbilen Helge says:
We think the most important thing is that the buyer is aware that there may be problems with servicing and the like with an imported car. We do not want to use the term "grey import" if the seller in Sweden reports the correct VAT etc.
We ourselves have always bought our motorhomes from the general agent because we have received a good price, good service and treatment, i.e. safety is a priority.
25 March 2018 - 21:45
Helena says:
I agree, we should probably differentiate the terms! And yes, even if it is legal, it is good for the buyer to be aware of what it can and cannot mean.
27 March 2018 - 8:16
Rolle o Carina says:
We prefer to buy through Swedish traders, we have done that with 4 of them now!
And it's so good to have traders close by in case of trouble 🙂 .
Take care..........
25 March 2018 - 21:53
Kors och Tvärs says:
We have had motorhomes since 2001 and all brand new and all bought in Sweden. What we notice lately is that the dealer in the neighbourhood is more and more unwilling to help with small faults. Then you are referred to the one you bought the car from. I think this is largely due to the number of motorhomes today, compared to the early/mid 2000s. We were unique in 2001 who came as a family, with two children and I think there were 5 more in the whole of Borlänge with a motorhome 😉.
26 March 2018 - 8:19
Elisabeth says:
I think grey import is a deplorable word that should be banned. Each person's needs and wallet must determine where they buy. I think there should be more of an attack on the cartelisation of the sellers. This is not something that benefits us consumers. It only gives rich traders, who are more concerned with selling at any price and losing the service part.
26 March 2018 - 21:01
Lars Svenningsson says:
Our flatbed was bought in Pukavik. It should have cruise control according to the description but it did not.
On a later visit, one was fitted free of charge. That was nice!
Lasse S
30 March 2018 - 9:55
Yngve Görgött 3 says:
In 2017 we were going to buy a motorhome. We had looked around and decided on a Hymer B704 with some equipment. Saw on German sites that Hymercenter in Cologne had a couple of used ones that suited us. Had gone about 700 miles and almost 6 months in the register, model year 2017. The price for it in Germany ended up at 970,000: - fully imported (A few days after the 6-month limit) and registered in Sweden.
I asked the Hymer Centre in Sweden what a similar new one would cost with equivalent equipment and got the answer about 1.5 MSEK. When I then replied that the corresponding car in Germany cost half a million less, they said that "yes, but then it is an imported car" my answer was that if their Hymer cars are not imported, I wonder where the Hymer factory is in Sweden. Then they became unresponsive.
I'm aware that I don't have a dealer's warranty, but with a half-million dollar discount I can pay for any faults myself. Besides, that warranty is pretty short.
For 3 years there has been nothing wrong and we are very happy.
Now we will sell the car and it will be interesting to see what the price will be. I actually think that we will have had the car almost for free during these years.
Does anyone have a similar experience.
06 September 2020 - 9:55
Fredrik says:
A friend of mine bought an older Euramobil from a dealer in southern Sweden who was having problems and received no help, but the dealer said that the problems were natural for an older car. Such dealers make people grey imports when the rumour spreads.
20 February 2021 - 18:36