• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

Unusual sighting- Mercedes van with European plates

Reworked LMTV

Well-known member
1,449
1,124
113
Location
TN
I have seen a lot of World, but had never seen this. Today I saw a Mercedes Van / Camper where the ONLY plates on it were from Germany. No State plates, nada. Apparently there is a Federal Law that allow you to import a vehicle into the US, and drive it for up to a year, without having to have it State registered. I see it can be extended for up to 5 years.
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
15,677
21,611
113
Location
Burgkunstadt, Germany
Nothing new. It works in both directions. Many, many years ago, hitchhiking through Spain, I caught a ride with a guy who was trying to spend the rest of his life touring the world in a ford pickup truck, with a cover on the back. He had plates from California. I have seen several others since. It's the same with drivers licenses. Any German, for instance, can drive a car in the States for up to a year. How do you think tourists can drive in the States. My last time home, I had 4 drivers licenses in my pocket, but my Texas license was no longer good. Two years expired. Since 9/11, renewal of a license is tough, unless you can do it in your home state. I whipped out my German license, and the lady at Alamo didn't even blink an eye.
 

Reworked LMTV

Well-known member
1,449
1,124
113
Location
TN
Most tourists DON'T bring their vehicle. They rent.

A Driver's License and Registration are two different things. Heck you can get an International Drivers License.

I'm taking about motor vehicle registration / license plates ONLY. Having only foreign plates is quite uncommon.



Nothing new. It works in both directions. Many, many years ago, hitchhiking through Spain, I caught a ride with a guy who was trying to spend the rest of his life touring the world in a ford pickup truck, with a cover on the back. He had plates from California. I have seen several others since. It's the same with drivers licenses. Any German, for instance, can drive a car in the States for up to a year. How do you think tourists can drive in the States. My last time home, I had 4 drivers licenses in my pocket, but my Texas license was no longer good. Two years expired. Since 9/11, renewal of a license is tough, unless you can do it in your home state. I whipped out my German license, and the lady at Alamo didn't even blink an eye.
 
Last edited:

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,088
9,248
113
Location
Mason, TN
This guy from dubai gets stopped alot in this video here in the states. Flies is lambo in to drive then flies it home
 
Last edited:

Trailboss

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,577
137
63
Location
Norwood LA
Seen a few high-priced foreign-tagged vehicles like camper vans and earthroamer-types on the interstate and in national parks from Europe, as well as hundreds of Canadian and Mexican vehicles, which, as you stated, can stay in the country for up to a year.

One couple shipped their Honda Groms (124cc / 10 hp motorcycle) from New Zealand to NY, rode them 45 days from NY to TN, then across the country on the Trans-American Trail (TAT). Then they shipped them back to New Zealand. Sounds like a lot of trouble but if you bring it in, you have to take it out, can't sell it in the US. Probably the only other option is renting. As an alien, they could buy a vehicle, but I don't know if they could tag it without a resident address (well, maybe in CA).
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks