German Tax Back on Car Parts No Longer Possible

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hello,

I was going to buy a set of rims and tires in Germany when one of my colleagues told me that getting the tax back on car parts is no longer possible. Being the skeptic that I am, I looked in the internet if this was true and found this link: http://www.zoll.de/english_version/a...ing/index.html

He was saying that this was put in place a couple of months ago. Does anyone have any recent experience proving otherwise?

2
I had mine done last week in DE, at the border, the German guard just stamped the whole receipt, no editing.

I haven't been back to the garage for the refund yet so I don't know what I'll get back.

Last year, I paid the Swiss duty, and they deducted the fluids from the tax I did have to pay.

This year, on the Swiss side, there was no one there

3
most DE/CHF border crossings I use have nobody there on either side so I have pretty well given up on trying to get duty back. I could go to a major crossing which is mostly manned (not always) but it is too big a diversion; too much effort! & still the risk that there is nobody there when I eventually get there.

4
Hi Clarence,

Did you buy tires or something else?

5
I didn't see any mention of car parts in that link.

Tom

6
Hi Tom,

Somewhere in the top part of the article:

so it got me thinking whether tires and rims are still VAT-exempt...

7
Yes, but I see know mention of car parts.

Tom

8
"goods used as equipment for private vehicles"?

9
I brought a set of winter tyres in Konstanz last Nov and claimed back all the the VAT last Dec, as well as saving a small fortune on the DE pricing.

10
Those are not 'parts'.

Those, as was clearly explained in the document, are things that are normally carried 'in' the car, and are not 'part of' the car, the logic being that simply by fact of being 'in' the car, they are now 'used', and no longer eligible for VAT refund, as only new and unused items are.

Tom

11
quote:

"goods used as equipment for private vehicles of any kind (for example bumpers , outside mirrors , tow ropes and first-aid kits), and.."

I was always of the opinion that "bumpers" and "mirrors" are parts but it is strange that that article mentions "parts" that are located on the outside of a vehicle and not inside it (ie: specifying outside mirrors but not inside mirrors?). I'm sure this is going to cause a lot of confusion at border crossings.

12
By 'outside mirrors' they mean the ones that you add on to the existing ones to see around trailers and other things being towed (and normally carried in your car), not sure what they mean by 'bumpers' (and I did read the original German text), but that's perhaps something used in conjunction with the 'tow rope' to prevent damage when towing, tire chains would also be in this group of equipment I would expect.

Tom

13
thanks for the info!