Firebirds and Mustangs in Austria?

[SLP]

a Mustang ist not such a "problem" like a Firebird.

don´t worry, drive a ´stang!

What is the problem with the Firebird?

Thanks.

for me and in my own opinion there is no Problem with a Firebird.
But in some people´s opinion ist a "Zuhälterauto" ...
A Mustang is more "common"...

You say common as in there are more Mustangs than Firebirds or common as in more ordinary?

And what exactly qualifies as a Zuhälterauto in Austria? In the U.S. is basically an older car such as a Cadillac or Lincoln with extravagant accessories. Thanks.

[SLP]

You can drive a Mustang, Firebird or other Zuhältercar...its almost ready. But ...if you drive a Diesel Volkswagen...you soon will be hanging on the next tree.

I'm afraid I didn't get your joke.

[Elrond]

You can drive a Mustang, Firebird or other Zuhältercar...its almost ready. But ...if you drive a Diesel Volkswagen...you soon will be hanging on the next tree.

LOL

Sadly those Tractorcars are almost everywhere like a plague

[SLP]

for me and in my own opinion there is no Problem with a Firebird.
But in some people´s opinion ist a "Zuhälterauto" ...
A Mustang is more "common"...

In general I think the Mustang is the most common known US-Car in Austria. If you ask "normal" People if they know a Car from the U.S. you will mostly get as Answer: Ford Mustang

I see. So you must pay this for every car?

By the way, I would not be importing or buying new. I would buy an used one already in Austria.

Thanks.

Edit: I see there are different prices for new and old. What is considered old?

And is this plus insurance all you need to pay to have the car in Austria?

I'm wondering how much for insurance.

Yes, we pay "Motorsteuer" for every Car depending on Horsepower but we can have up to 3 Cars registered to one Set of License Plates. Then only the Car with the most Horsepower counts for the Tax. The Insurance is hard to Answer because it is calculated individually and it is paid per Car.

Once a Year we must take our Car(s) to the "Pickerl", which consists of a Emissionstest and a check to determine if the car is "roadworthy". This Test costs about 50$ per Car/Year.

We also cannot simply modifiy our Cars, changes like lowering the suspension or bigger Wheels must be Inspected by the State and "Typisiert". Driving without inspected changes can result in big trouble with our Cops...

Upto say about 20-25 Years Cars are just old, 20-25 up to 30 Years is called "Youngtimer" and 30 Years and up is called "Oldtimer", but a 3rd or 4th Gen. Firebird shouldnt be very expensive to Buy. But If you cant fix your Car yourself you need a good or US-Car specialized Mechanic. Parts for our Cars are either direct imported from the U.S. or we buy them at the Us-Car Part Dealer.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Very useful.

So you can't lower the suspension at all? And for the wheels is there a limit that you can change without "Typisiert"? Or any wheel you need to be inspected? I think I have seen people with winter tires in 16 inches and summer tires like in 17 inches or something.

And if you want to lower the car and change the wheels, how difficult is it to pass this "Typisiert" inspection?

Ok. 25 years is a young timer and over 30 years is an oldtimer. Useful info too. So minimum 1990 to be an young timer. I think both the Mustang and the Firebird would be newer than that as I would probably look for a 4th generation for both.

Thanks.

[grant]

in my sign. you can see: i drive a Mustang Gen. IV as a private "funcar"
wheels, aftermarket-exhaust (noise & emissions), headlights, no turning-lights on the frontfender-sides are "typisiert" - that means, this things are remarked in the official car-papers.

btw: in Austria red turninglights are forbidden, you have to change to orange...

[SLP]

So it's not a problem to modify your car? You just have to tell them? But I'm sure there must be things they will easily approve and things they won't?

How is having a Mustang in Austria? You drive it in summer only?

Thanks.

[grant]

sadly, common there is a problem to modify a car (legal).
The mod´s on my ´stang are made in 2001, in this time ist was not such a problem. But today? difficult, very difficult!
Today it takes efford and money and you need confirmations for nearly every aftermarket-part you put in your car...

How is having a Mustang in Austria.... its great
Well, in my neighborhood i am over decades "the crazy one with american cars" and so i´m "accepted"

My Mustang is a convertible and so not at all a winter-car

[superbee]

So it's not a problem to modify your car? You just have to tell them? But I'm sure there must be things they will easily approve and things they won't?

How is having a Mustang in Austria? You drive it in summer only?

Thanks.

It is not easy to modify your car! If you do so you have to find an engineer who is approved by the state and writes you an expert opinion which tells the officials that the modification is road safe and complies with certain laws.

Easiest way to drive an old car is to have one that is original. It is basically allowed with old cars, that you perform modifications which are period correct (you will need an expert opinion also here).

I was driving a Camaro of ´74, as a daily driver. The whole year. Be careful, we have lots of "salt" on austrian roads during the winter which will kill old body panels pretty fast.

Generally speaking, prejudices against old us cars are not as common as it used to be. The feedback is usually pretty good.

Some people might be envious because it is not really cheap to have an us car in austria (high taxes for horsepower and gas prices).

My camaro was 1100€ (taxes) and 200€ (cheapest insurance) per year.

Welcome on board!

[SLP]

Thanks guys. It sounds pretty difficult all together.

But if I can find a car in Austria which has already been modified, how do I make sure it was legally modified? I see Firebirds and Mustangs for sale in Austrian sites which don't have the original wheels and are lowered. Should I just trust the seller did it legally?

[SLP]

By the way, this is the AMG I showed to an Austria and he said it was a "Zuhälterauto". I just don't see it. It's not even that heavily modified. I think it's pretty classy actually.



So I wonder what does it take for a car to be considered a "Zuhälterauto" in Austria?



Thanks

[grant]

usually all mod´s should be written in the papers (usually in the "Einzelgenehmigung")

a photo from mine (part "Ausnahmen"):

[Gustavltd]

Some Years ago only rich people could aford an expensive (looking) car.

And if you are a manager you bought a big Mercedes, BMW or AUDI. Verry rich a Maserati, Rolls Royce,.......

And the only people who had much money and didn´t care for what people say about them bought them self a car which was not the rule (us-cars, Mercedes coupes,....) where mostly man who had some girl working on "the back" for him or owner of an striptease bar/night club.
They are called "Zuhälter/Strizi...."

Hope you get the picture.

Gus

[SLP]

usually all mod´s should be written in the papers (usually in the "Einzelgenehmigung")

a photo from mine (part "Ausnahmen"):

Ah, OK. This is very useful info. Thanks.

But you would need to know exactly what the car had originally in order to know if all the modification are listed in this document and avoid buying a car with unlisted modifications and get in trouble.

Sounds quite unnecessarily complicated, if I may say so.

[SLP]

Some Years ago only rich people could aford an expensive (looking) car.

And if you are a manager you bought a big Mercedes, BMW or AUDI. Verry rich a Maserati, Rolls Royce,.......

And the only people who had much money and didn´t care for what people say about them bought them self a car which was not the rule (us-cars, Mercedes coupes,....) where mostly man who had some girl working on "the back" for him or owner of an striptease bar/night club.
They are called "Zuhälter/Strizi...."

Hope you get the picture.

Gus

So basically if you drive anything out of the normal, it's a Zuhälterauto?

[SLP]

So in other words, just to make sure I understood it, cars like,

Jaguar XJS
Jaguar XK8
Any AMG
BMW 850i
Corvette
Camaro
Firebird
Mustang
Challenger
Crossfire
Alfa Romeo GTV or Spyder etc

are all Zuhälterautos?

And what type of image Mercedes has in Austria? In the UK and USA it's a status symbol. I think in Austria and Germany probably not so much?

Thanks.