Purchased this 2018 Camaro SS 1LE expressly to take overseas for several year long job transfer to Stuttgart, Germany.
Bought on 2 July for $8200 off sticker - not exactly what I wanted for options - only desired the 1LE and PDR, but also included the gas cap, trunk mat, wheel locks, and a GM Air Intake (this part led to great challenges).
I planned to purchase early to work out any bugs prior to shipping over. This was a good idea as a simple track event (SCCA Track Night @ Palm Beach International Raceway) resulted in power loss, missing, and Check Engine Light which was eventually traced to a programming discrepancy...computer was not reflashed with the GM Air Intake program during PDI as it was supposed to.
2 trips to the drags, 4 trips to the dyno, 5 dealer visits, 26 days out of service, and 1 Defect Notice (Lemon notification) to Chevrolet resulted in a car that I should have from day one. I'm crossing my fingers damage was not significant to the cats or other parts of the powertrain during nearly 7000 miles of incorrect operation. There is no warranty outside of North America!
See thread here as to not regurgitate the ordeal:
LINK
Quick summary can be shown on the dyno chart below...runs with bad program are the low squiggles with the healthy runs reflected in the higher smooth arcs (405 RWHP / 401 RWTQ on a SAE standardized Dynojet).
The best drag time was a 12.8 @ 112 mph...conditions weren't ideal, but quickest I was going to get it to go that night. Certainly closer to expectation for this car.
With that complete...I was down to literally one day to make the boat drop off - leaving no time to prep the car as planned (fluid change, second set of wheels with preferred all season tires just to suit the German inspection, refined full alignment, etc.) I did get an initial/conservative alignment on the front early on, but had hoped to recheck it again before shipping - no chance with the timeline. Additionally, when the car 'greened-up,' I ordered 4 new Goodyears for it from TireRack...only three came the night before the tire installer was scheduled...UPS lost the 4th tire. So I killed the idea of changing only 3 (sticking those in my household goods shipment) and requesting TireRack forward the lost tire to Germany. UPS eventually found the tire and reshipped to my now vacant residence! Sometimes things don't work out...
Nonetheless, 4-hour drive from Tampa, quick car wash, splash gas (must be below 1/4 tank), and drop off was executed at Port Jacksonville, FL. It was not a reassuring process!
The port escort service was out of a trailer in a dirt lot filled with crashed cars...figured I would get a nail in the tires at the very least along with a nice coat of dirt on the hardly dry car. Took a bunch of images and off we went to the port for drop off.
Essentially no inspection was performed in my presence, a hand written sticker placed on the windshield, and a half filled out dock receipt with a stamp stating 'Received.'
This thread may be very short when the car is lost forever!
Boat sails on 27 Jan with arrival on 13 Feb in Bremerhaven, GE. Then it will be trucked to Stuttgart.
Interesting data point: roll on/roll off shipping cost from Jacksonville, FL to Stuttgart is $1584. The escort service (water port is like airport security) ran another $90. My USAA insurance covers the 'marine' insurance (while at sea) so avoided another extra cost. I've learned marine insurance is typically 2.7% of the value of the car.
Registration/safety inspection will be another challenge with worn summer tires (1.6 mm minimum across entire face) installed as well as front tires that extend past the front fenders (German law prohibits). They way the Goodyears are molded...one segment of the tread is shallower than the rest - unsure how much they will be sticklers...I'm far away from the 2/32 tread wear indicator on the deeper thread.
If I survive this car, hope to have a few European snaps of the car's travels...the way my luck is going - may just wad the car up on the first lap of the Nurburgring (~3 hour drive from Stuttgart). Either way, should be interesting for someone...