7 Things to Check Before Buying a Car from Germany

*By Bertram Sargla, Co-founder of Carlytics*

Germany exports more used cars than any other country in Europe. Over 3.5 million secondhand vehicles leave the country every year, heading to Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Spain, and beyond. The prices are attractive, the selection is massive, and German cars have a reputation for being well-maintained.

Not every deal is what it seems, though.

I’ve seen buyers lose thousands of euros on cars with hidden damage, rolled-back odometers, or outstanding finance. Most of these problems are avoidable if you know what to look for.

Seven things you should always check before committing.

1. Run a VIN History Check

This is the single most important step. Takes about two minutes.

Every car has a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number stamped into the chassis, printed on the registration documents, and usually visible through the windshield. That number is tied to the car’s entire life — ownership changes, mileage records, accident reports, recalls, and more.

Services like Carlytics pull data from multiple European registries and cross-reference everything. For €8.90, you get a full picture of the car’s past — roughly what a coffee and a pastry cost at a German motorway stop, but infinitely more useful.

Don’t skip this step. Ever.

2. Verify the TUV (German MOT) History

Germany’s TUV inspection is rigorous. Every car must pass it every two years, and the results are recorded. Ask the seller for the last TUV report. It lists every defect found during inspection — from minor issues like worn wipers to serious problems like corroded brake lines.

If the seller can’t produce the TUV report, that’s a red flag. A car that recently failed TUV might be getting dumped abroad specifically because the repairs would cost more than the car is worth in Germany. That happens more than people realize.

Check the TUV sticker on the rear license plate too. The color and number tell you when the next inspection is due.

3. Compare the Mileage Against German Records

Odometer fraud is rampant in the cross-border used car trade. The EU Parliament estimates it costs European buyers €5.3 billion per year. Germany is ground zero — cars get their mileage rolled back before being exported, sometimes by 100,000 km or more.

Here’s how to catch it: mileage is recorded during every TUV inspection, every service visit, and often during registration changes. A proper VIN check for German cars will show you these historical readings. If the numbers don’t add up — say, 180,000 km in 2023 but suddenly 120,000 km in 2026 — walk away. No negotiation. Just walk.

4. Check for Outstanding Finance

In Germany, cars can be sold while still under a financing agreement. The seller might owe money to a bank, and that lien follows the car. If you buy it, the bank can technically repossess it — even from you, even in another country.

Ask the seller for a “Abmeldebescheinigung” (deregistration certificate) and check whether the car’s registration document (Fahrzeugbrief / Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II) is with the seller or being held by a bank. If the seller only has Part I but not Part II, the car likely has outstanding finance.

5. Inspect for Accident Damage — Properly

German sellers are legally required to disclose known accident damage. But “known” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence.

Look for these physical signs:

– Mismatched paint — check panel gaps and color consistency in daylight
– Welding marks in the trunk, under the hood, or beneath the carpet
– Uneven panel gaps — doors, hood, and trunk should have consistent spacing
– Overspray on rubber seals, trim pieces, or inside door jambs
– New bolts on hinges that should be old and rusty

A paint thickness gauge costs about €30 and can reveal repainted panels in seconds. Worth the investment if you’re buying cars regularly.

6. Understand the Export Paperwork

Buying the car is only half the battle. Getting it legally registered in your home country requires proper documentation:

– Kaufvertrag (purchase contract) — must include both parties’ details, the VIN, price, and mileage
– Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and Teil II — the German registration documents
– COC (Certificate of Conformity) — proves the car meets EU type approval. Without it, you’ll need an individual technical inspection in your country, which can cost €300-€800
– TUV report — the latest inspection result
– Export plates (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) — temporary plates for driving the car home, valid for up to a year

Missing any of these documents can turn a smooth import into a bureaucratic nightmare. Get everything sorted before you hand over money.

7. Don’t Trust the Photos — Visit or Send Someone

Don’t buy a car based on photos alone. Online listings on AutoScout24 and mobile.de are curated to make the car look its best. Angles are chosen carefully. Dents are hidden. Interior shots skip the worn seats. It’s basically real estate photography for vehicles.

If you can’t visit in person, hire a local inspection service. There are companies in Germany that will physically inspect the car, take detailed photos, and give you an honest assessment for €100-€200. Cheap insurance against a bad purchase.

And if the seller pressures you to decide quickly, refuses an independent inspection, or won’t let you take the car to a mechanic — those are all signs something is wrong.

Buying a used car from Germany can save you thousands of euros compared to buying locally. But the savings only matter if the car is actually what the seller claims.

Do your homework. Run the VIN check. Verify the mileage. Check the paperwork. And if something feels off, trust your gut and move on. There are millions of used cars in Germany — you’ll find another one.

A few minutes of research now can save you from months of regret later.

A full vehicle history check costs EUR 8.90. A rolled-back odometer costs EUR 3,000 to EUR 8,000 in lost value, repairs, and resale hit. Run the VIN check before you drive four hours to see the car. It takes sixty seconds. —

Bertram Sargla is co-founder of Carlytics, a European vehicle history service covering 47 countries. He previously built VIN decode systems for European registration data and has spent the better part of a decade tracking how mileage fraud moves across borders