EU new cars for dealers: sourcing, prices and processing

What an EU new car is — and what it is not

For VAT purposes a vehicle counts as new if it has covered no more than 6,000 kilometres or if first registration was less than six months ago. One criterion is enough. This has a practical consequence: intra-Community acquisition of a new vehicle is always taxed in the country of destination, even where the buyer is not a business. An EU new car differs from a pre-registration, which has already been registered once, shows a previous keeper in the papers and trades as a used vehicle even at zero kilometres. A classic re-import is also not an EU new car: there, a vehicle built for the home market is brought back after delivery.

How the purchase price is formed

Every calculation starts from the manufacturer gross list price in the country of origin. The net list price follows by removing local VAT — in Germany by dividing by 1.19. Agreed purchasing terms then apply to that net list price: the brand base discount, model or range campaigns and any loyalty bonus. Only afterwards come items unrelated to the discount, such as delivery, transport and registration in the destination country. Applying the discount to the gross price by mistake overstates the margin by roughly 19 percent. On Worldtrader24 all displayed prices are net dealer prices; country-specific levies are shown separately.

Checking equipment and documents

Equipment scopes differ between markets. Before reserving, check option codes, the standard scope of the trim line, and the language and map version of the navigation system. For registration in the destination country you need the COC document (Certificate of Conformity); it lists technical data in harmonised European form and usually removes the need for individual approval. For electrified vehicles, consumption, range and CO2 figures are mandatory disclosures under the German Pkw-EnVKV rules — without them the vehicle may not be advertised publicly. Every vehicle page on Worldtrader24 shows these values alongside model code, colour and equipment list.

Stock vehicle or factory order

A stock vehicle physically sits with the source dealer and is usually ready for collection within a few business days after payment. A factory order still has to be produced; lead time depends on brand, model range and plant utilisation, typically ranging from a few weeks to several months. Both have their place: stock vehicles cover short-term demand and showroom space, factory orders secure the exact configuration for a specific customer order. The delivery type is stated per vehicle in the search; where no reliable date exists, the listing deliberately says "delivery time on request" instead of an estimate.

Ordering through Worldtrader24

Once approved as a verified business customer you see net prices and the full inventory. The sequence is always the same: reserve the vehicle, receive an offer with all line items, sign the purchase contract, pay a deposit or the full amount, schedule transport or self-collection, receive documents and COC. Every step is traceable in your account, and status changes also arrive in your inbox. Reservations are time-limited on purpose so that one vehicle is never promised to several buyers at once.

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