Introduction of side airbags from when?

[Jens Lerager]

I am curently considering buying an Espace - probably a diesel from 1998 or newer - and while searching for interesting subjects I seem to have confused myself on the number of airbags. My question then is: from when (or alternatively, in which models) are side airbags introduced.


(btw: should anyone have tried importing a car from either Germany or Sweden to Spain I would very much appreciate your experiences and advice)

Thank you in advance
Jens - Copenhagen

[Lennart Sorth]

(btw: should anyone have tried importing a car from either Germany or Sweden to Spain I would very much appreciate your experiences and advice)

Hi Jens, and welcome aboard!

As our family is divided into two countries, we do consider selling our Espace.

You've got a PM here on this site.

/Lennart

[Anders Dinsen]

Hi Jens

I too would like to welcome you on the forum. Side airbags are introduced around 2000 at roughly the same time the DCI engine was introduced.

I have imported three cars myself and helped a couple of people import Espace's, and it has been a good idea if you can't find a good car here in Denmark. There's usually a few good ones to select from in even a small region of Germany, and prices have been attractive. More so for the petrol fueled ones, however, than for the diesels.  Feel free to e-mail me or post questions here.

(I know Lennarts car, and it's a very good one - so you should definetely check it out!)

/Anders

[Matra_Hans]

Also a warm welcome to the forum from me.
I imported a 1998 Grand Espace diesel from Germany to Denmark in November last year.
I agree with the comments made by Anders however I think that diesels are coming down in price too in Germany due to the new environmental restrictions coming up in the major German cities. The 115 HP diesel Espace will get a red environmental plaquette which will restrict driving in the cities, and the newer 130 HP version will get a yellow (I believe) which will also give some restrictions.
If you are still looking for an Espace after checking out Lanneret’s Espace you are most welcome to contact me with a PM.

Hans

[Jens Lerager]

Thank you for welcoming me and for your answers to my question.

Buying a car with paid danish registration tax is probably not a real option, as the limitations to how much you can have refunded will make it a bad deal compared to buying a german or swedish car and driving it directly to Spain for registration. As far as I have figured it out untillnow anyway - this whole deal with importing and exporting cars is all new to me. The reason I´m looking into buying one in either S or D instead of waiting until we have moved to Spain, is that it would be nice to be able to drive it there, loaded with stuff we´d like totake along with us.

[Anders Dinsen]

Oh well, since you want to move the car to Spain, here's what you should do. Unfortunately the solution means you have to buy the car at most two weeks before you arrive in Spain.

You find your new car in Germany and register it with temporary export license plates. This will allow you (even as a Danish citizen) to drive the car internationally for 15 days. The car even has a minimum insurance. You will then drive the car back to Denmark, load it, and head off to Spain, where you import it.

The only thing to be aware of with this scheme is, that the Danish tax authorities don't like you to drive your car here with the temporary German plates on, so you should either buy Danish temporary plates for the times you are driving it here, or leave the country again as quickly as possible. Theoretically, I think you may end up paying tax for the days you have been driving it here in Denmark, but the police will generally not worry much, as it's your car, it's insured, and you are not trying to escape tax as such.

The most correct scheme would however be to drive to Germany, find the car, register it, and take it Spain directly.

/Anders

[Jens Lerager]

Thank you very much Anders. I guess that´s the solution I´ll end up choosing.
I still have a few unknowns in the scheme that I have to figure out though. First and foremost the tax rules in Spain but I believe I´ll figure that out soon, with the help of a frined who speaks Spanish a lot better than I do 
Another alternative would be Sweden - among other things interesting becuase of the low value of the swedish currency. However, it seems that exporting a car from Sweden is a bit more troublesome.

And once again thanks a lot. I´ve claimed (and still do) to be editing the best brand-specific car-forum in Denmark (citronik.dk - ´There you have it, a little marketing  ) but Matrasport surely seems to be a oth friendly and informative place.