Registering a UK car in Berlin

This week, I finally completed the registration of my UK car in Berlin and in case anyone out there is thinking of doing the same I hope the following information will be of help. Someone a while ago had posted the procedure for doing this in Munich which I found very helpful. This is the updated version.

1.I moved to Berlin in October last year and decided after a few months not to take the car back to the UK to sell it. Therefore, I wrote to the DVLC explaining that the export had already taken place and enclosed the completed V5C/4.

2.My UK insurance expired in December and I had the problem of finding an insurance company that would insure a UK car without a Germany number plate. After much searching I found a reference on this forum for Goddard Insurance Services and the office was coincidentally only a 5 minute walk from where I live. My car was insured with AXA with UK number plates. So for reference the telephone no. of Goddard is 030/8335088 and they were a pleasure to do business with – not to be sniffed at in Berlin! Do not forget your UK no claims letter.

3.I then arranged for a TUV at Alboinstr. 12103 Berlin56 tel:030/75621545. Take the V5 form along. When a car is imported a Voll Gutachten is required this cost 142 Euros and took about 45 minutes. Unfortunately, (but not unexpected) I had to replace the front headlamps and also swap sides with the rear fog light. I got the work done at a garage local garage and then took the car back to the TUV for the final approval.

4.Flushed with success - next step was to take on the KFZ Zulassungsstelle in Juteborgstr and that went much better than expected. Go to the information desk and they will give you a registration form, complete it and then take it to the 3rd floor. Take a number from the machine and wait to be called. You will need: proof of insurance, V5 document, TUV documents and passport. Hand these over and choose a registration number. If you want a special registration you can reserve one at www.berlin.de wunschKenzichen. I did not reserve one so not tried and tested. Go outside the building purchase your new number plates from one of the ubiquitous shops (around 35 euros). Remove your UK plates and take them back to the 3rd floor and hand them over. You will be given an invoice for 50 euros, take this to another office just along the corridor the lady will give you a credit type card which you then take to the Kasse close by, pay the money and go back and collect your shiny new number plates. Do not forget to get the new umwelt disc if you intend to drive into the City many garages issue these as do the TUV for 5.50 euros. If you get caught without a disc I think it's 40 euros and a point on your licence. That's it.

Ok all well said and done but what was the whole cost then including the work for your head lamps and fog lights?

Excellent, I am now armed with the information I came for. Is your car now a RHD vehicle registered in Germany ?

The info here is very helpful, it feels like I've spent a lifetime already on the phone and www trying to understand exactly what changes will be required to my car (Audi A2 driven over from UK). Not helped by my extreme lack of German - though in my defence we've only been here two weeks and are signing up for lessons now. So far my understanding is that I'm going to need new LHD headlights, possibly a change to rear fog light - plus of course additional winter tyres.
My question is: Does anyone know a good, reliable, not extortionate garage in P'ber/F'hain where the staff speak English? Realise this may be a tall order, and hopefully in one year my German will be good enough to go anywhere, but right now it would be a godsend. Thanks in anticipation, B