Look, you bought your dream car at a dealer in Germany or the Netherlands. It’s paid for. The papers are signed. And now you face the great import dilemma:
How does the machine actually get to Portugal?
Do you think it’s cooler to fly out and drive it back yourself (the famous epic roadtrip home)? Or should you pay a transport company, load the car onto a tow truck, and wait for it to show up at your door?
Martin grabbed the calculator, did the maths without bias, and lays out the reality so you can decide:
The "Bring It on the Truck" Option (Tow) 🚛
- How it works: You pay a transport company, they go to the dealer abroad, load the car, and take about 1 to 2 weeks to deliver it to Portugal.
- The Price: It costs, on average, between €500 and €700 (depending on the area of Germany and the size of the car).
- The Upsides: You don’t lose holiday days at work. You don’t burn through your tyres or add extra kilometres to the engine. It’s the definition of zero effort.
- The Downside: You’ll spend two weeks biting your nails, asking the driver for photos, and missing the pleasure of getting to know your machine straight away.
The "I’ll Fly Out and Drive Back" Option ✈️🚗
- How it works: You catch a low cost flight to Munich or Frankfurt, pick up the car at the dealer, and drive about 2,000 km back across the Portuguese border.
- The Flight: You can get one for €50 to €100 (if you book in advance and travel light).
- The Fuel: If the car burns about 6L/100km, you’ll spend roughly €180 to €200 on diesel/petrol alone.
- The Tolls: Crossing France and Spain isn’t free. Get ready to drop another €100 to €150 on French and Spanish tolls.
- Transit Plates and Insurance: You can’t drive without temporary registration plates and insurance (in Germany they cost between €150 and €250).
- Hotel and Food: Unless you drive 24 hours straight on energy drinks, you’ll sleep one night at a roadside hotel (about €60) and need lunch and dinner (another €50).
- Total for the "Roadtrip": You easily reach €600 or €700.
Martin’s conclusion: Financially, driving back isn’t cheaper than paying for a tow truck. It’s about the same (or slightly more if you go overboard with the meals). The choice comes down to adventure: if you want a brutal roadtrip across Europe and to bond with the car immediately, fly! If you have no patience for driving and can’t lose two days, pay for the transport.
Picked the Roadtrip? Sort Things Out Here Before You Fly!
If you’re one of those people who doesn’t want to miss the magic of crossing Europe with the wheel in your hands, congratulations! You’re going to fly out and drive back.
But… how do you get to the airport in Portugal to catch the outbound flight? If you’ve decided not to blow the car’s budget on early-morning Uber surge fares, the smarter play is to take your current car.
You drive calmly to the airport and hand the keys to Multipark’s Valet Parking team. We park and look after your car here while you fly out to fetch the new "beast".
When you get back from your epic European trip, you arrive in the imported car and pick up your old one at the airport, or you ask a family member to come along to grab one of them. We sort the logistics for you, safely and conveniently!
And the next day? Stress-free, because through our Customs Broker and Legalization services, Multipark and its partners handle everything. From the inspection visit, through customs and IMT, all the way to fitting the Portuguese plates on the car.
You enjoy the roadtrip. We enjoy the bureaucracy. Run your simulation on the Multipark website and pack your bags!
