🇩🇪 We Bought Our First Car in Germany

🇩🇪 We Bought Our First Car in Germany - ALL IN GERMAN!

Рет қаралды 77,960

Күн бұрын

You guys have been waiting for our car update; well, here it is! We moved to Germany in February of 2021 with our four kids (and a cat! 🐱) from America, and we spent the first two and a half months without a car. How did we survive? 🤣 Well, watch our video to find out! You'll also see scenes from our visit to Maria Eck, a monastery, chapel, restaurant, and Klostergasthof with panoramic views of Chiemsee and all the way to Munich.
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🇩🇪 See all of our Life in Germany blog posts and videos here - mymerrymessygermanlife.com
🇩🇪 See our Life in Germany KZfaq playlist here - • Life in Germany
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🇩🇪 See how we spent our first Christmas season in Germany (it was magical!) - • First Time Trying Germ...
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//CHAPTERS - JUMP TO YOUR FAVORITE PART//
0:00 - See scenes from our daily lives and local travels in our area
1:29 - A little bit about us and our cat
2:56 - How we've survived without a car thus far
5:27 - How we decided on the car that we bought
10:54 - Kevin and Grayson ride their bicycles to go car shopping
16:46 - How we did car insurance
17:57 - We learn so much from your comments - thank you!
19:04 - We paid full sticker price - was that a good idea?!
🌟 Video Editing by Angela Tyler: www.angelatyler.com

Пікірлер: 924

@tracymayertravel 3 жыл бұрын

I have found that most Germans really appreciate any effort to learn and speak German and will bend over backwards to help you when you try.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yes! When you show them you care to learn their language, they're almost always so kind in return.

@martialme84 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife You guys have such a positive and genuine vibe about you, it simply beats us into submission...

@kermitfrosch6559 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Germans react this way, because they see that someone is trying to participate in normal cultural life in this country. Such behavior is understood as a great willingness to integrate into the community. And we'll say: "Willkommen". After all, it's already a challenge to learn the very complex language German. So I wish you good success to learn. But I think it's no different in the States. Since I work for a big US company, I also had this experience there...

@saadbintalha3999 2 жыл бұрын

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@ingevonschneider5100 3 жыл бұрын

I think Kevin did everything right with car and insurance.

@1ytcommenter 3 жыл бұрын

yes i would say so too. it is convenient. the vw insurance isnt the cheapest. but hey after 1year he can change to another company.

@CarokonekoSubs 3 жыл бұрын

Yes VW insurance can be pricy but he’ll be able to change to any other Vollkasko insurance:)

@chrisr25071 Жыл бұрын

2000€ a year would insure him a porsche, also with 500€ deductible, if he has a positive driving record. He needs to go to a comparision website and switch to a cheaper contract.

@butenbremer1965 3 жыл бұрын

The VW Sharan has long been known as the ultimate "Großfamilientaxi" - whise decision! Kudos to you.....

@TheMelody911 2 жыл бұрын

VW Sharan, Ford Galaxy, citroen C4 Picasso or Opel Zafira are nearly the same (for the funktionallity) just like the Chevy family cars!

@na3044 2 жыл бұрын

...to actually integrate you'd have to buy a Benz though. /s

@pfalzgraf7527 2 жыл бұрын

@@na3044 They’re in Bavaria, Audi or BMW would be more fitting there … :D

@na3044 2 жыл бұрын

@@pfalzgraf7527 Audi? Really? *scoff*

@pfalzgraf7527 2 жыл бұрын

@@na3044 's a Bavarian brand, that's all.

@hekra6784 3 жыл бұрын

Kevin should be able to trade his French driver’s license for a German one at the Führerscheinstelle. Since you are living on the countryside you should contact the Landratsamt of the Landkreis you are living.

@marinakuchenbaur7337 2 жыл бұрын

I don‘t think you have to trade your liscence when it‘s a European one. They are changing all the Papier liscences to credit Card Format though. you have time until 2028 or sth i think

@jhuizi123 2 жыл бұрын

I am Dutch and live in Greece and my Dutch license has been switched to a Greek one because it had expired.But because of EU it is just switching, no tests required. So I assume the same for a French driving license

@followmemove 2 жыл бұрын

If you have a France one. Its easier, because they are very precise with it. You have to take a test( Someone of my biblestudy told me that he is also from USA) I think you are living area Ruhpolding/siegsdorf/Traunstein. So i think you have to go to Traunstein for that. If you want i can recommend a church? And you can put a strip under the car, Then the kids will not become car sick. it rlly help. its rubber with a small peace of metal. it was design for static, but it thats not rlly necessary anymore for most of the cars. but it helps, for sure in the mountains. And we have snow again, do you have snow chains?

@MrAronymous 3 жыл бұрын

Fords in Europe are basically German/British. Designed, built and tested in Europe.

@furzkram 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so happy you didn't land in a big city. I think you might slowly start to understand how good you got it there where you are. You've got the jackpot, lifesize. No kidding.

@furzkram 3 жыл бұрын

LifeWISE ... damn autocorrect!

@gabrielebienwald6909 Ай бұрын

#metoo!

@julikind0307 3 жыл бұрын

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Auto!! Ihr seid so eine sympathische Familie 🙂 Macht weiter so

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank ☺️💖

@Alexp37 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Vielen *Dank ;) /smartass mode off :D

@Mursula-M. 3 жыл бұрын

Ja finde ich auch! Habe euch soeben entdeckt und bekomme gar nicht genug 😅

@winterschmied4583 3 жыл бұрын

Maybe Kevin should get a couple of lessons driving on German Autobahn with an Instructor before driving it with the children. Driving on the Autobahn is way different then driving Highways or Freeways in the US, so I heard. We are driving much faster and there are some rules that had to be followed. I think these few lessons will make Kevin much more secure while driving here in Germany, especially when driving with children, like "How long will we drive?", "I'm hungry, there's a Mac Donalds.", "I need to go to a toilet, NOW." All parents know this, but driving in a new surrounding with a new car (shift sticked) and with other people that don't know you aren't familiar with the way we drive will be more then a major callenge even without the influence of the children. Maybe you will even apply for a First Aid course, because all drivers here in Germany are commited by law to be able to help if necessary.

@lal12 2 жыл бұрын

I think he has to get a new license anyway after living here for a while.

@rogerkautz7441 3 жыл бұрын

Don't forget the vignette for Austria ! The toll sticker has been compulsory on Austria's motorways and expressways since 1997. All cars, motorbikes and camper vans up to 3.5 mpw (maximum permissible weight) must properly display a toll sticker or have purchased online in time a digital vignette when they drive onto a motorway or expressway. This avoids a possible toll fine of at least 120 euros. Allzeit gute Fahrt !

@Battlelina96 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so happy that the KZfaq algorythm brought you up a few months ago! Greetings from Düsseldorf! Your son's German is so impressive! Most people have big issues pronouncing the "Z"

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah that “tsh” sound - still working on it! Düsseldorf is definitely on our list to see! Thanks for watching. 💖

@stefanstock953 3 жыл бұрын

hallo Lina...grüsse aus Düren bei Köln.....war bei mir genauso, mit you tube....war gut so...total interresant und was fürne nette family....bye bye und Stay Safe...

@bjoern0975 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I'd be happy to see you come to Düsseldorf, too. :-)

@englishwithmrs.meiner3519 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Think of the "Z" as the "ts" on the end of the word "rats" :)

@Miristzuheiss 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife also Here from Düsseldorf 🤩

@mikedamat 2 жыл бұрын

I'm hoping to move to Germany next year and your videos are making me so excited! I love how you only use the car once a week, that's awesome! I love how environmentally friendly Germany is and you all seem to being doing a great job integrating!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 2 жыл бұрын

Sending you the best of luck in accomplishing your move!

@alexanderschramm3102 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, congratulations to the new car! Maybe you should think about joining ADAC (basically AAA) at least mid term. They offer assistance all over Europe and it is not that much expensive. About the insurance: You took the most expensive version of the insurance (Vollkaskoversicherung). On the other hand, this covers nearly everything. Nevertheless, for a 2018 model sounds reasonable. Volkswagen Versicherung is normally not the cheapest to go for, anyway also not the most expensive insurance company. Depends on your "Schadenfreiheitsrabatt" / "Schadenfreiheitsklasse" which is basically your no-claims bonus. That is the one big variable in the formula. I doubt, that they calculated this completely in (which they are allowed to as far as i know as you previously had no german insurance). The other thing is: The insurance is also calculated based on the car type, horsepower and so on. I pay for my SUV around 800 Euro per year, also vor the liability and Vollkaskoversicherung. Just to give you an idea. Anyway: I think you did the right thing for a start! The good thing is: You can cancel your insurance on a yearly basis with one month cancellation period if you want to. There are several portals like check24 and so on where you can enter your data and will get a nice overview of insurances and prices. Hope this helps a little. If there are more questions coming up, please let me know. ;) Best Alex

@chrisr25071 Жыл бұрын

The insurance is way to expensive; 2000€ a year for Vollkasko and a 500€ deductible. VW probably didn‘t take account of his driving record.

@claudiakarl7888 3 жыл бұрын

So now you can start to hit Aldi or Lidl for the weekly shopping. 😉

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

That’s right! 🤣

@kerstinklenovsky239 3 жыл бұрын

You guys are lovely. With or without a car. ❤🤩👍

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🤗

@janheinbokel3969 Жыл бұрын

You're right: In Germany you say "Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache" (German language, difficult language) and therefore each and every foreigner speaking German (or what He/she think German May be) opens Up Our hearts

@berndhoffmann7703 3 жыл бұрын

5:09 P E R F E C T - einfach nur perfekt, pronunciation like a natural!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yayay! Thanks Bernd!

@MhLiMz 3 жыл бұрын

It‘s quite exciting to see/hear people learn a foreign language and talk it, so maybe in one of the next videos you can have everyone of your family who likes to show her/his German skills and impress us viewers.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yes we need to do that as long as we don’t get laughed at for our baby German skills 😜😉😉

@katjahuskinson3428 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife we'll be laughing WITH you, not AT you 😉😅 But in all seriousness, every German knows how difficult the German language is. I even find myself looking up what article a noun has from time to time and I was born and raised here, so don't stress about it too much 😉

@MhLiMz 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I'm sure that most people won't laugh AT you, but they will be happy FOR you..

@CHarlotte-ro4yi 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I was reading your comment as I was listening to exactly this part of the video -16:25 - and I must say not only Grayson seems to have impressive German skills, I would say that there is no American accent in the pronunciation and that's even more impressive because the German 'ch' sound is incredibly hard to master for English-Natives!

@richard--s 3 жыл бұрын

@@CHarlotte-ro4yi the "ch" sound might be equally hard for english natives as the "th" for german natives ;-) But Germans and Austrians get better at it. In earlier years it was frustrating to hear politicians say "I sink sat it is importanz to do it sis or sat way"...

@mattevetts9556 3 жыл бұрын

Hi from Texas, I really enjoyed your video. Hopefully in 3 to 5 years I will be able to follow your example and move to Germany. I would love to see more of your city and community.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Best of wishes in making your journey here!

@furzkram 3 жыл бұрын

The meetups are a really lovely idea.

@marco.nrw5068 3 жыл бұрын

Very entertaining video! Thank you for sharing your impressions!

@fw5218 3 жыл бұрын

Finally! Congratulations, you got a German ride! Happy ridin' from Frankfurt! :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Danke!! 🚗🚙

@Dutch1961 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on the car! With a car like that the whole of Europe is within reach. Imagine, from Munich it's only a 7.5 hour drive to Florence in Italy, and just under 11 hours to Saint-Tropez in France.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yes! That is the beauty of Europe!

@IchbinLorenz 3 жыл бұрын

The perfect car! Have fun and stay safe.

@fips2013 3 жыл бұрын

I love your enthusiasm !! Keep it up !

@magsch2913 3 жыл бұрын

You did a great job! Here in Germany you can switch to another car insurance every November. So you have got enough time to do your research.

@finnibat 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for your videos, they are just so positive and nice. Have a great evening!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Felix 🐱☺️

@karink.7046 3 жыл бұрын

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Auto 🚙 und allzeit gute Fahrt 😉

@tolly-m 3 жыл бұрын

Great color combination !🚗🚕🚙 Allzeit gute Fahrt! Best wishes!

@dasmaurerle4347 3 жыл бұрын

Vollkasko...well done,Kevin! With a new car like that it's the best thing you could've done. Nice car, btw...have fun going to Italy and Austria and Czeck Republik! Im sure you'll love it

@phrozen2000 3 жыл бұрын

Congrats on the new car and "Gute Fahrt"! Now that everything is opening up again it's great that you have a car to go out traveling and exploring.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah good timing! I’m so glad things are opening back up!

@willloveyoumore 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! And it’s a beautiful and hopefully confident companion!

@TamsynKent 2 жыл бұрын

You look so proud (as you should be!) of the groceries up the hill STILL! Just love you guys.

@ennykraft 3 жыл бұрын

I love your attitude about using German things. KZfaq recommended another video by a family who just moved to Germany too. They were in this tiny little supermarket in a Bavarian village and complained about there being only three different kinds of peanut butter. And I was like Thank you, but I don't want to watch that. Whenever I lived abroad immersing myself into the culture and habits of a foreign country was wonderful. Sure, I missed some German things (most importantly bread) but I wanted the whole experience.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Yes we know we are Germany, it’s not supposed to have American things. What’s the point of moving here if I want to bring my ways and all of my things with me?! Might as well stay home! Kevin and I are addicted to adventure - we want all Germany has to offer.

@SABRINA.ARMY.BTS. 3 жыл бұрын

I saw the video as well I guess ! A family of 3 with a toddler! Right ?

@beatrixpastoors1104 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Ich weiß auch, welches Video gemeint ist. Diese junge amerikanische Familie ist aber grundsätzlich sehr aufgeschlossen für unsere Kultur und unsere Küche und manchmal geradezu enthusiastisch angesichts unserer Architektur und Landschaft. Die beiden ahnten wohl nicht, dass Erdnussbutter in Deutschland keine große Sache und nicht sehr verbreitet ist.

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

The kids have only asked for peanut butter once or twice. Ella's new favorite is Nutella on a banana. Ha!

@grandmak. 3 жыл бұрын

@@SABRINA.ARMY.BTS." our story to tell" but they've made some videos where they tried German food.

@calise8783 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on the new ride! My husband still has a German paper license. Though it is valid for life, it will need to be converted to the new format soon. My son just completed his Erstehilfekurs (first aid class) so he can now begin Fahrschule ( driving school) . I’m both excited and nervous for him. 😂

@marcoztak650 2 ай бұрын

Hi and happy easter, i hope you are fine and your car still drives without any problems.

@jorgmichels6213 3 жыл бұрын

I‘m always looking forward for a new episode! :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your support, Jörg!

@CamaroMann 3 жыл бұрын

0:00 Love that picture. The spring is late this year, but finally it's here!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, a late spring but it’s still beautiful!!

@heidrunreusch 2 жыл бұрын

Die Leute sind so nett zu Euch, weil IHR so extrem sympathisch seid!!✨💫🙂

@Danisachan 3 жыл бұрын

That car is a beauty! ❤️ :D Congrats!!

@SilvaLuna 3 жыл бұрын

Oh herzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Auto ♥️♥️

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Danke!! 💖

@fw5218 3 жыл бұрын

No worries, Sarah: I also made my licence in the US (MI). I (as a German) had to go through the exact same process. I did take like four lessons at a Fahrschule to prepare myself for the German test - it was needed. If you need help finding an English speaking instructor in your area just let me know, I can make some calls. Car salesmen: Same stereotype in Germany, but there are good ones! I think Kevin did everything right by going to an official VW dealer. There's always a better deal out there if you're willing to spend lots of time (for the insurance as well), but I am confident they did not completely overcharge you, and it is a benefit to have it all done by one expert. I'm pretty sure Kevin has a good natural instinct and should continue to trust that. Service: I am pleased to see an American actually praising German customer service (applies to the Behörden as well), that is rare (we are just not good at it compared to the US, very generally speaking). But it makes me happy to watch you having such a positive experience. Parking garage (Parkhaus): No worries, your VW will fit into EVERY parking garage in Germany and even the EU. They are standardized for PKW (passenger cars). Pronounciation: Chiemsee: KEEM-SEE (dict.leo.org/german-english/see, click play for sound); Aschau: USH-OW Take care guys, if your travels take you to the Frankfurt area, don't be a stranger!

@skraus8786 3 жыл бұрын

Parking space is not standardized eu-wide (harmonized). But i guess most country will have their own standard set. The problem with ours is, it's from the 1970s and not updated, so sometimes even new parking lots can get really thight.

@carinab.1923 3 жыл бұрын

The old question that we Germans just cannot agree on: Chiemsee oder Kiemsee? Chemiker oder Kemiker? :D (I'll forever stick with CH!)

@katjahuskinson3428 3 жыл бұрын

@@carinab.1923 well, since Chiemsee is in Bavaria and in Bavaria the "ch" is pronounced "k", I'd say there's no debate there... But as long as you don't pronounce it " Schiemsee", I think I can deal 😅😅😅

@acr17 3 жыл бұрын

You should be alright with Parkhäuser, just be aware of the height. I don't know what is the height of a Sharan, but some Parkhäuser especially in bigger cities, just have a maximum height of 1,8m. I think most are even 2m, but please be aware of it 😊

@fw5218 3 жыл бұрын

@@acr17 Height Sharan: 1.740 mm I have never encountered a parking garage that is lower.

@KUgel-st5zf 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations to your new car! So if you need more place for luggage think about a „Dachbox“. It’s often used bei bigger familys to transport all their stuff on the roof and somtimes you can rent it or share it with friends or neighbours. Have a good time and nice roadtrips 🤗👍⭐️⭐️⭐️💙

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Yes! A dachbox. Good thing the car already has roof rails. There is also a towing hitch too if we need it.

@kranzandreas3776 3 жыл бұрын

There's also luggage boxes you can put on the tow hitch. A tow hitch is always good to have, renting a trailer is much cheaper than renting a van, if you have to haul something extra.

@lissalack1490 3 жыл бұрын

Good job, Kevin! So many new things to learn, isn't there?

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Exactly! I went three months without a haircut because I had no bandwidth to figure it out. So finally today I figured out how to get a COVID test and describe how I wanted my hair cut on German. Whew!

@carolynmcfall1205 3 жыл бұрын

Yea!!! Super cpngrats on buying your 🚐 minivan!!! Woohoo! Super impressed that Kevin boufht it in German! Way to,go, Kevin!!

@carluup2978 3 жыл бұрын

Good choice 😍 we had a Sharan as well for years. It was bought when I were born (at this point it was two years old) and in the same car I got my first legal ride after my 18th birthday :D so very reliable 👍🏼 now we have another one but it was a good one for years!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Wow that’s good to know!

@stefanzander2396 3 жыл бұрын

you two guys are sooo sympatic, including your kids for sure. I love to seing you are dealing with this "german" specialisities. keep it up !

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Stefan!

@arnesnielsen 2 жыл бұрын

You guys are the sweetest! I am smiling all the time while I watch your videos! All the long way from Norway... :-)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 2 жыл бұрын

Ah very cool! Norway! That’s on our list of places to see. What a beautiful country!

@filipegrieb-dunlap5625 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on your new car. One can try to negotiate a better price but honestly most dealers don't move or not much at all. When I was still living in Germany it was the Lansratsamt that issued drivers licenses unless you lived in a big city like Munich. Good luck and fun with the car.

@Beatboxrocka81 3 жыл бұрын

Ihr beide wirkt richtig glücklich, so schön :)

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Germany is making us happy 😊

@tanviverma4167 3 жыл бұрын

I recently started following your channel and I love your vibe. Being an expat myself, I am really happy that you are enjoying your life here. If you guys are exploring Munich sometime, let me know :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Oh cool! Thanks for following along with our videos!

@conniebruckner8190 3 жыл бұрын

So have I, and when you get to Vienna, I'd be happy to take you to (or just tell you about ) some children friendly places. I too had to take the test after a half a year, and at that time it was only in German. So you are lucky that you can take the test in English. Kudos to you on managing to do all of this during Covid too!

@elbrover 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! Another hurdle cleared! I saw your videos where you showed how well you can do without a car and thought: I couldn't (anymore). Owning a car is different from not owning one. Paying full sticker price is good: you have no obligations as monthly payment for a years. I think so

@berlindude75 3 жыл бұрын

5:06 Chiemsee = KEEM-ZAY :)

@hannahanna649 3 жыл бұрын

I always enjoy your videos because they show that you are a very nice family with lots of humour! Now you will go and travel all over Europe! To start you could go to Austria and visit the town of Salzburg and also an animal sanctuary,Gut Aiderbichl which is not far away. On the way to Salzburg you could stop in Freilassing and enjoy a meal (and a beer-also without alcohol) at the "Zollhäusl". It is a restaurant and Biergarten at the Austrian border and they have great food. It is a former customs building from around 1900. When you go back you shouldn't miss the historical bridge between Oberndorf and Laufen, very impressive with the double eagle of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire on one side and the Bavarian lion on the other. I lived in Freilassing for some years and the Zollhäusl was always my favorite restaurant. They also have a website. Gut Aiderbichl is a place for abused animals and it is really heartwarming! Greetings from Vienna!

@alexcox8497 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, Im very glad to welcome you here in our country. Greetings from western germany near Cologne and Düsseldorf. I really enjoy your relaxing videos and how you are learning more and more about the region. Subscripted! 😉

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Nice! Cologne and Dusseldorf! Kevin and I have been to Cologne for Karnival before! It was a wild weekend! 🤣

@Badepaul79 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulation to your Car!

@furzkram 3 жыл бұрын

Btw a german license can be done in english language too. So ... Go for it! Driving school will be whole new experience too. Can't wait to see how you'll like it. Imho it's quality education / training.

@KarlKwong 3 жыл бұрын

I know some had already mentioned the insurance is "a little high" but to me that sounded outrageous. We live in Munich, and even with the more expensive companies like Allianz and full coverage, it would be below 1000 per year. There are a number of online sites like Clark you can check, maybe you can get a better deal in the future.

@2004EP 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations for your new car. We live in Lower Saxony near hannover. If you want to see the Lüneburger Heide, we take you arround.

@michaelstander1263 2 жыл бұрын

Yep... Sharan... unserer war nagelmeu, hat dann 370.000 km und 17 Jahre überlebt, und ist mit den Blessuren von drei Fahranfängerinnen jetzt vielleicht als Taxi in Afrika untergwes :-)

@chrissbayer9561 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! Happy to hear that all went well with the car but also with the german authorities and the bureaucracy. I’ve recently watched the podcast/video of Felicia (German girl in America) and Josh (the podcast’s name is “Understanding train station”) about Josh’s bad experiences with the authorities in Munich and felt so sorry for him. I work in a public authority myself and my coworkers and me would never dare to be unfriendly or rude to someone who needs our help. Good luck with your beautiful car and happy adventures! 🤩

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

I’m sorry they had that experience. We’ve had such wonderful experiences out in the countryside, maybe that makes a difference.

@Turbo-ic8lw 3 жыл бұрын

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Auto. Maybe you travel to Hamburg some day. Just tell me if you need a guide for all the sights (and the best playgrounds 😀)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

We definitely want to see Hamburg! And playgrounds 😍

@oliverrohrig9439 2 жыл бұрын

Hamburg ein Muss das Miniatur Wunderland als tip

@beyonderprime5020 3 жыл бұрын

congratulations on the new car.

@YourSuccessSystems 3 жыл бұрын

Viel Spaß mit Eurem neuen Auto und allzeit gute Fahrt. Liebe Grüße aus Würzburg!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Danke, Freddie!

@l.c.899 3 жыл бұрын

The Sharan ist a perfect car...we have the same and love it..

@e.8196 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! So happy for you that you finally get to enjoy more of your new home! Love from Salzburg! (Which is not too far away from you and defintely worth a visit! :-))

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Hallo!! Yes we love Salzburg! Kevin and I have been there but we can’t wait to take the kids there!

@e.8196 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife The borders will open on Wednesday, May 19th! :) Everything will open up in Austria (restaurants, hotels, museums, etc.) by then. If you ever need any tips or recommendations what to see/ do or where to eat (in Austria in general) let me know :)

@richard--s 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife but for restaurants and so on in Austria you need to have a fresh negative corona test - or you are vaccinated. And you need to pay for the Autobahn in Austria by buying a "Vignette". It is available for 10 days for example. You need to mark the date when you start using it. The ADAC page has some information about it under the tab "Reise & Freizeit". There also is an updated corona travel information for different countries. I think the best way would be to click on the tab "Reise & Freizeit" without any sub-tab. Then you have "Info zum Coronavirus" and "Maut & Vignette". That will definitely help you out! But I have seen that some information is already outdated. There is no curfew from 20:00 to 06:00 any more and also not around the clock in and around vienna, that's not valid any more. But there are restrictions, but a family can stay together of course! You also may search for "corona austria". When you are at "sozialministerium.at/en", you click on the third big icon "information in English". There you will get the most current information about the corona do's and don'ts in Austria. But i still read about the self-isolation for 10 days for Austria, but this rule must be gone by the 19. may 2021 (tomorrow) when you come from Germany and travel to and from Austria.

@erazorCTF 2 жыл бұрын

You could "pump higher" the drivers seat a little, Kevin. You sit pretty low in the seat. On the door-side (left side) of the seat there is a plastic handle to adjust the seat higher, you have to like do a "pumping motion" with the handle, raise and lower it several times. You have far better view around the car if you sit like a bit higher.

@Morewecanthink 3 жыл бұрын

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu Euerm schönen neuen Auto! Allzeit gute bewahrte Fahrt zu schönen interessanten Zielen!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank!

@Morewecanthink 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife - Herzlichen Dank für Euer uns Teilhabenlassen an Euerem Erleben und weiter viel Freude, Bewahrung und Erfolg bei all Eueren Vorhaben! ❤️

@dunjameister1234 3 жыл бұрын

I think it's great to immerse into the german culture, but it's also sooo okay to stick to old and loved habits and food and things too. The mixture is what counts (in my opinion). When I first came to America as an exchange student many years ago, the first thing my american host mother did was get me a taco from taco bell, and I really couldn't handle it. I was completely overwhelmed....

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah that’s very true!

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Well I still cook hamburgers on my grill!

@klauskleber5154 3 жыл бұрын

1:30 Yeah! :D You can fill tons of videos with car insurance companys, it's very complicated. But i think you got the right car, not too big and not too small. ;)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Klaus. Yeah I couldn’t see us being able to drive anything bigger on some of these narrow roads!

@Herzschreiber 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife hehe so........ now imagine being a truck driver in Germany! *giggles Now you know why you won't find any Peterbilt in Europe *winks Oh btw - did I get that right, your Sharan is a stickshift? Respect! Most American expats I ever watched or met are afraid of driving other than automatic gear vehicles!

@martinjoest856 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulation on your new car, you will have fun in Germany and beyond. Paying the sticker price in times of Internet is totally fine. There is very little room for the dealer to get some extra euros. On the other hand, if there is anything with a car you are in excellent position since you paid full price. The insurance can be changed in Germany every year without any reason, on the first of November. So there's enough time to think about that. By the way monthly payment is the most expensive way to pay. So now have a safe ride I'm looking forward to the next video.

@jennigraham2393 3 жыл бұрын

Really enjoying your videos and I admire you both so much for taking this massive step. It sounds like your car dealer was able to break everything down for you into 'baby German' (as you put it!) It's great you will finally be able to explore Germany and neighbouring countries as things gradually open up :) I'm originally from Scotland, learned German at school and then studied it further at university... and had a 10-year break (working in the UK) before deciding to move to Berlin permanently at the beginning of 2018. So, I have this weird 'academic German vs. baby German' thing going on in my head. Your kids will pick it up so quickly, and your son's accent is already brilliant! Happy to help you with Berlin tips if you visit here! Schönen Abend noch!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Oh nice! From Scotland! I have traveled to Scotland twice and have Scottish (and Irish) ancestry. I LOVE Scotland! It is a beautiful, magical country.

@Beatboxrocka81 3 жыл бұрын

If you ever visit Baden-Württemberg during summer August/September, you should come to Karlsruhe to watch Schlosslichtspiele. Such a wonderful and peaceful event for the whole family

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Nice, we need to make a list from these comments!

@gilliantracy7991 3 жыл бұрын

The company I work for here in the US has a campus in Karlsruhe.

@Caledoriv 3 жыл бұрын

When driving abroad be sure to follow the regulations there! The driving laws differ for each country. In France for instance, you are required to have the items for an oral alcohol test in your car if you get stopped by the police. The German police provides these items, but in France this is not the case.

@LythaWausW 3 жыл бұрын

You know about changing the tires twice a year, I hope. Thankfully we still have our Winter tires on cuz we drove in a blizzard in April!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

We do! Danke

@angelab.587 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Sarah, I got my driver’s license in the US as an exchange student (WY) and traded it in at the Führerscheinstelle im Landratsamt in our Kreisstadt. I took voluntary driving lessons at first to get used to German traffic. I don’t know whether that would be something for you, but it helped me, especially on the Autobahn 😅 Best wishes, Angie

@smb3518 2 жыл бұрын

I remember when we first bought a car over here. I had tried to haggle a bit and it went nowhere, but then I found out that the tax was already included in the price and I felt like I had gotten a 19% discount.

@ShenLong991 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah right, that would me catch off guard if i ever go to america as well. Even i know it now. Because it would be so unusual fo rus to have to add the taxes onto the displayed pricing... We are compared to America so small and have another tax system, that we have the same taxes everywhere, so it dont matter very much for the companys selling stuff...

@cmdrdoobie9161 3 жыл бұрын

The Multivan is the dream of a lot of German men. My husband was so happy and still is with his. Our Sharan was a "Montags Auto" 😬

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

A multivan is a German man’s dream? 🤣 So they can go camping?

@cmdrdoobie9161 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife One reason is that you can go on holiday with 3 kids and a dog without making an elaborate plan where to put your stuff. Always made my husband grumpy...

@butenbremer1965 3 жыл бұрын

BTW: your lovely channel has been enriching my life. I am German with an US background (exchange student to ID in 1981-82 with 70+ returns to the US ever since), and I love your appreciativity, positivity, dignity, and RESPECT! Eure Kinder werden ein wundervolles und mehrsprachiges Leben führen! Schee, dos doa seids :-) Pfiadeuch!

@tobetop 3 жыл бұрын

Regarding negotiation you can always try to get a little bit. At least an extra set of spare winter tires is always possible in general. Regarding insurance you can always change at the end of the year. for that you just have to cancel the existing insurance in november. there are websites to do the whole process like verivox and check24.

@anama3313 3 жыл бұрын

you guys must visit the Black Forest and Heidelberg, lots of castles down. here!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yes for sure! And we have friends who live there, too!

@winterschmied4583 3 жыл бұрын

Oh, oh, here we have opened a can of worms. Every area, more precise every Town and most Villages, in Germany are proud of something to take a visit. If you want to visit all this you will have to live a very long time. I would advise you to visit the surrounding area first and then to see which other places you are still interested in. If you ask your friends you'll get a different answer from everyone, because everyone prefers something different. So my opinion is to look in the web what you are interested in together and then decide for yourself.

@abalada 3 жыл бұрын

The Black Forest has actually very few castles. The Swabian Alb - the parallel upland "before" the Black Forest seen from Upper Bavaria - has much more castles. There are also some important castles / palaces in the area where this family lives. - in / near Salzburg - Burghausen (the longest castle complex on the planet) www.burg-burghausen.de/englisch/castle/bedeut.htm - Herrenchiemsee New Palace www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm

@ProfTydrim 3 жыл бұрын

At dealerships you normally never negotiate on the price whatsoever, so don't worry you didn't get scammed :) The only time you would negotiate is when buying used from a private seller. Love your Channel and I hope you'll like Germany even more now that lockdown seems to slowly come to an end and summer is approaching!

@lal12 2 жыл бұрын

Well you can and it is not so uncommon. Though mostly they would rather put in something extras like snow tires. However as always you need arguments to negotiate, maybe something like the other one offered a better price...

@adelam.6123 2 жыл бұрын

We really like the insurance from ADAC. They also offer insurance if you are travelling in europe, so you won't get stuck and you have an emergency number you can call

@o0KugelkaktuS0o 3 жыл бұрын

the quiet resignation when you mention the cat.... :-) (side note: the three flowers in the closeups at the beginning: die Schlüsselblume, die Magnolie, der Märzenbecher (the narcissus = die Narzisse, looks very similar, but is bigger)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Oh thanks for naming those flowers! I should get an app to learn the flowers around here. I love photographing them.

@Martin.Michael 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. Allways a pleasure to see you. congratulations on the new car. There is a common saying: it still squeaks. That means that you still have to oil it. By having a few drinks with neighbors or friends. ;) :)

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Danke ☺️💖 thanks for watching!

@grandmak. 3 жыл бұрын

Right, do you also know the tradition of 'baptising ' the car with some champaign like a ship ? Of course you don't smash the bottle on your new car but pour some champaign over the front and say " Allzeit gute Fahrt".

@sociallyawkwardpenguin9097 3 жыл бұрын

Insurance does sound kinda high for a car like that in the countryside. It all depends which class (Schadensfreiheitsklasse) they put you in, which is the number of years you didn't have any claims with your insurance. So if you can prove that from your american insurance, you might get a lower rate. For price compare yu can use check24 or Verivox. Also, depending on how old the car is and its value, you might wanna opt for only Teilkasko instead of Vollkasko, depending how risk averse you are. Most likely you can only change that after your first year is over though.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Okay thanks for helping us out!

@ZwilleBanane 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I agree, that rate is probably a bit too high for the car you're driving. Or rather: You can most likely get a better deal. Usually 30th of November is the latest day you can change your insurance. Also: I recommend you go for Vollkasko, as the car doesn't seem to be that old.

@Henning_Rech 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I'd agree, your insurance sounds quite expensive. But it depends on your Schadensfreiheitsklasse (SFxy - you'll find this in the invoice) and the resulting percentage (SF1 = 100% rate, SF20 = 20 yrs no damage = 35% rate - search for it). With a good (long) driver record you may pay less than half of what you told us. - So you may imagine why the seller was so helpful - he'll get a good bonus for the contract.

@grandmak. 3 жыл бұрын

@@Henning_Rech yes, Kevin was probably his favourite customer of the year agreeing on everything, lol.

@philipptielmann 3 жыл бұрын

@@grandmak. I do still think the deal is okay. it’s not a ripp off, but also not super cheap either. So for doing no research at all and getting the insurance just like that at the dealer, it’s really good.

@matzek.3220 3 жыл бұрын

Congrats on the car! I'd be happy to guide you around if you plan to visit the Cologne area. Feel free to reach out and maybe we can arrange for that. And obviously not only Grayson does really good speaking German, because so does Kevin! That pronounciation of the "ch" in "nicht" was stunning, so you really do immerse into German language and culture.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much 😌

@nl_rhein4886 3 жыл бұрын

Good to see that you are enjoying the small-town life here in Germany 😊. Don't forget to visit the North (Nordsee & Ostsee), it is really worth it. My impression is that it is overlooked by many people from the U.S. when they move to Germany.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Yes we are excited to visit the North Sea!

@ikel2803 3 жыл бұрын

A couple basics to keep in mind with driving: never overtake on the right and always keep to the right when there's room (especially on the Autobahn). Also there's no turning right at a red light and you use the indicator before coming out of a roundabout to alert waiting cars/bikes/pedestrians that they can't cross/can drive into the roundabout. Have fun exploring your surroundings more 🙂

@katjahuskinson3428 3 жыл бұрын

The turning right at a red light really is something we could/should import from the US already! 😅

@anastasialiebster9244 3 жыл бұрын

@@katjahuskinson3428 You can turn right on red at some intersections in the former East Germany. Just look for intersections with the green arrows aka "grüne pfeile"

@katjahuskinson3428 3 жыл бұрын

@@anastasialiebster9244 yes, I know that, they have those green arrows at some intersections in western Germany as well. But in the US you can turn right at a red light on every intersection, you just have to regard the light as a stop sign, so you stop, look for pedestrians and cars and then you can slowly proceed to turn. And I think that should be a thing.

@mijp 3 жыл бұрын

Passing right is forbidden only outside a city.

@unpluggedist 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on the new car! You can save a lot of money on insurance, but then you also save on service and you may have a lot of trouble and work if a claim occurs. If I were you, I would leave it that way for now, and if you speak German really well, then take a look around. Everyone knows everything better, especially with insurance, but you have to know what you need.Yes, your insurance sounds expensive at first, but I think you are in good hands in the event of a claim, and you probably belong to VW and internal processes are better organized and you have less work and running when something happens, and it will always cheaper, the longer you are in there.

@grandmak. 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations !!! Thank you for sharing your car purchase experience. Very good job, Kevin, but as I said before why wouldn't everyone be friendly with you being such a nice and friendly person. First I thought you bought a new car and I felt sorry that you hadn't negotiated on the price but when you said it was a used car I understood. Whenever I bought a new car I never paid the tag price but I don't know about the habit with used cars. I defence of American brands I must say that I love my Ford B-Max and have been driving it for 8 years now without (knock on wood) any problems. Sarah, you probably know about the positive effect of fresh ginger on car sickness, so maybe a bottle of ginger water on board might help your kids on your next road trip ? Last but not least : I loved your beautiful intro ( including of course the cat), thank you for that ! Have a lovely week !

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your kind words! I have only bought a new car once in my life. Doesn't make much sense to me when you can get an almost new one for a lot lower price.

@walterrudich2175 2 жыл бұрын

You got yourself a beautiful car! And I love the color. Have fun and come to visit Austria!

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 2 жыл бұрын

We do love Austria! We have a video from our trip to Galtür, actually. And another coming from our trip to Salzburg.

@walterrudich2175 2 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Great! Maybe you visit Graz, someday. It's quite a trip but worth it. Friends of mine often come to visit me from Bregenz and we visit them quite often, too.

@marnies6381 3 жыл бұрын

Sarah, if you have to take the test again, definitely find a good driving school in your area and take a couple of lessons. I remember talking to my former driving instructor in Germany and he said most foreigners fail the test, if they didn’t take any lessons beforehand. The test really isn’t bad, but they are quite strict and often ask a lot of you. Technical questions too sometimes.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Okay good to know, thank you!

@ThePixel1983 3 жыл бұрын

For a full training (as a teenager) expect to pay a few thousand euros. Not sure how it works for foreign adult drivers. Teenagers in any case will have to take a few lessons in darkness and on the Autobahn.

@marnies6381 3 жыл бұрын

@@ThePixel1983 adults aren’t required to take any, if they already have a license. But it’s recommended they at least take a couple before taking the test.....according to my husband who had to get a German license. Though I am unable to assume liability, I don’t really remember it 😂

@sischr1 3 жыл бұрын

Pay the sticker price for a newer car at a official dealership is not uncommon. Maybe you can negotiate a little discount or, more common a discount /or free set of tires or a bikerack e.g.

@BlissLovePeace 3 жыл бұрын

great music choice!!!!

@175924 3 жыл бұрын

What a sweet family nice to have you with us

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Awe thank you 💖

@claudiakarl7888 3 жыл бұрын

You can use search machines for checking the insurance fees. It’s important to have a look into your insurance papers to see how long the contract is running. Normally you can leave insurances at November 30th.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Okay thank you!

@ThePixel1983 3 жыл бұрын

I think that changed more than 10 years ago, I was in the industry (as a web developer) when the eVB- Number was introduced and this fixed date fell.

@Mutha0815 3 жыл бұрын

Please dont use search engines like Check24. You will not be happy here with an american pre-insurance. You need a person to take care of it, not a machine. Normaly a german insurance (in this case the allianz) accept a american pre-insurance. Call your last insurance. The old insurance should send you a "no-claim-letter". This paper can save your money. Send this paper to your new insurance. They will check your letter and the contract and do some math. Then you get a new contract with a better price. Normaly the insurance can be canceled on 01.01. to be finished every year. To do this, the termination must be on November 30 at the insurance.

@Mutha0815 3 жыл бұрын

@@ThePixel1983 But only 5% of the cars have a different cancellation date than 01.01. ;-)

@rieckenberg 3 жыл бұрын

Congrats on the new car. You picked a good one. The Sharans are very reliable from what I have heard. Now you can start planing road trips. If you want plan on going to Hamburg or Schleswig-Holstein, I'd be happy to show you around.

@MyMerryMessyGermanLife 3 жыл бұрын

Glad to know they’re reliable! We weren’t sure, but we thought that VW has got to be a reliable brand since it’s German!

@grandmak. 3 жыл бұрын

dann müssen wir sie uns teilen, lol.

@rieckenberg 3 жыл бұрын

@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife I wouldn‘t worry too much anyways, the car is practically new. I drive a 2018 VW Golf station waggon and it hasn‘t had any problems yet.

@rieckenberg 3 жыл бұрын

@@grandmak. Dann machen wir einfach den „Fanclub Norddeutschland“ auf und machen eine große Party drauß. 🥳

@grandmak. 3 жыл бұрын

@@rieckenberg gute Idee !

@axeldurer9133 3 жыл бұрын

As far as insurances are concerned there are big differences between the rates of the insurance companies so you should check and compare in the upcoming months. You can change every year (Nov. 30th is deadline).

@schaumamoi9916 3 жыл бұрын

I wish you many great experiences with the new car. There is a lot to discover. If you like castles, I can recommend a visit to my hometown Burghausen. It is located about 50 km north of Salzburg. A medieval town with the longest castle in the world.

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! Berghausen looks amazing. It definitely needs to get on our list of sites to see.

@m.mueller1766 3 жыл бұрын

You can trade in your drivers license at the Zulassungsstelle in your town or you county. They should have one where you did your Anmeldung when you registered in Germany.

@kevinmcfall5285 3 жыл бұрын

Ok, will check that out!

@Herzschreiber 3 жыл бұрын

@@kevinmcfall5285 depending on where you are living it might vary a bit. Some cities have it at "Straßenverkehrsamt", some at "Ordnungsamt" and some smaller rural villages at "Landratsamt" or something else. So - the best way of finding out where you have to do it, is to check the www for the home site of your town. I am pretty sure you'll find the answer there.