Cost Comparison: Importing a Classic to Turkey vs Europe

Importing a classic car from the USA is as much a tax and routing decision as it is a purchase decision. West Coast Shipping regularly moves classics both to Turkish ports and to key European hubs, which provides practical perspective on how freight rates, duties, and VAT structures compare across these destinations.​

This guide compares indicative shipping prices and timelines for Turkey versus major European ports, then links those numbers to each region’s tax environment so you can see where your classic is likely to land more cost‑effectively. It builds on the main guide on shipping classic cars to Turkey, including taxes, permissions, and logistics and West Coast Shipping’s Turkey car shipping services page.​

Base ocean freight: Turkey vs Europe

From a pure ocean‑freight perspective, shipping a classic to Turkey from the USA typically costs more than routing the same car to a major European gateway, especially from the U.S. East Coast.​

Turkey routes (indicative container service)

Sample container pricing and timelines for a single vehicle moving to Istanbul are:

• California to Istanbul: $5,400, about 41 days

• Florida to Istanbul: $3,975, about 36 days

• New York to Istanbul: $3,950, about 25 days

• Texas to Istanbul: $3,900, about 31 days

These values align with the cost ranges discussed in West Coast Shipping’s detailed article on shipping a car to Turkey and current import tax rates.​

Europe routes (indicative New York lanes)

For Europe, West Coast Shipping’s rate examples show that base container pricing from New York to major ports like Rotterdam often starts around $1,050, with transit times typically in the 17–20 day range.​

Extrapolating from these published benchmarks and current market practice:

• New York to Fos‑sur‑Mer: often around $1,050–$1,150, about 25–29 days (indicative range)

• New York to Barcelona: about $2,500, about 27 days

• New York to Southampton: often around $1,050–$1,150, about 14–16 days (indicative range)

The Rotterdam‑based examples in the shipping costs to Rotterdam breakdown and the Netherlands gateway guide support the conclusion that most major European ports offer competitive base rates in roughly the $1,050–$2,500 band from New York, with transit times often equal to or shorter than typical New York–Istanbul sailings.​

How Turkey’s tax stack shapes total cost

Freight is only half of the equation. Turkey’s duty and tax structure is a major driver of total landed cost for classic imports.​

As summarized in West Coast Shipping’s complete guide to importing cars into Turkey: duties and VAT, passenger‑vehicle imports commonly face the following (current as of 2025–2026 and subject to change):​

• Customs duty

  • Standard passenger‑vehicle customs duty is often around 10% for many origins, with higher effective rates for some non‑EU sources.​

  • Recent measures have layered on additional tariffs or minimum surcharges for certain non‑EU passenger vehicles, raising the effective duty burden on those cars.​

• Special Consumption Tax (ÖTV)

  • ÖTV is applied on a tiered schedule based on engine displacement and vehicle value, and can reach very high percentages for larger‑engine or high‑value vehicles.​

  • For many collectible classics—especially powerful or high‑end models—ÖTV quickly becomes the single largest cost component.

• Value Added Tax (VAT)

  • VAT at 20% is generally calculated on a base that already includes the vehicle value, customs duty, and ÖTV, which amplifies the final amount.​

The combined effect can produce total tax loads that equal or exceed the vehicle’s purchase price in some scenarios, particularly when the car originates from a non‑EU country subject to the newer additional surcharges.​

European treatment of classics: why landed cost often stays lower

Several European jurisdictions take a more straightforward approach to classic vehicles, especially when they meet age and originality thresholds, and West Coast Shipping’s Europe content highlights these differences.​

• Netherlands: a classic‑friendly EU gateway

  • The Netherlands import guide explains that vehicles over 30 years old imported into the Netherlands can qualify for 0% import duty, provided they meet specific historic‑vehicle criteria.​

  • A reduced 9% VAT typically applies to qualifying historic vehicles, and they can also benefit from BPM (registration tax) exemption under Dutch rules for classics.​

  • Once cleared into an EU port like Rotterdam under these terms, the vehicle generally enjoys free circulation within the EU customs union, avoiding additional customs duty when moving between member states.​

• Belgium and other EU ports

  • The Belgium car shipping guide describes Antwerp as a strong import hub with competitive conditions for car imports, including older vehicles, thanks to efficient handling and integration with EU rules.​

  • While the Belgian content is less explicit than the Dutch guide on classic‑specific tax perks, it still shows how importing into the EU through major ports like Antwerp can leverage union‑wide customs benefits.​

• United Kingdom via Southampton

  • West Coast Shipping’s Europe shipping overview and related content show that UK routes via Southampton offer attractive transit times and simple port handling for many classic buyers.​

  • The UK does not apply an ÖTV‑type additional consumption tax; instead, buyers navigate VAT and registration rules that, for many classic buyers, can be less punitive overall than Turkey’s ÖTV‑heavy structure, even though exact outcomes vary by vehicle and buyer profile.​

When you combine these tax structures with the lower base freight from New York to ports like Rotterdam, Antwerp, or Southampton, the total landed cost for a 30‑year‑old classic often comes out significantly lower in Europe than in Turkey.​

Turkey vs Europe: high‑level cost patterns

Every classic import is unique, but West Coast Shipping’s data and country guides reveal consistent patterns when comparing Turkey and Europe.​

• Freight and transit

  • Turkey: Routes to Istanbul from major U.S. ports usually fall around $3,900–$5,400 with 25–41 day transits, depending on origin.​

  • Europe: From New York, container services to ports like Rotterdam, Southampton, and nearby hubs often fall in the $1,050–$2,500 range, with 14–29 day transits.​

  • Result: Europe frequently offers both lower freight and, in some cases, shorter overall transit times for East Coast departures.

• Taxes and duties

  • Turkey: A multi‑layered system—customs duty, high ÖTV bands, 20% VAT, and potential additional surcharges for some non‑EU cars—can make the tax portion of the bill very high, especially on desirable classics.​

  • Europe: EU gateways like the Netherlands combine 0% duty and 9% VAT for qualifying 30‑year‑old classics, plus BPM exemption, which is far lighter than Turkey’s composite duty+ÖTV+VAT structure for most similar vehicles.​

• Regulatory positioning for classics

  • Turkey: Recognizes antique and historic vehicles in specific customs and registration categories, but meaningful relief tends to concentrate in museum‑level or carefully structured collector scenarios, as outlined in the classic and salvage car imports to Turkey guide.​

  • Europe: Several systems, notably the Dutch regime, explicitly reference age thresholds and historic‑vehicle classifications, which in practice makes it easier for everyday collectors (not just museums) to land classics on more predictable and moderate duty/VAT terms.​

Taken together, these factors mean that if your primary goal is cost efficiency and broader European access, landing the car in an EU hub often wins. If the goal is to base and register the car in Turkey, the extra complexity and tax burden can still be worth it—but it needs to be modeled carefully in advance.​

How West Coast Shipping helps you choose between Turkey and Europe

With meaningful cost differences between Turkey and Europe, picking the right lane is a strategic decision. West Coast Shipping uses its Turkey and Europe playbooks to turn high‑level patterns into route‑by‑route scenarios for your specific classic.​

• Route and port modeling

  • For Turkey, West Coast Shipping leans on the Turkey import tax and logistics guide, the classic and salvage requirements guide, and the step‑by‑step USA–Turkey process guide to help you compare arrivals into Istanbul from California, Florida, New York, and Texas.​

  • For Europe, West Coast Shipping’s Europe overview page and country‑specific content—such as the Netherlands gateway guide and Belgium import guide—provide realistic cost and transit expectations into Rotterdam, Antwerp, and beyond.​

• Method selection and classic‑specific handling

  • Classic vehicles almost always benefit from container service, and the article on shipping classic cars via container vs RoRo explains why sealed containers are the preferred option for older vehicles on both Turkey and Europe routes.​

  • For Turkey in particular, the RoRo vs container shipping to Turkey guide shows why most standard classics are containerized, with RoRo reserved mainly for oversized or operationally suited units.​

By pairing these resources with up‑to‑date rate sheets, West Coast Shipping can show you side‑by‑side scenarios: Istanbul versus Rotterdam, Southampton, or another European gateway—complete with indicative freight, duties, VAT, and timelines.​

Get your classic car cost comparison and shipping quote

The most reliable way to choose between Turkey and Europe for your next classic is to compare real numbers for both routes, tailored to your car, origin port, and final plans. Use the button below to open the West Coast Shipping calculator, modelTurkey and Europe options from your nearest U.S. port, and lock in a route that fits both your budget and your long‑term vision for the vehicle.