Jeep differences: USA vs. Germany

[The German]

Want to know what it means to buy a MOAB in Germany?

To drive the vehicle legally on the road, additional side turn signals must be installed.
The tire treads must be covered.
We are required to have a reversing light, and a rear fog light has to be retrofitted as well!
Oh, and the exhaust flap has to be deactivated, too—noise regulations! But apart from that, we have no rules!!!

 

[Leftfield]

It would be awful if the exhaust flap occasionally malfunctioned to the open position

LF

 

[Newjoint]

It would be awful if the exhaust flap occasionally malfunctioned to the open position

LF

Yeah they would probably lock you up quicker than mass murderer who gives himself up and confesses

 

[The German]

It would be awful if the exhaust flap occasionally malfunctioned to the open position

LF

The funny thing is, my inspection report lists it as a condition for approval, but the button still works! So, just keep the flaps nice and closed in the city—no complainant, no judge!

 

[Earl 392]

Want to know what it means to buy a MOAB in Germany?

To drive the vehicle legally on the road, additional side turn signals must be installed.
The tire treads must be covered.
We are required to have a reversing light, and a rear fog light has to be retrofitted as well!
Oh, and the exhaust flap has to be deactivated, too—noise regulations! But apart from that, we have no rules!!!

Where did you get the front rubber flaps from?

 

[Winston]

Where did you get the front rubber flaps from?

 

[Earl 392]

View attachment 57083

Funny thanks

 

[V84LIFE]

Loving the creativity on the 'tire tread covering.'

 

[kosinar]

Want to know what it means to buy a MOAB in Germany?

To drive the vehicle legally on the road, additional side turn signals must be installed.
The tire treads must be covered.
We are required to have a reversing light, and a rear fog light has to be retrofitted as well!
Oh, and the exhaust flap has to be deactivated, too—noise regulations! But apart from that, we have no rules!!!

Hi. Thank you for the pictures. I will be going through the same crap. I am retiring to Slovakia and will bring Moab with me. Regulations there are worse than in Germany. People resort to registration in Czech Republic and then re register in Slovakia. Do you have links to those rear lights by any chance? Where did you install additional turn signals?

 

[The German]

Where did you get the front rubber flaps from?

Thanks so much for all your replies! Please excuse the delay in my responses—the time difference always causes a bit of a lag. Plus, things are incredibly hectic for me at work right now!

There is a service provider here in Germany that imports the vehicles, modifies them, and then presents them to a technical inspection agency for road-legal approval. This importer sources all the parts, but for the tire coverage, they use the most basic rubber mats imaginable! I suppose he realized that the "Jeep Fairy" might secretly visit at night and suddenly remove all the mats!

 

[kosinar]

Thanks so much for all your replies! Please excuse the delay in my responses—the time difference always causes a bit of a lag. Plus, things are incredibly hectic for me at work right now!

There is a service provider here in Germany that imports the vehicles, modifies them, and then presents them to a technical inspection agency for road-legal approval. This importer sources all the parts, but for the tire coverage, they use the most basic rubber mats imaginable! I suppose he realized that the "Jeep Fairy" might secretly visit at night and suddenly remove all the mats!

Could you please share the name of this importer? I will work with one in Czech Republic but would love to have a reference to someone else.

 

[The German]

Hi. Thank you for the pictures. I will be going through the same crap. I am retiring to Slovakia and will bring Moab with me. Regulations there are worse than in Germany. People resort to registration in Czech Republic and then re register in Slovakia. Do you have links to those rear lights by any chance? Where did you install additional turn signals?

Hey man, you’ve really got your work cut out for you! As I just mentioned, a specialist shop handled the conversion. There are specific kits available for the wheel arches that widen them to fit but are longer than the ones currently installed. Rubber flaps were just the cheapest solution for the guy who did the work! You have quite a bit of freedom when it comes to choosing the lights, but: they need to have an "E" mark, which certifies them for general technical use in Europe. They installed the turn signals in the fake plastic vents above the front wheel arches. You *can* do it that way, but it looks like crap! The upside: no hacks drilling holes into my bodywork!

 

[The German]

Could you please share the name of this importer? I will work with one in Czech Republic but would love to have a reference to someone else.

I didn't have any direct contact with the importer myself; everything went through my German Jeep dealer. However, the company's name is listed in the paperwork, along with this website:

https://aucotras.de.

The site is only in German, but I imagine your browser can translate it for you? That said, they should generally speak English there. If I can be of any help, feel free to contact me via PM, and I'll do my best to assist!

 

[Twisted10]

Time to move.

 

[kosinar]

I didn't have any direct contact with the importer myself; everything went through my German Jeep dealer. However, the company's name is listed in the paperwork, along with this website:

https://aucotras.de.

The site is only in German, but I imagine your browser can translate it for you? That said, they should generally speak English there. If I can be of any help, feel free to contact me via PM, and I'll do my best to assist!

Thank you. I will see how much my guy can do and if needed refer him to the people who work on your 392.

 

[DarkHorse8]

All legal requirements that make absolutely no difference in this world.

 

[The German]

You're right—Jeepers are Jeepers!

 

[Drachenfels]

Want to know what it means to buy a MOAB in Germany?

To drive the vehicle legally on the road, additional side turn signals must be installed.
The tire treads must be covered.
We are required to have a reversing light, and a rear fog light has to be retrofitted as well!
Oh, and the exhaust flap has to be deactivated, too—noise regulations! But apart from that, we have no rules!!!

How ugly is it to get through the TuV every 2 years with a Wrangler?? Can’t imagine, based on what I saw over there 40 years ago…

 

[kosinar]

Want to know what it means to buy a MOAB in Germany?

To drive the vehicle legally on the road, additional side turn signals must be installed.
The tire treads must be covered.
We are required to have a reversing light, and a rear fog light has to be retrofitted as well!
Oh, and the exhaust flap has to be deactivated, too—noise regulations! But apart from that, we have no rules!!!

[th]

Morimoto XB LED Side Marker Lights for the 2018-2026 Wrangler JL and 2020-2026 Gladiator JT

LF210447

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Qty: 1

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Hi. This is what I found. It looks better than what they installed on your jeep. It’s $80. Sold by Justforjeep.com. It replaces the fake fender vents where your side signal is.

 

[The German]

How ugly is it to get through the TuV every 2 years with a Wrangler?? Can’t imagine, based on what I saw over there 40 years ago…

The TÜV (Technical Inspection Association) is responsible for the technical inspection of your vehicle. An inspection every two years is nothing to worry about if you maintain your vehicle and keep it in good condition. They check components like lights, turn signals, tires, and brakes for functionality and wear. They also inspect the condition of the chassis and bodywork, ensuring there are no fractures, cracks, or rust-through resulting in rotten or unstable parts—basically, everything that should be in every car owner's best interest anyway! What can be a hassle, however, is making modifications to your vehicle. (Almost) all modified parts must be presented to the TÜV for an expert assessment—things like fenders, different rims, new tire sizes, a different exhaust system, replacement bumpers, and so on. You only receive approval to use the vehicle on the road if you can provide technical documentation regarding the quality of the modifications. Once everything is in order, the modifications must be officially entered into the vehicle registration documents. You are required to keep these documents with the vehicle at all times and present them during police checks. But apart from that, the whole process is actually quite simple in Germany!

[th]

Morimoto XB LED Side Marker Lights for the 2018-2026 Wrangler JL and 2020-2026 Gladiator JT

LF210447

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Qty: 1

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Hi. This is what I found. It looks better than what they installed on your jeep. It’s $80. Sold by Justforjeep.com. It replaces the fake fender vents where your side signal is.

These parts are awesome, and I’d buy and swap them in a heartbeat, but I don’t think they’re approved for the European Union—meaning there’s no documentation regarding brightness, beam angle, etc. That’s why, in cases like this, we always say: "Cool, but the TÜV says NO!"
The problem is that if a part like that is installed without approval, the vehicle's operating permit is immediately voided—meaning the car cannot be moved even a single millimeter or inch further. On top of that, there are fines and penalty points on your driving record. If you accumulate too many points—due to speeding violations, for example—you have to surrender your driver's license. You can get it back after undergoing a psychological assessment, provided the outcome is favorable for you!