Had a few job offers in Sweden. Thinking of moving, anyone here from there that could answer "enthusiast" questions?

"Kanaric" (Kanaric1) 03/02/2016 at 12:26 • Filed to: None

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Google, and other sources, has pretty much answered all my questions on Sweden. One thing that I don’t get many answers on is what it’s like to own a car there, a modified car.

Being in the US where I can do anything I like to my car almost and still drive it on the road I KNOW that in Sweden this will not be the case lol. I’m just curious what you can and can’t do. Partially so I know if I can bring my car there and partially so I know what i’m getting into as an enthuaist.

I know your like grassroots motorsports there are great, better than the US, which is something to look forward to.

I am aware what can’t be done in other countries so I guess i’ll just list some things

Wider tires? I know in Australia there are limits idk about sweden and my cars both have wider wheels and tires.

Downpipe? I am sure a car there needs to pass emissions even if it’s old. Where I am over 21 years it does not so my Skyline is catless. But is there like a “classic vehicle” exemption or anything like that? Where I am that’s what I use but it limits mileage. I assume getting that to pass emissions will not be as hard as it would in the US.

Suspension? Heard in norway you can’t lower your car, same in sweden?

Basically simple things like that, anything you can think of let me know.

Probably will sell my Mustang GT before I came over there.

Now I guess I have some silly questions to do with living there. Both of the jobs I was offered are in/around Stockholm. I have never been to europe so I have no idea at all how cities are arranged there so these questions may sound dumb. Is it possible to get a house/apartment in the “suburbs” with a garage and then commute into the city with like public transport or something? Do apartment complexes exist like in the US where you have a large parking lot/garages?

As someone who is trying to imagine what a city in europe i’ve never been to is like and living in the US where things typically are completely different I am having a hard time separating “hollywood” or american perceptions of a europeon city from reality. For all I know i’m thinking it could be just like when I was living in Chicago. I seriously have no idea.

For Sweden > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 12:34

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Jalopnik published a guide a few years ago

http://jalopnik.com/your-guide-to-…

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 12:35

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I’ve seen enough Ghost Rider videos to know what it’s like.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 12:36

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Expensive. But the Swedes LOVE their classic American iron, so the enthusiast culture is still there, as far as I am aware.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 12:45

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I would suggest taking a trip there for a week or two before committing to moving to make sure it is what you envision. I’ve never been and heard it is great but what if I’m wrong. You should experience it first hand first.

duurtlang > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 03/02/2016 at 12:49

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I came here to say the same thing. If you’ve never even been to the continent you plan to move to, let alone the country or more specifically the city, visit .

If you look hard enough you can book a two way ticket from certain US airfields to Stockholm for €500.

Leadbull > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 12:58

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It’s a great for enthusiasts because you get free reign of the Koenigsegg test track anytime you want, and the government will give you a Tesla for free.

Source: I’ve been to Ikea.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 13:10

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Just buy a Volvo and you'll fit in in no time.

The Dummy Gummy > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 13:11

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Sweden is beautiful, but slowly collapsing. I’d think real long and hard about moving to there or taking a job there.

You mentioned Stockholm.. you should be okay with English, but I’d have at least the basic knowledge of Finnish and Swedish languages. Congrats on the jobs.

Hoccy > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 13:16

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Sad thing Sparf or The Swedish Bandit isn’t active here anymore. I can only answer for what is allowed in Norway, and my perception of how it is to live in/near Stockholm. Laird Andy might know more than me...

As far as I know Sweden is more liberal than Norway when it comes to modifying cars. Wider tires should be okay as long as they are still inside the wheelarches. Lowering the car along with other mods should be legal as long as you can provide information that the modifications are safe (in essence using proper parts in a proper way). Side note: I own a perfectly legal lowered Volvo in Norway.

What car would you be interested to buy in Sweden? Importing the Mustang might be cheap (especially if you’ve owned it for some time) and you might be able to sell it for more in Sweden.

Stockholm is the largest city in Scandinavia, but still quite small by American standards. It has a quite extensive metro system, so public transport shouldn’t be a problem. The American kind of suburbs are uncommon, with apartment blocks more common. If it is anything like Oslo, you’d be lucky to get a garage spot because there are often long waiting lists...

Stockholm is a VERY nice city though, and I would recommend visiting even if you decide to not take the job offer!

BATC42 > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 13:21

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Luc and duurtland have the right mind, taking a trip to see how it is could help you a lot. I’ve never been to Sweden, so I can’t really help you there, but from what I learned from Swedes and being a European, here’s what I can say:

1. Sweden is quite an expensive country to live in, sure the wages are accordingly, but it’s notoriously more expensive than the rest of Europe and the USA. Though, it might feel like you’re super rich when travelling abroad.

2. I don’t think we have the same kind of suburbs you find in the US anywhere around Europe, ours are much smaller, and so are the houses. Garages or enclosed parking space are common though.

3. I do think most of appartment complexes have parking garages, not when you look at the old stuff, but the recent one I’ve been too all have them, especially in the bigger cities.

4. You shouldn’t have any problem commuting by public transport, and North European countries are quite advanced when it comes to that.

5. In Sweden you have a yearly vehicle tax to pay, depending on the vehicle. Also winter tyres are mandatory, and you have congestion taxes for both Stockholm and Goteborg. You’ll find a lot of info on the Transport Styrelsen website (basically the board of transport).

6. From my experience, Europeans cities are quite alive, even the smaller ones (that was my biggest gripe with NZ, Auckland felt... empty), because they are often much smaller while retaining still a large population. Oh, and public transport help tremendously!

As I’ve said, never been to Sweden, so don’t take anything I’ve written for granted. But from what I got from friends who moved there or swedish friends, it is an awesome country.

Hoccy > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 03/02/2016 at 13:24

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Also: Getaway in Stockholm

Snuze: Needs another Swede > The Dummy Gummy 03/02/2016 at 13:34

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I’m intrigued by your comment about Sweden collapsing. How do you mean? Economically?

The Dummy Gummy > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/02/2016 at 13:42

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Economically yes. It is going to struggle badly with the global platform at least for the foreseeable future. They have surged a bit in growth, but there is still a lot of under the water problems with the nation.

Love the country, but to take a career there wouldn’t be the best idea in my mind. I had a similar situation come up for Switzerland, but my pay would be to my home country and the timing was only for two years with a multinational company. Meaning I could request to move if things got bad.

Something also to consider is that Sweden takes well over half your pay check. The social benefits are great, but if you aren’t utilizing them or staying long term I don’t see any reason taking a job there other than experience.

Chinny Raccoon > BATC42 03/02/2016 at 13:51

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From visiting, most of that is valid. From a British perspective I didn’t find costs to be massively different, Fuel is quite a bit cheaper for example! Housing prices do seem to vary from reasonable to extortionate. If I lived in a major city a car probably wouldn’t be necessary.

I’d also echo visiting first before committing, and If I was doing it I’d want to have a reasonable grasp of the language. I’d find it embarrassing not to.

Cé hé sin > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 14:07

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If you want to live anywhere near Stockholm, it’s very expensive.

At this time of the year it’s cold and dark and the further north you go - although not many do - it becomes more so. It’s the dark rather than the cold which gets to people.

On the other hand and inevitably you have long summer nights.

Snus is not essential.

Oh, and this

Cé hé sin > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/02/2016 at 14:08

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Judging by the figures, it’s a long way from collapse!

BATC42 > Chinny Raccoon 03/02/2016 at 14:44

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The really nice thing with Sweden (and Denmark and Norway) is that everyone speaks and understands English. They put us southerners to shame!

Chinny Raccoon > BATC42 03/02/2016 at 14:52

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I know, but I still feel bad if I don’t have some basic knowledge. Also it can vary on where you are- out in the more rural areas (In Denmark at least), less people do.

BATC42 > Chinny Raccoon 03/02/2016 at 14:54

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Yeah, that’s true. Though Swedish is still a fairly esay language to learn from what I’ve seen and tried. And Norvegian and Danish are quite similar so everyone understands each other. Then you have Finnish which has the same roots as Hungarian, for whatever reasons...

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Cé hé sin 03/02/2016 at 15:36

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Yeah, I was intrigued by the comment so not sure what he meant. Although one thing that intrigues me is that I’ve heard the the number of Swedish speakers, globally, is on the decline. Not sure what that was due to, though, maybe their population was declining, in which case that could be a bad sign for the country as a whole. But I don’t know.

Kanaric > Cé hé sin 03/02/2016 at 15:55

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I compared the prices and cost of living vs when I was in chicago and it seemed favorable towards stockholm. It is significantly more expensive than where I live now in Las Vegas though. However not to a point where that would be a “no”.

Kanaric > The Dummy Gummy 03/02/2016 at 15:56

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I actually turned down an offer there a year ago.

Unfortunately since then my current job had cuts in pay and benefits otherwise I would have accepted then.

Kanaric > BATC42 03/02/2016 at 16:00

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It sounds similar to when I lived in Chicago

I do have a yearly tax in the state I live in now for vehicle. My Mustang cost $500. A car I obviously wouldn’t take to Sweden lol. The “tax” is pretty much the yearly registration.

Kanaric > Hoccy 03/02/2016 at 16:03

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“What car would you be interested to buy in Sweden? Importing the Mustang might be cheap (especially if you’ve owned it for some time) and you might be able to sell it for more in Sweden.”

I hadn’t considered this. I was just going to bring my Skyline there if anything, having that as my only car and using public transport for commute. If I do this maybe I should bring both then.

“you’d be lucky to get a garage spot because there are often long waiting lists...”

Really I was more concerned with just having a place to park at all where there wasn’t all kinds of crazy fees that I had heard about.

Cé hé sin > Snuze: Needs another Swede 03/02/2016 at 16:04

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The population’s certainly not declining now! In the past year it went fron 9m to 9.1m just because of the refugees from the Middle East. It was on the increase even before that.

The Dummy Gummy > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 16:06

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Make a list of the pros and cons and then take the leap if you feel comfortable. Best of luck!

Cé hé sin > BATC42 03/02/2016 at 16:11

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Swedish, though, has its oddities like “sj” and definite and indefinite nouns.

If you can say Fågelsjö intelligibly and know when to say “hus” (house) and “huset” (the house) you’re a long way there....

The Dummy Gummy > Cé hé sin 03/02/2016 at 16:12

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Like I said, numbers look good on the surface, but they are highly leveraged and if anything falters (almost a guarantee) there will be no room for recovery.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

This article may seem to counter what I’m talking about, but their performance is all due to stimulus. No true growth is being driven by normal fundamentals. You can’t go any more negative than they have.

Hoccy > Kanaric 03/02/2016 at 16:56

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You should at least do some research on it. You already have a link to the Swedish authorities, and I would suggest using blocket.se to see what the cars go for in Sweden.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Cé hé sin 03/03/2016 at 08:43

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Ahh, that’s good to know. Like I said, I wasn’t too sure, I don’t follow that sort of thing too closely.

But I do really want to visit Sweden one day. I’m 1/4 Swede actually, my great grandparents immigrated from Sweden and settled on a farm in South Dakota.

The Swedish Bandit > Kanaric 03/04/2016 at 07:40

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Hej, I am of cöming fröm Sverige so I thought I cöuld help with some of your quästions.

No but seriously though, as a country to live in Sweden is “okay”. You’ll see about maybe 4-5 months of good weather (as in it’s not raining or it’s not cold and dark) during a year.

As a car entusiast however, Sweden is pretty sweet to live in. You’ll probably be able to find any and all types of car cultures in existence here (american classics, japanese tuner cars, british sport cars, off-road 4x4's, european classis and of course ridiculously highly tuned volvos to name a few).

As long as your car is able to pass its yearly inspection (or every other year for cars older than 30 years) you’re pretty much allowed to drive it. And even if your highly modified Skyline with 800 horses wouldn’t pass the inspection you can simply re-register it as a highly modified Skyline with 800 horses and that’s it, it’s now ok to drive it.

Also there are a ton of car clubs and weekly and monthly car meetings so I’m sure you’ll find something that will fit your taste.

To answer your question about the living accommodation; Yes all of that is possible just don’t expect to drive your car in to Stockholm city center since it’s a complete fuck fest most of the time.

If you have any more specific questions, just shoot.

BlurpleToyotaDishwasher > Kanaric 05/02/2016 at 16:20

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You want to modify stuff without any hassle getting your car tested, you need to have a ‘97 or older, afaik. The amount of highly modified newer cars I’ve seen, there’s got to be some way around it though. Cars need to be tested regularly for more than just emissions, even older ones (not sure if there’s a cut off around very old classics, I never looked into that).

Most housing is apartments with some parking (much less than in America) and individual houses out in the suburbs. Public transport will easily get you absolutely anywhere, reliably and it’s not crazy expensive. The structure of Swedish cities is more spread out than in some other parts of Europe so it might be more familiar in that respect, but the public transport, bike paths, etc. make it work quite differently. It’s nice.

Also, certain things aren’t that expensive, but other things are really fucking expensive. Budget-brand products tend to be really overpriced, and anything that involves paying for labour will make your eyeballs melt when you see the bill.