Pre-purchase inspections ensure that imported vehicles meet the required standards in Estonia. Typically, the Transport Administration conducts some 600 such inspections a week, but the looming car tax has pushed that number up to nearly 900.

"We'll definitely continue next week with opening weekdays at 8 a.m. and processing documents from accredited car dealers an hour past close at seven [of our] offices," confirmed Joel Jesse, director of the administration's Traffic Division. "We likely won't continue working on Saturdays, but we'll assess that as we go as well.

The rise in purchases of foreign vehicles can largely be attributed to Estonia's small vehicle market.

"If, for instance, you're buying a slightly more expensive luxury or sports car, you want it to be exactly the way you like it," acknowledged Autogeenius editor-in-chief Tarmo Tähepõld. "The interior finish, engine, rims – you can choose them then. And for another thing, if you're importing from [Southern Europe], for example, you're more likely to get a rust-free car, which avoids that issue."

Even so, he added, most popular are still the same vehicles that are already very common in Estonia, including the Volkswagen Passat and BMW 5 Series. "There's a wide selection here, but they're still importing more," Tähepõld noted.

Vitali bought a BMW from Italy through a brokerage firm. He's a big BMW fan himself, but this particular car will be going to his grandkid.

"The car cost around €8,000," he said. "In Estonia, [it would be] up to €11,000. The registration fee would be much higher after the new year, but honestly, it's unfair. I understand it's a tax on expensive cars, but if a vehicle costs up to €10,000, and you have to pay an extra €1,500 on top of that – that's highway robbery."

The Transport Administration stressed that while time is running out, for those who still need to register their vehicle, there's still no need to panic.

"It's definitely still possible to find appointments for customers right now," Jesse confirmed. "In the mornings, we add a few more time slots for the same day, or in the evenings, for the next day. Plus, if a customer cancels or can't make their appointment, those slots become available too. So appointments are moving. But of course, we're still going to reach December 31 at one point."

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