mikemo

Hey Budman, et.al.
I rather thought the guy who drove his new GPS equipped 7 series Bimmer into the Rhine last Spring expecting a bridge rather than a Ferry (at night) said it all.
I sold my last BMW (a '88 M6 with 51.5K mi) in Oct, but there are still eight in the family.
I would personally take a Euro del BMW in June and drive into Northern Italy for the 30 day "free insurance" period.
M

spartacus_33

Once again, thanks to all who have answered my "original question"... HA! Even though I've been hijacked! haha...

I hadn't considered buying snow tires. From the BMW forums that I've sat in on... it seems you need to take everything that isn't tied down before dropping the car off. Apparently the cars come with a first aid kit, a little road side hazard triangle and of course the little built in flashlight in the glove box. These seem to get "lifted" if not taken with you. I would suspect that tires in the trunk might get "lifted" too.

I hate to say it..... but I may have to opt for plan B and just sign the papers on the car and turn it back in for shipping rather than risk driving in February. Maybe take the train tour from Munich to Paris instead.
Thanks,
Spartacus_33 ;-)

StKnicks

I Euro-delivered my E39 about 3 years ago, flew in and drove the car for 2 days, and then flew back to the States. Yup, the $4000 savings is well worth the weekend trip and the slight jetlag. I left all those little things and I never saw them again. My local dealer was kind enough to special order, for free, the flashlight as it is a standard equipment.

Robespierre

Obviously, it would be a shame to just sign the papers and get on a train. But that may not be the only reason you shouldn't do it. Without having researched it, I think your car may cost more, as it would be dutiable as "new" rather than "used and travel-stained" - a classification tariffed at a lower rate.

If that be the case, then how about leaving out the side trips (if the roads are bad), and heading straight for Cologne or Paris at a somewhat less frenetic pace? It wouldn't be hard to play it by ear and not make reservations along the way in winter.

spartacus_33

Robespierre,
The tariff thing shouldn't be an issue. BMW has a program for European Delivery... it's pretty cool. I know many that have done it.

I've actually built a spreadsheet (I know... us engineering types) that calculates all anticipated expenses including gas and parking. It would be about $500 USD cheaper to drive, not to mention much more fun.... but the potential for getting stranded somewhere in Bavaria is a bit unsettling.

Thanks,
Spartacus_33

hopscotch

Spartacus,

I can't understand your timidity over driving around Germany in your new car. Drive that machine! It will be an experience you might not have again. I've driven all over Germany, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, France, etc. in winter and summer over mountains and everywhere, in my Porsche 911S and in the company Opel and in a little rent-a-skate. I never had snow tires. I carried chains but never had to use them, except in Colorado. Sure you have little problems, and big problems, but German mechanics can fix them. The worse problem I had away from home was 50 miles south of Stuttgart after a two day tune up at the factory. The Porsche just quit. Fortunately I was in a small dorf and took a room in a Gasthaus. Next morning I drove it coughing and sputtering to a mechanic and gave him the card of the maintenance manager back in Stuttgart (I couldn't speak German in those days). The mechanic called the manager and they talked. All I heard at my end was "Ya (pause), Ya (pause), Ya (hang up)." The mechanic went out with a screwdriver and adjusted something (I think it was the points) and I was on my way to Monaco.

My experience is that shipping a car through a US port with any easily detachable items inside is saying that maybe you don't want those things. My car lost a beautiful car compass which was cemented to the windshield. A compass is an important accessory when driving in Europe. A couple of extra tires in the back seat was grudgingly accepted when I shipped the car from Rotterdam, and they were not stolen.

spartacus_33

Hopscotch,
Thanks for the positive reiforcement. I really DO want to drive my new machine in Europe... it's just that I've NEVER been there and no matter how much research I do... I really don't know what to expect. Is the Romantic Road treacherous? Perhaps I'll send you my anticipated route? Care to see it?

Thanks,
Spartacus_33 ;-)

StKnicks

Hopscotch and Robespierre:
I don't think you understand the BMW Euro Delivery program. What it means is like buying a brand new BMW in a US dealer, complete with all the factory-installed options and priced at a discounted price only, and only if the buyer accepts delivery in the Munich (only in Munich). The buyer can drive the car for 30 days with FREE insurance and other perks like free lunch at BMW, factory tours, and then be able to drive the car up to designated drop-off points and then, BMW would ship the car (which is really exporting the car to the US dealer where the consumer purchased the car at). Unfortunately, at least for somebody like me who also likes the car, Porche USA doesn't have this program.

Now, jsut like a prvious post explained, snow tires are NOT considered factory-installed options as one can purchase these at the US dealer at after-market prices, and thus are not considered part of the discounted Euro Delivery package. Hence, these have to be exported separately at the new owner's cost and may be prohibitive. First-aid kits and roadside warning devices ar also not part of the package and, hence, will NOT be exported by BMW.

spartacus: sorry about another hijack on your thread. Congratulations and enjoy your new car.

Traveler863

Spartacus/Budman,
Would love to hear more details on Euro delivery. Which series? An M??? I've always owned BMWs, started with 7series, went to 5series but now own a 330, lots more fun...well for me. I too think Fussen-Black Forest-Cologne-Paris is alot! Why Cologne? Stop off in Dijon or somewhere in that area for the night enroute to Paris.

ezlivin

Almost all BMW-enthusiast that I know, myself included, would attest that BMW do NOT do Euro-delivery for M-cars.

BTW, STnicks: the free insurance is onloy for 14 days and not 30 (as it used to be).

Traveler863

ezlivin,
I'm truly showing my ignorance here, why not for an M? I've only briefly looked into Euro delivery...never has timed right for me, I always order them from the dealer, arrive and drive off yippy skippy but want to do next Euro delivery if I can...next car is an M3 or 5, within about 2 years. Also, has anyone toured the BMW plant(s) and have any input on that?

Robespierre

Thank you for the lesson, StKnicks, but I have bought more cars through European delivery than most people have owned. Volvo considers snow tires part of the package, as they are on the dealer invoice. Mercedes-Benz does not.

A car that has mileage on it is in a different category for purposes of assessing import duty than one that does not. My first was the Volkswagen I picked up at Wolfsburg in 1963 (it cost $1055!), and by the time I got through driving it all over Germany, Italy, France, and the UK, there wasn't any duty on it at all when it cleared in New York. Other cars have been dutiable at various rates.

Andre

So I was either right or wrong about the snow tires ;-)

Traveler863

Andre,
I too feel very comfortable driving 160kph, if not 200kph+ on Autobahns. The difference there vs. here (US) are not only roads better maintained, the car I rent and cars around me aren't GENERALLY tin cans and the drivers are far more skilled. Happy driving

StKnicks

Robespierre:
I have never found the need the import cars that I want (and ultimately owned as I've found them here in the States). In spite of what my parents and wife thinks (what do you need another car for?), I utlimately turn them over at cost or profit, if I want to, anyway.

You are most welcome about my BMW Euro delivery information. It works very differently from private importation (US point of view) that you allude to. Different as it may from Volvo and Mercedes programs (which I have to admit I don't know much about since I don't like those cars). The savings on cost more than makes up for a 3-day trip to accept delivery in Munich plus the thrill of legally, and safely, going over 140 mph in the German autobahn.

Budman

A German once explained to me that Germans like their speed like Americans like their guns. Don't take it away.

He told me a story about when he was driving on the Autobahn, a Porsche passed him at an excessive speed. Further down the road, the Porsche had crashed, and on the side of the road, the driver was standing beside his car, chanting "Oh, my Porsche, Oh, my Porsche, Oh, my Porsche."

The rescue squad medic approached the driver and said: "I wouldn't worry about your Porsche. Do you realize your left arm has been severed?"

The German responded: "Oh, my Rolex, Oh, my Rolex, Oh, my Rolex."

Traveler863

Budman,
LOL good one. Can you walk me through the Euro delivery process since you've already done it? Are M cars not available?

Robespierre

StKnicks

I really don't know what you're disagreeing about - every car I've brought in from Europe was ordered and paid for at a dealer in the U.S. I'm talking about the difference in duty depending on whether the car arrives at the port of entry new or used.

And if you think the discount offsetting the cost of the trip is neat, think of what you could do if you worked for an airline that gave you unlimited free worldwide travel (which I did for 13 years). As employees, we could have one car per year air-freighted in for free, but I found that even if I paid ocean freight there was substantial profit potential.

Budman

Traveler863, send me an e-mail at [email protected] and I'll help you out with the process.

StKnicks

Robspeirre,
Nobody's disagreeing. You just keep going off-topic with about taariffs and duties that doesn't apply to the OP and his BMW Euro delivery.

Now you babble, without any relation to the topic, about working as a steward in an airline where your travel is free. It's also useless for me to babble about working for an investment bank where money is almost free, in addition to free travel perks from ff miles. Getting a performance car at a discount that pays for a short vacation is the theme here. We're trying to provide information to the OP and not confuse him with useless information that you should keep to yourself.