Ask the Car People.SM


BMW European Delivery

1563 messages,  Last post on Apr 02, 2013 at 6:00 PM

You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, Coupe, Convertible, Sedan, Wagon

Please share your Euro delivery experience here!

Messages Page 155 of 157

#1539 of 1563 Re: Lease payments [zoombie99] by james27

Mar 27, 2012 (1:16 pm)

Replying to: zoombie99 (Mar 27, 2012 4:58 am)
Whatever method you use to 'buy' the vehicle, either loan, cash, or lease must be completed when you first take delivery, so yes, from that point, your warranty, and ownership start and you'd be paying for it while it's in transit.
 
Hard to say now when the 2013 models will start, but it seems to often be in the October timeframe. So, late summer, early September, you might be able to order one. The final price list sometimes takes awhile after production starts. If your delivery happens when it could be snowy, you could run into some extra charges...in much of Europe, if you don't have the proper tires (i.e., winter tires for snowy/icy conditions), you can be fined heavily, so you may need to buy or rent them. If caught in an area where the conditions warrant them, and you don't have them, it can get very expensive in fines - all-season tires don't cut it with them.
 
If you haven't done it, European delivery is a treat - I did it last year for the first time. Also note that if you desire, you can have the vehicle redelivered at the Performance Center in SC for no extra charge. This gets you a tour of the factory, some time on the track, a free night in the hotel, and meals for 2. You need to get there on your own, and home. The other option is to have it delivered to the selling dealer. if the timing and location work out, it is an interesting thing to do (note, you can request a factory tour while in Munich as well (book in advance), different vehicle (3-series) verses the X-series in SC).

#1540 of 1563 Re: Lease payments [james27] by zoombie99

Mar 27, 2012 (2:01 pm)

Replying to: james27 (Mar 27, 2012 1:16 pm)
I would be leasing it but it doesn't make sense if I get a 535xi to pay approx. $1,600.00 in lease payments for the 6-8 weeks it will take to ship back to the US.

#1541 of 1563 Re: Lease payments [zoombie99] by james27

Mar 27, 2012 (8:41 pm)

Replying to: zoombie99 (Mar 27, 2012 2:01 pm)
The basis on which the lease is computed should be lower for an ED, so you'd have to have them determine how that may affect your lease payments. Because you should get it for less, and the residual value should remain the same, you should save some money so maybe those fees while you don't have the thing might come out in the wash...
 
If you do order one, verses taking one off the lot, you can still have it delivered to the Performance Center, if you wish.

#1542 of 1563 Re: Lease payments [zoombie99] by skobola

Apr 17, 2012 (11:46 pm)

Replying to: zoombie99 (Mar 27, 2012 2:01 pm)
As much as I know, BMW FS does not require that you pay one monthly payment while the car is in transport back to the US. However, this will include only the payment for one month, while you have mentioned that it takes up to 8 weeks, i.e., 2 months, for the car to be shipped back, which is actually the time that it takes to be delivered to US if ordered from scratch from the dealer. Long story short, it takes about 8 weeks for the car to be made and delivered in the US, so I believe that your times are not correct. Furthermore, I would ask BMW directly to explain how this could be arranged, so that the lease of ED Bimmers is not that much penalizing for leasees.

#1543 of 1563 Re: Lease payments [skobola] by dino001

Apr 19, 2012 (11:17 am)

Replying to: skobola (Apr 17, 2012 11:46 pm)
Here is the thing - timelimes are not guaranteed. Sometimes there is a backlog in customs, so they give those estimates conservatively.
 
In my case, it they took the car on October 31 and it cleared the customs (Savannah, GA) around December 10-12. I took delivery in the Performance Center less than two weeks later - if I were picking it up at a dealer, it might have been couple of days less, week perhaps (Tampa). Overall, it took say just about 6 weeks, just about just low end of what they say for East Coast. They do say West Coast takes 8 to 10 weeks.

#1544 of 1563 Re: Lease payments [skobola] by james27

Apr 19, 2012 (1:30 pm)

Replying to: skobola (Apr 17, 2012 11:46 pm)
I didn't finance mine, so don't know about them forgiving a lease payment, but basically, once you take delivery, it's yours...the warranty starts from the day you pick it up the first time, whether that is in Munich, or at your local dealer's lot...it doesn't get extended or forgiven for the time in transit. Now, if they chose to, they could forgive a lease payment.
 
I was told that ED vehicles don't go through the same process at the port...since you might have stashed something in it, or the vehicle might have picked up something in its travels before shipping, they can and sometimes do look at them individually, rather than a block signoff of a new one direct from the factory. then, assuming you have nav, that gets reprogrammed to the NA maps, overwriting (as far as I can tell, not in addition to) the European ones that were put in at the factory for your use there. There may be other, normally dealer installed options that are installed at BMW's facility near the port for ED vehicles as well. That could add some time to the overall delivery schedule.
 
Same thing is true on the BMW assist link/contract...even though the phone module won't work in Europe, the free 48-months starts when you take delivery, not when you get it back in the states.
 
Just part of the way things are, you either take it or leave it...you don't NEED to pick it up there, but you can.

#1545 of 1563 Euro delivery great! by david3series

Jun 05, 2012 (2:16 pm)

We took EU delivery on our 3-series and it was the trip of a lifetime, do it!! Munchen staff treat you like a king and you get those awesome German plates too! Stash them under your trunk floormat for the return shipment to the USA. We drove from Munich to Venice, Florence, across Tuscany, then down to Rome. BMW sent a pro driver to pick up the car and then it was delivered to our dealer 2 miles from our house in San Diego. (Tip your driver nicely, it's worth it!). My only regret is that we did not negotiate price aggressively, and THEN request Euro delivery, so we paid more than we should. But hey, we still got a price break. Couple of travel tips: Don't use BMW's travel arrangements/hotel, etc., way too pricey. We planned our trip. BMW had a promo at the time, gave us 2 for 1 on airfare too. Another tip: Stay at Best Western hotels, they were great, affordable, great breakfast, secure parking. Super bargain and nice hotels usually downtown in your cities. We're gonig to do it again! Super fun to go there, BTW Munich rocks!

#1546 of 1563 Re: Euro delivery great! [david3series] by vinnyny

Jun 05, 2012 (7:38 pm)

Replying to: david3series (Jun 05, 2012 2:16 pm)
How long did it take from order to delivery in Munich?

#1547 of 1563 Re: Euro delivery great! [vinnyny] by james27

Jun 05, 2012 (8:44 pm)

Replying to: vinnyny (Jun 05, 2012 7:38 pm)
It depends on the model, and how close to model changeover. Also, sometimes, they've got a vehicle on the line that is close, or exactly what you want that may have been ordered that can be diverted to you, so it's hard to say exactly. The website gives averages, specifics are harder to determine. I ordered mine far enough in advance so there was no question on the delivery date (you give them your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice) and I got my first choice, which made picking up a plane ticket easier and cheaper since I had some advance. The 2 for 1 they have with Luftansa is a bit more than the cheapest flights you might find, but it is fully refundable and changeable, which you don't get with the real cheap flights. And, for me at least, it was a non-stop flight to Munich. Double-check the details. Basically, while the second ticket is 'free', as like most European airlines, they separate the 'fare' from the fuel surcharge, and that was like $500+ last year for the 'free' ticket.

#1548 of 1563 Re: Euro delivery great! [james27] by vinnyny

Jun 06, 2012 (1:37 pm)

Replying to: james27 (Jun 05, 2012 8:44 pm)
Thanks! I think I'll have to start talking with my dealer soon because I'm thinking about doing a short-notice trip to Germany. If I can save enough on the car, that would seal the deal.

Messages Page 155 of 157

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement