Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
- Mark
Best Regards,
Shipo
- Mark
To my dismay, my previous salesman had been promoted up into the management ranks of the dealership chain, and was no longer able to take care of me. The new salesman they assigned me left me cold, to say the least, and when I tried to negotiate on the 530i, he said, "You are already getting enough of a discount with the ED program, what more do you want." Needless to say, I was less than pleased.
The next day, I called another BMW dealership that was not even ten miles up the very same road from the first one and asked them for a $1,500 over ED invoice deal on a 530i. They called me back in less than ten minutes and asked me if I was ready to do the deal. We signed the paperwork an hour later. ;-)
Epilogue: Ten weeks later, on the day I took U.S. delivery of my 530i, I noticed that the guy who was assigned to be my salesman from the first dealership was now selling used cars in the second dealership. It seems that he got canned shortly after I informed his boss that I leased my new car down the road.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Also, how long does the delivery take? i arrive around 10:30 am and head directly to the center. i know they close at 3 pm.
do i need my driver's licence translated to german? i went to german embassy and said i need to ask AAA. hmmmm
Depending upon how busy they are, your delivery should take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours.
As for having your license translated, horse hockey! I've driven all over Europe including Germany many times, I've even been given the "Once over" by the Stuttgart police at a road block coming out of the Volksfest (Stuttgart’s version of Oktoberfest). They were checking for drunk drivers, and since I admitted to having a single beer (1.5 liters!), four hours previously, I got the full treatment including a breathalyzer (sp?) test, I blew a .008 by the way. Every officer that I have ever approached (or who approached me) in Europe has spoken fluent English.
Have fun on your trip. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Austria and Switzerland require gas or road tax stamps. Austria's are available at most gas stations, especially near the border. Switzerland's are available at the Border Station.
The first thing Austrian Police check for when they pull you over is the stamp. It costs 6 Euros, the fine is either 126 E or 136 E. By the way, speeding fines are payable on the spot, but they do take credit cards.
I did get pulled over, I was the middle car in a group of three and I am sure it was random. I did have the road stamp. Speeding fine was 30 E.
Otherwise, get something called a trip ticket for Munich at a bookstore here before you go. Ours had maps of the city, subway maps, motel and restaurant guides, a description of the top 25 attractions and other items. Munich is easy to get around by subway and walking.
Lucerne is worth a visit and the best French Restaurant we found is off A9 near Vevay, Switzerland.
We plan to do a ED again this summer or next.
My ED pickup in Sept took one hour at 10am. 20 mins after setting down my bags I was joined in the bistro by Chris from BMW and the paperwork (insurance docs etc) was conducted in 15 mins over espressos. Showing me the car took 20 minutes and would have been quicker but for the navigation demo.
I would urge you to get out of Munich after pick-up and get on the Autobahn south to the Bavarian Alps. Within 15 minutes from pick-up you can be cruising at 100mph and half an hour later be up in the mountains, in the twisties, shouting "yee-ha!"
Mittenwald is a good lunch stop-Post Hotel is reccommended. From there you might want to head over to Schwangau and bed down at the Hotel Muller with views of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles and do a tour in the morning.
In Munich you will likely want to walk as it is very pedestrian friendly. Yes there are great shops for clothes and stunning chocolate shops. There is a wild rushing river (The Isar) running through the city, a great open park (Englisher garten)and a superb museum (Deutsches Museum) with a fine transportation section (historic BMWs, Mercs, Audis).
I can vouch for the Spatenhaus (opposite the National Opera) and the Ratskeller (under Marienplatz) if you are hungry or thirsty.These are huge restaurants with no waiting and superb basic cuisine. Loosen your belt.
Frauenkirche is a church with a panoramic view and has an elevator to the top and Marienplatz is a tourist must-see for the mechanical clock and is a good people-watching spot.
I didn't rush around sightseeing much- I toured around in the car, in the Alps and north to the Rhineland as Munich was one of those cities I figured I would return to.
As Shipo says- a valid US driver's lisence is 100% fine for ED pick-up.
A splendid time is guaranteed for all on an ED trip!
Norris, trusting you bought a manual with SP?
1. Drive south to Garmish - see the Zugspitze (a tram to the top of Germany's tallest mountain).
2. Nurburgring - your car won't be broken in yet to drive it properly, but you can ride with a professional driver in their car. www.nurburgring.de
3 Augustiner brauhaus in Munich was my favorite
Best Regards,
Shipo
By the way, I screwed up the link earlier:
www.nueburgring.de
2. I concur with trying a drive south, toward Austria, to Garmish. There's wonderful scenery on that route, and typically a lot less traffic (for winding it up a bit, but I personally wouldn't be doing 100 mph right out of the chute).
3. I also concur with seeing the Isar river while in Munich. It seems oddly clean and wild, as mentioned. It is worth going out of your way to find. Also, there are plenty of beer gardens, all probably equally good, so take a walk around and find yourself one (BMW gives you a Munich walking guide, with plenty of scenic routes). While in Munich, I would find a small "authentic" German restaurant, one that doesn't have an English menu. Most eatable things German will be either translatable, or the wait staff can explain in English. I went to one of the larger restaurants (yes, you'll certainly be loosening your belt), but was disappointed in the atmosphere and quality, compared with a smaller local restaurant. Almost too much food at the big halls, and only so-so taste (yes, even including the beer).
4. Finally, FWIW, find yourself a B&B in Munich. Most are extremely high quality, and much less expensive than a hotel. You can find them by googling or buy yourself a Lonely Planet guide or something equivalent. Usually, they're located in a less touristy block, you'll meet more Germans, and you'll enjoy the independence of being away from tourists (not just Americans, but Japanese, English, Italians, etc.).
Munich is an incredibly safe city in terms of thievery, muggings, etc. . Most people park their bicycles on the sidewalks without locks, even leaving them there overnight. Too bad we don't have cities so civilized. In any case, don't be afraid to walk around, at any time of day or night.
Enjoy your adventure.
Mostly I drove country two -anes. My impression on both trips were that drivers paid little attention to speed limits except in town - on the country roads, everybody drove as they pleased and the drivers are very skilled - some going crazy-fast, others poking along. It is a totally different experience than in the states where you feel like you're in a herd of gazelles all doing 5-10 over and watching for the state trooper lions hiding in the bushes. I even passed some cops doing 20-30 clicks over and we'd wave to each other - once I might have been flashed to slow down. I really get the impression that they're more interested in safety than revenue generation.
But again ... I generally stayed off the autobahns and I adhered closely to the speed limits in the towns.
I love driving in Europe except in the cities where the traffic density just goes off the scale and parking is impossible. It is also highly desirable to avoid August when everyone is on vacation. If you stay in the country, it is some of the most enjoyable driving to be found
- Mark
But in round numbers, for a 325xi, you're probably going to be able to bargain about $1500 over invoice, whether you do USD or ED, so the basic ED discount is going to be around 8% of the MSRP of the base car, say about $2.5K.
Against this $2.5K, you have to weigh the cost and value of a trip to Europe (which can vary widely depending on whether you want to go anyway and what flight options you have), and the issue that you will be paying for the car before you leave, which can amount to an extra couple car payments with no car. Also, trade-ins can be trickier if you have to give up your car before you go and don't have a car while it is being shipped.
For some, its the greatest bargain in car buying around. For others, its a lot of trouble and expensive to save a relatively small amount. It all depends on your situation and POV.
For most, if you want an Euro adventure, its a great deal. If you just want your car cheaply, its not worth it.
- Mark
The destination charge applies regardless of how the car was purchased. The 15% deposit, however, is another matter, my deposit on my 530i was $1,000.
Best Regards,
Shipo
You then pay for the car in full at least 30-days before you are to take delivery in Europe.
No other charges and no "reimbursement" schemes.
- Mark
I've got another year of warranty left on my '02 330i, which I'm still loving, but I'm considering something like a Prius or maybe a motorcycle (note to BMW: bring the C1 to the US!) as a replacement when the time comes (long story). My father is loving his '03 530i that we picked up in July '03, but I'm not sure we'll be doing another one soon since he doesn't like the new 5-er styling. Fortunately, my wife will be looking to replace her SLK this spring/summer so I'm starting the subtle process of pushing her toward another ED trip.
I'm still hanging out in Ed forums because there's a good chance I'll do another one next year. If the E90 is not to my liking though, then it may be on an MB of some kind.
My wife and I have children the same age and are thinking about a ED on a X3 3.0i. We feel if the children get much older they won't want to go with us. Touring Europe in a vehicle of choice, saving money on the purchase price and car rental is the way to go. I understand it takes 6-8 weeks for the vehicle to arrive stateside but we can get by with the two cars we have currently. I met a couple in the book store that did the ED on a 3xx and toured S Germany, N Italy and France in 2weeks. Really thought it was a great experience. The price I have been quoted is 1750 over ED invoice. That is a 4000 savings off US MSRP or 2500 off some accepted offers. Let me know what you have decided to do.
Thanks
Our dealership here would not have any 2.5 until mid Feb. We want to test drive the 2.5 before we decide to buy the 3.0 or 2.5. We don't need the car until Aug so we have a lot of time to decide. I will keep you posted. Thanks.
I have read numerous posts that many folks can't really tell the difference between the two, well, no offence, but there is a huge difference according to my "Butt Dyno".
Good luck, let us know what you decide.
Best Regards,
Shipo
regards,
kyfdx
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
In my case, I needed a car in Europe one way or another, so I just considered my extra 2 months of lease payments as my European car rental.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Our rear plate was still on the car when it arrived at the dealer, although the dealer may have put it on before we arrived.
Ok, my wife and I took the plunge yesterday and purchased the x3 for ED for the end of May. The purchase price was $1750 off the ED MSRP. I figure the $2500 savings for ED and $1000 savings on a car rental will more than cover the air fair and some of the vacation cost.
Unfortunately we were planing to use frequent flier miles for 2 tickets but discovered with Delta you need to plan a year in advance for available seats. We are looking into the Lufthansa offer of 2 for 1. We'll know next week the cost of the tickets and availability.
Anyone that has done ED, please let me know were you stayed in Munich, how long it took for the pick-up process, factory tour (is it worth the time), and museum. We are thinking of touring southern Germany and northern Italy with a drop-off at Munich. Would appreciate any comments from individuals that have done the same.
Thanks,
I also highly recommend Lucerne, Switzerland. Also,the McDonald's in Innsbrook has the best McDonald's parking lot view I have ever seen.
It's been 1 1/2 years since I went and the dollar has collapsed against the Euro since then so take this for what it's worth. From the airport to my hotel (about 6 miles past the delivery center) was $45.