If you could go to Europe for Vacation and pick up the car you bought here would you?

[Anonymous]

We are thinking about taking an advantage that Mercedes offers - we can buy a brand new Mercedes
here, at the local dealership, but instead of driving off the lot, we can have it build in Europe,
drive for as long as we want around Europe while on vacation and then drop off the car
at their shipping center and they would ship our car here so we can pick it up for our permanent use.

It is pretty cool program that allows you to visit their factory there and it also allow you to save a ton over renting a car while vacationing in Europe as you are using your own car. Nifty.
They even offer some discounts on the airfare.

I wonder if there is anyone who used such a program either via Merceds or BMW as I assume they are similar, and would love to hear how did it work for you. We are thinking about doing it next year so it would be great to hear a recent experience.

[Anonymous]

i think that’s a fun program if you want that car/vacation. Saves you a few hundred bucks on a car rental.

[Anonymous]

We did. A BMW. We picked it up at the factory outside Munich, I believe, a d drove all through Europe with it for three weeks. Back then, the car was still cheaper with delivery than buying here.
After the tour, we dropped it off at the shipping company and it arrived in Charlottesville two weeks later.

But that was over 15 years ago. Not recent. But worth it.

[Anonymous]

If you’re driving on the left side of the road it’ll be trickier in a car with the driver’s seat on the left.

Car rentals aren’t that expensive—it just comes down to whether you want the experience.

[Anonymous]

Car rentals aren't that expensive, it's the gas costs that are outrageous. $75 per fill up. Ouch.

[Anonymous]

We did Euro delivery with BMW, fun times, but yeah, gas is uber expensive, and if you're hitting German autobahns, it's hard to resist driving slow (= efficiently), so add poor mileage on top of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did. A BMW. We picked it up at the factory outside Munich, I believe, a d drove all through Europe with it for three weeks. Back then, the car was still cheaper with delivery than buying here.
After the tour, we dropped it off at the shipping company and it arrived in Charlottesville two weeks later.

But that was over 15 years ago. Not recent. But worth it.

Thank you! Right now you don't pay anything extra when you pick up car there. We were told, your car does not cost a penny more.
You buy your car here normally and the normal price and the usual destination charge. Then the car comes here after you are done with it in Europe at their cost but not yours. You already paid.

I wonder how is it to drive a car on European roads, parking, safety etc. It is different and care free when it is a rental but driving your own would make me bit worried. I saw lots of cars with clubs in Europe, every country you can think of. I am not sure if the theft is the issue or the insurance is such. Were you worrying at all or were you totally cool having insurance cover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Car rentals aren't that expensive, it's the gas costs that are outrageous. $75 per fill up. Ouch.

Right but when you buy a nice large car, I am sure to rent equivalent would be expensive. Just like here in the US, to rent a small sedan is peanuts, like 25 bucks a day. but try to rent a car like Land Rover and it runs 1K a day or more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re driving on the left side of the road it’ll be trickier in a car with the driver’s seat on the left.

Car rentals aren’t that expensive—it just comes down to whether you want the experience.

Good point but I also am not courageous enough to drive in UK at all regardless of the driver's position. It is just plain scary and I am afraid my brain would not switch. I wonder how people manage. I know accident happen when people from UK come to US and are just new to the different system. Remember reading about this just recently, had no idea.. Mathew Broderick had the problem while driving BMW rental in UK that ended in tragedy.



https://people.com/archive/matthew-broderick-ends-a-holiday-in-a-tragic-crash-that-claims-two-lives-vol-28-no-8/

[Anonymous]

I just found this side that is manufacturer/brand independent and has some good info.

https://www.findthebestcarprice.com/european-delivery/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just found this side that is manufacturer/brand independent and has some good info.

https://www.findthebestcarprice.com/european-delivery/

Just glancing at the table seems that Volvo is most generous and BMW most screwy..

[Anonymous]

I was hoping to do this with my new Audi, but they discontinued the program in December. When your German car isn't actually manufactured in German any longer, it shouldn't be a surprise, I guess. ?

[Anonymous]

I wonder if they do this because they save on American taxes. I can’t imagine they do it just to give you a nice vacation benefit.

[Anonymous]

We have friends who bought a Volvo this way 10 or so years ago, and had a great experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if they do this because they save on American taxes. I can’t imagine they do it just to give you a nice vacation benefit.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

You misunderstood the process. Nobody is buying cars in Europe and bring them to the USA. This actually would be super expensive because such a car would be taxed like no kingdom come if you tried privately bring it here. Only brands have tax deals with USA and the taxes are set for them. Privately - deal killer. Only diplomats can bring cars into the US and out with some tax relief or excuse but I don't know anything about that.

Again here is how the process works, lets' take Mercedes for example:

1. You go to a dealership in DC area, whichever you fancy. let's say Mercedes Tysons' Corner.
2. You negotiate and buy a car as usually.
3. Instead of driving your care off the parking lot here..
4. You go to Europe, pick your car from Mercedes center in Munich..
5. Drive around Europe for two weeks or so, your car is fully insured and licensed for it there from what it said.
6. After you are done with drving around Europe...
7. You bring a car to one or some designated pick up spots in Europe
8. That very same car of yours is then put with other cars that are normally being shipped to USA.
9. Your cars come here, and it is shipped to the dealership that you signed up and bought from: MB Tyson's Corner
10. You come, pick it up, you go home.

So instead of your car originally being shipped to the USA where you would buy a random car from the dealership
you go and meet your car in Europe prior to shipping, use it and then it is shipped here, the same car,
and you pick it up here again.

NO financial transactions of any kind or sorts are done in Europe! It is all done here because you buy car here and you use it here. Most of those brands simply make the cars in Europe and then they ship it to USA, this is just an opportunity for you to go for vacation and use your car for free there instead of renting a car. Kind of a perk of buying a luxury car.
They also sometimes give you other perks like hotel or meals or flight etc.. as a thank you for buying a car from the brand you can see details above in the links posted.

I only wonder about those brands and those cars that are actually made here or in Mexico, like some BMW cars..
if you buy a car here.. but your car is actually made in the USA which some are, what then? Do you still go to Europe and use it there, so it is shipped there first prior to your arrival? That would be waste of resources. But who knows, no idea.