# Say buh-bye to London and Madrid drop off locations



## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

adc said:


> There are 3 people on this post who wanted to drop off in Madrid. :dunno:


Well, two thinking about it and one person who sounded like he was planning it.



adc said:


> I would not expect there to be many more customers dropping off in Zurich, Geneva, Vienna, or even Sindelfingen or Bremerhaven. Yet we're subsidizing for them too.


Bremerhaven? How are we subsidizing Bremerhaven? :dunno: That makes no sense at all.

As for Sindelfingen, I would imagine the trucks going from there to the port are usually pretty full so an extra BMW doesn't really matter. Re Zürich or Genf or Wien, that may very well be the case but Zürich and Wien definitely have many more drop-offs than Madrid and London.


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## zoltrix (Mar 14, 2007)

it ruins a nice potential itinerary:

Munchen->Black Forest->Champagne->down the Normandy coast->Burgundy->Cathar country->Spain/Madrid.

Meh.


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## b-y (Sep 14, 2004)

mason said:


> Thanks. That really change things up. I have been looking at a trip with either London or Madrid drop off. I either drive crazy or leave Madrid out of the trip.





countie said:


> it ruins a nice potential itinerary:
> 
> Munchen->Black Forest->Champagne->down the Normandy coast->Burgundy->Cathar country->Spain/Madrid.


You might still have a option. Look at this post and the ones that follow it:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4118909&postcount=4


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## Ucla95 (Jul 23, 2004)

To Jspira's point - I can sympathise with the economics, but they could've left them on with a fee. So for example I just learned I need to be in Portugal for business in August (unless the world collapses of course) and I was strongly thinking M3 ED (will have been 2 years with my 335 convert). But now obviously I'd have to drive all the way back to Nice, and I can't get a non-stop flight home from there so not only does it add hours of driving but also a stop and a few hours in my travel home. I'd be happy to pay $350 or whatever to do the drop in Madrid.
Obviously this has just been announced so maybe by July 1 they'll find a way to allow a fee to be paid, because obviously Harms hasn't closed their offices in these two cities and I'm sure they'd love the business.


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## voltigeur (Jun 29, 2008)

JSpira said:


> I suppose if I were running the operation, I would have added a fee for Madrid and London similar to Italy rather than dropping the locations entirely.


++1 a fee for Italia so why not Madrid & London?


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Ucla95 said:


> To Jspira's point - I can sympathise with the economics, but they could've left them on with a fee.
> .


Actually, that was my point



Ucla95 said:


> because obviously Harms hasn't closed their offices in these two cities and I'm sure they'd love the business.


But Harms doesn't have offices in those two cities


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## Ucla95 (Jul 23, 2004)

JSpira said:


> Actually, that was my point
> 
> But Harms doesn't have offices in those two cities


My bad on #1, on #2 who was processing the cars then? Whoever it was I'm sure their offices are still open. My gut tells me BMWNA will read this and leave them on for a fee, no skin off their backs and makes a few customers happy I think.


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

voltigeur said:


> ++1 a fee for Italia so why not Madrid & London?


Madrid is 590 Euros, London 595, for your car to be brought back from there to the Munich drop-off location.
http://www.edwintertires.com/drop_off.htm


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## Ucla95 (Jul 23, 2004)

john lance said:


> Madrid is 590 Euros, London 595, for your car to be brought back from there to the Munich drop-off location.
> http://www.edwintertires.com/drop_off.htm


Wow, in essence you've opened up a lot more possibilities...


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

Ucla95 said:


> Wow, in essence you've opened up a lot more possibilities...


Watch this space....because there will shortly be a new price list showing (cheaper) rates for returning a car to the drop-off offices in Nice or Geneva, for those able to stop at either and complete the paperwork before resuming the trip and finishing in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon etc


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## MB330 (Oct 18, 2005)

JSpira said:


> I don't really see the huge problem here, at least for BMW. I can only recall one person who posted that he did a Madrid drop-off here. Perhaps there were a few others.


From 2005 - no more then 5 that I remember (include my self)


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

MB330 said:


> From 2005 - no more then 5 that I remember (include myself)


and you of course are the person I was thinking of


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## MB330 (Oct 18, 2005)

JSpira said:


> and you of course are the person I was thinking of


I had no doubt. 
You not answer my question regarding how long you will be in LA on May 4?


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

MB330 said:


> You not answer my question regarding how long you will be in LA on May 4?


Oops, sorry.

I plan to drive down from visiting b-y on Monday. I leave Thursday afternoon.

Z4 launch is Wed.


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## adgrant (Aug 13, 2003)

I am happy I did my ED over Christmas, I dropped off in London. Sad they ended that option. OTOH I won't be buying another car anytime soon. I still only have 1020 miles on the one I bought at Christmas and 850 miles of that were done in Europe.


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## b-y (Sep 14, 2004)

adgrant said:


> I am happy I did my ED over Christmas, I dropped off in London. Sad they ended that option. OTOH I won't be buying another car anytime soon. I still only have 1020 miles on the one I bought at Christmas and 850 miles of that were done in Europe.


Sorry to be OT, but I think I can "solve" that problem for you. We did not put many miles on the X3 after Europe, until I lent it to my son during his Spring Break. He went to LA, picked up his friend, and they went to the Eastern Sierras, allegedly for winter camping and telemark skiing. All I really know is the X3 came back filthy, and it now has just hit the 10K miles mark.

He is not too far from you, and I'm certain he'd appreciate the use of your BMW as an alternative to his Prius. :angel:


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## adgrant (Aug 13, 2003)

b-y said:


> Sorry to be OT, but I think I can "solve" that problem for you. We did not put many miles on the X3 after Europe, until I lent it to my son during his Spring Break. He went to LA, picked up his friend, and they went to the Eastern Sierras, allegedly for winter camping and telemark skiing. All I really know is the X3 came back filthy, and it now has just hit the 10K miles mark.
> 
> He is not too far from you, and I'm certain he'd appreciate the use of your BMW as an alternative to his Prius. :angel:


Thanks for the kind offer


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## GOFASTR (Apr 13, 2007)

Wow, I'm coming in just under the gun.. dropping off in London on June 29th.

Thanks for the info (and the palpitations from reading the thread title.....)


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

adrian's bmw said:


> I just read a bulletin from BMW where as of July 1, 2009, the London and Madrid drop off locations will no longer be accepting drop offs for the BMW European Delivery program any more.


Adrian: This is a HUGE problem. I have my ED scheduled with you for 6/29 and was planning to drop the car off in London on 7/12!! I already have hotels booked from Munich to Paris to London. This is a major problem.

For what it's worth, I think it's rediculous that BMW would sever a major component of an offer with < 90 days notice, particularly one that requires as much advanced planning as an ED does. We're obviously going to need to talk tomorrow live.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Interactive said:


> Adrian: This is a HUGE problem. I have my ED scheduled with you for 6/29 and was planning to drop the car off in London on 7/12!! I already have hotels booked from Munich to Paris to London. This is a major problem.


You can always drop off in Paris and take the train to London. Not the same as driving but solves the problem of where to drop-off.

I don´t think BMW will be able to accept cars in London after the cut-off date regardless of what customer plans may be.


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

JSpira said:


> You can always drop off in Paris and take the train to London. Not the same as driving but solves the problem of where to drop-off.
> 
> I don´t think BMW will be able to accept cars in London after the cut-off date regardless of what customer plans may be.


Unfortunately, our plans called for driving from Paris to Roscoff, taking the ferry over to Plymouth to visit with family for a week, then ending up in London to visit, drop off the car and fly home from there.

Don't mean to whine, but this is a pretty devastating blow to the plans I've been working on for two damn years.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Interactive said:


> Unfortunately, our plans called for driving from Paris to Roscoff, taking the ferry over to Plymouth to visit with family for a week, then ending up in London to visit, drop off the car and fly home from there.
> 
> Don't mean to whine, but this is a pretty devastating blow to the plans I've been working on for two damn years.


No, it´s understandable to be upset.

There is an alternate solution. You can have EDWINTERTIRES.COM handle the drop-off for you. They will return it to EH Harms from London.


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

JSpira said:


> There is an alternate solution. You can have EDWINTERTIRES.COM handle the drop-off for you. They will return it to EH Harms from London.


I was just researching this option. It looks like it would cost me around $800 USD to make this happen. Who is this company? I'm not sure I feel comfortable trusting my brand new $60k car to a 3rd party. I realize BMW contracted with a 3rd party to make this happen, but my agreement was with BMW, a large reputable company. I'm not sure I could relax leaving my new car with a company like this without the inherent protections of the BMW arrangements.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Interactive said:


> Who is this company?


It is actually a company run by a long-time Bimmerfest member, John Lance. He has proven himself to be very trustworthy. Send him a PM.


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## MB330 (Oct 18, 2005)

Interactive said:


> I was just researching this option. It looks like it would cost me around $800 USD to make this happen. Who is this company? I'm not sure I feel comfortable trusting my brand new $60k car to a 3rd party. I realize BMW contracted with a 3rd party to make this happen, but my agreement was with BMW, a large reputable company. I'm not sure I could relax leaving my new car with a company like this without the inherent protections of the BMW arrangements.


u can rent a car there for 1/3 of $800
Drop off your car in Paris for free, and get rent car for fraction of $800


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

MB330 said:


> u can rent a car there for 1/3 of $800
> Drop off your car in Paris for free, and get rent car for fraction of $800


That is a great idea as well - if I were in Interactive's shoes, I would be asking BMW NA to cover the cost of the rental.


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## MB330 (Oct 18, 2005)

JSpira said:


> That is a great idea as well - if I were in Interactive's shoes, I would be asking BMW NA to cover the cost of the rental.


I think your idea even better - *asking BMW NA to cover the cost of the rental* :thumbup:
Hey, Interactive!
We just save you $800!


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

Interactive said:


> I was just researching this option. It looks like it would cost me around $800 USD to make this happen. Who is this company? I'm not sure I feel comfortable trusting my brand new $60k car to a 3rd party. I realize BMW contracted with a 3rd party to make this happen, but my agreement was with BMW, a large reputable company. I'm not sure I could relax leaving my new car with a company like this without the inherent protections of the BMW arrangements.


The return of your car from London to Munich would be 595 Euros as per the rates shown on http://www.edwintertires.com/drop_off.htm (which has now been up-dated to show the rates from Spain & Portugal).

I would like to add that over the years I have personally driven some 150 new BMWs between Munich and the UK , for myself and on behalf of others, ranging from 3-series to 
7-series, M1's to Z1's and pretty well everything in between! I hope my record speaks for itself....

Break-downs: 2
Break-ins: 1
Cracked Windscreens: 1
Flat tires: 0
Accidents: 0


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

IMHO the idea of renting a car defeats part of the intent of ED. I was excited to be taking *my new car* across to England to visit family, driving across France and from south western England up to London. I just wouldn't be the same in a rental...yes I could get from point to point to point. But we drive BMW's because we want to enjoy the journey.

John: I looked up the pricing on your site. I'm not suggesting your prices are unfair, but 595 euros works out to be $750-800 USD plus my car will have an additional 700 miles on it that I didn't use. It most certainly breaks down the value proposition of ED plus adds some inherent risk of things going wrong. I'll certainly keep this option open though.

Overall I'm just very grouchy about this news. No matter how I look at it, my ED trip is going to have costs and compromises that hadn't been part of my fantasy adventure trip.


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## MB330 (Oct 18, 2005)

Interactive said:


> IMHO the idea of renting a car defeats part of the intent of ED. I was excited to be taking *my new car* across to England to visit family, driving across France and from south western England up to London. I just wouldn't be the same in a rental...yes I could get from point to point to point. But we drive BMW's because we want to enjoy the journey.
> 
> John: I looked up the pricing on your site. I'm not suggesting your prices are unfair, but 595 euros works out to be $750-800 USD plus my car will have an additional 700 miles on it that I didn't use. It most certainly breaks down the value proposition of ED plus adds some inherent risk of things going wrong. I'll certainly keep this option open though.
> 
> Overall I'm just very grouchy about this news. No matter how I look at it, my ED trip is going to have costs and compromises that hadn't been part of my fantasy adventure trip.


I'm sorry to hear that.
Your Location: Planet Earth - you know - s h i t happens there...


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

JSpira said:


> No, it´s understandable to be upset.
> 
> There is an alternate solution. You can have EDWINTERTIRES.COM handle the drop-off for you. They will return it to EH Harms from London.


how is this handled from an insurance (i.e. accident/theft) and registration perspective?

If this company is not authorized by BMW, you are basically letting a private company (with no official affiliation with BMW) drive your vehicle across Europe.

Does he have his own insurance? How much does he charge for dropoff service?

What if he gets in a wreck and/or the car gets stolen? Does Allianz/BMW policy regarding theft coverage and deductible apply (i.e. if you claim theft you must have all documents, both keys etc)

What if he gets pulled over for traffic violation, car is obviously not registered in his name...

Are all these issues worked out?

(not implying whether the company is trustworthy, I assume it is)...just wondering what BMW's position (and insurer's position) is on this...if something goes wrong....


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

Jake C said:


> Yes sir talk with you soon.
> 
> - J


Planning the third ED? :yikes:


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## adc (Apr 1, 2003)

pilotman said:


> how is this handled from an insurance (i.e. accident/theft) and registration perspective?(...) Are all these issues worked out?


My understanding is that your car needs to have insurance days left over so it's covered on the return trip to Munich. You add the company's representative's name to your ED paperwork (insurance) as an authorized driver, right from the get-go.

That should cover the most important aspects...


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## MB330 (Oct 18, 2005)

pilotman said:


> how is this handled from an insurance (i.e. accident/theft) and registration perspective?
> 
> If this company is not authorized by BMW, you are basically letting a private company (with no official affiliation with BMW) drive your vehicle across Europe.
> 
> ...


pilotman :hi:
R u planning another ED?

'09 or '10?

Drop off Nice again?


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

pilotman said:


> how is this handled from an insurance (i.e. accident/theft) and registration perspective?
> 
> If this company is not authorized by BMW, you are basically letting a private company (with no official affiliation with BMW) drive your vehicle across Europe.
> 
> ...


To answer those points....The rates are all on the website. I don't have my own insurance, I am added as an extra driver onto yours. Whatever the policy covers is what applies, regardless of whether you, as the owner, or me, is driving the vehicle. If I get pulled over for a violation, then it is my driver's license that is at risk and any fines paid by me. I do not take risks or knowingly break any laws when operating other people's cars. Written permission to drive the vehicle is required as well as the insurance certificate showing my name added to it. That's about it, it's all quite simple and straightforward.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

John, are you the only driver for the company?


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

MB330 said:


> pilotman :hi:
> R u planning another ED?
> 
> '09 or '10?
> ...


probably not this time around...I am looking at, believe it or not, getting a Mini Cooper Clubman S....

Would love to do another ED this year, but I don't think it is in the cards...we have two 15 month old twin boys, so I would be going solo or with a friend....plus the expense and time doesn't make it practical.

But I will be back for another ASAP.

John Lance, thanks for providing the info, again, I am not questioning your legitmacy, just curious about how the mechanics work of having a private company drop off your car for you...

As long as BMW corporate is ok with this, then I don't have any problems. Wish you success, sounds like a real niche business.


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

JSpira said:


> John, are you the only driver for the company?


Yes, for the long journeys I am the only driver. 
My assistant, Annette, did quite a few short ones in Munich over the Winter, collecting from hotels and then taking the cars first to the tire depot to have the Winter tires removed and then on to Vikase's drop-off center in Garching.


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## am_ver (Jul 12, 2005)

BMW ED still offers a lot of drop off locations. I think some of us are just spoiled with the previous 14 drop-off locations offered. They could have just said that drop-off is only at Munich or Bremerhaven. You still get to enjoy Europe in the new BMW.


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## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

am_ver said:


> BMW ED still offers a lot of drop off locations. I think some of us are just spoiled with the previous 14 drop-off locations offered. They could have just said that drop-off is only at Munich or Bremerhaven. You still get to enjoy Europe in the new BMW.


Yes, or charge for all the locations.

Regardless of a few posters here wanting to go to Madrid, surely BMW looked at actual numbers and realized that these locations were (a) not as frequently used and (b) expensive to maintain. It seems reasonable to cut them out of the program, although creating an Italy-like return drive option would be nice.

To the poster with London plans, though, it does rather suck that BMW announced this with less notice than appropriate. I hope they will make you whole in some way or another. The fact that you've made arrangements may help in that regard.


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