# I just got back from ED



## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

johnf said:


> After all, wouldn't it be nicer to know how things actually work and
> what is and is not possible? It would be for me if I were in this
> situation!
> 
> .


What I posted was based on a discussion with a person at the Harms drop-off point. She could have been wrong. How am I to know? I'm just passing along the information I was given, with caveats so that people don't take it as the gospel truth. Which probably doesn't exist anyway, because for every person who says "I was told it can't be done" there's another person who says "I did it."


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## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

Tanning machine said:


> What I posted was based on a discussion with a
> person at the Harms drop-off point. She could have been wrong. How
> am I to know? I'm just passing along the information I was given,
> with caveats so that people don't take it as the gospel truth. Which
> ...


I realized as I read your reply that I still don't know who I was quoting. I think
I will savior my ignorance and not look.

Anyway, somewhere there _has_ to be someone who knows the gospel
truth or else all hell would break lose out at the auto terminal. Since
Bremerhaven is a pretty small town we would hear about that. 

I am not sure who you talked to at Harms but you might get more useful
information out of the office here. Harms is now part of the BLG. The
Bremer Lagerhaus Gesellschaft are the ones who actually collect and
load the cars on the ships.

Just keep asking questions and you will attain enlightenment!


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## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

johnf said:


> I am not sure who you talked to at Harms but you might get more useful
> information out of the office here. Harms is now part of the BLG. The
> Bremer Lagerhaus Gesellschaft are the ones who actually collect and
> load the cars on the ships.


Undoubtedly someone has a better answer than the paperwork person at Harms I spoke with.

I'm not trying to be defensive. But I do think it's not helpful to be dismissive of partial information that might lead a person to inquire about something. For example, if Harms told me "it is absolutely not possible to drive to the port directly" that would lead someone not to waste time calling Harms. If I said the Harms person told me "it can be arranged to drive your car right up to the edge of the dock" that would also help someone realize that a few calls might be useful.

Folks here know to value information for the price they pay for it. But it always helps to know what other people have heard.


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## coquetteRn (Oct 11, 2003)

*impressive*

See what happens when I work 12hrs, commute 2hrs, and sleep 7? The world keeps revolving without me. I am seeking this information, because my brain plays out the different possibilities. I merely posted because I wanted to hear other's experiences, and have a sounding board. I appreciate all input (kind and smarta$$ as well). When I place my order the first week of November, I will find out all the answers and I will call all companies that I need to communicate with. Once done, I will post the outcome. Everyone here is in or has been in similar situations. So lets play nice. And Mr "lurker", come out and play more often, just share your ball.


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## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

beware_phog said:


> How was the Munich Marriott? Do they have non-smoking rooms? I'll be a total ED rookie next year as well.


it's a nice hotel, there are non-smoking rooms. however, i preferred the renaissance munich (nicer rooms, smaller lobby, who cares about the lobby?) just across the street (just about) even though priceline rates it as 3* while the marriott is 4*.


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## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

Tanning machine said:


> Undoubtedly someone has a better answer than
> the paperwork person at Harms I spoke with.
> 
> I'm not trying to be defensive. But I do think it's not helpful to be
> ...


My intent is not to dismiss any information. I am just as interested
in sorting out this European delivery process as someday I will do it
again. From what little I know of the logistics, howevever, I think
you guys have gotten about far as you can on "partial" information.

In defense of the Swiss Harms agent you talked to, all the really good
freight people I have met have been awesome paper pushers. (I once
asked one what would happen if both his fax machines broke down. He
motioned that he would slit his throat.) You probably talked to a
competent agent, but her work ends before the car reaches the
port. Consequently, probably much of the information she could give
falls under the original meaning of "hearsay": she has heard it from
someone who has seen and talked about the event. Trying to find the
truth in that is usually too challenging even outside a court of law.

The point I was trying to make, in the spirit of trying to help out,
is that you guys have gone as far as you probably can on partial
information and that it is probably time to start asking the people
directly involved and get some hard facts.

I once did this for the Munich end of a European delivery because
what BMW NA was doing was just a bit too strange compared to my
experience of deliveries within Germany. I wish I could report
something useful and hopeful came out of getting a German freight
forwarder and BMW's Bremen subsidiary involved. In the end, however,
there was little we could do other than marvel at the European
delivery process as being kind of wierd.

I hope other people's research is more fruitful!


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