# European Delivery. Is it worth it?



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

Hey guys,

I am thinking of getting a BMW 325 and I want to save some $ 
Is it really that good to get BMW through european delivery. How much will I be able to save?

Thanks.


----------



## schley (May 26, 2005)

You can't do ED on the 325 as it is out of production. Search the forum bro.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

what about 328?


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

it is a general question about ED

thanks.


----------



## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

If you're only trying to save money, you're unlikely to break even. Cost savings on an ED 328i is like $2270, which means you COULD save money if you fly by yourself, and don't stay too many days. THere is a 2-for-1 offer from Lufthansa, but you pay full price for that first person which isn't cheap. Factor in hotel cost, food, misc. spending expenses, and you'll problably not spend less than $2270 on the trip itself.

But that's not the point. The point is to explore Europe in your new BMW. The savings are a side benefit that make doing so easier.


----------



## 335i Driver (Nov 29, 2006)

Saved me about $4k. Remember, not only is the price lower, but you have more room for negotiation since it doesn't come out of dealers allotment. Plus, I used FF miles & hotel points.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

Yes sure, 

I am planning my vacation as well and cruise around in new BMW 
How much will I get a 328 as ED for versus if I buy it in California? How much cheaper is it?

Thank you.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

335i Driver said:


> Saved me about $4k. Remember, not only is the price lower, but you have more room for negotiation since it doesn't come out of dealers allotment. Plus, I used FF miles & hotel points.


How should I approach those guys when I try to get a good deal?


----------



## 335i Driver (Nov 29, 2006)

Search the 3 series forum. There's a guy that sent out letters to about 30 dealers with an offer. Something called the circular method, or something like that. He tells you exactly how to do it with all the details. Great info.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

Thank you!


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

Do you have a link?  I cannot find this thread.


----------



## johnc_22 (Sep 14, 2004)

In the 3 series forum there is a sticky thread that lists confidential e90 pricing (or other variants if you don't want a sedan). Some of this pricing may be slightly out of date at this point and I don't know where the updated information is or if it's ever been released.

At any rate, there are some CA's who will do very low dealer profit over Euro invoice pricing and by doing it this way you really can save a good bit of money. On a 335i it was significant even after my trip on which I probably spent $1500 or maybe slightly less. 50% of that was air travel. I was only in Germany for 4 days and nights though and was traveling alone so it was pretty cheap.


----------



## Snareman (Nov 24, 2006)

I definitely saved a bunch of money. I doubt I could have afforded the car getting it here. With a lease the numbers work out great. It knocked about $5k off the price of the car. I got it for 1k over invoice, which you certainly couldn't go getting your car here. You'll be lucky if they don't charge you extra as fast as they are all going.  

My trip was pretty cheap using FF miles and priceline for hotels. Definitely worth it! :thumbup:


----------



## jacksonhunter31 (Jan 25, 2007)

*Leasing is a good deal via ED*

leasing via ED is a very good deal. If you negotiate from ED invoice up--you should be able to buy for about $1500 over ED invoice or maybe even better. The lease residual is based on the US MSRP. but the cap cost is based on your ED price...thus you save some big $$...If you're doing the trip just to save $$, you can fly to germany for between $500-800 depending on where you depart from, spend $100 for a hotel room and fly home...but I wouldn't leave without a few days on the Autobahn or thru the Austrian or Swiss Alps..

Check out the posts on this forum and on ask a dealer to figure out your real costs and go into the dealership well armed. The info is all on this site--it will save you thousands with the investment of a few hours..


----------



## gesoffen (Jun 18, 2004)

Most of your questions are answered in the wiki. Check it out and that'll give you lots of keywords to search the ED forums on.

After that, you'll probably still have some pointed questions about the process, the car and your itinerary. But please read the wiki a few times before you come back with those questions.


----------



## Calif65GM (Mar 27, 2005)

Don't do it.  

It won't save a you a dime. Sometimes it ends up costing more with the plane ticket, hotels, meals, gas and the weak a&s dollar to EUR exchange rate. :tsk:


----------



## mullman (Jan 5, 2006)

Depending on the octane you put in your new steed it could cost up to $140/tank.

Worth it to drive your new BMW as engineers intended?
Absolutely!

Are you really saving money in this current economy with the dollar SO in the toilet?
Probably not unless you are a real miser on your trip or do a one day ED.

Worth it?
YES.

I'm doing another ED this fall (wife) and replacing my lease in early 2009.
If you want real savings buy used - if you want experience then ED or just travel to Europe in general.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

OK,

Thanks for your replies. I'm reading the wiki now. However, one last question.


There is a MSRP and invoice price in the US.
Also there is a separate price for ED. 
If the car costs 40K - invoice and MSRP is 42K and ED 38K.
What would be a good deal to get such a car?

Thanks.


----------



## angina (Mar 29, 2006)

find a dealer that will do it for $1000 over ED invoice, and you my friend, have a great deal, which is doable by many dealerships that know what they are doing. Remember, this is not normal US invoice price or the ED msrp price (ED MSRP is the price BMW advertises on their website for European Delivery). 

If you sift through the European Delivery section of this forum, you'll find out everything there is to know.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

Thanks for the input. I think I figured that all out. 
Now I am intersted in 328i Sedan. Invoice price ED is $27720
So when I do ED and if I do not get any options and packages I can offer about $28500 - 28720 and it should be a good deal, right?
Also, which options/packages whould you suggest to get?
I am thinking of a sport packages but I am not sure if it is worth it. It has to be manual transmission.

Thank you.


----------



## AZ-BMW (Dec 16, 2006)

mullman said:


> Depending on the octane you put in your new steed it could cost up to $140/tank.


Where did you fill up for only $140 a tank? Using 93 octane, my tank fillup cost E168,20 or at the time in late April $227.52 :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:


----------



## the_fox (Jul 6, 2006)

AZ-BMW said:


> Where did you fill up for only $140 a tank? Using 93 octane, my tank fillup cost E168,20 or at the time in late April $227.52 :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:


How big is your tank?! Your sig shows a 335i, which has a 16 gallon tank, which is about 60L. So if you paid E 168,20 that's E 2,80 per liter, I think you got ripped off...


----------



## AZ-BMW (Dec 16, 2006)

the_fox said:


> How big is your tank?! Your sig shows a 335i, which has a 16 gallon tank, which is about 60L. So if you paid E 168,20 that's E 2,80 per liter, I think you got ripped off...


Welcome to Germany in the spring time :dunno:


----------



## BMWE9006 (Mar 25, 2006)

AZ-BMW said:


> Where did you fill up for only $140 a tank? Using 93 octane, my tank fillup cost E168,20 or at the time in late April $227.52 :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:


whoa is this in all of Europe?? cus that's a boatload of money just for gas.


----------



## the_fox (Jul 6, 2006)

Ok, but seriously, 2,80 Euros per liter? Where in Germany was that?

This site says the average price for SuperPlus as of today is E1,395 per liter. And that's 98 octane.
http://benzinpreis.de/statistik.phtml


----------



## mjrunning (Oct 2, 2005)

It was less than half that when we were there in April...Munich and Italy...I think E1.41 was the most I saw


----------



## The BoatMan (Apr 2, 2002)

This is from our trip last week on our way to Berchtesgaden near the Austria/Germany border.


----------



## choatie88 (Jan 26, 2007)

We're getting closer now in the States... approaching $4/gallon for 93 in Chicago.


----------



## 01jlstubbs (May 6, 2007)

335i Driver said:


> Saved me about $4k. Remember, not only is the price lower, but you have more room for negotiation since it doesn't come out of dealers allotment. Plus, I used FF miles & hotel points.


Yes. My dealer went $5000 under MSRP for my wife's 335 cabrio. It still put them at $1500+ on profit. But, I wasn't going to beat the CA to death about price. I got a fair deal and I know he will take care of me if the time calls for it.

Delta had a special and we flew for right at $600 a ticket as well as seeing Munich and Prague.

Would do again in a heartbeat.

JL


----------



## gweiden (Dec 8, 2006)

One negative I don't see posted is that after you've paid for and picked up your BMW, had a great time in Europe and then return it, you have to wait 6-8 weeks for delivery in the US, which is a month or 2 of car payments without a car. Am I not correct?


----------



## mrEcho (Jan 29, 2007)

gweiden said:


> One negative I don't see posted is that after you've paid for and picked up your BMW, had a great time in Europe and then return it, you have to wait 6-8 weeks for delivery in the US, which is a month or 2 of car payments without a car. Am I not correct?


true, you'll be without a car, if u dont have a backup or sell your current.

just assuming the avg. euro vacation is 2 weeks...
and the fact that BMW NA/FS will take care of your 2nd payment...

you're paying for 2 weeks that your car is on a boat and not with you.

...for me, it is still worth it. subtract that from my ED savings and im still ahead.


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

"and the fact that BMW NA/FS will take care of your 2nd payment..."

Is that true?


----------



## choatie88 (Jan 26, 2007)

Yes, read the FAQ.... *sigh*


----------



## 01jlstubbs (May 6, 2007)

TheGuest said:


> "and the fact that BMW NA/FS will take care of your 2nd payment..."
> 
> Is that true?


Yes, that is true. BMW NA does take care of your second payment. I did all my paperwork in April and just took Delivery a few days ago in munich. BMW has payed my second payment.

JL


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

OK,

I am financing my future car with Pentagon CU and I will have to complete all papers this week. Starting from that day when I sign papers I will become responsible for payments. Let's say I sign papers on May 19. I have a pick up date scheduled for June 28. What is BMW going to cover in this case?

sorry search did not bring up anything in FAQ? Do you have a link?

Thanks.


----------



## choatie88 (Jan 26, 2007)

They only pay your second payment if it's leased through BMWFS. Read the Wiki...


----------



## mrEcho (Jan 29, 2007)

yea...i forgot to mention, if it is a 'lease' (and thru bmw fs) duh! 

probably doesnt hold true for financing?

also....bmw na sometimes tends to forget to pay that 2nd payment...in which case , you need to call them. takes 2 mins and they'll say something like..."oops, i forgot to submit your paperwork. i'll take care of it now" 

if you finance it thru a CU , i dont know


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

too bad it only works for leasing... otherwise I would not mid them paying for my car


----------



## jfulcher (Jan 12, 2007)

It's not a freebie though! You pay a MF adder of .0003 to compensate for it! Which in my case was about $100 more than just paying the 2nd payment..


----------



## TheGuest (Apr 11, 2007)

mrEcho, 

your signature says "waiting re-delivery: E92 335i | Space Grey | Saddle | Grey Poplar | AT | Sports. ED pick-up: 4/12"

what is re-delivery?

thansk


----------

