Potential new owner. Need advice and some observations.
06-14-2008, 07:38 PM
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Mazda MPV
Potential new owner. Need advice and some observations.
I've been meaning to treat the wife and myself to a nice car for some time now. I've been holding off due to young children, and dealing with things like french fries stuffed down seats, crayons, etc. Well, they are past that stage now and it's time to say goodbye to 8 years of the suburban minivan life. I've been doing my research and I have narrowed it down to the C300 Luxury Sedan 4Matic, or the BMW 328xi. Price is pretty much a dead heat. We test drove them both today, and I have to say that they are obviously terrific cars. However, I think the Benz was the winner for us. If we were ten years younger, I'd probably go for the BMW, which was a little more the drivers car. So with our decision about 90-percent made, I have questions.
1. iPod integation. Yes, I'm going to get it. I am also getting the MM package, which includes the Harmon Kardon surround sound system. The sales guy acknowledged that the sound from the iPod connector (not the Aux input) produced a lower volume than the radio or a CD. Now at my age, I am not looking to make the car shake, but I do want to experience a good, full volume from my iPod. What's the deal with the integegration? Is the lower sound really that much of an issue. Would the MM package improve things?
2. Euro delivery. We plan to do it, and I have researched it a lot. By the way, the MB savings on the Euro delivery are better than BMW. I would like to arrive at the Stuttgart factory when they open (having arrived early on a flight from the States). I am not interested in a factory tour or lunch (I gather that they will pack you one anyway), and then get right out and head towards Lausanne for our first night. Does anyone know if they can get you out relatively quickly, or is the processing time quite time-consuming? I guess another way of putting this question is could I get out of the factory in order to make a 4 hour drive to Lausanne before nightfall?
3. Euro delivery. If I drop the car off in Madrid, do they ship from there or do they arrange to get the car back to Germany for shipment to the States? If they take the car back to Germany, does that mean that an employee drives it and the miles get added to my car?
4. Euro delivery. Is there an inexpensive way to get temporary European navigation? I certainly don't want to buy the full European DVD for a 10-day drive.
1. iPod integation. Yes, I'm going to get it. I am also getting the MM package, which includes the Harmon Kardon surround sound system. The sales guy acknowledged that the sound from the iPod connector (not the Aux input) produced a lower volume than the radio or a CD. Now at my age, I am not looking to make the car shake, but I do want to experience a good, full volume from my iPod. What's the deal with the integegration? Is the lower sound really that much of an issue. Would the MM package improve things?
2. Euro delivery. We plan to do it, and I have researched it a lot. By the way, the MB savings on the Euro delivery are better than BMW. I would like to arrive at the Stuttgart factory when they open (having arrived early on a flight from the States). I am not interested in a factory tour or lunch (I gather that they will pack you one anyway), and then get right out and head towards Lausanne for our first night. Does anyone know if they can get you out relatively quickly, or is the processing time quite time-consuming? I guess another way of putting this question is could I get out of the factory in order to make a 4 hour drive to Lausanne before nightfall?
3. Euro delivery. If I drop the car off in Madrid, do they ship from there or do they arrange to get the car back to Germany for shipment to the States? If they take the car back to Germany, does that mean that an employee drives it and the miles get added to my car?
4. Euro delivery. Is there an inexpensive way to get temporary European navigation? I certainly don't want to buy the full European DVD for a 10-day drive.
06-14-2008, 09:00 PM
#2
Administrator
2) Depending onwhere you are you'll probably arrived early to mid morning in Germany after an overnight flight. I would recommend you get accustomed to the time difference and jetlag before doing much of anything else. Therefore you should arrive on a Sunday, spend the night, free hotel room, and start the next day refreshed. AFAIK Lufthansa has a 2 for 1 special; tax + fees on 2nd only.
3) AFAIK no employee will drive it.
4) Not sure on HD based navi. (On E-class DVD Nav you could rent the European DVD by leaving a full price deposit which gets refunded upon return of the DVD)
HTH
3) AFAIK no employee will drive it.
4) Not sure on HD based navi. (On E-class DVD Nav you could rent the European DVD by leaving a full price deposit which gets refunded upon return of the DVD)
HTH
