Euro Delivery - It's Almost Here!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
Euro Delivery - It's Almost Here!
Picked up a new E400 cab at the factory in Sindelfingen, drove it for a month and it's on it's way to California.
Here's a 5 minute video of my trip:
Enjoy!
Here's a 5 minute video of my trip:
Enjoy!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
Thanks! The Nurburgring scared the living **** outta me. I loved it, but the other cars that were SO much faster than me were a bit terrifying. Can't wait to do it again, but with a rental... 
Trending Topics
Super Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 554
Likes: 63
From: Virginia
2019 E450 Cabriolet, 2020 GLS450
Very nice video! How does the shipping back thing work, tax wise? In fact, how does it work with EU VAT and all that? How much does shipping it home cost? Do you end up spending more than if you had bought it in the US?
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
I think those are the 19 inch wheels. I picked the staggered sizes and the sport tires, but I'm not sure of the size...
They aren't quite as grippy as I'd like, I will swap them for some Michelin Pilot Sports when it arrives (it never rains here anyways!)
The costs of Euro Delivery are interesting. It's 8% off MSRP and everything else remains the same as if I had bought it off the lot, that and the fact that I didn't have to pay for a rental for a month saved me quite a bit I guess. Plus driving your own car is so much fun and worth a lot to me. You get two weeks of insurance for free, so I had to pay for another 2 weeks. I guess you can drive it around for a year.
They aren't quite as grippy as I'd like, I will swap them for some Michelin Pilot Sports when it arrives (it never rains here anyways!)
The costs of Euro Delivery are interesting. It's 8% off MSRP and everything else remains the same as if I had bought it off the lot, that and the fact that I didn't have to pay for a rental for a month saved me quite a bit I guess. Plus driving your own car is so much fun and worth a lot to me. You get two weeks of insurance for free, so I had to pay for another 2 weeks. I guess you can drive it around for a year.
Super Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 554
Likes: 63
From: Virginia
2019 E450 Cabriolet, 2020 GLS450
I think those are the 19 inch wheels. I picked the staggered sizes and the sport tires, but I'm not sure of the size...
They aren't quite as grippy as I'd like, I will swap them for some Michelin Pilot Sports when it arrives (it never rains here anyways!)
The costs of Euro Delivery are interesting. It's 8% off MSRP and everything else remains the same as if I had bought it off the lot, that and the fact that I didn't have to pay for a rental for a month saved me quite a bit I guess. Plus driving your own car is so much fun and worth a lot to me. You get two weeks of insurance for free, so I had to pay for another 2 weeks. I guess you can drive it around for a year.
They aren't quite as grippy as I'd like, I will swap them for some Michelin Pilot Sports when it arrives (it never rains here anyways!)
The costs of Euro Delivery are interesting. It's 8% off MSRP and everything else remains the same as if I had bought it off the lot, that and the fact that I didn't have to pay for a rental for a month saved me quite a bit I guess. Plus driving your own car is so much fun and worth a lot to me. You get two weeks of insurance for free, so I had to pay for another 2 weeks. I guess you can drive it around for a year.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 283
Likes: 26
2014 Mercedes E Class
That seems like to much fun but going up that Mountain View looked like of scary.. lol and the way the traffic moves cars just passing cars with no street signs no wonder it’s so much safety features on these cars lol..
so you are in california too.. when do your car suppose to arrive to the LB port?
so you are in california too.. when do your car suppose to arrive to the LB port?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
The scary part was racing on the Nurburgring racetrack. You pay $25 and you get one lap for that. And anyone with a street legal vehicle can get on and go like a bat out of hell. On the straight sections you're at 120mph and you have to be so careful to watch your mirrors because there are cars out there MUCH faster than you are (but I did keep up with a Porsche 911). This car is INCREDIBLY reactive in Sport Plus. It is a night and day difference. It hold the gear until it can't anymore and the gas pedal is hair trigger and the air suspension lowers and goes hard as a rock. I only did one lap because I didn't want to risk piling up with someone else, I still needed the car for another 2 weeks!
Those alpine roads are SO much fun. It's called the Stelvio Pass and it has 48 hairpin turns. We got so lucky with the weather, perfect every single day...
Should arrive in LB on the 17th. It's currently docked in Connecticut somewhere.
Those alpine roads are SO much fun. It's called the Stelvio Pass and it has 48 hairpin turns. We got so lucky with the weather, perfect every single day...
Should arrive in LB on the 17th. It's currently docked in Connecticut somewhere.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 283
Likes: 26
2014 Mercedes E Class
Yeah the entire video looks like fun.. and the weather made it all that much better... well you should have your car here just in time for release. I know currently MB last overview has an update for the E450 release to US dealers at the start of October, but I talked to my MB guy and he said that overview came out on August 20th before the E450 were certified on August 24th so they should get released in mid Sept now.. he said it usually about 10-20 days after it’s certified that MB will release.. unless it’s for marketing purposes only but he can’t see that being the case since most dealers don’t have a lot of Coupes and Convertibles now.
But he cautioned anything can happen and it still might be Oct but for me to expect the car in Oct, but to not be surprised if it’s released 10-20 days after the certification date.
Im getting the E450 coupe it’s been at the Long Beach VPC since August 6th
But he cautioned anything can happen and it still might be Oct but for me to expect the car in Oct, but to not be surprised if it’s released 10-20 days after the certification date.
Im getting the E450 coupe it’s been at the Long Beach VPC since August 6th
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
Excellent! I was told the new E450 would be out right as my "old" E400 arrived, but if you want to pick one up in Europe over the summer (and if you pick it up any other time you need to have winter tires and can't get the staggered sports wheels) then you will be right at the end of that model year no matter what...
I was thinking about waiting for the E53 AMG but i was also told that one might not come with air suspension or would be a MUCH firmer ride even at the softest setting, so that didn't appeal to me either. It's also why I didn't go for the BMW 8 convertible, no air suspension. I guess after my S430, S550, and CLS550 I am spoiled by airmatic. My current CLK550 doesn't have it and I missed it...
I was thinking about waiting for the E53 AMG but i was also told that one might not come with air suspension or would be a MUCH firmer ride even at the softest setting, so that didn't appeal to me either. It's also why I didn't go for the BMW 8 convertible, no air suspension. I guess after my S430, S550, and CLS550 I am spoiled by airmatic. My current CLK550 doesn't have it and I missed it...
Junior Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 60
Likes: 7
'09 Mercedes GL450, '72 280SE 4.5, E400 on order
Great video. Congrats on the car. We must have been there around the same time as us. I picked up my e400 coupe on July 19th. Did the one month trip thing. Didn't do Nurburgring but the Mediterranean was awesome in our own car. My car must be on the ship right behind yours-left Germany few days ago. I didn't have to pay the shipping fee though, that's a freebe with EDP. Quite bummed that the car was governed at 130mph, could barely keep up with fridge vans at that speed on the autobahn.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
Yes, mine topped out at 205kph. Maybe it's better that way...
I'm not sure if I paid a shipping fee or not? Absolutely loved driving the car in Europe.
My ship is headed south off the East Coast of New jersey right now. I dropped it off at Munich Airport August 14th...
I'm not sure if I paid a shipping fee or not? Absolutely loved driving the car in Europe.
My ship is headed south off the East Coast of New jersey right now. I dropped it off at Munich Airport August 14th...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 10
From: Newport Beach, California
2018 E400 Cabrio
They said 8 weeks from dropoff. That would be October 9th, and I think the ship is due in Long beach September 17th? I think it varies depending on how busy they are.
that was very fun to watch and the song choice was on point!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,258
Likes: 151
From: Greater Cleveland area
2019 Dune Silver Metallic E-450 Mercedes Cabriolet NEW Mercedes 2020 GLC300 graphite gray SUV
How did you shoot some of the overhead and side video shots? Attached camera mounts?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,258
Likes: 151
From: Greater Cleveland area
2019 Dune Silver Metallic E-450 Mercedes Cabriolet NEW Mercedes 2020 GLC300 graphite gray SUV
