MinnBobber

Hi,
I'm considering ED for an E class. I'm in Minnesota. Any midwest dealers with staff knowlegable on ED? I just emailed Herbert in Ca who probably is the most experienced.

Any dealers offer discounts beyond the standard 7%?

Do other discount programs apply like Conquest or USAA ?

I really want an E550 Wagon but it's not available so thinking E350 Sport Wagon or E550 sedan. We have 3 local dealers but no wagons or E550s to test drive

thanks for any info

konigstiger

Aim for at least 10%. Yes, Conquest, USAA, MBCA are all applicable.

BM2BZ

i kind of remember back in the old days mercedes gave out complimentary air tickets and hotel rooms for euro delivery. am i dreaming ?

listerone

Probably not.But back then you could fly from the East Coast to Europe (round trip) for $400 (or even less).Today it's closer tp $1,000.Also,the dollar was worth something.Today,it's more like Monopoly money.

Arrie

If you plan your trip plenty ahead you can still fly to Germany for $500 round trip.

CorvetteOJ

With all due respect my friend, I'd like to see the airline, itinerary and quotes on a round trip for $500. There has to be strings attached if there is such a deal. I'm flying over on June 3, and coming back on June 15th. I made the reservation on January 7th, five months in advance. The round trip is $1532.40, including taxes and fees. I'm flying Delta because it is the cheapest I could get flying from home to Frankfurt and back. I could have saved $150 if I wanted to drive 200 miles to the nearest central hub. Of course, I am leaving on the date I choose and returning on the date I choose. The airline isn't telling me when to leave and when to return. Not attempting to be challenging, just very curious!

I have made 21 round trips to Germany. The first 18 were compliments of the USAF. Three of them were compliments of my civilian employer after I retired from the USAF. This will be the first time I have flown to Germany on "my dime." This time I am just visiting friends, wife's relatives and reminiscing from the old days.

Mbenz260e

Getting off topic but Easter weekend 2008 I was able to do a mileage run DCA-ORD-MUC-ORD-DCA for just on $400ai on UA. It was a quick turn and about 14 of us on the ORD-MUC saw ourselves getting back on the MUC-ORD lol. Same year I also got ORD-LHR-IAD for $290ai.

I agree though those were the days and recently haven't seen many<$600 fares to europe on UA or any airline recently. Pretty ridiculous when you commonly see East Coast US to SIN/HKG/SGN for <$950. Heck the recent South Africa deals <$900 on DL/KLM connect through europe to JNB/CPT!

dbtk

Back in 2009, I purchased round trip tickets (4) to Munich from Westchester, NY for $460, and we even received upgrades to Business on United Airlines. I took my nieces with me for a Euro Delivery BMW. I then used SPG points for free stays at le Meridien and Sheratons in Munich, Stuttgart and Zurich. Other than Starbucks in Switzerland the trip was relatively inexpensive given we were four total.

listerone

Out of curiosity I just checked Air Berlin (which,I believe,is a "budget" airline) for a round trip ticket...JFK -> Berlin -> JFK in July/August.It was 970 Euros...which comes out to about $1300.Of course there are variables that I didn't explore (it was a *quick* check) and,everything else being equal traveling in February (for example) is probably cheaper than July.

The point is that the EU has placed *huge* taxes on airline tickets...at least ones between the US and Europe.IIIRC the tax is some kind of "carbon" tax but I'm not sure.

Everything I've seen strongly suggests that the days of cheap travel between the US and Europe are over,courtesy (at least in part) of European taxes.

listerone

Last fall I bought a ticket from JFK to HKG (via Dubai,the "long" way) for just under $1200 with a free stopover in Dubai.

Mbenz260e

Yeah assuming the OP is planning on flying from MSP the flights are all 1000+ for the months ahead it seems. Business runs as low as $2,100 which isn't terrible but I would imagine could be had to $1,600 potentially with the summer sales.

Listerone you are right the taxes are making it really expensive especially to LHR in the UK. I've saw flights last year IAD-LHR-IAD for $90 base fares each way but with taxes and fuel surcharges pricing out to $700+. Not to go off on a rant but its really ridiculous how the airlines hide their fares in a fuel surcharge...

I've always been interested in Euro Delivery, just not sure how comfortable I would be tearing around the German roads in my brand new Mercedes...

ImInPA

Not sure about MB, but, with Volvo's ED program, they still include airfare and the first night in luxury accomodations.

Arrie

Just for the heck of it checked some Delta flights to Europe leaving 3 weeks from now. frankfurt and Stuttgart about $870, Zurich $809, Munich around $850, Madrid $735.

You are right, not $500 but I just checked some on one airline and all of them about half price that you said your ticket this coming summer is.

Rule one, don't have strict travel days, that is what airlines look for and make money from. Second rule, don't buy your ticket too far ahead. It is never the best pricing unless it is to a city with some special event that you know coming and the airline does not yet.

I personally have been to European cities for less than $800 ticket about 15 times during the past 5 years. None of those tickets were purchased more than 3 weeks before the travel day.

Also, flying to get your ED from Sindelfingen does not mean you need to fly to Stuttgart or Frankfurt. You can fly to any major city and take a train to Singelfinden. You need a train or other transportation after flight anyway and an European train is just so nice way to get around with very low cost.

K-A

If you want something for free in Europe, just pull out a U.S dollar.... they'll scream and run as far and fast away from you as they can.

amdeutsch

Living close to Europe, aka east coast, has its advantages as you will not need to pay to fly to the gateway.
If you stop of early, Frankfurt, and need to take the train, to Stuttgart, you should include train fare, both ways, into the price.

Prices vary depending on your location. So, discussing how cheap they are for you is always relative if locations, or extras like trains aren't revealed. Same goes with days of travel: mid week vs weekend.

Mbenz260e

Yeah its all relative hard to generalize. East cost where I am also isn't always an advantage. LAX-IST on Aitalia is $587 in November (9th). From the East coast all over $900. Though we are overshooting German then...

listerone

Another possibility is to fly to a city some distance from Munich and then take one of the cheap flights from there.For example...a month or so ago I got an email from Aer Lingus about a deal from JFK to Dublin that was just over $400 (including all taxes/fees/surcharges).Europe has at least two regional airlines that offer really cheap fares...Ryannair and EasyJet.I think I've seen fares on one or the other from,say,London or Dublin to Munich for $20 or $30...can't recall exact figures but it was really cheap.Of course these airlines charge you $5 to use the bathroom but on a 2 hour flight you can wait.

MinnBobber

Thanks for the ideas so far.

I'm not great at finding best airline prices, rarely fly, but deals are hard to find.
Checked Aer Lingus with some sample dates and $1000 per person seems the best.

I had a nice chat with Herbert yesterday, CA Mercedes sales assoc with reputation as Euro Delivery expert/ does big volume of ED. He says only ED discount applies, no USAA, no conquest, no loyalty, etc. Anybody know different/ some have said other programs do apply?

Welcome any more comments/thanks
Bob

MB-JIM

I believe your salesman is right about not being to be able to use discounts like USAA. At the same time, remember the dealer still has a sizable commission on tourist sales.
My salesman, who is one of the largest volume tourist delivery salesmen, at least gives a free Alps Rally package with an order.

K-A

Check: Kayak.

Thank me later.

amdeutsch

See konigstiger's post way above.

Some stealers like to have you think that no additional discount is available.

MB-JIM

I don't know current dealer costs are but a few years ago I was told that the dealer got10% off the tourist price with no hold back. He got paid the full amount when you pay for the car. It is a great deal for the dealer.
I have picked up many MB's on tourist delivery and always managed a good discount off the tourist discounted price.
Current pricing may be different but it really gets to me when I hear about dealers who say there is little left for them on a tourist order.

Mbenz260e

Also check ITA software http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

The month long search where you specify the number of nights may be helpful for such a trip.

If you need more advanced searches do some googling about the codes its pretty powerful. Can search specific airlines (per segment), specific layover airports etc etc over a month. You can also specific fare class if you are looking to upgrade your ticket or whatnot...

Mbenz260e

Nice trip, Emirates I am assuming? It's hard to get IAD-DXB for under $1,200 sometimes ironically...