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Hey, I am not normally a poster(the name is real), but after reading the post asking for giving, not just taking, I'm in.
We just ordered the GLC300 4matic, obsidian black metallic, silk beige MB-tx, premium package, multimedia package, park assist package, pano sunroof, burmeister sound (with the all-important silver speaker covers- they are what attracted me initially -lol), heated front seats and heated steering wheel.
We are 10 year Lexus owners and are more than a little nervous that we chose sexy over sensible, but damn, that GLC is so sexy!
So far, getting info about the euro delivery has been difficult. Our SP says it's due to the division relocating from NJ to Atlanta and the layoff off of many of the employees.
Anyway, we were given 2 choices for the 1st night.
Graf Zepplin Hotel or Hotel Schlossgarten. The optional add on tours have zero information other then the names of the hotels. I emailed an info request and if there is interest, I will post a follow up.
****edited - I see there is already detailed information about the tours posted below.
We are not going until June and won't have the car in the U.S. until August, so I will continue to lurk and be jealous as others get their vehicles.
Last edited by Lurkerlisa; Mar 6, 2016 at 07:55 PM.
Reason: Further reading
Congrats Lurkerlisa! Great car choice and a wonderful way pick it up. There's nothing like getting to drive your new Benz in the land of its birth. Awesome! I hope you enjoy your sexy new car and have a blast exploring Europe in it. As plans develop, let us know about your upcoming trip.
We arrive in Germany on June 9th at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I assume that it's too late to pick up the car that day, so we scheduled our pickup for the 10th. How does a pickup work? For instance, the next morning we get up and go to the Mercedes Museum which I assume is somewhere close to our hotel, but I think I'm understanding that you get the car from the factory in a different town. How do you get to the factory? Is there a bus? Is there a train? Do you drag your luggage around with you if you are not returning to the hotel where you spent the previous night?
How long is that process? Will there be time to visit a Castle afterwards?
Do they give you a tank of gas?
How much is gas in Germany?
How do you know which gas is premium?
Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
Also, as part of the European Delivery package we received a 10-page PDF file of the five different package options they now offer when you do European Delivery. I have no idea if anyone's interested and also no idea on how I could share this information, but I'm willing to try if somebody wants it.
We arrive in Germany on June 9th at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I assume that it's too late to pick up the car that day, so we scheduled our pickup for the 10th. How does a pickup work? For instance, the next morning we get up and go to the Mercedes Museum which I assume is somewhere close to our hotel, but I think I'm understanding that you get the car from the factory in a different town. How do you get to the factory? Is there a bus? Is there a train? Do you drag your luggage around with you if you are not returning to the hotel where you spent the previous night?
How long is that process? Will there be time to visit a Castle afterwards?
Do they give you a tank of gas?
How much is gas in Germany?
How do you know which gas is premium?
Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
1. Yes
2. Be prepare to pay a around 100 euro for 20 gal tank of gas.
3. When you open gas cover - inside part will have a color (green on my BMW) - you match this color with fuel pump pistol, that you insert in your car.
I will try to find pics to get you more understending what I mean (ESL) https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-ti...on/gas-parking
Last edited by Gary From LA; Mar 13, 2016 at 12:29 AM.
Also, as part of the European Delivery package we received a 10-page PDF file of the five different package options they now offer when you do European Delivery. I have no idea if anyone's interested and also no idea on how I could share this information, but I'm willing to try if somebody wants it.
You can upload this PDF as attachment to your post.
Did document they you revived state your delivery time? I post a video on this forum of someone pick up his car. Watch this video - it has few answers to your questions.
Pick up next day is what all recommended - you will be jet lagged first few days.
Last edited by Gary From LA; Mar 13, 2016 at 12:30 AM.
We arrive in Germany on June 9th at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I assume that it's too late to pick up the car that day, so we scheduled our pickup for the 10th.
This is the information that I have from MB:
"The Mercedes-Benz Delivery Center is located in Sindelfingen, a small town about 10 miles southwest of downtown Stuttgart where Daimler AG has its assembly plant. Deliveries can be made on working days from 8:00am to 2:30pm (deliveries on weekends and holidays are not possible). During peak travel months, you'll find that the early hours, from 8:00 to 9:30am, are the least busy. Please arrive at the Delivery Center at the latest by 2:30 pm. No reservations possible. The Factory Tour tours for European Delivery customers are daily at approximately 10:30 and 1:30 am."
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
How does a pickup work? For instance, the next morning we get up and go to the Mercedes Museum which I assume is somewhere close to our hotel, but I think I'm understanding that you get the car from the factory in a different town. How do you get to the factory?
You get two vouchers for a Taxi. One that takes you from the airport to the hotel, the other that takes you from the hotel to the delivery center. My plan is to arrive at the delivery center early in the morning, pick up the car, do the factory tour, and enjoy the complimentary lunch. After lunch we plan on driving to the museum.
I'm not sure that the museum is close to the hotel, but perhaps someone who has already done this, or has been there, can tell you more.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
Is there a bus? Is there a train? Do you drag your luggage around with you if you are not returning to the hotel where you spent the previous night?
You can have them hold your luggage for you at the desk of the hotel and pick it up after your delivery if you like. Or, you can take it with you and load it into your new car at the delivery center. You can do it either way.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
How long is that process? Will there be time to visit a Castle afterwards?
I'm not sure which castle you have in mind, but Neuschwanstein Castle is about two hours away. If that's what you have in mind, and you want to visit the MB Museum on the delivery day, I would say no.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
Do they give you a tank of gas?
Yes! With European gas prices this is like gold, but like prices have gone down for us here in the U.S., fuel prices have really gone down there.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
How much is gas in Germany?
I was talking to my friend in Germany a couple of months ago about this, so my memory is a little foggy. On our previous visits we were paying in the range of $5-$6 a gallon. I think currently the price is running about $3-$4 per.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
How do you know which gas is premium?
I can't remember, but I don't remember it being a problem finding the right fuel. I think they told us at the delivery center what we should be looking for on the pump.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
Hey Lurkerlisa, I just found this absolutely fantastic looking castle, that you might be already aware of. Hohenzollern Castle is less than a 50 minute drive from Sindelfingen. If you visit the MB Museum on the day of your arrival, then this visit is very realistic on the day of your delivery! Now I've got to figure a way to work it into my itinerary....
1. It's looking like we will be in France, Switzerland, and Austria on our trip. Do we need any sort of "Tags" to drive in those countries? If so,what's involved in getting them?
2. Do any of those places require an international driver's license?
3. Does the Mercedes insurance cover us in these countries?
4. Does Germany or any the other countries have toll roads? If so, what type of payment is accepted?
5. How about bridge/tunnel tolls?
6. How is the navi system? Easy? Should we use Wayz instead?
I'll do the best I can, but can't claim 100% accuracy. Hopefully others can join in to refute or verify.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
I'm going to burn out y'all's helpfulness
It's why we're here, and why this new forum was started! Thanks for joining into the discussion!
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
1. It's looking like we will be in France, Switzerland, and Austria on our trip. Do we need any sort of "Tags" to drive in those countries? If so,what's involved in getting them?
In both Austria and Switzerland you will need to purchase toll stickers, or "vignettes." I think the sticker is only necessary in Austria if you are going to travel on a toll road. You can purchase these at gas stations before you enter the highway, and they are purchased for designated periods of time.
For Switzerland I'm not quite sure about exactly how it works. I've read that you have to buy a sticker that is good for a year, but I'm not sure if you need one only for toll roads. I presume that is the case. In 2005 we drove through a portion of the country and when we went through Swiss customs at the end of the drive, we did not have a sticker and were not fined.
2. Do any of those places require an international driver's license?
It's required in Austria, and probably other countries too. It's best to have one and have no worries, even though it is unlikely you will be pulled over.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
3. Does the Mercedes insurance cover us in these countries?
Yes
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
4. Does Germany or any the other countries have toll roads? If so, what type of payment is accepted?
Based on the countries you are visiting, and that we've already talked about the vignettes needed in Austria and Switzerland, that leaves France. The country is loaded with toll roads and you must go through toll booths. They take chipped credit cards, but be sure to carry cash in the case your card doesn't work at a booth. Three years ago we sailed through our first few toll booths, then had difficulty with some others. To be safe, find the booths that accept both cards and cash.
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
5. How about bridge/tunnel tolls?
On our three trips we've visited Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. In no case did we encounter a toll for a bridge or tunnel. That's not to say that there aren't such cases. Like a Boy Scout, be prepared!
Originally Posted by Lurkerlisa
6. How is the navi system? Easy? Should we use Wayz instead?
Get your passport pictures in Costco, and then drive to near AAA and order your International DL there. Price go up from 2006 ($10 back then) but after trip you can use this as nice memory souvenir.
If you're using the autobahns in Austria and Switzerland, they are toll roads. You'll have to purchase your toll sticker (vignette) before entering the autobahns in those countries. They're not that expensive (less than $20) but are another good reason to stay on the secondary roads where the scenery is MUCH better.
before you head out on your adventure, stop by ADAC (german AAA) office: Austrian 10-day pass will cost you 8 Euro (~$11), Swiss pass is 28 Euro (~$40). That's a lot cheaper than trying to risk being caught by police and paying a hefty ticket. In addition, if you show up your US AAA card you get a free maps of Germany, Austria and Swiss!
In Caen, FR, a thief succeeded in taking all four wheels off my 550i, but a hotel clerk<br/>interrupted him before he could get away with the goods. Check out the picture:
Last edited by Gary From LA; Mar 15, 2016 at 11:57 AM.
OMG!!!!!
mdsbuc!!!!!!
I copy pic from AUDI ED web site and I didn't realise until now that woman hands, holding sticker - is your wife hand.
Holy cow! I saw the photo but didn't make the connection until your post here, but that definitely is her hand, putting on the Austrian Vignette in October of 2005! But, did you really find it on the Audi site, or is that from bimmerfest? I don't think I've ever posted on the Audi site.
If you're using the autobahns in Austria and Switzerland, they are toll roads. You'll have to purchase your toll sticker (vignette) before entering the autobahns in those countries. They're not that expensive (less than $20)
but are another good reason to stay on the secondary roads where the scenery is MUCH better.
before you head out on your adventure, stop by ADAC (german AAA) office: Austrian 10-day pass will cost you 8 Euro (~$11), Swiss pass is 28 Euro (~$40). That's a lot cheaper than trying to risk being caught by police and paying a hefty ticket. In addition, if you show up your US AAA card you get a free maps of Germany, Austria and Swiss!
[/I]
First of all, thank you so much for all of your help!
However, I am confused with this last post (not unusual ). You said that the autobahns are toll roads and the passes cost less than $20, but in the next paragraph, the Swiss one is $28 or maybe these are not the same passes from the first paragraph?
Are there toll booths if we want to pay as we go? It looks like we will only be on the Swiss roads to go to Stein am Rhen. How can you tell if your road is a toll road?
Also, am I understanding that driving on non-autobahn road is free?
First of all, thank you so much for all of your help!
However, I am confused with this last post (not unusual ). You said that the autobahns are toll roads and the passes cost less than $20, but in the next paragraph, the Swiss one is $28 or maybe these are not the same passes from the first paragraph?
Are there toll booths if we want to pay as we go? It looks like we will only be on the Swiss roads to go to Stein am Rhen. How can you tell if your road is a toll road?
Also, am I understanding that driving on non-autobahn road is free?
or this - http://www.highwaymaps.eu/switzerland
I found this video - it will give you idea how pay working.
enters France at 17:56, approching toll at 44 min
OMG! Did you actually watch that whole video to get those times? You deserve an award for the most helpful poster! It looks like if you have cash, you go to the right?
We are planning to go to Stein am Rhein as a day trip from Stuttgart.
I've done research on the Swiss Vignette. It costs 40 euro. I have no problem buying it if I have to, but I think I'm only on the Swiss autobhan for a few miles. I can't really tell where the boarder is so I'm not sure where I should get off the autobhan. That will be fun to figure out. lol
OMG! Did you actually watch that whole video to get those times? You deserve an award for the most helpful poster! It looks like if you have cash, you go to the right?
We are planning to go to Stein am Rhein as a day trip from Stuttgart.
I've done research on the Swiss Vignette. It costs 40 euro. I have no problem buying it if I have to, but I think I'm only on the Swiss autobhan for a few miles. I can't really tell where the boarder is so I'm not sure where I should get off the autobhan. That will be fun to figure out. lol
Thank you again for all of your help!
I Know, this swiss ppl is crazy!
They charge you for full year 40 Euro - even if you trip will only go for a few miles.
One more more very important thing:
if you or your husband wearing a Prescription Glasses for driving a vehicle by french law you have to have extra pair of Prescription Glasses in your car.
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