rroberts

Hi all,

My documents "package" from MBZUSA corporate just arrived, confirming that all is in good order and proceeding. This package is a detailed e-mail including 14 PDFs, 1 Excel spreadsheet, and 9 images that are duplicates of ones in the e-mail. Some of the PDFs are MBZ brochures I have not seen before, or are newer versions, and I will try to add posts with attachments to this thread.

My delivery date is currently scheduled for May 16.

Only two things were unexpected, albeit minor. Some people have been posting about the Stuttgart taxi vouchers being dropped in favor of a cash credit of 100 Euros. The credit is actually US$100. There is also a "Customer Ownership Training Charge" of $40 in the final tally.

I have been working with Herbert Haemmer of Escondido, California and it has so far been a great sales experience. I sought him out after seeing him mentioned here and in the MBZ AMG Lounge forum, where I saw the link to his EDP specific website. I left a message on his site; he telephoned me back promptly; we sorted out the major details verbally; and since then we have exchanged a few e-mails for signatures, etc.

SB_NYC

Must be excited--good luck with the process. It is not as daunting as it seems. Most of the attachments are just general info that may or may not apply to you such as winter tires, museum hours, etc.

I am doing my second ED trip in the next few weeks with an '18 S560 4matic. I used Herbert in the past and he is a class act and you are in good hands. Unfortunately, I had a trade this time around and being on the East coast, had to stick to a local dealer.

wagonsrock

Cool - My ED pickup date is May 15! Yes, the 100 Euro taxi credit has been replaced by a US $100 discount on the order, which is really only $60 after paying for the "Customer Ownership Training Charge"!!! When I did BMW ED in 2008 the training was free ...

ted_jane

I was also surprised by the $40 training fee, because it was such a minor amount I never asking anyone about it. But I am curious what training they are charging for. My guess would be the time spent going over the vehical's options at delivery.

rroberts

I will find out about the $40 training fee at some point and try to post on that here.

Herbert is proving a valuable resource in many other ways. He asked if I wanted to tour the AMG factory and is now setting that up for me. I had mentioned that I wanted to pick up on a certain day of the week so I could be a particular club in Prague for a Whisky Tuesday event. Herbert's next e-mail recommended a hotel in Prague that has low rates because it is new. I looked into it and the rates are very good value and it is walking distance from the club having the event.

rroberts

My pick-up date has changed to May-17. Herbert Haemmer explained that pick-up on the 16th remained possible but that an event he hopped I could attend would not be available on the 16th and asked if I could take delivery on the 17th instead. I agreed.

I had not booked my flight yet but got some surprises when I did. I am flying in and out of Amsterdam and using the Delta $200 discount (non-stop flight choices out of LAX at good to best rate after the discount is applied). Since the last time I had checked, flight prices have gone up ~$100. What I really found odd, however, is what days were best. Typically, Sunday is an expensive day to fly, especially the later the departure. Nonetheless, I got a Sunday 1:45pm departure at lowest price. Typically, Saturday is a cheap day to fly. Not here. I had to take a Thursday 12:45pm return for a cheap RT price.

NYCSoiL

rroberts

I went with Herbert Haemmer at MBZ of Escondido California. He handles a lot of EDPs, by all indications the most of any one salesperson in the U.S.

Note, there is a system that MBUSA has in place to allocate commission so a salesperson/dealer in one location can handle the sale and another can handle the final delivery once the car is in the U.S. Herbert regularly handles cars for final delivery in places like Alaska (2 the month before I placed my order)! We have never discussed it but I suspect that the selling salesperson/dealer prefers to handle everything and get 100% of the commission, but when the option is not making a partial commission sale or not handling a partial commission delivery I think common sense prevails.

I considered taking delivery in New York just so I could drive my new car across country back to Southern California and show it off to my family in Chicago on the way.