European Delivery Car Questions
 

I've read that Germany has specific automobile rules that might not apply to US cars...so

1. I don't want a front license plate on my car. Will ED force delivery with a front plate frame installed?
2. I believe the car I would get in the US (SoCal) would have summer tires...will Germany put on all-seaons if I pick up in the winter?
3. What other differences (if at all) are on the Euro Delivery cars...?

Thanks in advance!

You will get a front license plate on your car as part of ED as it's a requirement for Germany and most other European countries.

As for the tires, I'm not sure. We ordered summer tires and that's what it was delivered with, but we timed our pickup (9/27 this year) to avoid getting into a situation where the temperature dropped below the point where we might have trouble in Germany (I think 7C is the point below which you should be using all season tires). Probably a good idea to check with your ED dealer to ensure whatever your car is delivered wearing is legal when you actually pick it up.

Our car came with maps for Europe and the connected features didn't work (US SIM, not European one), other than that I think everything else was US-spec. The maps will be swapped for US ones at the US VPCC and the connected features will start working. I remember reading on the MBUSA site that if you have the Garmin Map Pilot instead of Command you'll be loaned a GPS as they can't load that with Euro maps.

HTH.

In answer to your questions:
1. Yes. ALL US European Delivery autos come with a front license plate installed--period. I have had a couple of ED delivery cars and the plate is added during the production process. No way around it. I don't want the front plate either since I am in PA and we do not require a front license plate but in Germany you are required to have a front and rear export plate installed at the delivery center so you can have 15 days of registration time to legally drive on the European roads. The alternative is to drive around in the US with your Euro Delivery plate like I did on my '14 S550 4matic but on my new '19 S63 I purchased plugs to fill the holes from bumperplugs.com.
2. If the car comes with summer tires it will stay with summer tires even if Euro Delivery in the winter. I picked up my S63 last Wednesday in Germany. They have you sign a form saying they are not liable if you get into an accident in Germany with summer tires. Germany may fine you a small amount if you have summer tires in the winter whereas countries like Switzerland will fine you 5000 Euros for not having winter tires. Of course you would not want to drive in the Alps anyway with summer tires since you are bound to be in an accident or get stuck somewhere anyway.
3. There are no differences in the Euro Delivery cars compared to US delivered cars as the Euro cars are US specification cars. The delivery center will have the European map database loaded when you get the car so you can use the navigation system in Europe and when the car arrives into the US the VPC (vehicle prep center) will load the US database into the car.

thanks for the responses. i HATE the front license plate holes...almost to the point that i would consider foregoing the ED discount just to avoid it...i checked bumperplugs.com and man those still look hideous and stand out so much. ughghghg. i wonder if there is a way for the dealer to do a special request...? i would bring a front plate mount using the tow thread to stay legal...?

I completely understand as I had the exact same thoughts before the purchase of the first Euro Delivery car. There is a 0% chance of changing the German's minds on the requirement of having THEIR front plate/bracket with Euro Delivery. I tried this with the first Euro Delivery with 0% success and I know other people have tried with 0% success. I guess "hideous" is open to interpretation but a dark colored car one would barely notice the plug. If you have a white car they may be more noticeable but they are so small that to my knowledge they are a great alternative. I have known other people who have taken the car to a body shop to fill the holes but that requires paint--I would not do that but some people have. I have seen the result of filling those holes and the body shop did a perfect job that only you would know the holes existed previously.

Note, If you intend to use the loaner GPS navigation device in Europe then you must reserve it through your dealer at least 2 weeks before pickup.

Consider the heads-up display option
 

I dithered on paying US$790 extra for this but found it in combination with the navigation system important for driving in Europe. Village road layouts can be challenging compared with what we are used to in North America. Being able to keep your eyes on the road and miss fewer turns will lower your frustration level.

Paper maps still work
 

We lived in Germany, Italy and Hungary from 1995 to 2000 and drove all over Europe in our Volvo 240 and in my Ford Ranger Pick up truck, and just used good paper maps. We never once got lost or had a problem finding our way to little out of the way destinations. I'm sure it would be easier with European GPS, but if you don't have it paper maps work just fine. Just make sure that your wife (or whoever is navigating) knows the difference between left and right (my wife sometimes had that problem).

Why not use the same way with BMW regarding front plate. They will not install the frame but will put the Euro plate directly using double sided tape. I asked my SA about it and there was no way around it.