My European Delivery Experience
Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
2015 E63S AMG
For those of us that hate drill holes in the front bumper, is there any way to stop the factory/Euro delivery people from installing the plate on the front of the car? (I know you're required to run a front plate in Europe, but I was thinking a more primitive zip tie method is sufficient enough to appease everyone)
My plate was fitted in to the Holes already on the US Plate mount, which was already installed on the car from factory,
No excess drilling was done, the holes were drilled on the Plate itself to fit the US fitting,
And on the back, the holes on the cars are euro spec, when it hits the us they put a plate frame to match up correctly.
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
2014 E550 Coupe
Interesting, I picked my car up at the delivery center on 3/31 and they gave me the original COO. They told me to treat it like it was gold. My car is financed. When i dropped off the car at the shipped in Zurich, they made a copy of it and gave me the original back.
I just got back yesterday from my trip. The Brenner pass route was quite nice from Austria to Italy if you go that way. You need you 10 day Austrian tax sticker (8.50&euro
but no longer need the tax sticker in Italy.
Stelvio pass might be open but that might be a challenge with three young ones in the back seat. Others might know a better route if you go to Milan.
One point that might be of be of use to anyone that has financed their car. Mercedes at the delivery center is supposed to keep the certificate of origin as it goes back to Herbert. They lady at the delivery center was not aware of this and had to call someone in Stuttgart to learn the procedure. Also, the drop off place wanted to COE too. He had to call his office in Paris to learn it was ok not to have that. I guess people that EDP must just buy it in cash normally (or that's what I get for following what I am told and pressing the point that u was not to leave with the COE). My only issue with that is the MB delivery office staff should be trained better so the customer doesn't need to explain their procedures. I will alert Herbert and MBUSA to that small hiccup.
Tom
but no longer need the tax sticker in Italy. Stelvio pass might be open but that might be a challenge with three young ones in the back seat. Others might know a better route if you go to Milan.
One point that might be of be of use to anyone that has financed their car. Mercedes at the delivery center is supposed to keep the certificate of origin as it goes back to Herbert. They lady at the delivery center was not aware of this and had to call someone in Stuttgart to learn the procedure. Also, the drop off place wanted to COE too. He had to call his office in Paris to learn it was ok not to have that. I guess people that EDP must just buy it in cash normally (or that's what I get for following what I am told and pressing the point that u was not to leave with the COE). My only issue with that is the MB delivery office staff should be trained better so the customer doesn't need to explain their procedures. I will alert Herbert and MBUSA to that small hiccup.
Tom
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
2014 E550 Coupe
the story I got was the plates were to stay on the car until they got to the dealership and if I wanted them, I needed to let them know ahead of time.
The way it was explained to me is that the plates must stay on the car when you drop it off. They do warn you that sometimes they are not on the vehicle when it arrives (people must steal these plates somewhere in the shipping process). My car arrived at the dealership with both the front and rear plate still on the car as I witnessed my car being unloaded from the truck behind the dealership since I happened to drive by the dealership the moment my car arrived (weird luck but my office is within 1/4 mile of the dealership and I was coming back to my office from a client engagement).
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 318
Likes: 12
2014 S550, 2011 E350 Cabriolet, Asgard Mothership
With the out of state dealer, I get to pay my sales tax when I register it. One last memory
I'm sure this will be the only time I ever pay $6700 to register a vehicle. In closing, if I did leave with the COO I would have just fedex'ed to Herbert anyway. No harm but I expect Germans to follow their own procedures.
Tom
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
2014 E550 Coupe
The shipper I used in Zurich sent me instructions telling me to wash the car before I dropped it off. If I didn't they would and charge a premium to do so.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 318
Likes: 12
2014 S550, 2011 E350 Cabriolet, Asgard Mothership
The Zurich shipper must have seen an upsell opportunity. My car was dirty from the road and rain but the Nice shipping company (TT) did not try to charge me for cleaning. They did say they needed to clean it somewhere along the way and it could delay it a day though.
They say if you see a Swiss banker jump out a window to follow him as there must be money to be made
They say if you see a Swiss banker jump out a window to follow him as there must be money to be made
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 188
Likes: 70
From: NYC
W223 S580, Range Rover LWB, BMW 740i, Porsche 911 Carrera S (997), Maserati QP GTS, W124 250D
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Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 75
Likes: 1
2013 458 Italia, 2014 X5
My M3 was so dirty, I felt sorry when I dropped it off in Frankfurt. No one made any issue about it though so clean car thing must be Swiss thing.
Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
2014 E550 Coupe
Got word today that my carr arrived in Baltimore early this moring and has already cleared customs (paperless). I had been told by the freight forwarder that my car was considered privately owned and would have to go through the regular customs process which would take a week to 10 days. When i found to it's already cleared, I was happy. The car got back here pretty quick. i dropped it off in Zurich on 4/3 (which is supposed to add three weeks to the travel time). The car left Bremerhaven on 4/24. Hopefully it gets through the VPC quick.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
2015 S600
No, they loose nothing. I just negotiated for a Euro Delivery of an S550. After researching I learned the dealer looses NOTHING by selling a car for Euro Delivery. The factory increases it's normal profit even after giving us 7%, free shipping, a night in a hotel and taxi vouchers! How?
The Euro Zone VAT tax is over 16% to the factory for new cars shipped. However, after driving the car in Europe, you are essentially shipping a "used" car and the VAT tax does not apply. The factory is sharing this savings with the buyer. The dealer makes his entire 7% profit. The car is not counted against his allocation, but does count towards his annual quota goal for money from the
Knowing this I negotiated a discount from my dealer aside from the factory discount of 7%. All parties are happy. I do not understand why some dealers would not like offering Euro Delivery except that they may be lower volume dealers needing to unload their annual allotments, they are lazy or unknowlegable, etc.
The Euro Zone VAT tax is over 16% to the factory for new cars shipped. However, after driving the car in Europe, you are essentially shipping a "used" car and the VAT tax does not apply. The factory is sharing this savings with the buyer. The dealer makes his entire 7% profit. The car is not counted against his allocation, but does count towards his annual quota goal for money from the
Knowing this I negotiated a discount from my dealer aside from the factory discount of 7%. All parties are happy. I do not understand why some dealers would not like offering Euro Delivery except that they may be lower volume dealers needing to unload their annual allotments, they are lazy or unknowlegable, etc.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 188
Likes: 70
From: NYC
W223 S580, Range Rover LWB, BMW 740i, Porsche 911 Carrera S (997), Maserati QP GTS, W124 250D
No, they loose nothing. I just negotiated for a Euro Delivery of an S550. After researching I learned the dealer looses NOTHING by selling a car for Euro Delivery. The factory increases it's normal profit even after giving us 7%, free shipping, a night in a hotel and taxi vouchers! How?
The Euro Zone VAT tax is over 16% to the factory for new cars shipped. However, after driving the car in Europe, you are essentially shipping a "used" car and the VAT tax does not apply. The factory is sharing this savings with the buyer. The dealer makes his entire 7% profit. The car is not counted against his allocation, but does count towards his annual quota goal for money from the
Knowing this I negotiated a discount from my dealer aside from the factory discount of 7%. All parties are happy. I do not understand why some dealers would not like offering Euro Delivery except that they may be lower volume dealers needing to unload their annual allotments, they are lazy or unknowlegable, etc.
The Euro Zone VAT tax is over 16% to the factory for new cars shipped. However, after driving the car in Europe, you are essentially shipping a "used" car and the VAT tax does not apply. The factory is sharing this savings with the buyer. The dealer makes his entire 7% profit. The car is not counted against his allocation, but does count towards his annual quota goal for money from the
Knowing this I negotiated a discount from my dealer aside from the factory discount of 7%. All parties are happy. I do not understand why some dealers would not like offering Euro Delivery except that they may be lower volume dealers needing to unload their annual allotments, they are lazy or unknowlegable, etc.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 28
From: Seattle, WA
99 ML430, 01 CLK55, 07 R63, 15 E63 Wagon
No, they loose nothing. I just negotiated for a Euro Delivery of an S550. After researching I learned the dealer looses NOTHING by selling a car for Euro Delivery. The factory increases it's normal profit even after giving us 7%, free shipping, a night in a hotel and taxi vouchers! How?
The Euro Zone VAT tax is over 16% to the factory for new cars shipped. However, after driving the car in Europe, you are essentially shipping a "used" car and the VAT tax does not apply. The factory is sharing this savings with the buyer. The dealer makes his entire 7% profit. The car is not counted against his allocation, but does count towards his annual quota goal for money from the
Knowing this I negotiated a discount from my dealer aside from the factory discount of 7%. All parties are happy. I do not understand why some dealers would not like offering Euro Delivery except that they may be lower volume dealers needing to unload their annual allotments, they are lazy or unknowlegable, etc.
The Euro Zone VAT tax is over 16% to the factory for new cars shipped. However, after driving the car in Europe, you are essentially shipping a "used" car and the VAT tax does not apply. The factory is sharing this savings with the buyer. The dealer makes his entire 7% profit. The car is not counted against his allocation, but does count towards his annual quota goal for money from the
Knowing this I negotiated a discount from my dealer aside from the factory discount of 7%. All parties are happy. I do not understand why some dealers would not like offering Euro Delivery except that they may be lower volume dealers needing to unload their annual allotments, they are lazy or unknowlegable, etc.
Most of what you said is true for most MBs. However, MB that are available for European Delivery that do not have a fixed discount (CLS AMG, SL AMG, S Coupe, S Sedan AMG and V12s) are still taken out of the normal dealer's allocation and they do not get the restructured discounts etc.
