Our European Delivery Experience (Debacle)
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
2018 S560 4matic sedan
Our European Delivery Experience (Debacle)
After online research, we decided to order a 2015 S550V for European Delivery thru Herbert Haemmer of MB of Escondido, Ca.
We took delivery of the car 12/3/2014 at the Delivery Center
in Sindelfingen, Germany. We had purchased the Black Forest Alpine Rally
tour through Herbert. The car was supposed to be shipped to Brunswich, Ga & then transported via truck to MB of Nashville, TN (Courtesy Delivery
The following events transpired that turned this event into a fiasco.
.the car was incorrectly spec'd out----said we needed AMG Sports Pachage to get 20" multispoke wheels. Didn't know about 13R option. That was finally corrected.
.specified M&S tires which are legally required during winter months of Nov.
thru Apr. We were assured this would happen by Herbert, only to have summer tires installed at delivery. Manager of Delivery Center installed smaller, euro spec wheels & winter tires on car. It was snowing when we left the center. They said they never heard from Herbert about the tire situation.
.Herbert never called Brunswich, GA, as requested, to make sure original
wheels & tires were re-installed. They were sent to LA port of entry instead, where, they are undoubtedly, floating around in the water on- ship because of the longshore men's strike.
.Was told after 4 wks. of the car sitting at MB of Nashville, that it would take 2 more months to get the ordered & paid for wheels & tires on my car.
I kind of lost it at that point & to make a long story short here, I had my
car with the correct wheels & tires (13R's) 2 days later.
There were additional errors as well. Herbert did a good job with the tour,
but a lousy job with the car (which was the main objective here). Buyer
Beware, as they say.
We took delivery of the car 12/3/2014 at the Delivery Center
in Sindelfingen, Germany. We had purchased the Black Forest Alpine Rally
tour through Herbert. The car was supposed to be shipped to Brunswich, Ga & then transported via truck to MB of Nashville, TN (Courtesy Delivery
The following events transpired that turned this event into a fiasco.
.the car was incorrectly spec'd out----said we needed AMG Sports Pachage to get 20" multispoke wheels. Didn't know about 13R option. That was finally corrected.
.specified M&S tires which are legally required during winter months of Nov.
thru Apr. We were assured this would happen by Herbert, only to have summer tires installed at delivery. Manager of Delivery Center installed smaller, euro spec wheels & winter tires on car. It was snowing when we left the center. They said they never heard from Herbert about the tire situation.
.Herbert never called Brunswich, GA, as requested, to make sure original
wheels & tires were re-installed. They were sent to LA port of entry instead, where, they are undoubtedly, floating around in the water on- ship because of the longshore men's strike.
.Was told after 4 wks. of the car sitting at MB of Nashville, that it would take 2 more months to get the ordered & paid for wheels & tires on my car.
I kind of lost it at that point & to make a long story short here, I had my
car with the correct wheels & tires (13R's) 2 days later.
There were additional errors as well. Herbert did a good job with the tour,
but a lousy job with the car (which was the main objective here). Buyer
Beware, as they say.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 31
Likes: 1
Lexus LS
My experience with Herbert was just the opposite. I changed my order twice before settling on my final choice of options and he was very accommodative. MB had already scheduled my order the second time and he had to call NJ to cancel it and replace it with what I wanted.
When I picked up my car in Sindelfingen Herbert had arranged for the premier delivery experience. As luck would have it the test track was available in the morning and we were driven around it in an S550. With the banked corners you can rally fly. In the afternoon we took the factory tour.
I am sorry to hear about your experience but I think from reading others who have dealt with Herbert that was the exception not the rule.
I would highly recommend both the European purchase and buying from Herbert.
When I picked up my car in Sindelfingen Herbert had arranged for the premier delivery experience. As luck would have it the test track was available in the morning and we were driven around it in an S550. With the banked corners you can rally fly. In the afternoon we took the factory tour.
I am sorry to hear about your experience but I think from reading others who have dealt with Herbert that was the exception not the rule.
I would highly recommend both the European purchase and buying from Herbert.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 28
From: Seattle, WA
99 ML430, 01 CLK55, 07 R63, 15 E63 Wagon
I'm sorry to hear about your lousy experience. I picked up my E63 on Euro Del on November 27, 2014. Funny how we were just a few days apart and how the weather was the exact opposite. I lucked out with good weather the whole trip, which was even more lucky because I had the summer tires on my car. I tried to get all seasons placed on the car as a temporary measure but no one at MB was willing to help. I'm surprised they were able to do that for you and glad they did.
Did you drop your car back off at Sindelfingen, or at another port? I ask because I'm wondering if they were supposed to put the stock rims back on before shipping it back stateside.
Did you drop your car back off at Sindelfingen, or at another port? I ask because I'm wondering if they were supposed to put the stock rims back on before shipping it back stateside.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
2018 S560 4matic sedan
Reply to xxGenericSNxx
My flight arrived & departed from Frankfort, so that's where we dropped the car.
The Delivery Center knew that's where we were going to drop the car. They said the 13R wheels & tires would be reinstalled in Brunswick, GA, prior to the car being trucked to MB of Nashville, TN for the Courtesy Delivery.
They refused to take the summer tires off the car at first, but as it continued to snow, I finally involved the manager of the Delivery Center & he had some smaller, euro-spec wheels & winter tires delivered from Stuttgart in a taxi.
This could be a big problem for MB in my opinion. If a customer were injured after being forced to take delivery with illegal tires, it could open up a can of worms for them. They need to fix this !
The Delivery Center knew that's where we were going to drop the car. They said the 13R wheels & tires would be reinstalled in Brunswick, GA, prior to the car being trucked to MB of Nashville, TN for the Courtesy Delivery.
They refused to take the summer tires off the car at first, but as it continued to snow, I finally involved the manager of the Delivery Center & he had some smaller, euro-spec wheels & winter tires delivered from Stuttgart in a taxi.
This could be a big problem for MB in my opinion. If a customer were injured after being forced to take delivery with illegal tires, it could open up a can of worms for them. They need to fix this !
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 28
From: Seattle, WA
99 ML430, 01 CLK55, 07 R63, 15 E63 Wagon
My flight arrived & departed from Frankfort, so that's where we dropped the car.
The Delivery Center knew that's where we were going to drop the car. They said the 13R wheels & tires would be reinstalled in Brunswick, GA, prior to the car being trucked to MB of Nashville, TN for the Courtesy Delivery.
They refused to take the summer tires off the car at first, but as it continued to snow, I finally involved the manager of the Delivery Center & he had some smaller, euro-spec wheels & winter tires delivered from Stuttgart in a taxi.
This could be a big problem for MB in my opinion. If a customer were injured after being forced to take delivery with illegal tires, it could open up a can of worms for them. They need to fix this !
The Delivery Center knew that's where we were going to drop the car. They said the 13R wheels & tires would be reinstalled in Brunswick, GA, prior to the car being trucked to MB of Nashville, TN for the Courtesy Delivery.
They refused to take the summer tires off the car at first, but as it continued to snow, I finally involved the manager of the Delivery Center & he had some smaller, euro-spec wheels & winter tires delivered from Stuttgart in a taxi.
This could be a big problem for MB in my opinion. If a customer were injured after being forced to take delivery with illegal tires, it could open up a can of worms for them. They need to fix this !
I also received some BS from some MB folks that the car won't pass through customs if the car isn't returned with the same wheels and tires as when it was made at the factory! LOL well that obviously isn't true.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville TN
2018 SL65 AMG, 2019 AMG S63, 2020 GLS580
Mercedes EDP
We picked up our S550 in September 2014 so tire swapping was not an issue. Delivery time was 7 weeks and that was due to a hurricane causing the delivery ship to delay and reroute his sailing. Don't know Herbert Haemmer. Did everything through our local Knoxville dealership. Some minor events but nothing unmanagable. Very enjoyable trip and experience. Would do it again!
