SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: Is European Delivery Of An U.S. Ordered SL55 Possible?
Is European Delivery Of An U.S. Ordered SL55 Possible?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 136
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From: South Florida
2008 CLS 63 & 2005 SL55
Thanx ....blkjack
Originally posted by blkjack
yes, overseas delivery is possible. i'm picking up a 55 on the ninth of this month.
yes, overseas delivery is possible. i'm picking up a 55 on the ninth of this month.
Also. after you experience the Euro delivery, would you be kind enough to post your thoughts?
Bear
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 603
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From: NY
ML 500 Sport
blkjack...
How willing was your dealer to arrange this...most say it is impossible...you are only the second person I have heard of that has arranged euro delivery of a US spec AMG...What's the secret??? Please PM me if you would not like to broadcast it..
thanks
How willing was your dealer to arrange this...most say it is impossible...you are only the second person I have heard of that has arranged euro delivery of a US spec AMG...What's the secret??? Please PM me if you would not like to broadcast it..
thanks
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 935
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sl and M-class E320 4Matic SLK350
A window
It is my understanding that there was a window of time opened when MBUSA was accepting European Delivery orders for both the SL500 and SL55. The original window was back in early spring of 2002. Whether another window has or will be opened is unknown to me. That said, I believe MBUSA will accommodate European Delivery for the dealers themselves for their own personal vehicles.
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 120
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From: San Francisco
The following is based on recollection and second hand information, but I believe it to be accurate:
Time was when a European delivery car did not count against a dealer's allocation of scarce cars. As a result, dealers were most accomodating with a client who wanted something like an S600. My recollection is that this was very much the case with 6.9 sedans, among other models.
Within the last few years, MBNA found that the European delivery process was being abused, and dealers were arranging for stand-ins to pick up high premium cars in order to augment their allocation. So two changes were made - European delivery cars DID count against the dealer's allocation, and the margin allowed the dealer on a European delivery was somewhat reduced compared to the margin for a domestic (US) delivery. This, of course, created quite a disincentive to the dealers, since now they lost a little when a customer asked for European delivery compared to a US delivery. (They don't lose money on the deal, they just don't make as much.) As a result, as I understand it, dealers now resist or only grudingly accomodate requests for European delivery.
I do know that European delivery is not an impossibilty at this point - one of my partners is picking up a CL55 later this month at the factory - but apparently it is something of a rarity, at least with the higher-end cars.
Time was when a European delivery car did not count against a dealer's allocation of scarce cars. As a result, dealers were most accomodating with a client who wanted something like an S600. My recollection is that this was very much the case with 6.9 sedans, among other models.
Within the last few years, MBNA found that the European delivery process was being abused, and dealers were arranging for stand-ins to pick up high premium cars in order to augment their allocation. So two changes were made - European delivery cars DID count against the dealer's allocation, and the margin allowed the dealer on a European delivery was somewhat reduced compared to the margin for a domestic (US) delivery. This, of course, created quite a disincentive to the dealers, since now they lost a little when a customer asked for European delivery compared to a US delivery. (They don't lose money on the deal, they just don't make as much.) As a result, as I understand it, dealers now resist or only grudingly accomodate requests for European delivery.
I do know that European delivery is not an impossibilty at this point - one of my partners is picking up a CL55 later this month at the factory - but apparently it is something of a rarity, at least with the higher-end cars.
Last edited by White Knight II; Jan 7, 2003 at 10:34 PM.
