NiteJav

Not to get off the topic, can anyone explain why BMW gives you a discount when you take european delivery and Porsche charges 4grand for euro delivery. Keep in mind when the car comes into the US its a "used" vehicle subject to lower import tarrifs etc. I just can't figure out why it would cost 4k extra to do euro delivery. I am not trying to compare the two brands like one is better then the other just a simple explanation to the economics behind this....

Nordschleife

BMW are not as commercially astute as Porsche.

Actually Euro delivery is a marketing exercise, all the good folk who drive around Europe for a few weeks and go back home raving about what a great time they have had make fabulous word of mouth marketeers.

The actual costs of European delivery are not inconsiderable. The cars have to be prepped for delivery using expensive European labour, registered and insured all of which require a special department to look after the customers and liase with production, shippers etc. Then when the customer returns to the US, the car has to be picked up from where it was left, cleaned and serviced and shipped to the export port and consolidated into a shipment to the US. In some cases, Euro delivery cars are fitted with more expensive components, such as European sourced tyres, than US delivery cars. Plus you get a factory tour and a lunch.

Incidentally, the import duties are immaterial, 2.5% and this type of import is always treated as new.

R+C

NiteJav

Interesting I never realized it still came in as a new car. You can add Audi to the list of those not so commercially astute. http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/experience/european_delivery/program_benefits.html

5% off is not bad. I guess Porsche mastered selling this as well. Probably doing a little better then breaking even on the option too. Thank you for the explanation Nordschleife.

BlueGT3

I'm planning on doing the Euro delivery

dmc90025

I had heard that the E60 M5 is not available on Euro Delivery due to dealership allocation and $10K add-on premium, though that may have since changed.

BMW is very astute and uses Euro delivery as a dream option many will not be able to do, though want that feeling as if they could.

I took ED in 1983, obviously more primative by today's standards, though probably no less memorable, no matter it was a whopping 121 hp BMW. As a 20 something it was off the hook! Autobahn, Alps, Innsbrook, Milan (crazy city to drive but normal for folks from LA), seaside, wine region, Paris, you name it! 2500 miles, one lost syncro (never found it), no body damage. Funky French car wash, probably last saw a tractor before me.

3ish% of the price for a life's worth of memories? Sounds like a reasonable trade-off.

My goal is to take my next GT3 (or GT2) all the way to the south tip of Italy. Can't buy memories like that I imagine.

multi21

Autoweek just had an extensive article on the Euro Delivery program of a lot of German and Swedish makers. BMW definitely gives the most discount (appx. 7%). Their explaination of why Porsche does not is.................. "Porsche isn't into giving discounts". I had not idea that they actually charged more for it, however

M Cars are alittle tricky, especially in their 1st and sometimes 2nd year of make. The E46 M3 was like that and the current M5 is like that now. BMW AG allocates a certain number of M cars to each dealership. Euro delivery for a new M car is not added on, but rather taken out of their allottment so there is no incentive to the dealer to promote Euro Deliver on these hotter cars.

Once supply catches up with demand, addition numbers are granted to each dealership to an unlimited amount that they can sell and that's when Euro delivery will make sense for M cars. I'm only familiar with this marque's system.

khaug

It is to laugh (or cry):

M-B discounts a net 8%, makes hotel & airline reservations at hugely discounted rates, does a factory tour, gives you taxi vouchers, dinner at the delivery center w/ champagne & chocolates, loans you a Euro DVD for your nav system ( hugely worthwhile) etc., etc.,. etc.,

We did Euro Delivery on an '05 M-B E320 CDi and were treated like royalty! Porsche, OTOH, nicks you $4K and gives you far less in the way of amenities. The M-B Euro Delivery plan was one of the great experiences of my adult life. Porsche's is just another money-grubbing scheme. Bah, humbug!!! (not to demean it - you still get to drive on the unlimited Autobahn, but it's ridicuolously expensive).

Frank 993 C4S

I told my dealer that Option Code 900 (European Delivery) is a must! I figured it is going to be a trip of a lifetime, especially for my 9 year old navigator. We spend 9 months a year in Europe anyway so this will be great.

I have brough several 911s into the US through formal European delivery in the '90s and convinced the California DMV that there is no sales tax as the vehicle had been outside the US for over 90 days. Does this rule still exist?

soarteeth

I did a european delivery for a 993 back in 96'. The discount was approx 8%. It paid for our two week vacation in europe. I did the PCNA sponsored trip where you not only get an expanded factory tour but they included a trip out to Weissach for rides in various 911 models.

During the factory tour we were able to see motors being assembled and listen to them at redline on the dyno's. We saw the bodies being welded by both robots and workers. You get to see them lower the bodies onto the running gear and attach them together with 6 bolts. You step outside and watch each new 911 go roaring out of the factory for a 20 km on road test.

If you really love Porsche's then a factory pick up is something you have to do once. Driving your Porsche the way it was meant to be done on the Autobahn will put a smile on your face that takes weeks to wipe off.

I'll admit 4K is a bit stiff for a GT3 pick up (why does it only cost 2K for a 911?)but it's a trip you will always remember and give you a better appreciation for what it takes to design and built a Porsche.

cosmos

Used to be that way, now its 1 yr.

carrering

yeah, i just found that out too. that sucks.

ssarchi

But there you are on some of the best roads in the world with a car that needs to be broken in carefully...... does that limit the fun??? Or do you guys just go for it on a virgin motor?

Frank 993 C4S

That gives me an idea! Need to check what the time frame is where Porsche requires the car to be actually imported into the US. You probably don't get German VAT back until that time, but overall, that would be a $8,200 savings.

cosmos

How about this for a question.

Can you lease a Porsche and do Euro delivery or do you need to buy it?

Frank 993 C4S

I once leased a new Porsche and took Euro delivery but that was a while back. You need to check with your dealer whether that's still possible. At that time, I did not pay the German VAT which (what I now understand) is due at delivery and will be refunded to you once you export the car to the US. They just want to motivate you to actually export the car to the US.

For a potential lender its actually a rather scary proposition - if you think about it.