When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
European Delivery and or Porsche Experience CenterThis forum to ask questions and get answers about collecting your Porsche in Europe or the outstanding Porsche Experience Center.
If you’re planning on an ED for next year, you’re no doubt trying to finalize your spec and place your order. Regardless of which model you’re going to buy, I hope the following info is helpful.
Last year my wife and I took delivery in Zuffenhausen of a new 911 Turbo and drove it extensively for a month in Germany, France and Switzerland. This year we returned to Western Europe for a 2-month stay. Here are some of my observations which could help you have a great European Delivery (ED) experience. Please bear in mind as you’re reading that these are just my personal observations and opinions and do not treat any of it as anything more than that.
Timing & Trip Planning
Consider avoiding June, July and August for your delivery. The roads become much more crowded and hotel rates can be much higher. May and September are better, but I’d say April and October are the best months. Fewer cars on the roads and for most of Europe the weather is still good.
Plan out your days, but not overly so. You won’t want to be deciding in your hotel room the night before as to what you’re going to do the next day. But similarly, you don’t want to pack your days so full of planned driving and activities that there’s no room for an unplanned wonderful surprise.
For accommodation, do your research online, but then whenever possible, book directly with the hotel. Often, if you ask, the hotel will provide a better rate or a complimentary breakfast because you dealt with them on a direct basis.
If you’re planning on getting your car wrapped, do so over there, immediately after delivery. Porsche now offers “Protective Film Front” for the 911 and if this is the only area of your 911 you want wrapped, fair enough. However, a private firm can do however much of the car you want done and likely at a better price. Schwabenfolia, which we used, is excellent, and is only a short drive east of Stuttgart. They wrap some 5,000 cars per year of all makes and body styles and so they know what they’re doing. By wrapping it over there, your car will be protected from the outset.
If you do plan on a delivery in the summer months, bear in mind that in European hotels, especially in smaller locations, an air-conditioned room is not a given. And even if you book into a hotel with A/C, it may not be up to the task. The exceptions here, of course, are the large hotels in major centres where good A/C is the norm.
If you are taking delivery of your car in Stuttgart and are first flying into Frankfurt, don’t be too concerned if the air connection isn’t too good or is too expensive. There is a major train station right in the Frankfurt airport and using a rail connection to Stuttgart can be a good option. Making this idea even more appealing is that two of the hotels Porsche has been using for ED guests are immediately across the street from the Stuttgart train station.
Especially if you’re going to be driving a Porsche sports car, I’d highly recommend soft luggage, e.g. duffle bags. So much easier to handle and use available space to the max.
Communications
Make sure you arrive equipped with a reliable cellphone and that it is loaded with the app, Waze. There is so much construction going on to improve Germany’s highways that traffic jams of more than 10 miles are not uncommon. While you are still at home in the USA or Canada, become very familiar with this app by using it. In Europe it will save you a lot of time and frustration.
Another app to get is Via Michelin. I prefer using Via Michelin on its website and with a lap top, but on a mobile phone the app is still useful. Whenever I have had the time, I get off the autobahns and drive the national roads, and as often as possible the ones outlined in green on the Michelin maps. These are the roads with extra natural beauty, and frequently they are twisty and very entertaining.
Get the best possible deal on cellular data for your phone. Waze and the mapping apps chew it up quite quickly. Consider getting your phone unlocked and buying a local SIM card in Europe. These can be purchased easily in most photo or electronics stores.
Things Porsche
Make sure to plan a visit to Porsche Leipzig and book some track time. If it isn’t part of your Leipzig ED, it’ll be more expensive than in the US at the Porsche Experiences, but the Leipzig facility is really good and also offers a large off-roading area for Macan’s and Cayenne’s. If you book track time on the tarmac, try to avoid the follow-the-leader option. I find it’s very frustrating and so prefer a solo stint with an instructor on-board. Again, more expensive, but you’ll learn a great deal and you’ll be able to drive as fast as your abilities allow. (I did this at the LA Experience with an excellent instructor and it was terrific). A minimum of a half day is needed. Better if you can set aside a whole day so as not to be pressured into leaving too soon. And reserve a nice lunch or dinner in the excellent dining room overlooking the track.
N.B. – Remember that Porsche Leipzig is one big complex that contains a factory, R&D, etc. As such, access is very controlled. So, for ANY visit, even if it’s just to visit the shop or to see the cars on display, you must book in advance. Do it via email. Don’t just show up and expect to get in.
Regardless of whether you take delivery in Leipzig or Zuffenhausen, a visit to the latter is a must. The plant tour I think is more interesting and visiting the museums of not just Porsche but also Mercedes-Benz should not be missed. Driving in the centre of either city is relatively easy, but public transit and taxis are the nicest ways to get around.
Driving
Try to avoid driving into the largest cities. Recently I had to drive into the centre of Paris. This was no fun at all, especially when the car’s built-in satnav got “lost”. Only Waze and my wife using it saved the day. A current 911, a Macan or Cayenne is not at home on old narrow European streets and even less so in the underground parking garages with their narrow ramps and parking stalls. If during your ED you want to visit a city such as Paris, a good option is to stay outside the city. Choose accommodation on the outskirts in a small town. Parking will be safer and often free. Accommodation costs will be less. Choose a town near a major rail line. The cost for two to go in and out of Paris by rail will be comparable, maybe even less, to the cost of gas plus downtown parking. It’s fast, safe and your nerves will thank you for it.
As much as you can, avoid the autobahns in central and southern Germany. Right now, they are wall-to-wall work zones. In contrast, the roads in the more northern parts of the country are comparatively construction and traffic-free, and there are plenty of sections where there is still no speed limit and lower traffic volumes allow safer high-speed motoring. I also found traffic conditions much better in the former East Germany. For example, our trips on the autobahn from Hamburg to Berlin and Berlin to Leipzig were a breeze: high speed and very enjoyable.
In Germany it’s often safest to play at higher speeds when the autobahns are 6 lanes, three on each side. The trucks “own” the outside lane, and this leaves the others for cars.
Respect the speed limits and the rules of the road. Radar cameras are everywhere, and European drivers don’t suffer fools gladly. Two-lane country roads are often a lot of fun, but even on these, stationary cameras are prevalent, so be prudent. Especially in built up areas, always observe the speed limits. However, sometimes you will see that the locals are driving faster and thus are dictating a higher speed. They probably know where the cameras are, and you don’t.
On multi-lane roads, speed limits are also enforced. Especially in France and Switzerland where interval speed cameras are often used, be careful of your speed. In France, in a 120 kph zone, 125 is usually okay but if you’re travelling at 130 kph or more, your chances of a “gendarme gift certificate” go up a lot. For severe speeding (e.g. 140 kph in a 90 kph zone), expect the police to pursue you, pull you over and escort you to the nearest police station where you will be in for a load of grief. Haven’t had the experience myself, but such police practices are in fact common. In those parts of Germany where the autobahns have speed limits, the same advice applies. In Switzerland, do not exceed posted speed limits. Period.
The Dutch, Danes, Swiss and Belgians often will drive to Germany just to enjoy a drive at high speed on more open roads. In their countries speed limits are everywhere and there’s more traffic. That’s not to say don’t visit and drive there. It’s just that when you do, you’ll be contending with greater concentrations of population and often more traffic.
Unless you’re well experienced with high speed driving, when you are on an autobahn ease into it slowly. Things happen very very quickly at 100 mph, versus 60. As they say, your car’s superior performance doesn’t automatically make you a superior driver.
In France’s smaller communities speed bumps are the norm. Each time I encountered one in my Turbo I thanked my lucky stars that I had ordered front axle lift for my 911.
Things Financial
Consider getting a credit card with no “foreign transaction fee”. Many cards levy this charge on any transaction outside the issuing country. However, we signed up for an American Express card that didn’t have it and we have been using it quite successfully.
Get your cash from European ATM’s affiliated with major banks. The commissions will be lower, and the exchange rate will be better than if you buy cash in the US or Canada.
If you make a credit card charge in Europe and are given the option of charging it in your home currency or the local currency, always choose the local currency. Again, commissions are lower by doing it this way.
Language
If you are fortunate enough to speak German or French, so much the better. But just because you don’t doesn’t mean that you should ignore learning and using a few basic words. Just by saying words such as “Please” and “Thankyou” and “Good day” in the local language, this will earn you lots of goodwill and will demonstrate your interest in the people you are interacting with and help you to “break the ice”.
There are few more enjoyable experiences than ED, and in addition to all the great memories you’ll make, you’ll avoid paying for a rental car. So, if a new Porsche is in your plans, do the European Delivery. It’s wunderbar!
Great comments and right on target. I'll also echo avoiding the autobahn. Construction is everywhere, speed limits change every 5-10kms and finding a stretch of open and unlimited road is rare. Besides b-roads in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Northern Italy are amazing and easily navigated. One of my best drives of all time was from Cortina, Italy to Salzburg. Backroads all the way and also crossed over Grossglockner pass in Austria.
Which brings up another tip. The Alps in France, Germany, Switzerland and (Northern) Italy have some amazing alpine passes that can turn a vacation into a magical experience. Whenever possible seek these out weather (and tires) permitting.
Also don't forget if driving in Austria or Switzerland you need a vignette (toll sticker).
Great post! I’m planning my ED at Stuttgart for end of October and appreciate all of the information. Too bad about the Autobahn construction, was looking forward to pushing the car on that front if just for one stretch. (Will be mainly driving south)
To to address another poster’s question, currently there’s only a discount on Delta business and first class. That said there were better or comparable prices out there
Can you elaborate on this? Is it with Lufthansa? Is there a website or brochure that outlines the specifics? Thanks.
Jamie Dillon can get you in touch with them when you do the ED, its a travel company that I presume PCNA uses regularly, the deal is Delta from ATL to STR the direct so called "Porsche flight"
Jamie Dillon can get you in touch with them when you do the ED, its a travel company that I presume PCNA uses regularly, the deal is Delta from ATL to STR the direct so called "Porsche flight"
This is a great thread - thank you especially Motomurr! We are picking up our 718 GT4 in Leipzig in mid-April. Wondering - has anyone driven the 'Alpine Road' - from Schonau am Konigsee to Lindau - at this time of year ie: third week of April? I have looked at average temperatures, and it looks like the averages are decently above freezing, but the most extreme ranges of temperatures does include below zero. Just wondering if anyone has been there at that time, whether they encountered any snow, and to what extent the roads were salted? We are picking up the car in Leipzig and dropping in Stuttgart. With that itinerary, snow tires are not available.
Congrats on the 718 GT4 which I'm sure you'll love. And thank you for your positive feedback regarding my post. When you return from your ED, see if you can post some additional tips to the ED forum. It all helps, for sure.
I drove the Alpine Road in 2016 after picking up my MY17 Audi S7 in Ingolstadt (Audi Euro Delivery RIP ). Drove to Salzburg and then from that point to Lindau via the Alpine Road. This was in late August so no worries about tires or temperatures. However, we did encounter snow at higher elevations, but it was minor. Car had Summer rubber on it, but we took it slow and had no issues.
Overall the road is a nice drive. Very scenic, but its heavily traveled (at least in late August) so travel was slow at times. Normally I would suggest that you detour into Austria to pick up Hochtannberg Pass and Hahntennjoch Pass, but I April snow would be a certainty.
Depending on time you should look at the conditions for Silvretta Hochalpenstrabe Pass. Its one of the more popular passes in Austria so its kept well plowed and only 30 minutes away from Lindau. If the conditions are clear its a great drive in your GT4. I did it a couple years ago in a 911 and was the highlight of the trip.
In Lindau you should look at the Hotel Bayerisher Hof. It's right on the harbor overlooking the lake.
On speed;
ive done a total of 30,000 miles roughly over 3 cars in the last 4 years.
Also about 60 track days BTW, if you need any info, send me a mail. Glad to help out.
Nothing like getting to know your car by driving it day and night for 6(now3 max) months.
Use Waze, don’t speed in Switzerland, but otherwise I didn’t get a single ticket that found me and I got a ****load of radar flashes.
Did 160 in a 130 in Austria and paid 30Euro on the spot lol.
1. When researching places to visit in a city, pre-plan local parking lots by doing a Google images view and seeing what to expect. You can save the waypoints to your Google maps and download it to your device for offline navigation.
2. Speed limits: I found it helpful to follow local traffic on the highways. Look for cars that are registered in the country. They're more likely to know the radar traps and speed.
3. Soft luggage, as the OP mentioned is key! Take along a couple thin/durable duffels for the end of the trip and stuff them with shoes and dirty clothes. We also used a Rimowa hard sided luggage specially made to fit a frunk.
4. When driving in an unfamiliar city, never slow down or stop randomly to check for directions. Move and keep moving with the flow of traffic. Local traffic may seem haphazard, but there's a flow that depends on you being decisive. If you're hesitant, other drivers won't be able to anticipate your movement and you become a dangerous driver. Move and correct later.
The Bayerischer Hof looks great - but it was booked out for our dates, so I booked the hotel next door, the Hotel Reutemann
Wondering - how did you navigate the Alpine Road? When I input the destinations on Google Maps, I'm not sure if it is always giving me the 'scenic route'. I suspect it sometimes just gives the fastest route. Is the Alpine Road well-marked enough that I can just follow road markers and not bother with a Navigation app? Or is there some kind of app specific for the Alpine Road?
Hotel Reutemann also looked great. Its right on the harbor and we've had lunch on the patio overlooking the docks.
Following the Road wasn't difficult. It's marked in both directions and easy to follow. However, prior to leaving I also created a custom map in Google Maps with the exact route. In Google Maps I dropped pins along the route then connected the pins to create one contiguous route. Then printed that out with turn-by-turn. My wife served as navigator (I gave her a D- so that shows how clearly the road was marked). I also had a folding paper map of Southern Germany that I used for backup. If using Google Maps from your phone make sure you have an International Data plan
I didn't try this, but here is a link to where you can download the route with GPS coordinates and load into Google Maps. Problem was that its all in German so I never tried it. https://www.deutsche-alpenstrasse.de...n-alpenstrasse
One other note on Lindau is a restaurant called "in der Eilguthalle". It's right along the harbor to the West of the hotels and I noticed the last time we stayed in Lindau that they have a number of classic cars scattered around the dining room. I just thought it was for a private event, but in actuality the cars are owned by the restaurant owner and on display year-around. 50s era Mustang, 60s 911, 60s Jaguar, etc... I have no idea if the restaurant is any good as I only found it they last time we stayed in Lindau and on the day we were departing.
Also if you dip into Austria you will need a vignette (toll sticker) for your car if you take any of the major roads. Vignette are available at most gas stations close to the border and cost something like ~$20. You also can order in advance from https://www.tolltickets.com/en/ and have them mailed to you before you leave.
Have fun and remember to enjoy the drive and don't get agitated by traffic.
08-14-2019, 02:22 PM
European Delivery Tips
). Drove to Salzburg and then from that point to Lindau via the Alpine Road. This was in late August so no worries about tires or temperatures. However, we did encounter snow at higher elevations, but it was minor. Car had Summer rubber on it, but we took it slow and had no issues.
