Anybody done this? Pros, cons?

I'm in GY right now so it might be worth considering. I don't need a car actually, but I'd consider it before I go home.

If you're thinking about buying a BMW and then transporting it back to the U.S., don't buy it in Germany.

The cheapest way to go about doing this is to contact an American BMW dealer about their "European Delivery Program". You'll save about $3000/$4000 compared to an American purchase, and I imagine even more compared to a German purchase due to taxing issues.

More info here: http://bit.ly/cXSgU

[This message has been edited by KY AG (edited 12/12/2011 1:36p).]

If you bought a car here, depending on the car you could pay up to double the price. You could get the sales tax (19%) back because you remove the car from the EU, like all tax free shopping, but you would still pay a much higher price.

As the people said, I would talk to folks in the US about what they can do for you.

Edit: Also GY wtf is that? Germany is DE .. I just realized that you were trying to abbreviate Germany.

[This message has been edited by Randy03 (edited 12/12/2011 2:36p).]

It's easier Randy. Of course DE is proper, but GY actually translates better with the americans I deal with all the time.

thanks for the info guys. It was the oddest thing but another guy i just ran into talked about saving between 6-10k by buying here. I couldn't believe it and thought it had to be BS...

Yeah thats total garbage.

Cars are cheaper in the US. It takes a while to reach the point where it is worthwhile to import a car from the US to Germany, you probably have to reach the 70k€ level (E350 or so) before it even begins to make sense. A Porsche 911 is 2x the price here, as is a CLS63 AMG. Even after deducting taxes you would still pay a premium of 81% buying it here and then you would have to ship it over, pay customs (unless you are DoD I think they have special deals) and get it changed to american DoT standards (lights etc).

yep, consistent with the research i had found. damn, i was hoping for an excuse

If you want a BMW, Mercedes, or Audi you can buy one through a US dealership and do the Euro Delivery option. You can drive it for several weeks around Europe and then it gets shipped back to the U.S. and you pick it up from the dealership. You "save" a little money over what you would have bought the car for in the U.S.

European delivery (aside from having to stay within the manufacturer's recommended speed and RPM limits while driving on some of the best roads and highways in the world) is a fantastic way to buy a vehicle.

But like Randy03 said, it doesn't make sense to buy a German vehicle and then import it to the states. Aside from the cost issues I'm not positive you can buy a US spec vehicle for delivery in the EU or elsewhere. So you may also have to deal with the vehicle meeting US safety regs.

From this page it doesn't appear that those on temporary assignment are eligible for the program. There probably are ways to skirt the actual purchase restrictions but the insurance and registration is for a finite period of time; usually a couple of weeks but I know you can extend it for months with additional cost.

The following information is specific to BMW's program.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php/ED_Summary

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You may keep your car in Europe up to 5 months after delivery (there is a 19% penalty tax if your car is not exported within the 6-month period). Cars financed through BMW Financial Services must be exported within 90 days. Cars leased through BMW Financial Services must be exported within 30 days.

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quote:

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Your new BMW is restricted to private use by tourists (including business travelers). Persons working in Europe on temporary or long-term assignments are not eligible for the special customs license plates issued under the European Delivery Program.

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