katmai

My dealer told me 545i comes with them. Didn't BMW USA include floor mats on all 5'er now? I know there were a lot of complains about paying extra for the mats initially.

ky_soldier

All I can say is this - there were floor mats in the car when I got it, and they were not the US spec ones that say BMW with a thicker rectangle for the driver's one. I did not order them, so I think that was my freebie. I guess I will have to wait until it comes back to see if they are there, but I took pix showing it was there. I can't imagine someone would take used mats (albeit only a week old now) but I guess I have seen stranger things happen. The big question still remains, just how long until it gets back home in the US where it belongs! :-)

2000avant

Did taking Euro delivery of the 545i save any money and add a vacation trip to it? What is the advantage of doing so? My wife and I were planning a trip to Italy and thought that it would be nice to do a Euro delivery of the 545i, but have not discussed the details with the dealership yet. Please post a cost breakdown of taking US vs. Euro delivery. And would we need to book our own lodging while out in Germany or is there some kind of BMW pkg deal that maps out a mini-tour of Germany (depending on how many days we stay)? Thanks!

Aaron

What about shipping? What does it cost to ship the car here, or is that the normal delivery charge?

mrbelk

For more ED info than you will ever need, go here:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25

Also, bmwusa.com has a small mini-site dedicated to European Delivery.

The (not so) short version is that BMW (and other European mfg's) started programs back in the 70s, when they were trying to break into the US market, whereby US customers could pick up their vehicles at the headquarters of the brand in Europe.

In the case of BMW, you save at a minimum 7% off the MSRP of the base model vehicle you want to get (with the exception of M's). This savings comes at the expense of BMWNA (who loses out on most of their profit). All insurance, taxes, customs, shipping, licensing is taken care of for 30 days or so. All you have to do is drop the car off at one of about 15 locations spread across Europe. From there, your vehicle is trucked to Bremerhaven where it is loaded on the big boat with all the other BMW's bound for North America and shipped to your dealer.

-MrB

gdavis

Does anyone know if you get to keep the Euro license plates that they put on the car for ED in Munich?

Can you take them off the car when you drop it off at Euro locations? Do they stay with the car and you get them when it's delivered state-side?

Guest

There are two plates. I kept the front and left the back on for shipping. Not sure if it will be here when I get it. I do get to keep at least the front one. I took it off at the dropoff location. I got word yesterday that it is on a ship now!

ky_soldier

oh...that was me - I wan't logged in!

gdavis

hey, thanks for the idea. can you let us know whether you end up with the rear plate when you get the car stateside? probably won't be there.... since the transport people will get hold of it, then the dealer.....?????

ky_soldier

Sure. I am considering getting the euro front plate holder and putting it back on since KY only requires the back plate? Anyone have access to a front orient blue euro plate holder?