You know know you're in the right place as soon as you de-plane, BMW Ad, Munich Airport, Germany

European Car Delivery Programs to Travel on a Budget

Hey Trippers,

Because most of my trip to Europe in May was driving, I had to shop around for car rentals.  It’s not fun but shopping around will get you a better rate and save you some big money.  Many of the bargain websites on-line don’t connect to European Rental Car companies.  So, it takes diligence.   The rates for large size rental cars with enough room to hide your belongings/luggage out of site are ridiculously expensive!  And during peak season (another downfall of peak season) availability is limited, if not sold out.  I found a way to save money, increase car size, and maintain comfort.  Buy a car in Europe!

Background: Originally my trip was Seattle to London to Rome, and back.  I was going to drive south to Naples, Lecce, and Reggio di Calabria (the point of the boot shape of Italy).  From there I was going to ferry over to Sicily.  Then, back to Rome.

How the final itinerary ended up being a flight from London to Munich and driving to Salzburg, Trieste, Venice, Verona, and Innsbruck was because I decided to purchase a new BMW in Welt, Munich, Germany.  My old car had reached its 4^th year and the warranty was going to be up.  Mind you, this decision was made last minute in the car-ordering-world.

Typically, the process needs at least 60 days to happen and I was at 45 days.  But due to the economic conditions, there was a slot available at the BMW factory to build me a car to my specifications in that time.  My airline status enabled me to change my previously booked Mileage Award Ticket (last second in the Mileage Award world) without penalty.  The downside was choice of flights but I made it happen.

Here’s the pluses of ordering a car on the European Delivery Program:

• Minimum of 60 days is usually required.

• Savings of 7 – 10% over a purchase in your home country.

• Order, negotiate, and finance (if necessary) the deal at your local dealership before you go.

• Order the car to be built with the exact specifications you want.

• Car Registration and Insurance is included while you drive around Europe – most for up to a month.  You can extend it for a fee.

• You will save Rental Car Hire fees, which can be exorbitant.

• You’ll find a wide variety of drop-off points and not all are seaports.

• Free or reduced rate accommodation and/or airfare may be included in your manufacturer’s European Delivery Program.

Here’s the minuses of buying a car with the European Delivery Program:

• You have to plan your trip around pick up and drop off points.

• Drop off points may include an extra charge.

• Financing – The program only makes sense financially if you are going to pay cash for your car or get a finance interest rate lower than your savings interest rate (assuming you keep the cash for the car in savings or invested).

• Availability of free or reduced rate accommodation and airfare is tight and the reduced rates may still be more expensive than you can get on your own.

You can find more information from the following manufacturers.

Audi

BMW

Mercedes Benz

Porsche

Saab

Volvo

The only downside of our European Delivery Experience was the Drop-off.  More on that later . . . .  Next time I will be prepared for the drop off process and there WILL be a next time.  Here’s a few photos from the experience . . . .

BMW Headquarters, Welt, Munich, Germany

Bring your appetite for the buffet in the lounge, BMW Welt, European Delivery, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

The Tornado, Architect Wolf Prix, BMW Welt Munich Germany

Car Delivery Elevator delivers your car to the delivery platform BMW Welt Munich Germany

BMW Welt European Delivery Presentation Platform is in a spiral, Munich Germany

Classic Beamer, BMW Museum, Munich, Germany

Hydrogen Car, BMW Museum, Munich, Germany

Temporary Art Installation, BMW Museum, Munich, Germany

Happy Tripping,

Carter

Hey Trippers,

As promised, over the weekend, I checked out the Pike Place Market’s “Gum Wall” in Seattle, WA, USA.  CNN listed it as one of the world’s “Germiest” tourist attractions.  Read the article HERE.  I’d been to three of the top five.  The “Gum Wall” is the closest attraction to me.  I’ve been to Pike Place Market 100′s of times over the years and I had not even heard of it – let alone see it.

Yesterday, I went to Seattle and hit a couple of the Farmer’s Markets (Ballard and Capital Hill), The Ballard SeaFest, checked out the new Starbucks Coffee Company concept store (15th Avenue Coffee & Tea by Starbucks), and swung by the “Summer Farm Days” at Pike Place Market.

The wall, or shall I say area, is larger than expected, but none-the-less disgusting.  There were about a dozen or so tourists there having their picture taken with it.  It is located in a rather dank, otherwise graffiti-filled alley way, not far from the iconic Pike Place Bronze Pig “Rachel” located in the market center.

I can only gather that it was started by people waiting to get into The Market Theatre because it is on both sides of the entrance.  It’s yet another reason to love the Pike Place Market – warts and all.

Happy Tripping,

Carter