Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2002 21:46:24 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Gregory S. Youngblood" <greg@domain.elided>
Subject: re: Importing non-us models,
N said:
Okay, folks. I have to weigh in on this one.
I was there back in the '80's when Mercedes & BMW spent a ton of $$ &
time in Washington "lobbying" our elected & appointed officials.
Seems
they suddenly realized that a LOT of people were wising up to what
they
were doing, i.e. charging a LOT more for a car here than they did in
the
Fatherland. In fact, at one point, given the exchange rate at the
time,
it cost almost exactly to the dollar TWICE AS MUCH for the same
Mercedes, with the same equipment here in the U.S as in Germany.
A counselor in my old high school actually ordered a VW van (the camper
model with the pop up tent et. al.) in Germany, flew over there with
his
wife, toured Europe with it for a couple of weeks, flew back, shipped
the
van, and picked it up at the port -- and still saved money over buying
it
from the dealer in the US. Or so he said.
Don't know the details about the van -- did he order US spec delivered
in
Germany or did he have it "converted" by a shop here in the states. Or
did
he just never bother converting it.
greg