Re: bmw-digest V9 #1400

["Robert Macpherson" <Robert.Macpherson@xxxxxxx>]

RE: Subject: save money with european delivery?

Here in Belgium, the MSRP for the 323i is 26,530.75 euros (virtual parity
with US dollar now) and 28,374.59 for the 328i. (Source:
www.bmw.be/french/price_list/price_1.htm ) How does that compare to where
you are? That's before the 21 percent value-added (sales) tax, which a
non-European Union resident would not have to pay so long as he/she gets the
car out of the EU within a set period of time. (Of course you'd probably get
hit by your own country's tax scheme when you take it home.) Rule of thumb
is that a new-car buyer in Belgium can reasonably expect to get 10 percent
off the sticker price. If that's cheaper than stateside, it's probably
because (a) we're closer to the factory in Bavaria, and (b) BMW has a
relatively bigger market share in Europe (with more models on offer, such as
four-cylinder and diesel 3-series models that apparently don't make the
showroom on the other side of the pond). Final note: Used BMWs seem to
change hands over here for noticably less money than they do in North
America.

Robert MacPherson
1996 BMW 318i




- ---original message--->
>
> Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 17:56:26 PST
> From: "G.R. Steinke" <g_steinke@domain.elided>
> Subject: save money with european delivery?
>
> I looked on the BMW USA web site, and they pointed out that the MSRP is
> about 7% lower for European delivery. However, typically MSRP is not the
> real price that is paid for a car. My question: do you actually save money
> with Euro delivery? Or is the actual price that is paid the same - maybe
the
> dealer will not discount as much - for example, you could get an 8%
discount
> with NA delivery vs 1% discount for Euro delivery.
>
> And if it actually is cheaper to get Euro delivery, why is that? Does BMW
> charge the dealer less for the car? Or does the dealer get less margin,
> since he doesn't have to carry the car in inventory at all. And if it is
the
> "less margin", then why wouldn't you get the same discount for ordering a
> car with NA delivery? It seems to me that Euro delivery is probably more
> expensive, since there is some special handling required in Germany that
> would not otherwise be required.
>
> Thanks,
> Greg
> g_steinke@domain.elided
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>

------------------------------