Here’s a Thrifty Travel Tip: Take a European Vacation to Your New Car

You’ve heard of going out of town to find a good deal on a new car? Phil and Jean Lansdale of Corona del Mar take it a step further. They leave the country.

Seven times in the last 20 years, the Lansdales have traveled to Europe to pick up their new vehicles: four Mercedes-Benzes, an Audi, a BMW and a Volkswagen. Each time, they saved enough to pay for the vacation.

“I would recommend it to anyone who’s buying a European import,” Jean Lansdale says.

Although a handful of import dealers promote the concept with modest ads or incentives such as air fare or accommodations, European delivery remains for the most part a well-kept secret. Some import manufacturers would like more people to know about it, while others do not encourage it.

But reluctantly or enthusiastically, nearly all offer the option.

Each plan is a little different, but in general, you can save about 10% off the list price of a European import if you’re willing to pick it up there. Because you can drive the car during your visit to the Continent, you save the cost of car rental or other transportation as well.

And if your schedule allows a long, leisurely trip, you can save even more. “If you use the car in Europe for more than 90 days, you can save the 6% California sales tax,” says Harry Taylor, European delivery specialist for McLaren’s BMW in Fullerton.

But there are disadvantages. If you want to dicker over the price, you might be better off buying from a dealer’s stock. With that 10% already lopped off the top, there’s much less room for negotiation, and some companies simply won’t budge even a penny.

Specifics vary, but here’s an overview of how European delivery works:

You go to a U.S. dealer, order the car and pay a deposit of $250 to $2,000, depending on the car.

That first step must take place several months in advance so the car can be built to specifications, although less choosy buyers can be accommodated in as few as 3 weeks if they are willing to take a vehicle that is not made to order.

The balance is due about a month before the pickup date. That means the whole transaction is handled in this country, in U.S. dollars.

Then, passport and invoice in hand, you fly to Europe, go to the factory and pick up the car.

When you’re ready to return home, you take the car to one of many drop-off points and get back on the plane. Four to 6 weeks later, you pick up the car from the same dealer with whom you started.

With a few exceptions, you don’t have to worry about such details as European registration and insurance or getting the car through U.S. Customs. Nor will you have to get the vehicle retrofitted to meet U.S. standards; the manufacturer will take care of installing the catalytic converter and whatever else is required here. In all cases, the cars available for pickup in Europe through dealers here are exactly the same as those sold in the United States, right down to the warranty.

Some dealers have specialists who handle all their European deliveries, which can make the process smoother yet.

Some manufacturers, such as Saab, subsidize European delivery so dealers don’t lose on the deal. “It’s mostly a marketing thing,” says Jim Vickers of Beach Imports in Newport Beach.

But other manufacturers will not subsidize. Taylor says his dealership makes less money on a European delivery, “although we don’t have to purchase the car and pay interest expense, which we do on a car that sits on the lot.”

And with Peugeot, “the dealer does not make a dime,” according to Jeff Greco of Anaheim Stadium Peugeot. “But if someone buys a car through us, they’re probably going to have it serviced at our center. It goes beyond the initial sale.”

The few European car manufacturers that don’t offer European delivery tend to be at the high end of the scale: Ferrari, Maserati, Aston-Martin and Alfa Romeo, for example. The same goes for the low end: Nobody goes to Yugoslavia to pick up a custom-made Yugo.

But if you’re interested in something between those two extremes and your passport’s in order, keep reading for a brief brand-by-brand rundown:

* Mercedes-Benz: Orders must be placed about 3 months in advance, according to Jack Stinson, European delivery specialist at the House of Imports in Buena Park. A $2,000 deposit is required, with the balance due 35 days before delivery. You pick up your car at the factory in Sindelfingen, West Germany, just outside Stuttgart. You’ll get a free night at a hotel in either Stuttgart or Sindelfingen, and Mercedes-Benz also pays your cab fare from the airport. The next morning you’ll get a tour of the factory, including a movie on how the cars are made, and a free breakfast and lunch. Stinson will help with travel plans.

* BMW: Order as far in advance as possible, at least 3 months, although a limited selection is available 4 to 6 weeks in advance. The deposit is $500, and the balance is due 1 month before delivery. You pick up your car at the BMW factory in Munich. At McLaren’s BMW, specialist Harry Taylor will refer you to a travel agent for help with your arrangements. A factory tour is available.

* Porsche: Order 4 months in advance. The deposit is $1,000, with the balance due 1 month before delivery. You pick up your car at a Porsche factory, either in Stuttgart or Zufenhausen, West Germany. A tour of the factory is available, and some customers also get to try out their new wheels on one of Porsche’s test tracks, says Campbell Porsche salesman Ishmael Martinez. Travel arrangements are up to you, although special incentives are sometimes offered in connection with the Porsche Festival in May and June. The car is dropped off in Concord, Contra Costa County, although it can be delivered to the dealer in Orange County for an extra $565.

* Volkswagen: Order as far in advance as possible, but there is no specified length of time, according to Dietrich Meisner of Commonwealth Volkswagen in Santa Ana. The deposit is $250, with the balance due 30 days before delivery. Pickup for most models is at the Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg, West Germany. Campers and Vanagons are not available this way. VW Foxes and Golfs are not made in West Germany, so they are also not available for European delivery. Travel arrangements are up to you.

* Audi: Order at least 90 days in advance. The deposit is $1,000, with the balance due 30 days before pickup. The factory is at Neckarsulm in southern West Germany, said Dan Molloy of Campbell Audi in Buena Park. Travel arrangements are up to you.

* Jaguar: European delivery is permitted but not encouraged by the company, according to John Plummer of Bauer Jaguar in Anaheim and Don Moothart of Newport Imports. If you do pick up your Jaguar at the factory in Coventry, you’ll save “only about $1,000,” according to Plummer.

* Peugeot: Cars are available in as little as 3 weeks after order, although the selection is better with more lead time, according to Greco at Anaheim Stadium Peugeot. The deposit is $500, with the balance due 1 month before pickup or at time of order if it is less than 30 days before pickup. Pickup is at an airport or the Peugeot factory in Paris. A tour of the factory can be arranged. There is no flexibility on prices, and travel arrangements are up to you.

* Saab: Order 8 to 10 weeks in advance for the best selection. The deposit is $500, with the balance due 30 days before pickup, which is at the Saab factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. The car will be delivered to Long Beach, and customer must take it through U.S. Customs, although import duties are prepaid. A factory tour is available; travel arrangements are up to the buyer.

* Volvo: Order about 90 days in advance. The car must be paid for at time of order, and the price is preset, according to Frank Romano of Earle Ike Imports in Irvine. Travel arrangements to factory in Gothenburg are up to the buyer. Shipping from Sweden is free; from other European ports, there is a charge of $500 to $600. A factory tour is available.