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Q: Cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe ( No Answer,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: londonthibn-ga
List Price: $20.00
Posted: 03 Oct 2006 00:32 PDT
Expires: 19 Oct 2006 00:59 PDT
Question ID: 770373
Where is the cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe??

I am prepared to travel pretty much anywhere within the EU and
European Economic Area however I will be taking the car back to the
UK, France and Spain where I spend most of my time so please try to
take into account the distance needed to travel back into the cost
equation.

As I spend half of my time in the UK and half in Spain and France I
would also like to know if it would be considerably cheaper to buy a
left hand drive (LHD) rather than a RHD in any of these places.

If possible, please specify a particular dealership or town.

Many thanks.
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe
From: probonopublico-ga on 03 Oct 2006 03:48 PDT
 
The Channel Islands ...

Where there's no VAT ...

Beat that!
Subject: Re: Cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe
From: myoarin-ga on 03 Oct 2006 06:27 PDT
 
Some countries in Europe have high import duty and VAT on vehicles
imported for sale.
This site explains a bit about the situation in Denmark:
http://www.workindenmark.dk/Car_in_dk/0/4/0

Because of these high additional costs, German manufacturers sell cars
in Denmark for a lower base price than in Germany.  As I understand
it, since these costs do not apply  - or are refunded -  when a car is
taken out of Denmark, Germans can buy and export cars there more
cheaply than at home.  However it works, many do so.
The situation for importing a car to Spain, France of England for
registration will probably all be different.

As to R or L hand drive:  I expect that ordering a R hand drive
vehicle on the Continent will be more expensive.  A long time ago, the
manufacturers tried to make it prohibitively expensive to protect
their UK market, but this may have changed.

I hope this helps a bit.
Subject: Re: Cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe
From: probonopublico-ga on 03 Oct 2006 07:06 PDT
 
I have a friend called Noel, located in France, who - for a time - did
very well out of buying RHD cars from Europe (mainly Belgium) and
re-selling them to dealers in the UK.

However, the bottom dropped out of this market a few years ago because
(apparently) the manufacturers re-structured their 'arrangements'.

Noel (who used to be in the motor trade in the UK) has not resumed his
once profitable enterprise, so presumably the opportunity has
disappeared.

Noel is reportedly now an odd job man.

Nothing lasts forever.
Subject: Re: Cheapest place to buy a new BMW in Europe
From: probonopublico-ga on 03 Oct 2006 08:44 PDT
 
I passed your question to another pal of mine who used to be in the
motor trade in a BIG way: both in the UK and in Europe.

This is his response:

I haven't got a clue! He should also take into account - insurance
premiums, road tax, registration tax (if applicable; 6 months is the
maximum time allowed before importation), depreciation as used car
values are very different in each country, VAT/BTW rates, method of
transportation of the "new" car etc, etc. He won't get a good answer
for $10. He might like ringing up the marketing and sales department
of BMW in Munich - but then he will probably be told to bugger off! or
something like that in German. It's all supposed to be one market!

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