Here’s a situation: you need a new car, preferably something European, and you have been pining for a vacation abroad for some time. You also apparently have loads of money to spend at will. What do you do? Why not take care of everything at once and take a new car buying trip? Many auto manufacturers offer new car buying trips nowadays, and if you’ve got the time and means, I’d highly recommend it.
Here are some of your options.
New Car Buying Abroad: Always loved Audi? It’s sausage and beer time
Audi’s European Delivery program takes you to Ingolstadt or Neckarsulm in Germany by way of personal car or train service. From there you’ll get a quick guided tour of the plant, food & drink, and more chances to buy Audi merchandise! Your Audi trip can also be extended to include driving trips around the countryside. Makes new car buying a little more fun than running down to the local dealership after work… Oh, and you’re eligible for up to 5% off the MSRP for certain vehicles. That should cover the difference.
New Car Buying Abroad: BMW and its strangely shaped factory
Bimmer’s European delivery service gives you the obligatory tour into the BMW Welt (that’s German for “world,” practice up), which includes the same price discounts as Audi, but offers Munich as the backdrop. Side note: apparently to partake, you must have a supermodel wife or chiseled husband, otherwise your new car buying “tour” consists of a basement slideshow with Klaus the janitor.
New Car Buying Abroad: Mercedes Benz and their sensory overload
Mercedes gives new car buyers up to 7% off the MSRP, plus a variety of trip options. The Standard Package is just a one night stay in Germany, Austria, France, or Switzerland, but adventurers are allowed choose something more. You can do the Black Forest-Alps rally, take an Alps expedition, spa it up in the Rhone Valley, or take a walking tour through Stuttgart. Of all the new car buying options, I must say that Mercedes takes the cake as far as overall experience and extravagance goes.
New Car Buying Abroad: Porsche- strict, yet dangerously fun
Germany seems to love their factory tours…Porsche’s version takes you to the spelling bee savvy cities of Zuffenhausen and Leipzig for the standard tour and history lesson. While the factory experience may be the bee’s knees for any Porsche enthusiast, the real fun lies in taking a brand new Porsche out on some of the picturesque roads in Europe. Who said new car buying was a hassle?
New Car Buying Abroad: Want a New Volvo? Do you like Ace of Base and fish?
If you tire of German excursions, Volvo’s Overseas Delivery Program offers the option of being flung over to Gothenburg Sweden (by way of SAS Airlines) for a factory tour and road testing either with Volvo guides or alone- plus blonde people. Not only that, but Volvo also offers free shipping back to your nearest US dealer. Volvo takes new car buying to an adventurous level, though I’d probably be more excited about the Swedish vacation than the car. No offense Volvo.
If you’d rather buy a car from the comfort of your own home, head over to CarWoo!
