[liquid]

I saw a theread a few days ago about other ways to put the tag on the fornt of the car without drilling holes in the bumper. How does one request and have this done? Also is it an option to get no badges on the car? I rather not have to rebadge.

Thanks,

James

[MPoWeRMAN]

very good question about the front tag, I was wondering that myself since I am considering ED

[canucklion]

correct me if Im' wrong but I think cars are requried to have front plate in Germany, so for ED's you will have to have holes drilled on the front bumper

[E90Brian]

Originally Posted by canucklion

correct me if Im' wrong but I think cars are requried to have front plate in Germany, so for ED's you will have to have holes drilled on the front bumper

That's right. German law requires a front license plate to be properly affixed to all vehicles, and that includes the front tourist plate one gets under the ED program. Since Germans are sticklers for following the rules without deviation, your plea will fall on deaf ears (yes, this is the voice of experience).

BMW NA has been working with their colleagues in the Motherland on a compromise such that holes do not need to be drilled into the fronts bumpers of US-bound ED cars (especially those bound for states that do not require front plates). To my knowledge, nothing has come of this yet, but anyone interested may want to call BMW NA to inquire.

If you live in a state that does not require a front plate (or wish to take the risk in states like mine that do), you can remove the plate bracket, then (i) live with the two small holes and they are small), (ii) get bumper plugs that are painted to match your color (www.bumperplug.com I beleive or www.bimmian.com), or (iii) have the holes filled and the bumper painted. Costs are nothing, about $25-$30 (plus you have to enlarge the holes), and several hundred dollars.

Search the ED forum on www.bimmerfest.com for more info and the experiences of those who have gone before you.

Good luck--ED is worth two small holes!

[BimmerDreamerFL]

This is what I am going to propose:

I have no time/money/plans to take European delivery in the typical sense of the word.
I simply want (and need to save the cash), so I'm going to tell them that I am going to fly to Munich, take a cab ride over to the factory, show and sign the necessary paperwork (put the documents in my briefcase) and then leave my 335i at the factory.
Then I will ask them to please TRANSPORT the car (just as they would any other BMW manufactured for export) to the dock for loading onto the ship bound for the North America.
(I will then return, by cab, to my motel and leave Germany the next day.)
If, for some strange reason they won't transport the car along with their other USA-bound cars -- I'll offer to hire a flat-bed truck to transport my car to the appropriate (or nearest) the dock/ship.

This way my car will never have been driven on any German roads/highways.
Therefore -- no plate required. Hence, no need to deface my new car will drill-holes in the front bumper.
(Where I live in FL -- a front plate is not a requirement.)

Of course, I would first contact them directly or via my SA and request all of this 'officially' -- getting it in writing.

All seems reasonable to me.

I can't imagine they would have any rationale for refusing to accommodate my rather simple request -- this is a chance to make a sale to a first-time BWM buyer who was previous considering another German car.

As you can see -- if I'm not going to have the opportunity to drive the car so much as one inch off the factory premises -- there exists no reason for my car to have a German plate fastened to the front bumper.

What do you guys think?
Feedback welcome...

-BimmerDreamerFL

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by BimmerDreamerFL

This is what I am going to propose:

I have no time/money/plans to take European delivery in the typical sense of the word.
I simply want (and need to save the cash), so I'm going to tell them that I am going to fly to Munich, take a cab ride over to the factory, show and sign the necessary paperwork (put the documents in my briefcase) and then leave my 335i at the factory.
Then I will ask them to please TRANSPORT the car (just as they would any other BMW manufactured for export) to the dock for loading onto the ship bound for the North America.
(I will then return, by cab, to my motel and leave Germany the next day.)
If, for some strange reason they won't transport the car along with their other USA-bound cars -- I'll offer to hire a flat-bed truck to transport my car to the appropriate (or nearest) the dock/ship.

This way my car will never have been driven on any German roads/highways.
Therefore -- no plate required. Hence, no need to deface my new car will drill-holes in the front bumper.
(Where I live in FL -- a front plate is not a requirement.)

Of course, I would first contact them directly or via my SA and request all of this 'officially' -- getting it in writing.

All seems reasonable to me.

I can't imagine they would have any rationale for refusing to accommodate my rather simple request -- this is a chance to make a sale to a first-time BWM buyer who was previous considering another German car.

As you can see -- if I'm not going to have the opportunity to drive the car so much as one inch off the factory premises -- there exists no reason for my car to have a German plate fastened to the front bumper.

What do you guys think?
Feedback welcome...

-BimmerDreamerFL

It's very simple: exactly as written, the answer will be no. But you can go to a BMW dealer in the U.S. and order the very same car and tell them not to drill holes in the bumper when it arrives.

Further, you can't leave your car at the factory, since it won't be at the factory when you pick it up in the first place. There is therefore no way for it to join the stream of cars going to the port. Further, since the car would no longer be owned by BMW but by you, it could not be imported directly with the cars owned by BMW.

Do you really think that this great opportunity to sell one more car will really interest them that much?

[Got-BMW?]

Why don't you guys just use some double sided tape to get you buy the inspection or week of touring. Then when you get to the states, you can remove it with no holes drilled.....

P.S.....I just requested it at the dealer and they said they would just put the plate in the front window until it ships.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Got-BMW?

P.S.....I just requested it at the dealer and they said they would just put the plate in the front window until it ships.

The dealer has no control and no direct access to the delivery center in munich. They can promise the world but it won't change what they do in Freimann.

[krazykanuck]

Originally Posted by BimmerDreamerFL

This is what I am going to propose:

I have no time/money/plans to take European delivery in the typical sense of the word.
I simply want (and need to save the cash), so I'm going to tell them that I am going to fly to Munich, take a cab ride over to the factory, show and sign the necessary paperwork (put the documents in my briefcase) and then leave my 335i at the factory.
Then I will ask them to please TRANSPORT the car (just as they would any other BMW manufactured for export) to the dock for loading onto the ship bound for the North America.
(I will then return, by cab, to my motel and leave Germany the next day.)
If, for some strange reason they won't transport the car along with their other USA-bound cars -- I'll offer to hire a flat-bed truck to transport my car to the appropriate (or nearest) the dock/ship.

This way my car will never have been driven on any German roads/highways.
Therefore -- no plate required. Hence, no need to deface my new car will drill-holes in the front bumper.
(Where I live in FL -- a front plate is not a requirement.)

Of course, I would first contact them directly or via my SA and request all of this 'officially' -- getting it in writing.

All seems reasonable to me.

I can't imagine they would have any rationale for refusing to accommodate my rather simple request -- this is a chance to make a sale to a first-time BWM buyer who was previous considering another German car.

As you can see -- if I'm not going to have the opportunity to drive the car so much as one inch off the factory premises -- there exists no reason for my car to have a German plate fastened to the front bumper.

What do you guys think?
Feedback welcome...

-BimmerDreamerFL

I don't understand why you are bothering to fly all the way to Germany to not drive your car. Just to save a bit of money? I would at least drive it around there but thats just me.

[Got-BMW?]

Originally Posted by JSpira

The dealer has no control and no direct access to the delivery center in munich. They can promise the world but it won't change what they do in Freimann.

Thank god mines not going to the delivery center......

[mkoesel]

I am about to do ED on an E90 335i and do in fact live in a state where front license plates are not required.

I don't particularly care about the holes. They are a nuissance, but it's a reasonable tradeoff for charging around Europe in a 300hp sport sedan. However, I wonder if anyone has ever tried simply affixing the plate using straps? By staps I mean the type that one might use to attach a bike rack (like a Thule) to the rear of a car. This will sound like major overkill to hold something as light as a license plate - I'm aware. But who cares, if it will keep your bumper from being mutiliated? Well, I mean, if you are concerned about such things.

[Got-BMW?]

If you plan to do any spirited driving on the autobahn the air buffing the straps would be like sand paper on the bumper. I wouldn't try it....

[CALIF65GM]

I think BimmerDreamer is dreaming too much....

[scubajag]

The German law is very simple - the plate must be securely fixed to the front and back of the vehicle. BMW is responsible for doing this, and cannot make exceptions that may cause the company liability if the car is involved in an accident and the plate was not properly secured. I live in a state without a front tag requirement, and I left my European plate on the front. It is a great conversation starter and proves that the vehicle has been on the famous autobahns.