Sportfran

Since this will be my 1st ED, any feedback on my tentative itinerary would be appreciated. Our road trip will consist of 2 days in Munich, then off to Fussen and Constance via ferry for 1 night, Strasbourg for 1 night, Heidelberg for 1 night, then Paris for 4 nights. The longest drive appears to be Heidelberg to Paris approximately 4 hours. I was trying to limit morning driving to 2 hours but could not find a way to alter my route.
The other question is about negotiating the final price of the car. Are ED deals successfully negotiated or is the minus 5% off MSRP the final price? Any feedback would be appreciated.

gforaker

Most dealers seem firm on not negotiating the fixed price. (I thought it was 6%, but will have to check my records.) On top of the discount you can get credit for previous Audi ownership or competitive discount by owning BMW or MB. There is also the discount for belonging to the Audi organization. You may have to belong for 6 mo. unless you buy a lifetime membership (which would still be worth it.). I also found the dealer to budge a little on dealer accessories such as free floor mats and coffee mugs. Just ask. One person mentioned getting a break on Audi Care, but I think actual discounts on the car are uncommon.

Since you wish to start in Munich and finish in Paris, you don't need or want a car in either city. I planned a few days in Munich before the delivery to get over jet lag and sight-see. We then took the city train up to the airport hotel the night before delivery. That worked perfectly and we were rested. I would also drop the car off in Paris shortly after arrival. That means you won't have the car for very long. If possible, I'd extend the vacation a little and spend more time in the countryside. You have 2 weeks free insurance.

alatsacto

For negotiating, it's pretty standard. It's a set 5% off of MSRP, plus any additional set incentives (loyalty, conquest, etc). You definitely can't combine the ED discount with the ACNA discount (6%), and you may not even be able to get the ACNA discount while doing ED. You will have to check with you dealership. Basically with all dealerships I spoke with, all negotiating on the car was done once I brought up ED. As "gforaker" mentioned, you may be able to get some discounts on the out of factory accessories, since those are installed after delivery from the dealership.

I agree with "gforaker". If your intention is to start in Munich and finish in Paris, then plan accordingly so that you pickup your car after finishing up with Munich and dropping off the car when arriving in Paris. For us, Paris was one of our destinations before ending in Amsterdam. We left it in the garage for the few days we were in Paris. If you like a good scare, drive your new car through the Arc de Triomphe circle, it will be scary and memorable at the same time. Google a picture of it. Just imagine no defined lanes but 7 cars wide, while cars enter and exit the circle at any given moment. I didn't purposely plan it, but that's where our GPS took us. My wife drove and screamed at the same time.

If you will be in any major city with the car, that's the way to go. Park it and rely on public transportation. But along the country roads and in between the cities, enjoy the ride!!! Find hidden gems in the middle of nowhere. The beauty of having the car is exploring Europe with no real boundaries. It's been a little over a year since our last ED, and I'm trying to find ways to plan another one in a few years. Good luck.

Sportfran

Thanks for the info folks. Can anyone comment on the stops and route we selected. Did we omit a "cannot miss" place along the way. Also, is there a worthwhile stop between Heidelberg and Paris to break up the drive.

Q5forWife

Luxembourg is nice. Or maybe also stop in Reims.

HerrK

Well your route should really be dependant upon what interests you and your wife. I can only assume that is why you have picked Strasbourg & Heidelberg. What are your interests? Then we can provide more comments on things you may be missing or better routes.

You can easliy spend 3-4 hours walking around Luxembourg City. The fortifications, the AM Tunnel (an art gallery underground), the Grand Palace, Luxembourg WWII American Cemetary (last resting place for General George S Patton).

I drove a rental in Paris with the family years ago I would never drive my new ED vehicle there. It is hectic to say the least. Especially in the inner city, if your going to all the main tourist attractions (Eifel Tower, Notre Dame, Le Lourve). Drop it off when entering Paris and use Public Transit.

Sportfran

Thanks for the feedback Herr K. Our interests before getting to our ultimate destination, Paris, are famous
churches, museums, and restaurants in popular but charming cities between Munich and Paris. We would enjoy soaking in the culture in the smaller towns. The route we picked seems to flow good except for Heidelberg which takes us a little further north than we wanted to before heading west to Paris. But, everything we read says they are both worth the visit. Luxembourg could be a good mid point to break up the drive to Paris. Sounds interesting. Maybe we should just do a stop in Strasbourg and stay over in Heidelberg, then spend a night in Luxembourg before heading to Paris.
I was thinking about garaging the car in Paris a few days and using public transportation but have available so we could use for a day trip to Normandy.

HerrK

I enjoyed visting St. Peters in Trier which is not far from Luxemborg. Besides being the oldest church in Germany. It also houses the Holy Robe of Jesus and has a nice treasury of artifacts. Cologne & Aachen Catherderals are nice as well with more artifacts (Bones of Wise Men & Tomb of Charlemagne respectively). Well in France on your trip over to Normandy you may want to swing by Chartres and visit Our Lady of Chartres, I haven't been yet, but have read alot about it. Houses another famous artifact supposedly tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at Christ's birth.

Chilt34786

Strasbourg is a beautiful city. Stopped there for 1 night on our way to Paris when we did ED in July of 2013. You can find our trip details on this forum. Hotel Cour de Corbeau is fantastic! Built in the 1500's, great location and outstanding service! Could have spent 2 days there. Will definitely do that on our next ED trip. We also stayed on the Champs de Elysses at the Marriott for a couple of nights. Driving in Paris was a little crazy. If you have a chance while in Germany, Neuschwanstrin Castle is a cant miss. About a 1 hour drive from Munich. Good luck and have fun!

Sportfran

The 2 castles in Fussen are definitely on our list before heading north west to Strasbourg.
We want to drop off our car when arriving in Paris midweek and use public transportation the balance of trip while in Paris. Will Audi provide transportation from TT transport at CDG back to Paris?