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ED paperwork

2K views 32 replies 8 participants last post by  Ibiza 
#1 ·
just sanity checking here, I am off to pickup a new car next week, I asked the dealer if I needed to bring any paperwork with me, they said no, just the passports. is this your experience? I don't want to get there and find out I needed some odd piece of paper.

Thanks

Dana
 
#7 ·
Lots of threads on the IDL, but good point to bring your US DL :thumbup:
 
#6 ·
Just Passport, just picked up #3 ED end of September and that was all. Enjoy the ED Experience!!
 
#15 · (Edited)
AAA is not a government or state agency, who are the agencies that issue drivers licenses. BMW NA might be recommending, but the Welt is not checking nor asking what countries you are visiting. They just care that the car is dropped off within 2 weeks to export if additional insurance coverage/registration wasn't requested in advance and the safety vests are in the car provided by the Welt. Enterprise, Avis, Sixt, or Hertz don't ask for a international drivers license either. This sounds like the International Student ID card to get discounts when backpacking through Europe during college.
 
#16 ·
I rent (Hertz/Sixt/Europcar) cars in Milan at least 3X a year since the mid 90's. I've never bothered with an IDL or been asked for it when renting - or when talking to the Polizia de Stato after a Fiat Panda hit my 650 vert in Como.

If it makes you feel better, by all means go give AAA your $$$
 
#17 ·
I rent (Hertz/Sixt/Europcar) cars in Milan at least 3X a year since the mid 90's. I've never bothered with an IDL or been asked for it when renting - or when talking to the Polizia de Stato after a Fiat Panda hit my 650 vert in Como.

If it makes you feel better, by all means go give AAA your $$$
Or if it saves your butt. Of course there is always I saw it on the internet excuse.
 
#20 ·
You can buy off the Polizia in Italia with a euro note. I'm Sicilian, so probably the reason I'm left alone.
 
#19 ·
I appreciate all the information.

However I have to disagree with the mindset that because you have never been asked for something makes it something you should not have. The IDL is not that expensive, if asked it is better to have it than not. In the grand scheme of things it is a trivial expense to get, maybe not so trivial if you are asked for it and don't have it. I get the notion that if you never get asked for it, why bother...however that is not sufficient evidence to state "you don't need it". Sure it could be a revenue generator for the two places that offer it (AAA and AATA), more likely it is a marketing problem for the countries you go to..they don't want to stop you from going out and exploring their countries because the rental car places ask, you don't have it, and you are told we cannot rent you a car, that would be a bad PR move on behalf of the countries. However it is in the countries bag of goodies if you piss them off. All I am saying is if you are flying all the way to Europe, spring for the stupid IDL and save yourself potential heartburn.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Like I said, if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy by all means go purchase an IDL. My first ED was in 1968, #17 in 2 weeks.

Box Score:

***8226; 16 ED's
***8226; At least 100 rentals, including Moscow, Dublin, Taipei, London, Argentina, 70-80 in Milan, Hong Kong, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Paris, Brugge, ...
***8226; Loan of cars and bikes from BMW AG engineering, with trips to Italy
***8226; One rental car crash with lots of Slovakian cops
***8226; One stolen rental car, lots of cops
***8226; One ED car fire just outside US Army Garrison, lots of military, state and local cops... and bomb sniffing dogs
***8226; One ED minor collision in Italy, lots of cops
***8226; 5-6 speeding tickets
***8226; Stopped by cops twice to look at ED papers/tourist plates
***8226; Never been asked for my International Driver's Permit

If I end up in a Luzern or Bellagio jail Gary J can say "See, I told you so" :)
 
#23 ·
Like I said, if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy by all means go purchase an IDL. My first ED was in 1968, #17 in 2 weeks.

Box Score:

? 16 ED's
? At least 100 rentals, including Moscow, Dublin, Taipei, London, Argentina, 70-80 in Milan, Hong Kong, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Paris, Brugge, ...
? Loan of cars and bikes from BMW AG engineering, with trips to Italy
? One rental car crash with lots of Slovakian cops
? One stolen rental car, lots of cops
? One ED car fire just outside US Army Garrison, lots of military, state and local cops... and bomb sniffing dogs
? One ED minor collision in Italy, lots of cops
? 5-6 speeding tickets
? Stopped by cops twice to look at ED papers/tourist plates
? Never been asked for my International Driver's Permit

If I end up in a Luzern or Bellagio jail Gary J can say "See, I told you so"
Lol. Way too much time onyour hands.
 
#33 ·
Sounds like Bimmerfest has transitioned to FlyerTalk.
 
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