[aas5]

I haven’t had a chance to take any pictures with everything that’s going on now but 760lifan has this thread that has a lot of good pictures

https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1695238

My car is almost the same except for my seats are white and blue and his are white. I will say the seats look like they will hold up really well over time, especially if you take the time to clean them once in a while. The white exterior looks very cool, especially with the extended shadowline.

[MB21]

Originally Posted by Sphinx_77

This has been my first BMW. It's a 2019 X7 40i with about almost 8000 miles.
I'm moving to Switzerland in June of this year for at least 2 years, but potentially much longer. I bought the car outright.
The company that my wife works for will ship it for free to my destination. The biggest issue is the fact that I am pretty sure that my BMW NA warranty coverage will cease. I love the car and have never had a single issue except for the leather becoming dislodged on the bottom front part of the front passenger seat.
I fixed that myself pretty easily. but of course,
with a car with so much technology I am definitely questioning whether I should
keep it, but if I sell it I am certainly going to loose big.
I'd love to hear opinions
Thanks!

Prices in EU are much higher so if you plan to buy another one there it will be much more it can be as much as 50% higher depend on the model.

I would keep it and move there.

[iconoclast]

What did you decide on?

[Sphinx_77]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

What did you decide on?

I'm going to take it.
But the move to 🇨🇭 is a little delayed due to the Pandemic.
I figured I don't have much to lose.
Everything with the move and any fees or taxes etc are being covered by the employer.
Will let you know how it goes!
Thanks for asking.

[F30Andy]

Originally Posted by Brukes

Coincidentally, I am also considering importing my X7 to Switzerland for work.

A couple additional questions and thoughts:

1. Anyone know what the tax is for a car like the X7 on an annual basis? Isn't there a tax each year for just having a car with such a big engine? I can't seem to find what the actual rate is in Switzerland for the X7. Just trying to get a sense of the carrying cost. (I have a 40i)

2. Is premium petrol readily available in Europe? Or will it be tough to find?

3. Just FYI - my employer will be paying for a warranty in Switzerland because I'll lose the BMW NA warranty.

I am based in the UK so you can use this as a guide to help......

1. Road tax is required for any vehicle in use on public roads.
For the first year from date of registration its £1300 ($1618.00)
For every year after that it is £475.00 ($591.00)
This annual tax is also applicable to cars registered in Switzerland and costs should be around the same sort of price.

I know to drive in Switzerland on any motorway you have to pay a yearly charge of around 40 francs and display a horrible looking sticker on your windscreen.


2. You yanks make me laugh.
You will find premium fuel at 95% of petrol stations ranging in octane from 95 to 99.
A few stations even sell 101 and 102.
You would have to go to some kind of hilll billy fuel station in the middle of nowhere to be in a situation where premium unleaded is not at the pumps.


3. Even more reason to take your car.

Originally Posted by Sphinx_77

I'm going to take it.
But the move to 🇨🇭 is a little delayed due to the Pandemic.
I figured I don't have much to lose.
Everything with the move and any fees or import taxes etc are being covered by the employer.
Will let you know how it goes!
Thanks for asking.

Good move.

To give you an idea of what they are worth in Europe, the cheapest 40i msport that I could find for sale in the uk this morning is £64000 ($79660)
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...us=1500&page=1

[AlexFL]

Having spent a few years in Zurich and Geneva, I can assure you that X7 is definitely too large for the daily Swiss traffic and their local parking system. I wouldn’t want to drive anything bigger than an X3 over there, especially in the French speaking part. Navigating your X7 in their tiny “downtowns” and on their narrow two lane highways will quickly turn into a nightmare.

[Sphinx_77]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Having spent a few years in Zurich and Geneva, I can assure you that X7 is definitely too large for the daily Swiss traffic and their local parking system. I wouldn’t want to drive anything bigger than an X3 over there, especially in the French speaking part. Navigating your X7 in their tiny “downtowns” and on their narrow two lane highways will quickly turn into a nightmare.

Sounds like you are saying that taking an X7 to Switzerland would be a terrible idea?

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by Sphinx_77

Sounds like you are saying that taking an X7 to Switzerland would be a terrible idea?

Correct. X7 is too large for Swiss streets and parking lots. One of my friends got stuck with his Audi A8 in an underground parking garage in Geneva and had to call the cops to get the car out. I would trade it in for a smaller SUV and get it shipped to Switzerland.

https://www.thelocal.ch/20120910/par...-xl-swiss-cars

[bono]

BMW X7 is bigger than average vehicle in Europe. It will be more difficult to find parking spot for other smaller cars (VW Lupo, Smart?) - no doubt about it. However, this is the price to pay for what the car offers.

When I used to live in Europe I was a few times per year in Alps for skiing, including in Switzerland. Sure, some of the roads are narrow, some of the parking stalls are small. The same problem I have with BMW X5 in San Francisco. The same problem have 3/4 ton truck drivers in any city.

I do not think that this should be a problem... unless, you will be using the car mainly in city driving and you won't have clear parking situation. I do not know where you will be living / working - I lived in Europe in a couple of countries and I never used my car for commuting. YMMV

[MB21]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

I am based in the UK so you can use this as a guide to help......

1. Road tax is required for any vehicle in use on public roads.
For the first year from date of registration its £1300 ($1618.00)
For every year after that it is £475.00 ($591.00)
This annual tax is also applicable to cars registered in Switzerland and costs should be around the same sort of price.

I know to drive in Switzerland on any motorway you have to pay a yearly charge of around 40 francs and display a horrible looking sticker on your windscreen.


2. You yanks make me laugh.
You will find premium fuel at 95% of petrol stations ranging in octane from 95 to 99.
A few stations even sell 101 and 102.
You would have to go to some kind of hilll billy fuel station in the middle of nowhere to be in a situation where premium unleaded is not at the pumps.


3. Even more reason to take your car.

Good move.

To give you an idea of what they are worth in Europe, the cheapest 40i msport that I could find for sale in the uk this morning is £64000 ($79660)
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...500&page=1

Just on the fuel side, the octanes in USA are counted different way than in EU. So if I recall right the 93 in USA is 98 equivalent in EU it something like that. 98 is considered as premium fuel.

[MB21]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Correct. X7 is too large for Swiss streets and parking lots. One of my friends got stuck with his Audi A8 in an underground parking garage in Geneva and had to call the cops to get the car out. I would trade it in for a smaller SUV and get it shipped to Switzerland.

https://www.thelocal.ch/20120910/par...-xl-swiss-cars

So here the question is, if he has integrated steering and surround view he will not get stuck. Keep in mind BMW X7 has function that will remember how car got in and can move exactly same way to get out

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by bono

BMW X7 is bigger than average vehicle in Europe. It will be more difficult to find parking spot for other smaller cars (VW Lupo, Smart?) - no doubt about it. However, this is the price to pay for what the car offers.

When I used to live in Europe I was a few times per year in Alps for skiing, including in Switzerland. Sure, some of the roads are narrow, some of the parking stalls are small. The same problem I have with BMW X5 in San Francisco. The same problem have 3/4 ton truck drivers in any city.

I do not think that this should be a problem... unless, you will be using the car mainly in city driving and you won't have clear parking situation. I do not know where you will be living / working - I lived in Europe in a couple of countries and I never used my car for commuting. YMMV

You sound like my colleagues in the US .... speaking of Europe as if its this quaint little place where everyone drives tiny little cars .... that may be the case in some cities but not everywhere..... plenty of places in Europe where an X7 or any other large SUV is a perfect choice ...... I lived in London most of my life and have always had large SUV's .... latterly an X5 with no issues.

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Correct. X7 is too large for Swiss streets and parking lots. One of my friends got stuck with his Audi A8 in an underground parking garage in Geneva and had to call the cops to get the car out. I would trade it in for a smaller SUV and get it shipped to Switzerland.

https://www.thelocal.ch/20120910/par...-xl-swiss-cars

That's 8 years old and talks of many places fixing the issue

[MB21]

Originally Posted by UKMS

You sound like my colleagues in the US .... speaking of Europe as if its this quaint little place where everyone drives tiny little cars .... that may be the case in some cities but not everywhere..... plenty of places in Europe where an X7 or any other large SUV is a perfect choice ...... I lived in London most of my life and have always had large SUV's .... latterly an X5 with no issues.

X5 is large for EU but not for US I am European who is now in USA 18 years, I am often in EU and specially in Germany, and I am always amazed how much bigger the cars look there, X5 looks like a large monster, q5 looks large and yes if you get to some hotels no wonder why Daimler and BMW have the function to remotely move your car in and out of the garage
EU has large cars. It a lot of the historic places have very narrow streets.

I have driven once in an old town of Germany and one way street was going narrower and narrower and guess what I had Volvo V70 at some point I had to back of and I had 1 inch on each side of the mirror and per my eye the next 50 meters was going to be even narrower haha

Regardless of this I still would take the X7 to EU

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by MB21

X5 is large for EU but not for US I am European who is now in USA 18 years, I am often in EU and specially in Germany, and I am always amazed how much bigger the cars look there, X5 looks like a large monster, q5 looks large and yes if you get to some hotels no wonder why Daimler and BMW have the function to remotely move your car in and out of the garage
EU has large cars. It a lot of the historic places have very narrow streets.

I have driven once in an old town of Germany and one way street was going narrower and narrower and guess what I had Volvo V70 at some point I had to back of and I had 1 inch on each side of the mirror and per my eye the next 50 meters was going to be even narrower haha

Regardless of this I still would take the X7 to EU

Although OT ..... my perspective of large and small has been completely changed living in UAE .... even X7 looks average size with so many Nissan Patrol, Land Cruiser etc and large trucks on the roads.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by UKMS

That's 8 years old and talks of many places fixing the issue

I was in Zurich last year. Nothing has changed and it won’t change. They want people to use public transport. X1 is the perfect size, X3 is still no problem, X5 is borderline, X7 is too big for Swiss inner cities and underground parking. I love X7, it’s a fantastic car, just not for tiny Switzerland.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by MB21

X5 is large for EU but not for US I am European who is now in USA 18 years, I am often in EU and specially in Germany, and I am always amazed how much bigger the cars look there, X5 looks like a large monster, q5 looks large and yes if you get to some hotels no wonder why Daimler and BMW have the function to remotely move your car in and out of the garage
EU has large cars. It a lot of the historic places have very narrow streets.

I have driven once in an old town of Germany and one way street was going narrower and narrower and guess what I had Volvo V70 at some point I had to back of and I had 1 inch on each side of the mirror and per my eye the next 50 meters was going to be even narrower haha

Regardless of this I still would take the X7 to EU

Germany is overall a bit less problematic than Switzerland. Swiss “cities” are not like Hamburg and Berlin, they are more like Freiburg and Heidelberg. Parking is a serious problem.

[Sphinx_77]

Well...hmmm
So many different opinions.
I'll probably chance it anyways.
If I trade it in and get a new car in the US I will have to pay import taxes on it when I get there (< 6 months old).
So, I'll take it and if it does indeed turn out to be too frustrating to own, I guess I'll sell it and get something else that I think will be best based on my experience after being there.

Thanks for all the feedback!

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

I was in Zurich last year. Nothing has changed and it won’t change. They want people to use public transport. X1 is the perfect size, X3 is still no problem, X5 is borderline, X7 is too big for Swiss inner cities and underground parking. I love X7, it’s a fantastic car, just not for tiny Switzerland.

Don't doubt parking could be a problem in Zurich but not everyone spends their life driving round and parking in a city centre ..... I'm sure many living in Switzerland choose their vehicle(s) based on their lifestyle much the same as anywhere.

[Heimdall]

Originally Posted by UKMS

Although OT ..... my perspective of large and small has been completely changed living in UAE .... even X7 looks average size with so many Nissan Patrol, Land Cruiser etc and large trucks on the roads.

Specially when those landcrusier and Patrols are so close up your back that they might just be sitting next to you

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by UKMS

Don't doubt parking could be a problem in Zurich but not everyone spends their life driving round and parking in a city centre ..... I'm sure many living in Switzerland choose their vehicle(s) based on their lifestyle much the same as anywhere.

Many people in Switzerland simply use public transport and Mobility car share service or have a tiny Renault in the garage. Swiss are wealthy but extremely environmentally conscious.

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Many people in Switzerland simply use public transport and Mobility car share service or have a tiny Renault in the garage. Swiss are wealthy but extremely environmentally conscious.

We are going a little OT here but I'm not sure what you base this on ......

The Swiss have one of the largest vehicle ownership ratios in the world (per head of population) well ahead of most other large nations both inside and outside of Europe and not far behind the USA, Swiss are 10th in the world with USA 4th, Canada 11th. I grant you that not everyone drives an X7 but the most popular car sold there in 2018 (I don't have stats since) was the Skoda Octavia. The top 3 brands overall last year were VW, Mercedes and BMW. Top 3 SUV's VW Tiguan, Merc GLC, VW T-Roc (just ahead of X3).

Make of that what you will but the Swiss are certainly not the tiny car, public transport, car sharing loving people that you portray. They clearly like a car or two.