Excellent car buying experience
I recently purchased a 2014 Mercedes-Benz S350d Long from Klassische Automobile in Wesel, Germany, and the entire experience was outstanding from start to finish. I worked directly with Philip Busch, the co-owner, and his professionalism, honesty, and communication truly set this dealership apart.
Living in Tavira, Portugal, I relied on WhatsApp messages and phone calls for several days leading up to the purchase. Philip was consistently prompt, open, and transparent, and he preferred to speak personally rather than rely on text, which helped build trust quickly. We agreed on a price and closed the deal without any unnecessary back-and-forth.
One of the scariest parts of the process for me was wiring the deposit and purchase funds. I first wired a €5000 deposit to secure the car, then wired the balance a couple days later. Philip recommended transferring the balance 2–3 days ahead of pickup to ensure the money arrived on time. Since I hadn’t met him in person yet, I was naturally hesitant. But after speaking with him and researching his business, I decided to move forward. I sent the transfer and received confirmation from him two days before my arrival, which gave me peace of mind.
While my wife—who is a rockstar at travel planning—worked out the flights and accommodations for my 2,353 km journey home, Philip was preparing the car for delivery. He even installed brand-new windshield wipers (not cheap!) to make sure I had a safe 4 day drive back to Portugal. I could not be more appreciative because it rained the first 3 days of the drive. Details of the drive at the end of the review.
On the day of the pickup, Philip went above and beyond by picking me up from my hotel, driving me to a local office, and helping me apply for export plates and insurance so I could legally and safely drive the car from Germany to Portugal. He even messaged me every day of the trip to make sure it was going well. This level of personal service is incredibly rare.
For anyone considering purchasing a car from Klassische Automobile, you should not have a single concern about the integrity of their business processes or practices. Take the time to visit their website and read about Philip and his business partner Christoph—they run a solid, trustworthy operation, and their many 5-star reviews exist for very good reason.
Overall, the experience was smooth, professional, and reassuring, especially given the distance and trust involved in an international purchase. I highly recommend Klassische Automobile and Philip Busch, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them again.
A brief recap of my 5 day trip:
Day 1 - Flew from Portugal to Germany
Day 2 - Wesel, Germany to Paris, France
Day 3 - Paris to San Sebastián, Spain
Day 4 - San Sebastián to Cáceres, Spain
Day 5 - Caceres to Tavira, Portugal
Total Distance - 2353km (1462mi)
Fuel economy - 6.8L/100km (35mpg)
Average Speed - 105/kph (65/mph)
Total Expenses - €1885.79 ($2172.43)
Taxi/Uber - €125.51
Flight - €162
Export Plates/Insurance - €350
Hotels - €589.94
Food & Bev - €176.32
Tolls - €158.46
Diesel - €323.56