Germany - Best way to pay? ~6000 Euro from US / USD. Better bank rates?

looking for German FTer's advice.

I am considering purchasing a watch during a stop over in Germany.
I am coming from the USA.
Let's say the price is about 6000 Euros.

I prefer not to pay by credit card, because the store will add on a 4% fee.

So I have two options.

Wire the money from the US (not preferred as takes time and I really have only one day in Germany). Cost I suppose is about $40 USD for wire

Carry the US Cash.
What is the current spread for currency exchanges in Germany?
Is the current spread for banks less? I ask because at this amount of money, I suppose the shop can change the money for me. Is it something that a bank can do rather quickly and painlessly?

thanks much

Reisebank is the most common exchange you will find. Today's rates can be found here:
http://www.reisebank.de/sortenkurse

Today's buy rate is 0,6842024 there. If you compare it to the current interbank of 0,73850... you will certainly be in for a rough ride if you bring it in cash. Amex traveller cheques may be an option if the city you are headed to has a Amex counter where you can cash them for no fee.

Bxchanging cash in Germany is going to probably cost 4% or possibly more given exchange rates. ATM withdrawals are a possibility, but you will run into daily withdrawal limits. Getting a bank draft in advance through a service like Custom House Currency Exchange is possible, as is doing a transfer through them. A credit card gives you protections you may want.

Even with the 4% credit card fee I would think the better rate you get from the cc would make it up.

Do you know for certain that the store will add a 4% fee? I've used my US credit card in many countries in Europe and no store has ever added a fee. I use my Capital One card and they don't charge a fee either.

Probably a bit too late for the OP, but XE does trading, I use this for transferring euros to the US to pay bills. Interbank rate right now is $1.34 per euro, I'd get $1.30 per euro from XE. Not too bad.

You'd have to do the math to figure out if a wire + wire fee is cheaper than the cut XE would take.