Kopioitu www.bmwtips.com sivulta
E39ers,
Thought I would share my Euro delivery write-up
from the E46 board with you. Much of the message
applies to the experience in general, and not the
car itself, so hopefully it can provide some
insight for those that are pondering Euro
Delivery. And thanks to the E39 board for giving
me some good hotel recommendations prior to my
trip. Now if only I can get that same wonderful
steering feel from the E39 into my 330i...
Just returned from Euro delivery. All I can say
is - what an incredible experience!!! I strongly
encourage everyone who is interested in
purchasing a BMW to take advantage of this
tremendous program at least once in his or her
lives. I'm already talking about the next trip!
And this is not coming from someone who's never
been to Europe before. My previous travels have
led me throughout Europe, Asia, and South
America. There is just something magical about
driving the car you've been waiting in
anticipation for on the splendid roads of Europe.
(Or at least Germany and Austria in my case.) BMW
is essentially paying you to take delivery there.
The savings you get on the car will easily pay
for the cost of your trip (notwithstanding
splurging in fancy hotels and restaurants). With
a little moderation, you can have your cake and
eat it too. (Thanks to hts for referring me to
Joern.)
So, back to the trip. My wife and I picked up the
car (330i, 5-spd, titanium silver, black
leatherette, SP, MR) in Munich on April 25. We
took the subway from Marienplatz and rolled our
luggage for the 10-minute walk from the subway
station. Arriving at the delivery center was very
cool - bimmers everywhere and a sign at the gate
that said simply, "BMW European Delivery." We
went inside, had a great lunch on BMW, and after
about an hour, were called to pick up the car.
Can't believe how excited I was to see it - this
32 year old felt like a 10-year-old kid in a toy
store. My delivery person spent about 30 minutes
going over the car with me. I purchased wheel
locks for $20 at the center and they installed
them for me. Then she sent us off with a reminder
to keep the speed below 80mph and the rpms below
4000. I was quickly amazed by the power in the 3-
liter six. My others cars are 4-bangers and a
couple of times I applied a bit too much pressure
on the accelerator and we were thrown back into
our seats. Wow!
Our first stop was at a large (largest perhaps in
Munich) BMW dealer about 5 minutes from the
delivery center - blows away every US dealer I've
been too. Every make and model imaginable was on
display, including the Z8. Lots of cool
accessories also, and in the back, they had on
display all the optional wheel designs offered by
BMW. A great place to go for someone looking for
OEM modifications to their car.
We then headed out to Dachau, Germany's first
concentration camp. I had visited previously, but
it was the first time for my wife - you cannot go
away without being moved.
Finally, we put the car on the autobahn and
headed north for Nuremberg. It was tough to stay
below 80mph as cars going upwards of 120mph were
passing us. They passed us like we were standing
still. But I kept my willpower and followed the
instructions of my delivery person. We spent the
night in Nuremberg and visited the old town the
following day. On the way out, we stopped at Room
600 of the courthouse where the infamous
Nuremberg trials were held. (We were actually
able to go into the room as a trial was currently
in progress, although since neither of us spoke
German, we didn't understand anything.)
The next stop was to the west - Rothenburg ob der
Tauber - a medieval town that no one should pass
up. With its walled inner city, it has the
ability to transport you back into the past
(despite the tourists). Leaving Rothenburg, we
drove for about 60 miles on the famous Romantic
Road, passing the other medieval towns of
Nordlingen and Dinkelsbuhl.
From there, it was southbound to Fussen, which
stands at the foot of the Alps near the Austrian
border. On the way to Fussen, we had a little
incident with the local authorities. I was
driving along at about 75mph, when a VW Passat
wagon passes us and then pulls in front of us.
There is a display in the back window of the
wagon that begins to flash to us in red
letters, "Police, Follow." However, the display
was in German. Police I understood - Follow I did
not. I thought the car might be trying to tell us
that there were police up ahead. I followed the
car for about 2 minutes, until finally another
car passed both of us. I figured, hey, that guy
passed the Passat so I guess I can do the same.
As soon as I moved to the left lane, the Passat
swerves to cut me off. Now I'm thinking, "What
the %&@!" I move back into the right lane and the
guy in the passenger seat turns around and
flashes a badge to us. Then it dawned on me that
they were police. (Remember, the car had no
markings to indicate it was an official police
vehicle.) Needless to say, I really felt like an
idiot. I followed him at the next exit into a
service station. Both men get out (one dressed in
typical Tyrolean attire) and approach us to ask
for our papers (passports and vehicle
registration). After seeing that the car was
indeed mine, they let us go. I asked them why we
were pulled over and they said they just do
periodic checks looking for stolen cars and
drugs. Guess my wife and I have that suspicious
look about us. Or perhaps it was because we were
the only ones on the autobahn doing 75mph. ;-)
Eventually, we found our way to Fussen and holed
up in this beautiful little inn at the foot of a
lake. King Ludwig's castle of Neuschwanstein
awaited us the following day. If you don't know
it, this is the most photographed castle in
Germany and is the one that Walt Disney modeled
his castles after.
After visiting Neuschwanstein, we headed into the
Alps and crossed the border for Innsbruck. I was
skeptical about going to Innsbruck, thinking that
it was going to be a typical ski town. I was
definitely wrong - Innsbruck is very charming,
and surrounded by the Alps, is one of the most
beautiful cities in Austria. A definite must see
IMO. From Innsbruck, it was back through the Alps
into Germany again to visit the alpine village of
Garmish-Partenkirchen, where the winters Olympics
were once held. We had a superb plate of pasta at
a trattoria in Garmisch, and then headed to
another of Ludwig's castles: Schloss Linderhoff.
Then it was back through the German countryside
and into Austria and the city of Mozart, Salzburg.
Salzburg was probably my favorite city on the
trip. The fortress that overlooks the city and
the old town with its cafes and music were simply
wonderful. We spent one evening at the fortress
and dined at a restaurant with a table
overlooking the Alps, and followed it up with a
chamber music concert listening to Mozart. (I
can't do that in Austin!)
We spend two days in Salzburg and then headed to
Vienna. A beautiful city in its own right with a
very rich history. Vienna reminded me a bit of
Paris. It had more of that big city feel to it
where people are generally more hurried. The
palaces of the Hapsburg dynasties were
phenomenal, as was a visit to the Spanish Riding
School to view the training sessions of the
Lippizaner horses. And the desserts... We could
have eaten desserts in the cafes all day long, so
sumptuous they were.
Finally, our trip was approaching its end, and we
began the 300-mile drive back to Munich, stopping
on the way at the Melk Abbey and the Austrian
concentration camp of Mauthausen. I realized at
this point that I would surpass the 1200-mile
break-in point, but it would not be until we were
quite close to Munich. So perhaps I could get a
taste of really driving the German autobahn after
all. This happened about 20 miles outside of
Munich. I was able to push the car up to 134mph
(per the speedometer) before the governor kicked
in. It felt like I had suddenly let up off the
accelerator; too bad because the car was still
pulling even at this speed. Furthermore, as I was
blowing by cars in the middle lane, there were
cars in front of me and behind me who were
traveling the same speed!! I can see why the best
cars in the world are made in Germany. BMW, MBZ,
and Porsche all have those wonderful roads to
drive on - places where the cars can really live
out their full potential. We dropped the car off
in Munich at E.H. Harms the following day (May
4), and the folks there were very courteous and
expeditious, calling us a cab to take us to the
airport. (Fortunately we were able to leave later
that day because the Lufthansa pilots were on
strike through noon). All in all, 9 days with the
car and 1245 miles.
Let me touch briefly on the roads. The German
autobahn is just amazing. People can drive at
those speeds because they keep the roads in such
good condition. Hardly any imperfections or
inconsistencies. No dirt or rocks on the road
that get thrown up by the many trucks. Just
smooth, wide-open lanes that invite you to go
faster and faster. Of course not all the
autobahns are in pristine condition, but a
majority of the ones I drove on were. This was in
stark contrast to the roads in Austria. Frankly,
they paled in comparison to their German
counterparts. The 200-mile trip between Salzburg
and Vienna (which we did in both directions) was
painful. So much construction where the speeds
were limited to 80kph (about 50mph). Driving on
the back roads wasn't any better because the
speeds were limited at 70kph, and for the most
part, Austrians don't speed. The back roads in
Germany were lots of fun though. Sections on the
Romantic Road and in the Alps that invited me to
test the perfect balance and agility of the 3er.
What a wonderful car to drive on those roads.
And finally, let me highlight the car itself.
IMO, the titanium silver with the sports package
is stunning - I can't get enough of looking at
it. (For right now I have to settle with my
pictures since I left my car behind.) Silver
shows the superb lines of the e46 better than any
other color. Yes there were lots and lots of
silver e46s in Germany, but that still doesn't
tire me from the color. Plus, I am completely
satisfied with the black leatherette. It looks
and smells great, and saved me about $1200. The
aluminum trim provides a stark contrast to the
all-black interior - very sharp. However, it
tends to streak easily and will require constant
effort to keep clean. The moonroof is also a must-
have option IMO because it is so large. When
fully open, it extends way beyond the back of
your head. Engine, as I said before is excellent.
I love the exhaust note when the car is started -
you know this car means business. I was able to
pass cars effortlessly, even when ascending hills
in the Alps. Handling and balance are very crisp.
The sport seats are very snug, but I think I will
need to work on the seating position. There is so
much side bolster support, that it was difficult
for me to get used to, especially as a passenger.
(And for those of you thinking I need to lose
weight, I'm 6'1" and weigh 150 lbs.) The shifter
also took some getting used to. The throws are
very long in comparison to my Z3 and my GS-R. I
may look at getting a short shifter kit. And the
clutch is a completely different animal. I will
certainly not be drag racing anyone off the line
until starting in first gear becomes second
nature to me.
There were only two things that stood at as
deficiencies IMO. First, I believe there is
excessive wind noise at freeway speeds,
especially when conditions are gusty outside. I
think BMW can do a better job in this regard.
This however is more of an annoyance and I can
live with it. The other deficiency is - you
guessed it - the steering. My car is a week 14
car. It has a stamp of 4/01 production on the
vehicle. Rumors were that all April production
and beyond cars would have the old 99-00 heavy
steering from the 323/328. I don't know what
steering my car has - only that it is too light -
noticeably lighter than both my Z3 and GS-R. The
steering does not mesh with the rest of the car's
sporting character. It's a shame that BMW doesn't
offer the wonderful heavy steering from the e36
when cars with sport packages are ordered. This
would be a great way IMO for BMW to satisfy both
markets - sport and luxury. I'm undecided as to
what I am going to do about the steering. I've
read posts from several owners that the retrofit
helps, but is not fully satisfying. (Furthermore,
I may already have the retrofit - who knows.) I'm
more inclined to wait until the 2002 models come
out and see if the steering from those cars can
be retrofitted. Supposedly, the steering in the
new compact (ti) is superb. Apart from the
steering issue, I would rate the car as a 9 out
of 10. However, given that the steering plays
such a significant role in how a car feels, my
overall rating has to drop to 7.5 out of 10.
Below is the link with some pictures from the
trip for those of you that are interested. Most
are captioned I believe. Be warned that there are
lots of pictures of cars as I am an auto
enthusiast. Most of the touristy pictures are not
there since they were taken with our 35mm camera.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?
u=1673915&a=12838045
Enjoy, and for those of you that made it all the
way to the end, thanks for reading my post.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?
u=1673915&a=12838045
E39ers,
Thought I would share my Euro delivery write-up
from the E46 board with you. Much of the message
applies to the experience in general, and not the
car itself, so hopefully it can provide some
insight for those that are pondering Euro
Delivery. And thanks to the E39 board for giving
me some good hotel recommendations prior to my
trip. Now if only I can get that same wonderful
steering feel from the E39 into my 330i...
Just returned from Euro delivery. All I can say
is - what an incredible experience!!! I strongly
encourage everyone who is interested in
purchasing a BMW to take advantage of this
tremendous program at least once in his or her
lives. I'm already talking about the next trip!
And this is not coming from someone who's never
been to Europe before. My previous travels have
led me throughout Europe, Asia, and South
America. There is just something magical about
driving the car you've been waiting in
anticipation for on the splendid roads of Europe.
(Or at least Germany and Austria in my case.) BMW
is essentially paying you to take delivery there.
The savings you get on the car will easily pay
for the cost of your trip (notwithstanding
splurging in fancy hotels and restaurants). With
a little moderation, you can have your cake and
eat it too. (Thanks to hts for referring me to
Joern.)
So, back to the trip. My wife and I picked up the
car (330i, 5-spd, titanium silver, black
leatherette, SP, MR) in Munich on April 25. We
took the subway from Marienplatz and rolled our
luggage for the 10-minute walk from the subway
station. Arriving at the delivery center was very
cool - bimmers everywhere and a sign at the gate
that said simply, "BMW European Delivery." We
went inside, had a great lunch on BMW, and after
about an hour, were called to pick up the car.
Can't believe how excited I was to see it - this
32 year old felt like a 10-year-old kid in a toy
store. My delivery person spent about 30 minutes
going over the car with me. I purchased wheel
locks for $20 at the center and they installed
them for me. Then she sent us off with a reminder
to keep the speed below 80mph and the rpms below
4000. I was quickly amazed by the power in the 3-
liter six. My others cars are 4-bangers and a
couple of times I applied a bit too much pressure
on the accelerator and we were thrown back into
our seats. Wow!
Our first stop was at a large (largest perhaps in
Munich) BMW dealer about 5 minutes from the
delivery center - blows away every US dealer I've
been too. Every make and model imaginable was on
display, including the Z8. Lots of cool
accessories also, and in the back, they had on
display all the optional wheel designs offered by
BMW. A great place to go for someone looking for
OEM modifications to their car.
We then headed out to Dachau, Germany's first
concentration camp. I had visited previously, but
it was the first time for my wife - you cannot go
away without being moved.
Finally, we put the car on the autobahn and
headed north for Nuremberg. It was tough to stay
below 80mph as cars going upwards of 120mph were
passing us. They passed us like we were standing
still. But I kept my willpower and followed the
instructions of my delivery person. We spent the
night in Nuremberg and visited the old town the
following day. On the way out, we stopped at Room
600 of the courthouse where the infamous
Nuremberg trials were held. (We were actually
able to go into the room as a trial was currently
in progress, although since neither of us spoke
German, we didn't understand anything.)
The next stop was to the west - Rothenburg ob der
Tauber - a medieval town that no one should pass
up. With its walled inner city, it has the
ability to transport you back into the past
(despite the tourists). Leaving Rothenburg, we
drove for about 60 miles on the famous Romantic
Road, passing the other medieval towns of
Nordlingen and Dinkelsbuhl.
From there, it was southbound to Fussen, which
stands at the foot of the Alps near the Austrian
border. On the way to Fussen, we had a little
incident with the local authorities. I was
driving along at about 75mph, when a VW Passat
wagon passes us and then pulls in front of us.
There is a display in the back window of the
wagon that begins to flash to us in red
letters, "Police, Follow." However, the display
was in German. Police I understood - Follow I did
not. I thought the car might be trying to tell us
that there were police up ahead. I followed the
car for about 2 minutes, until finally another
car passed both of us. I figured, hey, that guy
passed the Passat so I guess I can do the same.
As soon as I moved to the left lane, the Passat
swerves to cut me off. Now I'm thinking, "What
the %&@!" I move back into the right lane and the
guy in the passenger seat turns around and
flashes a badge to us. Then it dawned on me that
they were police. (Remember, the car had no
markings to indicate it was an official police
vehicle.) Needless to say, I really felt like an
idiot. I followed him at the next exit into a
service station. Both men get out (one dressed in
typical Tyrolean attire) and approach us to ask
for our papers (passports and vehicle
registration). After seeing that the car was
indeed mine, they let us go. I asked them why we
were pulled over and they said they just do
periodic checks looking for stolen cars and
drugs. Guess my wife and I have that suspicious
look about us. Or perhaps it was because we were
the only ones on the autobahn doing 75mph. ;-)
Eventually, we found our way to Fussen and holed
up in this beautiful little inn at the foot of a
lake. King Ludwig's castle of Neuschwanstein
awaited us the following day. If you don't know
it, this is the most photographed castle in
Germany and is the one that Walt Disney modeled
his castles after.
After visiting Neuschwanstein, we headed into the
Alps and crossed the border for Innsbruck. I was
skeptical about going to Innsbruck, thinking that
it was going to be a typical ski town. I was
definitely wrong - Innsbruck is very charming,
and surrounded by the Alps, is one of the most
beautiful cities in Austria. A definite must see
IMO. From Innsbruck, it was back through the Alps
into Germany again to visit the alpine village of
Garmish-Partenkirchen, where the winters Olympics
were once held. We had a superb plate of pasta at
a trattoria in Garmisch, and then headed to
another of Ludwig's castles: Schloss Linderhoff.
Then it was back through the German countryside
and into Austria and the city of Mozart, Salzburg.
Salzburg was probably my favorite city on the
trip. The fortress that overlooks the city and
the old town with its cafes and music were simply
wonderful. We spent one evening at the fortress
and dined at a restaurant with a table
overlooking the Alps, and followed it up with a
chamber music concert listening to Mozart. (I
can't do that in Austin!)
We spend two days in Salzburg and then headed to
Vienna. A beautiful city in its own right with a
very rich history. Vienna reminded me a bit of
Paris. It had more of that big city feel to it
where people are generally more hurried. The
palaces of the Hapsburg dynasties were
phenomenal, as was a visit to the Spanish Riding
School to view the training sessions of the
Lippizaner horses. And the desserts... We could
have eaten desserts in the cafes all day long, so
sumptuous they were.
Finally, our trip was approaching its end, and we
began the 300-mile drive back to Munich, stopping
on the way at the Melk Abbey and the Austrian
concentration camp of Mauthausen. I realized at
this point that I would surpass the 1200-mile
break-in point, but it would not be until we were
quite close to Munich. So perhaps I could get a
taste of really driving the German autobahn after
all. This happened about 20 miles outside of
Munich. I was able to push the car up to 134mph
(per the speedometer) before the governor kicked
in. It felt like I had suddenly let up off the
accelerator; too bad because the car was still
pulling even at this speed. Furthermore, as I was
blowing by cars in the middle lane, there were
cars in front of me and behind me who were
traveling the same speed!! I can see why the best
cars in the world are made in Germany. BMW, MBZ,
and Porsche all have those wonderful roads to
drive on - places where the cars can really live
out their full potential. We dropped the car off
in Munich at E.H. Harms the following day (May
4), and the folks there were very courteous and
expeditious, calling us a cab to take us to the
airport. (Fortunately we were able to leave later
that day because the Lufthansa pilots were on
strike through noon). All in all, 9 days with the
car and 1245 miles.
Let me touch briefly on the roads. The German
autobahn is just amazing. People can drive at
those speeds because they keep the roads in such
good condition. Hardly any imperfections or
inconsistencies. No dirt or rocks on the road
that get thrown up by the many trucks. Just
smooth, wide-open lanes that invite you to go
faster and faster. Of course not all the
autobahns are in pristine condition, but a
majority of the ones I drove on were. This was in
stark contrast to the roads in Austria. Frankly,
they paled in comparison to their German
counterparts. The 200-mile trip between Salzburg
and Vienna (which we did in both directions) was
painful. So much construction where the speeds
were limited to 80kph (about 50mph). Driving on
the back roads wasn't any better because the
speeds were limited at 70kph, and for the most
part, Austrians don't speed. The back roads in
Germany were lots of fun though. Sections on the
Romantic Road and in the Alps that invited me to
test the perfect balance and agility of the 3er.
What a wonderful car to drive on those roads.
And finally, let me highlight the car itself.
IMO, the titanium silver with the sports package
is stunning - I can't get enough of looking at
it. (For right now I have to settle with my
pictures since I left my car behind.) Silver
shows the superb lines of the e46 better than any
other color. Yes there were lots and lots of
silver e46s in Germany, but that still doesn't
tire me from the color. Plus, I am completely
satisfied with the black leatherette. It looks
and smells great, and saved me about $1200. The
aluminum trim provides a stark contrast to the
all-black interior - very sharp. However, it
tends to streak easily and will require constant
effort to keep clean. The moonroof is also a must-
have option IMO because it is so large. When
fully open, it extends way beyond the back of
your head. Engine, as I said before is excellent.
I love the exhaust note when the car is started -
you know this car means business. I was able to
pass cars effortlessly, even when ascending hills
in the Alps. Handling and balance are very crisp.
The sport seats are very snug, but I think I will
need to work on the seating position. There is so
much side bolster support, that it was difficult
for me to get used to, especially as a passenger.
(And for those of you thinking I need to lose
weight, I'm 6'1" and weigh 150 lbs.) The shifter
also took some getting used to. The throws are
very long in comparison to my Z3 and my GS-R. I
may look at getting a short shifter kit. And the
clutch is a completely different animal. I will
certainly not be drag racing anyone off the line
until starting in first gear becomes second
nature to me.
There were only two things that stood at as
deficiencies IMO. First, I believe there is
excessive wind noise at freeway speeds,
especially when conditions are gusty outside. I
think BMW can do a better job in this regard.
This however is more of an annoyance and I can
live with it. The other deficiency is - you
guessed it - the steering. My car is a week 14
car. It has a stamp of 4/01 production on the
vehicle. Rumors were that all April production
and beyond cars would have the old 99-00 heavy
steering from the 323/328. I don't know what
steering my car has - only that it is too light -
noticeably lighter than both my Z3 and GS-R. The
steering does not mesh with the rest of the car's
sporting character. It's a shame that BMW doesn't
offer the wonderful heavy steering from the e36
when cars with sport packages are ordered. This
would be a great way IMO for BMW to satisfy both
markets - sport and luxury. I'm undecided as to
what I am going to do about the steering. I've
read posts from several owners that the retrofit
helps, but is not fully satisfying. (Furthermore,
I may already have the retrofit - who knows.) I'm
more inclined to wait until the 2002 models come
out and see if the steering from those cars can
be retrofitted. Supposedly, the steering in the
new compact (ti) is superb. Apart from the
steering issue, I would rate the car as a 9 out
of 10. However, given that the steering plays
such a significant role in how a car feels, my
overall rating has to drop to 7.5 out of 10.
Below is the link with some pictures from the
trip for those of you that are interested. Most
are captioned I believe. Be warned that there are
lots of pictures of cars as I am an auto
enthusiast. Most of the touristy pictures are not
there since they were taken with our 35mm camera.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?
u=1673915&a=12838045
Enjoy, and for those of you that made it all the
way to the end, thanks for reading my post.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?
u=1673915&a=12838045
Vastaukset 1
Vanhimmat
poks holirei.!