cjfreitag
01-15-2008, 05:43 PM
My wife and I keep a running list of "great days" we have had together, and we added to that list today. The entire PCD delivery experience more than lived up to the great descriptions I've read here, all of the anticipation, everything. From the airport pickup yesterday until we left the Zentrum in mid-afternoon, everything about this experience was amazing. As I said to Ellen at dinner tonight, this was right up there with my first round at Pebble Beach.
I'll post a more detailed report in a day or two when I've had a chance to go through the pictures, but I want to give readers a couple of quick highlights:
1. These are amazing cars. Having the chance to "drive it like you stole it" and really push them is just a lot of fun. Mike, the Marriott driver who brought us to the hotel last night, was dead on. He said "You'll find your own limits long before you find the car's limits."
2. The M5 lap with Donnie was (pardon the overused word) awesome. It's not just the amazing power, but the amazing control that he has over it. Riding with him around the skid pad at speed with the DSC turned off was amazing. And although I have had paddle shifters on my Subaru for a couple of years now I REALLY know what they're used for! A couple of months ago I went for a 25 minute aerobatic ride in an open-cockpit biplane. This was right up there with that for thrills. Thanks, Donnie.
3. Don't underestimate the extent to which a "non-enthusiast" spouse will enjoy this. My wife loved it, and she did a great job behind the wheel. She also did all the driving of the X5 on the off-road course, and that was much more amazing than I thought it would be. If I ever go back to an SUV, it'll be one of these.
4. Jonathon Stribble did my delivery, and the funny, helpful, and knowledgeable guy that he is here on the boards is exactly what you get in person. He was really terrific in explaining how everything works, why it is the way it is, and why you should care (or not, as the case may be). Thanks, Jonathon!
Finally, we were able to take a very nice, curvy, scenic drive up to Asheville following directions that we got from Jonathon. It was a clear blue sky, nobody on the roads, and as much fun as you can legally have in a car going less than 50 mph the whole way.
Pix and videos to follow.
Oh....and I love this car!
I'll post a more detailed report in a day or two when I've had a chance to go through the pictures, but I want to give readers a couple of quick highlights:
1. These are amazing cars. Having the chance to "drive it like you stole it" and really push them is just a lot of fun. Mike, the Marriott driver who brought us to the hotel last night, was dead on. He said "You'll find your own limits long before you find the car's limits."
2. The M5 lap with Donnie was (pardon the overused word) awesome. It's not just the amazing power, but the amazing control that he has over it. Riding with him around the skid pad at speed with the DSC turned off was amazing. And although I have had paddle shifters on my Subaru for a couple of years now I REALLY know what they're used for! A couple of months ago I went for a 25 minute aerobatic ride in an open-cockpit biplane. This was right up there with that for thrills. Thanks, Donnie.
3. Don't underestimate the extent to which a "non-enthusiast" spouse will enjoy this. My wife loved it, and she did a great job behind the wheel. She also did all the driving of the X5 on the off-road course, and that was much more amazing than I thought it would be. If I ever go back to an SUV, it'll be one of these.
4. Jonathon Stribble did my delivery, and the funny, helpful, and knowledgeable guy that he is here on the boards is exactly what you get in person. He was really terrific in explaining how everything works, why it is the way it is, and why you should care (or not, as the case may be). Thanks, Jonathon!
Finally, we were able to take a very nice, curvy, scenic drive up to Asheville following directions that we got from Jonathon. It was a clear blue sky, nobody on the roads, and as much fun as you can legally have in a car going less than 50 mph the whole way.
Pix and videos to follow.
Oh....and I love this car!