Performance Center Delivery, May 26 - Write-up and pics

[plien69]

I've done a write-up and posted pictures of my Performance Center Delivery experience last Thursday, May 26. I took delivery of a 2005 Silver Gray/Gray M3 Coupe. Here are the links to the write-ups:

Entire Write-up (http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com)
Part 1 - Arrival, Day Before (http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com/2005/05/performance-center-delivery-part-1-may.html)
Part 2 - PCD Driving Events (http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com/2005/05/performance-center-delivery-part-2-may.html)
Part 3 - PCD Delivery and Tour (http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com/2005/05/performance-center-delivery-part-3-may.html)
Part 4 - The Drive Home (still to come)

And here are links to pictures if that's all you want to see:
PCD Pictures (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lien/sets/389645/)
Blue Ridge Parkway Pictures (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lien/sets/399346/)

Also, don't miss the following videos (they take a while to load from the putfile.com server):
Skidpad DSC Demo (http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=pcd_skidpad_768k) (written up in Part 2 (http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com/2005/05/performance-center-delivery-part-2-may.html))
Instructor hot-lap 2nd half (http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=instructor_hot_lap_skidpad_768k)
Instructor hot-lap in-car (http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=instructor_hot_lap_in_car_768k) (both written-up in Part 3 (http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com/2005/05/performance-center-delivery-part-3-may.html))

[RChoudry]

looks awesome!!

[indyzhp]

Excellent write up!

I'm so jealous :mad:

I REALLY wanted to do the Performance Center Delivery, but by the time I was able to get my car, the E46 sedan run was winding down and all of the cars were on dealer lots already or spoken for.

Oh yea, I like the car too.

[Sean]

I want to read the write-up and see the pics, but the sever is super sloooooow to load. Will be heading down to the Performance Center in mid-June to accompany a family member to take delivery of a M3 w/ Comp Pkg.

Edit: it won't even load now. :(

[plien69]

I want to read the write-up and see the pics, but the sever is super sloooooow to load. Will be heading down to the Performance Center in mid-June to accompany a family member to take delivery of a M3 w/ Comp Pkg.

Edit: it won't even load now. :(
Hmm... The write-ups are just a blog on blogspot.com, and should load pretty quickly. They're a Google company now, so I'm sure they got loads of server capacity. Perhaps it was a momentary glitch when you tried it.

The photos are hosted on Flickr, on which I've seen some performance issues during high traffic times, but the pages generally load after a few seconds.

The vides are hosted a putfile.com, a free image/video hosting service. They are dog slow, but free. If it continues to be a problem let me know and I'll put copies of the vids on my site, but I have a bandwidth cap of 1GB/month from my provider.

Have fun at the Performance Center, and I hope you get Ben as your instructor: great guy! And all the delivery specialists were super as well!

EDIT: Just noticed you are from Tennessee. I don't know if you've planned your route home from Spartanburg yet, but I would try to hit the Tail of the Dragon (http://www.tailofthedragon.com/): US129 at the NC/TN border. 318 curves in 11 miles! I would've liked to have drivin it on my way back, but it was just a little too out of the way for my trip back up to the Northeast.

[Sean]

EDIT: Just noticed you are from Tennessee. I don't know if you've planned your route home from Spartanburg yet, but I would try to hit the Tail of the Dragon (http://www.tailofthedragon.com/): US129 at the NC/TN border. 318 curves in 11 miles! I would've liked to have drivin it on my way back, but it was just a little too out of the way for my trip back up to the Northeast.


Our local BMW CCA Chapter goes fairly often, usually about once a month. It is a 30-45 minute drive from Knoxville. I went with a few friends last Feb. in my '88 E30 M3. The trips prior to that I drove my former 330Ci. The M3 actually handles better. :rofl:

[Jefff]

Jeffrey M. Fisher
j_fisher@mindspring.com


May 19, 2005

Mr. Dan Gubitosa, Facility Manager
BMW Performance Center
1155 Highway 101 South
Greer, South Carolina 29615

Dear Sir,

Three years ago I was in the process of buying a 2002 M3 when a BMW sales person just happened to mention the “new” performance delivery program. He knew very little about it, but I explored the option, liked what I learned, and Carole and I took delivery of my new M3 at the Performance Center in Greer in January 2002.

It was simply a fantastic experience! So good, in fact, that we could not believe it. Nor did we think that BMW would chose to continue the performance delivery program because of the real costs involved. Nevertheless, Carole said that if the program still existed when the time came for her next new car, she wanted to do the same program.

Well guess what? The program still exists, and yesterday my wife took delivery of her new 2006 3 Series at your BMW Performance Center facility. In three words, she loves it. It was, as Yogi Berra said “de ja vu all over again.” The people at the facility are consummate professionals, but two folks deserve special mention:

Ben Burrell – Carole’s driving instructor who amazingly remembered both of us from the delivery of my M3 three years ago. He is so good at the driving / instructing / confidence building bit that I cannot find the words to describe his efforts. Simply superb!

Frederick Valdez – Carole’s delivery specialist who did the best delivery job that I have ever seen. Fantastic! Further, Fred is the first car person I have ever met who knew more about the car that I was buying than I did. Thanks and congratulations Fred.

In summary, the BMW Performance Delivery program deserves the highest possible marks. Every BMW should be delivered this way.

Sincerely,



Jeff

CC: Carole Fisher
Ben Burrell - BMW
Frederick Valdez - BMW

[e36M3r]

Thanks for the pictures and write-up. Very nice, as I said from another board.

I don't understand why old Ben needed to make up his own break-in procedures instead of just following BMW's?

"Ben asked me to raise my right hand and promise to break the M3 in correctly: Not above 4000 RPM for the first 600 miles, keep it below 5500 RPM and 105 MPH for the first 1250 miles." :banghead:

And from the manual and literature: "Before break-in inspection (at 1200 miles/2000 km): Vary your speed and engine speed frequently using all gears, never exceeding 5500 rpm, 105 mph, or the applicable speed limit"

Nowhere do they say anthing about 4000 RPM and 600 miles, BMWs recommendations are certainly enough, I don't really think we need guys like Ben making them more restrictive than the engineers.

Your car looks excellent!! :thumbup:

[AComp]

Yes, excellent write-up! Very informative.

I had already decided to do the Performance Center Delivery. Even though I have some time before it happens, I'm already getting excited!

I did have a question though, please. Is the track instruction the same whether I'm getting an M3 or 325?
I thought it possible that an M3 owner would recieve more track time, a more "in-depth" level of learning since it is such a higher level of performance vs. a 325?

BTW, a 325 is what I'll be purchasing. :)

[plien69]

I don't understand why old Ben needed to make up his own break-in procedures instead of just following BMW's?

"Ben asked me to raise my right hand and promise to break the M3 in correctly: Not above 4000 RPM for the first 600 miles, keep it below 5500 RPM and 105 MPH for the first 1250 miles." :banghead:

And from the manual and literature: "Before break-in inspection (at 1200 miles/2000 km): Vary your speed and engine speed frequently using all gears, never exceeding 5500 rpm, 105 mph, or the applicable speed limit"

Nowhere do they say anthing about 4000 RPM and 600 miles, BMWs recommendations are certainly enough, I don't really think we need guys like Ben making them more restrictive than the engineers.

Your car looks excellent!! :thumbup:In Ben's defense, he did qualify the <=4000rpms @ <=600 miles by saying that it was his opinion. Both Ben and my Delivery Specialist Frederick quoted the by-the-book break-in of <=5500 rpms @ <= 1200 miles.

[plien69]

Is the track instruction the same whether I'm getting an M3 or 325?
I thought it possible that an M3 owner would recieve more track time, a more "in-depth" level of learning since it is such a higher level of performance vs. a 325?Yes, in my experience the instruction was identical for the 3-series owners (both E46 and E90) as it was for me.

The driving instruction portion of Performance Delivery is intended to familiarize the new owner with his car. You drive the exercises according to your own comfort level, and the car will respond accordingly. It is not intended to be any sort of high performance driving instruction. For that, the Performance Center offers additional driving schools (http://www.bmwusa.com/bmwexperience/PerformanceCenter/school.htm), some of which are more tailored to advanced driving.

EDIT: X5 owners taking Performance Center Delivery are brought out onto their own off-road driving course.

[mscoins]

Excellent write-up! Took the 2-day driving school in October 2003 which included a circuit of the off-road section in an X5. The school was a blast, and the entire staff at the Performance Center was professional and courteous.

[Sean]

How much time at the Performance Center (Delivery) is actually spent driving the course under instruction? From what I have read it is not the same thing as the 1 day M School, not even close.

[plien69]

How much time at the Performance Center (Delivery) is actually spent driving the course under instruction? From what I have read it is not the same thing as the 1 day M School, not even close.I would also guess that it is not at all close to a true 1 day M School. We only spent 2 hours in the driving portion of of PDC. Delivery was also 2 hours, as was the Zentrum/factory tour. Add on an hour for lunch, and you're talking about 7 hours all told, from 8AM to 3PM.

[TJS///M3]

Excellent write-up :)

I'm waiting for the last portion showing the drive home. I want to see what route you took, since I'm considering doing PCD and I live in CT also. Did you split up the trip into 2 days? How long did it take you time-wise? I'm wondering if the trip is possible in one day :eeps:

[DN325CI]

Really enjoyed the write-up. Thanks!.

Don

[Technic]

Damn, great write up!! :thumbup:

[boxerman]

Picked my m3 up at the centre in april.The few hours spent on the track really familiarised me with many of the cars limits in wet and dry. Much better to learn on the track than experiment on the street.

Drove to Asheville NC then took the blue ridge pkwy almost to wva. Got stopped by a pkwy mountie using pop radar, ticket was $75 for the privelage, and a heavy lecture. It was mid week and there were no cars about. The PKWY is so awesome that it was worth it.
Had almost 3 hours of the best driving imaginable without exceeding the 5500 break in rev limit.

Spent next night at the Geebriar and then had an almost 8hour slog on highway back to CT. Valentine1 had 5 saves and one fumble. Almost got nailed by an undercover in a gold intrepid on the Va Pa border. Was able to travel 85-100 on nearly all highway legs.

[plien69]

Excellent write-up :)

I'm waiting for the last portion showing the drive home. I want to see what route you took, since I'm considering doing PCD and I live in CT also. Did you split up the trip into 2 days? How long did it take you time-wise? I'm wondering if the trip is possible in one day :eeps:I posted my route here: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.php?p=2836260&postcount=13

To recap: I left PCD Thursday afternoon, and arrived back home Saturday afternoon. I would say it's definitely possible to do it in one day, but with mostly highway miles that are probably not the best for break-in.

[Bill97Z]

Here is the deal....

http://blien-pcd.blogspot.com/

".......For those who don't know, BMW offers each purchaser of a new BMW the opportunity to pick up their vehicle at BMW's Performance Center, which is adjacent to their manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, SC (actually it's in Greer, SC). There is no additional cost for this delivery option; the money BMW saves by not having to ship the car to your location is used to fund the day's events, as well as your food and lodging. You still have to pay the destination charge; that's what pays for the Performance Delivery.........."