Doing ED in May - tentative itinerary

I placed my order on Tuesday night so I am in contact witht he dealership about arranging a delivery date and whatnot. But I have been planning the trip for almost a year so I am pretty sure about where I want to go, at least right up until the last few days.

Here it is:

Day 1 (Friday): Fly to Munich
Day 2: Arrive Munich
Day 3: Munich
Day 4 (Monday): Delivery, drive to Salzburg via Berchtesgaden and German Alpine Road
Day 5: Depart Salzburg, drive to Vienna
Day 6: Vienna
Day 7: Depart Vienna, drive to Krakow
Day 8: Krakow
Day 9: Depart Krakow, drive to Prague
Day 10: Prague
Day 11: Depart Prague, drive to Nurburgring - drive the Ring
Day 12: wake up, drive the Ring again, head south toward Switzerland, try to take in an hour or so of driving in the Black Forest, end up in Zurich
Day 13: Zurich (maybe go to Lucerne...not sure. People have told me Zurich isn't too exciting.
Day 14: Depart Zurich, drive to Milan via San Bernardino Pass
Day 15: Milan
Day 16: Depart Milan, drive to Nice - maybe drop off car
Day 17: Maybe drop off car, maybe spend day in Nice, maybe come home
Day 18: if not already home, come home.

There may be time in here to spend a full day at Nurburg. And maybe time to spend two full days in Nice after dropping off the car, or maybe one day in Zurich and one day in Lucerne.

Crappy thing about this itinerary is that we get back mid-week. I can either power through and work a few days like a zombie when I get back or just take all 3 weeks off. But my wife would definitely have to work.

If it were up to me, we'd cut out Italy and France and save it for another trip...but she really wants to go to Italy. Thing is, May temps in Nice average only 20 Celsius....so it shouldnt be expenvise to stay but it's not like we'll be spending our last day lounging on the beach.

Either way I am pumped. It's about 5 hours driving every other day. Seems like a lot but that's what I'm there for. I like the idea of having a day or two in each city to get a tate and decide which ones I'd like to visit again.

Originally Posted by jtuds

I placed my order on Tuesday night so I am in contact witht he dealership about arranging a delivery date and whatnot. But I have been planning the trip for almost a year so I am pretty sure about where I want to go, at least right up until the last few days.

Here it is:

Day 1 (Friday): Fly to Munich
Day 2: Arrive Munich
Day 3: Munich
Day 4 (Monday): Delivery, drive to Salzburg via Berchtesgaden and German Alpine Road
Day 5: Depart Salzburg, drive to Vienna
Day 6: Vienna
Day 7: Depart Vienna, drive to Krakow
Day 8: Krakow
Day 9: Depart Krakow, drive to Prague
Day 10: Prague
Day 11: Depart Prague, drive to Nurburgring - drive the Ring
Day 12: wake up, drive the Ring again, head south toward Switzerland, try to take in an hour or so of driving in the Black Forest, end up in Zurich
Day 13: Zurich (maybe go to Lucerne...not sure. People have told me Zurich isn't too exciting.
Day 14: Depart Zurich, drive to Milan via San Bernardino Pass
Day 15: Milan
Day 16: Depart Milan, drive to Nice - maybe drop off car
Day 17: Maybe drop off car, maybe spend day in Nice, maybe come home
Day 18: if not already home, come home.

There may be time in here to spend a full day at Nurburg. And maybe time to spend two full days in Nice after dropping off the car, or maybe one day in Zurich and one day in Lucerne.

Crappy thing about this itinerary is that we get back mid-week. I can either power through and work a few days like a zombie when I get back or just take all 3 weeks off. But my wife would definitely have to work.

If it were up to me, we'd cut out Italy and France and save it for another trip...but she really wants to go to Italy. Thing is, May temps in Nice average only 20 Celsius....so it shouldnt be expenvise to stay but it's not like we'll be spending our last day lounging on the beach.

Either way I am pumped. It's about 5 hours driving every other day. Seems like a lot but that's what I'm there for. I like the idea of having a day or two in each city to get a tate and decide which ones I'd like to visit again.

I would agree that Zurich is not that exciting. Unless you're crazy about Milan, I'd suggest going to the Lake Como area instead. It's beautiful there with some lovely little towns like Cernobbio and Bellagio. ED is the best. Have fun.

Is your trip all about the driving or enjoying the sights? I've been to most of the places on your list and 1/2 day in each is about enough time for a walking tour and a couple meals.

It might take you 1 day to find a place to park in Milan

If I were you I'd stay out of Milan, Poland the and Czech Republic and continue South to Tuscany and then finish your trip on the French Riviera - I like Juan les Pins better than Nice...and like IT better than just about anywhere.

dk

Originally Posted by dkreidel

It might take you 1 day to find a place to park in Milan

If I were you I'd stay out of Milan, Poland the and Czech Republic and continue South to Tuscany and then finish your trip on the French Riviera - I like Juan les Pins better than Nice...and like IT better than just about anywhere.

dk

I echo this, the OP original plan is too ambitious, the typical "lets put a checkmark in the places I have been in Europe even if I am huffing and puffing to make it" type of plan that 1st timers end up regretting later. If Italy is a priority, going to Tuscany, perhaps swinging through the Cinque Terre on the way to a Nice dropoff makes the most sense.

You will likely go back.

Originally Posted by Loganradio

Is your trip all about the driving or enjoying the sights? I've been to most of the places on your list and 1/2 day in each is about enough time for a walking tour and a couple meals.

Where am I spending half a day?

And I can't not go to Poland, it's my homeland (my family's homeland) so it's a priority.

I don't deny that this is an ambitious itinerary, but I saw in London and Paris for a total of 6 days a couple years ago and I feel like I saw enough of those places to not need to go back for awhile. I don't doubt there's a lot of places on that list, but I want to make sure my 1.5 to 2 days is full of activity...I'm not a fan of downtime when I'm paying a lot to be somewhere. It's why I've never gone to an all inclusive and don't plan to until its the only thing Ive got left to do

Poland is gorgeous, and Krakow is a charming city. I'd be heading toward to Tatra mountains for a couple days if I were of Polish descent. If Switzerland is a MUST-SEE, head to Interlaken and skip Zurich. It's just a city.

I understand a desire to get on the road, particularly with a new BMW waiting to be driven, but I don't envy the amount of time you'll be on those roads gettting from one destination to another. Not much to see or do on a highway.

Notwithstanding my comments above, if anyone is in the region(s) I plan to visit and is familiar with those cities or the driving conditions between them, I would appreciate some detail as to why my timeline is too tight. For example, If I am in, say, Prague for an afternoon, a full day, and a morning, what will that look like in terms of being able to do stuff?

I am not a fan of lines, and I am not going to find out about stuff then go there to see it becuase it is the thing you're supposed to see. For example, I am not going to google "top 10 things to see in Prague" then try to see as many things as I can see in 2 days. I'll maybe try to hit up what catches my eye on that list, then spend the rest of my time walking around and looking at whatever looks cool. In London and Paris I knew about alot of the big stuff, so I saw it and then still had about a half day to wander.

In all the places I've listed in my itinerary, my only must-see attractions are the old part of munich, the old part of Krakow, Auschwitz, Nurburgring, the Alps, and the Riviera. I know Prague, Salzburg, Vienna, etc all have castels and cathedrals and opera houses and museums, but I'm not a guy who visits those places just becuase they're there. I'm attracted to places that have historical significance to me, and beyond that, I jus tlike to look around and see how peole live and note how it is different from what I am familiar with.

Originally Posted by jtuds

Notwithstanding my comments above, if anyone is in the region(s) I plan to visit and is familiar with those cities or the driving conditions between them, I would appreciate some detail as to why my timeline is too tight. For example, If I am in, say, Prague for an afternoon, a full day, and a morning, what will that look like in terms of being able to do stuff?

I am not a fan of lines, and I am not going to find out about stuff then go there to see it becuase it is the thing you're supposed to see. For example, I am not going to google "top 10 things to see in Prague" then try to see as many things as I can see in 2 days. I'll maybe try to hit up what catches my eye on that list, then spend the rest of my time walking around and looking at whatever looks cool. In London and Paris I knew about alot of the big stuff, so I saw it and then still had about a half day to wander.

In all the places I've listed in my itinerary, my only must-see attractions are the old part of munich, the old part of Krakow, Auschwitz, Nurburgring, the Alps, and the Riviera. I know Prague, Salzburg, Vienna, etc all have castels and cathedrals and opera houses and museums, but I'm not a guy who visits those places just becuase they're there. I'm attracted to places that have historical significance to me, and beyond that, I jus tlike to look around and see how peole live and note how it is different from what I am familiar with.

You asked for advise, and the plan is ambitious for most even driving enthusiasts who would not want to do that much driving, but if may be your cup of tea, so go for it then, it is your trip. First make sure you put the destinations in google maps or another planner so you can see how much time behind the windshield you are going to have. Good luck!

Originally Posted by neurom

You asked for advise, and the plan is ambitious for most even driving enthusiasts who would not want to do that much driving, but if may be your cup of tea, so go for it then, it is your trip. First make sure you put the destinations in google maps or another planner so you can see how much time behind the windshield you are going to have. Good luck!

That's where I need advice from the insiders. I have no idea how many high traffic areas I'm passing through. So if google maps says 5 hours (which would allow me to leave at noon and arrive at my destination while the sun is still up) but in reality it takes 7 or 8 hours because of traffic (which would make for an extremely long haul and may mean driving in the dark in a city I've never been to) then I would really like to know before I start booking hotels. Only people who have been in and around these places have this information, which makes it hard for me to tell whether I'm being over ambitious or just ambitious.

Originally Posted by jtuds

I placed my order on Tuesday night so I am in contact witht he dealership about arranging a delivery date and whatnot. But I have been planning the trip for almost a year so I am pretty sure about where I want to go, at least right up until the last few days.

Here it is:

Day 1 (Friday): Fly to Munich
Day 2: Arrive Munich
Day 3: Munich
Day 4 (Monday): Delivery, drive to Salzburg via Berchtesgaden and German Alpine Road
Day 5: Depart Salzburg, drive to Vienna
Day 6: Vienna
Day 7: Depart Vienna, drive to Krakow
Day 8: Krakow
Day 9: Depart Krakow, drive to Prague
Day 10: Prague
Day 11: Depart Prague, drive to Nurburgring - drive the Ring
Day 12: wake up, drive the Ring again, head south toward Switzerland, try to take in an hour or so of driving in the Black Forest, end up in Zurich
Day 13: Zurich (maybe go to Lucerne...not sure. People have told me Zurich isn't too exciting.
Day 14: Depart Zurich, drive to Milan via San Bernardino Pass
Day 15: Milan
Day 16: Depart Milan, drive to Nice - maybe drop off car
Day 17: Maybe drop off car, maybe spend day in Nice, maybe come home
Day 18: if not already home, come home.

There may be time in here to spend a full day at Nurburg. And maybe time to spend two full days in Nice after dropping off the car, or maybe one day in Zurich and one day in Lucerne.

Crappy thing about this itinerary is that we get back mid-week. I can either power through and work a few days like a zombie when I get back or just take all 3 weeks off. But my wife would definitely have to work.

If it were up to me, we'd cut out Italy and France and save it for another trip...but she really wants to go to Italy. Thing is, May temps in Nice average only 20 Celsius....so it shouldnt be expenvise to stay but it's not like we'll be spending our last day lounging on the beach.

Either way I am pumped. It's about 5 hours driving every other day. Seems like a lot but that's what I'm there for. I like the idea of having a day or two in each city to get a tate and decide which ones I'd like to visit again.

Speaking strictly for myself, 9 places in 16 days is somewhat ambitious (18 days minus two travel days).
Milan is nice, however, Lake Como and perhaps Venice might be better places to spend time in Italy. If you want to venture a little deeper south, consider Florence. Venice and/or Florence might be better visits.

Spend time in Munich and visit the Alps. Munich is a city with history and culture. There is plenty to do and see.

Prague is supposed to be one of the jewels of Europe. Definitely visit.

Nurburg and Nurburgring, from what I hear, is a driving enthusiast's dream.

Folks will recommend that you plan to spend at least two days in each place.

I can't comment on your other destinations.

Originally Posted by jtuds

That's where I need advice from the insiders. I have no idea how many high traffic areas I'm passing through. So if google maps says 5 hours (which would allow me to leave at noon and arrive at my destination while the sun is still up) but in reality it takes 7 or 8 hours because of traffic (which would make for an extremely long haul and may mean driving in the dark in a city I've never been to) then I would really like to know before I start booking hotels. Only people who have been in and around these places have this information, which makes it hard for me to tell whether I'm being over ambitious or just ambitious.

We found that in many cases, particularly where we had a lot of driving in a day, that the Google Maps estimates were pretty optimistic. European roads start getting repaired as soon as the weather is nice which means "squeeze lanes" and extremely slow, backed-up traffic. The day we drove from Fussen to Lauterbrunnen we had horrible traffic in Switzerland, particularly around Zurich. Nav took us on the B12/A1 route rather than the A3 route we had planned on and with the traffic around Zurich this extended our travel time so much that we missed the last train from Lauterbrunnen to Murren. Fortunately, the hotel told us that there was a cable car in Stechelberg that runs much later and was only a few kilometers up the road. (Hint: get Michelin maps and mark out your intended route and check it against the Nav! We took Michelin maps, really didn't use them but should have.)

On our way from Lauterbrunnen to Stuttgart, we stopped in Lucerne and then drove through France so we could visit Strasbourg and again ran into horrible traffic with with at least half an hour at a complete standstill. Apparently when this happens in France, everyone gets out of their car and walks around. After leaving Strasbourg the same day we ran into an Autobahn closure south of Baden-Baden in the early evening and even with Nav had to figure out how to get around it and didn't get to our hotel outside Stuttgart until 11:30 PM. Bottom line, plan for delays and allow more time to get around. If you don't run into any delays, you've just got more time at your destination.

As for Switzerland, I would highly recommend staying in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen instead of Zurich, but it's out of the way if you're going to Milan.

Roads in the Geman speaking parts of europe are generally super, the flip side of the coin is road construction. (km. after km......does it ever end )
So when I say it took us 4 1/2 hrs, you might get lucky and do the same drive in 3 hrs or unlucky and take 6 hrs.
On the mountain passes you'll encounter tour buses and bicycles, both will add time to the drive.
In Italy it's tollboths, they are every where on the autostrasa, 1 minute here 2 minutes there adds up.

Pad Goggles drive times by at least 20%, try to avoid rush hours. (best way to deal with rush hour is from a sidewalk cafe with a cold drink in hand )

If it were me, I'd cut out a few stops and spend more time in each. There is always next trip.

Originally Posted by jtuds

That's where I need advice from the insiders. I have no idea how many high traffic areas I'm passing through. So if google maps says 5 hours (which would allow me to leave at noon and arrive at my destination while the sun is still up) but in reality it takes 7 or 8 hours because of traffic (which would make for an extremely long haul and may mean driving in the dark in a city I've never been to) then I would really like to know before I start booking hotels. Only people who have been in and around these places have this information, which makes it hard for me to tell whether I'm being over ambitious or just ambitious.

So a couple things.

Everyone's concerns here are well warranted IMHO. You've got a ton of driving (maybe 2300 miles) in 18 days with 9 destinations. I'm a crazy auto-driving enthusiast, and that would wear my butte out. Especially keep in mind that a significant portion of your driving will be ye-standard-highway. Autobahns and Autostradas are not much different than US Interstates except for different speeds in places. It's fun to hit 150 mph, but after 10 minutes, you are used to it and sitting in cruise control. Heck, my wife fell asleep on the autobahn when I was in cruise control going 140 mph during our first ED. So when you are looking at distances, keep that in mind. The highway driving will get old.

SD Z4MR is also absolutely correct. Google maps is not nearly as accurate with timing in Europe as it is in the North America. If Gmaps says 4 hrs, plan on 6 and be happy when you get there in 5. This is especially true when you get on the backroads where a horse drawn cart of goods can shut down traffic in both directions (I've seen this in Austria).

Loganradio is also dead on. With one day per city, you will (likely, I know I would) sleep in late, have a big breakfast and then leave to explore about noon. Explore for half a day, then eat dinner, relax and go to bed. It's almost a waste to stop in them unless you are just looking to check off boxes. You're doing this while visiting amazing cities with tons to do and see.

For example, my wife and I were in Vienna in December for my most recent ED. We were there for 3 days, and saw maybe 50% of stuff on our list to see. There are half a dozen palaces, the most beautiful opera house I've ever seen, gorgeous architecture, a historic horse riding school, a cathedral, cool bars, great food, fantastic people and a large downtown area that is fun to explore and just chews time. And the only line we ever stood in was for the subway and Glühwein.

We were also in Salzburg for three days and could have spent four more days there easy. We spent a day driving around the region (which is gorgeous), visited one of the many castles, and spent some time wandering the downtown area. The best drive I've ever taken in my life is outside of Salzburg, and I'm sure there are a dozen more out there waiting to be found in that area.

So when people say there is stuff to do, it isn't old people in rocking chairs that want to spend 15 hrs in a museum talking, then a day relaxing on a patio looking at a mountain (this is BMW forum...it's full of driving/exploring enthusiasts) there is really stuff to do.

If it was my itinerary, I'd axe the Nurburgring and everything after Milan, then change Milan into Lake Como. Head from Como back to Munich, drop the car off, go home. Then balance your days across the remaining cities. That will give you 18 days in 6 destinations and allow you to focus on what interests you (like seeing where you lineage is from, which you've already mentioned). It will also heavily cut down on your hotel changes, which get old, impact your plans (be out by X:XX AM in the morning) and burn up time. Alternately, cut everything after the Ring and rebalance you time between those cities. Just run the Ring on Forza a couple times before you leave to maximize your enjoyment.

Your itinerary reminds me of people that go to Disney World and try to hit every attraction in week. They over-plan, get behind, get frustrated, hurry between places and end their vacation exhausted and find that they didn't enjoy it much.

This is just my 2 cents. Feel free to ignore it, but I'd love to hear how your trip ends up regardless.

One other thing - keep in mind that every single country you travel too will have its own traffic laws. You will need to be familiar with them before you leave or you could literally end up in an uncomfortable place.

Originally Posted by AggieKnight

So a couple things.

Everyone's concerns here are well warranted IMHO. You've got a ton of driving (maybe 2300 miles) in 18 days with 9 destinations. I'm a crazy auto-driving enthusiast, and that would wear my butte out. Especially keep in mind that a significant portion of your driving will be ye-standard-highway. Autobahns and Autostradas are not much different than US Interstates except for different speeds in places. It's fun to hit 150 mph, but after 10 minutes, you are used to it and sitting in cruise control. Heck, my wife fell asleep on the autobahn when I was in cruise control going 140 mph during our first ED. So when you are looking at distances, keep that in mind. The highway driving will get old.

SD Z4MR is also absolutely correct. Google maps is not nearly as accurate with timing in Europe as it is in the North America. If Gmaps says 4 hrs, plan on 6 and be happy when you get there in 5. This is especially true when you get on the backroads where a horse drawn cart of goods can shut down traffic in both directions (I've seen this in Austria).

Loganradio is also dead on. With one day per city, you will (likely, I know I would) sleep in late, have a big breakfast and then leave to explore about noon. Explore for half a day, then eat dinner, relax and go to bed. It's almost a waste to stop in them unless you are just looking to check off boxes. You're doing this while visiting amazing cities with tons to do and see.

For example, my wife and I were in Vienna in December for my most recent ED. We were there for 3 days, and saw maybe 50% of stuff on our list to see. There are half a dozen palaces, the most beautiful opera house I've ever seen, gorgeous architecture, a historic horse riding school, a cathedral, cool bars, great food, fantastic people and a large downtown area that is fun to explore and just chews time. And the only line we ever stood in was for the subway and Glühwein.

We were also in Salzburg for three days and could have spent four more days there easy. We spent a day driving around the region (which is gorgeous), visited one of the many castles, and spent some time wandering the downtown area. The best drive I've ever taken in my life is outside of Salzburg, and I'm sure there are a dozen more out there waiting to be found in that area.

So when people say there is stuff to do, it isn't old people in rocking chairs that want to spend 15 hrs in a museum talking, then a day relaxing on a patio looking at a mountain (this is BMW forum...it's full of driving/exploring enthusiasts) there is really stuff to do.

If it was my itinerary, I'd axe the Nurburgring and everything after Milan, then change Milan into Lake Como. Head from Como back to Munich, drop the car off, go home. Then balance your days across the remaining cities. That will give you 18 days in 6 destinations and allow you to focus on what interests you (like seeing where you lineage is from, which you've already mentioned). It will also heavily cut down on your hotel changes, which get old, impact your plans (be out by X:XX AM in the morning) and burn up time. Alternately, cut everything after the Ring and rebalance you time between those cities. Just run the Ring on Forza a couple times before you leave to maximize your enjoyment.

Your itinerary reminds me of people that go to Disney World and try to hit every attraction in week. They over-plan, get behind, get frustrated, hurry between places and end their vacation exhausted and find that they didn't enjoy it much.

This is just my 2 cents. Feel free to ignore it, but I'd love to hear how your trip ends up regardless.

One other thing - keep in mind that every single country you travel too will have its own traffic laws. You will need to be familiar with them before you leave or you could literally end up in an uncomfortable place.

Hey thanks, I appreciate all this. Hell of a post. I'll look at the whole thing and see what I might be able to reconfigure. Also, regarding the driving laws...did you experience anything odd? I know there's the ED wiki on this site that contains alot of info but anywhere else?

Aggie says it all spot-on

- but maybe the Nurburgring is high up on your agenda, so do that, spread your time out more elsewhere, not necessarily longer in the cities but taking in some of the many interesting towns and villages off your route, and do more in Switzerland before dropping off your car in Zurich and flying back from there. It really is too much to do any stuff South of Lake Como - leave that for another time.

Like everyone else says, I would prioritize what is most important for you to see. If you say Munich(since you pickup there), Poland, Nurburgring, and Switzerland; that is plenty for that length of trip. Italy should be an entirely separate trip altogether(and I wouldn't waste my time with Milan either). Just looking at your itinerary, there is no way I would drive 6+hrs from Prague to the Nurburgring, and then feel like I would have the energy or concentration to get on the track. You will completely burn yourself out within a week.

Originally Posted by john lance

Aggie says it all spot-on

- but maybe the Nurburgring is high up on your agenda, so do that, spread your time out more elsewhere, not necessarily longer in the cities but taking in some of the many interesting towns and villages off your route, and do more in Switzerland before dropping off your car in Zurich and flying back from there. It really is too much to do any stuff South of Lake Como - leave that for another time.

Can you drop off in Zurich? Because I know that a Italy drop-off costs more.

I want to see the Riviera, but it appears that the weather in May is pretty cool so it's not liek we'd be able to spend any time on a beach. I think there will be a lot of time in the future to take a trip to the French/Italian Riviera that will be dedicated to that region, as opposed to driving along it en route to drop off the vehicle.

The Italy/France leg was really just to throw my wife a bone so she didnt feel like she was jsut tagging along on my vacation.

But maybe what I could do is take my time goign from Nurburg to Zurich, then spend a day or two in Zurich, drive south through San Bernardino Pass and loop back up to Lucerne, hang out there for a day or two, then drop off in Munich and fly home...

It will be a hell of alot easier to get direct flights to Toronto from Munich than any of the ther places I am visiting.

Originally Posted by jtuds

Can you drop off in Zurich?

Yes

Here's my suggestion. It primarily combines the trips to Italy/Austria into a single loop while giving time in Florence rather than Milan and also gets you to Venice.

Day 1-3 - as described
Day 4 - delivery then overnight in or just south of Munich (driving after your day at the Welt either means you'll be really tired or you'll need to skip part of the experience, which would be a shame)
Day 5 - drive to Florence - we made an early start and got there by late afternoon
day 6 - in Florence
Day 7 - drive to Venice
Day 8 - in Venice
Day 9 - drive to Salzburg (you'll have to to poke around in the afternoon)
Day 10 - morning in Salzburg, then drive to Vienna
Day 11 - in Vienna
Day 12 - drive to Krakow
Day 13 - in Krakow
Day 14 - drive to Prague
Day 15 - in Prague
Day 16 - Drive to Nurmburg
Day 17 - Nurmburg, then drive to Munich
Day 18 - Drop can and fly home.

To your question about driving laws, I haven't really found a good place to reference. Just used google a bunch. Maybe somebody else has...

There are tons of weird laws. In Italy, Polizia can demand payment of a citation on the spot in cash for non-EU residents (or at least they used to be able too). Some countries require IDPs (though you can get away without them if you are lucky). Some countries are notorious for speed cameras that will ticket you for 1-3 kph over the limit (Austria, Switzerland). At least one requires a throw away breathalizer (France). Several require a medical kit and shiny jacket to be stored in the car in case of accident (Germany, Austria). There are different toll types (Austria and their famous Vignette, but there are others). This isn't intended to be a complete list, it's just off the top of my head.

Originally Posted by jtuds

Can you drop off in Zurich?

BMW's website has a list of places you can drop off.

One thing to note is that many (if not all) the drop off places outside of Germany result in random dude driving your car back in to Germany for shipping. Your car is insured through that activity, but I've got this image in my mind of a chain smoking Italian guy driving my new car back to Germany and it gives me the willies.

Oh crap I thought it was loaded up and shipped on a truck from the drop off locations.

Originally Posted by AggieKnight

One thing to note is that many (if not all) the drop off places outside of Germany result in random dude driving your car back in to Germany for shipping. Your car is insured through that activity, but I've got this image in my mind of a chain smoking Italian guy driving my new car back to Germany and it gives me the willies.

I think the chain smoking Italian driving the car only applies in Italy and not because the of the stereotype of the skinny chain smoking Italian. Everywhere else it is my understanding they put it on a truck (I dropped of in Amsterdam and that is what they did).

Originally Posted by jtuds

Also, regarding the driving laws...did you experience anything odd? I know there's the ED wiki on this site that contains alot of info but anywhere else?

"Brian's Guide to Getting Around Germany" is the best guide I've found to the driving laws in Germany. The whole guide is great, but in particular, click on "Road" under "National Transport" and "Driving and Parking" under "Local Transport". There's even a self test to see if you really understand German road signs (some are definitely "odd"). Only one disclaimer, this site appears to have been last updated in 2010, so it may not be completely current. Unfortunately, this site seems really slow right now, so be patient or come back later.

Originally Posted by AggieKnight

One thing to note is that many (if not all) the drop off places outside of Germany result in random dude driving your car back in to Germany for shipping. Your car is insured through that activity, but I've got this image in my mind of a chain smoking Italian guy driving my new car back to Germany and it gives me the willies.

this comment caused me to promptly email the dealership and ask them to contact the BMW Canada ED Coordinator to determine how the car is handled after dropoff. Gives me the willies too. I'm not even going to let the dealership wash the car after it gets back to Canada...it's going straight to Fine Details. <--(link)