Got back last week from a fantastic ED experience. Here's my trip log (pictures to follow as soon as I download them from my camera).
Day 0 (Thu, 5/27) Late afternoon arrival in Munich
Direct flight on Lufthansa from SFO to MUC. Walked out of terminal 2 to catch the Lufthansa airport bus. There are several bus stops, and had to find the one used by the airport bus. The bus finally came and after a 40-minute ride, arrived at the first stop, the U6 Nordfriedhof station. Walked 2 blocks to the Munich Marriott. Checked in, then hopped on the U6 to tour Marienplatz.
Day 1 (Fri, 5/28) Delivery day, and drive to Lugano, CH
The day was cloudy and drizzly, in the 50s. Took the U6 from Nordfriedhof station. The delivery center is three stops away and a short walk from the U6 Freimann station, directly west of the station. Arrived at the delivery center around 8:00am. The BMW complex is huge. Look for the BMW flags at the entrance on Volckerstrasse to be buzzed in.
Mr. Ernest Fortune took my passport, and I bought wheel locks (EUR22) from the small store. For those with Nav, the Europe DVD at the delivery center costs EUR231, slightly more than the USD188 that I paid (assuming a USD1.00=EUR1.2 exchange rate). After waiting in the "bistro" for about 45 minutes, Mr. Fortune went over the registration, insurance and roadside assistance paperwork. The car documentation is in a small folder that I kept with me at all times (in a camera bag), and never left unattended in the car.
Then we went to see the car in the delivery bay. Reviewed the car's features, and spent a lot of time working on the Nav. Wished I got myrtle wood trim (rather than titanium trim), but was glad to get Michelin Pilots. Left the delivery center around 9:30, with 2 miles on the odometer.
Returned to the Marriott to relax, retrieve luggage and check-out. Took highway A9 (on/off ramp is a couple of blocks from the Marriott) to EH Harms. I planned to drop-off the car the following Saturday, so I signed the paperwork and left one master key with them. I followed the Nav and it took almost an hour driving through city streets to get to A96. It would've been easier to look at the map, and get back on the A9, to A99, then A96.
Bought a vignette at the Austrian border (EUR7.60 valid for 10 days). At the Swiss border, the export license plates attracted interest and additional questions (keep your passport and car documentation handy when going in and out of CH). Also, bought a Swiss vignette (EUR38 valid for the year). Stopped in Buchs, CH for a late lunch and get Swiss Francs from an ATM. Arrived at the hotel (Villa Principe Leopoldo) around 5:00pm.
Ending miles = 291.
Day 2 (Sat, 5/29) Day trip to Bellagio, IT
Finally, the start of top-down driving . First gas fill-up in Coldrerio, CH (47.3 liters, CHF77.10). Went through the Italian border crossing in Como. Border guard probably couldn't figure out the "odd" license plate. His supervisor came over, spoke briefly to him, handed back our documents, and sent us on our way.
Drove to Bellagio via SP583, and spent a couple of hours in town. Took the car ferry to the other side of Lake Como to Cadenabbia (EUR12 for a car and 2 adults), and drove back to Lugano via Cernobbio (S340).
Ending miles = 400.
Day 3 (Sun, 5/30) Drive to Rapallo, IT
With the top down the whole way, took the autostrada (A2/9/7/12) straight to Rapallo, past Milan and Genoa. Lots of straight, flat driving, cruising between 80 to 100mph, which is nothing compared to Ferraris and 911s that would fly by.
Arrived at the hotel (Excelsior Palace) around 3:00pm. Dropped off luggage then drove the short distance to Portofino for the rest of the afternoon and dinner. Parked in a multi-story garage that would be suitable for Minis, and felt tight for a 330, especially those narrow circular ramps.
Total tolls = EUR11.80, ending miles = 548.
Day 4 (Mon, 5/31) Day trip to Cinque Terre
Second gas fill-up in Rapallo (44.3 liters, EUR50.00). Cloudy and drizzly weather prevented top-down driving today. Arrived in Monterroso al Mare, and parked on the roadway on the old side of town. If I didn't follow the Nav and drove to the new part of town, I would've found lots of spaces in the town's large parking lot. After a couple of hours in Monterroso, decided to drive to the next town, Vernazza, about 8 miles via a narrow, twisty road. It would've been better to take the train or boat (or hike the Cinque Terre trail), as the last 4 miles to Vernazza was essentially a one-lane road with limited turnouts. Add rain and fog, and this was one scary ride. Makes the road to Hana (in Maui) seem like a boulevard. Returned to Rapallo around 6pm.
Total tolls = EUR7.20, ending miles = 662.
Day 5 (Tue, 6/1) Drive to Venice
Took the autostrada (A12/15/1/13/4) straight to Venice, left around noon, again cloudy and drizzly weather. More straight, flat driving. On A15 before Parma, I tried to keep up with an E60 Touring diesel (530d). Even at 100mph, I was too slow and it sped away from me.
Third gas fill-up near Bologna (54.4L, EUR64.23). Arrived at the hotel (Sta. Chiara Hotel) around 4:00pm. I would've preferred another hotel, but this one had its own small parking lot, the only selling point for this hotel. However, I had to leave the key with the front desk, and noticed they moved it once.
Total tolls = EUR28.00, ending miles = 927.
Day 6 (Wed, 6/2) Tour Venice
Toured Venice all day, the only day of rest for the car.
Day 7 (Thu, 6/3) Drive to Hohenschwangau, Bavaria, DE
Took the autostrada (A4/22/13/12) back to Germany, left the hotel around noon, top-down weather (sunny and 70s). More straight, flat driving but with more trucks on the road. Fourth gas fill-up near Bolzano (49.5L, EUR58.00).
By the time we got to Brenner Pass at the Austrian border, it was overcast and cool. Then it started to rain near Innsbruck. On highway B189 (near the town of Obsteig, AT), the car was officially broken-in (1,200 miles) :rofl: . Arrived at the hotel (Hotel Muller) around 6:00pm, then drove around Fussen and Schwangau.
Total tolls = EUR26.40, ending miles = 1,252.
Day 8 (Fri, 6/4) Drive to Munich
The hotel arranged our 9:15am tour of Neuschwanstein Castle. Returned to hotel to retrieve luggage and check-out around 10:30am. Some road construction outside of Schwangau caused us to re-route through some local (non-digitized) roads. I ignored the Nav and decided to follow road signs back to Munich. I wanted to jump on the A95 in Starnberg, but missed it and ended up in local, suburban streets. The Nav seemed to be confused too. So I stopped at an information booth and bought a Munich map. By this time, I missed the 1:15 factory tour, so we went to the Renaissance Hotel and checked in. Spent the rest of the afternoon driving to Dachau and the 1972 Olympic site. Finally hit 110-120mph on A99.
Ending miles = 1,343.
Day 9 (Sat, 6/5) Last Day trip and Drop-off
Took the A8 to the Romantic Road. Final gas stop near Dasing, added only half-tank (34.2L, EUR40.00). Followed the RR (highway B2) to Nordlingen, a medieval walled town. Returned to Munich via A7 and A8, hitting 110+mph (up to 130) in some stretches. I thought 330s were limited to 128, so the speedometer must be off.
Returned to the Renaissance to empty the first aid kit and warning triangle. Drove to EH Harms, took pictures and left the car around 7pm . Miles at drop-off = 1,617.
Noticed in the fields behind EH Harms were new BMWs, many covered in white sheets. The BMW building nearby must be some sort of finishing/shipping facility.
With front license plate in hand, walked to the U6 Garching-Hochbruck station, about 20-25 minutes away, and took the metro back to the hotel.
Day 10 (Sun, 6/6) Return to SFO
Took a taxi from the Renaissance to the airport. At 5:30am, traffic was non-existent and the E-class diesel got us to the airport in 25 minutes. Of course, the taxi was doing 160kph on the autobahn. Cab fare was around EUR45.
Thanks to all 'festers for your tips/suggestions :thumbup: . I'd also like to thank the govt's of Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria for the perfect highways and letting me drive at speeds that would cause me to lose my license here.
Based on a recent e-mail from EH Harms, the car should be loaded today (6/14) on HUAL TRITON, eta 7/13 in Pt. Hueneme.
Day 0 (Thu, 5/27) Late afternoon arrival in Munich
Direct flight on Lufthansa from SFO to MUC. Walked out of terminal 2 to catch the Lufthansa airport bus. There are several bus stops, and had to find the one used by the airport bus. The bus finally came and after a 40-minute ride, arrived at the first stop, the U6 Nordfriedhof station. Walked 2 blocks to the Munich Marriott. Checked in, then hopped on the U6 to tour Marienplatz.
Day 1 (Fri, 5/28) Delivery day, and drive to Lugano, CH
The day was cloudy and drizzly, in the 50s. Took the U6 from Nordfriedhof station. The delivery center is three stops away and a short walk from the U6 Freimann station, directly west of the station. Arrived at the delivery center around 8:00am. The BMW complex is huge. Look for the BMW flags at the entrance on Volckerstrasse to be buzzed in.
Mr. Ernest Fortune took my passport, and I bought wheel locks (EUR22) from the small store. For those with Nav, the Europe DVD at the delivery center costs EUR231, slightly more than the USD188 that I paid (assuming a USD1.00=EUR1.2 exchange rate). After waiting in the "bistro" for about 45 minutes, Mr. Fortune went over the registration, insurance and roadside assistance paperwork. The car documentation is in a small folder that I kept with me at all times (in a camera bag), and never left unattended in the car.
Then we went to see the car in the delivery bay. Reviewed the car's features, and spent a lot of time working on the Nav. Wished I got myrtle wood trim (rather than titanium trim), but was glad to get Michelin Pilots. Left the delivery center around 9:30, with 2 miles on the odometer.
Returned to the Marriott to relax, retrieve luggage and check-out. Took highway A9 (on/off ramp is a couple of blocks from the Marriott) to EH Harms. I planned to drop-off the car the following Saturday, so I signed the paperwork and left one master key with them. I followed the Nav and it took almost an hour driving through city streets to get to A96. It would've been easier to look at the map, and get back on the A9, to A99, then A96.
Bought a vignette at the Austrian border (EUR7.60 valid for 10 days). At the Swiss border, the export license plates attracted interest and additional questions (keep your passport and car documentation handy when going in and out of CH). Also, bought a Swiss vignette (EUR38 valid for the year). Stopped in Buchs, CH for a late lunch and get Swiss Francs from an ATM. Arrived at the hotel (Villa Principe Leopoldo) around 5:00pm.
Ending miles = 291.
Day 2 (Sat, 5/29) Day trip to Bellagio, IT
Finally, the start of top-down driving . First gas fill-up in Coldrerio, CH (47.3 liters, CHF77.10). Went through the Italian border crossing in Como. Border guard probably couldn't figure out the "odd" license plate. His supervisor came over, spoke briefly to him, handed back our documents, and sent us on our way.
Drove to Bellagio via SP583, and spent a couple of hours in town. Took the car ferry to the other side of Lake Como to Cadenabbia (EUR12 for a car and 2 adults), and drove back to Lugano via Cernobbio (S340).
Ending miles = 400.
Day 3 (Sun, 5/30) Drive to Rapallo, IT
With the top down the whole way, took the autostrada (A2/9/7/12) straight to Rapallo, past Milan and Genoa. Lots of straight, flat driving, cruising between 80 to 100mph, which is nothing compared to Ferraris and 911s that would fly by.
Arrived at the hotel (Excelsior Palace) around 3:00pm. Dropped off luggage then drove the short distance to Portofino for the rest of the afternoon and dinner. Parked in a multi-story garage that would be suitable for Minis, and felt tight for a 330, especially those narrow circular ramps.
Total tolls = EUR11.80, ending miles = 548.
Day 4 (Mon, 5/31) Day trip to Cinque Terre
Second gas fill-up in Rapallo (44.3 liters, EUR50.00). Cloudy and drizzly weather prevented top-down driving today. Arrived in Monterroso al Mare, and parked on the roadway on the old side of town. If I didn't follow the Nav and drove to the new part of town, I would've found lots of spaces in the town's large parking lot. After a couple of hours in Monterroso, decided to drive to the next town, Vernazza, about 8 miles via a narrow, twisty road. It would've been better to take the train or boat (or hike the Cinque Terre trail), as the last 4 miles to Vernazza was essentially a one-lane road with limited turnouts. Add rain and fog, and this was one scary ride. Makes the road to Hana (in Maui) seem like a boulevard. Returned to Rapallo around 6pm.
Total tolls = EUR7.20, ending miles = 662.
Day 5 (Tue, 6/1) Drive to Venice
Took the autostrada (A12/15/1/13/4) straight to Venice, left around noon, again cloudy and drizzly weather. More straight, flat driving. On A15 before Parma, I tried to keep up with an E60 Touring diesel (530d). Even at 100mph, I was too slow and it sped away from me.
Third gas fill-up near Bologna (54.4L, EUR64.23). Arrived at the hotel (Sta. Chiara Hotel) around 4:00pm. I would've preferred another hotel, but this one had its own small parking lot, the only selling point for this hotel. However, I had to leave the key with the front desk, and noticed they moved it once.
Total tolls = EUR28.00, ending miles = 927.
Day 6 (Wed, 6/2) Tour Venice
Toured Venice all day, the only day of rest for the car.
Day 7 (Thu, 6/3) Drive to Hohenschwangau, Bavaria, DE
Took the autostrada (A4/22/13/12) back to Germany, left the hotel around noon, top-down weather (sunny and 70s). More straight, flat driving but with more trucks on the road. Fourth gas fill-up near Bolzano (49.5L, EUR58.00).
By the time we got to Brenner Pass at the Austrian border, it was overcast and cool. Then it started to rain near Innsbruck. On highway B189 (near the town of Obsteig, AT), the car was officially broken-in (1,200 miles) :rofl: . Arrived at the hotel (Hotel Muller) around 6:00pm, then drove around Fussen and Schwangau.
Total tolls = EUR26.40, ending miles = 1,252.
Day 8 (Fri, 6/4) Drive to Munich
The hotel arranged our 9:15am tour of Neuschwanstein Castle. Returned to hotel to retrieve luggage and check-out around 10:30am. Some road construction outside of Schwangau caused us to re-route through some local (non-digitized) roads. I ignored the Nav and decided to follow road signs back to Munich. I wanted to jump on the A95 in Starnberg, but missed it and ended up in local, suburban streets. The Nav seemed to be confused too. So I stopped at an information booth and bought a Munich map. By this time, I missed the 1:15 factory tour, so we went to the Renaissance Hotel and checked in. Spent the rest of the afternoon driving to Dachau and the 1972 Olympic site. Finally hit 110-120mph on A99.
Ending miles = 1,343.
Day 9 (Sat, 6/5) Last Day trip and Drop-off
Took the A8 to the Romantic Road. Final gas stop near Dasing, added only half-tank (34.2L, EUR40.00). Followed the RR (highway B2) to Nordlingen, a medieval walled town. Returned to Munich via A7 and A8, hitting 110+mph (up to 130) in some stretches. I thought 330s were limited to 128, so the speedometer must be off.
Returned to the Renaissance to empty the first aid kit and warning triangle. Drove to EH Harms, took pictures and left the car around 7pm . Miles at drop-off = 1,617.
Noticed in the fields behind EH Harms were new BMWs, many covered in white sheets. The BMW building nearby must be some sort of finishing/shipping facility.
With front license plate in hand, walked to the U6 Garching-Hochbruck station, about 20-25 minutes away, and took the metro back to the hotel.
Day 10 (Sun, 6/6) Return to SFO
Took a taxi from the Renaissance to the airport. At 5:30am, traffic was non-existent and the E-class diesel got us to the airport in 25 minutes. Of course, the taxi was doing 160kph on the autobahn. Cab fare was around EUR45.
Thanks to all 'festers for your tips/suggestions :thumbup: . I'd also like to thank the govt's of Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria for the perfect highways and letting me drive at speeds that would cause me to lose my license here.
Based on a recent e-mail from EH Harms, the car should be loaded today (6/14) on HUAL TRITON, eta 7/13 in Pt. Hueneme.