23 April European Delivery Trip Report

Yeah, I know I know, I totally blew off 12 hr rule. Actually, my Fest login fled my mind in the Premium Lounge when I had the chance (I did pull up the site) and from there I was officially "off the grid" for the trip! I signed the book: "Veni, Vidi, Vavoom: I came, I saw, I went fast."

Started out a couple days in München ahead of the delivery date. This worked out well to let us see the city, let anticipation build for delivery, and not worry about late flights or parking for a little while. We met our friend Bo from Stockholm, who joined us for delivery and trip through Florence.

Had an incredible time. For all that I had read on the Fest threads, the reality was bigger than my imagination could make it. What was bigger than imagination: the Welt itself, the delivery experience, the accommodation, courtesy, and hospitality of the BMW folks at the info desk, check-in, the Premium lounge, the delivery (and taking delivery while Welt tourists looked on...), factory tour, etc. Only thing less than imagination was the driving simulator (though the computer table was cool [but not essential...]). The in-person features overview and delivery on the floor were exceptional. Hans was excellent and the picture & engraved keychain were nice additional touches. Of course, enjoyed the Viktory Lap.

After this trip I swear by booking.com. Based on reading Fest posts since I got back I may have gotten better rates at higher-end places by doing Priceline. Never having used PL and needing to get accommodations arranged quickly, booking.com did what I needed. Focused on good value 2- or 3-star hotels. Overall, satisfied with all hotels. The old 2-stars in old sections of towns were all charming and convenient.

Itinerary. Click here for Google Map of route:
21 - 23 Apr: München, Carat Hotel***. Alte Pinakothek Muzeum, Hofbräuhaus, English Gardens. Touring, eating [schnitzel, bratwurst], drinking, Welt delivery, drive to Verona, 110 mph on Autobahn, 120 on Autostrada. Toured factory with fellow Bimmerfester picking up 24 April.
23 - 24 Apr: Verona, Hotel Armando**. Amphitheater, touring, eating, drinking.
24 - 27 Apr: Florence, Hotel Mario's***. Uffizi, Academia, Baptistry, Duomo & Campanile tower climb. Touring, eating, drinking, scraped right alloy sports wheel on curb.
27 - 28 Apr: En route to Cinque Terra [Carrodano], Albergo Don Lorenzo**. Pisa & leaning tower, Cinque Terra [Train from Levanto to Monterosso, and hike to Vernazza].
28 - 29 Apr: Mouans-Sartoux, Le Domaine De L'albatros***. En route: Portofino, Eze, Route Moyenne Corniche and La Turbie overlooking Monaco. Drive to Arles via Saint Paul de Vence (for Maeght Foundation Museum of modern art) and Saint-Maximin (for Mary Magdalene relic) at Gothic Basilique Ste. Marie-Madeleine. Relics are so weird.
29 Apr - 1 May: Arles, Hotel St. Trophime. Side trips to Nimes, Aigues-Mortes, Les Baux, St Remy, Tarascon. Enjoyed unexpected Provençal festival seeing folks in traditional garb. Touring, eating, drinking. Scraped left alloy sports wheel on curb . Rear-ended in Tarascon with dime-sized skinned paint & light scrape on rear bumper . Painful experience but relieves mystery for "first ding."
1 May - 2 May: Avignon, Hotel Au Saint-Roch. Enjoyed unexpected wine festival "Fête de la Vigne et du Vin" at Palais des Papes. Spent a couple hours talking to a vineyard farmer and girlfriend, and wife. Touring, eating, drinking. Leaving for Lausanne drove to Grenoble via secondary roads through the French Alps. It was a highlight seeing the scenery and getting off the highway. Amazed at how fast folks take those switchbacks through the Alps!
Click for Provence driving detail...
2 May - 4 May: Making our way back to München with one night each in Lausanne (City Hotel***) & Bern (Sorell Hotel Arabelle**). For as much as we appreciated German efficiency, that appreciation grew for the Swiss. Some may be a bit dour but they've got their stuff together.
5 May: München, Holiday Inn Express***. Dropped luggage off at hotel, and headed to drop off. Took the U-bahn back to Welt for the extended visit that I didn't have when we picked up the car. Thomas was height of German efficiency with a cowboy verve. Finished trip with 1776 miles.

As of 9 May am booked on the Faust on voyage EA820-FAT. No doubt I'll be checking every day for status change!

Thanks to Bimmerfest posters for all the info. Thanks to Beewang for the Navi DVD; that was a great thing to extract me from the medieval labyrinths of Florence & Arles, much less take my mind off of navigating and enjoying driving...

Pictures are: first glance from Premium Lounge/checkin, E92 on delivery floor, overview with Hans, Michelangelo's David (Academia/Florence), Vernazza (Cinque Terra), Avignon by night, shots from the French Alps, Welt revisit after drop off, & no more beer (time to go home).

Congrats on the new ride! Here's to a speedy re-delivery.

Erik

Nicely done... but pity about the scrapes and bumps! Anyway, glad you had a good time and may the wait be a short one

Originally Posted by SJAPoc

Nicely done... but pity about the scrapes and bumps! Anyway, glad you had a good time and may the wait be a short one

Thanks! At drop off Thomas filled out a damage report and said damage is repaired before redelivery. Don't know what that entails for alloys (buff 'em out, replace 'em, just wash 'em?).

Some interesting other things Thomas mentioned:

• Euro delivery trips average between 800 - 1600 miles
• the more miles, the higher incidence of damage (makes sense...)
• Only about 15 - 20% of cars are turned in with nothing to report on the condition report

Originally Posted by acolborn@mac.co

After this trip I swear by booking.com. Based on reading Fest posts since I got back I may have gotten better rates at higher-end places by doing Priceline. Never having used PL and needing to get accommodations arranged quickly, booking.com did what I needed. Focused on good value 2- or 3-star hotels. Overall, satisfied with all hotels. The old 2-stars in old sections of towns were all charming and convenient.

This is good to hear. I did almost all my hotel reservations through booking.com. So you obviously had no problems, correct prices and amenities as advertised? Congrats on what sounds like a great ED - don't even think about the wait!

Congrats on a great trip!!! I too am sorry about the damage...I particularly love the image of the empty beer glass!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Cheers,

Originally Posted by acolborn@mac.co

Spent a couple hours talking to a vineyard farmer and girlfriend, and wife.

The farmers wife didn't mind his girlfriend being around? Those French really do take the ménage à trois pretty seriously!

Originally Posted by kingbelcher

So you obviously had no problems, correct prices and amenities as advertised?

Yes, prices and amenities were all accurate. No surprises at all. There were even a couple cases where we got reservations in hotels that other sites showed completely full. For small hotels though I do recommend noting whether there are time ranges given for check-in, as some of them are small hotels and have limited coverage at the desk. But without exception the places were clean, staffs courteous, and all that good stuff...

Awesome - even more reason to raise the excitement level! Thanks-

Originally Posted by kingbelcher

The farmers wife didn't mind his girlfriend being around? Those French really do take the ménage à trois pretty seriously!

It was funny - everyone was totally nonchalant. The wife was there with a couple of her friends and it was like they were doing their own thing to enjoy the evening. Have been married for 30 years.... Good old French "Joie de vivre" ay?

Originally Posted by acolborn@mac.co

Thanks! At drop off Thomas filled out a damage report and said damage is repaired before redelivery. Don't know what that entails for alloys (buff 'em out, replace 'em, just wash 'em?).

Some interesting other things Thomas mentioned:

• Euro delivery trips average between 800 - 1600 miles
• the more miles, the higher incidence of damage (makes sense...)
• Only about 15 - 20% of cars are turned in with nothing to report on the condition report

I would be interested in other members opinions on this observation:

It seems that any damage to the vehicle, even that done while driving prior to drop-off, is repaired prior to redelivery, no matter how it happened --- BUT (according to reports in other threads) the bugs, grit and other debris accumulated while driving and shipping are not always properly removed/cleaned with the vehicle properly detailed.

I realize the no deductible ED insurance pays for the former, but I am surprised that BMW and their dealerships do not consistently redeliver with the latter. How hard could it be to throw in some "no deductible detail insurance" (to cover costs for local third party detailing in the case that the dealership hasn't the appropriately trained personnel) for ED?

Perhaps I have misinterpreted some of the posts in the other threads regarding the quality of vehicle detailing on redelivery?

Thanks,
abmwc

Originally Posted by abmwc

I would be interested in other members opinions on this observation:

It seems that any damage to the vehicle, even that done while driving prior to drop-off, is repaired prior to redelivery, no matter how it happened --- BUT (according to reports in other threads) the bugs, grit and other debris accumulated while driving and shipping are not always properly removed/cleaned with the vehicle properly detailed.

I realize the no deductible ED insurance pays for the former, but I am surprised that BMW and their dealerships do not consistently redeliver with the latter. How hard could it be to throw in some "no deductible detail insurance" (to cover costs for local third party detailing in the case that the dealership hasn't the appropriately trained personnel) for ED?

Perhaps I have misinterpreted some of the posts in the other threads regarding the quality of vehicle detailing on redelivery?

Thanks,
abmwc

620 miles on ED
No damage during ED
No damage in-transit
Car was nicely detailed at re-delivery

Erik

Originally Posted by abmwc

I would be interested in other members opinions on this observation:

It seems that any damage to the vehicle, even that done while driving prior to drop-off, is repaired prior to redelivery, no matter how it happened --- BUT (according to reports in other threads) the bugs, grit and other debris accumulated while driving and shipping are not always properly removed/cleaned with the vehicle properly detailed.

I realize the no deductible ED insurance pays for the former, but I am surprised that BMW and their dealerships do not consistently redeliver with the latter. How hard could it be to throw in some "no deductible detail insurance" (to cover costs for local third party detailing in the case that the dealership hasn't the appropriately trained personnel) for ED?

Perhaps I have misinterpreted some of the posts in the other threads regarding the quality of vehicle detailing on redelivery?

Thanks,
abmwc

About 200 miles on ED
No damage during ED
1-3 inch damage to Bumper during transit
Still wating for redivery will update once i get it this week. (hopefully)