Decisions Decisions

I have been lurking on this board for the past 6 months. I finally pulled the trigger in Sept on a ED for a 650xi vert. I am taking my 17 year old son over for a quick ride on the autobahn and a visit with friends in london. Due to scheduling problems it's worked out that I'm picking up the car on 12/6 and have to drop the car off before a flight out on the 7th. As I wasn't aware of the snow tire regulations I'm not sure it's wise to take the car out of the welt at all. The tire rental program would cost about $500 for one day, or I can just rent an m5 from the Welt for the day for $210 euro- with no tire issues. Of course I lose the pleasure of running my own car on the roads it was designed for. So the question- what would you do?

Originally Posted by Par4

I ... The tire rental program would cost about $500 for one day, or I can just rent an m5 from the Welt for the day for $210 euro- with no tire issues. Of course I lose the pleasure of running my own car on the roads it was designed for. So the question- what would you do?

Given those two choices, I would just rent an m5 from the Welt for the day for $210 euro- with no tire issues.

+1 on the M5.
Also, you really should not be driving your new car at high speed during the break-in period.

Another vote for the M.
Not much of a sacrifice.

Personally, I would play it by ear if you can. See what the weather is like on the day, and have a back up plan. Talk to your delivery advisor on what they would recommend - they are locals. Renting an M5 is nice, but incomparable to experiencing your own car at consistent triple digit speeds. It's like spending time with your own kid or someone else's kid. Which would you rather?

Originally Posted by chrischeung

Personally, I would play it by ear if you can. See what the weather is like on the day, and have a back up plan. Talk to your delivery advisor on what they would recommend - they are locals. Renting an M5 is nice, but incomparable to experiencing your own car at consistent triple digit speeds. It's like spending time with your own kid or someone else's kid. Which would you rather?

Well, Scarlett Johansson is someone else's kid... Though I agree with you about waiting to see what happens.

OP: Worst case, the roads are impassable and you don't drive anything at all. Best case, sunny and 45 degrees with dry roads. Hard to tell two plus weeks in advance, but neither are out of the realm of possibility.

Originally Posted by Trinitony

+1 on the M5.
Also, you really should not be driving your new car at high speed during the break-in period.

I was restrained in acceleration but had my 07 up to 135 on ED.
sixty K later it hasn't needed any oil between changes.

Originally Posted by NateXTR

Well, Scarlett Johansson is someone else's kid...

It depends on the type of person you are. I'm not one of those, I got so and so's autograph, or I saw XYZ in a restaurant. Those become talking points, rather than part of your life. Your own car on the autobahn is something that you'll often think about as you drive your car. It's sort of like this - http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/drive-yourself/ To most, it's just a bumper sticker. But to the car's owner, it's the memory of a personal experience.

Don't get me wrong, I think an M5 on the autobahn is a wonderful experience that I would never pass up if given the chance. But if there is a choice between someone else's M5 and my personal BMW that I won't ever get another chance to drive on the autobahn over 120mph, even if it were a 128i, I'd choose that.

Look at it this way - what percentage of folks do you see renting M5s at the Welt compared to driving their own cars? If you can afford a BMW from the Welt, a few hundred shouldn't be a big issue. In my mind, if you're not driving your own car on the autobahn, and seeing as much of Europe as time alows, you may as well work out a really good deal and do US delivery. Perhaps the OP would want to do both, rent an M5 as well as drive his own car if possible? Also a potential option.

Thanks for all the input. I'm pretty sure that I'll make a game day decision. I've reserved the m5 for now, and I can decide at the last minute to take it or not. If the weather is iffy, then m5 it will be. Hopefully 45 and sunny.

Originally Posted by Par4

The tire rental program would cost about $500 for one day, or I can just rent an m5 from the Welt for the day for $210 euro- with no tire issues.

The tire rental would actually be 295 Eur ($378) - 85 Eur more than renting the M5.

From our tire depot both the A9 and the A99 are just 5 minutes away and you would be able to shoot down the Autobahn for a night in Salzburg - or, in the other direction, up to Nuernberg.