We picked up our 330i on 3/18--1/2 hour wait at 10.30AM. Assorted notes:
1. Pretty important: The BMW first-aid kit contains a pair of bandage scissors that you should remove from unchecked luggage.
2. Lufthansa: Although the office handling the BMW program was pleasant and efficient, LH otherwise was not. On flights (e.g., D.C.-Munich, Frankfurt-D.C.) operated by United with LH numbers, LH has a very limited number of seats to assign, and also LH in Germany told me (by phone) that I had seats assigned, and that I had to check in at LH in FRA. LH in FRA had no seats assigned and said I had to check in at United. Lesson: for flights with LH numbers and reservations made through LH, but actually operated by another airline--check in at the other airline.
3. Dulles Airport (if you're going through D.C.) is now a nightmare. Both checkin for international flights, then security, had very long, slow, and badly organized lines and quite surly TSA people. On return, it took 1/2 hour to get checked bags.
I didn't realize how close the BMW Niederlassung store (parts and accessories) was to ED pickup. Down Lilienthaler Strasse to the Frankfurter Ring, turn right, and it's only a couple of blocks. And it's great fun: lots of T shirts, key chains, models, and stuff like that, and real parts too. I got a set of rubber mats to cover my carpet mats (36 Euros).
We had a quick five-day trip: a day in Munich to rest up and see (a small part of) the Deutsches Museum, a day on pickup, driving to Garmisch, and skiing, a day (raining, so no skiing) at Neuschwanstein and WiesKirche, a day driving to and seeing Rothenburg o.d. Tauber, and a day driving to FRA, dropping off, and flying home. Quick but a great way to bond with your new BMW. My son loved our stay at Colmburg Castle, a short distance from Rothenburg. I enjoyed the couple of hundred Autobahn miles we did at an average of 85-90mph. Average!
All in all, an even better experience than I had foreseen.
