Euro Delivery - past 2 days report (archive)

The complete automotive resource for buyers, sellers, and owners like you.

Anyway, my story is surprisingly similar. I took the U-Bahn to the Freimann stop as well, arriving at the "back" door. There, Chris, greeted myself and one other Euro delivery recipient at the gate. He guide both of us in, where he took our papers and my luggage. 20 minutes later he was back with paperwork, and my car. He stared off by apologising, as this was his first day, and I was his first customer. I said no problem, its my first time too. After the paperwork, we went out to look at my car...me with camera in hand. I look in the garage for an 540i, but don't see any. However, Chris guides me to a 525, and says here's your car. I point out to him, that this can't be my car, I have a 540. We call over his manager, then pop the hood and check. The VIN number is for my car, and the engine add all are definitely a 540. Just the badging is wrong. Boy what a relief! Imagine showing up to pick up a 540, and thinking they were going to stick me with a 525. Not a flame to any 525 owners, but its not a 540!

Of course, they corrected the problem within an hour, and I was on my way, shortly after 10am. I've got a pic of my "525", for memories sake.

From there, I drove to Fussen, per a poster's advice that it was fun drive. The drive was ok, but lunch was better. A simple German lunch, shared with an elderly lady from Ulm who also had lived in Chicago. I drove back to Munich and was back at Olympia Park by 3pm, exactly as I had schedlled for my departure. At this point I logged a bit under 200 miles, at 21 mpg, and 55 mph, per the OBC. But then I got on the A9. I don't know how long it took Roland, but the A9, on a Friday afternoon/evening is a complete nightmare. I almost never needed to worry about getting blown by, because I was too busy sitting in stop and go traffic. The constant construction was just aggrevating. Finally, when the A72 to Dresden was announced, I changed the plan and wen off to Dresden. When I turned off, by average speed had fallen to 40 mph, and I had been exclusively on the A9. I had yet to be passed by a single other vehicle...it was impossible! That stretch was something like 150-180 miles.

Once I joined the A72, things immediately improved. There was still quite a bit of construction, and one accident (which brought the A72 down to one lane), but I was able to get the average speed up to 44 mph, by the time I reached Dresden. Total miles drive was now 500, avg mph 44, 20.1 mpg. I arrived in Dresden near 10pm, so 500 miles was a decent day of driving, for the car's first day. To me, it feels like 3 days. The trip to Fussen, then the horror of the A9, followed by a decent run on the A72.

Today, I got up a bit late, after spending the night at th Westin Bellevue in downtown Dresden. A nice place for under 300DM, including parking, for a river view room. Due to the late start, I decided not to stop in Berlin. Disappointing, but a wise decision. The A13 to Berlin is a great stretch. Cruising in the 110-120 range was frequently possible. There was a perfect stretch for a max speed run, but I didn't want to excede tee 120/4000 limits, so I bit my tongue and waited. Another nice stretch on the A13 had some pretty old pavement, which showed off the 540's excellent handling under less than ideal conditions.

The A10, came next, as I circled around Berlin. It was on this stretch, that my first and only blow-by occurred. An M5 literally blew my doors off, as he passed me by doing only 115. That car was really humming, above me by 30mph, at least. Other than that, the 110-120 mph range pretty much keeps up or passes everything on the road. I did hit 125 for a couple of seconds on 2 seperate occassions, but like I said, I'm trying my damndest to stay under 120/4000.

After the A10, the A24 took me to Hamburg. The A24 was nearly as nice as the A13, again with frequent cruises in the 110-120 range possible on this Saturday afternoon. Arriving in Hamburg, my avg mph is back up to 55mh, 19.1 mpg, and 800 miles logged. Today was a really great day!

I've chosen the hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, a Raffles hotel and on BMW's list of the Greatest hotels in the world. Its certainly a nice hotel, but it was difficult to hand the keys to the valet for parking.

Tomorrow I head back to Frankfurt, so that I can return the car on Monday. The car, has been great. A real driving pleasure. Strangely, in Fussen, the car warned of low oil pessure. I turned it off/then back on, and have not received the warning since. Also, sport mode of the transmission is neary unusable, because of the liklihood of exceding 4000rpm, under even light throttle. Thus, as painful as its been, I've just used Normal, since leaving Fussen. I think I've pretty much got the sport seats dialed in. When the road is clear, cruising comfortably at 120mph, I can find that perfect "spot" where my whole body is relaxed, yet alert. Its true driving blissness!

I think I'll take a 50-100 mile drive tonite, add thus make it possible for me to break through the 1200 mile barrier tomorrow, and then finally due some "enthusiastic" driving...possibly near Heidelberg, where I've been before.

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.