Background on vehicle purchase:
It all started back in December of last year, as more and more details became available in regards to the F80 I knew more and more that this was the vehicle I wanted in the garage. Around March the allocations rolled in, and was able to configure the vehicle to my exact specifications. As my build order was accepted by BMW I set the date for ED pickup on 8/15/14.
As far as the options selected on the vehicle I kept it very basic. Car comes with most of the gadgets anyone really needs plus I was hoping to keep the vehicle weight down as much as possible.
2015 F80 BMW M3
6 Speed Manual
Black Sapphire Metallic paint
Extended Sakhir Orange interior
Enhanced Bluetooth
Harman Kardon Sound
I would like to thank Charles Scott at BMW North Scottsdale for the flawless arrangement of this Euro Delivery. This happened to be my first brand new vehicle purchase so I was a bit nervous, but Charles made the purchase painless, and was constantly keeping me in the loop as to where BMW was in regards to allocations and news on the F80. Not only was the process easy and smooth but also remained that way through the entire trip. Any members in Arizona don’t hesitate to contact him if interest in ever purchasing a BMW.
Charlie Scott
Sales & Leasing Consultant
BMW North Scottsdale
480-538-3989 direct
www.bmwnorthscottsdale.com
Charles.scott@penskeautomotive.com
Lets fast forward to last month when I departed to Munich to begin the incredible nearly month long journey across Europe. This is the first time I have done European delivery on a vehicle. I cannot think of a better way for an individual to get better acquainted with their new M car than doing the process for ED. If you have the opportunity to do ED I highly recommend it. Any future M cars will be purchased through the ED program.
Planning:
Unfortunately there were no decent flights from Phoenix to Munich, either was too long of a journey or the price was just ridiculous. I left Phoenix in the morning 8/15/14 and took the short flight to Los Angeles. Was able to use my credit card rewards points for this leg of the flight since it was such a short trip. Found a great trip from LA to Munich through Air Berlin. Air Berlin provided a very enjoyable flight, and staff on flight were all great.
I spoke with my brother who lives in Vienna Austria as well as Sibiu Romania, and began planning the journey with him. Essentially the plan was to arrive in Munich, and from that point head to Romania to pick him up to begin the journey across Europe.
Here is a rough map of the journey over the month long period. There were stops along small villages throughout the journey but this will give you a general idea of the trip layout. Returned the vehicle with over 4 thousand miles.
The Trip:
Departure from Phoenix, AZ to Los Angeles. 8/15/2014
Munich:
I arrived in Munich on the 16th in the late afternoon. Luckily one of my cousin’s lives in Munich so was able to stay there for two nights. This was my second trip to Europe so I experienced previously how badly the jet lag affects me. Therefore I set the delivery day for that Friday the 18th so I would not be tired during the delivery and the long driving portion to Romania.
From my cousins apartment, just a short walk to the city center. Inside the center of the building plus balcony area. Never had seen a garage like this, automated machines that move your vehicle between you and your neighbors vehicle.
Guess its mandatory to have a big beer immediately when arriving in Bavaria according to my cousin :lolhit: needless to say I wasn’t complaining.
Here are some pictures as I discovered Munich for two days before the delivery date.
Some incredible desserts, came back here twice before I left to get a few more.
In the evening my cousin took me to a beer garden. Never had been to one previously and must say it was a pretty cool experience. Mostly just a social scene of people enjoying some of Bavaria’s finest brews and chatting it up. Plus one of me having one too many that evening.
Few pictures of the old cathedrals in the city center. The intricate detail in some of these places especially considering how old they are is just simply breathtaking.
While walking around the city center happened to stumble across a MB dealership that had a F1 car in the display area.
Delivery day:
The night before delivery had to have a few more tall beers to calm my nerves and help me sleep. Needless to say I still struggled to fall asleep from the excitement of tomorrow being the big day. The pick up date was scheduled for 10:10 am with a check in not later than 9 am. As I couldn’t sleep I fell asleep I arrived at Welt a hour early and explored.
Getting the boring paperwork aspect out of the way as quick as I can. BMW made this process quite simple, just sign a few papers and if you have any questions they are more than happy to sign them, thereafter enjoy the premium lounge before the delivery.
First view of her from the premium lounge!
Enough waiting now, time to get down to the floor.
After delivery the vehicle was left with valet, took a short walk across the street to the museum. Didn’t have enough time to get a picture of every single vehicle, but managed to get most of the ones that stood out. Must say BMW did a great job on all aspects of the museum, whether it is the layout and organization, or the vehicles displayed themselves.
Romania & Austria
Once I had finished up with the museum at Welt, it was time to grab the car and head to Sibiu Romania to pick up my brother. Sorry I didn’t happen to capture many pictures during this leg of the journey, once the vehicle was in Romania it was garaged for 90% of the time as I didn’t feel fully comfortable with it being outdoors.
First fill up just outside of Vienna as I was near the Hungarian border. As pricey as the gas is in Europe, 100 octane though
As soon as I arrived at my brothers home in the early morning gave the car a quick wash, roads were very bad in some portions as not every kilometer was autostrada. And a few pictures of Romania.
After 10 days in Romania, we packed up and headed to Vienna. Was raining heavily during entire stay which made it difficult to see the city. This is where the 1200-mile service was scheduled as well. Unfortunately was only there for two nights so was not able to see everything the city had to offer.
Break in service stop at BMW Wien. Was a very large dealership for being in Europe, and overall very pleasant to be at. They happened to have a M4 on show room floor. Price was $124,000 Euros, almost had a heart attack when I saw that.
Croatia:
After the break in service had been completed on the last day of Austria, we got on the autobahn and made our way to Pula Croatia. This was by far one of my favorite stops along the way. Stayed at Park Plaza Resort right next to the beach for 5 nights.
Here are a few pictures of the M and of the resort.
Italy:
Rome:
After the stay in Croatia we were off to Rome, Italy. I was not originally planning to visit Rome, as this being the last major city that I had yet to see in Europe it was only time to finally make the stop. This city made me nervous to bring the brand new M3 too. Fortunately we were able to find a hotel just outside of the city center that offered free private parking. I was simply fascinated with Rome, the culture, food, architecture, etc. Simply everything about the city was fascinating and am glad I made the trip down there.
Lake Como/Milan:
This was by far my favorite portion of the trip. Lake Como is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Temperature is perfect in this region during summer, was a cool 75 degrees entire three nights we were there.
Leaving Rome and entering the mountainous regions had the opportunity to chase this around for a few hours
Stopped in Portofino Italy for the day. Amazing small town on the coast in Italy. Not sure if there was a event that weekend, but many million dollar yachts in port and along the coast that week.
Final days:
At this point we were beginning to be tired of constantly moving and driving across Europe. After leaving Portofino we began our journey towards Germany. We at this point made the trip to the Ring. Unfortunately I arrived late that day so didn’t have much time other than to get 4 laps in then head on my way back to Munich for final drop off. It had been a dream of mine for many years to one day drive on the ring, this time it being with my own vehicle was the icing on the cake. The course kept me on my toes and alert every second, whether it be from the blind crests, uphill passes, or open straightaways. On the laps I decided not to let my ego/adrenaline get the best of me, I pushed the car but well within the safe limits didn’t want to turn this incredible trip to disaster on my last day.
Here are the few pictures I collected while at the ring.
Final wash & Drop off at Munich International. Now here is the long two month wait till the vehicle reaches the states :banghead:
Driving impressions:
I ended my European Delivery with just barely over 4500 miles so I thought I would give my brief opinion on aspects of the vehicle.
Engine & Power: Before driving one I would say that this was where I was most worried about the new M3. I can truly say that this engine is a piece of art. The power that the vehicle delivers is just truly mind-boggling. With the power delivery being quite linear for a turbo vehicle it creates very little to no turbo lag sensation. The engine sound is actually phenomenal under load. I found myself opening the windows and just listening to the various sounds as I went through the gears.
Steering & Handling: Many of us have argued over the hydraulic vs. electric power steering. While I can say that it this is a great EPS unit, it is not identical to that of a hydraulic unit. The EPS is good at relaying the road conditions to the steering wheel, but it is not a hydraulic unit where you feel every single little crack. The EPS steering is responsive and intuitive. The vehicle dives into corners nicely under throttle and is predictable under acceleration on exits. One thing that did annoy me though, the turning radius on the car is beyond terrible. Trying to turn around in Europe with this was a challenge a few times. As far as handling goes this generation feels significantly lighter on its feet in turns, and the level of grip was amazing. The vehicle feels very planted at all times and displays tons of grip, no matter what you are throwing at it.
Transmission: Since my vehicle is equipped with the 6 speed transmission I must say it is a great one at that. BMW after so many years has finally listened and fixed the notch feeling and long clutch pedal travel that plagued previous generation M cars. The shifts are perfect length and very precise as that. Must say it is one of my favorite parts of the vehicle.
Interior: Nothing to really say here but it is great all around.
Wish i could of taken more pictures of the vehicle but unfortunately i was exploring the cities the vehicle remained in the garage. Thanks for reading the thread guys and if you have any questions in regards to the vehicle feel free to ask
