My M4 European Delivery Journey Begins Tomorrow, 7/8

[GBPackerfan1963]

Originally Posted by PeterK916

Those rotors are huge!

......and they're real and spectacular.

[PeterK916]

Originally Posted by GBPackerfan1963

......and they're real and spectacular.

Hey I am from Rancho Cordova but work in Elk Grove. Nice that you are getting an M4 may be I will get to see it around town, im jealous haha.

[GBPackerfan1963]

Originally Posted by PeterK916

Hey I am from Rancho Cordova but work in Elk Grove. Nice that you are getting an M4 may be I will get to see it around town, im jealous haha.

Cool. I'll probably be the only YMB one around.

[Dackelone]

@X3paul

Originally Posted by W///

Be super careful in Italy. Just know that if I did ED, I'd never ever take my car there. And be careful around Como too, the roads are so insanely narrow, you'll be shocked.

??? Driving in Italy is fine. Sure they don't drive like Germans, but I'd say the Italians are pretty good drivers as a whole. The Italians are just agressive drivers - there is a difference between aggressiveness and being an unsafe driver. Certainly they are better at driving than my fellow American drivers.

Worst place to drive is here is on any US Base. lol Even with a max speed limit of 30 kph "we" still wreck our cars on post!

I would much prefer to visit Italy, than say some former east block countries. Or even Switzerland! To each his own. The great thing about ED - is to go where YOU want to go see/visit. And create memories that will stay with you for a lifetime!

[stressdoc]

I second this. Yes the roads are narrow by USA standards, especially around Como. And yes Italians drive like maniacs, but they are skilled maniacs, and more so in the cities and in the south. Bellagio and Portofino are spectacular! Relax, take a break from driving; walk, take a boat.

Originally Posted by Dackelone

@X3paul

??? Driving in Italy is fine. Sure they don't drive like Germans, but I'd say the Italians are pretty good drivers as a whole. The Italians are just agressive drivers - there is a difference between aggressiveness and being an unsafe driver. Certainly they are better at driving than my fellow American drivers.

Worst place to drive is here is on any US Base. lol Even with a max speed limit of 30 kph "we" still wreck our cars on post!

I would much prefer to visit Italy, than say some former east block countries. Or even Switzerland! To each his own. The great thing about ED - is to go where YOU want to go see/visit. And create memories that will stay with you for a lifetime!

[acuteperformance]

lol thanks for the advice

[X3paul]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

I second this. Yes the roads are narrow by USA standards, especially around Como. And yes Italians drive like maniacs, but they are skilled maniacs, and more so in the cities and in the south. Bellagio and Portofino are spectacular! Relax, take a break from driving; walk, take a boat.

I wasnt talking about drivers or narrow roads but traffic. In italy, from June to Septmber traffic ruins a road trip. My mother is from lake garda. great roads around, the dolomites are near but turists ruin it, specially if your driving. Portugal and spain, despite traffic during summer, most roads away from beaches... you can really stretch an engine there without fear of radars or traffic.

[W///]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

@X3paul




??? Driving in Italy is fine. Sure they don't drive like Germans, but I'd say the Italians are pretty good drivers as a whole. The Italians are just agressive drivers - there is a difference between aggressiveness and being an unsafe driver. Certainly they are better at driving than my fellow American drivers.

Worst place to drive is here is on any US Base. lol Even with a max speed limit of 30 kph "we" still wreck our cars on post!

I would much prefer to visit Italy, than say some former east block countries. Or even Switzerland! To each his own. The great thing about ED - is to go where YOU want to go see/visit. And create memories that will stay with you for a lifetime!

I've driven all over Europe in a rented F11. Granted I know it's a bigger car, and the only issue I had was in Italy. Like I said, around Como, the roads were just so narrow. You got barries on one side, and if there's another car that's bigger coming on the other way, you will be less than 1M from touching. I had a GoPro and watching the video, it was insane how close to was from the barrier. I"m not so much worried about the drivers as I am of the roads themselves. And people on mopeds.

Never been to Rome or Venice, but everyone I've talked to told me to just park the car towards the outside of the cities, and walk or take public transport.

[acuteperformance]

7/12 - Trip to Bormio, Italy

Woke up bright and early in Innsbruck and decided to head out to Silvretta Pass. First stop was a Shell gas station for her first tank off gas. Of course coming from Los Angeles, the first thing I notice is the 100 octane fuel @ $1.60/liter ($6.06/gal). I figure why not right?

Couple notes about their gas stations:

(1) You pump first and then pay after. This totally wouldn’t fly in the larger cities in LA. You’d have people stealing gas all the time.

(2) The gas pumps are super high up I wonder how short people reach them (sorry no picture maybe later).



Now off to Silvretta Pass. The pass is a toll road with an entrance fee of 15 euros that is good for the entire day. Excited and nervous, I turned on the GoPro and drove ahead. Unfortunately, the clouds did not cooperate and the roads were wet making the drive tenuous and lackluster. It took roughly 30 minutes to reach the bottom and by that time I was starving. My sister and I ended up at Kuntafuner Stobli.





Having just recovered from food poisoning, I was eager to have a real meal; too bad the menu was not in English.



Oh well, I’ll just find words that might be recognizable like Wienerschnitzel and pommes-frites —- hot dog and fries right? Nope I was wrong but it was still pretty good.



I almost decided to take the bigger roads to my next destination instead of going through Silvretta again, but the clouds looked better so I figured why not I already paid the 15 euros. I’m glad I did. Here are some stunning photos of my car and more.







Here are pictures taken from the GoPro (10 sec interval pictures).

























Done with Silvretta Pass, I set my GPS to Bormio, Italy. And this would begin an interesting drive…

[fuddman]

Some neat shots with that camera mounted on the nose. I'm guessing that's what it is.
You took a hellava chance passing that truck with a curve ahead. I bet you were using all 414 horses. Or is 415?

[acuteperformance]

Arrived in Como, Italy and I must say that the road ARE very narrow, but I LOVED IT!

I felt like a rally racer / Initial D winding along the coast of Lake Como dodging cars, people and bicycles. I was mostly in 2nd and 3rd gear the entire time and the DCT is smooth as butter through downshifts and upshifts. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed driving this 18 mile from Bellagio to Como -- yes I'm weird.

[BenTrovato]

Fantastic thread, keep the pics coming!

[bimmerj]

I think this thread is awesome. I think you making the journey alone makes it that much more special.

[macagain]

Originally Posted by acuteperformance

7/12 - Trip to Bormio, Italy

Woke up bright and early in Innsbruck and decided to head out to Silvretta Pass. First stop was a Shell gas station for her first tank off gas. Of course coming from Los Angeles, the first thing I notice is the 100 octane fuel @ $1.60/liter ($6.06/gal). I figure why not right?

... [edited]

Now off to Silvretta Pass. The pass is a toll road with an entrance fee of 15 euros that is good for the entire day. Excited and nervous, I turned on the GoPro and drove ahead. Unfortunately, the clouds did not cooperate and the roads were wet making the drive tenuous and lackluster. It took roughly 30 minutes to reach the bottom and by that time I was starving. My sister and I ended up at Kuntafuner Stobli.

... [images deleted]

I almost decided to take the bigger roads to my next destination instead of going through Silvretta again, but the clouds looked better so I figured why not I already paid the 15 euros. I’m glad I did. Here are some stunning photos of my car and more.

... [images deleted]

Done with Silvretta Pass, I set my GPS to Bormio, Italy. And this would begin an interesting drive…

Where is Silvretta Pass? Google Maps did not seem to recognize it... Your map does show you going through Stelvio Pass... is it somewhere there, i.e. in the same national pass?

[Soul_Glo]

Loving reading this. Thanks for sharing.

[acuteperformance]

Here you go.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvrettastra%C3%9Fe

Originally Posted by macagain

Where is Silvretta Pass? Google Maps did not seem to recognize it... Your map does show you going through Stelvio Pass... is it somewhere there, i.e. in the same national pass?

[sq86]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Makes it as if we're there with you. At least I wish I was...

[JoeyLeeBMW]

Great thread Michael!

I am glad I was able to help you with your 1st European Delivery on your new 2015 BMW M4 Coupe!

The Yas Marinas Metallic is def the best color for the new M4 IMHO!

Thanks for sharing your experience and pictures!

[Gor@AcutePerformance]

Get back here and mount those ADV1s already!!!!

[acuteperformance]

7/15 - Gotthard Pass

[GarlicBun]

i am always excited to see good ED journal!
keep posting pics then everyone feels like going there with you!

[GBPackerfan1963]

Originally Posted by acuteperformance

7/15 - Gotthard Pass