July '16 ED (Germany/Belgium) w/ SSII/Amaro Brwn F80 ZCP 6MT: 2400+ miles!

[DE Urlaub]

As I write this, we are about 5 weeks out from heading over the pond. Our anticipation is building and it is time to give back to all of you folks at Bimmerpost! Man do I love reading the ED veterans' preparations and exploits at the Welt and all that follows - photos ain't bad either. Talk about stimulating the imagination! It has been a long research process for me to fine tune the exact, perfect M machine that belongs in my garage. BTW, I am nearly finished with a complete refurbishment of a detached 2.5 car garage to include insulation, dry wall, lighting, upgraded electrical, 220V outlets, epoxy floor coating, car lift, and climate control so as to pamper the beast between spirited operations!
Can't tell you how much useful information that I have captured regarding this impressive, sophisticated piece of machinery from my questions asked and all of YOUR inputs and discussions. THANKS!!

So...........
Background: First M, First BMW, Third ED, Fifteenth or so visit to Germany (DE). Wife is 1/2 German and she and my oldest boy are nearly fluent (aka my "crutches"). As you can tell from my signature, my high performance automobile experience mostly pre dates the Model Year 1971. So I am thinking that the technology of an M3 may have evolved a bit from the subtlety of an 850 HP '66 Nova or a Super Performance Axle package behind an original HEMI 'cuda. However, I figure tail-happy is tail-happy once the nannies are turned off.

Build: 25th week, F80, 6MT, SSII, Amaro Brown, Comp Pkg, CCB, Exec Pkg, Lighting Pkg, Driver Assist Pkg, Enhance USB/Bluetooth. A study in contrast! Max luxury/technology vs. a manual tranny. One of the compelling arguments for a BMW for us was that my wife HAD TO HAVE a manual tranny. Tough to argue with that! We will also head to South Carolina in the late summer for a PCD with at least one extra day for performance driving instruction.

BMW Welt p/u: Independence Day! 4 July 2016 with a 1000 check in and 1130 delivery.

We love EU and particularly DE. My work (retired USN) occasionally took me there starting in the early 90's. I started taking my family there in '95 utilizing the "Space A" military hops (if there are extra seats available on certain Mil transport aircraft or tankers, they allow active duty + families to tag along). Well, this caught on like wild fire with my family and we just kept going back, and back, and back. We have made some dear friends and one family in particular (3 generations living in one house) has two girls the same age as our boys and they have effectively grown up "together". They have visited us in the U.S. as well. They live in the tiniest of villages on a small farm in a very non-touristy, but very beautiful kind of place in a region known as the Sauerland. Each time we go to DE now we invariably meet them there or some other place in EU for holiday. This trip will be no different.

Because we have been to EU so many times (still not enough) we like to take a slightly more relaxed pace as we have seen many of the tourist attractions. Our farm friends have given us a real behind-the-scenes look at German life including traditions, local festivals, Flohmarkt (flea markets), Schutzenfest (Shooting festival), Grillplatz (Communal gathering to grill up some terrific meats), visiting their extended family and friends, architecture tours, etc. Spending time on our friends' farm is like stepping back in time and throttling back a bit. The house we stay in was burned to its foundation in a battle at the waning days of WWII. The patriarch of the family was twelve years old and fondly remembers the American GIs and how well they treated him (Hershey Chocolate!).

For me, planning is half of the fun. So, here's our itinerary:

Day one - Wife and I drive to D.C. and leave dog with a shipmate stationed in D.C. Depart IAD for FRA. We are using our Lufthansa "Miles and More" flight points to get us there.

Day two - Arrive FRA at 0530. Take ICE train to MUC. Stay at Airbnb nr the Welt.

Day three - M3 delivery at the Welt! Depart for Sauerland - staying at friends' farm.

Day five - Our boys (+ one of their GFs) join us. They live nr LAX and will depart for BRU.

Day six - p/u kids and head to a suburb of Bruges and Ghent, Belgium. Staying 4 days at Airbnb (servants quarters on ancient 30 acre estate).

Day nine - head to Sauerland to stay with (same) friends.

Day eleven - head to Bremen to visit friends' daughter finishing up Masters at local University. Staying at small Hotel on Weser River.

Day thirteen to eighteen - head back to Sauerland farm. Multiple day trips to cool places like: Munster, Soest, Arnsberg, Sorpesee, Mohnesee, etc. 1200 mile service accomplished at local BMW dealership with spirited driving and top speed run to follow!!

Day nineteen - drop off kids at FRA for return to LAX.

Day nineteen to day twenty. Em and Pee (aka Ma and Pa) relax in and around Sauerland farm.

Day twenty - Em and Pee drive to FRA and wash/drop-off M3. Stay overnight at Flughafen Sheraton.

Day twenty-one. FRA to IAD and p/u pup and drive home!


Here's most of our rail/driving plan:



Here's a site that helps you find an unfettered/extended/unlimited-speed autobahn stretch. I plan on having some fun using the stretch between Dortmund and Kassel (A44).
http://www.autobahn-speedhunter.com/

[eqpablon]

Sounds like a great plan! I am looking forward to your trip report.

[DE Urlaub]

This is one of my old mounts that I am transitioning from.



* I am only able to get one photo per post - so will post another shot in next.

[DE Urlaub]

It was easy to light up the rears...

[MrMotorwerk]

Be aware that large stretches of the Autobahn are speed limited, lots of roads under construction and the occasional traffic accident really throws a wrench at the travel plans.

[KevinM]

Nice trip you have planned!

[PoorLurker]

Cool car!

I actually just saw one of those driving in my area. I have not seen one of them in years!

Is that called a shaker hood?

[DE Urlaub]

Thanks, I had a lot of fun with it. Yes, it is the "shaker" hood. The air intake system is attached directly to the top of the engine and is exposed through a hole in the middle of the hood. When the engine shakes (think lumpy cam) the exposed cold air intake shakes. Engines today run too smoothly for this to be a cool feature!

[Dackelone]

I forgot about the Dortmund and Kassel A44 Autobahn. Yes, thats a nice stretch. I've driven that way many a time going to Essen. Also the A7 on the way down from Kassel to Fulda is nice. On the A44 just before Kassel there are some permanent speed cameras(Blitzers) there. Also just as you go thru Fulda by the IKEA and afterwards going down that "hill" in the 100 kph zone. The A7 is nice autobahn from Kassel to Würzburg too.

You might want to buy a Blitzer app(even though they are illegal, everyone uses them) or a cheap Navi(GPS) with DE maps and a speed camera lists in it. <130 euros.

I know you (extended) family is from Sauerland - but I really despise that area. I would head South of Munich for a few days. Kufstein(A), Bertchesgarten or Salzburg(A), or even Northern Italy(Modena or Sella or Verona) would be my recommendation.


Places to visit near Munich while on ED...
http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1170588

[DE Urlaub]

Thanks for the great tips. Glad to hear yr confirmation of that stretch of autobahn. I will def look into the apps.

Yes, I understand your thots about the Sauerland. It is an acquired taste particularly in comparison to the breathtaking beauty down south. Sauerland is special to us because of how our DE friends have presented it to us. There is some nuance in the area to us and behind the scenes stuff that we have gotten to see. We really feel at home here and have come to know many of their friends and family. We have toured quite a bit over a good part of EU over the years and have seen much of the uber beauty and wonderful people.

[DE Urlaub]

Although not reflected on the "Track my BMW" site, a call to the Genius this a.m. revealed that our car went into production yesterday (6/1)! Projected completion date is 6/23. Boy, this is getting real!!!

[DE Urlaub]

Finally showed up on "track your BMW"!

[DE Urlaub]

My boys are interested in visiting Cologne. I am interested in any must-see attractions. Thanks!

[MFore]

Have you seen the movie In Bruges? Very dark humor but since you will be staying there it might be worth a look.
I have to admit seeing the 7 series test mule blow by me as I was going 100 mph was a highlight of my ED.
Do you plan to bring a dash cam?

[DE Urlaub]

I love "In Bruges". That movie cracks me up. Have seen it several times and it inspired me to visit the city one day. I plan to visit some of the sets from the movie. I hear you about certain cars blowing by you on the A-bahn. I usually found that it was Mom and the kids in an estate Audi or Merc or BMW. They are very serious about their "super-highways" in Germany. I was not planning to take a dash cam - that would be cool though!

[MFore]

Very funny movie. I can't tell from your list of cars if you are a GM guy or a Mopar guy. I didn't think you could be both but I have been wrong before.
If you check out my ED write up there is a video after the photo of the 7 series test mule. Worth the price of the cam if you ask me.
Enjoy your trip. I cant wait to do it again. 2020 maybe?

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ighlight=dyers

[backagain]

Originally Posted by DE Urlaub

Although not reflected on the "Track my BMW" site, a call to the Genius this a.m. revealed that our car went into production yesterday (6/1)! Projected completion date is 6/23. Boy, this is getting real!!!

Mine went in production today as well, projected completion on 6/22. See you at Welt.

[DE Urlaub]

Yeah, I like 'em all, even the Fords. I like the different interpretations of a muscle car by each of the big three. Believe it or not I am looking forward to the next ED (after this one) too. It is a terrific experience to drive your own car in a foreign land - the ultimate souvenir!! Great ED story. I like your sense of humor! Video is impressive and the rare sighting was a bonus!

[DE Urlaub]

Originally Posted by backagain

Mine went in production today as well, projected completion on 6/22. See you at Welt.

Congrats - mine is scheduled to be completed on 6/23. Are you a 7/4 delivery? Time?

[backagain]

Originally Posted by DE Urlaub

Congrats - mine is scheduled to be completed on 6/23. Are you a 7/4 delivery? Time?

3:10pm on 7/4.

[DE Urlaub]

Originally Posted by backagain

3:10pm on 7/4.

Excellent! What is yr build and what are yr plans for yr ED? I have to hit the road by 1230 to get up north by the end of the day.

[DE Urlaub]

Bruges is sometimes called the "Venice of the North (EU)".