spartacus_33

Good morning,
I just joined today. I'm planning a European Delivery from BMW in late February and am still planning my itinerary. Anyone's assistance or comments would be greatly appreciated.
My plan so far (although rough):

Wednesday-Friday basically leaving from Munich and arriving in Cologne, (rough details below):

Wednesday drive from Munich to Fussen tour the castles and continue up the Romantic Road, (possibly staying the night in Rothenburg.

Continue to Wurzburg, somehow get over to the Black Forest and eventually arrive in Cologne on Friday.

Friday drop off the car and take the train to Paris for the weekend...... fly back to the states on Sunday.

I'm not sure about the driving conditions in February or the best way to spend my time getting from Wurzburg to the Black Forest and then on to Cologne.

As mentioned any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

Budman

Steve, congratulations. I picked up mine June 2002 and loved every minute of the experience.

Your itinerary is pretty aggressive. If you are picking up the car on Wednesday, plan on being there until at least noon -- then a 2-hour or so drive to Fussen, and see Neuschwanstein? Hohenschwangau? Linderhof? It will be dark by then. Might want to look for lodging in Neuschwanstein area.

Why are you going to Cologne? You can drop the car off in Paris.

Instead of Black Forest, you might want to consider driving around the Rhine/Mosel rivers en route to Cologne.

Why Cologne?

Wednesday thru Friday will be like a "drive by shooting." You could spend the 2-3 days staying in Bavaria alone.

Break out a map and check driving times. Factor in snow.

There are 101 different possibilities. Good luck on your choices.

spartacus_33

Budman,
I'm actually arriving in Munich on Monday afternoon. Not enough time to pick up the car. So... I'm actually picking the car up on Tuesday morning and driving to Dingofling to see the 5 series factory.
I was planning on checking out of my hotel early Wednesday morning and heading straight for Fussen.

Why Cologne? I have to drop the car off before the weekend, (Friday). My girlfriend wants to go to Paris. I'm leary of driving in Paris so thought I would just drop off the car and take the train, (although tickets are $150/RT or $100/OW). You make a good suggestion. If I cut out the Black Forest and drove to Paris I could save $200-$300 and put that towards hotels in Paris. I'm waiting to hear back from Lufthansa for fare differences (flying back from Frankfort vs Paris). SOOOOO many decisions to make.

I'm VERY learing of driving in Germany or France in February with summer tires. Do you have any suggestions of routes to avoid between Munich - Cologne -Paris?

Thanks,
Steve

Bob1

Spartacus: You can never predict the weather, but the Germans keep the autobahns in pretty good shape all winter. Your only problem would be getting caught in a storm and that is very possible in Bavaria.

If you make it to Rothenburg I recommend the HOTEL MARKUSTURM or the REICHS KUCHENMEISTER. Both are well situated within the walls and close to the town square. This is a great town to see in winter.

Driving in Paris is not that bad.....if you have a good navigator. My wife and I had no problems a few years ago coming in from Normandy and making it to the hotel in downtown. She gave me the directions and I followed her lead. Just time your arrival to avoid the early rush or the late going home rush. I would think a weekend arrival would be even better.

You will find numerous recommendations on this site for great places to stay around Neuschwanstein castle in Fussen. We normally stay over in Garmisch, but Fussen would be more convenient for what you are doing.

Budman

Steve, I would scratch the Factory tour and head straight to Fussen on Tuesday after you pick up the car. Spend the night and Wednesday in the area (visit Etal & Oberamergau), and head for Reims to position yourself to arrive there on Thursday. Take a champagne tour.

Friday morning, get up and drive to Paris (1 1/2 hour drive from Reims) and turn in the car. Spend the remainder of your time in Paris before you fly out. You don't need a car in Paris.

I don't know about summer tires. I use my tires year round.

You are going to have to play the weather/snow my ear.

hopscotch

Steve,

If you have not driven on the <i>Autobahnen</i> before I recommend that you get someone from the Beamer factory to take you out for a short cruise, and you drive back. It will be an hour well spent. German expressways are a whole nuther world and driving at 125 mph (200 kph) is not something you do every day, or is it?

The speed limit on French tollways is 130 kph, 80 mph. You will be bored. Paris is not a difficult city to drive in, but it is a difficult city to park in. If you overnight the car make sure your hotel has an enclosed parking garage, and that you reserve a space.

spartacus_33

Thanks to all for your comments/suggestions.........

Budman,
I have just a few things that I would like to do while in Germany:
1) See the 5 series factory
2) See the castles near Fussen
3) Tour the Romantic Road
4) End with a couple days in Paris

My intended route is:
Tuesday - Pick up car and drive to factory and back. Stay in Munich.

Wednesday - Drive to Fussen (tour the castles) continue North on the RR, finish the day by driving and staying overnight in Rothenburg.

Thursday - Drive to Luxembourg (still not sure about this, but looks like a logical place to stay before heading for Paris.
Friday - Leave Luxembourg and arrive in Paris (drop off car).

What I really haven't a clue about is where exactly I might encounter high mountain passes.

You mention &quot;Heading for Reims&quot;. That must be in France. I can't find it on my Germany map. You also mention Etal and Oberamergau. I've not heard of these. Where and what are they?

Bob1,

Thanks for the Hotel recommendations in Rothenburg. Do you think the RR could be hazardous in late February.
I have a huge Michelin map and am trying to avoid to ominous dark areas along my route.

Thanks again,
Spartacus_323

Budman

Oberammergau and Ettal are near Garmisch, as is Linderhof. If I had a choice, I would visit Linderhof, Ettal, and Oberammergau, then head to Rothenburg, instead of doing Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Either way, Wednesday will be very aggressive.

Reims is in France - close to Paris (1 1/5 hours away. I would drive there and spend the night vice Luxembourg.

Luxembourg is a few hours from Paris -- I would give my self the extra time on Friday, since that is the last day to turn in the car, and spend the night in Reims on Thursday.

Robespierre

If you go through F&uuml;ssen, take a moment to see the unusual sculpture in front of the Tourist Information Bureau. Here's a low-grade video of it:

http://67.72.88.50/dscf0225.avi

There are about 7 rough stone columns some 10' high and a foot square. The top foot has been cut off and is both supported and rotated by water pressure. It's quite striking.

Andre

spartacus_33,

Why don't you just buy a set of snow tires as well? Won't you also need them when you move to the US?

I would NEVER plan on driving around Bavaria and/or the Black Forest in February with summer tires. If I absolutely had to do it, I would pad my itinerary in order to be flexible on dates should there be significant snowfall.

Hope this helps,

Andre

Andre

Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking - didn't mean &quot;move to the US&quot;, but &quot;get back to the US&quot;!

Time to head to bed - posting from Switzerland, where it's almost midnight. ;-)

Andre

rhkkmk

don't give up on the factory tours...they are fantastic...you need a reservation...i assume you know that...
good hotel in rothenburg is klingetor hotel (B&amp;B)...just outside the klingentor gate to the town...family run and a nice restaurant....we often stay there....reasonable as well....5 minute walk to center of town...free parking in an enclosed parking lot that only holds 5 or 6 cars...

ezlivin

&quot;Why don't you just buy a set of snow tires as well? Won't you also need them when you move to the US?&quot;

Depends on where in the US spartacus is from - don't need them in areas where it doesn't (or rarely) snows.

Also, as snow tires are not original BMW equipment, I believe the tires would have to be imported separately from the car - in terms of bulk and weight, that would be very costly. It's cheaper to buy them here (in the US).

I've done the BMW Euro delivery twice and always enjoyed the factory tour - don't miss it (and the free lunch at the cafeteria)!

Comgtatulations and enjoy.

PS: BMW recommends driving under 100mph during the first 1000 miles. That's why during my first ever pick up of a 330, it took me all 5 days just to drive out and dropped-off the car back into Munich just so I can go over the break-in period at the autobahn on the way back.

Andre

ezlivin,

I realized that spartacus_33 might not live in an area where snow tires were needed, hence my (admittedly badly worded) question.

Didn't know about the possible customs issues - if the extra set of tires is part of the same total invoiced price for the car, I don't see how that would have any influence though, there are other &quot;3rd party&quot; products already bundled with the car, included the 1st set of tires of course.

I find speeds of about 100 mph (160 kph) very comfortable on the Autobahn. You will be going somewhat faster than most other cars (but keep your eyes on the rearview mirror when in the passing lane ;-) ). Anything above 100 mph requires serious concentration on the driver's part IMO.

BTW, as a European resident, I sure wish BMW had an equivalent program w/pickup in the US...

Hope this helps,
Andre

ezlivin

There are differences between standard equipment and Factory-installed equipment and options. Both of these are discounted as far as buying through the Euro Delivery program is concerned (and this is the attraction of doing the Euro Delivery when shopping for a BMW). Unfortunately, I believe that snow tires are neither of the 2. Snow tires are purchased as, sort of like, after-market options.

Hence, one has to pay full retail price and, if purchased in Munich, may have to be exported to the US seperate from the car.

Also, it's too bad that the process is only one way. I realize that the X5 and X3 are produced in the BMW plants in South Carolina. I am not advocating that there is &quot;equal&quot; fun in driving a Bimmer in SC as it is in driving in the roads where the car was originally meant to be driven in (i.e. in Europe). Also, not advocating one to drive wildly fast while picking up a car in Europe. But, legally going over 120 mph in a Bimmer is such a rush in a car that drives, controls, and handles so finely, even at such high speeds.

Budman

Has anybody purchased the GPS on the European Delivery Program? Will it work in Europe, or do they have to load special software? Just curious because I was thinking of ordering it on my next one.

Andre

Interesting info re: import duties, not that I can use it personally

Re: a version of the program for Europeans, I could indeed think of better pickup locations than BMW's plant in SC...

For example, driving along the Pacific Coast or through the SW (AZ,UT etc.) in a brand new bimmer would be a nice perk... but I'm not holding my breath. I think I'll be relying on a rental car during my trips to the States in the foreseeable future.

Andre

ezlivin

You can always arrange for a rental Bimmer for your next trip here in the US.

Budman

I rented a BMW 3 series in Munich for about $30 a day in 2001. It was $100 a day in San Fran in 2003.

Andre

At those prices, I'll stick with Trailblazers from Alamo and the like in the US and just drive my bimmer when I get home, thank you very much ;-)

P.S. spartacus, I really didn't intend to hijack your thread, but at least it's being topped this way...