Just back from European Delivery - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

aces full · 12th June 2001, 01:13

Well, I'm officially an M5 owner, although I now have the painful 6-8 week wait for my car to arrive from Europe!!!! The trip (my honeymoon) was fantastic, starting with a great wedding, and then the trip abroad. I'll post pictures when I get them developed, and I want to thank all who helped me with disks, and advice!!!!
Dieter, the European Delivery Mangager in Munich, was great, and took lots of time w/us to help learn the car, and all it's features.
For those who are thinking of driving their M5 in Southern Italy-----DON'T!!!!! The best advice I got (thanks Daniel) was to fly to Italy, and rent a car!!! The roads around S Italy are way too small....every time a bus came around a curve, someone had to back up!!!! It was fun, but hairy, and I was happier in a rented VW Passat!!!!
Our trip started in Munich, and then on to Baden-Baden, Vougeot (Burgundy), Zurich (1200 mile service at Titan BMW), left the car, flew to Rome, rented, and drove to Positano, then back to Rome, flew to Zurich and picked up the car, drove to Lake Como, and then made a stop at Edwin Gerber BMW in Burgdorf, Switzerland, to get Kellener's pedals, and short shift installed.....the service there was great. While waiting for the install, Herr Gerber's daughter drove us to a restaurant, and then picked us up. They cleaned the car as if we were getting ready to show it!!! We then drove to Lucern, and then, finally on to Zurich. I scrathed one wheel, and somehow wound up with a small scratch on the underside of the front spoiler (valet parking). Barbara, at the dropoff point in Zurich, called the insurance company for us, and thanks to the zero deductable, the repairs will be on the house!!!!
One thing that confused me was the documentation calls for a different oil than they insisted on giving me in Europe. They changed my oil w/10W60, but the manual calls for 10W30, or 10W40 (I think). What's the deal???
Anyhow----What a trip, what a car, what a new wife!!!! Life is good!!!!!

------------------
The countdown has begun.. getting my '01 LeMans Blue/LeMans Blue on 5/22/01

JFB · 12th June 2001, 01:21

Congratulations on both counts.

I fondly recall driving a newly delivered 320i out of Munich and flooring it on the Autobahn (within the break-in rpm limits of course). Doing that in an M5 must have been awesome.

I hope you enjoy married life as much as you enjoy the new car.

johann · 12th June 2001, 01:21

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

Hope you enjoyed Europe!

How do you find the shortshift?

Cheers,
/Johan

ydelta · 12th June 2001, 01:23

aces full,

Congratulations !

I would like to welcome you among the beast' owners circle (which is growing up everyday). I think that your post will be read carefully by some of your fellows (I think to Atomic80 who is waiting for his beast for mid-July).

Don't forget to keep it easy during the break-in period and let the ragtag and the bobtail racing against their shadows...

------------------
Y@nn http://francegate.com

[This message has been edited by ydelta (edited 12 June 2001).]

atomic80 · 12th June 2001, 01:40

Yup, I'm still waiting eagerly for my beast! I know that firstbmw, JimC and HawaiiM5 are also waiting too for July deliveries. The part that sucks the most is that mine is most likely going to be arriving when I'm out of town.

Was there a way to track the ships using their GPS transceivers? I seem to recall someone talking about that. Anybody know?

Jason

atomic80 · 12th June 2001, 01:41

Oh yeah, and congrats to you aces full! LIke JFB said...did you floor it when you first got on the autobahn?

Here's hoping to a good break-in for you, aces full!

Jason

aces full · 12th June 2001, 01:55

To Johann----I couldn't believe the difference w/the short shifter!!! I love it. I'm glad that I kept the OEM knob, which illuminates!! The pedals look great as well. I also got the parking brake lever from Kellener's!!! That was a great tip you gave me....the whole package was much cheaper than AC Schnitzer, and looks fantastic.

To YDelta---my breakin period is over.... I was glad to hit 200 Km in Switzerland, and have TitanAG BMW service my car, and then, I could "let it rip."

My only dissappppointment w/the M5 so far, is the sound system.....even with the M Audio, it sucks!!!!! I produce records for a living, so I'm a bit "over-sensitive" to great audio----

adios

blue max · 12th June 2001, 01:58

Welcome back aces!

Sounds like a wonderful trip. I have a couple of questions:

1) ou sons les photos?...eh?

2) did you run into(not literally) any cyclists practicing for the Tour de France?

3) did you check the messageboard while on your honeymoon? just for a quick peek

Cheers.

[This message has been edited by blue max (edited 12 June 2001).]

johann · 12th June 2001, 02:09

aces full,

Glad you liked it!

The difference is striking, right?
Didn't think the difference would be that big but it was.

I also kept the OEM knob, I think it feels and looks better.

I added a 12" (is " inch) Polk Sub woofer and a decent Velocity amp to drive it and IMO it sounds pretty good and I am an audiophile with way to much invested in sound equipment at home. Not that it compares to producing records.

Cheers,
/Johan

RGCohen · 12th June 2001, 02:13

Welcome back! I'm glad you had a safe trip.

I found the wait while the car was in transit from Germany to be difficult. Having already driven the car and knowing it is broken-in already must make the wait even worse. Be strong, young man. Fortunately you have your new wife to give you strength

.

Is you car coming on Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines? Do you know the ship name?

Have you tried the various suggestions for setting the equalizer that other members have made?

Best regards,
Richard