gdavis

I'll only do a brief description for now, since I've got a case of jet lag and will come back with pics and details soon.

We started out on 17 June in Munich at Freimann, tucked off the major roads inside a residential neighborhood s short walk from the U-bahn. It's the most amazing thing to walk up to perfect strangers, tell them you want a car, and show them your photo in the passport, and in-turn receiving a gem of a car after enjoying some espresso, and snacks from a Swedish waitress. (of course its all planned in advance, but it still seems strange.)

The most magical feature was the Nav system with Euro roads DVD (I had brought from the states after buying direct from Navteq).

I can't believe how much easier it made our 3 weeks to use Nav. I've travelled through Germany and France before without Nav and always fumbled with maps, gotten lost (briefly, but ocassionally), and lost plenty of time working while driving. Nav changed that entirely. It allowed me to watch the scenery somewhat, and just drive by following the Nav babe's directions. The voice feature is just incredible.

We went this route and programmed the nav system many times for all the places we visited:

Munich, Fussen/Neuschwantsein, Lindau (on Bodensee) VF (Visited a Friend), Bad Urach/thermal baths at 37 degrees water in 12 deg air, Ulm/VF, Reutlingen/VF, Starsbourg France/VF, Paris for 5 days, then drove down to Provence to the home we rented for one week while touring down to the coast areas on the Mediterranean, Nice for 1 day and returned yesterday.

I have to admit, it was difficult to use the car with a family of 4 in it during it's initial weeks; kids feet on doors, dust, dirt, etc!!!!!!!!!!!

But it is truly an amazing machine. We also had it loaded to the gills with stuff. But wow, it is challenging to manuever in some tight places, like Paris. And those motorcycles in France dart in between cars and travel between lanes space or not. Its enough to make ones skin crawl....

gdavis

here's the interior. pardorn my dirt, but the family living in the car for the 3 weeks, left its layer of dirt. Surely will get some loving care upon return.

Flowerfred

Lovely interiour! Congratulations..

Don't you get the PDC as standard?

gdavis

No, the PDC was an additional accessory, and since I don't park as much in city centres where I live, I felt I could draw the line there.....(but would have been nice).

Icy

gdavis,

Great looking car! How do you like the auburn leather?

Looking forward to seeing your pics.

gdavis

Icy,

I really like the auburn leather. It really makes the interior look interesting from my view, I know that its just a personal decision, but I think it looks great and is the first one I've seen with the anthracite trim as well. I'm curious to see how leather of any color will wear with time in regards to wrinkling, etc.

Has anyone had bimmers in the past and able to speak on how leather looks after time. Does it make much difference on how it is maintained? or not...in terms of how well it ages.

Also, anoher question!!!!

I had ordered the rear seat airbags and came to learn that the car was delivered with them dissabled. Does anyone know why that would be???????????? I thought it would be good for kids, and now I don't know. There was something I read about the concern that if kids would fall asleep, then they might lean forward or against the side and if the bag were to go off, problems. Any exerience on this one?

Iceman

For those doing ED and not going driving through the Alps:

I took my car on a nice drive today up on the Feldberg/Taunus (near Frankfurt). This beast is truly amazing. Did a lot of cornering, wonderful test drive. That's actually where some testdrivers are testing the new models (some heavingly disguised). So if you are lucky you see some testing.
That's where I have seen the 1series beeing tested about one year ago and also the M5 and the M6.
When you do ED I can highly recommend driving through the Taunus and up to the Feldberg. But you shouldn't do it any later than 4pm, since the rushhour can cause a lot of traffic in some of these smaller towns up there.

gmartin

Beautiful Ride! I have to admire you ED guys - having driven in Europe on a number of vacations I'm sure I would ruin a few wheels getting into/ out of those narrow parking spaces/ garages