Planning a visit to BMW Greenville SC
03-01-2011, 03:04 AM
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Going to drive there for a visit this Thursday. Planning to do the factory tour etc. Haven't been there in several years - any suggestions would be welcome.
How much time should I plan to take in "the experience"? I read that cameras and camera phones are not permitted on the factory tour. But I want to take pictures at the 'museum' and don't want to leave them in the car? Do they have a secure place to hold them for you
I will take my BMWCCA card for the discount!
How much time should I plan to take in "the experience"? I read that cameras and camera phones are not permitted on the factory tour. But I want to take pictures at the 'museum' and don't want to leave them in the car? Do they have a secure place to hold them for you
I will take my BMWCCA card for the discount!
03-01-2011, 03:21 AM
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I took the tour of that plant back in 1995, when I lived in SC. Back then it was just a plant, where they assembled Z3's and 318's. There was no "museum", no "BMW experience - just a big plant. It was fun - especially, seeing one Z3 with a little hand-written note on the driver's window that said "SCRAP!". Ouch. Some supplier botched a whole bunch of rear panels and that was one of the first few cars that hadn't passed final inspection. Sad - it was fully assembled and everything.
Anyway, I've got no real advice for you, Louie - I haven't been down that way since 2002. The one thing I did want to suggest: if you are planning to drive there, or back, plan an extra couple of days to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and particularly what is called the "Tail of the Dragon" - curviest road on the East Coast
As for Greenville itself... 
boooooring! I'm pretty sure there're a couple of malls and some office buildings downtown 
Anyway, I've got no real advice for you, Louie - I haven't been down that way since 2002. The one thing I did want to suggest: if you are planning to drive there, or back, plan an extra couple of days to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and particularly what is called the "Tail of the Dragon" - curviest road on the East Coast
As for Greenville itself... boooooring! I'm pretty sure there're a couple of malls and some office buildings downtown
03-01-2011, 03:44 AM
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I took the tour of that plant back in 1995, when I lived in SC. Back then it was just a plant, where they assembled Z3's and 318's. There was no "museum", no "BMW experience - just a big plant. It was fun - especially, seeing one Z3 with a little hand-written note on the driver's window that said "SCRAP!". Ouch. Some supplier botched a whole bunch of rear panels and that was one of the first few cars that hadn't passed final inspection. Sad - it was fully assembled and everything.
Anyway, I've got no real advice for you, Louie - I haven't been down that way since 2002. The one thing I did want to suggest: if you are planning to drive there, or back, plan an extra couple of days to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and particularly what is called the "Tail of the Dragon" - curviest road on the East Coast As for Greenville itself... boooooring! I'm pretty sure there're a couple of malls and some office buildings downtown
Anyway, I've got no real advice for you, Louie - I haven't been down that way since 2002. The one thing I did want to suggest: if you are planning to drive there, or back, plan an extra couple of days to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and particularly what is called the "Tail of the Dragon" - curviest road on the East Coast
As for Greenville itself... boooooring! I'm pretty sure there're a couple of malls and some office buildings downtown
03-01-2011, 09:14 AM
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I've been down to the Performance center several times over the past few years for driving events, but never actually did the factory tour. But, the Zentrum (the museum) is very nice and you most certainly can take your camera and all the pix you want, they are not physically connected, so there is no reason you should not be able to have your camera with you at the Performance Center and Zentrum.
enjoy
enjoy
03-01-2011, 03:47 PM
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you should pm member bmwfan05..he actually works at the plant...i'm sure he could suggest a few things...
03-01-2011, 05:46 PM
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03-01-2011, 05:51 PM
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The Zentrum museum is where the factory tour begins, the same parking lot. You could take cameras, etc back to the car, although it will be quite a walk. They do have baskets for cameras, phones, etc at the security station and I think you get a claim check number. I highly recommend the factory tour as it is very automated and very high tech. I'd do the performance center but I don't think they do walk-ins. You have to register in advance for a program, I think starting with a "BMW 101" which emulates a delivery experience.
Here is the map.
the 3/4 moon at the bottom is the Zentrum, the bar bell shaped roads at the top is the performance center and track.
Here is the map.
03-01-2011, 05:56 PM
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03-01-2011, 06:02 PM
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