[BLUE LABEL]

Many times in life we go through experiences which re-define perspective on the meaning of life and how we even go about our routine day. Little did I know of what awaited before me as I eagerly prepared for my first European delivery and how the days leading into and afterwards my ED would leave such a lasting impact on my life. I feel compelled to share my story because more often than not we take a lot for granted and after reading this it might incline you to take a second look at yourself or even your car and see it in a different light=).
My unique story begins similar to many others, as I knew from the moments I laid eyes on the E92 that it was going to be my future ride. Delving into the world of edBMW.com, e90post.com and bimmerfest, I was absolutely fanatic about learning more about the car and eventually getting my hands on this puppy. Slowly I came to realize that to truly comprehend a BMW it must be given an autobahn to express itself on. So that meant only one thing, European Delivery. Luckily I connected myself with the right man for the job, Irv Robinson of Motor Werks of Barrington, who then helped orchestrate this whole process. After ironing out all the details, I was all set for a pickup date of December 12,2006 and that is where my journey begins.
The time passed and before I knew it, it was time! I had planned this trip (used www.kayak.com which found really nice fares) with a couple of my friends and we were all supposed to fly out together to Munich from Chicago. I had an overnight flight that was to deliver me into Munich for a nice am delivery of my new 335i on the 13th of December. Thanks to Chicago’s traffic delays we barely made it to the airport on time and due to the increased number of travelers, United would not let us board our flight. After engaging all the proper channels, we were left with no alternatives. The only draw back of cheap tickets is that they are non-transferable, and the earliest United flight for Munich was not until the next morning for the very affordable price of $3,000.00 according to the friendly sales agent. So I quickly said no thank you and began to think. I should also add, I had an outgoing flight from Munich to Goa, India scheduled for the 18th of Dec, as I had coupled these two trips together. After quickly calling Irv and discussing the predicament I was in, I called the European Delivery office and rescheduled my pick date for the 15th of Dec (last date before they close for winter holidays I believe) in the hopes that I would be able to find some way to get to Munich by then. Realizing nothing could be done at the airport, me and my friend got a quick bite to eat at Denny’s (longest meal of my life, or I thought at the time) and bolted back into the city where for the next hour we exhausted all possibilities for a flight into Munich by the specified date. And after some frustrating moments we came up with an itinerary that would take us through NY (changing airports from LaGuardia to JFK) to Madrid and finally into Munich on the evening of Dec 14th for a surprisingly reasonable fare especially considering this was as last minute as it got.
The excitement of picking up the car helped ease the crazy layovers we had to experience but the thought of having to repeat them on our return was always a second away. I used the following site, http://munich.airporthotelguide.com/, to book myself a one-night stay at a family hotel in Hallbergmoos, a hotel close to a S-bahn stop. Arriving into Munich, I was absolutely thrilled and exhausted. I purchased a S-bahn ticket to Hallbergmoos and found my way to hotel Neuwirt. The excitement of knowing that I will have the chance to drive on the autobahn the next morning helped to comfort me to sleep in anticipation of the next day. Early on the morning of the 15th,well before the sun had a chance to brighten the day, I awoke and prepared all my documents (passport, driver’s license, S/U-Bahn map) for my haul over to the ED center. After eating a champions breakfast (complimentary at Neuwirt) I set out back to the S-Bahn station. The stop is actually 2km from the hotel so I had a nice chilly early morning walk to get to it. I’d definitely have to say winters are much harsher in Chicago than Munich. The public transportation in Munich is superb however and I was able to manage all the way to Freimann without any trouble (took about 45 minutes via S and U bahn). The pocket metro map that comes with the ED mail package from BMW is priceless as I followed it blindly. Arriving at the BMW ED center at around 10:30 am I was surprised to see the place buzzing with people. After being buzzed in through the entrance gates, the formalities of getting together all the paperwork together were started. Meanwhile, I was escorted upstairs for breakfast Part II. Taking lots of pictures of this experience from my departure from Chicago, I knew this was going to be an unforgettable experience. While I ate a nice meal, I took in the sights and noted how busy the place was getting. Coincidentally there was another person picking up an ED for a 335i from the States by the same last name as me, so when they called my name we both looked at each other and smiled. After the clarification and sharing some brief congratulatory remarks with each other, I was taken to my car. The area where all the cars are parked is usually sparsely populated with ED pickup vehicles, but on the 15th, there was not one empty spot. I was later told that they had scheduled for 80 pick up’s that day because that was the last day before they were going on winter holidays. Nonetheless, the BMW representative patiently went over all the feature of the car and even helped program all the locations into the navigation for me. After snapping a few pictures with him and of course the car, I finally drove her off the lot and it had to be one of the most memorable experiences for me from the whole trip. I had another friend who was coming into Munich that Friday and I made my way to Munchen Flughafen effortlessly with the help of the navigation. Prior to that I finished some paper formalities for drop at MADA for Sunday as usually MADA’s office is closed on the weekends. Of note, Thomas Heumann there is great and he helped me finish up the paperwork quickly. Then I was off to pick up luggage from the hotel and headed to pick up my friend who was flying into Munich. After picking him up, we both decided to ditch Munich and head on over to Prague, Czech Republic. Before embarking on our trip we punched into the navi for the closest McDonalds and after eating our late lunch we headed off on the A92 in the direction of Prague in the late evening hours.
Driving on the autobahn couldn’t be more fun, and it stands as an example that not all roads are built the same. I must note that the driving etiquette of Germans is far superior to anyone else I have noted in the world. I wish a little of their driving mentality makes its way over here with each BMW they sell to us. The navigation guided us flawlessly from Munich all the way into Czech Republic. We must have averaged around 100mph and to my surprise the real time traffic update feature was active in Europe as well. Getting into Prague around 8pm, we started looking for a place to stay, preferably a Hotel with covered parking. We managed to find the Radisson SAS Alcron Hotel from a list provided by the navigation system. This place was right in the heart of the city, which offered covered parking and was one of the nicer hotels there. Although we did end up paying around 170 Euros a night with parking, it was definitely worth the price. One peculiar thing I noticed while we drove around in Prague was the amount of attention this car was getting. My friends and me were amazed at how drivers and pedestrians alike would eye the car down. So I was even more careful to get covered parking for the car for overnight purposes. Having only one full day in Prague we made the most of it by checking out the Christmas markets and walking around the city and taking in the scenery. Although one day in Prague didn’t quite do it justice we left the next morning to Munich with the mindset that on a future delivery this is one city definitely worth exploring further. Driving back we easily managed to get back into Munich ahead of schedule. Dropping the car off at MADA, I removed the first aid kit, triangle, and front Euro plate. Parting with the car was tough but it was time for it to taste some American roads, so I left with an eager anticipation of a happy homecoming. In the meanwhile I was off to complete the second leg of my journey, so my friend and I headed back to Munich airport and boarded our flight to India for a 3-week trip. Thomas had provided the number for a taxi service, which had a taxi waiting for us at MADA at the time I dropped off the car (cost around 55 euros from MADA to Munich Airport.)
We traveled most of India and to celebrate New Years I made it to the city of Goa. It is known as the Ibiza of the east when it comes to celebrating New Year, so I was very excited to check out if the place lives up to the hype. Needless to say, we had a blast in Goa for New Years and I eagerly waited getting back to the States. On the morning of Jan 1st, 2007 I headed out to get some breakfast prior to my flight back that day. There was a breakfast place maybe half a mile from my hotel, so I decided to just walk the route. Then in a state of confusion I found myself being woken vigorously with a faint voice in the background questioning, “government or private?” After looking at my blood soaked clothes I figured I must have been in some kind of an accident. So I replied private as I again lost consciousness. In a state of stupor and hearing faint noises in the background, I awoke to bright lights and a cold steel stretcher. Arriving at the hospital, I was told that while I was walking a careless or more likely a drunk driver struck me from the behind and subsequently drove over my leg. As they asked for my identification, I poked my hands in my pocket and to my amazement I find them empty. Caring less about my identification, I failed to feel my camera. While I was unconscious, someone also had the audacity to steal my camera from my jeans. Well that angered me even more as my priceless pictures from the euro delivery were on that memory card. Left with mental images of my trip, I tried to look past these events. Later I became cognizant of the various injuries and multiple fracture I endured during the incident. Simply, I was very lucky to have even survived the accident. After being hospitalized for well over two weeks abroad I finally gathered enough strength to travel back to the States.
With significant injuries to my head, I also had the fortune of breaking my right leg. With that came the realization that I most likely won’t be able to drive my car when it finally gets back home. As I returned to Chicago, I see an email from Irv Robinson informing me that my car has arrived. Then my attention slowly slides to my right leg and I recognize that I probably won’t be able to get behind the wheel for another good two months (time my cast is supposed to stay on). Fortunately my parents drove with me to the dealership and helped me bring home the car that I had been dreaming about for so long. While sitting in the back and my father driving, a lot ran through my head. We take so much for granted, just even being able to drive for instance, let alone driving a 335i. Currently the closest that I have come to driving this car has been sitting in the driver’s seat and reminiscing of my time on the autobahn. Once my cast comes off and I am fit to drive I will once again relive that feeling I experienced as I first entered this very car and drove off onto the autobahn, but till then its going to be sitting in the garage collecting dust. This was definitely a memorable experience from the very beginning and I highly recommend a Euro Delivery for anyone considering getting a BMW. It is a great way to travel Europe and also really experience the thrill of getting behind the wheel of a BMW.
I also encourage those doing future ED’s to check out www.edBMW.com (European Delivery BMW) as it provided quite a bit of solid information for my trip. I have included some pictures of the car since it came back here. Enjoy!
I want to thank Irv Robinson of Barrington Motor Werks for all his efforts in figuring out the details and helping me make my Euro Delivery go flawlessly.
I can definitely say he deals more like a friend and BMW enthusiast than as a dealer. I look forward to future Euro Deliveries with him and bringing back more than just mental pictures of my time there!

[TiAg335i]

Sorry, can't beat to read all that, sorry about your leg but nice car!

[Couch]

That was a great reading.

I'm terribly sorry that happened to you. I can't believe someone had, as you put it, the audacity to steal your camera as you lay unconscious.

Hope you get to feeling better so you can push that pedal to the floor. What a better form of physical therapy though? Make sure you get the doctor to write you note saying that driving the car is part of the therapy.

[drkeng]

Nice looking car. I met Irv at the Chicago Auto Show and he told me your story (even about how you had your camera stolen). I'm glad to hear you're back home and are recovering well. If my memory is correct, I believe you're training in anesthesiology. Being a neuroradiologist, I see a lot of head trauma from car accidents. I saw even more at my last job. If I can get it, I will post a picture of a neck x-ray of someone hit by a car who basically had their head dislocated from their cervical spine--they lasted an hour or so in the hospital, as that is essentially a fatal injury. You will likely see similar cases. Count yourself lucky to be doing so well. Your car will be there when you can finally drive it.

[speedgod]

Really sorry to hear about your leg
A well told story. You make me want to ED.... think I will see if pops wants to take a flight!

Hope the leg heals well

[tman]

Oh man, that sucks. At least you made it back in one piece. As they say, Get Well Soon!

I'm off to India for a 2 week trip on the 28th; I'd better keep my eyes open!

[ironic]

lol it's so long...

[stressdoc]

Good luck with your recovery. We all do indeed have much to be thankful for.

[ska///235i]

I'm very sorry for your leg (from seeing the pics)...but HELL NO I'm not reading all that

[uhaulball]

Originally Posted by BLUE LABEL

Many times in life we go through experiences which re-define perspective on the meaning of life and how we even go about our routine day. Little did I know of what awaited before me as I eagerly prepared for my first European delivery and how the days leading into and afterwards my ED would leave such a lasting impact on my life. I feel compelled to share my story because more often than not we take a lot for granted and after reading this it might incline you to take a second look at yourself or even your car and see it in a different light=).
My unique story begins similar to many others, as I knew from the moments I laid eyes on the E92 that it was going to be my future ride. Delving into the world of edBMW.com, e90post.com and bimmerfest, I was absolutely fanatic about learning more about the car and eventually getting my hands on this puppy. Slowly I came to realize that to truly comprehend a BMW it must be given an autobahn to express itself on. So that meant only one thing, European Delivery. Luckily I connected myself with the right man for the job, Irv Robinson of Motor Werks of Barrington, who then helped orchestrate this whole process. After ironing out all the details, I was all set for a pickup date of December 12,2006 and that is where my journey begins.
The time passed and before I knew it, it was time! I had planned this trip (used www.kayak.com which found really nice fares) with a couple of my friends and we were all supposed to fly out together to Munich from Chicago. I had an overnight flight that was to deliver me into Munich for a nice am delivery of my new 335i on the 13th of December. Thanks to Chicago’s traffic delays we barely made it to the airport on time and due to the increased number of travelers, United would not let us board our flight. After engaging all the proper channels, we were left with no alternatives. The only draw back of cheap tickets is that they are non-transferable, and the earliest United flight for Munich was not until the next morning for the very affordable price of $3,000.00 according to the friendly sales agent. So I quickly said no thank you and began to think. I should also add, I had an outgoing flight from Munich to Goa, India scheduled for the 18th of Dec, as I had coupled these two trips together. After quickly calling Irv and discussing the predicament I was in, I called the European Delivery office and rescheduled my pick date for the 15th of Dec (last date before they close for winter holidays I believe) in the hopes that I would be able to find some way to get to Munich by then. Realizing nothing could be done at the airport, me and my friend got a quick bite to eat at Denny’s (longest meal of my life, or I thought at the time) and bolted back into the city where for the next hour we exhausted all possibilities for a flight into Munich by the specified date. And after some frustrating moments we came up with an itinerary that would take us through NY (changing airports from LaGuardia to JFK) to Madrid and finally into Munich on the evening of Dec 14th for a surprisingly reasonable fare especially considering this was as last minute as it got.
The excitement of picking up the car helped ease the crazy layovers we had to experience but the thought of having to repeat them on our return was always a second away. I used the following site, http://munich.airporthotelguide.com/, to book myself a one-night stay at a family hotel in Hallbergmoos, a hotel close to a S-bahn stop. Arriving into Munich, I was absolutely thrilled and exhausted. I purchased a S-bahn ticket to Hallbergmoos and found my way to hotel Neuwirt. The excitement of knowing that I will have the chance to drive on the autobahn the next morning helped to comfort me to sleep in anticipation of the next day. Early on the morning of the 15th,well before the sun had a chance to brighten the day, I awoke and prepared all my documents (passport, driver’s license, S/U-Bahn map) for my haul over to the ED center. After eating a champions breakfast (complimentary at Neuwirt) I set out back to the S-Bahn station. The stop is actually 2km from the hotel so I had a nice chilly early morning walk to get to it. I’d definitely have to say winters are much harsher in Chicago than Munich. The public transportation in Munich is superb however and I was able to manage all the way to Freimann without any trouble (took about 45 minutes via S and U bahn). The pocket metro map that comes with the ED mail package from BMW is priceless as I followed it blindly. Arriving at the BMW ED center at around 10:30 am I was surprised to see the place buzzing with people. After being buzzed in through the entrance gates, the formalities of getting together all the paperwork together were started. Meanwhile, I was escorted upstairs for breakfast Part II. Taking lots of pictures of this experience from my departure from Chicago, I knew this was going to be an unforgettable experience. While I ate a nice meal, I took in the sights and noted how busy the place was getting. Coincidentally there was another person picking up an ED for a 335i from the States by the same last name as me, so when they called my name we both looked at each other and smiled. After the clarification and sharing some brief congratulatory remarks with each other, I was taken to my car. The area where all the cars are parked is usually sparsely populated with ED pickup vehicles, but on the 15th, there was not one empty spot. I was later told that they had scheduled for 80 pick up’s that day because that was the last day before they were going on winter holidays. Nonetheless, the BMW representative patiently went over all the feature of the car and even helped program all the locations into the navigation for me. After snapping a few pictures with him and of course the car, I finally drove her off the lot and it had to be one of the most memorable experiences for me from the whole trip. I had another friend who was coming into Munich that Friday and I made my way to Munchen Flughafen effortlessly with the help of the navigation. Prior to that I finished some paper formalities for drop at MADA for Sunday as usually MADA’s office is closed on the weekends. Of note, Thomas Heumann there is great and he helped me finish up the paperwork quickly. Then I was off to pick up luggage from the hotel and headed to pick up my friend who was flying into Munich. After picking him up, we both decided to ditch Munich and head on over to Prague, Czech Republic. Before embarking on our trip we punched into the navi for the closest McDonalds and after eating our late lunch we headed off on the A92 in the direction of Prague in the late evening hours.
Driving on the autobahn couldn’t be more fun, and it stands as an example that not all roads are built the same. I must note that the driving etiquette of Germans is far superior to anyone else I have noted in the world. I wish a little of their driving mentality makes its way over here with each BMW they sell to us. The navigation guided us flawlessly from Munich all the way into Czech Republic. We must have averaged around 100mph and to my surprise the real time traffic update feature was active in Europe as well. Getting into Prague around 8pm, we started looking for a place to stay, preferably a Hotel with covered parking. We managed to find the Radisson SAS Alcron Hotel from a list provided by the navigation system. This place was right in the heart of the city, which offered covered parking and was one of the nicer hotels there. Although we did end up paying around 170 Euros a night with parking, it was definitely worth the price. One peculiar thing I noticed while we drove around in Prague was the amount of attention this car was getting. My friends and me were amazed at how drivers and pedestrians alike would eye the car down. So I was even more careful to get covered parking for the car for overnight purposes. Having only one full day in Prague we made the most of it by checking out the Christmas markets and walking around the city and taking in the scenery. Although one day in Prague didn’t quite do it justice we left the next morning to Munich with the mindset that on a future delivery this is one city definitely worth exploring further. Driving back we easily managed to get back into Munich ahead of schedule. Dropping the car off at MADA, I removed the first aid kit, triangle, and front Euro plate. Parting with the car was tough but it was time for it to taste some American roads, so I left with an eager anticipation of a happy homecoming. In the meanwhile I was off to complete the second leg of my journey, so my friend and I headed back to Munich airport and boarded our flight to India for a 3-week trip. Thomas had provided the number for a taxi service, which had a taxi waiting for us at MADA at the time I dropped off the car (cost around 55 euros from MADA to Munich Airport.)
We traveled most of India and to celebrate New Years I made it to the city of Goa. It is known as the Ibiza of the east when it comes to celebrating New Year, so I was very excited to check out if the place lives up to the hype. Needless to say, we had a blast in Goa for New Years and I eagerly waited getting back to the States. On the morning of Jan 1st, 2007 I headed out to get some breakfast prior to my flight back that day. There was a breakfast place maybe half a mile from my hotel, so I decided to just walk the route. Then in a state of confusion I found myself being woken vigorously with a faint voice in the background questioning, “government or private?” After looking at my blood soaked clothes I figured I must have been in some kind of an accident. So I replied private as I again lost consciousness. In a state of stupor and hearing faint noises in the background, I awoke to bright lights and a cold steel stretcher. Arriving at the hospital, I was told that while I was walking a careless or more likely a drunk driver struck me from the behind and subsequently drove over my leg. As they asked for my identification, I poked my hands in my pocket and to my amazement I find them empty. Caring less about my identification, I failed to feel my camera. While I was unconscious, someone also had the audacity to steal my camera from my jeans. Well that angered me even more as my priceless pictures from the euro delivery were on that memory card. Left with mental images of my trip, I tried to look past these events. Later I became cognizant of the various injuries and multiple fracture I endured during the incident. Simply, I was very lucky to have even survived the accident. After being hospitalized for well over two weeks abroad I finally gathered enough strength to travel back to the States.
With significant injuries to my head, I also had the fortune of breaking my right leg. With that came the realization that I most likely won’t be able to drive my car when it finally gets back home. As I returned to Chicago, I see an email from Irv Robinson informing me that my car has arrived. Then my attention slowly slides to my right leg and I recognize that I probably won’t be able to get behind the wheel for another good two months (time my cast is supposed to stay on). Fortunately my parents drove with me to the dealership and helped me bring home the car that I had been dreaming about for so long. While sitting in the back and my father driving, a lot ran through my head. We take so much for granted, just even being able to drive for instance, let alone driving a 335i. Currently the closest that I have come to driving this car has been sitting in the driver’s seat and reminiscing of my time on the autobahn. Once my cast comes off and I am fit to drive I will once again relive that feeling I experienced as I first entered this very car and drove off onto the autobahn, but till then its going to be sitting in the garage collecting dust. This was definitely a memorable experience from the very beginning and I highly recommend a Euro Delivery for anyone considering getting a BMW. It is a great way to travel Europe and also really experience the thrill of getting behind the wheel of a BMW.
I also encourage those doing future ED’s to check out www.edBMW.com (European Delivery BMW) as it provided quite a bit of solid information for my trip. I have included some pictures of the car since it came back here. Enjoy!
I want to thank Irv Robinson of Barrington Motor Werks for all his efforts in figuring out the details and helping me make my Euro Delivery go flawlessly.
I can definitely say he deals more like a friend and BMW enthusiast than as a dealer. I look forward to future Euro Deliveries with him and bringing back more than just mental pictures of my time there!

Dude, i couldnt even read that since i run 1600x1200 resolution. i copied and pasted it into microsoft word and it came out to be a 2 and a half page essay, singlespaced!

[adrian8806]

Very good read. Hope your health is back to normal soon. Sounds like a great trip, even with the accident. Makes for a very good story too!

[BMW F22]

hope u get back on ur feet soon.

As for the post- HOLY CRAP BATMAN!!! So much text I feel like Im in the matrix just looking at 0s and 1s. Anyhow, nice story and thanks for sharing.

[purplewidow]

Dude, i couldnt even read that since i run 1600x1200 resolution. i copied and pasted it into microsoft word and it came out to be a 2 and a half page essay, singlespaced! [/QUOTE]

dude i am in 1920/1200...you better get some glasses i was fine...


sryo to here about your leg and astuff..that is brutal...i am awaiting delivery of mine (mid april)from knauz in lake bluff.... ahhh it is driving me crazy!!!! and i have to have more back sugery on the 2nd of march so dammit if i can only drive my car for 30 min at a time i am gonna kill someone so i caould only imagine if it was right there in front of me....shit i would setup shop in the garage so i could stare at it while i work and live at home!!!!!
________
Video Reviews

[BzsBimmer]

I'm running 1900x1200 and on a 24" flat... and damn.. I felt like I got hit with a wall of text
I guess the phrase "break a leg" was took a bit literal

[Simple1]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

I'm running 1900x1200 and on a 24" flat... and damn.. I felt like I got hit with a wall of text
I guess the phrase "break a leg" was took a bit literal

lol, I have a 24' iMac with the same Res!

To OP, Well I hope you get much better, just wait for the car it will be more rewarding anyway.

[LEDZEP]

Nice write up, and welcome to E90Post. Sorry to hear about the bad ending to your trip, and your injuries. I guess someone from the Microsoft technical support desk now has your wallet and camera. That sucks.

[Roukan]

Sorry to hear about your injuries. May GOD grant you a full recovery and all of us a better appreciation of the fragility of this life.

[2009BMW335]

Originally Posted by Roukan

Sorry to hear about your injuries. May GOD grant you a full recovery and all of us a better appreciation of the fragility of this life.

well said, i think

[drit_diesel]

Is there a cliff notes version of your post jk... sorry to hear about that... get well soon...

[nyc3r]

wow, can't believe i read all that. For those who didn't read the entire post, here's the short version: Do ED, skip India.

[Mark335i]

Originally Posted by nyc3r

wow, can't believe i read all that. For those who didn't read the entire post, here's the short version: Do ED, skip India.

After being bombarded with commercials for Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis on a daily basis, I almost didn't open this ED topic.

[StewtheBassman]

Hey buddy,
That's only your 12th post...I hope you have enough energy for more in the future!

The first part of your story was like an Amazing race episode! I love how you made it there!! The ED is great! And the India part, well, most parts of the world are FAR less civilized than here in North America and Europe and some parts of Asia. Most of the world is still in the "law of the jungle".

What a blessing to have made it home, and still breathing. Shounds like you have some great family and a good home. God Bless and keep posting!!!!