[STE92VE]

I guess the best place to start is at the beginning, so...first there was darkness...sorry, wrong story.

Let me preface this report by stating that if anyone is thinking about doing PCD, stop thinking about it and do it. If you're an enthusiast, there are few experiences (other than ED) that can compare to the sheer exhilaration you will feel when taking delivery of your new car. Maybe since this is my first BMW, I am a little prejudiced, but there were repeat BMW customers at the Performance Center that felt the same way.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS!
My wife and I, left NYC bound for Charlotte, NC on Thursday, 4/26/07 slightly delayed, because we were #20 for departure. In NYC, we have traffic to the airport and even on the runways! You may ask, why didn't we fly directly into GSP? The answer: one-way ticket to GSP ~ $400, to CLT ~ $80. Here's a pic of the Embraer ERJ-135:



CLT is a very nice airport and we rented a Jeep Liberty for our 1 1/2 hour ride to GSP. I haven't driven down south in a while and was surprised that they drive just as lousy as the folks up north. If you leave a little distance between the car you're following, there will be someone who wants to fill that space.

After dropping off the rental, we called the Greenville Marriott to announce our arrival. They usually send a 5 Series Touring (wagon) but it had just left the airport. It would be a 20-25 minute wait, or we could take the shuttle bus that was en route and would be there in 3 minutes, or we could wait. We took the shuttle bus.

The driver told us we were lucky to fly in because there was severe weather reported and many flights were canceled. In fact, he was taking someone back to his hotel which was on one of the canceled flights. We check in, were given the whole VIP treatment, dinner reservations were made for the included meal for delivery customers (breakfast at the Marriott too).

The entire staff at the Greenville Marriott were friendly and were always asking if they could assist you. Dinner was excellent, as was breakfast the following morning. We meet in the lobby @ 7:45AM for the shuttle ride to the Performance Center.

PERFORMANCE CENTER DELIVERY:
Jonathan and Donnie welcome us to the Performance Center and take attendance of those present. If I remember correctly, because my head was in cloud 9 since I was actually at the PC, there were 3 X5's, 2 Z4's, 1 650i, and my 3 Coupe. For some reason, Jonathan singles me out and announces they have a special delivery for me and asks if all would like to see it at that time. Everyone agrees and they show us to one of the delivery bays where I am presented with my new BMW:



After everyone has a good laugh, I mention that there is a problem...."those aren't the wheels I ordered!" They even had laid out the carpet and rubber mats next to it that my dealer included.

On to track time! Those taking delivery of their X5's, went to the off road course and the rest proceeded to a mini road course with some twisties and a slalom run. You get to drive/abuse a NYC vehicle as Donnie says...Not Your Car! I had the use of a E92 335i. Nice but I'll take my 328i w/6MT over the step, thank you. After some fun laps, your passenger gets the opportunity to drive.

Next stop, and I mean stop, was the panic braking exercises. Donnie demonstrates @ 20mph, stopping distance is 1 length of preset cones. At twice the speed (40mph), stopping distance increased 4 fold! We start at 40mph and gradually increase runs to 50mph with hard braking. It's not just straight line braking, you need to steer to avoid hitting cones.

After heating up the brakes, time to cool them off on the watered down skid pad! With DSC/DTC off, ease off the accelerator and then floor it, the rear end comes around and it's like you're on the Mad Hatter(if I remember correctly) Teacup ride at DisneyWorld! With control systems on, no matter how long your foot is down on the accelerator, computer takes over and reduces throttle to prevent you from sliding out. One thing Donnie made very clear....no matter how good the control systems are, you can overcome the laws of physics. If you're driving beyond what the road conditions allow, you will get yourself in trouble. Too bad the ones that lost their lives on Long Island last week hadn't learned this lesson. Here's a pic of me on the skid pad:



The time on the track is a great way to introduce you to the capabilities and handling characteristics of your new ride. The opportunity to experience this in a controlled environment is priceless before you have to utilize them in the real world. This is the true value of a PCD!

After our time on the track, half the group went on the museum and factory tour and the rest took delivery of their new babies! Donnie regretted to inform me that I would be spending the next 2 hours with him, taking delivery of my E92. Words can not express the feelings you get when you see for the first time what you have been planning for, tracking from production to delivery, agonizing over for the past few months. She was everything that I was hoping for, including the Contis!



Since I chose not to get most of the technology options, and had pretty much familiarized myself with the OM beforehand, Donnie and I completed delivery in relatively short order. It was too early for lunch. With the extra time we had, Donnie asked if we would like to take an X5 on the off-road course. Sure, we replied! Before proceeding to the course, Donnie gave us a tour of the facility which included the detail prep center and body shop. He explained the BMW STEP Program http://www.bmwstep.com/defaultFlash.asp
which is a training opportunity available to the top performing graduates of the country's best post secondary Automotive Technical Schools. The purpose of the program is to develop the highest quality service technicians for employment at BMW Centers in North America. Very impressive.

We then climb into an X5 and off to the off-road course. The X5 is built rock solid. The stiffness of the frame allowed us to balance on 2 opposing tires, with the other 2 off the ground! The low center of gravity achieved through positioning the engine very low in the engine compartment, allows the X5 to heel at amazing angles where you feel like you could tip over, but won't. We experienced the Hill Descent Control (HDC) which is a feature on other X-drive vehicles....simply amazing.

Time for lunch...mmm, mmm good! After lunch, with some time left before the next rotation of deliveries, factory tours, Donnie asked if anyone would like a hot lap in the M5....I think I was out of my seat before he finished his suggestion!
It's a beautiful thing when a 500HP V-10 is in the hands of a professional. At the start of the day before we even set a tire on the track, Donnie taught us the correct hand position on the wheel is 9-3. At speed, drifting through the turns, Donnie never once took his hands off the wheel. Now I know the value of paddle shifters (which were equipped on the M5) when tracking a car. He then basically drifted the entire circle of the skid pad and right before exiting, did a 360, straightened out and drove off the course! What a way to end the performance part of PCD!

Here's a pic of Jonathan & Donnie before we were to leave the Performance Center for our factory tour:



We said our good-byes and thanked Jonathan, Donnie & Danielle (she schedules all the PCD's (the hardest job @ BMW)) for making this the "Ultimate Delivery Experience"! I would also like to extend a thank you to the entire staff at the PC for their contribution in making this a truly wonderful experience.

On to the Zentrum Museum & Factory Tour:



Even if you don't do a PCD, this is well worth the trip down to Greer, SC. They don't allow cameras or camera phones into the factory for obvious reasons, but I can tell you, it is an engineering masterpiece. In order to make the plant more efficient, they shut it down for 56 days, ripped out the 2 production lines (X5 & Z4),including everything else except the posts that hold up the roof and built a single production line that accommodates everything that needs to be produced. They are stopping factory tours this June 1 for an indefinite period of time due to new projects. Here are some pics from the Zentrum Museum and my E92 outside:






THE RIDE HOME TO LONG ISLAND, NY:
We leave The Zentrum around 3PM for the ride back to NY. Stopped overnite in VA at the southern end of Skyline Drive. In the morning we resume our travel via Skyline Drive entering at the Thornton Gate (just east of Luray). The ride up to the entrance was fun with lots of twisties. The speed limit on Skyline Dr. is 35MPH (exceeded it slightly...). Here's some pics of the E92 and the Shenandoah Valley:




You never know what sort of people you meet on these forums, but I was curious to find out for my self and was willing to take a chance that the one I decided to befriend was not a serial killer, as my son was sure to advise me, since I've been teaching him about internet safety since he was little. The plan was to meet LEDZEP and his wife for lunch at an undisclosed location in DE. Even though we only talked on the phone once and mostly communicated through the forum or e-mail, we both felt that we met up with old friends that hadn't seen each other for a long time. Looking forward to seeing them again and hopefully the rest of the NE Week 9&10ers will sign on for a GTG sometime in the near future. Since LZ is the photo-pro, you can find some of the pics he took here:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=141


After lunch, we headed back home to roost the new offspring.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
I've always liked BMW's, but now I'm in For those that own one, you know the feeling. For those that want one, here are my thoughts. This is a vehicle that truly exceeds every expectation I had while browsing the forums, gathering as much information as I could before I committed to purchasing. This is the "Ultimate Driving Machine" that gives you "Sheer Driving Pleasure".

First off, will all the bad reports of the CDV, I didn't stall once and 1-2 shifts were a breeze. No jerking head movements from the passenger either. Even though I just got the modified CDV in the mail, I'm in no rush to install it as I was before I took delivery. Whether some people who complain about it don't know the finer points of driving a MT or whatever, perhaps after break in when I start driving the car the way she was designed to be driven, I'll notice whatever the big bruhaha is about the CDV. For now, I'm just happy as a pig in sh$t!!!

Instead of the stupid warning that's affixed to the inside of the windshield claiming that any aftermarket accessories might interfere with the operation of the vehicle, BMW should issue a disclaimer that they are not responsible for any tickets you may get while operating the vehicle above the posted speed limit. This puppy loves to run.

I'm following the break-in guidelines, varying rpms, under 100mph, no panic stops or hard acceleration (well since I'm over 800 miles on the odo, I've been squeezing her up to 4500 gradually). 80mph in this car feels like 60 in anything else. She holds the road like she's on rails. With the Contis, road noise is barely perceptible and the interior is so well insulated that you don't even hear the trucks as you drive by. No reason to turn the volume up on the radio and still can have a conversation without yelling.

Fit and finish, first quality. Expected nothing less. Inside and out. Here's the interior:



Coolest feature so far, the adaptive Xenons! This may sound like one of the useless gimicks that they try to promote but they are very effective when taking those on/off ramps at nite and watching them turn as you do.

Mods (some won't really consider them, but who cares ) so far: debadged, chrome exhaust tips, euro light switch to enable rear fogs, brushed stainless steel (304) license plate frame, monster Ipod charger with 3.5mm-3.5mm patch cable to Aux outlet (I only use shuffle, so works like a charm), lucky rabbit's foot & silver bow (don't knock it until you try it ). Holding off on the modified CDV until I feel the need for it.

Overall impression, this is the finest automobile I have ever owned and if treated with respect, I expect to be rewarded everytime I get behind the wheel.

One more thing, after debadging I was wondering if I should rebadge with this:



That would create some

Thanks to all on the forum who have held my hand, made this entire process bearable, offered some good advice and extended their friendship. Is it too early to start thinking about my second BMW?

Peace out :rocks:

[javabmw]

Congradulations!

[JackMac]

Welcome back!

[Senres]

Awesome story. Congratulations on the car, trip, and getting to ride in the M5 (I am *very* jealous). I am no doubt going to do ED or PCD for my next car (assuming it'll be a BMW, I guess, but I have a feeling it will be )

[Bimmer335i07]

Congrats! Love your ride. Can't wait to get mine and post pics too!

[LI E90]

steve congrats.. amazing write up..
See you around the Island!

[I-Won-Today]

Great write-up! It was a pleasure meeting you. Glad to hear that you had such a great time and a enjoyable drive home. As I have said before, these vehicles become an addiction.

BTW... I don't know if you noticed them, but National Geographic was actually filming some of the vehicles when you guys were driving on the course. Depending on how the edit the program, you may be able to say hey that was me driving that 335 on the track. The filming was for a "Ultimate Factories" series that will air sometime in the fall.

Enjoy your new BWM!

[gerbs]

Grats on the new ride and sweet write up, thanks for the read.

have fun with your new 3

[LEDZEP]

Great writeup Steve! You certainly have me wanting to take delivery of my next BMW at the Performance Center!!

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by I-Won-Today

BTW... I don't know if you noticed them, but National Geographic was actually filming some of the vehicles when you guys were driving on the course. Depending on how the edit the program, you may be able to say hey that was me driving that 335 on the track. The filming was for a "Ultimate Factories" series that will air sometime in the fall.

Enjoy your new BWM!

You'll have to keep us posted on the airing of that show! That'll be a keeper!

[HyperM3]

Awesome write up! Great looking car. Congrats!!

[LEDZEP]

BTW, just because the meds were kicking in on Saturday doesn't mean I'm not really a serial killer.

[Johnny Lin]

Nice! Thanks for sharing the pics and story.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by I-Won-Today

BTW... I don't know if you noticed them, but National Geographic was actually filming some of the vehicles when you guys were driving on the course. Depending on how the edit the program, you may be able to say hey that was me driving that 335 on the track. The filming was for a "Ultimate Factories" series that will air sometime in the fall.

I did notice the film crew! They were filming a bit of our driver briefing with Donnie and I saw one of their cameras mounted on the hood of a Z4 Roadster. If they would like to use my image in their production, have them contact my agent and I'm sure we can negotiate a reasonable fee. That M6 at the PC should cover it!

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Great writeup Steve! You certainly have me wanting to take delivery of my next BMW at the Performance Center!!

Now you know why it took time to post.........

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

BTW, just because the meds were kicking in on Saturday doesn't mean I'm not really a serial killer.

I figured there was a reason.

[msinfo_us]

Congats! Awesome looking car and a very detailed with just right amount of report. Thank you. Enjoy your ride.

PS I know you never had the "pleasure" to ride on Brick-stones -- you can take my word for it -- you are very lucky that you've Contis. Congrats again!

[Blue328xi]

Originally Posted by STE92VE

After our time on the track, half the group went on the museum and factory tour and the rest took delivery of their new babies! Donnie regretted to inform me that I would be spending the next 2 hours with him, taking delivery of my E92. Words can not express the feelings you get when you see for the first time what you have been planning for, tracking from production to delivery, agonizing over for the past few months. She was everything that I was hoping for, including the Contis!

Congrats on the car, it looks sweet. And you summed it up pretty good, when you walk into the bay and see the car you have been dreaming about in all her glory...its a great feeling.

And good point about flying PCD. Going from NY to CLT is the best way to go. The airlines charge crazy rates when you got one way from NY to GSP. Flying to CLT and driving to GSP is the way to go IMHO.

[hannibal1209b]

Excellent write-up Steve! I want June 14th to be here now! Well actually I want it to be yesterday so that I would already be driving it! Now I really can't wait until my PCD. Of course I won't be able to see the factory, which kind of sucks. But at least I'll have my ride! I do wish you had gotten 6FL so I would know if I am going to have any problems with my delivery.....yes, I am selfish! Congrats on your new baby! :rocks:

[dmboone25]

Awesome write up and story--this sounds like something I would love to do in about 34 months...lol... Beautiful ride!

[E90330iS]

Wonderful write-up! Congratulations!

[jmonier]

Great report! I'm flying out tomorrow for a Wed delivery and looking forward to the car and meeting Donnie and Jonathan.

[Enkur]

wow great report. I cant wait for mine in 2 weeks. I am flying from Texas to Atlanta then driving on to PC. My borther-in-law is coming with me and he is going to help with the long ass drive back to Austin.

[Revlis]

Congrats Bro,

Just realized, that if I were to replace the 335i on the E92 with my delivery date ...It would be 3/28.... Heh, go figure...

I'm still thinking about 666 just for giggles...