[zirc]

Hey guys, I'm heading to Europe at the end of the month, looking to meet my cousin in Germany, Frankfurt area - anyone have some recommendations on where and how to visit one of the BMW factories around there? I heard if you go to the racetrack you can rent M3's and other luxuries, anyone done that?

[Dackz]

Originally Posted by zirc

Hey guys, I'm heading to Europe at the end of the month, looking to meet my cousin in Germany, Frankfurt area - anyone have some recommendations on where and how to visit one of the BMW factories around there? I heard if you go to the racetrack you can rent M3's and other luxuries, anyone done that?

Ive been to the Welt in Munich. From frankfurt, if you can catch a high-speed rail to munich it couldnt be more then 2-3 hour train ride. Its worth it though. The welt is awesome and then you can do a factory tour and it shows you step by step of how the car is made and the history behind the company. The museum is right across the street but it was closed when I was there, I think its closed monday's or something?? But it was totally worth doing the factory tour, just make sure to check for space on the tour AS SOON as you arrive to the welt, spaces are limited for each tour. Tour lasts about 1.5 hours or so, maybe a bit longer.

I think you can go to the Nurburgring and do a ride along, not sure about rental. I wanted to rent an M3-5-6 but couldnt find any place in Munich at a reasonable price and was limited on time. There wouldnt have been much space to get to 160+ as the unlimited stretches are pretty far north of the city out by the airport and to points further north.

When I took the high speed rail from Nuremberg to Munich, it ran right next to the autobahn. Train was doing 155mph and I saw a few cars pass us, a ferrari, an R8 and an M6 to name a few of them. It was pretty cool.

Other then that, I can only comment on what I did in Berlin and Munich in the downtown city propers. But the Welt was awesome, I think we spent the better part of 6 hours there just checking everything out and doing the tour. Totally worth it.

Pro tip: see if your bank will get you euro's ahead of time so you wont get hosed on not only the exchange rate, but the fee's the places at the airports charge and other places. The fee's sucked. My bank didnt charge me a fee for ATM withdrawls outside of normal fee's, but the exchange places charge fees from USD to Euro.

[zirc]

Originally Posted by Dackz

Ive been to the Welt in Munich. From frankfurt, if you can catch a high-speed rail to munich it couldnt be more then 2-3 hour train ride. Its worth it though. The welt is awesome and then you can do a factory tour and it shows you step by step of how the car is made and the history behind the company. The museum is right across the street but it was closed when I was there, I think its closed monday's or something?? But it was totally worth doing the factory tour, just make sure to check for space on the tour AS SOON as you arrive to the welt, spaces are limited for each tour. Tour lasts about 1.5 hours or so, maybe a bit longer.

I think you can go to the Nurburgring and do a ride along, not sure about rental. I wanted to rent an M3-5-6 but couldnt find any place in Munich at a reasonable price and was limited on time. There wouldnt have been much space to get to 160+ as the unlimited stretches are pretty far north of the city out by the airport and to points further north.

When I took the high speed rail from Nuremberg to Munich, it ran right next to the autobahn. Train was doing 155mph and I saw a few cars pass us, a ferrari, an R8 and an M6 to name a few of them. It was pretty cool.

Other then that, I can only comment on what I did in Berlin and Munich in the downtown city propers. But the Welt was awesome, I think we spent the better part of 6 hours there just checking everything out and doing the tour. Totally worth it.

Pro tip: see if your bank will get you euro's ahead of time so you wont get hosed on not only the exchange rate, but the fee's the places at the airports charge and other places. The fee's sucked. My bank didnt charge me a fee for ATM withdrawls outside of normal fee's, but the exchange places charge fees from USD to Euro.

Nice, good looking out, I'll do some research on the Welt - I think I'm heading to Frankfurt Friday night so I'll hit up Munich Saturday or Sunday early - for the foreign fee's I signed up for this -http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/banking_lending - they say no fees even internationally - guess we'll see - will definitely post pics when I make it out there!

[IN54NITY]

I hope Alex (we share the first name) doesn't mind... but he posted this up to the RMC BMWCCA message board a while back. I rate his blog spot an A+ on the pictures alone.

There's also of course the Nuerburgring, it's 2 hours or so west of Frankfurt (München is south.). I haven't been on it for years, but it lives up to its legendary status. If you have time, stop driving or make a train stop on your way to München, at Stuttgart, home of Porsche. I wish you a good trip. Germany (Duisburg area) is home to 1/2 of my family.