# Great PCD experience 11/19



## SF328xic (Sep 9, 2010)

First time BMW owner and first time PCD experience, and the experience was awesome!
I flew to GPS on 11/18. Called the Marriott from the airport. Six minutes later, I was in a brand new X5 on the way to hotel. Lodging and meal are covered by the program, plus two free drinks. Obviously I put them to good use.
The PCD programs starts at 8am. I got a 335i. Interestingly it does NOT have RFT, wonder why...hmm. We went through three exercises: Slalom course, ABS stopping, and stability control. There are many posts and videos on these topics already, so I will spare the repeat. Just want to say the Slalom course really pushed my sense of driving -- the car are built to do amazing things in a safe way!
I've already done basic reading of owner's manuel do vehicle delivery carries no surprise. 
The hot lap beats any roller coaster, hands down. I sat in the back seat and was holding my iPhone to video the whole thing. Whew, I got thrown violently in every direction but enjoyed every second of it. Apparently it was everyone's favorite, there is a nice old lady in our group, who needed a wheel chair to complete the factory tour also enjoyed the hot lap!
In the afternoon, we got to try out X5 off-road capability. Drove through chassis-deep water hazard, climbed, descended and then completed a full lateral turn on a 35 degree slope. Grated the course was designed for X5, but still, the stuff we were able to do with was very impressive.
Finally, we visited the BMW museum and manufacturing plant. All X3, X5, and X6 are made in the plant. I visited Nissan's plant in Japan in 1997. Compared to that experience, BMW definitely uses more robots in the plant. Our group left the facility at 3:30pm. 
On my way back I drove through the skyline drive in Shenandoh National Park. It added a couple of hours to my trip, but boy, the time was well spent! 
Want to give a BIG thank to staffs at PCD:thumbup:! So nice and exciting group of guys! 
Also want to share some pictures.


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## I-Won-Today (Feb 21, 2007)

Thanks for the post :thumbup: Glad you had a great time and enjoyed the day. You've got a sharp looking BMW.

btw... no RFT on the driving school vehicles is because of $$$$ (even with the tire sponsorship we have with Continental). When you're replacing tires every other day, it adds up quickly :yikes:. When we first get the vehicles in, we do run them with the run flats until they have to be replaced. 

Enjoy your new BMW!


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## Patrick (Dec 23, 2001)

Great looking interior! :thumbup:


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## jatbeni (May 28, 2010)

@SF328xic - 

It was great meeting you at the PDC... I took a similar detour through Blue Ridge Parkway before hitting the flat lands of the mid west. It was well worth it, considering that for the next few months at least, the car will not be seeing any hills of any sort. 

I also noticed that thing about the RFT's... I have already replaced mine for the winter set, and once the summer set wears out, I am going to switch out those too. I wish BMW would ditch these RFT's - or at least give us a choice. 

As for the factory tour, I think the X5 4.0 Diesel with the M-Sport package is one vehicle that they should sell here in the US...


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## SF328xic (Sep 9, 2010)

I-Won-Today said:


> Thanks for the post :thumbup: Glad you had a great time and enjoyed the day. You've got a sharp looking BMW.
> 
> btw... no RFT on the driving school vehicles is because of $$$$ (even with the tire sponsorship we have with Continental). When you're replacing tires every other day, it adds up quickly :yikes:. When we first get the vehicles in, we do run them with the run flats until they have to be replaced.
> 
> Enjoy your new BMW!


Thanks I-Won-Today for the explanation! I am so far fine with the ride quality of RFT on my car. Not much different from my previous cars, only slightly harder.


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## SF328xic (Sep 9, 2010)

jatbeni said:


> @SF328xic -
> 
> It was great meeting you at the PDC... I took a similar detour through Blue Ridge Parkway before hitting the flat lands of the mid west. It was well worth it, considering that for the next few months at least, the car will not be seeing any hills of any sort.
> 
> ...


Same here jetbeni, great meeting you at PCD! My RFTs work fine for me. Not too hard or too noisy. Do you feel different before and after regular winter set?


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