# PCD Worth it When You've done ED?



## Wabbajack (Mar 15, 2012)

I picked up a 335i Coupe in Munich in June 2010. I just ordered an X3 35i as I since moved back to the mountains of Colorado and need an SUV, and I'm trying to determine if PCD is really worth it compared to ED. 

I am a pretty hardcore driver and this is my 3rd BMW in 3.5 years, so if it's all education for those who don't know BMW and aren't performance drivers, then it's most likely not for me. In perusing the first page of this forum I don't see a place where people really document and tell about their experience. 

What say ye, those who have done PCD? :thumbup:

Thanks!!


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## Wine-O (Feb 17, 2010)

Yes. We did ED last May and PCD late July. The PCD experience was well worth it, and the factory tour alone exceeded our expectations. You certainly won't regret one minute.


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## laser (Aug 2, 2004)

yes it is ..... from my 10/8/2010 post after ED and PDC .......

ED Day at Welt Drops to 2nd Place!
WOW!!

I thought the day at the Welt last July was amazing as my daughter and I toured the museum, factory, and departed in a new BMW for a 10 day tour of beautiful German countryside.

Yesterday at the PDC in Greer, SC eclipses that by far. I would have to borrow a boatload of adjectives to say how amazing the PDC staff and the experiences of the day were!

Pushing the 550i GT through the slalom cones while Donnie on the radio kept telling me to look where I wanted to go - not at the cones.

Panic stopping the 550 on wet pavement letting the ABS keep me in the lane.

Spinning out a 335i on the skid pad with the DSC turned off, then to learn it was almost impossible to lose control with that switch back on.

Lunch in the cafeteria followed by a couple of "hot laps" in an M5 drifting through the slalom cones and sliding around the skid pad again.

Oh, and then they made us each get in a new X5 to drive through an off road course that lifted the X5s on 2 wheels in several places!

Factory tour to calm down after all the excitement.


As I drove my new 535i back home down I-85, I kept reflecting on all the capabilities the car has you never realize in normal every day driving.


Huge thanks to Donnie, Mike, Jonathon, Willie, Bill, and the driver of the "hot lap" M5 (missed his name hanging on for dear life!) for an incredible experience that will not be forgotten!!!


__________________


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

Take a look at the program. If it looks like something you like, then it's worth it. Most people who love ED love PCD. The big consideration is opportunity cost with the time, and that will differ by individual cases.


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

laser said:


> yes it is ..... from my 10/8/2010 post after ED and PDC .......
> 
> ED Day at Welt Drops to 2nd Place!
> WOW!!
> ...


Thanks for taking the time to share your experience! We're glad you enjoyed the day. I'll share your post and thanks to everyone in the office.

Enjoy your new 535i :thumbup:


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## DreamCar (Sep 29, 2010)

Wabbajack said:


> I picked up a 335i Coupe in Munich in June 2010. I just ordered an X3 35i as I since moved back to the mountains of Colorado and need an SUV, and I'm trying to determine if PCD is really worth it compared to ED.
> 
> I am a pretty hardcore driver and this is my 3rd BMW in 3.5 years, so if it's all education for those who don't know BMW and aren't performance drivers, then it's most likely not for me. In perusing the first page of this forum I don't see a place where people really document and tell about their experience.
> 
> ...


I completed my PCD on Friday...
European delivery with out PCD is like pizza with out toppings...

I would do it anytime just for the M5 hot lap.... Damn I never knew we can drive a car like that...


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## thumper_330 (Jan 3, 2009)

Hell yeah it's worth it. Honestly, it was just such an incredible trip that in some ways I thought that one day PCD was better than my entire ED. They both appeal to different aspects; the ED is really for the tourist, the traveler. The PCD is for the driver. That really is the best way I can describe it.

Really, there were too many fantastic things to count but some of my favourites were driving a new 1'er on a closed course that wasn't my car (they made that very specific), meeting people like Donnie and having lunch with him, getting to do the off-road course in the X5 and finding out what those cars are really capable of. The factory tour was also wonderful... I actually much preferred the tour in Spartanburg to the one in Munich because while Munich's tour felt sanitized and "all show", Spartanburg you were down there walking the production line.

I posted my experiences a while back here; http://bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=584374

The only negative; it's a trip you have to plan in an hurry because of date availability. It's also a trip you need to take a few days to get home. Yes, you can head directly back to Colorado but there are such incredible roads in that area of the country you may not get a chance to drive again for a while that it'd be almost criminal not to take advantage of it.

HTH


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## Wabbajack (Mar 15, 2012)

Hey all, I really appreciate your input. Thank you so much. Based on your feedback I'm going to try to make it happen. My challenge is that I'm already out of town for three weeks just prior to my delivery date and I will need to take about a week to get back to CO as I have family along the way that I will stop and visit. 

And thumper, what you just said really clinches it for me, as I am both a Tourist and a driver, and when I did my ED I made sure I found the places in the Alps for "drivers". In fact, one of the most incredible mornings of my life was when I left Davos Switzerland to Stelvio Italy and went over that pass on a Sunday morning. There were so many joy-riders out***8212;Lamborghinis, Ferraris, etc., and then crotch rockets like Ducatis and of course Bimmers. The bikes are used to overtaking the cars no matter what and I wouldn't let them. I had a duel with two Ducatis for about 20K and they would try to smoke me on the straights, (which were few and far between and they could never quite make it) and I would smoke them on the hairpins doing 80-90 in my 335i Coupe where they would have laid down. I definitely left about 20-30% of my tires on that road that day! LOL But it was so worth it. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat if only they made X3s over in Germany.  They finally gave up and "pulled off for gas" still behind me... ROFL.


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## dalekressin (Sep 3, 2008)

I definitely want to do a Spartanburg re-delivery next ED. I agree with Chris, it really depends on whether you have the time to do it.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

I did ED in March 2009. Just turned in my car last month and I'm doing PCD on my new 3 series 3 weeks from today (5/14/12). I'm very excited about it. I love europe and go every year, but this will be a different kind of trip. I'll report back after my PCD and compare it to the ED experience.


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