# The Stork Arrives Oct 16 .. It’s a Z4



## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

It’s getting REAL. Got my ED Delivery packet in the mail today. Got my delivery date by calling BMW Special Sales (Couldn’t wait for my CA to call me) We are dealing with a dealership in Arizona where we are snowbirds - so the final contracts need to be signed and sent Fedex in the next few days.
Still lots of trip planning ahead. Loose plan:

1. Oct 15 Arrive in Munich - get a beer and some sleep. (Still choosing a hotel)
2. Oct 16 Go to BMW Welt - tour the factory and museum & pick up the Z4 in the afternoon
3. Oct 16-19 open - not sure if we will stay in Munich a few days or hit the road. 
4. Oct 19-26 Staying in Schladming Austria. We’ll do day trips from here within Austria
5. Oct 26-27 open - hoping to see Lake Como and maybe Zermatt 
6. Oct 28 drop off the car in Munich
7. Oct 29 fly home

The only thing non-negotiable at this point is the pick up date and the week stay in Austria. Open for suggestions. Looking for fun drives, small towns, friendly people, scenery, scenery, scenery.

Packing will be the hard part. I should probably go to my local dealership with some luggage and see what fits in the trunk. The plan is 2 underseat carry on’s and 2 personal backpacks with our warm clothes and big shoes on our bodies for traveling.


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## Trinitony (Feb 10, 2010)

Diane509 said:


> ILoose plan:
> 
> 1. Oct 15 Arrive in Munich - get a beer and some sleep. (Still choosing a hotel)
> 2. Oct 16 Go to BMW Welt - tour the factory and museum & pick up the Z4 in the afternoon
> ...


You have chosen a beautiful area of Europe to spend your time with your car. Here are a few random suggestions:

I enjoy mountain scenery, palaces and museums. In Bavaria King Ludwig II built several castles/palaces that are worth visiting. On your way from Munich to Schladming you will be passing near Herrenchiemsee. It is said to be the King's tribute to Versailles. It's on an island so it's a little less easily accessed than some of his other castles but is worth the extra effort.

When you head from Schladning to Lake Como one option is to use the German Alpine Road which will take you to Neuschwanstein, the "model" for Disney's castles. It will not be the fastest route but I think it's the most scenic.

If this is your first time in Bavaria you should consider visiting Berchtesgarten and the Eagle's Nest. This mountain top site offers extensive views of the area from the konigsee to Salzburg.

In Lake Como my favorite place to stay is in Bellagio. It's a small town that is on the lake and is served by the ferry which will take you to many of the other lakeside towns.


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

Welcome to the 'fest Diane 509! I'm unsure why you've not received any responses yet, but the ED forum isn't as popular these days as it was a decade ago.

If this is your first ED, you will love the experience! First, about the paperwork and contracts...
***8226; If this is a lease, pay attention. If you're buying the Z4, the following isn't as important. You do not need to sign the lease or purchase contract until just before leaving for Europe; some here have signed their lease day of departure, and at least one here has had their lease papers FedEx'd tp them while in Europe. If you are leasing, the lease begins the day you sign the contract, not the day you take delivery of the Z4 in Munich. 
***8226; If the papers you are mentioning are simply the ED delivery docs, ie, the Purchase Order and copies of your US passport, then of course send these off promptly. These documents will be with your ED paperwork person at the Welt when you arrive.

Your itinerary sounds wonderful, and the late October date is one of the best times to visit Germany, Austria and Northern Italy. I'm a huge fan of Italy, especially anywhere in the lake district: Lake Como, Lake Garda, etc. It sounds like you have a reasonable balance of exploring and driving, but my only advice would be to consider staying on the West side of Lake Como (Lenno, Menngio, Tremezzo) and use the convenient ferry's to visit Bellagio. The Eastern approach to Bellagio from Como is often a concern new BMW owners, as the road is a bit narrow and is heavily traveled by large busses. It doesn't bother me, but i've made the Eastern drive dozens of times in our new BMW's and rentals. I can recommend a couple of wonderful places to stay in Bellagio, as well as Lenno, Mennagio and Tremezzo.

You might wish to consider cutting your Italy visit short by a day, and stop in Lake Lucerne before heading back to Munich to drop the car and return home. We too had concerns with luggage in our last ED in the 440 vert (ED #17) and went to the local dealer to trial fit our bags in the trunk with the top down.

You'll have a wonderful trip; please let us know how else we can assist you. The ED forum loves trip reports, and it's considered bad luck to not post a quick note (and pic) of your new ride within 24 hours of Munich delivery 

dk


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## akthorp (Jun 16, 2012)

I think the key to Lake Como is to stay in one of the towns that is served by the ferry. Personally, I didn***8217;t like Bellagio. Far too touristy. We stayed in Varenna which is on the east side of the lake. I didn***8217;t have a problem driving the eastern side and it is served by the ferry. We stayed in the Albergo Milano which was excellent.

If you go to Zermatt be advised there are no cars allowed so you will have to park your new car in a remote lot. I did that in Murren but it is a bit unnerving.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

*I Have a VIN*

It's getting REAL ... today my production number has a VIN and production starts today!!
Itinerary is complete. Thank you all for your suggestions ... whether or not I listened is beside the point!

One thing I must say is that ~ if I had known the ED post Oct 15 was going to cost $750 for tire rentals ... I would have done this during another month. Part of the reason we did an ED was because I convinced my husband we would practically break even with the savings of the ED and the trip to Germany. Oh well.


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

Is this your first BMW? If not, have you found the Spokane BMW dealer to be easy to work with? Spokane is the closest dealer to us; the vert and the GF's 550xi are/were serviced there.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

dkreidel said:


> Is this your first BMW? If not, have you found the Spokane BMW dealer to be easy to work with? Spokane is the closest dealer to us; the vert and the GF's 550xi are/were serviced there.


Yes it is! But we are snowbirds in AZ and I bought it through a dealership there (lower taxes!)


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

dkreidel said:


> Is this your first BMW? If not, have you found the Spokane BMW dealer to be easy to work with? Spokane is the closest dealer to us; the vert and the GF's 550xi are/were serviced there.


PS: Just noticed your profile ... here's my husbands toy


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

Diane509 said:


> PS: Just noticed your profile ... here***8217;s my husbands toy


Looks like a very nice RV-7 at Oshkosh. I've built and fly a LongEZ; here's a pic of an airline pilot neighbor flying mine >



http://imgur.com/QSTFL51


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

dkreidel said:


> Looks like a very nice RV-7 at Oshkosh. I've built and fly a LongEZ; here's a pic of an airline pilot neighbor flying mine >
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/QSTFL51


Very nice! We go to OSH every year. Hubby used to have 2 Triumphs and we still have a 59 MGA! Funny like minds!


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## rocketjay (Sep 20, 2019)

look into the romantic road just google it


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## eksath (Apr 4, 2003)

Diane509 said:


> It's getting REAL ... today my production number has a VIN and production starts today!!
> Itinerary is complete. Thank you all for your suggestions ... whether or not I listened is beside the point!


Enjoy! Please dont forget to post some pics of your adventure for us to enjoy as well!


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## need4speed (May 26, 2006)

Riva del Garda is a great place to stop for a day or two. Not too many tourists, the ferry service connects you to all parts of the lake and it has a few very nice hotels. I like the west side of Lake Como as well. Tremezzo is my favorite spot. again access to all parts of the Lake. Not a fan of Bellagio. For a day trip (or two) via boat it's fine. Wouldn't want to stay there. Also take a look at Lake Maggiore. Italy and Switzerland, Your trip sounds fantastic. Enjoy! N4S


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

*Thank you!*



dkreidel said:


> Welcome to the 'fest Diane 509! I'm unsure why you've not received any responses yet, but the ED forum isn't as popular these days as it was a decade ago.
> 
> If this is your first ED, you will love the experience! First, about the paperwork and contracts...
> • If this is a lease, pay attention. If you're buying the Z4, the following isn't as important. You do not need to sign the lease or purchase contract until just before leaving for Europe; some here have signed their lease day of departure, and at least one here has had their lease papers FedEx'd tp them while in Europe. If you are leasing, the lease begins the day you sign the contract, not the day you take delivery of the Z4 in Munich.
> ...


Thank you for your tips. We are getting excited. Made our transportation arrangements today from the airport from BMW and made our factory tour reservation as well. I wish it were earlier in the day however. We hoped not to drive in the dark on our first day!

Our itinerary is now mostly set

Oct 15 Arrive München 7:45 pm
Oct 16 BMW Welt pick up afternoon
Oct 16 Drive to Schwangau (Neuschwanstein Castle) overnight
Oct 17 Take exterior photos - drive up the Stelvio Pass (weather permitting) via St. Moritz (lunch) and onto Lake Como.. Perledo (East side) but near Varenna ferry. BnB booked 2 nights.
Oct 18 Explore Lake Como by car and return from Mennagio-Varenna on car ferry. Lunch somewhere on the lake on the 2 "legs" of the lake.
Oct 19 Drive from Lake Como to Schladming AUS via the Großglockner High Alpine road (weather permitting) 
Oct 20-25 Explore Austria, Hallstatt, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Innsbruck, Vienna? Zell am See 
Oct 26 Drive to Baden-Baden stay 2 nights Black Forest
Oct 28 Drive to Munich, return winter tires, wash and drop car, overnight at airport Hilton
Oct 29 Fly home

Before we chose Baden-Baden I was looking into Switzerland, but decided we just don't have time to see it properly. Everything looks so close on a map with a fast car, but in reality it takes time to drive and stop and take photos etc .. We have learned from another trip to Italy that going too many places is exhausting and leaves you yearning for more time in each place.

Thank you for your suggestions ...


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

Bonus .. I have secretly contacted a few aviators in Austria from a club of home builders. If the weather cooperates We will drive to an airport about an hour from where we are staying that the local pilots enjoy flying into and hubby will get to ***8220;talk airplane***8221; with them!


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

Baden-Baden is wonderful, you'll enjoy it. Also a nice treat for the hubs to talk airplanes with local homebuilders. I have experimental aircraft friends all over the globe; they come to visit us in Montana and get an opportunity to fly in the mountains and drive our BMW's - and they reciprocate :thumbup:


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

*15 Days and counting!*

1. Dealership paperwork .......... check
2. Winter tires arranged .......... check
3. Flights and hotels booked .... check
4. Airport shuttle arranged ...... check
5. Pick up time 9:30 ............... check
6. Factory tour 12:00 ............. check
7. Drop off appoint reserved.... check
8. Internation Drivers Licenses.. check
9. Confirmation Letter from BMW _____ What does this look like? When do you get it?
I never got an email from them. I did get the 
Willkommen packet in the mail.
Dealer says we're done.. have a nice trip

Have I forgotten anything important?


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

The only thing you'll need at the Welt is your passport(s) to pick up the new ride; you're good to go:thumbup: BMW is back to providing a full tank of gas at the Welt, so no need to find a station immediately after delivery.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

Thanks.. I have enjoyed not going into a dealership to buy this car!


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

You'll receive a bunch of paperwork at the Welt; most don't require much thought but there's a " "drab green booklet" that serves as your registration and proof of ownership. Suggest you not keep that booklet in the car, and keep it on/near you while in Europe. There are a few sad tales here of stolen cars, and at least one where the booklet was purloined too. The Welt may or may not explain this; I've had it go both ways.

It sounds like you'll be dropping the Z4 at Log-in-'Out in Munich, it's easier for them to inspect the condition of your car if you wash it before dropping it; alternatively they can wash it for you for a fee.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

Thanks again. There is a car wash across the street from where we change out the tires. It was my plan to give it a good bath before dropping it off! Roger on the drab green booklet!


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## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

Have fun! The stork has arrived but the car is in the newborn nursery awaiting Oct 15th or so.

I have the exact info somewhere but I think my car was built less than 10 days before delivery. 

Before that, my car was built about 6 weeks before delivery but that was 15 years ago.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

Sent from my iPhone using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

Z4 ED AMAZING EXPERIENCE 


Sent from my iPhone using Bimmerfest


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## eksath (Apr 4, 2003)

Diane509 said:


> View attachment 870081
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> 
> ...


Congratulations! Love the color on your delivery! Thanks for the pics.


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## 808dakine (Jul 21, 2016)

Diane509 said:


> Z4 ED AMAZING EXPERIENCE
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Bimmerfest


Welcome home. Bet it's nice to be back in your own bed after such a glorious trip. Thanks for the pictures and sharing details of your adventure. Did you find the snow tires were really needed or just comforting to have? Wasn't sure but did you arrange for the tires through TireRack or BMW? We're working on a similar schedule and site visits for our next ED so your experience/info is really a plus.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

It was nice to get home, but we haven***8217;t slept well yet! The snow tires or M+S tires were a total waste of money, but who knew what the weather could have been and we had plans to be in the alps the entire time. We used Eds Winter Tires (the American name he uses) www.edwintertires.com.

PS .. our first speeding ticket arrived yesterday from Austria on a road we used off the main highway due to construction. We tried to obey all the speed limits and we even have heads up display showing the speeds but obviously we missed one.


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## 808dakine (Jul 21, 2016)

Diane509 said:


> It was nice to get home, but we haven't slept well yet! The snow tires or M+S tires were a total waste of money, but who knew what the weather could have been and we had plans to be in the alps the entire time. We used Eds Winter Tires (the American name he uses) www.edwintertires.com.
> 
> PS .. our first speeding ticket arrived yesterday from Austria on a road we used off the main highway due to construction. We tried to obey all the speed limits and we even have heads up display showing the speeds but obviously we missed one.


Great, thanks for the info.

Regarding the ticket. We had a similar event in Germany. While I could understand some of the ticket (in German) we got months after returning. I emailed a copy of the citation to the local consulate hoping to get a clear translation of how to pay it. The German counsel himself contacted my and was extremely helpful. He volunteered to pay the ticket through his connections. I sent him funds electronically to reimburse him. After all was done, he emailed me documentation that all was processed so I would be able to prove such in case we were stopped the next time in Germany. I truly believe him was going beyond his scope, so I was really appreciative. An option to consider, at least.


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## Diane509 (Sep 7, 2019)

Thanks .. yes I have a friend who lives there too and that***8217;s a great idea.


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

Sounds like you had a great trip! My experience is the speeding tickets can dribble in for a few months. I've always paid them; some here don't. I figure I earned 'em, and will do the right thing - pay.


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## M FUNF (Apr 2, 2008)

I use TransferWise to pay tickets in Europe all the bank info is on the ticket.


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## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

Great delivery report / thread Diane. Thanks for posting!

:thumbup:

Just for nostalgia's sake I was just thinking about how back in the earlier days of BMW Z Roadsters one was unable to partake in European Delivery (since Z3 were the primary vehicle produced in Spartanburg before SAVs took over)..

There was actually a huge annual "Homecoming" Event that was my inspiration for the initial Bimmerfest event actually.

:jawdrop:


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