ED trip exceeded all expectations!

[mwlmd]

Hello all,
I just returned from my ED trip. 2 F10M5 owners and 2 med school friends. All I can say is wow. I won't bore you with detailed descriptions of the car because I believe Stealth among others have already hit the salient points. I will add a couple observations and then get to the pics.

1. The roads in Germany and Austria are AMAZING. I am not exaggerating when I say it appears that they have paved the entire county within the last month. No imperfections or debris. Perfect tarmac.

2. AUDI drivers in Europe are the WORST!!!! By far the most aggressive drivers I encountered. Inferiority complex?! You be the judge.

3. I am aware that there are only certain areas of the autobahn that have unlimited speed limits, however I did not see one Police car pulling people over the entire trip in 3 countries, 7 days >1000km. Perhaps we were just lucky but I really felt I could drive as fast as I wanted when not in a town/city.

4. Everything that has been already said I would echo. The car's engine, exhaust note and transmission are sublime. I love to mod and would be hard pressed to mess with the stock exhaust. It sounds perfect.

5. Motorcycle levels of thrust. No joke.

6. With the exception of my buddy's M5, I saw only 1 M car on the road the entire trip. This surprised me. Do they sell many M cars in Germany?

Specs:
Mine (Alpine white/sakhir/anthracite/DCT/20"/Exec)
Friends (Same but Singapore paint)

Now for some pics:

[Rohardi]

Really cool that you and your friend could do the trip and pick up your M5s together!!! Great pics!

[stealth.pilot]

Wow. It must be brilliant to do this with a friend in another M5! And those are some really nice pics you have.

Agree on the Audi drivers. However I also thought the Austrian drivers in general had a tendency to obstruct. In Germany and Switzerland they tend to keep right and let you pass.

[mwlmd]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

Wow. It must be brilliant to do this with a friend in another M5! And those are some really nice pics you have.

Agree on the Audi drivers. However I also thought the Austrian drivers in general had a tendency to obstruct. In Germany and Switzerland they tend to keep right and let you pass.

It was so much fun having 2 M5s together. It is really something to see an M5 in motion, and the sound when it passes you at WOT. Amazing. I kept thinking to myself "damn that car looks mean... I hope mine looks as good as that!"

Obviously when your friend is driving alongside you it elevates the degree of speed etc. And no GF's or wives on this trip to tell us to slow down!!

[cmhsam]

Congrats. They are awesome cars. It will be something I will never forget.

[nugent]

I was the other driver on this epic man-cation. Driving these cars, on those roads and in that scenery, was nothing short of amazing everyday. At no point were we both not driving as fast as we humanly could, dispatching as many cars from the left lane of incoming traffic as possible. It's what these cars were designed to do. It's only sad they will never see that intensity of driving again. Yep, after delivery here to the U.S., they're pretty much being put out to pasture, turning them into show horses we'll breed with lexus's and miatas. At least we have bigger parking lots here.

[mwlmd]

Originally Posted by nugent

I was the other driver on this epic man-cation. Driving these cars, on those roads and in that scenery, was nothing short of amazing everyday. At no point were we both not driving as fast as we humanly could, dispatching as many cars from the left lane of incoming traffic as possible. It's what these cars were designed to do. It's only sad they will never see that intensity of driving again. Yep, after delivery here to the U.S., they're pretty much being put out to pasture, turning them into show horses we'll breed with lexus's and miatas. At least we have bigger parking lots here.

Sad but true. Anyone considering ED without driving their car in Europe is INSANE!!!! BTW, it may be anecdotal but it appeared that the non-metallic white paint had a lower Coefficient of drag than the Singapore metallic. I mean given the engines are the same I can't think of any other reason for my car's superior speed and agility.

[chrisratz]

Congrats, my car is almost a twin to yours, the only exception being aluminum trim vs. anthracite.

We were also surprised by the absence of M cars in Germany. Then we found them all at the Nurburgring!

[krispykreme]

I have to second that opinion on Audi drivers.

Crazy. Cutting people off left and right

Especially A6 Avant.

[nugent]

alpine white cars also come standard with the "d*ck-move" button instead of M2.

[RPiM5]

OMG you guys are freakin awesome and hilarious!

I agree about the Audi drivers. I had an Audi S6 on my ass on the Autobahn, the previous generation with the V10, and I was in the left lane not letting him pass. I figured I was in an M5, and this was after my Break-In servicing there in Germany, so I would let him get up on my ass, and then gun it, he tried to keep up and I would have to slow down because of slower traffic in the left lane in front of me and then the S6 would catch right back up. This happened about 7 8 times for many miles. So funny, knowing that he could not pass me even if he wanted to. LOL!

But yeah, I'm having withdrawals from the immaculate condition of ALL of the European roads i drove on. I get back to Southern California, and there are CHP on my ass everywhere, people passing on the right, trash all over the highways, and Toyota Priuses driving 50mph in the left lane. Makes me want to become a congressman so I can change the federal highway laws. Ugggh!!!

[tarmant]

Agree with all comments except for no police sightings. After 10k miles in European driving on our 5th trip we got our 1st ticket on our way to Hamburg, an 80 Euro in cash stop.

[cnicholson]

Originally Posted by nugent

IIt's only sad they will never see that intensity of driving again. Yep, after delivery here to the U.S., they're pretty much being put out to pasture, turning them into show horses we'll breed with lexus's and miatas.

Do not underestimate the psychological trauma and culture shock that your car will experience. I am hearing stories of 10-15% HP drop if transition not managed carefully. Mine is on Fidelio cargo ship on way to me, but in anticipation, I am redecorating it's bedroom with this sign:



I would also suggest at least four track days per year.

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by nugent

It's only sad they will never see that intensity of driving again. Yep, after delivery here to the U.S., they're pretty much being put out to pasture, turning them into show horses we'll breed with lexus's and miatas. At least we have bigger parking lots here.

Yeah this is kind of true unless you live in a liberal driving area like SoCal compared to driving an M5 in a state like say for example South Carolina, where 13 year old local police officers will pull you over because there's nothing else to do.

Driving over 200mph on public roads in SoCal is totally doable only because we have some of the best roads in the country that are drivable all year round where there is very little police presence.

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by tarmant

Agree with all comments except for no police sightings. After 10k miles in European driving on our 5th trip we got our 1st ticket on our way to Hamburg, an 80 Euro in cash stop.

Hellllo Mrs. Officer.

[PappSchlumpf]

Where you guys driving on Summer tires ? It is getting tricky for me as temperatures are dropping around here

[mwlmd]

Originally Posted by PappSchlumpf

Where you guys driving on Summer tires ? It is getting tricky for me as temperatures are dropping around here

Yes summer tires. But that was then... (thru sep 29)

[nugent]

Originally Posted by PappSchlumpf

Where you guys driving on Summer tires ? It is getting tricky for me as temperatures are dropping around here

winter tires are required starting october when you do ED. you didn't get that memo?

[johntomferg]

Originally Posted by tarmant

Agree with all comments except for no police sightings. After 10k miles in European driving on our 5th trip we got our 1st ticket on our way to Hamburg, an 80 Euro in cash stop.

Where have I seen those hats before... oh yeah, now I remember!

Always have plenty of euros just in case!
We could cut down on court costs if we had this approach in the US.

BTW How many cops did it take? I see a third in your mirror(?).

[997usa]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

But yeah, I'm having withdrawals from the immaculate condition of ALL of the European roads i drove on. I get back to Southern California, and there are CHP on my ass everywhere, people passing on the right, trash all over the highways, and Toyota Priuses driving 50mph in the left lane. Makes me want to become a congressman so I can change the federal highway laws. Ugggh!!!

Funny - i had the EXACT same experience - came back from my ED on Sunday - landed in Charlotte, NC and picked up my big truck - i floored it (!) and got frustrated with this f*ing little cars on the left lane, going 1 Mph faster or worse, the same speed, as the guy/gal in the middle lane - by the time i was home i was ready for the Autobahn....

WHY do people NOT move over and stay in the middle or right lane - trucks are passing cars on the left lane (!) INSANE.

I feel safer on the Autobahn at 110Mph then at 60 Mph in NC.

[chillin4now]

I feel safer on the Autobahn at 110Mph then at 60 Mph in NC.


That is because you ARE safer.

[PappSchlumpf]

Originally Posted by nugent

winter tires are required starting october when you do ED. you didn't get that memo?

They are not mandatory, only in case of snow or ice... so I am crossing fingers... I am picking up on Nov 3rd.