M5POST
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   M5POST - BMW M5 Forum > F10 M5 Forum > BMW M5 (F10) General Forum

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      06-05-2013, 09:34 PM   #1
alexey21
Lieutenant
60
Rep
422
Posts

Drives: Turbo
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Philly

iTrader: (0)

My First European Delivery write up

BIMMERPOST
     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com
Hey everyone, I promised to write up my first European delivery experience before I picked up the car and here it is! Sorry for posting it so late after we came back, but for some reason all my trips always end up with unplanned adventures that are remembered for ever.


Let me start by saying that we ordered this car back in August 2012, and waited until May hoping for better road conditions in Europe. Before the M5, we had a leased 2009 550i as the fun car, and never had any experience behind the wheel of an M5. I thought it was just a faster and more powerful but better handling 5 series. We did a test drive at our dealership, but since it was not broken in yet, we were asked to be very gentle with it. Anyway, we proceeded with placing an order on a car that we were not sure about.


Our trip began when we left our house on May 20th and drove to Newark International Airport. Our first problem arose at the airport when they could not find my fathers ticket as we both have the same first and last name. I guess I should have changed it when I had the chance. Anyways it took them over 45 mins to find my father in the system and get him checked it.


We arrived in Munich on May 21st, completely sleep deprived and clueless on where the hotel was. I remember reading that the subway/train system in Munich was a very easy method of transport. The man who sold us the train tickets at the airport also explained to us how to get to our hotel and what stop we had to get of at. Little did we know that when he circled our stop he wrote over another station right before ours, and we ended up getting off at one stop too early. The most interesting part is the station we got off at was not very popular and only every third or so train stopped there. Just imagine the frustration when you watch the trains go by and none of them stopping. I started to wonder, maybe there is a secret trick that no one shared with us and is just having a good laugh. After all, the doors on the trains don't open automatically, you gotta open them by hand.


Finaly after 40 mins or so we got back on the train. Should have just walked the distance to the next station.


Now it was good that the sun was out and it was not too cold, because once we got off the train we had a lot of ground to cover. We were carrying our bags with us, and hoping that someone maybe had a map of the city. After a while we realized that we can not walk anymore and decided to stop and get some coffee. I don't know exactly what they do to the coffee in Europe, but it is absolutely delicious! The man in the cafe was nice and pointed us in the right direction. After a while we decided to stop and ask someone else for directions and the only response we got was "walk for 2 km this way and ask someone else again". At this point we decided to get back on the train that followed the road we were on. We got off at the next stop and to our surprise we found a sign that said Leonardo Royal Hotel. The sign pointed to some door that looked like the entrance to a prison and it must have been a mistake! So we thought if we walk a bit more we might find it. The answer was no, and we were forced to turn back. We stopped by the black turning prison like door, phoned the people and ask if this was the hotel. They told us to walk for another km in the opposite direction and we would see it on our left. FINALLY! The hotel was right there!!! The hotel was very nice, and the good part is that its only 10mins from BMW Welt. The only downside was the view we had from our room, straight into the construction site. What really shocked me was the fact that the lights do not work unless you put your hotel card into the slot, and the bathroom doors were made out of glass.. I was not aware of the trick with the lights and ran to the front desk to tell them that our room does not have electricity. They laughed and told me to put the card in. The rest of the day was adventure free. We went out to see Munich, and to find a place to eat. At this point the weather turned against us as rain and cold gusty winds greeted our arrival to center city.

May 22nd was the big day! It was delivery day! When we got up and looked out the window, we saw more rain and high winds. We got to Welt around 10AM, but our delivery was scheduled for 5:10 PM. We moved our delivery to 1PM (Thank God) and took the rest of the time to run around the place and go shopping.. Then we made our way to the lounge to eat and got ready for Delivery. I can say that BMW Welt is truly an amazing place. I definitely will come back there more than once.

Our delivery guy's name was Tom, and he had a very good sense of humor. He definitely made us feel very special on our delivery day. At one point when we were taking pictures we turned around and the people on the other side were waving to us. It was awesome, felt like a total celebrity. I would recommend European Delivery to everyone for all the M cars!

Now about the car. It looks very big. We ordered Black sapphire on Shakir orange interior. The first couple hours in the car, it felt like a huge limo. It wasn't till the second day that everything look proper size to me, but even at the end of the trip none of us could get used to the dimensions of the car. Just need more time I guess. I am very happy we went for the 20 inches wheels, as they complete the look of the car, seem easier to clean, and really show off the blue ///M Caliper. After our 5 minutes of fame. We were given the whole break in procedure talk, asked to not switch the settings from comfort and efficient until after the service and my mother even got her lesson on forced induction. As everyone already knows the whole delivery process takes a while, but it all seems to go by so fast. Before you know it, it was all over and it was time for the victory lap.


After the victory lap we left BMW Welt parked the car outside and thought of what to do next. We originally planned to go to Italy, but after listening to Tom talk and laugh about how dangerous Italy is. Nonetheless our first stop was in Verona. More than half the time we were driving to Verona it was raining. We stopped to fill up the M for the first time, buy the safety vests, and take a bathroom break. This next part was a complete surprise to us. You have to PAY for the bathrooms! There is a machine as you enter the building where you pay, it prints a voucher for food I guess, and then you are allowed to pass. There was no one there to reason with just in case you really had to go and no money. Luckily we had some left over change from the day before.


I am not sure on what actual mileage everyone is getting on one tank of gas, but after filling up for the first time, the computer showed around 520 miles! Another interesting part about the car, was that while going into a climb, it stays in 7th gear. It just has so much torque that it does not care if you're going up into the mountains.


Soon after crossing the Alps, we entered Italy. Maybe someone can answer this next part for me but.... What the hell is wrong with Italian drivers? They all tailgate extremely close, barely use brakes, and always tend to cut the left lane, which of course if your driving in the left lane, each time they cut you off it is a close call. At first it was like "oh okay, what an ass." ...After an hour... " What hell? They are all driving like this!" At least the road was very beautiful and the entire time we were looking left and right and then left again. We made it to Verona, found the hotel, which by the way had a medium sized underground parking garage, and only after 30 minutes of reversing and going forward we were able to park. This led to one conclusion, parking the M5 in small places is a pain in the ass! Especially with the fact that the car will not roll when you release the brakes, unless you are on a hill.

If no one knows, Verona is the city of Romeo and Juliet, and it is suppose to be a beautiful place. Unfortunately, since we arrived almost at night time, there was only enough time to find a place to eat. With all the places already closed or closing, we found a pizzeria that was still open. Boy were we in for yet another surprise.


No one spoke any English! The menus were in Italian, only half in English, and not to mention, in Italy everything is served backwards. You eat First, usually pasta, then you eat second, some type of meat, and then you have salad with Wine and ice cream. When ordering beer and asking what type of bear they have, the only choice we got was big or small only... which in the end we were specially served medium. We finished our food, walked around for a bit, and went back to the hotel to sleep.

We had an early start to our next day as we had over 12 hours of driving ahead of us. We walked into the garage and started the car. Now I know many people are not fans of the exhaust noise of the new M5, but I am a huge fan! The entire time I could not hear what anyone else was saying while I was putting the bags into the trunk. It just shakes the insides of your bones. I can not imagine what Daves RPi Exhaust sounds like if the stock is just enough for my taste.


The road from here on was very boring. Just more Italian mountains, followed by more rain, cold winds, and of course Italian drives. Our road took us from Verona to Bari. We went to Bari for a personal religious reason, the relics of Saint Nicholas are located there. We figured that since we were going to be close to Bari, we might as well stop by. Interestingly enough, Bari was very warm, with sunny weather. So we left as soon as we were done seeing the relics and hit the road to Rome.

On the way to Rome, my father and I decided that it would have been a good idea to drive into a local village and grab something fresh and local to eat.


WORST IDEA EVER!!!!


We were forced to drive into a village with streets smaller than the M5. We got stuck on one of the streets and had to carefully maneuver out. While I was outside helping us get out, about half the villagers gathered outside to see what was going on. This must have been the highlight of the year. Imagine 3 people who don't speak Italian, stuck on a very expensive car, and don't know their way out. Finally we managed to find a street that was a bit wider and the navigation finally showed us the way out. Except it failed to mention that we would be going down a pathway that was very steep (10% grade)! Did I mention this was a path, not a road. It had mud, rocks, holes and other imperfections. Add a bit of rain to this formula and you get one dangerous slippery path.


So far the M5 was nothing but a comfy cruiser, now it had a new challenge... is it a worthy off-road vehicle. The next five minutes were filled with fear, if the car was to skid just a bit, it could have been game over for us. The car managed to stay planted the entire way down. Not even a single hint that it was about to go off. We managed to go around the enormous holes making sure we do not damage the car, wheels or anything else. Once we made it down, we laughed it it off and said "Good thing no one had to go up the same path in the opposite direction.” Surely, just as we said that, someone decided to come the other way. Luckily we were already on pavement and had more room to try and let the other person get by. From this fresh food eating experience, we decide on two things.

1) No food till Rome


2) Will Rome be any different? Should we just turn around and go back to Verona?

After the long, rainy, curvy road we reached Rome. On the way we stopped only at service areas, to grab coffee, and water. Finally after almost 17 hours of driving that day, Rome was close by.
We had chosen a hotel with parking, but we were not informed that the parking area was very small. Still, there was enough space for the M and we parked it. Id recommend the hotel to everyone. They have some sort of parking in center of Rome, very good rooms, and a very delicious breakfast included with your stay. The only downside of the hotel was that they ask you for the keys to your car just in case of an emergency. They said they have a driver who once drove a Ferrari. We explained that he might have been able to operate a manual Ferrari, but not a DCT in a new M5. So they let us keep the keys and decided to call us incase they had to move the car.


Let me say that if you ever plan on traveling to Rome but not sure if you should go, take my advice... DO IT! Rome was probably the most beautiful place we have seen since our trip started. BMW Welt was obviously number two.


We woke up early on the 24th had breakfast and had to hurry up to get the car for its 1200 miles service. I scheduled a service at BMW Roma which is an M certified dealership. I emailed Alberto Ania Medrano (Alberto.Ania-Medrano@bmw.it) back when I was at home a couple of week prior to the trip. We set the time at the last moment the night before for a 10AM service.


Now, where ever you go, NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER drive in Rome on a Friday. It is the craziest time of the week in Rome. All the cars are on the road, along with old people, young people, and those dreadful motorcyclists. We had about a 15 minute drive to the dealership and it was probably the worst 15 minutes ever! There are no stop signs in Italy, no one obeys the law, and the cops do not care about anything! We legit saw a cop with his lights on flying throught traffic somewhere, and some random person was tailing him the entire time. Try that in America and your gonna get a fine. Luckily the weather was warm and sunny.

At BMW Roma, we were greeted by the service receptionist, offered free Wifi and were asked to wait until the service manager Alberto was able to help us. After a while Alberto helped us fill out the paper work, introduced us the the technicians, and said he would check up on us later. For the next 3 hours, we were offered only the best service. Every 20 mins we were approached by the technicians with an update on what they were doing, already did, and what was next. Then Alberto approached us, and invited us to witness the first oil change on our M. He walked us into the place where they worked on all the cars, and where customers were not allowed. He told us we could video the first oil change and told us that he knew how important thismoment was to us. They had to warm up the engine in order to check the engine oil and continued on with the other parts of the service. We took the rest of the time to look around the dealership, looked at the minis, and browse the internet..


Finally the service was finished and the M was ready. BMW Roma is the ONLY place to go for break in service if you are in Italy. Email Alberto and he will take care of you. They even printed a receipt in English and Italian for BMWNA. They did a wonderful job!!!!


Up to this time, the M has been a great luxury cruiser, a proven off road car, and now...... something else was inside that car. Something we did not fully understand before.

Coming out of BMW Roma dealership we had to merge into traffic. Half way on the accelerator, the DCT throws the car into 4th or 3rd and just takes off. To summarize the next moment in the words of Jeremy Clarkson "POWERRRR!!!" At one point we had to merge into traffic across 3 lines and exit right. We ended up going 120mph and back down to 40 to make the turn in a split second.

We got back parked the car at the hotel and spent another 30 mins arguing with the hotel lady that we will not leave our car keys. Even the Ferrari moving man even came out and tried to convince us.


The rest of the day was used to explore Rome, take a million and one pictures, and realize that 1 day is just not enough for Rome.


Next day we had breakfast, and went to pack up and hit the road again. We went down to start the car, and realized that someone had boxed us in. We asked the lady at the reception to have the car moved and at this moment, ENTER The Ferrari moving man. I start the M, and he starts the Citron that was boxing us in. All the sudden he runs up to me and says... " Mister Mister, how do I reverse this one?" I looked into the Citrion and it was a regular 6 speed manual. I told him, all the way to the left and up. He follows my directions and starts reving the engine and looks at me in confusion as to why its not moving. I smiled and suggested that he release the handbrake. Yea he moved a Ferrari my ass. Anyway, he cleared the way, we left and headed for Florence.


On the way to Florence we realized how much attention this car really gets in Italy. Everyone was driving by looking, taking pictures, and asking to race us. We had so many people give us a thumbs up that we lost track.


Our hotel was just outside of Florence, about 15 minutes by train. We were forced to leave our car outside the hotel in Signa, and were driven to the train station. Just when we thought everything could not get any worse it did! Our train was delayed by 45 minutes, it started to rain again, and it was about 45 degrees outside. We all got sick that day. We explored Florence came back, and just crashed.

Next day it was a straight road back to Munich. We all were sick, cold, tired and wet, and just when we thought our luck couldn't get any worse, a rock hit our windshield making a huge crack.


We made it back to Munich, found our next hotel and spent the remainder of the time resting, and exploring the remains of Munich. Next day we dropped of the Car, and the following day we had our flight back home.

Even though we waited for this trip so long, planned everything, and somehow everything tried to work against us... we enjoyed every single minute of Europe and can not wait to return.


We arrived home to a very surprising scene, rain rain and more rain. But we didnt care anymore, we were just happy to be home, upset that the trip went by so fast..The second trouble we had upon arriving home was getting into our X5 Diesel and forgetting how to put the car in reverse. Its that different!

Now the waiting game begins, and we wait for the redelivery of the M. Which by the way, I must say we had no time to actually fully understand what it is capable of. With bad weather almost 90% of the time, we did not even dare to play around with sport or sport + settings. We did program the M buttons but never actually had enough road or traction to even fully understand comfort mode.

A big thank you to everyone who helped us out with the purchase of our first M car, and thank you for reading!
Attached Images
          

Last edited by alexey21; 06-06-2013 at 11:14 PM..
Appreciate 0
      06-05-2013, 10:23 PM   #2
M54ccibo
Major
M54ccibo's Avatar
United_States
83
Rep
1,489
Posts

Drives: '16 GT4
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Orange County, CA

iTrader: (0)

Congrats! Welcome to the clubs - both M5 and ED
__________________
Current: '16 GT4
Past ///Ms:
'13 F10 M5, Alpine Weiss III/Sakhir Orange Full
'10 E60 M5, Space Gray/Black
Appreciate 0
      06-05-2013, 10:26 PM   #3
alexey21
Lieutenant
60
Rep
422
Posts

Drives: Turbo
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Philly

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by M54ccibo View Post
Congrats! Welcome to the clubs - both M5 and ED
Thank you!
Appreciate 0
      06-05-2013, 10:31 PM   #4
greentrbo95gst
Brigadier General
greentrbo95gst's Avatar
1217
Rep
4,102
Posts

Drives: 21 M5 Comp
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Orange County

iTrader: (6)

Beautiful write up and pics. Congrats!! I just got back two weeks ago from ED.
Check out my ED link in my signature.
__________________
Current: 21 M5 Comp, 17 X5M, 06 M3, 14 Ferrari FF, Tesla Model S Performance.
Appreciate 0
      06-05-2013, 11:19 PM   #5
chong0
First Lieutenant
49
Rep
317
Posts

Drives: '16 X5 5.0
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MA

iTrader: (0)

your experience in Italy was pretty funny, but so spot on.

great review!! now you know why everyone drives a fiat there
__________________
'22 Macan GTS
'21 911 C2S
'20 Cayenne
'16 X5 50i M-sport (3rd row!)
Appreciate 0
      06-06-2013, 05:17 AM   #6
GTR-Dad
Driver
GTR-Dad's Avatar
Canada
8
Rep
210
Posts

Drives: 2012 M5 - DCT
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Beaumont, AB

iTrader: (0)

A highly entertaining read! Welcome to life outside North America!
As a Canadian who also did Euro Delivery, I'm reading this from Italy (business trip) and remembering the first time I experienced the surprises you describe. Good memories. Good fun.

Enjoy.
Appreciate 0
      06-06-2013, 11:19 AM   #7
nynd
Captain
174
Rep
604
Posts

Drives: X7 M8 Convert
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Canada (Toronto)

iTrader: (3)

Loved reading it, seems you had your battles cut out for you, but that's what makes it memorable. At least that car will always have a story behind it when you see it sitting in the driveway - lol!
Appreciate 0
      06-06-2013, 11:42 AM   #8
mr_djurgarden
Private First Class
mr_djurgarden's Avatar
Sweden
173
Rep
169
Posts

Drives: 2018 M5 F90
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sweden

iTrader: (0)

Congrats!
Appreciate 0
      06-06-2013, 11:47 AM   #9
RPiM5
Major General
RPiM5's Avatar
2857
Rep
7,883
Posts

Drives: Mexico Blue F10 M5(Mika)
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Sunny San Diego

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by alexey21 View Post
I can not imagine what Daves RPi Exhaust sounds like if the stock is just enough for my taste...


...Imagine 3 people who don't speak Italian, stuck on a very expensive car, and don't know their way out...
Lol! Congrats brotha! Thanks for the write up. I love hearing about the different places that people go on ED. It was rainy for part of my ED too. It's funny when I get a mention in someone's ED write up. Also, that one part sounds like an episode of Top Gear UK. Lol!

Now the fun part of waiting for her to get back home.
__________________


Appreciate 0
      06-06-2013, 07:15 PM   #10
alexey21
Lieutenant
60
Rep
422
Posts

Drives: Turbo
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Philly

iTrader: (0)

Thank you all for the kind words.

Dave, funny you should mention a Top Gear episode,at some moments I felt exactly the same way. Its just they always end up back home with their cars in one piece and we were very worried that ours would fall of a cliff. I have the videos and might put something together later on.
Appreciate 0
      06-06-2013, 08:40 PM   #11
positiveions
Lieutenant General
positiveions's Avatar
Lebanon
961
Rep
11,722
Posts

Drives: 19 Tacoma, 16 Golf wagon
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Upland, CA

iTrader: (2)

Garage List
Congrats. Looks awesome.
Appreciate 0
      06-07-2013, 01:34 PM   #12
alexey21
Lieutenant
60
Rep
422
Posts

Drives: Turbo
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Philly

iTrader: (0)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...39121127060224

This is what I mean by No rules in Rome
Appreciate 0
      06-09-2013, 03:15 PM   #13
mr_djurgarden
Private First Class
mr_djurgarden's Avatar
Sweden
173
Rep
169
Posts

Drives: 2018 M5 F90
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sweden

iTrader: (0)

thanks

Thanks for sharing your great pics.

Please add more pictures from US
Appreciate 0
      06-09-2013, 03:57 PM   #14
johntomferg
Captain
United_States
119
Rep
852
Posts

Drives: Formerly drove a 13 F10 M5
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Columbia, TN

iTrader: (1)

Great write up! You validated my wife and mine's decision to stay out of Italy. :-) Enjoy the car!
Appreciate 0
      06-09-2013, 05:39 PM   #15
hammadurb
Private
United_States
1
Rep
53
Posts

Drives: 2009 BMW 750li
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tampa, FL

iTrader: (0)

Congrats!!
__________________

2013 M5

| '12 650i | '09 750li | '06 750li | '03 745li | '00 540i |
Appreciate 0
      06-11-2013, 01:47 PM   #16
darkrabbit
Private First Class
Canada
20
Rep
105
Posts

Drives: '19 F36 440i GC, '03 E46 M3
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Puslinch, ON

iTrader: (0)

Thanks for the writeup! We're still thinking through our trip and will probably dip into Italy BRIEFLY to go through Stelvio pass but if we were to 'do' Italy, we'd train it.
Appreciate 0
      07-07-2013, 04:38 AM   #17
btv764
.:
btv764's Avatar
No_Country
26
Rep
195
Posts

Drives: 2012 535i M sport
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Mass

iTrader: (1)

__________________
///
Appreciate 0
      07-07-2013, 11:04 AM   #18
AM47
Driver
Canada
10
Rep
155
Posts

Drives: M5,X5M
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canada

iTrader: (0)

Congratulations on the new car and an eventful trip. I am considering european delivery for my next car and enjoyed your write up very much. Maybe its a rookie question, why did you not take a taxi or car service from the airport to the hotel ? Did you enjoy the hotel or was there another you saw when there, that you would have preferrred. Thanks
Appreciate 0
      07-07-2013, 06:00 PM   #19
AlphaAlpineM6
First Lieutenant
AlphaAlpineM6's Avatar
United_States
33
Rep
380
Posts

Drives: 2014 BMW M6 & 2012 AMG CLS63
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Planet Earth

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Congratulations!!!
__________________

2008 M3 Sedan + catless + Tune
2012 CLS63 AMG
2014 M6 Coupe + catless + KW V3
2015 Porsche GT3
, 2015 M3, all stock, 1/1 Space Grey
Appreciate 0
      07-08-2013, 08:23 AM   #20
alexey21
Lieutenant
60
Rep
422
Posts

Drives: Turbo
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Philly

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by AM47 View Post
Congratulations on the new car and an eventful trip. I am considering european delivery for my next car and enjoyed your write up very much. Maybe its a rookie question, why did you not take a taxi or car service from the airport to the hotel ? Did you enjoy the hotel or was there another you saw when there, that you would have preferrred. Thanks
The Hotel we booked was a walking distance from Welt, so after reading that you can take the train / subway to get to Welt we decided to just train it.

The hotel was great, but I am sure you can find better breakfast prices at a local cafe. It was a clean place, very modern and fresh. At first we thought it was kind of weird, because we were not used to somethings such as "light trick, and etc" but after visiting the Hotels in Verona, and Florence, we realized that the Hotel in Germany was just the best.

On the way back we stopped at Holiday Inn on the country side in Munich. It was like the suburbs, and pretty cool. Giant underground parking, and a 10 min walk from a train station. About 1 hour to the airport by train.

The Holiday Inn Hotel was actually nicer than the first hotel. It was a bit bigger, had normal doors to the bathrooms, and it was actually 2 floors.

We shopped around and bought hotels maybe a month before the trip.

Make sure you get any hotel with a parking garage! I remember in Rome, our hotel had a small "driveway" that closed during the night and was guarded. It was an outside parking with very limited space and you would have to spend maybe 15mins parking the car, but at least it was away from the busy streets of Rome. In Florence the parking was a shopping center with crazy Italian drivers parking to go to the store, and it was painful to watch leaving the M5 in such a tight parking spot. Its tires occupied the spot, and the parking spot next to it.
Appreciate 0
      07-08-2013, 02:05 PM   #21
AM47
Driver
Canada
10
Rep
155
Posts

Drives: M5,X5M
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canada

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by alexey21 View Post
The Hotel we booked was a walking distance from Welt, so after reading that you can take the train / subway to get to Welt we decided to just train it.

The hotel was great, but I am sure you can find better breakfast prices at a local cafe. It was a clean place, very modern and fresh. At first we thought it was kind of weird, because we were not used to somethings such as "light trick, and etc" but after visiting the Hotels in Verona, and Florence, we realized that the Hotel in Germany was just the best.

On the way back we stopped at Holiday Inn on the country side in Munich. It was like the suburbs, and pretty cool. Giant underground parking, and a 10 min walk from a train station. About 1 hour to the airport by train.

The Holiday Inn Hotel was actually nicer than the first hotel. It was a bit bigger, had normal doors to the bathrooms, and it was actually 2 floors.

We shopped around and bought hotels maybe a month before the trip.

Make sure you get any hotel with a parking garage! I remember in Rome, our hotel had a small "driveway" that closed during the night and was guarded. It was an outside parking with very limited space and you would have to spend maybe 15mins parking the car, but at least it was away from the busy streets of Rome. In Florence the parking was a shopping center with crazy Italian drivers parking to go to the store, and it was painful to watch leaving the M5 in such a tight parking spot. Its tires occupied the spot, and the parking spot next to it.
Thanks appreciate the response and extra information.
Appreciate 0
      07-09-2013, 07:07 AM   #22
bear1200
New Member
0
Rep
13
Posts

Drives: BMW X5
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Germany

iTrader: (0)

Nice! Congrats
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:06 AM.




m5post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST