[Liquid2C]

I'm from Prague so it's nice to hear you enjoyed your stay here. It's really a beautiful city. Though, if you didn't like driving here never ever drive a car in Italy. Driver's in Prague can be real dicks from time to time, but they are still pretty considerate and well behaved. Tram drivers on the other hand are pretty awful most of the time.

Have a nice time with the new car!

[Raikkonen]

Awesome write-up and beautiful car!

Although some of the younger folks around here may disagree with me, I think an f30 335i M Sport is probably the best daily driver on the market; better than an M3. I only say that, as like you, I don't track my cars, and I would NEVER be able to exploit even 80% of what the M3 has to offer on public roads.

Size, speed, cost, fuel economy, build quality, luxury, appearance…the 335i can't be beat as a daily driver!!!

[Smiller155]

I remember my trip to Munich back in September of 2005. I took ED of my 2006 330i with Mineral grey metallic exterior and grey interior. I loved that car. This was before they built BMW World so I picked up my car from the factory. Hans showed me the new gizmos and programmed my Motorola Razor flip phone so I could use Bluetooth (this was new technology for cars back then). I remember driving out of Munich at sunset as my wife called from the States and I talked to her through the car's speaker and I was amazed. I even stopped at a gas station/rest stop just to admire my new wheels!

I drove up to Frankfurt at an average speed of 120MPH even though most of the Autobahn had slower speed zones. It was sort of stressful as I had to constantly be checking the rear view for cars approaching at phenomenal speeds! At one point, I didn't quite understand that a sign with 3 little curved arrows meant the lane was ending and I would have crashed for sure except for a polite and observant German driver who was next to me. He braked hard so I could shift lanes--something that would rarely happen here in the states. In fact, I found the German drives a lot more aware & polite compared to US drivers (similar to your experience). They exhibited no selfishness when it comes to changing lanes and nobody hogs the fast lane if they don't want to speed (my pet peeve).

I got to Frankfurt and went to the Intl Auto Show which was a lot of fun. Then I drove up to Koln (Cologne) for the night to purchase a hand-made cuckoo clock for my son. Then back to Frankfurt to drop off my car and fly home. 5 nights. I had been to Germany before but this was a much more fun and intimate way to travel than just taking trains.

I used frequent flyer miles to file business class so all I paid for was hotels and food. It was an amazing trip. My first night in Munich it was the start of Oktoberfest which was awesome except I almost overslept my pick up the next day. The taxi that took me back to my hotel was a new 7 series which impressed me.

Thanks for your trip report--it brought back a lot of fun memories for me. I can't wait to do it again. But alas, my wife has blocked every effort since. I like your car and color combo too.

[dude987]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

The real benefit of an M-Sport is the additional engine cooling radiators over a non M-Sport. The icing on the cake is DHP. The combination of M-Sport, DHP, and MPPK is the real deal. It will give the E9x M3 a real run for the dollar to value ratio.

I had the ED for a 2013 335i M-Sport, xDrive, w/DHP back in July 2012. I'm still here in Germany and had the opportunity to pretty much conquer Europe (The Dolomites, Alps, Switzerland, Mont Banc, Monoco, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the UK). Next on our list this summer is Poland and the Baltics (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, & Norway). Not trying to toot my horn here. Just saying that the European cultural experience should be on everyone's bucket list. The combination of history, culture, and experience is to die for.

[Amigo 435i GC]

Originally Posted by Liquid2C

I'm from Prague so it's nice to hear you enjoyed your stay here. It's really a beautiful city. Though, if you didn't like driving here never ever drive a car in Italy. Driver's in Prague can be real dicks from time to time, but they are still pretty considerate and well behaved. Tram drivers on the other hand are pretty awful most of the time.

Have a nice time with the new car!

I will be there en September after having delivery of my 435 GC.....

[Lorde]

Sensatec?! On a 335i? Groaaaaan.

Nice pick on Glacier Silver though.

[GMe90]

Awesome write up and a great car. I think it's fairly clear that the 335i is a better daily driver than the M3, especially the e9# M3. It is more fuel efficient and faster on regular roads because of low end torque. I also agree that the auto transmission is ideal for the N55.

[NOBLE MOTORCARS]

wow, thats sick man, nice pictures! so how much you spend on the trip? haha

[bradleyland]

For some reason, you don't see nearly as many silver F30 3-series as you did the E90, and especially the E46. I think it looks really incredible with the 403M wheels. It has a neu-ZCP feel to it, to my eye.

[MichalM240i]

Sir, that was amazing post! I love it and I hope you enjoyed visit Europe and of course Prague, I live about 50 km eastwards from it .
Have an amazing kilometers/miles in that beauty!

[devitocoke]

Now you have two beautiful girls!

[lawgone]

Originally Posted by devitocoke

Now you have two beautiful girls!

Yes, I was gonna say the same. Beautiful car and beautiful wife to go along with all the beautiful scenery. And I do not mean that disrespectfully OP.

[warmtoes]

Wow, great write up and thanks for all the pics. They help with understanding your experience better. I think European Delivery is in my future.

[JCLBoston]

Originally Posted by lawgone

Yes, I was gonna say the same. Beautiful car and beautiful wife to go along with all the beautiful scenery. And I do not mean that disrespectfully OP.

OP's entire post is obvious excuse to show off attractive wife :

Jk, congrats! Makes me wish I had taken a longer ED trip then I did a number of yrs ago.

[eforty6_m3]

Great writeup, thank you for sharing!

This is absolutely something I'd love to do in my lifetime and is on my automotive bucket list.

[wisesoul]

Gorgeous car, beautiful wife, and stunning scenery. You've got it all brotha. Enjoy your new ride! I've never driven an N55, do they feel faster than the S65? The S65 is pretty frantic at the top end, but never really shoves you in the seat.

[sdhotwn]

Originally Posted by JCLBoston

OP's entire post is obvious excuse to show off attractive wife :

Jk, congrats! Makes me wish I had taken a longer ED trip then I did a number of yrs ago.

No complaints here . I actually thought it was a nice touch how he had his wife in a lot of photos that would have been kind of boring/pointless otherwise. For example the delivery screen. It's cool to see the delivery screen and your name on it etc, but that photo is much more memorable and fun with the wife in it.

Congrats to you both!

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by wisesoul

Gorgeous car, beautiful wife, and stunning scenery. You've got it all brotha. Enjoy your new ride! I've never driven an N55, do they feel faster than the S65? The S65 is pretty frantic at the top end, but never really shoves you in the seat.

I owned an N55 powered 135i prior to my M3. Both engines have a very distinct character, but I'd say the S65 powered M3 "feels" just as fast; just in a different way. The difference is in the way the N55 delivers its shove. The torque number for the S65 and N55 is really similar, but the N55's peak torque comes on a lot earlier. It also comes on as a wave like surge. This is a characteristic of nearly any turbocharged engine. The turbo in the N55 spools up quickly, but you can still feel it spool up, especially if you accelerate from low RPM.

Humans are actually pretty bad at determining the difference in steady-rate acceleration, but we're good at detecting changes in acceleration. For example, if you put someone in a maglev sled (magnetically powered rail car for testing) and did two runs, one at 1.0G acceleration, and one at 1.25G acceleration, the occupant would report that the difference in acceleration was small; maybe even the same. However, if you start accelerating them at 1.0G and ramp to 1.25G, they'd report that the difference was large. It's a perceptual bias inherent to the way we perceive acceleration.

That's why people often say that a turbocharged car "feels" faster. They're feeling the abrupt change in acceleration early in the RPM range. The problem (for me anyway) is that once that surge is over, it's a downhill ride from then on. Don't get me wrong, the N55 was loads of fun, but it's a personal preference thing.

[BDWonder]

Beautiful car! Awesome 19' wheels, love those. The M package looks fantastic dude, i like it better on the 335i than 435i (IMO). Enjoy in good spirits dude! oh and btw.....nice car ;-)

[JustChris]

Enjoyed those pictures and the write up, great work!

[Apl440i or 335d?]

Beautiful car! I would love to do a ED, but alas, its not an option in the UK.

[Dackelone]

@franklin455 AWESOME writeup and photos. ED is such a nice way to see Europe.

Sorry to hear about your encounter with the Austrian Polizei. Yes, no (8 euro)vignette and you get a 120 euro fine. IF you have a Vignette, but don't fully affix it to the windshield - the Polizei think your using one vignette on multiple cars.... that IS a 500 euro fine on the spot, cash or cc! lol

It use to be you could buy a Austrian Vignette at the first exit in Austria. No more. NOW you MUST have an Vignette BEFORE you enter Austrian border(Grenz). This is new since Jan 1, this year.


@franklin455 did you know you also needed a Vignette to travel on Czech autobahns! Did you buy one of those?
Btw... I am not really a big fan of Czech, although its nice. But IF you liked Czech, you should check out the German city of Bamberg. It has been called a small Prague. Bamberg is also surrounded by seven hills and is a very old city ~1,200 years.

Originally Posted by F32 N55

Would love to hear more about actually driving (toll roads) and the language barrier in Europe.

Aug. 28 is our ED.

What would you like to know?


Austrian Vignette is 8 euros for ten days. You can buy it in most German gas stations near the Austrian border. Or at any ADAC(German automobile club) in Germany.

Italy uses a toll system - much like the NJ Turnpike. You get a card and pay when you exit. On some roads you also have to pay to travel, like a tunnel or bridge(Brenner) or a mountain pass like Gross Glockner, etc.

Czech also uses a window sticker (Vignette). I think its around 10 euros for ten days. Like Austria you don't want to get caught by the police without one.

Switzerland you also need a Vignette, but they only sell a ONE YEAR decal and it cost 32 euros. IF you get stopped on the Swiss highway without one.. I think its 40 euros. But the Swiss have cameras EVERYWHERE... and each time they take your pic without this decal - you pay! So buy one before entering Swiss.

France has a toll road system like in the states(NJ Turnpike). But in France you should not drive faster than 50 kph over the speed limit. You will loose your license on the spot! And the fine it not cheap.


Also... everyone needs to have a warning vest INSIDE the passenger compartment(where the occupants can access it). You need a vest for every person. No vest and you get a fine! You also need a warning triangle and first aid kit... but I think all ED cars come with both(they just do not supply the vests).

IF you travel outside Germany you also need a spare light bulb kit in your car. IF you travel to France or Portugal you also need alcohol test kit in the car. Traveling to Spain or Portugal and you need TWO warning triangles and TWO spare light bulb kits. It's silly but the law over here.

IF your car ever breaks down on the autobahn... PUT ON your warning vests inside the car - then exit it, you need to put the warning triangle behind the car at least 100 meters (each black and white stick is at 50m intervals on the autobahn) Also on the back of each mile marker stick is an arrow with a phone icon pointing to the direction to walk to the nearest emergency roadside phone on the autobahn. You should open the engine hood, and stay outside of the car BEHIND the guardrail!




Dackel



Warning vests are now a MUST, since July.


Swiss and Austrian Vignettes...