M2 Competition European Delivery (image heavy)

srwatters · 02-18-2019, 11:21 AM

European Delivery Experience
Feb 13-16, 2019

Preface – Background
Just a quick background on my previous cars, both BWM and other makes. I basically grew up in an auto parts store. From the time I was in elementary school through college, my family owned and operated an independent auto parts store in the central valley of California. In middle school I started working there, sweeping floors and putting away stock on the shelves. By high school, I was working six days a week after school and on weekends. My first car was bought by my father when the previous owner rolled up to the front of the store and we could hear the rod knocking from inside the building. $300 later, at 14 years old, I was the owner of a 1963 Ford Falcon two-door convertible with shot seats, multi-color primer paint, and a torn soft-top (plus a blown rod bearing in the 260 cubic inch v8). It went into the garage on blocks and as my father supplied the parts, I rebuild it from the ground up. He traded parts with local merchants for the stuff I couldn’t do, like paint, upholstery, and carpet. But all the other mechanical work was with my hands. I So you might say that cars are pretty much in my blood. I’ve been a BMW fan since 1998 when I purchased my first 3 series car, a 1995 E36 M3 Coupe in Avus Blue/Dove Grey. Aside from one short stint in an absolute lemon of a 2004 S4 Audi, I’ve only owned BMWs since. My daily drivers have included an ’04 E46 330i and my current ’11 E90 335i. It’s a family affair with my wife driving first a ’08 E70 X5 and now a ’15 F25 X3. My daughters share a ’15 Mini Cooper “S”.

Purchase Process
Since I’ve owned my current 3er for nearly 8 years, it was time to start looking for what I would drive next. I began my hunt with three candidates: Audi’s S4 and RS3, and the BMW 340i. I researched all I could online, reading both professional and user reviews with endless online builds on both the BMW and Audi USA websites. Around this time, my wife’s current X3 was due for service and she was provided with a brand new 230i convertible as a loaner. See, this is how they get you, just like a drug dealer, the first one’s free… Surprising to me, the two series was nearly the same size as my E90. I had absolutely no issues fitting my larger than average American sized carcass into the cockpit. I was equally impressed with the ergonomics and general feel of the “little” two series. Back to the BMW USA website to investigate the M240i and for the first time the M2.
After learning about the upcoming M2 Competition, I was hooked. So much so that around Thanksgiving 2018, I contacted my regular BMW sales advisor to see what it would take to get me one. I was almost aghast to find out that he had one allocation slot open for the current quarter and if I wanted it, it was mine. So, I drove the short three miles from my home to Classic BMW in Plano and plopped down my $2500 deposit to start the process. I had heard about the European Delivery program online and from a couple of friends who had done it before, and it certainly seemed intriguing. After inquiring about it, the answer came back as sure, we can do that with your M2, just give me a date you want to be in Munich for the delivery. After suppling three Friday dates in February and March that fit with my work travel schedule, I was given a production number, build week, and delivery date confirmation for February 15th, 2019. MSRP less the 5% European Delivery discount was agreed upon.

Planning the Trip
Since I travel a fair amount for work, I had plenty of miles available on American Airlines and was able to score a round trip ticket with business class over and coach back for a very reasonable 80k miles. I chose to fly into Frankfurt and take the train to Munich over changing planes in London and flying into Munich. The actual transit time doing either is almost the same and I much prefer the easy entry through immigration in Germany over London’s Heathrow mess. I highly recommend the AA 70 and AA 71 pair from DFW to FRA. I was fortunate to fly on one of the newer Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft which features a humidity-controlled cabin and much quieter engines. Another plus of flying into Frankfurt, is the train station is directly connected to the airport, making the transfer from air to train simple and stress free. Booking ahead online with Deutsche Bahn is also a breeze with easy access to electronic tickets on the DB Navigator app for your smartphone. Another tip is to book in first class on the train if you can. This gives you access to the DB Lounge which offers a quite and comfortable place to work or rest while you wait for the connection. Free drinks and coffee are offered at Frankfurt, while the Munich Lounge offered beer and snacks as well. Don’t miss it, especially if you have a decent layover between your flight arrival and train departure. My round-trip first-class fare was 169€ with no train changes between Frankfurt Flughafen and Munich Hauptbahnhof. One final benefit to taking the train is that your ticket includes a city-pass for your arrival and departure days. This means you can ride the busses, U-Bahn (subway), and S-Bahn (streetcars) for free. It makes navigating the city super easy.
I booked a single night’s stay at the Hampton by Hilton Munich City West for Thursday February 14th (85€) and one night at the Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport for Friday February 15th (130€). The Hampton (and a connected Garden Inn) sits just 5 stops from the main Munich train station on the S18 or S19 lines when you exit the station from the south side. The Trappentreustraβe stop is directly across from the hotel with a signal light for easy access. The trip from the hotel to BMW Welt can be done directly via Uber or a taxi (15 minutes and <15€), but since I’m in the public transit business, I chose to ride the streetcar back to the main station and take the subway. Since I would be traveling back to Frankfurt by train right after my delivery, I chose to take advantage of the lockers at the Hauptbahnhof to store my suitcase and carry-on bag for a 3€ fee. You can use them for up to six hours, which fit in perfectly with my scheduled plant tour and delivery. One note, there are very nice lockers available free of charge at BMW Welt. Downstairs there are lockers you can access with your own four-digit code, but if you’re doing ED, there are some nicer offerings upstairs in the Premium Lounge. The path from main station to BMW Welt involves just one transfer each way from the U2 line towards Feldmoching for 5 stops exiting at Scheidplatz and crossing the platform to catch the U3 line towards Moosach for 2 stops exiting at Olympiazentrum. There are signs on the platform directing you the correct exit stairs for BMW Welt/Museum access. It’s no more than 100 meters from the subway to the front door of BMW Welt. To return to the main train station you do the opposite taking the U3 towards Marienplatz and switch again at Scheidplatz towards Messestadt-Ost.

Delivery Day at the Welt
I had called ahead a week before my delivery day to book a factory tour of the BMW plant before my afternoon delivery. I must say it was a very educational two hours spend seeing just how a BMW is made from sheets of steel and aluminum to finished driving machine. They build the 3 and 4 four series cars at the Munich factory including the M3 and M4. I won’t go into details here but suffice it to say that you should see it at least once to get a real appreciation for the process. When you walk into the main entrance from the subway, you’ll see the M-Power display directly on your right. They had M2, M3 and M4 models present as well as some interesting informational displays. You cannot get into the cars, but there are some other models on display that are available to sit in. There is a ticket and information booth to the left, but if you’re there for a delivery, skip that and go around the corner near the BMW Welt store to find the Premium Delivery glass elevators that will whisk you up to the third floor and the check-in desk. There you will be greeted by the receptionist who will connect you with a staff member for check-in and to sign your required paperwork. On this floor you’ll also find the Premium Lounge. There are snacks, drinks, and other light fare available for you as well as comfortable couches and chairs while you wait. The third floor also includes a locker room and spotless restrooms. It’s a very modern design that works well with the overall experience in my opinion. The “ticket” I was provided was a smart RFID card with my name and schedule printed on one side. It also sports a 10€ credit for you to use in the Welt store. As a perk, I received a key FOB that could be engraved with your name (up to 12 letters).
I had a short wait for my tour to start so I took advantage of the snacks and beverage in the Lounge and peeked over the wall to see if my car had been brought out on the circular second floor, but alas, it wasn’t there yet. A few other very cool machines were there including some X SAVs that are made in the states and delivered to European customers at the Welt. The staging area for the tour is directly through the rear of the Welt store and I arrived about 5 minutes before the appointed hour. Wear some comfortable shoes for the experience as it’s about a 1.5 mile walk over the two-hour tour.

The Delivery Experience
After returning from the tour, I again took the glass elevator to the third floor to top off the tank with a snack and beverage. You meet up with your delivery specialist at a set of three kiosks with electronic displays listing the customers, specialists, and delivery times. I was greeted (in English) by Michael Hoess who would assist with the remainder of the process. He asked a couple of questions about my general BMW knowledge and what I wanted to get out of the experience to better tailor the presentation. You are allotted a total of 90 minutes for the experience, which turned out to be more than enough for me. Our first stop was on the floor below where I was greeted with a very large format interactive display and a rendering of my vehicle (including colors and options). We proceeded to go through several of the unique features of the M2 Competition. Again, a very informational session even for someone who I’d label as an enthusiast. Once we completed the virtual tour, it was time to descend the stairs to the delivery floor. I then got a first look at my new M2 Competition. The vehicles ready for delivery are arranged on turntables around a circular drive. They are brought up from the basement in an elevator and driven around to their appointed spot. As you come down the stairs, the vehicle slowly rotates, so you can get photos and examine it from all angles. With all the build-up, it’s an exhilarating experience.
Once you arrive at your car, you can examine it closely, take more photos, and ask any questions you might have left. I opened the hood to get a good look at the S55 power plant and that marquis carbon fiber strut. After some minor seat adjustments, I hopped in and was joined by the Michael to go over the i-drive and other features. Again, very informative and helpful since there are quite a few changes from my older E90. Next order of business was to fire it up and I got my first listen to the raspy note by blipping the throttle. One note about settings, I was told that upon delivery in the US the car would be completely reloaded, so no personalization would survive. This includes the M buttons, seats, and i-drive configuration. After figuring out how to get the car into gear (no laughing, it’s my first DCT car), I drove one lap around floor finishing just in front of the car elevator. If you are driving your car in Europe, you would exit down the ramp and be off on your adventure. I on the other hand left the Welt with two FOBs, one key, and a great memory. Now I must wait the excruciating 4 to 6 weeks for it to arrive in Texas.

mhanism · 02-18-2019, 11:41 AM

Congrats! And wonderful story and description!

cruzzinlow · 02-24-2019, 02:14 PM

congrats, looks awesome, something I definitely want to do someday

KevinM · 02-26-2019, 07:56 PM

Congratulations! European Delivery is such a great experience...

nomoracin · 02-26-2019, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinM

Congratulations! European Delivery is such a great experience...

It is, but I was a little underwhelmed by the upstairs lounge and food though. I was expecting a lot more.

02-18-2019, 11:21 AM	#1
srwatters Second Lieutenant 146 Rep 277 Posts Drives: '23 M340i, '16 X3 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: West Plano, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW X3 xDrive ... [0.00] 2023 BMW M340i [0.00]	M2 Competition European Delivery (image heavy) European Delivery Experience Feb 13-16, 2019 Preface – Background Just a quick background on my previous cars, both BWM and other makes. I basically grew up in an auto parts store. From the time I was in elementary school through college, my family owned and operated an independent auto parts store in the central valley of California. In middle school I started working there, sweeping floors and putting away stock on the shelves. By high school, I was working six days a week after school and on weekends. My first car was bought by my father when the previous owner rolled up to the front of the store and we could hear the rod knocking from inside the building. $300 later, at 14 years old, I was the owner of a 1963 Ford Falcon two-door convertible with shot seats, multi-color primer paint, and a torn soft-top (plus a blown rod bearing in the 260 cubic inch v8). It went into the garage on blocks and as my father supplied the parts, I rebuild it from the ground up. He traded parts with local merchants for the stuff I couldn’t do, like paint, upholstery, and carpet. But all the other mechanical work was with my hands. I So you might say that cars are pretty much in my blood. I’ve been a BMW fan since 1998 when I purchased my first 3 series car, a 1995 E36 M3 Coupe in Avus Blue/Dove Grey. Aside from one short stint in an absolute lemon of a 2004 S4 Audi, I’ve only owned BMWs since. My daily drivers have included an ’04 E46 330i and my current ’11 E90 335i. It’s a family affair with my wife driving first a ’08 E70 X5 and now a ’15 F25 X3. My daughters share a ’15 Mini Cooper “S”. Purchase Process Since I’ve owned my current 3er for nearly 8 years, it was time to start looking for what I would drive next. I began my hunt with three candidates: Audi’s S4 and RS3, and the BMW 340i. I researched all I could online, reading both professional and user reviews with endless online builds on both the BMW and Audi USA websites. Around this time, my wife’s current X3 was due for service and she was provided with a brand new 230i convertible as a loaner. See, this is how they get you, just like a drug dealer, the first one’s free… Surprising to me, the two series was nearly the same size as my E90. I had absolutely no issues fitting my larger than average American sized carcass into the cockpit. I was equally impressed with the ergonomics and general feel of the “little” two series. Back to the BMW USA website to investigate the M240i and for the first time the M2. After learning about the upcoming M2 Competition, I was hooked. So much so that around Thanksgiving 2018, I contacted my regular BMW sales advisor to see what it would take to get me one. I was almost aghast to find out that he had one allocation slot open for the current quarter and if I wanted it, it was mine. So, I drove the short three miles from my home to Classic BMW in Plano and plopped down my $2500 deposit to start the process. I had heard about the European Delivery program online and from a couple of friends who had done it before, and it certainly seemed intriguing. After inquiring about it, the answer came back as sure, we can do that with your M2, just give me a date you want to be in Munich for the delivery. After suppling three Friday dates in February and March that fit with my work travel schedule, I was given a production number, build week, and delivery date confirmation for February 15th, 2019. MSRP less the 5% European Delivery discount was agreed upon. Planning the Trip Since I travel a fair amount for work, I had plenty of miles available on American Airlines and was able to score a round trip ticket with business class over and coach back for a very reasonable 80k miles. I chose to fly into Frankfurt and take the train to Munich over changing planes in London and flying into Munich. The actual transit time doing either is almost the same and I much prefer the easy entry through immigration in Germany over London’s Heathrow mess. I highly recommend the AA 70 and AA 71 pair from DFW to FRA. I was fortunate to fly on one of the newer Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft which features a humidity-controlled cabin and much quieter engines. Another plus of flying into Frankfurt, is the train station is directly connected to the airport, making the transfer from air to train simple and stress free. Booking ahead online with Deutsche Bahn is also a breeze with easy access to electronic tickets on the DB Navigator app for your smartphone. Another tip is to book in first class on the train if you can. This gives you access to the DB Lounge which offers a quite and comfortable place to work or rest while you wait for the connection. Free drinks and coffee are offered at Frankfurt, while the Munich Lounge offered beer and snacks as well. Don’t miss it, especially if you have a decent layover between your flight arrival and train departure. My round-trip first-class fare was 169€ with no train changes between Frankfurt Flughafen and Munich Hauptbahnhof. One final benefit to taking the train is that your ticket includes a city-pass for your arrival and departure days. This means you can ride the busses, U-Bahn (subway), and S-Bahn (streetcars) for free. It makes navigating the city super easy. I booked a single night’s stay at the Hampton by Hilton Munich City West for Thursday February 14th (85€) and one night at the Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport for Friday February 15th (130€). The Hampton (and a connected Garden Inn) sits just 5 stops from the main Munich train station on the S18 or S19 lines when you exit the station from the south side. The Trappentreustraβe stop is directly across from the hotel with a signal light for easy access. The trip from the hotel to BMW Welt can be done directly via Uber or a taxi (15 minutes and <15€), but since I’m in the public transit business, I chose to ride the streetcar back to the main station and take the subway. Since I would be traveling back to Frankfurt by train right after my delivery, I chose to take advantage of the lockers at the Hauptbahnhof to store my suitcase and carry-on bag for a 3€ fee. You can use them for up to six hours, which fit in perfectly with my scheduled plant tour and delivery. One note, there are very nice lockers available free of charge at BMW Welt. Downstairs there are lockers you can access with your own four-digit code, but if you’re doing ED, there are some nicer offerings upstairs in the Premium Lounge. The path from main station to BMW Welt involves just one transfer each way from the U2 line towards Feldmoching for 5 stops exiting at Scheidplatz and crossing the platform to catch the U3 line towards Moosach for 2 stops exiting at Olympiazentrum. There are signs on the platform directing you the correct exit stairs for BMW Welt/Museum access. It’s no more than 100 meters from the subway to the front door of BMW Welt. To return to the main train station you do the opposite taking the U3 towards Marienplatz and switch again at Scheidplatz towards Messestadt-Ost. Delivery Day at the Welt I had called ahead a week before my delivery day to book a factory tour of the BMW plant before my afternoon delivery. I must say it was a very educational two hours spend seeing just how a BMW is made from sheets of steel and aluminum to finished driving machine. They build the 3 and 4 four series cars at the Munich factory including the M3 and M4. I won’t go into details here but suffice it to say that you should see it at least once to get a real appreciation for the process. When you walk into the main entrance from the subway, you’ll see the M-Power display directly on your right. They had M2, M3 and M4 models present as well as some interesting informational displays. You cannot get into the cars, but there are some other models on display that are available to sit in. There is a ticket and information booth to the left, but if you’re there for a delivery, skip that and go around the corner near the BMW Welt store to find the Premium Delivery glass elevators that will whisk you up to the third floor and the check-in desk. There you will be greeted by the receptionist who will connect you with a staff member for check-in and to sign your required paperwork. On this floor you’ll also find the Premium Lounge. There are snacks, drinks, and other light fare available for you as well as comfortable couches and chairs while you wait. The third floor also includes a locker room and spotless restrooms. It’s a very modern design that works well with the overall experience in my opinion. The “ticket” I was provided was a smart RFID card with my name and schedule printed on one side. It also sports a 10€ credit for you to use in the Welt store. As a perk, I received a key FOB that could be engraved with your name (up to 12 letters). I had a short wait for my tour to start so I took advantage of the snacks and beverage in the Lounge and peeked over the wall to see if my car had been brought out on the circular second floor, but alas, it wasn’t there yet. A few other very cool machines were there including some X SAVs that are made in the states and delivered to European customers at the Welt. The staging area for the tour is directly through the rear of the Welt store and I arrived about 5 minutes before the appointed hour. Wear some comfortable shoes for the experience as it’s about a 1.5 mile walk over the two-hour tour. The Delivery Experience After returning from the tour, I again took the glass elevator to the third floor to top off the tank with a snack and beverage. You meet up with your delivery specialist at a set of three kiosks with electronic displays listing the customers, specialists, and delivery times. I was greeted (in English) by Michael Hoess who would assist with the remainder of the process. He asked a couple of questions about my general BMW knowledge and what I wanted to get out of the experience to better tailor the presentation. You are allotted a total of 90 minutes for the experience, which turned out to be more than enough for me. Our first stop was on the floor below where I was greeted with a very large format interactive display and a rendering of my vehicle (including colors and options). We proceeded to go through several of the unique features of the M2 Competition. Again, a very informational session even for someone who I’d label as an enthusiast. Once we completed the virtual tour, it was time to descend the stairs to the delivery floor. I then got a first look at my new M2 Competition. The vehicles ready for delivery are arranged on turntables around a circular drive. They are brought up from the basement in an elevator and driven around to their appointed spot. As you come down the stairs, the vehicle slowly rotates, so you can get photos and examine it from all angles. With all the build-up, it’s an exhilarating experience. Once you arrive at your car, you can examine it closely, take more photos, and ask any questions you might have left. I opened the hood to get a good look at the S55 power plant and that marquis carbon fiber strut. After some minor seat adjustments, I hopped in and was joined by the Michael to go over the i-drive and other features. Again, very informative and helpful since there are quite a few changes from my older E90. Next order of business was to fire it up and I got my first listen to the raspy note by blipping the throttle. One note about settings, I was told that upon delivery in the US the car would be completely reloaded, so no personalization would survive. This includes the M buttons, seats, and i-drive configuration. After figuring out how to get the car into gear (no laughing, it’s my first DCT car), I drove one lap around floor finishing just in front of the car elevator. If you are driving your car in Europe, you would exit down the ramp and be off on your adventure. I on the other hand left the Welt with two FOBs, one key, and a great memory. Now I must wait the excruciating 4 to 6 weeks for it to arrive in Texas. __________________ Current - 23 G20 M340i, 16 F25 X3 2.8i xdrive Gone - 19 F87 M2C, 11 E90 335i, 08 E70 X5 3.0i, 04 E46 330i, 95 E36 M3
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02-18-2019, 11:41 AM	#2
mhanism Captain 277 Rep 807 Posts Drives: 2020 M2C Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	Congrats! And wonderful story and description! __________________ MY20 M2 Competition MY16 M3 (Sold) MY17 X3 35i M Sport MY14 335i M Sport (Sold)
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02-24-2019, 02:14 PM	#3
cruzzinlow Second Lieutenant 97 Rep 213 Posts Drives: 2019 M5 Competition Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Long Island iTrader: (1)	congrats, looks awesome, something I definitely want to do someday __________________ 2019 M5 Competition 2018 X5 50i M-sport
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02-26-2019, 07:56 PM	#4
KevinM Brigadier General 2936 Rep 3,286 Posts Drives: 2002 M5;2007 M Coupe;2020 M2C Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tucson iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 M2 Competition [10.00] 2007 E86 M coupe [8.38] 2002 E39 M5 [9.00]	Congratulations! European Delivery is such a great experience... __________________ 2020 F87 M2C Hockenheim Silver/MT 2002 E39 M5 Sterling Gray/Caramel 2007 E86 Z4M Coupe Silver Gray/Black 2021 Kia Telluride (hauler)
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