My Performance Center Delivery Experience - With Attached Pics

[GoVols!]

After 6 weeks of waiting, last Friday was my PCD. Below is a write up of the experience and attached pictures. Start with the top picture and work your way down.

We landed in Spartanburg late Thursday night and got picked up curbside in a 5 series wagon. We got to the Greenville Marriott just before 11pm so our driver told us that he'd get the kitchen to stay open so we could get our "BMW dinner". I had been wondering what the free food during the PDC would be like. Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. The wife and I both had 8 oz Fillet Mignon with a couple of really good salads. The special menu also had Mahi and some kind of pasta. All free, including tip. Just sign your name and room number.

At 7:45am the shuttle bus took the group to the Performance Center. There were 6 of us this day. Three 3 series, a 7, an M3, and our X. It was a great experience meeting the other people talking with them throughout the day. The owners taking delivery of the 7 had actually done the European delivery and this was reuniting them with the car after a month or so. They had put 2500 miles on it over the course of two weeks in Europe.

After the initial orientation and waiver signing, they took us outside to the track where they had similar models to what we bought lined up waiting for us. Next to us was a bunch of M's waiting on the M car driving class held later in the day.(See picture).

The actual driving portion is broken up into 4 parts. The first was handling, where you do laps of slalom, high speed turns, chicanes, etc. This was amazing to feel what the X can do. I was able to outrun the 7 series and stayed even with an ameteur driving the M3. What a waste.

Next, Braking, where you test the ABS system. They told us to remember INYC. "It's not your car". Basically you accelerate to 50mph - I hit 60, and hit the brakes as hard as you can while making a bailout maneuver on the course. Eyes where you want to go, not where the hazard is. They told us that if we break the brake pedal by hitting it too hard, we get a free car to go along with the one we're picking up.

Third, is the skidpad and Traction Control demonstration. They put each person behind the wheel of a 330 and got us to drive slowly around the skidpad with the system deactivated, let off the gas, and then hit it hard. The car immediatly goes out of control and does a 360. After you do that a few times, the instructor activites the system and tells you to steer around the pad and put your foot on the floor. The system automatically controls the power and braking to each wheel and you only have to make minor steering adjustments to go around. No loss of control even with the pedal to the floor. Amazing safety feature.

After this was our Delivery and lunch. See attached pictures. Mine had 1 mile on the odo. After lunch was a hot lap with an instructor driving an M5. This was unreal. The guy was drifting around corners, spinning the wheels on demand in 3rd gear, cruising the skidpad without DSC. The instructors at this place are top notch.

After this was the offroad testing in the X5's. Everyone get in one and they lead you around a rocky area where you put it on two wheels, balance on the left side over a hill, ford a water hazard up to the axles, test the hill control on a 40% downslope, and feel the suspension working over a bunch of camelhumps. See pictures.

After the factory tour, where there was no production going on but a few people working and testing(saw the new X5 and X6Ms, as well as a camoed X3 that will be produced in the new factory addition) we left for our drive home to Nebraska. See pictures.

Overall, it was an amazing experience. Worth the trip. I'd love to go back and do the 2-day M school. If you have any questions, let me know.

[providenceleaf]

Very nice! Looks like you had a fantastic time. Something for anyone that can do this to consider

[Full Speed]

Disneyland for grown-ups! Nice write up.

[FunfDreisig]

What a great experience and a great X5! Thanks for the pics. How do you like your 35d? How was the mileage on your trip home? And just out of curiosity does the rear tire on the left happen to have a white X on it too ?

Your story brings back memories...We bought our 2001 X5 from Momentum BMW in Houston. My wife went in 'just looking'. The salesman asked if she'd like a ride in a X5 on their test tract. She said sure and climbed into the passenger's seat with a ex-F2 race driver. He made that X5 do stuff she had never even thought possible! That night over dinner the told the story and said "We're getting an X5. Oh, we can look at the competition, and compare specs etc. like we always do . But we're getting a X5!" That weekend we both were in an X5 on that test track -- she was right, we got an X5.

Funf Dreisig

[GoVols!]

I love it. No problems other than some wax residue on the black bumper from the detailing they did at the Perf Center. Dealer said they would take care of it when I called them after I got home. The PC put something on it that got rid of it until we left. Noticed it was back about the time we got to Knoxville, TN. The only thing I've noticed is a slight throttle hesitation from a stop if you drive with a light foot. If you hit it good, it goes instantly for the most part. This is minor though, because once you hit 1800 rpm or so, it goes like a bat out of hell.

We got 26 mpg on the way home. Exactly 1200 miles. Now, with that said, let me clarify. The 26 was with taking backroads, mountain climing over the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hwy 441 through Gatlinburg and with me driving like an idiot on the interstate. Tried my best to do a proper break-in when I couldnt avoid the I-state. I would change speeds from 55 to 80 and back at 5 mph increments every 10 miles. So, the diesel got 26 climbing mountains, accerating and decelerating constantly,and going through little towns. My guess is that with a light foot or cc over flat terrain and interstate cruising, the 35d will easily get 30 mpg or so.

[Edge647]

WOW - that looks like an AWESOME experience!

[FunfDreisig]

Originally Posted by GoVols!

..The only thing I've noticed is a slight throttle hesitation from a stop if you drive with a light foot. If you hit it good, it goes instantly for the most part. This is minor though, because once you hit 1800 rpm or so, it goes like a bat out of hell.

Yeah, that little turbo has to spin up before things get interesting. Like you say though, it's pretty minor given the performance from there on and...

We got 26 mpg on the way home. Exactly 1200 miles. Now, with that said, let me clarify. The 26 was with taking backroads, mountain climing over the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hwy 441 through Gatlinburg and with me driving like an idiot on the interstate. ....

...26mpg in a seriously comfortable and safe 5,000+lb ride is nothing to be sneezed at

FWIW we are getting 25-27mpg on 50 mi runs on a mix of 2 lane twisty/hilly roads and freeway here in the Texas Hill Country. Mileage drops to more like 20-22 in the city. Looking forward to our first serious road trip to see what she can do on the open road.

Funf Dreisig

[GoVols!]

I thought of one other negative so far.....

The roads here in Omaha are all gridded in straight lines. No curves.

[cmyX6go]

Great write up! I plan on being there in November. What do they do if you bring someone with you? Can you bring a passenger with you or do they need to keep themselves occupied while you're having a blast?

[GoVols!]

Everyone had at least 1 passenger except for the guy with the M3. Everyone else was husband/wife. They give you an opportunity to switch drivers at the midpoint of each exercise. If you go alone, it just means you get to drive longer.