Travels in an M3...

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:09 pm

Hi all, I'm doing a bit of a mega Euro road trip in my E92 M3 - was going to post some pics but not sure if the mods will lock it as it's not E30 related?

Anyway the trip so far is: Glasgow to Newcastle to Amsterdam to Hamburg to Frankfurt to Innsbruck (via Munich) to Trento (and Lake Garda). The return journey will include the 'ring, Switzerland, France, and of course, the Stelvio Pass and BMW World and the museum on the return leg.

Let me know if you want to see some pics (once I've worked out how to post them

)!

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:14 pm

post them up, im sure theres a place for them here somewhere.

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:15 pm

Post them up, this is what the 'other Bmw chat' section is for.

Sounds like a good trip. I popped over the Germany for the first time ever recently, just spent 12 hours in Dusseldorf. Part of a little trip that was southampton, dover, dunkirk, brussels, dusseldorf, rotterdam and then back home.

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:17 pm

Cool - did you get to go to Cologne when you were in Duss? It's just along the road but loads to do there!

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:20 pm

Sadly not, it was a last minute trip and the girlfriend only had 4 days off, including the weekend

Bit hectic, but I liked it, I am so uncultured, I hadn't been to B, G or holland before! I felt so guilty not knowing the languages. I'll go back to Germany for sure, the ring is calling.

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:23 pm

Jon_Bmw wrote:Sadly not, it was a last minute trip and the girlfriend only had 4 days off, including the weekend

Bit hectic, but I liked it, I am so uncultured, I hadn't been to B, G or holland before! I felt so guilty not knowing the languages. I'll go back to Germany for sure, the ring is calling.

You should come along to Syndikat next year, I think a fair few zoners were planning on stopping off at the ring a day or so before hand before going on to the show. Should be good!

Anyway, post up the pics

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:48 pm

To be honest the vast majority of people speak good English in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands. I once went into a Shell Garage in Munich and asked (in appallingly bad German) for a map of the city. Turned out the bloke behind the counter had a Degree in English......

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:50 pm

Cant wait to see the pics.

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:56 pm

Get the pics up dude. No problem in posting them

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:02 pm

anothere21323i wrote:To be honest the vast majority of people speak good English in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands. I once went into a Shell Garage in Munich and asked (in appallingly bad German) for a map of the city. Turned out the bloke behind the counter had a Degree in English......

i lived in the netherlands for 2 years and i cant remember meeting anyone that didnt speak english but when in a foreign country for any length of time its good to make the effort to fit in by learning their language.

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:11 pm

Totally agree dude!

I've tried uploading the pics but imageshack keeps crashing

Any ideas?

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:16 pm

Yeah, everyone I spoke to was brilliant with English, I just felt so lame not being able to even say the bare minimum in the correct language!

Try photobucket, its much better IMO.

Post Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:17 pm

Umm ok, give me a mo!

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:17 pm

Is it the same to pics on here from photobucket as it is from imageshack?

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:28 pm

You need to copy the last link underneath the pic onto here

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:11 pm

Here goes the test!

http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 9NOVRN.jpg

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:15 pm

Nearly there mate, you need to put

at the end. Like this:

But do it without the space

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:22 pm

Hmmm think that works - let me know if it doesn't!

So these first few were taken back in September - the car was only a few days old and was still clean! I've noticed that Jerez Black can look like a dark blue in some lights, and black in others.

Anyway I specced the car with manual gearbox, 19'' alloys and no EDC - apparently on it's stiffest setting it'll wear out a set of tyres in under 2000 miles!

As I live in Germany (I bought the car in the UK Tax Free), it was due it's first service (1200 mile running-in) by the time I got home. I've found that the fuel economy has improved quite a bit now that it's closer to 3000 miles (24 mpg on a steady 80/90 mph Autobahn journey - as good as it's going to get I think!).

See pics below - more to come!

http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 9NOVRN.jpg
http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 0NOVRN.jpg
http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 3NOVRN.jpg
http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 3i/245.jpg

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:25 pm

Aaarrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Bear with me....

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:27 pm

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:28 pm

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:38 pm

You just wanted an excuse to post pics of you New M3 didnt you

Nice motor mate....It looks shweet

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:38 pm

These next few were taken by Lake Garda yesterday - these first ones by the waterfront in Riva Del Garda. You'll probably notice the Germany spec winter wheels and tyres (which are run flats!!!!) which have got to be fitted by law. They come with a 210 kph (roughly 130 mph) speed limit but are MUCH better in the snow/rain than the normal 'slicks'! But I don't think they fill the arches that well!

I was going to try to get some pics going accross the Brenner Pass - but there's not much to see other than lots of concrete!

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:44 pm

And this was on the road back up towards Trento, on the way back to Brenner and Austria. I think I passed the castle that was in the final scene of Casino Royale, but sadly no photo opportunities!

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:46 pm

e36boy wrote:You just wanted an excuse to post pics of you New M3 didnt you

Nice motor mate....It looks shweet

Umm pretty much!

Thanks for the nice comments though - hope you enjoy the pics!

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:47 pm

Very nice pictures and an awesome car dude

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:53 pm

Thanks mate - I've been working towards it for the last 15 years and as much as I love my E30s, it does take the biscuit!

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:55 pm

Looks very aggressive and mean

My counsin has just bought one, its white. Going to go out in it tonight, can't wait

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:56 pm

Awesome! Try and get your cousin to go through a tunnel - windows down, nail it, and you'll love it!

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:04 pm

There aren't any tunnels in derby

Its the convertible version so might take the hood down

Post Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:22 pm

ImysE30 wrote:There aren't any tunnels in derby
Its the convertible version so might take the hood down

Try and find one! And if it's a convertible, even better! Honestly, the noise is unbelieveable!

Post Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:07 am

We went looking but couldn't find one so instead we took the hood down (even though it was about -2 degress

). The car sounded unbelievable, one of the best sounding cars i've heard and i've been in Lambo's and Ferrari's. Was awesome night

Post Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:14 pm

I bet!

They do sound awesome though! Was it manual or DCT?

Post Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:18 pm

It looks excellent Tony, I could tell how eager you were to get hold of it and I can see why!

Great trip, I travelled across Switzerland and Austria (and briefly Germany) in the summer and loved the scenery, sadly not in a BMW though. I bet you will love every mile

Post Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:22 pm

Cheers Paul, hope you're well? I'll be in you neck of the woods soon, are you around?

I have loved every mile (but not so keen on filling it up every 300 miles!), highlight so far has got to be the 2.6 km tunnel on the Brenner Pass from Italy to Austria - the sound was AMAZING!