Anyone heard of picking up your ordered car at the BMW track in SC?

[FDfranklin]

My salesman informed me that I could have the option (for free) to pick up my car in SC, BMW hooks you up with a free hotel room and the next day you get to go to a track and dive their cars around it, at the same time picking up your car. He didn't have the info right then, has anyone heard of this or done this? Thanks.

[Mak135i]

It's called "Performance center pick up". I live in South Carolina and most of the people I know who have bought a new BMW in the last 2 years took that option.

[FDfranklin]

Originally Posted by Mak135i

It's called "Performance center pick up". I live in South Carolina and most of the people I know who have bought a new BMW in the last 2 years took that option.

Do you have anymore information on it?(ill do a search also ) Im really interested in picking it up this way, sounds like a blast.

[gavolant]

PCD. Performance Center Delivery.

[ES BMW]

Lots of information here - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=136

I'll be there on Sept 17th.

Btw - by doing this option... you can order from any dealer in the US and will probably get a better deal than $1,500 off MSRP. I went through a great CA in Georgia. PM me if you're interested in trying.

[02fireman]

Info is on the BMWUSA website also. It's a blast. I've done it twice already

[MarkR171]

Do it. Also keep in mind you can order from any dealer in the country with PCD. That way, you are really free to get the best deal possible.

[JimD]

I've not only heard of it I've done it. I picked up my 2009 128i vert at the Performance Center July 21, 2009. You need to get yourself to the Marriott in Greenville. If you fly in, the hotel will pick you up in a bimmer - how neat is that! I live 1.5 hours away so I just drove up with my son. You get the night before at the Marriott including dinner for two for free. Then they shuttle you to the Performance Center fairly early, I don't remember if it was 8am or 8:30a arrival. You get a free breakfast buffet at the Marriott.

A very brief presentation in a classroom and then off to the track. You drive a vehicle as close as possible to what you are getting - you drive their car, not yours. I drove a 135i couple with an automatic. You do three exercises. We did a little autocross first. Then you do a panic braking from 40 then 45, then 50mph. You get up to these speeds and then mash the brakes so you understand how the ABS works. From the higher speeds you have to steer to stay between the cones. Our final exercise was on the skidpad. First we tried going around the wet skidpad doing 180s with the DSC off. This was the only time there was an instructor with us and we also were driving a 3 series. Then you turn the DSC on and you can't get the car to spin. Next is lunch. I am pretty sure you always do these three exercises but you might do them in a different order. Each driver gets to do each exercise - they assume there will be two of you. You usually ride together but my son got out to film me sometimes.

Lunch is at the Performance Center. It's a fairly small cafeteria with hot or cold sandwiches, salads, etc.. Food was good. Then hot laps riding with an instructor in a M car, 3 or 5, with the instructor drifting the turns just for fun. This is optional but DO IT. Finally you get a delivery on your car. They are very patient to throughly explain everything. Then you drive out of the building (delivery is inside) and go home. You should be out of there no later than 2pm.

There is a whole form for Performance Center delivery on bimmerfest. One of the instructors, Donnie (who is great), monitors the forum as does Jonathan who works at the Performance Center.

About the only bad thing is you have to pay for your car a couple weeks before you get delivery at the Performance Center. Seems odd but works out great.

I had a small chip in my paint, Willie, the delivery specialist (a nice lady) pointed it out and asked if I wanted it fixed. They put a little touch up paint on the chip right there. Took an hour but saved me a trip to the dealer. They can also install some accessories at the Performance Center if you order them from your dealer. They do some training of BMW service technicians at the Performance Center - it is at least as good a place to get something done as is the dealer.

Oh, I also left out the tour of the BMW museum and plant. We drove X5s over to the factory - it is across the road - and on the way back we drove over the obstacle course. Deep water, bumps to get you on two wheels, steep descent so you see how the hill decent feature works, etc.. We did not get enough time in the museum, I will go back when I do an M school later this month. If you get there early the day before, you should check out the museum. It isn't huge but they have some nice exhibits.

Jim

[m_thompson]

You should do European Delivery and then Performance Center Delivery to get the best of everything.

[ennislaw]

Originally Posted by m_thompson

You should do European Delivery and then Performance Center Delivery to get the best of everything.

Agreed! I did both the ED and PCD, not only were they both an amazing experience, but also complimentary. JimD spells out the PCD quite accurately.

pge

[Swadeness]

My advice for you is to find a way to make this happen!! I just finished my PCD on the 1st and it was a blast! The itinerary JimD described was pretty much spot on. The highlight for me was driving around the autocross track and the hot lap in the M5. The M5 was amazing, the only thing more mind blowing than the acceleration was how fast it stopped! I was surprised how easy it was (with just a little bit of instruction) to be able to jump in the 135 and drive aggressively and confidently on the autocross track. It will leave you wanting more! One other piece of advice, it may be a little bit out of the way if you live in Fl but take a detour and drive Deals Gap Road AKA The Tail of The Dragon on your way home. I think it is just about the most fun you could have and stay under the 4500 RPM break-in. I am not sure what part of Fl you are from but by the time you get home you will almost be done with your break-in period and really start to enjoy your new Bimmer.

[FDfranklin]

Thanks guys I really appreciate all the info and when my order goes in on Monday/Tuesday I will definitively let them know this is how I want to pick it up, it sounds like a once in a lifetime experience... ^ I live in Tampa so yeah it would pretty much be the end of my break in period which is a huge plus for me.

[JimD]

If you google "tail of the dragon" you will find a website that will give you pdf of scenic roads in North Carolina. It means going a few minutes north of the Performance Center but it is nice driving. If you have the time, Ashville is in the prime area and the Biltmore is definitely worth a visit. Tail of the Dragon is maybe 3 hours from Ashville. You could easily get to Ashville on the day of delivery but I don't think you could drive the dragon and make it home that day. If you spent the night in Ashville you could maybe tour Biltmore, do the dragon and get home in one long day. Or maybe drive to Ashville and tour the Biltmore after delivery then the tail and go home the next day.

Jim