BMW X5 Owner Road Trips even BIGGER From PCD Delivery to Alaska!

Wild Blue · 09-11-2022, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Ha! I like reading this daily.

I may have missed a part of the background, but did you discuss your plans for the Nissan when you arrive? Are you selling it to a Carmax?

That 2006 navigation is

. Back in the day having a indash navigation not substantially different than a standalone Garmin experience was truely high tech!

Thanks! Yeah, my daughter bought the Infiniti back from insurance as a salvage vehicle, since it's a nice car and still drives fine. It'll make for a much better first-college-car for her, than most kids get, even though it's almost as old as she is, as a 2006 model. So I left it with her in Oklahoma City, as I'm flying out to take delivery of the new BMW.

And you're right. Like Lexus is to Toyota, Infiniti is Nissan's "luxury" line, sharing components. So in 2006, Infiniti's QX56 was the same car as Nissan's Armada, which also shared the chassis with the Nissan Titan pickup truck. They just put some fancier trim and stuff in the QX56.

Flying Ace · 09-11-2022, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Blue

Thanks! Yeah, my daughter bought the Infiniti back from insurance as a salvage vehicle, since it's a nice car and still drives fine. It'll make for a much better first-college-car for her, than most kids get, even though it's almost as old as she is, as a 2006 model. So I left it with her in Oklahoma City, as I'm flying out to take delivery of the new BMW.

And you're right. Like Lexus is to Toyota, Infiniti is Nissan's "luxury" line, sharing components. So in 2006, Infiniti's QX56 was the same car as Nissan's Armada, which also shared the chassis with the Nissan Titan pickup truck. They just put some fancier trim and stuff in the QX56.

Oh I see, you're dropping it at OKC. That makes sense.

I saw your plan, but if your plans change and you plan to go thru ohio, I highly recommend USAF museum in Dayton.

Here's my x-country BMW trip report, like yours with food pics!
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=894582

calbears · 09-11-2022, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Oh I see, you're dropping it at OKC. That makes sense.

I saw your plan, but if your plans change and you plan to go thru ohio, I highly recommend USAF museum in Dayton.

Here's my x-country BMW trip report, like yours with food pics!
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=894582

thumbs up for USAF museum

Wild Blue · 09-11-2022, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

Oh I see, you're dropping it at OKC. That makes sense.

I saw your plan, but if your plans change and you plan to go thru ohio, I highly recommend USAF museum in Dayton.

Here's my x-country BMW trip report, like yours with food pics!
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=894582

I totally agree. I did that museum a few years ago. As a USAF pilot, I loved it. In particular, my all-time favorite plane is the XB-70 Valkyrie, and the only remaining plane is there in the museum.

Flying Ace · 09-12-2022, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Blue

I totally agree. I did that museum a few years ago. As a USAF pilot, I loved it. In particular, my all-time favorite plane is the XB-70 Valkyrie, and the only remaining plane is there in the museum.

Yep, between USAF museum and the Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy annex in DC, these two museums contain many if the world's remaining examples of military and civilian aircrafts.

At USAF museum, there was a story where No Kum-sok visits the museum annually to view his MiG 15

Wild Blue · 09-12-2022, 12:14 PM

Day 7, transitioning from pre-PCD road trip to PCD:
Oklahoma City to Greenville, South Carolina
Total Miles: Reset to 0!

So, all that driving and travel and fun in days 1-6, was just the warm-up. Now the real fun begins!

Anyone that may have been skimming that first bit, wondering where the actual BMW stuff is, well here we are. Today marks the "official" travel to South Carolina, and the start of BMW's Performance Center Delivery (PCD) events.

It's an "out with the old, in with the new" day. I left the old car in Oklahoma City with my daughter at college, and hopped a plane to South Carolina. Like many things, because inflation is just out of control in the United States now, flights are REALLY expensive. To avoid taking out a 2nd mortgage, I had to take a 6:30 AM flight from Oklahoma City.

Ugh. Those flights are the worst, as it usually means you have to get up at something like 4:00 AM to get ready and get to the airport early. But not a thing where it's worth just staying up all night. I got a hotel shuttle to the airport with a flight crew. Thankfully, American Airlines upgraded both my flights today to first class, and I was able to get at least a couple hours of sleep on the first leg to Charlotte, North Carolina.

I've traveled for a living my whole life. I'm not a fan of Charlotte's airport, for a few reasons I'll whine about briefly. Here's an airport map. Invariably, my flight will arrive at one corner of the airport in a big plane (gate B15 this time), and my next flight will leave from the opposite corner in a little plane (E36 this time). Or vice versa. Tons of walking, even with some moving walkways here and there.

If I don't schedule a flight with extra layover time, I get worn out just trying to get to the next gate, which is a MAJOR trek.

As a person with a disability, there's practicalities of how things are built, that just doesn't quite register with able-bodied people. Before my gimpy years, it didn't occur to me either.

Charlotte is mostly carpet in the concourses, which is really, really difficult to push or pull my suitcase on, slowing down gate transition time much more. (also disappointing in long hotel carpeted hallways). And their transitions from carpet to tile and back have a little metal lip on them, which catches suitcase wheels and yanks them to a jarring halt. Unlike "normal" people, disabled folks often have to push a little more force onto their bag as they walk for stability.

Airline lounge to the rescue! Having booked a longer layover, the Admiral's Club is always an excellent place to relax, have a snack, and comfortably pass the time.

Boarding my next flight in a smaller Bombardier commuter jet, Charlotte was looking rather rainy, as they loaded our bags that needed to be gate checked due to the smaller airplane. We're less than 100 miles away from Greenville, and I've been tracking the weather. We'll be ok.

Very grateful for the complimentary first class upgrade, due to my American Airlines status. Woot!!!

Whining done. Let's go get ourselves a BMW!

Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) is a smaller airport, halfway between the two cities, and the primary one used for BMW Performance Center access. Nice little airport.

Just like my last year's PCD, less than 15 minutes after touching down, I had my bags and got picked up by the Marriott in a courtesy X5. Rick, my driver, was very friendly and helpful loading my bags, and getting me all the way through check-in to my room. They're very oriented to people doing a PCD. He even remembered my story from doing my X7 PCD last year!

Side note, but I learned that the person that picked me up last year, Brian, has been promoted to hotel General Manager. Congrats!!!

Marriott uses two X5's to pick up new drivers from the airport. BMW usually provides them with brand new models, but as is happening with so many things right now, including COVID, that's delayed as well, so these are 2020 models, and the same ones that picked me up last year. No complaints from me! Similar models to what I'm actually taking delivery of tomorrow. And the 3rd Bimmer in that picture there is a customer's M8Competition. Beautiful.

On that note, let's talk about the PCD for those that may not be familiar. BMW provides this as a no-cost option to ANY buyer of a new BMW. Yes, ANY buyer, any model. (don't let your dealer tell you otherwise)

Instead of using the $995 destination charge, that you have to pay regardless, to ship the car to you, BMW offers the PCD experience at no cost to you using those funds. For 2 people, they'll pick you up from the airport, put you up at the Marriott for a night, give you dinner, breakfast, and lunch the next day, do an extended 2 hour delivery with you and a delivery expert, and then provide you a full day of BMW fun with a factory tour, and multiple exercises performance driving sweet BMW's on their controlled tracks. All "free". All you have to do is get yourself there, and drive (or otherwise transport) your new BMW home.

I still maintain, as long as someone has the time and practical means to get themselves to and from South Carolina, I don't know why anyone would NOT do a PCD. Heck, if I can do a PCD from Alaska, TWICE, anyone can! It really is that awesome.

The Marriott is a nice, 3 star hotel, which is very clean and has been maintained and updated over the years. Not the fanciest, but very nice for the PCD.

I think one top highlight of the whole experience is the service. Both Marriott and BMW really focus on you, the customer. You're treated extra special at every step, from pickup, to check-in, dining, driver instruction, and delivery. This is to be commended, as it makes for a great experience.

If I look for minor quibbles with the hotel, the soap bar provided is the moisturizing kind that leaves behind a film that has to be scrubbed off. I'm pretty sure these dispenser tubes in the shower are new, since last time, but unfortunately my body wash tube was empty, so I had to use the soap. The hot water took a long time (4 minutes?) to heat up to take a shower on arrival, but was fine the next morning. The room hair dryer didn't work unless you jiggled the plug and then held it in place. And there was this little peeling crack in the ceiling over the sink. So I think the hotel could use a little updating, but it was all minor. Didn't detract from the overall experience.

Nice view from the room window. Greenville is also rainy today, but we'll still be good tomorrow.

There's a special menu to choose from at hotel dinner for PCD guests, which has been updated. And you also get 2 drink tickets. Being by myself, I guess I could have done 2 drinks, but just did the Cabernet Savignon, which was just excellent.

I chose the soup of the day, a clam chowder, for the first course. Superb, with the little bacon pieces. Along with the Cabernet Savignon, probably the best part of the whole meal.

Last year, I did a strip steak, which has been replaced on the menu. So this time, I tried the salmon, which was average. A little mushy.

Plain cheesecake for dessert. Yummy.

It was fun to watch other people come in the restaraunt during dinner. I was guessing that most, if not all, had that "BMW look" and were there for the PCD.

Quite excited for tomorrow, which is the big day. Get up for it! Fun and excitement coming!

dream54ing · 09-12-2022, 12:55 PM

A little late, but caught up with the read! Tagging along for this adventure! One day, when the kids are order, we will do a PCD pickup!
Dumb question, Do you know if we can bring anyone else on the PCD pickup? i know its for 2, but can we add two little kids

Wild Blue · 09-12-2022, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dream54ing

A little late, but caught up with the read! Tagging along for this adventure! One day, when the kids are order, we will do a PCD pickup!
Dumb question, Do you know if we can bring anyone else on the PCD pickup? i know its for 2, but can we add two little kids

Yes, you can bring whomever you want, to stay in the room with you, but NO, for the actual PCD experience on day 2, BMW does only allow one additional guest. They can't accommodate additional requests. If they are at least 16 years old, the guest gets to drive in the exercises as well!

(and you're not late... we're only getting started on this journey!)

dream54ing · 09-12-2022, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Blue

Yes, you can bring whomever you want, to stay in the room with you, but NO, for the actual PCD experience on day 2, BMW does only allow one additional guest. They can't accommodate additional requests. If they are at least 16 years old, the guest gets to drive in the exercises as well!

(and you're not late... we're only getting started on this journey!)

Awesome, thats good to know! Now I'm tempted to get a new X5 or maybe X7

On the X5 we have now, we really wanted to do the PCD, but didnt have the time, plus wife was pregnant with our first child. next one for sure!

cellarrat · 09-12-2022, 01:38 PM

Fantastic so far, and I've very much enjoyed your prior threads. I admire your attitude and will be following your trip home with great interest!

P1 · 09-12-2022, 02:30 PM

You know it's going to be a good thread when the fans of your laptop start making a lot of noise.

hersh67 · 09-12-2022, 03:10 PM

what a journey. thanks for sharing.

darksilkx1 · 09-12-2022, 03:37 PM

Ooooh brings back memories. I've stayed in that hotel 5 times all for PCD's, it's beginning to look a little tired.

M3ANSPEC · 09-12-2022, 03:45 PM

Uhhh I'm subbing to this so I can enjoy the read tonight.

Congratulations!!

NightWriter · 09-12-2022, 04:44 PM

Wow, Wild Blue, what an(other) epic road trip. I'm sorry to hear about your medical status, but good for you to see the glass as half-full and make the best of your time and your health -- an inspiring lesson we can all learn from.

Thanks for sharing these photos and the travel notes. My journey back from PCD was not nearly as long or adventurous as yours, but you're definitely planting some seeds in my brain for the future. Looking forward to seeing your new car and your circuitous journey home. Safe travels and enjoy.

Flying Ace · 09-12-2022, 05:16 PM

I will definitely have to do PCD. I'm missing out! I would have done it last year but I was desperate to take delivery of the car before the end of the year. (Tax and penfed purposes)

cfm56d7b · 09-12-2022, 05:21 PM

NY Times best seller list can now be replaced with this reading material. Wow - just wow.

Loved reading every single travel note. My favorite exhibit in USAF Museum is the gallery of presidential aircraft.

Timmer-Bimmer · 09-12-2022, 06:20 PM

I'm enjoying your journey! Keep 'em coming!

russell21 · 09-12-2022, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Blue

.

(Thread sub-title: "Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cruise Control")

Hello again BMW world! Those who have been into BMW's the last couple years, may have read my mega-road trip journals, starting with a huge trip I did starting Feb 2021, picking up my beloved X7 from the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina, and driving it back to Alaska. That trip journal can be read IN THIS THREAD HERE.

Two other big trips I journaled in my X7 were taking her deep into the Eastern Alaska wilderness IN THIS THREAD, and another road trip to the mountain Denali and up to the Arctic Circle IN THIS OTHER THREAD. I still have another trip journal pending, that I had some challenges putting together.

I've been amazed at the interest, readers, and level of feedback I've received on those trip journals, especially the first one in my first trip from PCD back to Alaska. So, guess what? WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN! Bigger and better than ever before, driving from one corner of the North American continent to the other and back, picking up a new X5 at the Performance Center, and having tons of fun on the way back.

This time, I'm going to pack in BMW's, and performance driving, and Disneyworld, and Star Wars, and rock concerts, and LEGO, and yummy barbecue, and (American) football, and jet planes, and military tributes, and 21 different National Parks/Monuments, and electronic toys, and huge mountains, and gobs of beautiful scenery and wildlife... and more! Almost 2 months, and 12,000 miles of fun and adventure.

[COLOR="Red"][SIZE="5"]I will be journaling for almost 2 months in this thread, live posting every day where I'm driving, what I'm seeing and doing, how the X5 is doing, my thoughts on the BMW product, car accessories/mods, where I'm staying for lodging, and more. [/SIZE][/COLOR] Tons and tons of pictures and videos to come. I hope you'll check in periodically, and follow along this grand adventure with me!

So, you say, "hang on, dude... that X7 was supposed to be your 'forever car'. What the heck, you're buying another one?"

Yes, but not replacing the X7. To review, I'm a disabled veteran with a degenerative muscle disease, and bought the X7 as a very, very special purchase for me, to be the last car I ever buy for myself. BMW hit a home run with the X7, and it has proven to be the perfect purchase for me. I've taken my X7 some very special places (reference above picture, and my other road trip journals), taken care of her, and she's still virtually as new as when I bought her about 20 months ago. My X7 will have to be pried from my cold, dead, hands.

Hope this isn't just being a downer, but due to my continuing muscle disease progression, this will likely be the last mega cross-country road trip I ever do, at least as a driver. Therefore, this trip will be special to me, making the most of what I've got, while I still have it, and I'd like to share it with all of you. I should still be able to at least do smaller road trips for a while after this. I'm also processing some significant life events going on, so this will also be a special healing trip for me, to reconnect with my country, with lots of time to mull things over and just... be.

SO... the latest story is, a family member, who shall remain nameless but notorious (3 Amigos "In-famous"?), totaled the other car I had as a secondary family-mobile. 2006 Infiniti QX56. No injuries, and the car still drives fine, but just too expensive for insurance to fix. So, my daughter bought the car back from insurance as salvage, for her college car. And suddenly, I was unexpectedly thrust into a very unplanned situation of needing something as a secondary family car, to compliment the X7.

Unlike my X7, I had not budgeted and prepared for this. But... that's life sometimes. Me being me, I researched and debated long and hard over options for a 2nd car. In the end, I decided to go with another new BMW. In no small measure, was I influenced by how much fun my previous PCD experience was, and big cross-continent road trip, so I decided to seize the presented opportunity, combine it with some conferences I had available across the USA this fall, take the old totaled car to my daughter's college, and do another mega road trip. And, of course, I've enjoyed driving my BMW's for the last 23 years. But, of course, to keep y'all interested, every sequel has to be bigger and better than the first, right?

So here we are.

The new car is an Arctic Grey 2022 BMW X5 40i. Details about the build and ordering process can be found IN THIS THREAD HERE.

As before, because I had a bad experience with the sales portion of BMW of Anchorage, (details IN THIS POST as an optional read--their service department has been FANTASTIC though) I instead ordered through "BMW David" Aviles at Catonsville BMW again. BMW David was able to get me a great price for the current market, and he's been great to work with since I ordered my X7 with him and arranged PCD delivery. He even met up with me on my previous X7 trip and we did lunch on the California coast!

(okay, I STILL just couldn't bring myself to order the Family Truckster in Metallic P)

I should mention, my brain works in movie quotes, references, and pop culture, so if you can't handle that... might as well bail now. This journal will be overflowing with them.

As before, I'm going to try to keep such a long road trip manageable. There will be (virtually) no long, frenzied, 12 hour driving days on all boring interstate, making a beeline on the shortest route back to Alaska. I'll be breaking up each day into less than 500 miles, with stops for varieties of food, activities, scenery, etc. Do a few events on the way.

If everything goes to plan, this will end up being quite an epic road trip, deliberately criss-crossing all over the continent. Some places I've been before at some point in my life, and I want to go back. Others will be new visits for me, or places that I didn't get to do on my previous trip, like because of COVID. This will be almost entirely a different route than my previous X7 road trip. I'll be flexible on my plans where I can.

Because this car purchase was unplanned, I have to sell some assets to make it happen. First up, was my beloved Imola Red 2004 BMW 330i with ZHP Performance Package. This thing was a unicorn--everything everybody wants in an E46. Less than 100k miles, Alcantara leather, 6 speed manual tranny, aluminum cube interior trim, great condition, 4 door sedan, etc, etc. I sold it before I even officially put it on the market. SO sad to see it go, but with my muscle condition, I had already moved on to my X7, and it was challenging to drive the 330i. It was finally time to just let it go.

Also had to sell my RV. 2008 Gulfstream Conquest Endura, rare Super C configuration with upgraded International commercial truck diesel engine and chassis. 22k miles. [COLOR="Red"]This has NOT sold yet, if anyone wants it.[/COLOR]. Also don't want to sell this, but with my muscle disease, it's difficult now for me to just climb up into it, and it's also time to move on.

Of course, I also took the insurance payout from the Infiniti QX56 being totaled, and will have to just juggle all of it, to make this financially viable. So be it! (Jedi)

Again, my X7, my baby, isn't going anywhere. Isn't she looking good all freshly detailed, ceramic coating topped off, by RC Detail of Alaska? I'll be keeping her until I croak.

So, as before, after placing the order with BMW David, I nervously waited, hoping my requested PCD delivery date worked out, to coincide with my various lower 48 events. I did get the date I wanted, so I planned out this great road trip in great detail. Then the worst part about doing a Performance Center Delivery is waiting. I'll talk more about why I ordered what I did, and details with the ordering process, as I go through my trip.

To start the road trip, I needed to get the old totaled Infiniti QX56 to my daughter at her college in Oklahoma City. I wanted to drive through Canada and make a great preamble to the BMW road trip back, but timing just didn't work out. I do plan on driving BACK through Canada this time.

So this trip started, with shipping the Infiniti QX56 from Anchorage, Alaska, down to Tacoma, Washington State. I used Tote Maritime, the same company that helped me with my final X7 travel portion. It took about 4 days, and then I prepared to pick up the car for the drive east.

Some nice cars at the shipping port there. (not mine)

NOTE: For those who want to skip the first part of my road trip, driving the old car east through Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, to drop off in Oklahoma City--you can jump ahead if you like.
[COLOR="Red"][SIZE="5"]BMW-specific stuff and the Performance Center Delivery take place starting with Day 7 of this trip, BEGINNING WITH THIS POST HERE[/SIZE][/COLOR]

I do want to also mention, I have received no promotional consideration or payment from BMW, or any company that I'll be using throughout this trip. All the opinions and experiences I document here are all my own.

Okay, readers, pack your suitcases, grab a Slurpee and snacks, and buckle up! We've got a LONG ride ahead the next couple months!

Picking up our x5 45e Wednesday can't wait Enjoy your trip.

russell21 · 09-12-2022, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Blue

[SIZE="5"]Day 7, transitioninng from pre-PCD road trip to PCD:
Oklahoma City to Greenville, South Carolina
Total Miles: Reset to 0![/SIZE]

So, all that driving and travel and fun in days 1-6, was just the warm-up. Now the real fun begins!

Anyone that may have been skimming that first bit, wondering where the actual BMW stuff is, well here we are. Today marks the "official" travel to South Carolina, and the start of BMW's Performance Center Delivery (PCD) events.

It's an "out with the old, in with the new" day. I left the old car in Oklahoma City with my daughter at college, and hopped a plane to South Carolina. Like many things, because inflation is just out of control in the United States now, flights are REALLY expensive. To avoid taking out a 2nd mortgage, I had to take a 6:30 AM flight from Oklahoma City.

Ugh. Those flights are the worst, as it usually means you have to get up at something like 4:00 AM to get ready and get to the airport early. But not a thing where it's worth just staying up all night. I got a hotel shuttle to the airport with a flight crew. Thankfully, American Airlines upgraded both my flights today to first class, and I was able to get at least a couple hours of sleep on the first leg to Charlotte, North Carolina.