[wtwo3]

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Beginnings

17 years ago, 2006, when I was just a 20 year-old undergrad, a friend of mine told me he bought a new car. He didn’t tell me what it was at first, but was on his way to my place. I didn’t think anything of it. We were undergrads, I was driving a 1993 Nissan Maxima on its last legs – I figured he bought something similar.

That day, I saw him pull up in front of me in an absolutely beautiful alpine white e46 M3 6MT with an equally beautiful grey nappa leather interior. I was in shock – it was gorgeous. We went for a ride in it and with each gear shift I felt the torque push me into my seat while the engine roared. The next year and a half we took several trips in that car – and I had made my decision….

I’m adding the M3 to my bucket list.

Over the next 15+ years I had a love/hate relationship with BMW – all the while purchasing Japanese cars – reliable and cheap to maintain. But regardless of my up and down views of BMW, I always aspired to one day own an M3. In 2019 I finally took a step towards BMW – getting into an m340i for a taste… and I never looked back.

On March 1st 2022, I decided it was time, and I placed my deposit.


I was ecstatic. This is it – this is my dream. Then over the next 11 MONTHS that dream and resolve would be tested many times… 6 months to wait for an allocation… delays due to an individual color…. Uncertainties behind waiting at the port…. Delays due to scheduling PCD… and the final delay - 3 weeks because I promised my daughter I’d take her to Disney on Ice and the date we picked clashed with the original delivery date. Throughout all this – I have so many people to thank especially on this forum – between members randomly DMing me words of encouragement, to my fellow thread-mates (Monthly allocation threads, fellow week 46ers, Orion Highway ship-mates, and February PCD folk) and everyone who’s made this wait not only tolerable, but exciting as well despite all the hair-pulling ambiguity.



I finally have my M car, and I have 0 regrets. Bucket list car #1 achieved – 17 years in the making.

I promise ya’ll won’t have to hear too much more of my rambling and sappy BS – on to my PCD experience!

[wtwo3]

PCD


I knew I wanted to do PCD from the very beginning. And so I put in the request early on through my CA. One of my wait time coping mechanisms was to plan out what the trip would look like… going there… where to eat, what to do, and the route back.

Since I’d be travelling over 800 miles home to Chicagoland after PCD, on summer tires, I wanted to make sure I only drove during the daylight hours when the temperatures weren’t too cold, and I’d split up the drive into 2.5 days. Fortunately I was blessed with great weather on the drive home.

Drive 1:
Just a straight shot north to Asheville which is only about 1.5 hours from Greenville. I’d be picking up my car late Friday so figured the short 1.5 hour drive would be a good headstart to the rest of the weekend.



Drive 2:
This was the fun drive – through the mountains. I was deciding between Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway. Ultimately I decided to do the Cherohala Skyway and it was absolutely deserted so I could let loose a bit (within reason….. still in break-in afterall)


Drive 3:
This was the boring flatland drive through Indiana. Only thing of note is that I had to make sure to once in a while vary my RPMs for break-in. So every once in a while I’d downshift a few times and accelerate before getting back on to the cruise control.

[wtwo3]

Day 1 – Arrival – 2/8/23

I waited for this day for a LONG time, and finally on that frosty morning the excitement began to build…


Buddy came over, we hopped into the uber, and got to the airport and through security with plenty of time to spare. At this point I could tell if I was more excited about the car or just travelling without the kids… Can’t remember the last time travelling went this smoothly.


2 hours later we land in Greenville and it’s got to be one of the smallest domestic airports I’ve travelled through. One hallway later we were outside waiting for the X5 to pick us up.


A short ride in the X5 later we pulled up to the Greenville Marriott. Once they heard we were there for PCD, everyone was extremely pleasant – congratulating me on the purchase and truly providing VIP service. The hotel itself is nice if slightly dated.




Dinner was surprisingly good – I ordered the soup of the day (roasted tomato bisque) along with the filet mignon which was cooked perfectly at medium rare, and to finish it off, some coconut cake.






After dinner we decided to get some sleep since we had an early day the next morning.

[wtwo3]

Day 2 – Delivery – 2/9/23


This was it… delivery day. It didn’t feel real. I had been checking the weather religiously for the past couple weeks and it was forecasted to rain… right up until this morning where it suddenly changed to just cloudy with maybe some PM showers.


Promptly at 7:40am our group loaded up into the shuttle and we were on our way.


A short 15 min ride later we were at the Performance Center and were greeted by some friendly staff. There was an IOMG G80 and a white G05 parked out in the lobby and we couldn’t help but stare… the staff hurried us over to one of the meeting rooms assuring us the cars weren’t going anywhere.


We had a short 30 minute classroom session before getting out on track just discussing some of the basics of handling, braking, etc.


After the classroom session we went out back where we were each put in a car similar to the one we had on order. No manual cars – so I was put into a G80 comp.




Track time was a series of exercises. We were split into groups, and the other G80 delivery was with us. We started with an acceleration and braking test. Accelerating to a specified speed and then braking hard once we got to the cones. That was followed by the handling course – just driving as fast and smooth as possible through the slalom, hairpin corner and chicane. We got about 4 laps each before switching drivers. Following that we drove over to the skidpad where we went out one at a time in an m340i, first flooring it without any driver assists on to see how quickly we spin out. Then doing the same with all safety assists on and realizing the best we could do was understeer. After this we took the cars back and then got to do a hotlap with instructor driving in our choice of M8, M5, M3 etc. I got into the M5 and the instructor made it look too easy…. Drifting around the corners like he does it in his sleep.



After track time our groups split up. I went towards the off-road section. We got into an X5 and drove over to the factory to do a factory tour where the X1/2/3/4 are produced. This part was pretty interesting, but no electronics allowed inside so wasn’t able to snap any pictures. But to see the car come together is truly impressive. After the hour long factory tour, we got back into the X5 and it was time for the off-road section. Some of the things we were able to do in the X5 were truly impressive… teetering on 2 wheels, steep climbs and descents, etc.





Around this time I was starving… but also ready to see my car. I now had just a 45 minute lunch in between seeing my new car. At this point I could have thrown down the food in 5 minutes and be ready… I began to get antsy. The lunch itself was standard cafeteria food. I had a burger and it was just ok – but I was so hungry and simultaneously so antsy about getting to see my car for the first time that I ate it quickly and the next 20 minutes felt like the longest of my life.


At 12:45, a staff member took us over to the main lobby….. it was time….

[wtwo3]

Day 2 – Delivery continued – 2/9/23


The walk to the lobby was something out of a dream. Nothing felt real. Once in the lobby we were greeted by a staff member who was going to be taking us to my car.

A short walk over to the bay….. and there she was. What I had been waiting 17 years for. I was STUNNED. It was everything I’d hoped for and more. Pictures DO NOT do this color justice. My buddy and I spent the next several moments (honestly couldn’t say how long it was… time meant nothing all of a sudden) just staring in awe.

[wtwo3]

Day 2 – Delivery continued – 2/9/23


I didn’t cry, or show much emotion at all according to my friend – but that’s typical of me. On the inside however, I was exploding with emotions. If you’re on the fence about doing PCD and it’s a milestone car for you, I’d highly recommend it. Personally I’m not sure I would have done it for a car that didn’t mean this much for me, but for this car, it was the appropriate experience to encompass everything this meant to me.

I wanted to do it right and be prepared for the drive home, so I had scheduled a PPF appointment at Extreme Colors Auto Spa. Which sadly meant I’d have to part with the car for a bit. Since we had some time to kill, we visited the BMW Zentrum which was a nice little (emphasis on little) museum of a few BMWs from the past. If you’ve got some time to kill after delivery, it’s a 2-3 minute drive over from the performance center and is free on the day of delivery.





It was now time to part with my car. As painful as that was, the folks over at Extreme Colors Auto Spa were incredibly professional and personable. I got to speak to the owner who also has a G80 on order and we talked a little bit about the timeline. Ultimately I got the following done to my car, which would take about a day and a half: PPF on full hood, fenders/flares, mirrors, bumper, door edge guards, headlights, a-pillars, and rocker panels. Along with 35% tint all around including windshield.


Since we had plans once I dropped off my car, we needed to rent a car. And to keep up with the specialness of the trip, I decided to rent a C8 Vette


That evening I met up with a friend at a restaurant called “The Mexican” in Central near Clemson. Highly recommend this restaurant if you decide to be anywhere near Clemson (about 40 minutes west of Greenville). I ordered quesabirrias which were absolutely delicious. After dinner we walked over to Central Sweets which has incredible ice cream – also highly recommended if you’re in the area.

[wtwo3]

Day 3 – Reunited – 2/10/23


One of the things I’ve learned about Greenville – the weather here makes no sense. Expecting rain all day, we woke up to this:


You know why the C8 doesn’t qualify as a supercar? Because you can fit 2 carry-ons in the back.


We went for brunch at Select restaurant in downtown Greer.


We decided to visit the BMW CCA museum. One thing to note about the discount – apparently there’s 2 entities under BMW CCA. You have to be a member of the non-profit entity to get a discount into the museum. Otherwise you pay the full $12 admission. While the museum is super cool, unfortunately for us a huge portion of it was blocked off as they were setting up for the next exhibit. So we were in and out in probably a half hour.


We headed to downtown Greenville which is a nice little area to check out. Falls Park is awesome – really peaceful and serene.



Finally after killing some time, we head back to pick up my car. Time to be reunited! The guys did a great job, and the tint just makes it look even more sinister.



At this point we started the journey home. It was late - ~6pm, so made the 1.5 hour drive north to Asheville where we’d spend the night. Had dinner at Limones which was awesome, followed by dessert at French Broad chocolate lounge which was just amazing. In Asheville we stayed at the Kimpton Arras – pretty fancy hotel and an amazing location in the heart of downtown Asheville.

[wtwo3]

Day 4 – Lust – 2/11/23

Day 4 was when I really started to fall in love – seeing what it was all about in the mountain roads (while still keeping it within break-in thresholds of course).

But first… she’s a thirsty beast


Cherohala skyway between Asheville and Tellico Plains was an absolute treat made sweeter by the fact that it was mostly deserted. I felt like I had the entire mountain to myself. Between the spirited runs through the twisties, stopping at some of the viewpoints I was greeted by near silence. All I could hear was maybe a distant waterfall/steam and the occasional bird. And of course some of the viewpoints overlooking the blue ridge mountains were breathtaking.










We stopped for a quick lunch in Knoxville at Hard Knox Pizzeria. It was a decent pizza, but nothing special.




After lunch it was a straight shot up to Louisville for the night. Another fancy hotel - Omni in downtown Louisville. We took a long 25 minute walk through some shady neighborhoods to Royal’s Hot Chicken. I ordered the extra hot and it was actually pretty spicy – worth a visit if you’re looking for something more casual.

[wtwo3]

New Beginnings


The next morning it was time to head home. But not before we stopped at my alma mater, Purdue University for some lunch. We stopped at the famous Triple XXX family restaurant for some burgers.




And now, she’s finally home to join the sibling. What an incredible trip that I’ve been blessed to experience. I realize I have a case of imposter syndrome – it doesn’t feel like I deserve this – but here it is, a dream come true.

Although the trip has ended, this is only the beginning, and that’s one of the greatest feelings.

[gs1403]

This is awesome and thank you for sharing. Congrats on the car, it really doesn't seem that long ago we were going nuts on those monthly allocation threads. That color is really something else..you definitely did it right. Enjoy in good health!

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by gs1403

This is awesome and thank you for sharing. Congrats on the car, it really doesn't seem that long ago we were going nuts on those monthly allocation threads. That color is really something else..you definitely did it right. Enjoy in good health!

Thanks!

I remember the struggle I think you were about to throw in the towel and that very afternoon you got the call for the allocation.

[vj123]

The long awaited update is here and a big congrats one more time. Looks like you had a blast and it should have been worth the wait.

['Cane]

Congrats! Beautiful color combo, Great write up. Only one question… you went to Triple XXX and you only had a double? I saw them on DDD and some girl that went to Purdue had like a 8 patties.

[Crozby]

Congrats. Great write-up. Very cool to read. The mountains of western NC are a great drive.

[Aalfred]

Congrats !!!! You finally got your dream car and the write up is just simply amazing and so are the pictures. Always thought you were more into comedy than poetry with all your previous posts, but this was one great write up lol. Frankly I had been looking forward to ur post these past few days since you did your PCD and was wondering what took you so long...well now I know..lol. Enjoy ur car and now the boredom kicks in with BP. Its like, what do u do next...stare at random peoples posts or keep posting more pics of ur baby. Once u complete ur break in (which should be soon anyways) meet up with some folks and let it rip !!! Congrats on ur car and its a real beauty. Great color choice and I see that continued in ur tables too. Good luck !!!

[Limegrntaln]

Holy shit. Are we still on page 1? I think you hold the record for the most consecutive posts without someone interrupting your posting by making a comment.

Oxford looks amazing. Glad you finally get the experience.

[yousefnjr]

Finally! Congrats! She’s a beauty

[skyline408]

Fantastic story and pics! Love the mix of food and cars

The 6MT is absolutely fantastic, and your indiv color is amazing as well.

Enjoy it, you deserve it!

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by 'Cane

Congrats! Beautiful color combo, Great write up. Only one question… you went to Triple XXX and you only had a double? I saw them on DDD and some girl that went to Purdue had like a 8 patties.

I wanted to make sure I'd make it home that day

[chicagofan00]

Awesome, congratulations!

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Aalfred

Congrats !!!! You finally got your dream car and the write up is just simply amazing and so are the pictures. Always thought you were more into comedy than poetry with all your previous posts, but this was one great write up lol. Frankly I had been looking forward to ur post these past few days since you did your PCD and was wondering what took you so long...well now I know..lol. Enjoy ur car and now the boredom kicks in with BP. Its like, what do u do next...stare at random peoples posts or keep posting more pics of ur baby. Once u complete ur break in (which should be soon anyways) meet up with some folks and let it rip !!! Congrats on ur car and its a real beauty. Great color choice and I see that continued in ur tables too. Good luck !!!

Thanks!

I had a moment, but don't worry it'll be back to regularly scheduled comedy soon enough

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Limegrntaln

I think you hold the record for the most consecutive posts without someone interrupting your posting by making a comment.

Word vomit came fast and hard