Visit to BMW Munich

[denydog]

We spent half a day at BMW headquarters while we were in Munich last month.   My wife wasn't very excited about the idea, but she ended up enjoying it very much.

I believe we were lucky to walk in on a Wednesday morning and purchase tickets to the next plant tour starting in an hour or so.  We were told we could get on a waiting list, but that our chances weren't good, but soon we were called over to get the tickets.  From what I hear, most people reserve tickets months in advance., which of course I failed to do.  The tour, of the plant that makes the 3-series automobiles, was pretty good.

After that we walked through the BMW museum.  While it had bikes, it was heavily car oriented.

We left in BMW M3 Turbodiesel automatic rental car (known in the US as BMW 335D) that we picked up in Munich.   (We travelled by train the first week of the trip.)  While I wished we could have been riding bikes, this car was fun with 425 lbs-ft torque at 1750 rpm, especially in the Alps!

BMW rental car outside our hotel in Gauting, near Munich.



They had a guy on a bike ride around the BMW World building a couple times a day.



BMW World.  They have a neat program where you can order your BMW and fly in when it's ready.  They hand over the keys and you can drive around Europe, then return the car to them and they'll ship it home to you.



Headquarters on the left, Museum on the right.



The Production plant.  Too bad no photography was allowed inside.



Museum and showroom pic's.















We also stopped by the Oktoberfest a couple of times.  I love this picture of Mrs dog and her new found best friends.  We had a great time drinking while trying to overcome the language barrier.

[Blunder]

Oktoberfest!  

Even shah could get laid should he be stylin' with this-

[DogBoy]

Nice write-up. I visited the BMW Museum in 2008. Really enjoyed it. I wish we could have done the factory tour.

The pictures I took of the 507, 3.0 coupe racer and K1200 are eerily similar. I was probably standing in the exact same spot.

[DNA]

That look like it was a great time, thanks for posting.  DId you see them printing GS's?

I did the Mercedes factory tour 10 years ago - simply amazing.

[Blunder]

Klassik arkitecter.



I was there in '72. Does that count?

[bubba zanetti]

Spent a great afternoon there in 79 then wandered over to the Olympic Stadium and watched Bayern Munchen play Dortmund.  Spent a couple of memorable weeks in Munich and had a blast.  

Looks like a great trip Jon !

[Montyburns]

That's funny, I was just there the week before last (both the BMW Museum/World and Oktoberfest).  Maybe we even saw each other.  We didn't go on the tour but BMW World was fun to see and the Museum was entertaining for about an hour (that's about as much old machinery as I can take in a sitting).  

[denydog]

The pictures I took of the 507, 3.0 coupe racer and K1200 are eerily similar. I was probably standing in the exact same spot.

You're probably right, I'm sure thousands of people have the same pictures.  Something about having ones you took yourself seem to make the memories better I think.

That look like it was a great time, thanks for posting.  DId you see them printing GS's?

I was a little disappointed to learn the motorcycles were built in Berlin.

That's funny, I was just there the week before last (both the BMW Museum/World and Oktoberfest).  Maybe we even saw each other.  We didn't go on the tour but BMW World was fun to see and the Museum was entertaining for about an hour (that's about as much old machinery as I can take in a sitting).  

We were in Munich the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd.  May have crossed paths?  An hour in the museum was about all my feet could take.  Felt like I walked half way across Germany on this trip, and could only wear a shower shoe on one foot, due to a gout flair up.

Oktoberfest!  

That is one big party!  View from the top of the Ferris wheel.

[mlinkibikr]

I picked up my new car there a couple of years ago - it was a blast. I asked the folks at the counter why they didn't offer European Delivery for their bikes. Apparently (if I understood correctly) it's a volume thing. I'm going to keep asking though!

Dave.

[RBEmerson]

Ooohhh... great idea!  And plus points for also having an '03 K1200RS.  And if it's Piedmont Red like mine, I'll add another point - the red ones are faster, y'know...  

[Gaw]

Thanks for the pics!

[denydog]

Thanks for the pics!

Thanks for looking!

[Global Rider]

I was at the BMW museum in 1998 for BMW's 75th Anniversary. They had special displays dedicated to the occasion.

I hope I am around for their 100th Anniversary in 2023.

In the mean time, I'll have to revisit it and also make time for the Porsche museum in Stuttgart which is new.