Mike in CA

C.J. Ichiban

I did a euro delivery in Oct-Nov a few years back and had zero issues with weather- the only thing I would advise is really be careful about parking. A lot of drivers in bigger cities "maneuver" their cars quite creatively in parking spots which generally means they use their bumpers to squeeze in.

I enjoyed the cooler weather, there wasn't much traffic, and not a lot of tourists to bog down your fun.

in stuttgart there is a really great italian restaurant right by the graff zepplin hotel (which is where they kept the euro delivery geeks like me). you will see a ton of development mules for benz driving around in stuttgart as well. I'm pretty sure the M-B museum is in stuttgart as well.



in munich, I was advised to go to Spatenhaus which was a nice nostalgic slice of germany...although I imagine natives could feel it's like Outback steakhouse for australians. not sure.

Don't use the left lane on the autobahn unless you are nuking everyone...but hell since you are there, just floor that gas!

seapar

Thanks for all your suggestions.

koenig_roland

If you need some advice for munich, tell me your age and i´ll say you some hotspots

Driving Speed: on autobahn, everthing over 130km/h will blame you partly when an accident happens... but don´t be afraid. When it´s dry you could go flat where it is allowed . When it´s wet, i think most of the drivers drive way to fast...

The weather could be good in october, especially in Stuttgart or north of that. But here in munich it´s going to be frosty in the morning hours and we are waiting for the first snow in the middle of october. I´m going to be in the US during the october :-)

The stelvio, glockner and timmelsjoch seem to be great places do drive, but minimum two hours southly from munich and i think they could be closed because of first snow on the top of the mountains. Friends of mine did the stelvio by bike, four weeks ago, and the had round about 10centimeters snow above 2000high-meters.

regards

GuyR

Sounds like a great trip. I've been to all the places you mention at least once.

If you find yourself with time and an appetite for driving head down to Singen for Auto-Salon Singen, it's also near Lake Constance (Bodensee) and from there you can head across to Fussen if you've never done King Ludwigs Castles, which whilst very touristy are still a must visit.

You'll need to re-calibrate your time/distance thoughts from US driving. When there's an autobahn at the right time of day it's pretty easy to average 80-100mph+, so journeys of longer distances can be very quick.

seapar

Even in a Peugeot ?

Nordschleife

CJ's restaurant suggestion in Stuttgart is called Amici

Lautenschlagerstrasse 2
70173 Stuttgart

+49 711 2 27 02 92, its near the Hautbahnhof, so easy to find. Its very cool.

Here are the Spatenhaus details - http://www.kuffler.de/de/muenchen/spatenhaus/index.php
Spatenhaus an der Oper
Residenzstraße 12
80333 München
spatenhaus@kuffler.de
Fon +49.89. 290 706-0
Fax +49.89. 291 305 4

this is Europe, do look smart (no holey jeans) if going to these places, you will enjoy it more that way.

As far as the Autobahn is concerned, there is always a faster car coming up behind you, so use your rear view mirrors, assiduously. If travelling fast, watch your fuel consumption, often I get less than 50 minutes driving out of a full tank, which makes averaging more than 160 mph quite difficult.

R+C

TRAKCAR

Us interstates average 80-85 the right time of day.
In a few places the speed limit is 80 and you can cruise at 90 all day..

When in Europe I only have to calibrate in city driving, where they go hammer down. And maybe on autobahn at top speeds at night.

Other autoroutes and motor ways are painfully slow.

Btw, hertz has never sent me a ticket home, neither has Sixt. Avis finds me every time ;-)

Macster

Pics taken from the seat of a relatively fast traveling passenger train...

Castle along the Rhine:



Rhine riverboat:



Sincerely,

Macster.

seapar

Thanks. Dave and I have the same factory tour group on the 22 oct. 007DT

How cool is that? Then he is going to the ring.

seapar

The autobahn is really enjoyable when there are 3 lanes, it is logical with the passing or superfast in the left hand lane and trucks and cars with trailers on the far right. In our Ford Cmax rental we are mainly in the middle doing around 140km, traffic willing.

Heading to Stuttgart today for car stuff. MB museum , Porsche museum Sat-Sun and porsche factory tour Mon am 22nd. 007DT is supposed to be there too. Should be fun. Weather nice and clear, hint of fall.

007DT

Flying out this afternoon. Rented a BMW 3 series. Should be Autobahn-able

See you in Stuttgart.

Nordschleife

140 kph is very very slow for the Autobahn. Even the diesel E-Class taxi that picks me up at München (Munich) Airport does 230 kph in traffic.

R+C

seapar

I know it is slow for the roads but I have been on A 5 from Heidelberg to Baden-Baden and then to Freiburg and today from Baden-Baden to Stuttgart on A-5 and A-8. 140- 150 kph is faster than slow lane but only have dabbled in the far left lane briefly to pass making sure no Porsches, Audis, BMW are coming up fast on the horizon. I am right behind other cars in the middle lane doing 140-150.
I get over to the slow lane when I can but often they are doing 100 (trucks, trailers, etc). I have seen already others pull out in front of a fast approaching car in the fast lane requiring those to get on the binders but quick. I don't want to be one of those people.

Museums tomorrow (MBZ and Porsche), factory tour monday, see you there Dave (007DT).

Nordschleife

The A5 between Frankfurt and Heidelberg is where Auto Union and Mercedes raced each other to set new land speed records in the late 1930s. Rosemeyer died attempting to beat 432 kph on the A5, you were driving in the tyre tracks of history. Enjoy your visit to the museums.

R+C