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Personal Collection Advice

2K views 20 replies 8 participants last post by  beverage 
#1 ·
Afternoon All,

After reading the various articles on personal colletion I am fully up to speed with what time to collect the SLK from Bremen to miss the crowds and enjoy the tour etc!! However I am looking for some advice and your experiences of the following :

The wife and I will be collecting in late September and are planning on travelling back via Amsterdam and Brugge.

1. Do MB personal collection department sort out all the hotels/do you have a choice - I have earnt quite a lot of free nights away with Intercontinental hotels due to a 9 month stay away on business so am looking to cash these in on the return trip.

2. Do MB personal collection calculate your route home? Wife has not ticked the Sat Nav option so it will be Map Nav all the way home !!

3.What are the Autobahns like on the way through Germany ? are any de-restricted!!

4. What is the shop like at Bremen, ie stock etc, am looking to buy the wife the plastic wind deflector and the SLK travel bag.

5. Any other useful tips from all of you who have completed the trip !!

Many thanks as ever

JDL
 
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#2 ·
jdl - 7/13/2005 4:00 PM
1. Do MB personal collection department sort out all the hotels/do you have a choice - I have earnt quite a lot of free nights away with Intercontinental hotels due to a 9 month stay away on business so am looking to cash these in on the return trip.

2. Do MB personal collection calculate your route home? Wife has not ticked the Sat Nav option so it will be Map Nav all the way home !!
I can't answer all your questions as I haven't gone yet, but...

1. They book the first night in Bremen for you (which is included) but you are free to make your own plans after that, if you want to. I believe they might book things for you if you ask them to, but it's easier to do it yourself anyway. They do suggest some hotels that their customers have used on the way home. You get that information along with the forms when you first officially ask for personal collection.

2. I think they will do if you ask. However, you can make your own routes at the excellent www.viamichelin.com site so it shouldn't be a problem.
 
#3 ·
Hello djl

Once you have collected your car you need to make your own plans.

We drove back via Amsterdam (Lloyd Hotel) but we did have sat nav and the guy at Bremen programed the hotel into the sat nav for us. But its not hard to navigate back from Bremen, lots of long motorway stretches.

Some of the German motorways are unrestricted, so you can go as fast as you want :) But other motorways have restrictions. 80mph.

The shop is excellent, they have all the accessories in stock at great prices, so bag and wind deflector will be no problem.

Have a great trip!

Andy
 
#4 ·
1. Do MB personal collection department sort out all the hotels/do you have a choice - I have earnt quite a lot of free nights away with Intercontinental hotels due to a 9 month stay away on business so am looking to cash these in on the return trip.

You are entitled to one night (Bremen). The rest you can book yuorself or get them to book it for you but you will have to pay.



2. Do MB personal collection calculate your route home? Wife has not ticked the Sat Nav option so it will be Map Nav all the way home !!

Yes if you like they can give you a hand...

3.What are the Autobahns like on the way through Germany ? are any de-restricted!!

Very good roads, mostly with no speed restrictions, however some areas have restrictions, watch out.

4. What is the shop like at Bremen, ie stock etc, am looking to buy the wife the plastic wind deflector and the SLK travel bag.

The shop in Bremen is good. Not everything is on display. You need to ask an assistant about the items you are after. I am sure they have the wind deflector, i am not sure about the bags.

5. Any other useful tips from all of you who have completed the trip !!

make sure you have a good camera!


have fun!

Paolo
 
#5 ·
1. MB can book hotels for you - but I'd just book them yourself. Soo much easier, and you can use your free nights!!!

2. That was my one grumble with the collection - they do not offer you any help to get back either home or just to the hotel. So try and prepare as much as you can before you leave. We used a combination of my Dad's Palm Navigation software, and Autoroute Maps!!

3. Unbelievable - most important advice is watch out for quicker cars, and they seem to come out of thin air!!

4. Shop is really well stocked. I didn't see any bags out, but if you have the part number I'm sure they'll have one behind the scenes.

5. I agree with Paolo - a camera. But most importantly enjoy the drive home!!! [8D] Oh and don't forget to post your experience and photos for us all!!! [;)]
 
#6 ·
Hi

I really hope you enjoy your trip to Bremen.....I collected my SLK 200 there and had a great time!
I would suggest a few tips for your trip:-

1. If it is cold then take a warm jacket (or if raining take a brolley). The tour involves
getting in and out of a mini bus. The walks into plants are very short, but then it was freezing cold and raining hard when I was there.

2. Watch out for sparks from the welding robots!

3. You can now buy the plastic wind deflector via the UK dealerships (£280). See link at botttom for details.

4. I didn't think the shop was that great. It was pretty small and seemed to focus on stuff like clothes etc.

5. Bremen is the home of Becks beer and does a good brewery tour.

6. If you get the chance, I would recommend a trip up to Hamburg, it's about 90mins North of Bremen, but worth a detour in my view.

7. Don't forget to take some CDs for the journey home. Unless (like the rest of Germany) you like to listen to David Hasselhof on the radio!

8. Don't even consider the Nuremburg circuit. They won't let you on with temporary German plates (and you wouldn't be insured either).

9. AT the time of writing. UK customers can view accessories catalogue here.

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/media_library/unitedkingdom/mpc_unitedkingdom/passenger_cars/ownership/personalise_your_mb/pdf_accessories_brochures/slk-class-accbro-4.object-Single-MEDIA.tmp/10353_SLKAccessories.pdf

I hope this helps!

Fizzy
 
#7 ·
FizzyPopMan - 7/21/2005 1:35 AM

8. Don't even consider the Nuremburg circuit. They won't let you on with temporary German plates (and you wouldn't be insured either).

Fizzy
Heya Fizzy.

Am afraid I beg to differ on the Nurburgring!! [8)]

I read the blurb on the Nurburgring site and fully expected not to be allowed on the track, but went along anyway to see it and to watch the motorbikes make fools of themselves.

On arrival, my Dad wandered over and asked the Nurburgring chappies if we would be allowed on. The answer was a yes we could go on. It is plates with red lettering and yellow lettering that they do not allow on - they have no issues with the plates put on by MB.

I agree that the insurance provided by MB probably won't cover this (what they don't know won't hurt them!!! [;)]) So to cover this I made sure that my car had UK insurance from the date of Bremen pick-up - just added security.

And I highly recommend visiting the Nurburgring - even if you drive round at 40mph!!!! I was chuffed to say I managed a 100mph on the straight - made my day!!!

Sadly photos can not be taken on the circuit, so this is the only proof I can offer you:



(Right click, and choose show picture if nothing is there - I'm hosted on Brinkster, and aren't too impressed with them [:(])

That and the fact that the Karsoul (excuse the poor spelling) is an interesting experience - you really feel like it chucks you out at the end of it!!! [:0]

On a slight OT note, did anyone see Top Gear a couple of weeks ago were the celebrated Ford Transit's 40th birthday by having Sabrina beasting it around the Nurburgring. She sadly couldn't get under 10 mins - managed a very respectable 10 minutes and 8 seconds. I pity the poor motorbike rider that she past. Imagine if you were him - you just wouldn't tell anyone that you were past on the Nurburgring by a Ford Transit Van!?!?!?!?!? [:0] [:eek:)]
 
#8 ·
Well it seems that I was wrong! If I had known that I might have tried the trip myself (I simply took the word of the factory guide!)

I can't see your photo beverage, but I have no reason to disbelieve you were there! I think that most people in these forums seem pretty honest (most but not all!)

I did see that edition of 'Top Gear'. I wouldn't like to see Sabrina in my rear view mirror, but then those Sprinter vans can't half shift on the M6 too!

I'm still unsure about insurance though. Most UK insurers I have used in the past will not insure you for anything other than roads (and specifically not racing circuits!). There may be exceptions though, so I guess the advice to everyone would be read the small print!

Keep well
Fizzy
 
#9 ·
I'm having issues with my photos being displayed. I'm hosting them on Brinkster - but have to admit that I'm just not very impressed with them. [:(!]

If you are going to take your car on the Nurburgring then you really do need to be sensible about it. As fizzy says your insurance company probably wouldn't like it or allow it. [8)]
 
#10 ·
Fantastico! thanks for all the advice, MB Personal Collection letter arrived this morning and the car will be ready from 21st September.

Couple of extra questions :

1. Is the Maritim Hotel ok as the wife likes the look of the Park Hotel instead ?

2. Are the de-restricted Autobahns easy to spot (if not can you other 'personal collectors' elaborate where they are/what they are called !!

3.Has anyone done the flight from Manchester - all of the flights to Bremen involve at least an hour wait in Frankfurt or Munich but if you fly to Hanover the taxi to Bremen is only an hour ?


Fizzy - I had my Stag weekend in Hamburg last year - what a place !! my liver is not ready to return but it is on the cards in the next couple of years.

Once again thanks for everyone's help

JDL
 
#11 ·
JDL

I was originally due to fly from Manchester, but the flight was cancelled! [:(]

I called the (UK based) collection centre organisers who were fantastic (worthy of a special mention!). They did a great job of keeping me up to date and organised priority seating on an alternative flight.

After queing for over 90 minutes at the Lufthansa desk, I was eventually put on a flight via Munich (which I had to wait several hours for).

I was expecting Lufthansa to be a really good airline (German efficiency and all that), but the food was poor, the plane quite old and tatty, and the crew extremely miserable.......and when I got to Munich, I had to run like hell to catch the transfer!

Total delay to my trip was about 7 hours
I was just a bit unlucky I know (and I'm sure that many readers will have had more positive experiences with the airline) but I thought I would share this experience with you.

And the moral of the story?

Perhaps consider an earlier flight if there is one.
Get yourself fit in case you need to run for a transfer!
Learn the layout of Munich airport (just in case!)

Fiz
 
#12 ·
Hi

You can fly form Manchester direct to Hannover with British Airways. MB organises for a taxi to take you to bremen (1h).
The Maritim is a 4 star Hotel and I found it satisfactory. Good food, and they have private parking shoudl you decide to stay an extra night.

Have a nice journey

Paolo
 
#13 ·
jdl - 7/23/2005 12:05 AM
1. Is the Maritim Hotel ok as the wife likes the look of the Park Hotel instead ?
I really liked the look of the Park Hotel too. However, it's not in the old town, so in the end I am going for the Hilton which has an excellent location. After all, you will have an evening to kill and Bremen's old town looks nice. You could of course use taxis, but the Hilton is right in the historic part.

I was put off the Maritim in a big way by one of my friends who stayed there when he collected a Mercedes last year. He said the location was not very good and the hotel fairly average. A second rate business hotel in an unattractive commercial area I think was the gist of it.

It depends what you are used to, perhaps. But the Park Hotel does look nice, and it's a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group, and we have stayed at plenty of those around the world. Given the small upgrade cost, I would go for it frankly. It will earn you a few brownie points and I'm sure it will be excellent.
 
#14 ·
The Park Hotel is across the road from the Maritim, so neither of them are in the centre of town. But it is only a 5-10 minute walk into town.

I found the Maritim to be a spot on hotel - I think it is classed as a 4-star hotel, and I found that it lived up to this classification. The breakfast alone is worth it.

I also didn't think the Park Hotel was worth the extra money, and I avoided the Hilton cause I'd read on the forum that its evening meal is not the best.
 
#17 ·
I stayed in the Marriot - a typical Teutonic 4* hotel, just on the edge of the old town (1 minutes walk over a little bridge) - the food was extremely imaginative for Hanseatic Germany - actually quite enjoyable and the staff were (resrvedly) friendly, and extremely helpful. I would recomend it everytime.
 
#18 ·
Did someone mention a Space Museum?

I'm just doing the final planning for my trip and we've got most of an afternoon to kill in Bremen. The space thing sounded really good, except that it seems it closed after a few months, and hasn't reopened (yet):

http://www.durhamld.com/Space_Centre.htm

I guess it didn't work out quite as planned [:(]
 
#19 ·
I found this (appallingly translated, thanks anyway Google) explanation:

"Space Park, this park set of themes devoted to space, located in the center of a shopping centre, in Bremen, was in our heading "Projects" since 2001, found in our heading "New parks" the year spent, and will have finally left our site quickly: bankruptcy. With the ambitious projection of 1,5 million annual visitors, ever reached (and by far), was added heavy financial difficulties of the shopping centre... Attractions should be put soon on sale."

Oh well.
 
#20 ·
Cheers, will probably stick with the Maritim hotel, and after speaking to Chris at MB we are going to fly to Hannover instead.

Can anyone answer the Autobahn question ??

2. Are the de-restricted Autobahns easy to spot (if not can you other 'personal collectors' elaborate where they are/what they are called !!


Thanks

JDL
 
#21 ·
jdl - 7/26/2005 9:03 AM

Cheers, will probably stick with the Maritim hotel, and after speaking to Chris at MB we are going to fly to Hannover instead.

Can anyone answer the Autobahn question ??

2. Are the de-restricted Autobahns easy to spot (if not can you other 'personal collectors' elaborate where they are/what they are called !!


Thanks

JDL
There's not really any obvious markings to suggest you're on an unrestricted autobahn. The only thing I noticed was the speed limits would appear when you were entering a restricted area, and at the end of it they would appear with the line through them to indicate it was over.

I also went by what speed the locals were doing as well!!! [8D]
 
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