A buddy of mine forwarded me an email, about a month ago saying they were looking for transport drivers for BMW's Drive to Find a Cure Fleet. The cars were to be driven from Miami, Fl. to Melbourne, Fl. (185 or so miles). Every mile put on the fleet BMW matches with a dollar donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I jumped at the chance to drive a new BMW for 185 miles and immediately emailed back saying I would be there!
Although I arrived in plenty of time I was not quick to the sign up table where you get to pick which car you drive. By the time I got there all the Z4s were taken along with the 5 series sedans and all the manual (my preference) cars. There was a 745il left but I would rather spend my limited time driving the car not the I Drive. Not to worry! Waiting to pick my car I was listening to people shrug off the 5 series wagon, that 5 series wagon was a 540i sport wagon! I was glad to get it! I grew up when station wagons were the "in thing" before the mini-van and SUV (or SAV) took over, maybe that's why I have always liked wagons.
They gave us directions, water, and a "crumb-free" bagel and we were off!
Z4 3.0 playing a little leap frog.
Coming up on a 745...
Z4 2.5 flying by!
The 2 X5s pretty much stayed to the back of the pack, I slowed up to grab a shot of this 3.0 X5.
The people in the drop tops always had a smile on their face... well except when they had to pull off and put the tops up due to rain.
This might be the coolest picture I took all day! Z4 3.0
We ran into a slight speed trap, we all made it through this one ticket free however one of the volunteers did receive a couple tickets later on! No names... but it was not the guy in the 540! (I did not speed a bit ;-) ) Is a speeding ticket received while doing charity work tax deductible? I wonder...
We stopped at a rest stop around 100 miles out. The 3.0 Z4 and the 540 wagon I was driving were the quickest of the bunch. After the rest stop we got the chance to see which of the 2 were quicker. After several runs from 60 mph it was apparent the Z4 3.0 and the 540 were equally fast. If the 540 was a manual the Z4 might get left behind.
That would be a large portion of the brake pads covering the once silver wheel of the 540.
We all made it to Melbourne safe! Cute how all the Z4s lined up together.
The 540 next to the signature car.
The signature car is a 745Li which everyone who participates gets to sign.
All in all it was a great day, great people, great cars, and great fun! Only negative of the whole day is my new found desire for a 540 Sport Wagon!
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