Travling to Munich in July, Thinking about visiting Festool?!?

3PedalMINI · May 3, 2015

Hey Guys! Im Doing BMW European delivery, Ill be flying into Munich the 6th and leaving the 18th!

My plan is to go down into switzerland/italy, although festool is out of the way im wondering if I can squeeze in a trip to Festool!

Has anyone done a tour of festools HQ? is it worth me planing my trip around visiting it? does festool even offer tours?

TIA

peter halle · May 3, 2015

I don't think that they regularly offer tours. Perhaps you should contact Festool USA via email and ask for contact information in Germany.

Peter

Shane Holland · May 3, 2015

Yeah, there aren't public tours available. Even the museum is currently available only to invited guests. The production facilities are about 20 minutes from the HQ and they rarely do tours. Photos and videos are prohibited, even by employees.

I know you're going for your BMW, but the Mercedes and Porsche museums in Stuttgart were nice. The Mercedes museum is something I'd even do again. I spent 4+ hours there and had to rush through at the end.

jaguar36 · May 5, 2015

We did the European delivery a few years ago, it was quite the awesome experience! I've still got the picture from the Welt on my desk. Only problem was the break-in period meaning I couldn't really open it up on the Autobahn.

The wait afterwards for the shipping was brutal though.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have any questions about the experience.

johnleve · May 5, 2015

I wonder if there are any restrictions on whether or not the trunk has to be empty when it is shipped...

tbellemare · May 5, 2015

When I worked in Europe, I had a friend in Munchen (Munich). Myself, his girlfriend, and a mutual friend from London got together and took a road trip. It was actually one of a few...

We started out heading to Austria, which was very cool and gorgeous. There is this incredibly impressive tunnel through the mountain(s). We meandered around through Lichtenstein and Switzerland and then back, including Augsburg. It was apparently named after Augustus Caesar when the Romans moved in.

There was a really good, mountain style restaurant near the top of a pass through the Alps. It was only open for a few months a year because of weather and remoteness. I had never liked brussel sprouts prior to eating their. They killed them! The venison was also awesome... I seem to remember that the name was something like "Hunter's Lodge"? At the time (end of the last century), it was family owned and operated.

I'm going to guess that in a long day, you can have a phenomenal road trip! I certainly hope so!

Tom

jaguar36 · May 5, 2015

johnleve said:
I wonder if there are any restrictions on whether or not the trunk has to be empty when it is shipped...

Unfortunately the trunk and cabin need to be completely empty when they ship the car back. I was lucky though and they left the german tourist plates in the car for me. I think trying to sneak some festools in the trunk on the way back would be frowned on by customs though.

jacko9 · May 5, 2015

Tom Bellemare said:
When I worked in Europe, I had a friend in Munchen (Munich). Myself, his girlfriend, and a mutual friend from London got together and took a road trip. It was actually one of a few...

We started out heading to Austria, which was very cool and gorgeous. There is this incredibly impressive tunnel through the mountain(s). We meandered around through Lichtenstein and Switzerland and then back, including Augsburg. It was apparently named after Augustus Caesar when the Romans moved in.

There was a really good, mountain style restaurant near the top of a pass through the Alps. It was only open for a few months a year because of weather and remoteness. I had never liked brussel sprouts prior to eating their. They killed them! The venison was also awesome... I seem to remember that the name was something like "Hunter's Lodge"? At the time (end of the last century), it was family owned and operated.

I'm going to guess that in a long day, you can have a phenomenal road trip! I certainly hope so!

Tom

My wife and I drove through that tunnel after we left relatives in Hagendorf to visit my families farm in Souther Austria - Great drive with stops in Salzburg and Vienna. We rented the BMW in Munich and drove around Germany for a week before we headed to Switzerland and Austria as I recall I think we put something like 1200 miles on that car.

Jack

Jack

Cheese · May 5, 2015

I'm all over what Shane suggested. The Porsche museum has been updated and if you stand outside on the dock, it will give you a good view of the test track that Porsche uses for their testing of consumer ordered vehicles. It's pretty cool to see them sliding them around the track and then calmly driving them down the cobblestone streets in Stuttgart for their final evaluation.

SittingElf · May 5, 2015

Just be warned.... If you haven't been to Germany before, and you drink beer.......German beer is MUCH MUCH MUCH stronger in alcohol content than American beer! [eek]

Also...don't drink and drive in Germany...at ALL. The Polizei (police) can actually draw your blood on the side of the road without your permission. The penalties are extreme, and the BAT levels for DUI are much lower than the USA.

Nonetheless...take advantage of the Autobahns that don't have speed limits while you're there. They may be ending soon, because the European Union is trying to force Germany into instituting a maximum 130 KPH limit on ALL their roads. It could happen, and the days of exhilarating speed may be ending.

Haben eine großartige Zeit! (Have a great time!) [big grin]

Cheers,
Frank

Stone Message · May 5, 2015

Isn't life funny...

I am waiting for my new BMW and if I were to collect it from the factory I would have to go to the United States !

Unless things have changed, you have to be invited to visit Festool in Germany. If anyone ever does get an invite you must go as it is amazing. Everything is done without any fuss, nobody rushing from here to there, no shouts across the workshop floor - just a steady determination, attention to detail and typical German efficiency.

Peter

abcd123 · May 6, 2015

SittingElf said:
Just be warned.... If you haven't been to Germany before, and you drink beer.......German beer is MUCH MUCH MUCH stronger in alcohol content than American beer! [eek]

Also...don't drink and drive in Germany...at ALL. The Polizei (police) can actually draw your blood on the side of the road without your permission. The penalties are extreme, and the BAT levels for DUI are much lower than the USA.

Nonetheless...take advantage of the Autobahns that don't have speed limits while you're there. They may be ending soon, because the European Union is trying to force Germany into instituting a maximum 130 KPH limit on ALL their roads. It could happen, and the days of exhilarating speed may be ending.

Haben eine großartige Zeit! (Have a great time!) [big grin]

Cheers,
Frank

You can have 0.05% of alcohol in Germany with some restrictions:
Germany (0.0‰ for learner drivers, all drivers 18–21 and newly licensed drivers of any age for first two years of licence; also, if the BAC exceeds 0.3‰, driving is illegal if the driver is showing changes in behavior ("Relative Fahruntüchtigkeit"))
Generally speaking, if you will not drive as a jerk, the police will not stop you, there has to be a reason to get stopped by the police in Germany. Nevertheless close to the border the police is doing checks for imigrants, stolen cars, so if you will look suspicious, they will stop you to get your details.

There are many places where you can get a good beer in Germany as Germans are producing ±5000 different beer, but if I can recommend one, get Arcolator near Munich i.e. here http://www.bartewirt.de

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graf-arco.de%2Fcgi-bin%2Fview.cgi%3Fact%3Dview%26artid%3D6&edit-text=

sancho57 · May 6, 2015

Since yer going to Munich, be sure to go to Garmisch, go up the Zugspitz and have a nice lunch up their munching on the edelweiss wurst is to die for.

Also check out Eteller, there's a monastary there that supports itself by making and selling beer and cheese ..oh yea baby...

If yer going to Stuttgart be sure to check out the Black Forest and since your going that way maybe check out the Romantic Hyway and take a Rhine Cruise...

I'm going back this summer.....
We love Germany

jaguar36 · May 6, 2015

SittingElf said:
Just be warned.... If you haven't been to Germany before, and you drink beer.......German beer is MUCH MUCH MUCH stronger in alcohol content than American beer! [eek]

I disagree with that, as long as you aren't talking about the weird 3.2% beers. With the recent craft brewing explosion a significant portion of American beers are at the 8-9% level, most regular German beers (aka not double bocks) are around 5%, just like the main stream normal American beers (aka Budweiser).

I was actually quite dissapointed at the beer in Germany, there was very little variety in the beer. Each place we went to seemed to have a different brand, but they all tasted very very similar. There was nothing like the variety you can get an a good American liquor store or decent bar. I think the German desire to adhere to the Reinheitsgebot (even if its no longer technically a law) prevents them from making some of the truly great beers beyond the simple Altbier, Pilsner and Bock.

NL-mikkla · May 13, 2015

My wife ordered a BMW yesterday (must be selling pretty good these days, three already in this topic)
Anyway, she has to pick it up at the dealer lol.

Forget about visiting Festool, enjoy Germany and surrounding countries south.
When visiting Munich, be sure to check out the "hofbrauhaus". lot's of beer drinking history there

This is also a crazy scene in Munich, it's real I was there, it's unbelievable :https://vimeo.com/117122975

The tunnel peeps are referring to is probably the Mont Blanc tunnel from France to Italy or the Gotthard from Switzerland to Ialy.
I dont like long tunnels, it smells bad and it's hot etc etc.

Driving in Germany is a blast, luckely I'll get to do it a few times a month (work related).
Most drivers have an eye open for the fast guys and will let you pass before overtaking.

SittingElf · May 13, 2015

NL-mikkla said:
Driving in Germany is a blast, luckely I'll get to do it a few times a month (work related).
Most drivers have an eye open for the fast guys and will let you pass before overtaking.

Actually, on the Autobahn, it is illegal to drive in the left lane UNLESS you are passing slower traffic on the right. It's illegal to pass on the right, and the fine is significant. (Don't ask me how I know...... [crying])

Flashing lights to pass has also been made illegal. Traffic laws are severe, and make sure you understand the Priority signs when in towns. They can be confusing, as you often have the right of way from oncoming traffic, even in a full turn. The same holds true for the opposite.

Have fun....Be safe.
Frank

jacko9 · May 13, 2015

NL-mikkla said:
My wife ordered a BMW yesterday (must be selling pretty good these days, three already in this topic)
Anyway, she has to pick it up at the dealer lol.

Forget about visiting Festool, enjoy Germany and surrounding countries south.
When visiting Munich, be sure to check out the "hofbrauhaus". lot's of beer drinking history there
This is also a crazy scene in Munich, it's real I was there, it's unbelievable :https://vimeo.com/117122975

The tunnel peeps are referring to is probably the Mont Blanc tunnel from France to Italy or the Gotthard from Switzerland to Ialy.
I dont like long tunnels, it smells bad and it's hot etc etc.

Driving in Germany is a blast, luckely I'll get to do it a few times a month (work related).
Most drivers have an eye open for the fast guys and will let you pass before overtaking.

I agree that the Gotthard tunnel is long, hot and very smelly. We were fortunate that we traveled through at night when the traffic was light. Next time we'll drive around.

Jack

jaguar36 · May 13, 2015

SittingElf said:
Actually, on the Autobahn, it is illegal to drive in the left lane UNLESS you are passing slower traffic on the right. It's illegal to pass on the right, and the fine is significant. (Don't ask me how I know...... [crying])

Technicly thats true in alot of US states too. Difference is some slow Americans don't know/care and the police don't enforce it.

In Germany I was shocked at the number of times I got passed like I was standing still, when I was in fact going well into the triple digits. Sadly though, its only a portion of the Autobahn that is unlimited, alot of it has similar speed limits to the interstates.

Stone Message · May 13, 2015

Yes, the first time I did 130 mph was on the way to Munich - thank goodness I did not have the caravan on the back.

Peter

tbellemare · May 13, 2015

NL-mikkla said:
The tunnel peeps are referring to is probably the Mont Blanc tunnel from France to Italy or the Gotthard from Switzerland to Ialy.
I dont like long tunnels, it smells bad and it's hot etc etc.

I think it was the Fuessen tunnel.

Tom

Travling to Munich in July, Thinking about visiting Festool?!?

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