BMW Driving Experience

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73fj40lc said:
Bill, Just out of curosity what is the top end speed of a 525I. I have had mine to 135 mph and backed off but the speedometer goes to 165. Is there a speed limiter build into the American models? We haul the new BMW's out of Greenville on CSX.
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I know on the 1 and 3 series it is electronically limited to 140mph unless you get the M series or the SPORT package which lifts the Top Speed limiter to somewhere near 160+. Then again a chip or programmer can fix that as well plus give you a little more performance :D :D

I think BMW slightly understates the HP/Torque on their sportier versions.....definitely a wolf in sheeps clothing.
 
Nice ride Brock. That's exactly the ride my brother has that we were talking about. Not the performance of the Corvette you were lookign at, but much better quality and functionality.

Jeremy
 
Bill,

Have you ever driven a Mazdaspeed Protege? It is supposed to be one bad little race car in the twisties. I think it even out performs the John Cooper Works Mini in the slalom. Not as refined, but Mazda is pretty decent in the ole Road Race catergory.

My first car was a First-Generation RX-7. I was young and stupid and put that car thru some crazy turns. Supposedly they are dropping the RX-8 and reviving the old RX-7. Smaller, lighter, cheaper and better handling.

It seems that with the economy the way it is and gas prices not coming down, a lot of manuf. are building these small pocket rockets that get 25+ mpg.

Jeremy
 
dbenke said:
I'm definately looking forward to it
That's 4 of us.....Maybe 5 with Wild Bill

Brock BMW 335
Gundy Sprite
Steen Porsche 933
Me Mercedes 560 SL

Sounds like a blast,can't wait.
Any more takers???
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Hmmmm....looks like I'd be a few ponies light in this crowd. I'd guess I'm not within a hundred
HP of the lowest HP of the cars listed. We'll need a lot of curves and few straights.
:grinpimp:
 
I did the BMW Driving Experience about 3 years ago when the 335i had just come out. AutoBahn Country Club, Joliet, IL. I thought I was a pretty good driver- I was wrong. I learned a ton of stuff, and then I went back a year later just for some more fun.

You should absolutely do it- clear your schedule and go drive fast!!!


http://www.autobahncountryclub.net/
 
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You know Carolina Motorsports Park offers track days. A little pricey but it is worth it!
Just picture yourself flinging a BMW or SL Benz around a real 2+ mile race track.
Maybe a Spring Fling for those interested. I think it would cost about $250 or so for the day.
Spirited driving on a public road only gets you so far.
On a track day you take an instructor with you for a lap or two to show you the racing lines
and check you out and give tips. Then it's off you go!
Passing only in designated areas like straights. Requirements listed in link below.
CMP is a very nice track. Very smooth, very twistie.
Carolina MotorSports Park
http://www.turnonetrackevents.com/t1m_trackdates.php
 
I'd be in as well......

I picked up a 2003 BMW 540i M-sport 6-speed with 50k miles on it back in October. It is essentially the M5 with a 300hp V8 instead of the 400hp:eek:. I really wanted an M5 and searched for about 6 months but finding the the color combo I wanted with lower miles was proving almost impossible. So when I came across the M-sport with the color I wanted and low miles I shot off to Washington DC to pick her up and have been smiling ever since. I have come to find 300hp is plenty enough power for me and the maintenance cost should be half of what the M5 was going to run me (some owners I talked to qouted me 3-5K a year in maintenance for the M5:crybaby:) I can actually work on this one myself, but the M5 with it race engine and 8 individual throttlebodys would have been out of my shade tree mechanic abilities...

when you guys get a ride together let me know I have been craving some twisties

:cheers:
JP




dbenke said:
I'm definately looking forward to it
That's 4 of us.....Maybe 5 with Wild Bill

Brock BMW 335
Gundy Sprite
Steen Porsche 933
Me Mercedes 560 SL

Sounds like a blast,can't wait.
Any more takers???
Click to expand...
DSC_0470.webp
 
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eventhough said:
Dang JP - you've become corporate!

If it makes you feel any better David I'll bring the Pig. You shouldn't have any problem staying ahead of me! :eek:
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I had to atleast look like I am an architect :grinpimp:
 
Gundy said:
Hmmmm....looks like I'd be a few ponies light in this crowd. I'd guess I'm not within a hundred
HP of the lowest HP of the cars listed. We'll need a lot of curves and few straights.
:grinpimp:
Click to expand...

The Dragon.
Downhill.
 
BELMONT148 said:
Bill,

Have you ever driven a Mazdaspeed Protege? It is supposed to be one bad little race car in the twisties. I think it even out performs the John Cooper Works Mini in the slalom. Not as refined, but Mazda is pretty decent in the ole Road Race catergory.

My first car was a First-Generation RX-7. I was young and stupid and put that car thru some crazy turns. Supposedly they are dropping the RX-8 and reviving the old RX-7. Smaller, lighter, cheaper and better handling.

It seems that with the economy the way it is and gas prices not coming down, a lot of manuf. are building these small pocket rockets that get 25+ mpg.

Jeremy
Click to expand...

No I haven't. There are a lot of pretty sporty hi-tech pocket racers out there. I've learned over the years that the last 5% of performance gives away about half of your comfort and doubles your cost for jump you get to use less than 1% of the time.
When I had my 535i and was riding my K1 a lot I usually never got more than a month past clearing out one speeding ticket points off my record before I got another one. I really don't need a lot of track level performance to get into trouble.

Now I just poke around. I was going to lease the MINI for 6 months to let Jeri experience it. She wants to buy a Cabrio and it would give her a good long-term test.
Then since you have to keep a lease or get out of the program I figured have a 135i just for kicks, then maybe an X3 before I pull the plug.

I'm really pretty happy with my FJC for road trips and my ragtop 93 Mustang for around town.

I'm only about 18 months from retiring and moving to Europe. I'll have to buy something over there, doesn't make sense to be buying anything here at this point.

If I were staying here I'd probably look at the Lotus Elise or Elan or one of the hot Subarus or a Mitsu Evo. AWD is an amazing upgrade to carving twisties. I used to get my kicks carving the mtns on a motorcycle but I finally have a rider that likes speed thrills and I hate riding two-up so it's mostly cage from here on out.
Maybe a scooter on the island when I move. Use it for tooling around and get a mtn bike for exercise and thrills, lots of rocky vertical where I'm going. We'll mostly do land travel by train but I'm planning to get a little 4wd Russian 3dr (Lada Niva) for traveling in Eastern Europe or going where I can't take a train or sail my boat there. Or for when I need more carrying or passenger capacity.
 
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I'll be able to keep up w/ you guys, but I'll have to stop for gas more often. Last time I checked it was about 15.5 mpg.
 
BELMONT148 said:
Nice ride Brock. That's exactly the ride my brother has that we were talking about. Not the performance of the Corvette you were lookign at, but much better quality and functionality.

Jeremy
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from the dig with a good driver the Vette should win every time...if Vette has crappy driver and the 335i has just a basic chip it is a tight race. From a roll....the 335i can keep up with the Vette every time as well. Hard to beat over 400 HP in the Vette plus is like 300lbs lighter....but not much stock vs stock that can beat it in same class from Lexus, Infinity, Nissan, Subaru, etc.

I drove one with a basic chip upgrade the other day to see the difference...it likely is in the 4.6 range 0-60 and in low 12s range for 1/4 mile with that $300 upgrade. Yeah, it is impressive for damn sure...:steer:
 
Definitely looking forward to this run! Funny what 15 yrs of technology will do. My 993 won't keep up on the straights with some of you guys, but the AWD, P braking and Euro suspension will definitely help me out in the twists.

Getting some laps in at the speedway would be fun too. Any restriction on rollbar on a cab?
 
Looking forward to it....now to find some non-drowsy medicine for wife so she does not get motion sickness....or I will have to let her drive the whole time. :D :(
 
Miss February Calendar Girl

Well, it seems Screamin' Mimi has made it to model status. In fact her pic will grace a
British Car Calendar for the month of February 2010. The Cabin and Buggy Barn are in the background.
A friend saw this pic and suggested she should be orange with big white circles on the doors w/ black numbers and a stars and bars tonneau cover and General Lee written at the top of the doors.
:hillbilly:
This is the pic:
tonneau 4.webp
 
I feel like I have the BMW that could next to y'all. My next one is a 5 series, I need a bigger family car and I think that's the ticket. I think I'll do the driving experience before I buy the next one.
 
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