BMW Assha-....Owners, In Here

"offroadkarter" (04RauderDTR)
01/15/2014 at 11:25 • Filed to: None

Are you part of a BMW CCA chapter?

Theres a chapter in NJ, I've never actually joined a "car club" before, nor do I know if I should bother.

Experiences, opinions, post, now!

DISCUSSION (22)

The Dummy Gummy > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 11:31

Being a NJ resident I can only assume the worst of this chapter haha. If you go, please share how it is.

offroadkarter > The Dummy Gummy
01/15/2014 at 11:34

you mean filled with people full of "eyy's" and "oooh's" ?

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 11:35

The problem I've had is that the local chapter pooh-poohs on convertibles for track days.

I can now claim a hardtop BMW, because Mini. I need to see if I can get the CCA discount on parts at the Mini dealer.

offroadkarter > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
01/15/2014 at 11:37

I have a 29 year old 7 series. I don't think I'll be going up against the "god among men" e30's on the autoX or anything. I doubt I'd even track this car.

BKRM3 > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 11:43

Yep. Delaware Valley is my "home" chapter but I do HPDEs with the NJ chapter as well. Most of the instructors also instruct for both, so if you get an instructor you really like it's almost always possible to stick with that person even for the other chapter's events.

Over the past year or two, I've done HPDEs at Summit Point and New Jersey Motorsports Park (they also offer Lime Rock and Watkins Glen - both on my short list!), a fall foliage drive from Valley Forge up to the Japanese Pagoda in Reading (final stretch of road is an old hill climb stage!), summer picnics, banquet dinners, three winter indoor karting events at Speed Raceway in Horsham (I had the fastest lap at one of them!) and a handful of other events.

In addition to meeting awesome people, the Roundel magazine you get for being a CCA member is solid, you get a discount/rebate if you want to buy a new BMW, Otto's BMW in West Chester has special rates for CCA members, including free pre-purchase inspections and free tech inspections for track events (this is huge).

DelVal also has a growing relationship with the Philly region SCCA, which gets us access to their local autocross events for a tiny fee. Can't wait to see where that goes.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 11:44

You should do it, just to troll everyone.

I had plans to track the diesel Benz, before I totalled it. Vinyl trollface would have been on the rear window.

505Turbeaux > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 11:47

I was a member for years of the Rocky Mountain chapter even after I moved back to the east coast. Hosted a few meets at the restaurant I worked at etc. Great chapter out there, real people, pretty active.

vdub_nut: scooter snob > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 11:59

It's still a hillclimb course, btw.

http://pahillclimb.org/about/the-cour…

Fed(oo=[][]=oo)uken > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 12:07

I am not, fees too high for benefits that amount to not much other than the right to put a fancy badge on your grille.

Also I would do terrible terrible things for that B7 Turbo Coupe.

BKRM3 > vdub_nut: scooter snob
01/15/2014 at 12:10

Fascinating! I'd love to go watch one. I looked at their schedule and they also do Jefferson Circuit at SPR, which surprises me because...uhh...it's not hilly (although the newly expanded version does have more elevation change).

Anyway, thanks for the heads up!

offroadkarter > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 12:15

good stuff, how are the rates?

It would be interesting to put my e23 on the track, I could be an idiot but it seems to handle really great for its size. I can understand now by what people meant when they say that BMW used to really make great drivers cars, I can feel every little bit of the road in the steering wheel.

vdub_nut: scooter snob > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 12:16

There's a hilarious video of a golf almost flipping and going about 100 feet on two wheels in Reading, but I can't seem to find it. I freaking love that pagoda, too.

rabidpenguin > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 12:22

I am a member of NJ BMWCCA but the Del Val club seems more active. I think it is worth it($48 for a year) for the access to track events, club meetings and discounts with BMW and many of the local shops. This isn't even mentioning the people that you meet. So far I haven't met any douche-canoes, they seem to ignore the "club" scene.

BKRM3 > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 12:34

Well, the cost of joining the CCA is $48/year I think. You really can't beat that.

Track events are usually a few hundred for registration, and you have to do the maintenance things you need in order to pass tech. For example, tech requires, among other things, that you've had a brake fluid flush within the past 6 months. Then there are also the costs if you need consumables (tires, pads, etc), want track insurance, or want to stay at a hotel near the track for a Saturday/Sunday event. A track weekend generally ends up being pretty expensive, but I've never regretted attending one =) (FYI, the NJ chapter has an event at NJMP Lightning in October that's geared toward true novices, which is MUCH cheaper than a normal event and you can choose to do only one day instead of the whole weekend if you want. It includes skidpad time too!)

I've been on the track with lots of older BMWs, including e2x and e3x (non-Ms). I've also been on track with new base model Jettas, old MR2s, a brand new 750Li, etc. Basically people bring all kinds of things and everyone has a blast. One of the most unfortunate misconceptions is that you need to have some ridiculous car to do an HPDE. I once saw a 16 year old girl drive Jefferson Circuit in a downpour in a 328xi while wearing wellies. True story. It had all season tires.

offroadkarter > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 12:41

a novice thing sounds more my speed, the only track driving I've ever done is 1/4 mile. I also don't have the budget to turn my car into a full on track car. Everything in that brake system is new so I'd be covered there.

So the CCA lets you take any car as long as your a member?

BKRM3 > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 12:44

Pretty much, as long as it passes tech (and it's a convertible or SUV).

Here's the full barf-out of info and documents:

http://www.delvalbmwcca.org/DrivingSchool/…

offroadkarter > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 12:46

wait, convertibles and SUV's only?

I can't imagine showing up to a track event in my lifted bronco on 35's lol

BKRM3 > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 12:49

Also, here's a vid from the NJ chapter novice session at Lightning that I found on YT. As you can see, it's pretty chill. Wish I had a video of my own to share, but I picked up my GoPro and headrest mount setup after this season was over...

BKRM3 > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 13:12

I meant "NOT a convertible or SUV" lol. Of course Kinja won't let me edit it...

Sorry for the confusion. I know not being able to track the Bronco is a huge letdown =)

offroadkarter > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 13:19

I'm going to look into all of this more. I also think my marauder could give a few 3's and 5's a run for their money out on the track.

BKRM3 > offroadkarter
01/15/2014 at 14:14

Absolutely! That would be a great car to track if you had some decent rubber and bought some track pads. I imagine the stock pads would fade or get mulched up pretty badly if you ran some quick sessions. With heavier cars (like my E90) brake pads make a huge difference.

offroadkarter > BKRM3
01/15/2014 at 15:14

I have no idea what pads are even on it right now, the first time I drove it, it had asbestos pads on it. The tires are Pirelli Pzero's and are almost new.