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      02-01-2007, 08:15 AM   #1
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BMW 2 Day School - Saturday

02-01-07

I'm flying down to Greenville, SC area tomorrow for the 2 day non-M course. I'm getting excited and probably will not sleep tomorrow night with anticipation.

I'll take as many pictures as I can without interferring with the driving.

As soon as this little front passes down there tonight then it should be dry and partly cloudy for sat & sun.

Did I say I'm looking forward to it?

I'll post on the other side, I'm here.

Dean
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      02-01-2007, 08:21 AM   #2
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Wow awesome...I look forward to your detailed account. Take lots of pics!
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      02-01-2007, 08:52 AM   #3
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lucky you! that sounds so much fun... enjoy
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      02-01-2007, 11:17 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by edspilot View Post
02-01-07

I'm flying down to Greenville, SC area tomorrow for the 2 day non-M course. I'm getting excited and probably will not sleep tomorrow night with anticipation.

I'll take as many pictures as I can without interferring with the driving.

As soon as this little front passes down there tonight then it should be dry and partly cloudy for sat & sun.

Did I say I'm looking forward to it?

I'll post on the other side, I'm here.

Dean
If ever these Bills finally slow down from coming in, I should be there shortly. you pick the best time to go for airfare.

... ok the M service is done, the propery taxes is next, the either clear bra or PDC in April. hmmmmm

enjoy!
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      02-05-2007, 09:21 AM   #5
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White up on School

Here is a brief outline of my experiences and thoughts.

Instructors: Paul, Andy & Steve were great. All had & are currently in racing. Paul Mazzacane (sp) was our “lead” instructor and was a great teacher.

Day 1:

8:30am – 9:00 Registration: coffee/juice & waiver signing

9:00 – 9:45 Classroom: Introductions & Briefing of day’s activities

9:45 – 10:00 Outside: briefing on proper seating position and on the setting of the memory seats (to allow for the smooth driver switching on the course.) Two drivers for each car so each had their own seat position in memory.

Our cars were 2007 loaded Z4s; this was the car we did about 90% of the driving in

10:00 – 12:00 On track doing warm ups and just getting use to the cars. Various speed weaves at 30, 35, 40, 45 mph. Emergency ABS braking to full stops at 35, 40, 45, 50 mph. Emergency lane change without using brakes,, followed by an emergency stop after the change at various speeds.

1:00pm – 4:30 All track work: skid pan (using the 335i), handling course, time trials on handling course (placed 2nd with 25.47 seconds lap, top speed 78 mph. The “rat race” (using the 335i) with water was a lot of fun and really tested your smooooooth transition from brake to throttle to high speed without spinning out without DTC.

Day 2:

8:30am – 9:00 Classroom: Days briefing

Morning: Did 4 activities plus added another lane change to the other land change activity, meaning emergency lane change then immediately another lane change followed by the emergency ABS stop in the lane. This too was done at 30, 35, 40, 45mph. Quite intense even for someone that has done it before. There was a lot of cones-a-flying at the higher speeds but by the time you had your 4th pass you had it down.

12:30 Lunch

Afternoon:

More skid pan work in the 335i with and without DTC. That’s a trip..

Then the “rush” of the day: A freeway speed emergency stop in a turn.
This is a sweeping turn to gain speed rapidly to a straight-a-way (stabilize), to a full emergency ABS full stop beginning at a cone,, to stop in the shortest distance possible in a turn. You do it at 50, 55, 60 & 70mph. THEN, you do it without the cone to use your own full ABS braking point to end inside of a four cone box in that turn. In other words, highway speed emergency full ABS stop while steering thru the turn into a box. AMAZING what the BMW brakes can do.

Then we had the opportunity to drive 2 laps on a course in an X3, M5, M6, & 740 where we had cones, hard braking, and sharp turns with acceleration to speeds of 80mph. I would have to say that my favorite would be the M5 as the M6 w/SMG takes some getting use to. All are just “outstanding vehicles.”

Finally at 3:45pm we took the X5 through the “Off Road” course set up for the X3 & X5. It is nothing short of amazing what has been engineered into the those vehicles. This course takes you through 40 feet of 18” standing water, steep angles (left & right) and steep angles “around” a hill to a steep hill up and then down with the “hill mode” on which takes over the entire speed of the vehicle to 3-4 mph. This is done with you having both of your feet flat on the floor to show how well the program controls decent. Unbelievable stability in a vehicle.

Note:
All communication between instructors and drivers are with 2-way radios but the only time we talked would have to notify of a problem/concern which there were none for us. It was 99% them to us and it was broadcast to all cars all of the time. We all got the benefit of ours & others successes & mistakes.

I might add that while we (adults) were in a class there was also a 2 Day Teen Class going on. After seeing some of it and talking to some of those kids, I must say that we do NOT do a good job in our “drivers Ed” programs in this country. Every new driver should have an opportunity to go to such a course. I do not care the brand of course but our kids deserve better.

Overall I am so impressed with the weekend that I’m enrolled in the 2 day M Course at the Virginia Raceway and I’m sending my daughter and son-in-law to the school I just finished.

I hope this is not too long and you all enjoy the pictures. I have a lot of pictures so if you want to see more, PM me. I'll post pictures in other posts so as not to make too long.

Well worth the money. Outstanding, even after being through similar training.

Dean
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      02-05-2007, 09:31 AM   #6
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Pictures page 1

Z4 in line and ready to go. They are washed and serviced each night.



Number 4 was mine.



Staging area for the 335i (Teen Class & our Water training)



More Z4



More to follow
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      02-05-2007, 09:33 AM   #7
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look at all those Kahunas!

What was the fastest speed you drove those cars?
Was it worth it than doing one here locally at Summit or Jefferson from our own CCA chapters?
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      02-05-2007, 09:36 AM   #8
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I like that red e90, looks good with Blck interior

Hot!


Where did you stay? I bet when Im ready, the plane fare will be peak price.
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      02-05-2007, 09:46 AM   #9
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Pic page 2

Water Training



Water Training gone too far



Me



Hotel Pick-up



High Speed Cones



More to follow
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      02-05-2007, 09:46 AM   #10
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looks like fun! are those 335i's?
yu look good with that baby Z!
you should be a pilot of one






btw:and guess what! Dean!
the dreaded thing I've successfully dodge had ended.
thks to your buddy!
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      02-05-2007, 09:50 AM   #11
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Pic page 3

Skid Pan - dry



X5 line up



Don't Forget To Breathe !



More to follow
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      02-05-2007, 09:55 AM   #12
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seems like you took some advice
Quote:
Originally Posted by KL2DC View Post
Take lots of pics!
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      02-05-2007, 09:59 AM   #13
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Pic page 4

Double lane change to a Emergency stop



40' of 18 water in the X5



Hanging around



Left up



Right up



More right up



More left up up up up



Our turn up up up up,,, like the angle of the dash?



PM me if you want more.

Dean
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      02-05-2007, 10:05 AM   #14
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Thanks for the writeup, Dean!
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      02-05-2007, 10:10 AM   #15
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More, more, more...please

awesome pics! What an outing!

I love that "don't forget to breathe" E90 lineup picture...that Barrique Red 335i is so
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      02-05-2007, 10:17 AM   #16
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Very nice

Now I need to go hit the track!
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      02-05-2007, 10:34 AM   #17
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Here is the Red 335i



This was at the hotel, the top sales person contest prize to be given out at a company function on Saturday night.. I want to work for them.



Dean
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      02-05-2007, 10:49 AM   #18
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Okay, I really need to budget for this. I'm so happy I was taught to drive properly by my family, but I know that I could use some more with this car...

Thanks for the pics and the write up...
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      02-06-2007, 08:39 AM   #19
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Questions Answered

Some have asked me questions, so I’ll answer them here for all.

1st
COST:

School: $995.00 (may be going to $1095.00 soon) Starts 8:30am to 4:30pm

Airfare: $ $214.00 RT United Flt. 7374 5:00pm – 6:30pm
IAD to GSP (Greenville/Spartanburg)
Return FLT: United 7374, 7:00pm - 8:30 Sunday

Hotel: $114.00 per night (breakfast included) x 2 nights

Transport to & From Airport/Hotel/school/Hotel/Airport: All provided

The hotel is very nice with good restaurant/bar, however there are other hotels and food places all around. Greenville Marriott was my hotel
I planned about $1500.00 and that was where I was at when I got home.

2nd
Top Speed: 80mph! This school is not about the speed, it is about handling & control and applying them to “real” world driving. (slick surfaces, braking, lane changes, line of travel, eyes up & look-to-where-you-want-to-go,,, the car will follow.)

The 2 Day M School you move up in speed and that is now done at the performance center. They just had the first class there last week on their brand new high speed course.

The Advanced M school you do at the VIR (Virginia International Raceway) where you speed is topped out at about 150 mph.
** To do the Advanced M School you must have taken a 2 Day School before. **

3rd
How does it compare to going out to Summit in your own car?
Well, I’d say that I’m glad I used their vehicles. We did some very hard braking, cornering, and testing the ABS system for two days, not mention the tires.

Also, it was very important to me (my first BMW) to be with instructors that new every inch of all of the training vehicles. Because there is no way you will get this info about your car from any dealer. As a matter of fact, you can find a BMW at your dealer, have it delivered to the performance delivery center and then you go there to take your delivery, which is what I will do with my next one. This I did not know. Yes, I know about ordering it and having it delivered there for pick-up but, this, a car that is already at the dealer. The time they spend with you going over every item will never be done by ANY local dealer. The dealer wants to sell vehicles not take the time for an in-depth delivery. I will say that there is not one dealer employee that will have the knowledge that these delivery people will have about their vehicles. Yes, my opinion.


4th
The buildings in my pictures?
First off there is the delivery center. Second, there is an in-house dealership for BMW employees. Remember there is a factory across the street where every X5 & Z4 in the world was made. There is a leasing program for employees (after 1 year of employment) they can get a “very” attractive lease. The factory employee parking lot looks like a large dealer lot with 1300 BMWs in it. There are several service bays and a full body shop for, yes, wrecked BMW were there. All service techs in the US are trained there. I’m sure there is more that goes on.

Would I do it again?
YES. I'm sending my daughter & son-in-law there soon.

My only regret is that I did not know that the museum, gift shop & factory tour is only open on weekdays. I wanted to go to the museum and gift shop, (Valentines Day coming up.)

I hope this covered your questions. Ask more if you wish.

Dean
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      02-06-2007, 08:49 AM   #20
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Fantastic info and report. Thanks Dean. That M school is damn tempting!
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      03-21-2007, 09:55 AM   #21
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Two more questions:

What other schools have you done, and how did this differ?

Is there anything to do in the area after classes are over for the day?
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      03-21-2007, 10:42 AM   #22
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Other courses: The other course(s) were thru work before i retired last June. 26 years in federal L/E. VIP protection, High-Speed pursuit and the like. I've had no other commerical driver training.

To do after hours: Believe me you will not feel like doing anything after class other than eating and going to bed. The "rush" of all day driving on different courses, different skills development and timed track events you will be tired. Trust me.

However, there are a lot of restraunts and night life in downtown.

The one thing that this course differed with my previous ones was the fact that this course deals with real world situations and how best to deal with them. Also, it teaches the concept that "know your vehicle and what it can do to help you."

Good Luck.

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