Cars We Drive!

[HRoi]



Isn't the HPDE pretty expensive to attend? Something like 2.5 grand? I'd think that that would weed out a lot of the douches (including myself ).

The M school costs about that much before discount. Local HPDE are more cheaperer

I thought about going to events plenty of times.  In the end I just made excuses on bimmer.org aka roadfly about why I never attended.  lol

I might do it if I get some extra motivation. It would be a crime to not take advantage of the fact that Sebring is 2.5 hrs away

 

[username79]



ZHP has hotter cams, different software, different springs and dampers, along with different interior and exterior cosmetics. 10 HP on paper doesn't sound like much but the car drives more differently than its specs would suggest. I remember when they first came out and someone brought a very new one to the racetrack. We all thought it wouldn't be a big deal, because of its modest specs, but it was a very impressive car, almost a good substitute for not having a 4-door E46 M3.

It's a cult car, but fully deserving of its reputation. And it's great when people keep and take care of their cars...As for overpriced, who cares? If someone's willing to pay the price, then it doesn't really matter.

I actually owned one for a few years. Really nice example, silver grey 2005 coupe. Great Alcantara steering wheel.

Car has hotter cams, standard sport suspension, different control arms, some interior and exterior upgrades, and a rather annoying "performance" exhaust that tends to drone. Gorgeous car; I think the best looking 3-series ever.

Long and short of the ZHP in my opinion -- looks great, but not fun to drive, at all, in any way. And that's what frustrates me. I drank the kool-aid about it being a "baby M3" and a good compromise to the M3. That was before I got a M3. When I got my E46 I face-palmed myself. I would never have wasted any time on the ZHP knowing how fun the M3 is. The steering is super heavy and lifeless in the ZHP. People confuse that with feel.

People are spending the same amount on ZHP 'verts as they are on Z4M Roadsters and on ZHP coupes as they are on later model M3s. I think that's full marsupial.

 

[HRoi]

In before greenfrog defense

 

[Desi]



[*] I used to be a member of BMW car club and read the Roundel faithfully. HelI I even had these on my car

Spoiler

[/LIST]

wish my Maryland license plate looked that nice...

 

[GreenFrog]

No defense necessary. What he said makes perfect sense. Two totally different cars!

At the price I paid for my car with the condition it was in, worth every penny to me.

 

[upthewazzu]

I drive a Hyundai and that makes me feel a little out of place in this thread. But hey, it does have 275hp.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

wish my Maryland license plate looked that nice...

For a $50 BMWCCA membership fee, a $25 special tag fee and a long drive to scenic Gen Burnie to pick them up you could have a pair too

 

[A Y]



Isn't the HPDE pretty expensive to attend? Something like 2.5 grand? I'd think that that would weed out a lot of the douches (including myself ).

I do want to take my car to the track though and see how far I can push the car. I believe track days are a lot more affordable but you're typically driving in a large empty lot with cones, which I find less appealing quite frankly.

Aren't you on the West Coast? The BMW CCA schools out here are some of the safest, best-run driving schools available, and for not that much money ($300-$600, depending on the track). You will get an instructor with you in the car for the whole day (or weekend) until they think you're safe enough on your own. And not being signed off is not a bad thing either as having an instructor in the car will keep your learning curve steep, and students often keep instructors in the car with them even after being signed off for that day.

I imagine that BMW CCA instruction throughout the US is pretty uniform, so no matter which region you're in, they're usually a great first school.

If a track school is too big of a first step, the Golden Gate Chapter has car control clinics where they teach you the basics of car dynamics, and they're much cheaper (about $100) than track schools. The GGC requires all its 1st time track students to take a car control clinic. Chapters also have autocrosses where instruction is often available.

Both autoX and CCCs are held in large parking lots (GGC does them at Candlestick Park and the Marina airport) so it's a safe environment. HPDEs are held at racetracks.

Whichever one you go to, you will usually find that you, the driver, are by far the biggest limiting factor in your car's performance. The performance envelope of any reasonably sporty car (and that includes BMWs without sport packages) is so far beyond the capabilities of almost every driver on the road, and any of those schools will let you incrementally and progressively explore that envelope.

The only thing about BMW CCA HPDEs is that you cannot take a convertible to the track unless you have an SCCA-equivalent rollcage and all of its associated safety equipment (harnesses, arm restraints for both driver and passenger).

 

[NORE]

The Cherokee just doesn't have the space inside as one would expect of an SUV. That and the transmissions go like after 50K.

The Range Rover is still the best (outside of the H1) in offroading capabilities IMHO. Many folks put the Cherokee ahead but I strongly doubt that. I have to admit that living in NYC I didn't have many opportunities to put those capabilities to use, but having pulled a Grand Cherokee out from being stuck in ice along with several police vehicles in a few of the snowstorms we've had has solidified my position.

I first fell in love with them after seeing them on many an African safari. I'd be all like, "watch, I bet they're in a Range Rover". The hip hop infatuation with them has seemingly worn off so they're safe again as long as you don't go and put some hideous rims on it. I love being able to select from 5 different ride heights, especially when we have passengers and I say, "wait, let me let it down for you" and hit the button. Many a panty has has to be changed after that.

 

[Beckwith]

Nore,

If you are still in NYC give Land Rover Long Island a shout, they do these off road driving clinics out on eastern Long Island. I have participated in several and they are a blast. Haven't been in a while but they used to set up a giant teter-toter that you had to balance the truck on. They do beach driving clinics, off road trails and other stuff that puts the Land Rovers to test. I am convinced that they do these for the added service appointments they schedule right after.

 

[Piobaire]



Nore,

If you are still in NYC give Land Rover Long Island a shout, they do these off road driving clinics out on eastern Long Island. I have participated in several and they are a blast. Haven't been in a while but they used to set up a giant teter-toter that you had to balance the truck on. They do beach driving clinics, off road trails and other stuff that puts the Land Rovers to test. I am convinced that they do these for the added service appointments they schedule right after.

When I had my Rover the local dealership would sponsor two off rode rides a year. The dealership mechanics would always be there on the ride and the half way point always had a great catered lunch waiting. We did some insane climbs and rock crawling. One rock crossing they had a spotter out and you had to creep forward slowly as the driver front wheel drove off a pretty substantial drop. As you crept forward it would slowly rock onto the driver's front wheel and the passenger rear wheel would lift off the ground. Then there was another pre-scouted climb were the grade was insane and it was on lose shale type stuff. If you wimped out and took your foot off the case you'd get stuck. You had to keep it floored in low and let the incredible Rover software and ****** carry you up.

 

[Vickt]

Solo / Autocross is only about $40 per event with an SCCA membership, $50 without.

Believe me, you won't be bored "just driving around a parking lot with cones". It may look slow as an outside observer, but when I take someone new as a passenger they always stumble out of the car muttering some form of obscenity.

You probably learn more about a car's limits in autoX than at a track anyway. You can push as hard as you want and spin out spectacularly without worrying about car damage. I have had to dodge a civic while working the course that refused to give up and slid into a lightpost though...

 

[MarkI]

Just picked this up...88 635CSI, "only" 75k miles. Really clean inside and out, will get some other pics up soon. First thing i'm going to do is change the rims....then i'll probably go cry in the corner when I think about how much money i'm probably going to spend on this thing.

 

[jet]

beautiful, get rid of the rims quickly

 

[MarkI]

Yeah, that's #1 on my agenda. What would you recommend? I was thinking going pretty much back to stock, something like this