Section 3: Various Interesting Stuff

3.1: Winter Driving and BMWs

3.2: Renting a BMW

        3.2.1:   Does any car rental outfit in the US have BMWs?
        3.2.2:   How do i rent a BMW in Europe?

3.3: Buying a used BMW

        3.3.1:   Through the late 80s
        3.3.2:   320 advice

3.4: Driving Schools

3.5: Mail-order and other parts sources

3.6: Visiting BMW

3.6.1: BMW AG

Contrary to popular belief, BMWs are actually quite good in the snow... PROVIDING you have good snow tires and decent winter driving skills. You can also get into big trouble with them because they typically come with performance tires (terrible in snow), have lots of power, like to oversteer some, and are rear wheel drive.
RWD gives you more options on controling the car if you know how to use it, but it is less forgiving than FWD if you don't. Basically, with RWD the car will start to skid at a slower speed than with FWD, but while you are skidding the car is still controlable (IF you know what you are doing). FWD will not skid till a somewhat faster speed, but once you do, you are a passenger. There isn't a whole lot you can do to control the car.
So if you know how to control RWD, it is safe, controlable and FUN in conditions beyond where FWD has lost it. If you don't know how to control skids, a RWD car "goes out of control" before a FWD car. So, being a well balanced RWD car, some people think BMWs do really well in the snow, while others park them when the first flakes fly. This, of course, has caused many a fine flame war on the list, mostly centering on the relative merits of RWD vs FWD. Here is a sampling of some of the more interesting posts:

Yes, you can get going easier with FWD but I find that braking and going down hills in the snow is much more controllable in a RWD car. I also find RWD much MUCH easier to control overall, it seems that once you lose it in a FWD car in the snow or ice, the slide/spin seems much harder to control. I believe the controlabilty that RWD provides is more important than any slight ulitmate traction advantage that FWD has.

Rear wheel drive will forever be different from front wheel drive, but they're targeted to different audiences. The physics is different. Front wheel drive is more forgiving, rear wheel drive is more fun. Front wheel drive cars, *including* Saabs, IMHO, are more difficult to work on than rear wheel drive cars because so much more stuff must be put in the engine compartment. And fundamentally, I think a person has to be a better driver to handle rear-wheel drive, particularly in dangerous situations. Obviously, for most of us here, we understand that and are willing to make that trade-off.

I decided to pretend that winter driving was a low-speed performance event, and started to apply some basic performance driving principles:

1. lots of straight line braking approaching corners and 2) smooth even throttle application throughout the corner, leading to an implementation of 3) slow in, fast out you know something? it works really, really well. what the snow means is that you are suddenly in a performance driving domain, whether you realized it or not, and whether you normally drive that way or not. get used to it.

My winter tire recommendations are: (based on personal experience)

1. narrow studded tires at all four corners. (heavy snow and ice)
2. narrow snow tires at all four corners with studs at rear.
3. narrow snow tires at all four corners. (mild snow/light ice)
4. narrow all weather tires at all four corners (light snow areas)
5. cheap winter ride with snow tires.

Anyway, the conclusion is that if a RWD car starts to slide in a turn, it most often does this at the rear end. The rear end will end up in the wrong lane and the car will be hit in the side. A FWD car will most often start to slide in the front ending up in a head on collision that will use the front deformation zone that gives better protection. Another part in the conclusion is also that FWD cars are generally more stable in the snow and cause fewer accidents (remember the statistics above!).

My own opinions on the subject is that it is all a case of vehicle dynamics. Let's make an experiment. Take out a pencil, put it on the table. Hold the tip of it gently between your thumb and index finger and pull it in a straight line across the table. No problem eh? The pencil moved in a straight line right? Now, use your index finger to push the pencil at the tip in a straight line. That wasn't a straight line, was it?
So, a FWD car will tend to pull itself in a straight line and a RWD car will try to turn around. This also makes a RWD able to steer faster than a FWD car, generally. You can test this ability on your bimmer by applying throttle in a turn and note that it will steer more. But don't ditch it!
By the way, when you "motor brake" (I don't know the proper english word, but what i mean is when you remove your foot from the throttle) in a FWD car it will cause a force to be applied at the front which causes an instability that can create a slide (I once felt this instability in my brothers old saab 99 on a gravel road, i accelerated hard and then i dropped the pedal which caused the car to feel instable. Applying a bit of throttle cured this).

But there are other factors that contribute to the behaviour of a car. For example weight distribution. If you throw a hammer (don't do this, you might hurt someone!) it will travel through the air with the heavy end first. This is because at the heavy end drag/weight is less. The same applies to a car, if you lift it by helicopter and drop it the heavy end will travel first. Most FWD cars are front heavy, this makes them more stable in a straight line. This is another cause why a bimmer can outsteer most FWD car.

Another factor that contributes to the behaviour is the forces applied to the car by the wheels. On an icy road this is very much dependent on the friction caused by the tyres! A wide tyre will ride on the snow, a smaller (correct term?) will dig through the snow. Wide high-speed rated performance tyres have rubber that gets stiff when cold, it's like driving on bakelite tyres! As Richard mentioned placing different tyres on the axles creates imbalances (He said his saab was worst with studs in front and bald summer tyres in the rear). You should always have the best tyres on the rear axle! Most people think that it should be the other way around, but that is NOT correct. The cause for having them on the rear is that this creates stability. In fact they act much like the feathers at the end of an arrow or a dart. You can test this by taking a small toy car (if you don't have one buy one at the bmw dealer, then you can have an 850CSi... :) and put tape on the wheels. Apply the tape with the non-sticky surface out... Then let the car down a sloping surface (you can set your table at an angle). Check the difference between having tape on the front vs the rear wheels! By the way, guess why the front breaks of a car are to lock before the rear ones...

Some rules:

• - Do not apply power in a turn in winter, this

  will causes forces that can create a slide.

• - Do not break in a turn in winter either...
• - Don't use wide high-speed rated low profile performance tyres.
• - Have the best tyres on the rear axle.

Here are what I consider the primary variables in this fine winter (hopefully non-contact) sport:
1.Driver and Driving Style- Practice-Practice-Practice- Richard Welty is correct in emphasizing driving skill as the most important factor in winter driving. Furthermore his observation that "winter driving was a low-speed performance event, and started to apply some basic performance driving principles" is exactly right and one of the reasons I enjoy It so much. You can get into a beautifully controlled 4 wheel drift at speeds below 30 mph! Most importantly snow driving takes finesse, no sudden move, very little braking, smooth controlled acceleration. But practice is the key. Whenever I get the chance, and especially with a new car and at the beginning of the winter, I find a nice ice and snow covered parking lot sans parked cars and practice turns, braking, recovery maneuvers and try to find the rear end adhesion limit. It is critical not to have to learn how to control you car when the boob in front of you is pulling 360's at 50 mph on I89.( Note this often tends to be 4 WDrivers who haven't figured out that we all have 4 wheel brakes and that the shit handling of a Bronco doesn't improve with snow). Just a few tip that many of you already know; a. If you are stuck spinning a wheel gently apply the emergency brake to get traction to the spinning wheel (this doesn't work too well on most FWD vehicles but some Saabs do have front wheel E-brakes) b. Try to stay off the peak of the torque curve which usually means shifting a little sooner and letting the engine lug a little more than usual. Some times you may need to "spend" a little clutch, keeping the engine RPM up while feathering the clutch. This may seem brutal to some but I do it when required and typically get over 100 Kmiles out of a clutch so its not that bad. c. Braking is the maneuver of last resort. Use engine braking whenever possible, don't pull radical down shifts and practice those nice smooth heal and toe's. d. Don't get caught too fast in the corner, gently straight brake before the turn. If you do get caught too fast in the turn gentle acceleration in probably your best bet. d. Skid recovery really is a matter of reverse steering and developing a feel for your vehicle, you have to practice this in a safe place.

2.Tires; are critical to good traction and handling. Use snow tires all around to maintain good handling balance. Studs all around are great for extrema conditions but I find the vibration at 75 mph on dry pavement just too much. Studs in the rear really help on ice but don't do much in snow. Narrow tires are also better they don't tend to float as easily and don't snow plow.

3. ABS: if you don't know why don't drive in the snow

4. Transmission; One work STANDARD. I know some people love there automatics in the snow and they are easier to rock if your stuck but overall you just don't have the control for down shifting or control of power by slipping the clutch.

5.FWD v/s RWD: well here's the BIG ONE and (IMNSHO) the answer is non of the above. There is no clear winner in FWD v/s RWD the particular design car is far more important than FWD or RWD and even if all else is equal they both have their positive and negative points. Clearly the best of both worlds, AWD if properly designed will win hands down. But even AWD won't improve the handling of a DOG. The question of FWD and RWD in snow is really one of three distinct areas: Traction, Handling and Emergency Maneuvers. I general the FWD is better for traction and getting out of the snow bank. They tend to have more weight on the driving wheels and when you steer they pull in that direction. Handling wet, dry or snow goes to the good RWD. I think the reason that a lot of drivers don't like the handling of the RWD in the snow is that you do have to drive like your in a low speed performance event and utilize controlled power slides. However; my 7 series is very well mannered and predictable and FUN to drive on a slick surface. The front wheel drive vehicles I've owned and driven tend to give you better low speed steering control but once loose are a real hand full with no means of controlled recovery. The really key features missing in the FWD is the ability to engine brake, well you can but!, and the ability to smoothly break the rear end loose ( yes some people do this on purpose). Where I found FWD particularly scary was on really slick down hill braking, you loose all sense of having any form of control. For emergency situations ABS is more important than FWD or RWD. Beyond that RWD will give you better handling , if you take the time to learn how to drive, and therefore a better overall chance of keeping control. FWD tends to give the less skilled driver a false sense of security. They do tend to feel more "normal" on a slick surface until things start to come loose e.g. a emergency situation and then they just fall apart.

Yes
(details?)

>I called Hertz about doing this, and got a rough breakdown of available >models and prices.
>
>316i stick - $275/week
>520i stick - $380/week
>525i auto - $500/week
>730i auto - $750/week

A couple of other comment to Mike's. I had a 316i for a weekend last March in Germany. While no powerhouse (102 hp) it had no problem keeping me above 100 mph and gave ~30 mpg. Keep in mind that running a 540i at 145 mph will burn around 10 gallons a hour which is over $40/hr in gas! Also, the 520i is a popular car in Germany for good reason. I followed one for 2 hours from Munich to Stuttgart in my Uncles 280E MB and we never fell below 125 mph (except speed zones). The 520i is a good autobahn cruiser. But, it is possible to rent about anything made. I do recall seeing an add by a non-major car rental agency that would rent Porsches, Ferraris and high end MB and BMWs. The catch is that the price per day is astronomical (over $1000/day for Porsche turbo). So maybe one should rent a VW Golf (318ti?) for the the duration and rent a M5 for a one day spree ... um, Nurenburg-ring or Hockenheim.

< send mail to Steven for further details >

Several people have been asking for advice about buying various models of used BMW's. Well, I have only recent experience with owning 1 type and no prior ownership but I did just buy an '86 535i and I shopped around a bit so I'll pass on what I have, FWIW.

A great dream book and a great source for sorting out all the years and models is:
"Illustrated BMW Buyer's Guide" 2nd Ed., C1994, by Ken Gross, $16.95US Motorbooks International, P.O.Box 1, Osceola, WI (USA) 54020 1-800-826-6600
It covers US and European models all the way from 1952 to 1994.

First, figure out your budget. How much can you spend? How much cash do you have available for this purpose. Don't forget that licensing and sales tax will come out of your cash. Then, how much can you afford on a monthly payment? You can get an "amortization schedule" booklet at any bookstore for a few dollars. That will tell you how much your chosen monthly payment will translate to in cash up front (at current interest rates and chosen finance period). My rule is that if I can't pay for it in 3 years or less then I can't afford it. Otherwise you'll be "upside down" on the loan and owe more than the car is worth. NOT GOOD! Buy it for cash if you can, shopping and bargaining will be easier for you.

Once you know how much you can spend, go to the local public library and look at the "NADA used car price book". A new issue comes out every quarter. Make photocopies of all of the pages and years that you need. Take it home and get to know the models, years and prices. Study the subject. Pretty quickly, the cars that are in your arena will come into focus. I use half way between "Average Trade in" and "Average Retail" as a target price and try to get the nicest car I can for that. Anyway, in the cold light of day, before you go all ga-ga over some thrilling ride, figure out the the absolute maximum that you will pay for any given car.

What is the maximum milage that you will consider? The average is 12k miles/year. BTW, it seems to me that the average BMW driver does substantially more than that, because it's less usual to find a low milage BMW.

Read the latest Consumer Reports Automotive issue for trouble spots on your model (comes out in every February?? issue). Read this BMW digest. Know what trouble to inspect for on your model.

Then start shopping the Saturday morning newspaper classified adds for your target models and years. Convenience stores sell a classified adds magazine called "Auto Shopper", that's where I found mine. Go drive several. Drive some that you know you don't want, it will give you perspective. DANGER!!! Drive newer/faster BMW's at your own risk! The undisciplined will blow their budget bigtime!

Well, the rest will come naturally. Here is my own perspective:

318i/320i - Cheap to buy and operate but pretty well worn by now,

     in most cases.  Also, in a hot climate, with air conditioning,
     performance suffers way too much.  Small car. Decent sized trunk.
     Feels more like a sporty handling economy car than a sports car.

325(e,es) (to mid '80s) - This is a much nicer appointed car. Many

     improvements over 320i.  Very economical to buy and operate. The
     performance is brisk and FUN!  Don't worry about the small 121bhp
     number, subjectively, it is very torqey and willing to go (it is lighter
     than the 5 series cars).  The interior feels like a close fitting
     cockpit (because it's pretty small) but not cramped for the driver.
     Easy to drive.  It is cramped for back seaters.  Decent sized trunk.
     Much better gas milage than a 535i.  The 2 door is probably better for
     a sports car because it may be a bit lighter and more rigid.
     There are lots of cars available.
     I really considered one of these, based on the fun/$.

325i, is - Very much like the 'e but with the 2.5 liter higher reving

     version of the baby-six engine.  Better acceleration, especially
     at the high end.  Somewhat less smooth and refined.  Somewhat
     less mpg.  Somewhat more expensive.

528e - A great bargain for the budget constrained performance minded driver,

     who still wants class and comfort.  Very roomy for the passengers in
     back, leather interior, great handling, big trunk, great gas milage.
     I'ld call the performance spirited and willing but not powerful or quick.
     I think a driver would be smiling a lot driving this car around.
     Seems like a picky patient shopper could have a beautiful car for
     $4000-$6000 (depending on age & milage) that they could reasonably
     expect to drive for 75k-100k miles.  That's 1/4 the cheapest econobox
     you can buy new!  There are lots of cars available.

524td - This is the same car as the 528e but with a turbo-diesel and much

     cheaper. Really a bargain, if you don't mind the diesel, and quicker
     than the 528e too, I've heard. Didn't drive one.

528i (late '70s-early '80s) - A bit dated but a great bargain for the budget

     constrained performance minded driver, who still wants class and comfort.
     Very roomy for the passengers in back, leather interior, great handling,
     big trunk.  Pretty fast car.  Harder to find a nice one because of the
     age.

530i - Engine problems, I didn't bother to drive any, look to the 528i, 533i,

or 528e instead.

533i - This is where I first said WOW, WHAT A ROCKET!

     But the 535i has an even better motor, some body/chassis improvements
     (I heard that anyway) and is newer and less worn.

535i(s) ('85-'88)- Oo la la! Hot damn! YaaaHooo! I love this car!

     This is what I bought, and after all that budget crap I gave you.
     The performance is very exciting.  This was the top of the line BMW
     performance car (except for M cars, rare, and where repair costs
     will be much higher, I think).  Everything else is the same as the 528e,
     except the cost is roughly $1k-$2k higher and the gas milage lower.
     There is not an abundance of these but they aren't rare either.
     The 535is is a bit more desireable for the better sport seats, lowered
     suspension, and air dam/racy styling but is much less available.
     As a point of reference, I wanted a clean '85 or 86' with less than
     120k miles, and white in color.  In the Austin/San Antonio area of
     2.5 million people, it took 3 months of looking to find the one I
     wanted and I paid $7500 for it (+ 6.25% tax, ouch).  That's top dollar
     but it's very clean inside and out, very low milage at 88k, never
     wrecked. A creampuff, as they say.  The typical '85 or '86 has 160k
     miles on it.

     Someone said recently, here in the digest, that these cars have
     something of the character of a North Amercan Muscle Car and I agree,
     specifically in the effort of steering, shifting and clutching.
     A couple of years ago I had an '86 Mustang GT, 5.0L V8, 200bhp,
     electronic port fuel injection and ignition, very similar in many
     respects. Low/mid range torque was better, fuel economy about the
     same.  A very good engine, exciting and fun to drive.  But I grew
     tired of it.  It had more of a heavy feel to it, steering shifting
     and clutching were even more work, exhaust was noisier, the seats were
     awful (offal?), visability out back was not good, back seats were very
     cramped, not much of a trunk, the rear end would break loose in a
     flash, and engine life is probably about half of the BMW.

     I think the BMW is easier to work on.  The suspension is firm and
     supple rather than stiff, the engine rev's more freely, the back seats
     are roomy and comfortable, 4 doors, visability is great, the trunk is
     big, and engine life of 200k miles of hard driving is fantastic.
     It's not much bigger than the Mustang, either.  Another thing I really
     like is the stealth/sports car aspect.  It looks like a family car,
     not a ticket magnet.

6 series - Very nice sport/luxo cars but performance suffers because of

     weight, relative to 535i.  Didn't drive any.
     The best looking BMW's, IMO.

7 series - Very nice luxo/sport cars but performance suffers because of

weight. Bigger than I have a need for. Didn't drive any.

Well, there it is, for what it's worth. Be patient, stay the course. Your car is out there, somewhere.
Good Hunting
Mark Mir

Reply to Rob Heuser...
The 320i from '77 - '79 have a 2.0 liter engine and run on leaded gas but unleaded OK. No cat needed to meet emissions requirements. Minor cosmetic changes to knobs and switches on the dash and the rear license holder distinguish the 3 years. Rear "320i" chrome designator mounted on black plastic panel in '77 & '78. '77 vented front rotors changed to solid rotors in '78 - too easy to warp. All with mechanical ignition and K Jetronic fuel injection and 4 speed tranny (some automatics out there if you are so inclined.)

The '80 -'83 320i is really a 318i with 1.8 liter engine, electronic ignition, and 5 speed. Only minor cosmetic changes thru the years. Bosch L Jetronic fuel injection, catalytic converter, unleaded furel requirement, and power steering are added to these models. The last addresses the famous 320i wheel shimmy at 55 mph.

The later models require less maintenance but have less power. The 5 speed can be easily dropped into the earlier models giving a cruising 5th gear for small mpg increase but more importantly, less tendancy to overheat with A/C on in traffic on 90+ degree days. A/C is abysmal in all model years.

My advice: Find a well kept car. Mileage on it not too much of a problem if taken care of. All will need suspension bushings, straight wheels (steel wheels do not bend as easily as alloy wheels), and new tires to be enjoyable. I just replaced 185/70-13 Michelins with 205/60-13 Sumitomos and the ride is very comfortable. The original sized tires are difficult to find with more than an R rating and a good tread pattern. All weather tires are available from many manufacturers. Sumitomo are the only performance tire in the 205/60-13 size that I could find.

N.B. The wheel offset for these models is very unique (and important to maintain to preserve handling) and aftermarket wheels in the +1 and +2 configuration haven't been available for years, no matter what anybody tells you.

Final advice.... Have your mechanic inspect the car carefully for you before you buy. $45-50 is not too much to pay for a thorough report on a car. If the owner won't let you have the car for a day in order to be inspected, YOU DON'T WANT IT! Be sure to ask for all the service records and have your mechanic check carefully for collision damage. I have seen too many cars of this vintage composed of separate front and rear clips that have been welded together and sold without the new owner knowing what he/she has bought.

• -- Bill Olson, BEY EM VEY Chapter, Tidewater, VA, BMW CCA # 41871 '73 2002, '79 320i, '84 318i, and '93 325is.

One of the best benifits of the CCA. With an instructor at your side, you get to drive your car on a race track pushing limits you never would dare on the street. In the process you learn a tremendous amount about driving and your car in a safe and controled environment

• and have a Blast at the same time! For more info see the back of the Roundel (mag of the BMW CCA).

This list is highly subjective. It is not an endorsement of any type of any dealer. The attempt is to list dealers who are a) established(??) b) deal in special parts/models c) have special/unique incentives and d) offer CCA discount. Please send me names of dealers whom you feel should be listed here for the reasons mentioned above.

NAME+PLACE+NUMBER | CCA DISCOUNT | SPECIAL

Vines BMW Parts               20% discount to CCA members
2460 Morgan Road S.E.      new and used parts
Bessemer, AL  35020         Mention you saw it on the Internet!
1-800-214-4839                  They also advertise in the Rondel.

(205) 426-2697

Chris BMW 15% discount to CCA members 1606 Church Street
Decatur, GA 30033
(404) 292-1400

Bavarian Wrecking: Rancho Cor.. | Free delivery | Salvaged/used/rebuilt parts 800-726-4269

Eurasian: Temecula | ? | catalog 800-824-8814

Peter Pan BMW: San Mateo | Y (25%) | 15% off on remanufactured parts 800-346-9077

World Upholstery: Camarillo | ? | interior parts 800-222-9577

North Hollywood Speedometer | ? | Speedometer cables, etc. (818) 761-5136

CNPR
710 Turquoise Street
La Jolla , CA 92109
(800) 466-8184 (Order Desk)
(619)488-1555 (Information)

The proprietor, Carl Nelson, is a BMW mechanic, with factory training, and over 20 years experience working on Bimmers. They specialize in 2002 and Coupe Restoration Parts and are having some NLA parts remanufactured. But they can get any OEM part, generally at quite a savings from the Dealer price, even with the discount for club members. They do offer an ACA/CCA discount, as well as lots of information.

Tire Rack: South Bend | ? | Tires, Wheels 800-428-8355

Europroducts: Clearwater | ? | 800-850-0325

Foreign Motors: Natick | 20% | 800-338-3198

Greenfield Imported Car Parts | ? | (413) 774-2819

Maximillian: Baltimore | ? | emphasis on CS and 2002 parts 410-744-2697

Imparts:St. Louis               | N             | Free shipping > $40
800-325-9043                                    | catalog

Metric Mechanic: Kansas City | ?
816-231-0604

Bavarian Auto Service:Newmarket | Y             | catalog
800-535-2002                                    | Discount not on all items

Bimmer Parts: Pottstown | ? | 2002/Bavaria/320i parts 800-274-2466

AutoGalerie: Sewickly           | ?             | Videos on BMWs and race cars
412-741-9472                                    | catalog

BMP Design: Tyler | ? | Suspension 800-648-7278

E-Design: Reston | ? | T-shirts 703-391-1606

Freedom Design: Alexandria      | ?             | styling packages
800-296-1792                                    | catalog

...

Rodd Sidney is Proud to announce his new Web Page for BMW Dealer Marketing You may access the page at

www.dzn.com/global/BMW.htm

I've had access to BMW, Mercedes and Porsche OEM parts for years now and with some coaxing from friends have decided to make them available to the list members. Their mostly high volume parts and all OEM, with a few aftermarket options (Ansa, etc). I base my prices on my cost and most of the time I get good prices from my suppliers, which means I can pass the savings onto to you guys. If you're in the US and would like a quote on BMW parts send me an e-mail. My suppliers are open Monday through Friday.

Dan Graves
ggap_at_netcom.com

Just wanted to let people know about a relatively new BMW shop in Charlottesville Virginia ( about 60 miles east of Richmond, 100 miles south of D.C.) near intersection of I-64 and US 29. The owner is Phil Marx and he is former president of the CCA. Not an official dealership, but this guy finds good cars. This is a great shop and a great help with questions about BMW's. I live in Minnesota now but routinely call him about BMW questions. The straight forward practical advice is worth much more than the long distance call.

Anyway, this guy loves BMW cars. He has a knack for matching up good cars with good people. If you are in the market for selling or buying a car give this guy a call. (804) 293-8369. Hope this helps match someone up to their perfect car. Bill Jones

Here's the phone number to call for reservations for BMW factory tours:

49 89 382 233 06
| | |__________ Number
| |_____________ Munich area code
|________________ Germany country code

The museum number is 49 89 382 233 07. It is open 7 days a week, including holidays.

Larry