This coming weekend we will be busy visiting/covering car meets and shows in the North East. On Saturday the Green Mountain Chapter of the BMWCCA will be holding OktoberFAST at the beautiful Smugglers’ Notch Resort. Vermont in the fall is one of my favorite places to be; folliage, micro-brews, and the brisk clean air. Adding some German cars to that makes it even better.

If you are up for a nice ride, great vistas and of course BMWs you should considering making the trip.

On Sunday morning we will be off to GPNY for some karting as part of an Oktoberfest BMW meet, to be covered in more detail tomorrow.

Full details for OktoberFAST can be found below

OktoberFAST Schedule:

Friday:

Meet and Greet at Smugglers Notch 4-8PM in the Meeting House Tavern

Registration table and cheese tasting in the Tavern!

Saturday:

Registration under the big tent, on the field from 7-10AM for cars interested in being judged.

Registration throughout the day as well for everyone else.

Cars to be judged must be on the field by 10AM

This is a non-concours Show and Shine Event!

Blindfolded Driver Rally in the main field (time to be determined)

Live Tech Talk with Mike Miller at noon in the main tent

Car Judging ends at 2PM

Awards Ceremony and Door Prizes at 2:30 PM

Notch Ride immediately thereafter (Route sheets to be available)

Sunday:

9AM morning brunch ride to Rochester, for those interested in heading south

Sign up sheet at registration!

Here is the lodging info.

Rob Aiken Senior Sales Director, Smugglers’ Notch Resort

800-521-0536 802-644-1151 (direct) raiken@smuggs.com

Remember to tell them you are there for the car show!

With the release of the Advanced Diesels from BMW our friend, Jonathan Spira, opted to test a variety of oil burning cars and assemble a short review of sorts. The differences in the engines and the performance across brands is interesting and worth noting. High praise appears to warranted for the VW.

If you still think that diesels are slow and noisy, and belch black smoke, you’re not alone—but you probably live in the U.S. Today, diesels in Europe account for roughly 50% of the market. In BMW’s home market of Germany, 70% of BMWs sold are diesels. But in the United States, the market is minuscule, in part because diesel automobiles acquired a reputation for poor reliability thanks in part to diesel models from Cadillac and Oldsmobile in the 1980s. For some reason, the ultra-reliable Mercedes 240d never seems to be what comes to mind, despite the fact that these cars were typically able to last well over 100,000 miles. (Of course, getting one to start at 40 below was an interesting adventure. . . but what’s life without a little challenge?)

His test list includes: BMW 335d, BMW 535d, BMW 123d, Audi A6 TDI, VW Jetta TDI, and pulling up the rear is the Mercedes Benz ML320

Click here for the full read over at the BMWCCA.

The latest version of iDrive in the new 7 Series As a public service, here are five key points where the Great Gray Lady got it wrong, with full clarification.

NEW YORK TIMES: Earlier iDrives were so slow to respond that changing any setting was best performed while the car was parked.

We say: While pre-4.0 iDrive systems set no speed records, this is simply not correct. While the Gen 1 iDrive (as introduced in September 2001 in the 2002 E65/E66 7 Series) was a bit of a laggard, it was also built on a platform that was discarded fairly quickly. Even this system was fast enough to be used when driving; its complex menu structure, however, did slow the driver down—but that is clearly not what The Times had in mind. Starting with Generation 2 (introduced in the 2004 E60/E61 5 Series), iDrive, while not setting speed records, could not be characterized as slow, either. Subsequent software upgrades provided some improvement in speed, and the Gen 3 iDrive (introduced in March 2007) could even be considered snappy.

For Jonathan’s full public service announcement please click on over the BMWCCA forum here

All 2009 MY BMW equipped with navigation, sans X3, will now include the MyInfo feature. This was originally rolled out in the X6 this past spring with the new GSM (Global Standard for Mobile on the AT&T network) telematics unit. This unit will now make its way to the other models.

MyInfo does not require the BMW Assist convenience plan unlike the new Google Maps functions, so even with the basic safety plan you will be able to use this feature. Essentially you or someone else can send the to the car: destinations, a short message or phone number. They are conveniently displayed on the iDrive screen and can be clicked to be added to the navigation or dialed via a bluetooth phone.

Jonathan Spira recently reviewed this feature at length during a long term test.He has set up step by step photos to show the process in action over at the BMWCCA. As always it is worth a look and is very informative.

Here is the original video from the April launch along with the press release. We thought a refresher was in order since many of our readers may be interested in this feature now that more models will now include it; not just the niche X6.

As a reminder to all of our readers we are reposting a story from a while back. This event is the BMW event of all events, you can drive on the track or just view some amazing cars throughout the several days. If you are lucky enough to attend please take lots of photos as we would love to see them and hear about your experience! The leaves have just begun to turn so the colors are starting to come out!

Here is the original: For all those in the North East or those that just love to participate in large scale BMW events look ahead to September 23-28 of this year.

The BMWCCA is once again hosting an event at the famous Watkins Glen race track. It is a course full of twists and turns with beautiful surroundings. It is located just outside of Ithaca, NY in the Finger Lakes Region (also known for its wineries). In the Fall this region is simply breathtaking and aside from the event there are a wide range of activities to participate in.

The event will feature general activities for socializing, car drooling and clinics. For you track warriors there will be autocross, car control clinics and a variety of track based schools. All in all it looks to be a great event at a great venue. For all those that are interested please see the official site.

Our good friend Jonathan at the BMWCCA has had the privilege of being one of the first journalists in the US to spend some time with the new iDrive system.

He has collaborated with us in the past on good number of stories in regards to previous generations of the system and of course this new one.

He has burned the midnight oil and used his connections to have a glimpse at the system so I feel we should give him his just due and link directly to his review, photos and videos rather than endlessly quote here.

In a nut shell; he does a nice job of comparing the past and present while providing video of the system in action. It is all in English which is an added plus since most of the videos we have shown of the system have been in German! It is work the view and is excellent as always!

BMWCCA Review

Navigation in use:

Entertainment functions:

In the past we had discussed things up until the actual closing of the deal. Whether it is a lease or finance this is where people can get hung up sometimes. Unlike a normal car purchase you must pay for the car at least one week in advance of your scheduled Munich pick up, so your financing must be secured in advance of that.

Since you will be picking the car up in Germany and having it shipped back to the US there is a large window of time that the car is not titled or registered in the US. This is where with a typical bank you may run into some issues since they require the title be turned over to them within 3 months from the date of the loan. If the title is not to them there may be some serious consequences depending on the bank. It is best to make certain that the bank completely understands the situation and that there is a chance of a delay in them receiving the title. If you stick with BMWFS you will not have any problems as they already know the conditions, and with the great (8/08) financing options they are offering it makes little sense to go elsewhere for the time being.

Leasing through BMWFS is another viable option, though not as advantageous as in years gone by due to the lower residual values on the cars. You still benefit from the variance in your Euro Delivery negotiated price in comparison to the residual being based on the full US MSRP of the vehicle, so it equates to a capitalized cost reduction. Up to a week out from taking delivery you must finalize your lease and sign the necessary paperwork; you pay the first monthly payment but not for the second since the car often will be in transit. When leasing the lease money factor will require a 0.0003 bump. This bump over the life of the lease essentially is where the “no payment” for the second month is paid for. Occasionally BMWFS will bill a customer the second payment instead of crediting it, a simple phone call will rectify the problem. BMWFS will sometimes offer owner loyalty programs, or “pull ahead” programs for lease customers and these do also apply to Euro Delivery.

In the past there was a lot of confusion as to whether BMWCCA membership rebates applied to cars in the Euro Delivery program (missed it on the last car). Essentially they apply but the caveat is that the day the car is picked up in Munich is the date of retail not the date it is re-delivered to the customer stateside. So the window of opportunity to fill the form out and get it in within the correct time frame starts to close from driving out of the Welt. The new form now indicates that the 60 days starts at redelivery in the US, which makes things a bit easier and extends the time frame a good deal. The rebate can be up to $1500 depending on the model. You must be a member in good standing for at least a year and fulfill the other requirement listed on their website to qualify (if you are not already a member you should join!)

We would love to hear any questions or comments you may have about Euro Delivery and if there is any further info we may be able to provide you with.

These images are from BMWAG and can be utilized as wallpaper!

For ongoing coverage and further details please see the BMWCCA posting.

The BMWCCA is once again hosting an event at the famous Watkins Glen race track. It is a course full of twists and turns with beautiful surroundings. It is located just outside of Ithaca, NY in the Finger Lakes Region (also known for its wineries). In the Fall this region is simply breathtaking and aside from the event there are a wide range of activities to participate in.

The event will feature general activities for socializing, car drooling and clinics. For you track warriors there will be autocross, car control clinics and a variety of track based schools. All in all it looks to be a great event at a great venue. For all those that are interested please see the official site. Register early to save some money and to also assure yourself of a quality hotel at a reasonable price!

Here’s a disclaimer and some background info he used on his personal blog when posting the video. Please read before clicking play:

A couple of important things to remember while viewing this video. For one this was absolutely not a race! If you watch closely you’ll see me giving the cars in front plenty of room in the corners and in fact slowing down a little before and after entering. All passing was done within designated areas of the track after I was given a signal by the person in front.

BMWCCA driving schools are purely about you and you alone. Everybody is on their own pace and individually come to terms with the track and it’s specific character.

The person in the passenger seat was an instructor who I worked with all weekend. You can hear some of his instruction and our conversation as we start off but eventually the wind noise drowns it all out. However the conversation continued throughout each of the 30 minute track sessions as we had a mic/headphone set-up that allowed to clearly hear each other.

Let’s just say it. Certain parts of the BMW community (like other automotive communities) tend to spend way too much time arguing over modifications to their cars. What works, what doesn’t and what’s too pricey. In some ways it’s all irrelevant. Sure after-market or OEM accessories are a lot of fun and can look, feel and sound great. But if you want to really improve your car, you need to focus on what’s between your ears first and foremost.

One of the best ways to do this (at least in the US) is to get involved in the BMWCCA (yes they welcome MINIs) and take advantage of some local track weekends. This past weekend that’s exactly what I did. I joined a few friends (MINI and BMW owners) at the BMWCCA Chicago Chapter’s Putnam Park track weekend. It also marked the first time on the track with my own R56 and the new JCW suspension.

Over the past six months I’ve been lucky enough to experience every flavor of the 2007 MINI at the track. From the cones of an autocross to Firebird Raceway in Phoenix to the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, I’ve had ample opportunity to get to know the new range of MINIs in extreme performance situations that only the track can give you. But in some ways this track weekend was much more fulfilling.

The BMWCCA track weekend sessions were run in three classes: Novice, Intermediate and Expert. Due to my previous track experience I was placed in the intermediate group. The expert level is typically left for those with years of BMWCCA track day experience who have shown exceptional ability. Novice is for (as you’d expect it) those who are new or have just a couple track experiences under their belt.

The BMWCCA (and especially the Windy City Chapter) are incredibly professional and efficient when it comes to running events like this. Everything (and I mean everything) was on time throughout the whole weekend. They are also tireless in checking the safety of your car and of your safety equipment. And finally they’re dedicated to safety on the track with clear cut passing rules and an excellent instructor in every intermediate and novice car. Heck, they have their own safety vehicle.

But how did the new car stack-up you ask? Quite well actually. The morning started off rather poor when I realized that MINI recently changed the seat-belt design. This meant that the essential Schroth harnesses I had just bought from Outmotoring were now completely useless. A quick email from Aaron from Outmotoring confirmed that they did work on his early R56 and that the design must have changed between February and June builds. And while he offered a full refund immediately, it was a big blow for the weekend. A harness system of some kind is essential in extreme performance driving if only to hold your torso in place while braking and rounding tight corners in that order.

However once I got acclimated to the lack of a proper restraint I was able to focus on the car and the course. It became quickly apparent that both I and the car were faster than pretty much anything else out there in the intermediate group (other than a race prepped E36 M3 and a Porsche 997 GT3) I was placed in. Was it the car or the driver? I’d like to think the answer would be both but I think my instructor deserves a lot of credit as well. As I got to know and understand the nuances of the track thanks to his guidance, my fluidity and speed improved a great deal. He certainly deserves a lot of credit for talking me through each lap and helping under fully understand what works best for the car based on the needs of the track.

I also learned a few things about my own MCS over the weekend:

• The “Lounge Leather” seating did a very surprising job in keeping both my instructor and myself in place despite the lack of harnesses.

• Turning off your screen in your Nav unit (if equipped) helps you focus on what’s outside the car.

• removing your mirror is essential for taking video from your car. It also helps to keep you focused on what’s in front of you rather than worrying about the red GT3 in your mirror.

• The stock JCW brakes that come with all Cooper S’ are quite resilient to fade if driven with some skill. I spent two days and hours on the track and felt very little fade.

So whether you are a complete novice considering a track day for the first time or an intermediate or expert level driver with plenty of experience, the BMWCCA is an exceptional way to get a great track experience. In fact I can’t think of a better way to introduce you to what a MINI can really do.