Recently rejoined the club after a 20 yr hiatus. Got my first Bemmer in 1976 (1971 2002) and have always had at least one in the garage. I've owned and driven many different BMW's throughout the years and can't seem to break the habit. There's 4 in my driveway now. The last O'fest I participated in was in Monterey, CA after that babies and life just took over, now its time to get back into the club and pass the passion on to my sons. Of course they've got the "need for speed" having growing up in the back seat of my E39 M5. My 2 sons are driving and its time for them to learn how to drive, not just what to do at a stop light. Living in the Santa Cruz Mts. in CA means twisty rural roads and lots of hazards. My older son has already totaled 2 nice cars. While the first one (a cherry 1997 318i sedan) was not his fault, he got punted from the rear into the back of a truck on Hwy 17. The second one (a nice 1998 323is) was a matter of operator error. The 323is ended up on its roof a half-a-mile from our house on a wet mtn. road. "But Dad, I wasn't speeding..." Thank goodness for BMW's crash worthiness, the only injury suffered in either accident was a some small cuts on his hands as he crawled out of the upside down car form the broken glass. After BMW #2 ended up at the scrap yard, he inherited our 1998 VW Jetta Wolfsburg edition and we found a 1994 325i (sport pkg) for my younger son. We've had some fun modifying the 325i. Put a Dinan chip, headers, cold air intake, short throw shifter, lowered it with Bilstiens shocks and springs, new drilled rotors so it stops as well as it goes. In the cosmetic dept., an M3 body kit, M3 wheels and mirrors, carbon fiber "eye brows", and HID Angel eyes, completed the transformation. Its Helrot red and it looks like a teenager's fantasy come true (which it is). Its fun to share and pass on the passion. I drive a 2001 330ci convertible and we just bought a 2007 X3 3.0si for my wife to replace her 2007 328xi sportwagen that we leased. As an avid skier BMW's X drive is a must have, but the sportwagen's ground clearance (or lack thereof) was a bit of a concern so the X3 looks to be the better choice for a ski vehicle although I miss the lower center of gravity. The X3 came with "multi-contour" seats, I'm in love they are so comfortable even though they don't have the bolstering of the sport seats in all our other cars. Can't wait to get the boys into the Car Control clinic so they can begin to understand what "driving" really is. After that maybe we'll get them driving on a track, where the fun really begins and the skills get honed. Looking forward to having my sons join me at all kinds of club events in the future.
I'm not sure if the car control clinic you're referring to is the same, but I'd say give them a couple of rounds at a Street Survival course. The things I learned there a few years ago helped me save not only my Bimmer, but myself as well. They're lucky to have such a forgiving father; done with one give 'em the next! It's so rare to find a red E36 it seems; sounds like the very car I wanted to originally buy but could not afford. But, definitely give them a few rounds of Street Survival.
welcome (back) I don't think my dad would have bought me another BMW if I had wrecked my ti, tell your son he's lucky
Well my older son got one redo on the Bemmer as his first one wasn't his fault at all, he was stopped when some ditz who wasn't paying attention slammed into him on the hwy forcing his car into the back of a big SUV with a towing set-up. I had been driving the E36 323is but really wanted to get back into a convertible so it was a good excuse for me to hand down the coupe and step up to the E46 330cic. I believe the "Car Control Clinic" is the "Street Survival" course or at least very similar. I took a defensive driving course up at Sear's Point (now Infineon Raceway) with Bob Bondurant many years ago and those skills have saved my bacon (as well as others) on a few occasions. Unfortunately Bondurant moved his school to Phoenix or Las Vegas (I think?) and the cost is prohibitively high. What we call "Driver's Education" in this country is nothing more than learning that pressing on the gas makes the car go, stepping on the brake makes it stop, and turning the wheel makes the car change direction, that and stop at red lights. It does not equip our kids with the skills necessary to survive on the road. We really need to have courses like the Street Survival course available and mandatory for all. Its no wonder so many kids get hurt or die in auto accidents.
