bmw cca · 2017. 7. 11. · [email protected] if you are interested in putting to-gether an event...
TRANSCRIPT
Newsletter TeamEditor-in-Chief Kelly Kirkland 650-322-9393 [email protected]
Assistant Editor Lisa Ferrari [email protected]
Copy Editor Patrick R. Demorais
Advertising Manager Dale Schuett 925-462-2497 [email protected]
Ad Billing Manager Paul DiMauro [email protected]
Classified Advertising Dale Schuett [email protected]
Printing Commerce Printing (Please don’t call for membership questions.)
Requests for replacement or extra copies of the Bombe should be directed to the Membership Chair.
Communications Team Communications Manager Bob Lenarcik [email protected]
Webmaster Brian Ghidinelli [email protected]
Graphic Design Percy Chow http://www.percydesign.com
Area RepresentativesNorth Bay Tamara Hull 415-472-6787
San Francisco Mary Lu Christy 415-731-6153
East Bay Cliff Greenberg 510-886-5432
Peninsula Kelly Kirkland 650-322-9393
South Bay Jeff Mulvihill Jr. 831-634-0908
Monterey Bay Area Ken Whitson 831-625-5133
San Luis Obispo Area Rob Torres Jr. 805-541-2002
BMW CCA Pacific Region V.P.Eddy Funahashi 559-583-6768 (d) 559-582-2731 (h) [email protected]
Board MembersPresident Mike Mills 510-537-8960 [email protected]
Vice President Juan Bruce [email protected]
Secretary Peter Guagenti [email protected]
Treasurer Tamara Hull [email protected]
Membership Chair Bob Lenarcik 831-336-2377 ext 401 [email protected]
Event StaffChief Driving Instructors Billy Maher 707-546-5572
Bruce Nesbit 415-461-1811 [email protected]
Chief Operations Steward Steve Johnson [email protected]
Track School Project Manager Bruce Nesbit 415-461-1811 (9am-8pm) [email protected]
Driving Events Coordinator Mark Dadgar [email protected]
Chief Scrutineer Ramon Le Francois 408-956-1662
Car Control Clinic Coordinator Sherman Koo and Jim Mercado [email protected]
Autocross Coordinators Jonathan Bensen Mike Hsu Rich Vijeh [email protected]
Autocross Car Classifications Scott Miller [email protected] 925-997-4751
Rally Coordinator Ken Whitson 831-625-5133
Technical Session Coordinator Brant Miller [email protected]
BMW Festorics Coordinators Kelly Kirkland Lisa Ferrari [email protected]
If you are interested in putting to-gether an event for the chapter, have an idea for an event you’d like to help put on, or would like to volunteer at an event, please contact the appro-priate coordinator.
Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA, Inc. is a nonprofit California corporation, it is a chapter of the BMW Car Club of America, and is not connected with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG or BMW of North America. Die Flüsternde Bombe is a publication of the Golden Gate Chapter, all ideas, opinions and suggestions expressed in regard to technical or other matters are solely those of the authors, and no authentication, endorsement or guarantee is expressed or implied. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA, Inc. assumes no liability for any of the information contained herein. No factory approval is implied unless so indicated. Modification of your BMW within the warranty period may void the warranty, and some modifications may violate federal or state laws or regulations. All contents remain the property of the chapter, but BMW CCA and BMW ACA chapters may quote or copy from the publication, provided full credit is given to the author and the Golden Gate Chapter, unless otherwise noted or specifically prohibited.
Chapter Mailing Address: Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA909 Marina Village Parkway, PMB #189
The BMW Car Club of America, lnc. is a not-for-profit national association of over 70,000 members, dedicated to the enjoyment of driving BMWs. Membership provides access to driving and social events, maintenance and technical information, parts discounts and more. Dues are $40 per year, with an associate member added for $5 more. Members receive the monthly Roundel magazine and a newsletter from their local chapter, or from a chapter of their choice. The Golden Gate Chapter is one of the largest chapters in the BMW CCA with over 4,700 members.
For a new membership or to renew an existing one, please call toll free 1.800.878.9292 or visit www.bmwcca.org. Visa and Mastercard accepted.
BMW CCA mailing address:640 South Main St., Suite 201Greenville, SC 29601 Phone: 864-250-0022Fax: 864-250-0038Email: [email protected]
BMW CCA
GGC, BMW CCAChapter Contacts
Membership address corrections are only accepted at the BMW CCA national office. Changes must be made in writing via email, fax, or USPS.
Member Updates
Privacy StatementBy joining the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA),
you provided personal information that allows us to contact you. BMW CCA provides this information to the Golden Gate Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America (GGC BMW CCA) for the following purposes:
♦ To send GGC Newsletters (Die Flüsternde Bombe) by U.S. Mail.
♦ To help us create content and events most relevant to you.
♦ To alert you to updated information and other new services from GGC-BMW-CCA.org using an email announcement list.
GGC-BMW-CCA.org does not distribute personal information to any third parties. The information you provide to BMW CCA to be used by the GGC will not be used for any other purpose—we promise.
1
On the cover
C o m m e r c i a l A d v e r t i s i n g :
This publication is read monthly by over 4,700 BMW enthusiasts in Northern California. Dead-line for new ad artwork is the fifth day of each month prior to publication. Please submit artwork to newsletter editor.
A D R A T E S :
Grayscale Ads: full pg: $220 half pg: $120 quarter pg:$85 bus. card: $55
Inside fr/bk cover: full pg: $300 half pg: $160
Color Ads: full pg: $320 half pg: $170 back cover: $500
Contact the Advertising Manager for further details. ([email protected]) Please note, this publication is sent Bulk Rate USPS.
Classified Advertising Submissions:
Classified Ads are free to all current BMW CCA members. However, ads MUST be submitted in writing–EMAIL IS MUCH PRE-FERRED–and must include membership number. ([email protected]) For repeat issues, ads must be resubmitted each month. A photo will be printed for $5/month. Publication deadline for copy is the first of the month.
Commercial Classified Advertising:
Commercial classifieds ads are $0.50 per line-inch with payment due with insertion order. Make checks payable to: Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA.
Publishing
Die Flüsternde Bombe is produced monthly (except for combined issues Nov/Dec and Jan/Feb.) Article/photo submission deadline is the first day of each month for publication in the following months’ issue.
feat
ures
depa
rtm
ents
Your input is encouraged! Submissions deadline is the 1st of the month prior to publication.
Volume 33, No. 6July, 2004
The number 42 BMW races to victory at the 2004 Nürburgring 24 Hour Race.
Photo: BMW AG
President’s Page .........................................3Calendar of Events ....................................4Announcements ........................................5Minutes .......................................................7News From National ................................8Bimmerphile ............................................11Slower Traffic Keep Right ......................23New Members .........................................24Classified Ads ..........................................26CCA Discounts .............Inside back coverBMW Dealers ................Inside back cover
BMW GTR Dominates at Nürburgring ........................... 13
Bay Area 02 Swap & Show 4 By JP Collins ................................ 14
Car Control Clinic ............................ 17Faces at an Autocross
Photos by Kris Linquist ................ 18Autocross Series Results ................. 192004 Series Standings ....................... 19
July 2004
3
Pres
iden
t’s P
age
Mike Mills, President
I jumped on the freeway yesterday and began the standard merging process to move to the le� lanes. I was in the number two lane about to move to the number one lane when I observed two cars traveling in the number one lane doing about 80mph—and about 15 feet apart. Then I noticed the driver of the second car was holding a cell phone to their ear. The only thing I could think about this was an accident waiting to happen. How many other times does this occurs daily on our freeways and streets? More than I’d like to think about. Our chapter offers driving programs aimed at helping us survive on the street—to get out of harm’s way if some-thing bad happens. The Car Control Clinics specifically teach students, while in a safe and relaxed environment, the limits of the car before it loses traction, the abilities of the car, and how to maintain control in emergency situ-ations. Our High Performance Driving schools continue the training process—albeit in a less forgiving environ-ment, which is why we require a�endance at a Car Control Clinic before a�ending a Driving School. (See page 17 for CCC details.)
The BMW Foundation (through it’s Street Survival Program) offers basic car control training for young driv-ers in the car that they regularly drive in an effort to pro-vide training beyond traffic laws and basic driving skills. I doubt that the driver of the second car I mentioned ear-lier had any concept of reaction time, braking distance requirements, nor the physics of car control this one day event would provide. The Car Control Clinics and Street Survival Program have the same goals, to be�er equip drivers to cope with everyday driving on our roads and streets. If you have not a�ended one, please consider one of the next Car Control Clinics on August 7 and October 23 at Candlestick Park. Even if you’ve a�ended one of these great clinics, how long has it been since you did it? Consider a�ending again as a refresher.
Next month is our High Performance Driving school at Thunderhill. A few of you may remember that the chapter helped build Thunderhill through a $5 per entry surcharge we added to driving school registrations dur-ing 1992 and 1993. These fees were then donated to the Thunderhill track fund. So remember, when you visit Thunderhill next month, you’ll be using a facility that the chapter helped create!
August marks the date for our region’s and chapter’s largest annual social event, the BMW Festorics. It’s the 13th edition of the Festorics at the Montery Historics weekend—and it commences on Friday, August 13! But,
don’t let those numbers scare you away! The numbers to pay a�ention to are the model numbers of the cars that BMW NA is bringing to celebrate their 75th anniversary: the infamous 320 turbo, the M1 Procar, the Sebring win-ning 3.0 CSL, a very special historic pre-war vintage race car… and the new 645i—which will be waiting for you to sit in and fantasize about. The Festorics kicks off Friday with a guided Backroads of Big Sur tour—a beautiful 160 mile drive that is guaranteed to delight your eyes and driving instincts. The evening brings the BMW NA sponsored dinner, a night full of great socializing, raffle prizes, delicious food, and as always, some significant names from the automotive world. On Saturday and Sunday is the Monterey Historic Automobile Races. From your vantage point in the sizeable Festorics com-pound between Turns 4 and 5, the sweet song of the Ferraris—the featured marque—and other vintage race cars will serenade your ears and eyes as they take to the track to re-ignite their old rivalries on the tarmac. This is only a small part of what goes on during this world-class automotive weekend. If you’re a lover of cars, make a pilgrimage to this Mecca. Check out all that’s happening and register online at: www.festorics.org.
Until next month, cheers.
Be Safe Out There
July 2004
Cal
enda
r of E
vent
s
To add an event to the calendar, email your information to: [email protected]
Dates Event/Location Organization/Contact JULY Jul 7 Coursemarker Gimmick Rally The Rallye Club Mountain View Bill Jonesi [email protected] h�p://www.therallyeclub.org Jul 4-9 BMW CCA Oktoberfest LA Chpt Pasadena Delight Lucas [email protected] h�p://www.bmwcca.org/Oktoberfest2004 Jul 6-7 Driving School LA Chpt California Speedway h�p://www.bmwclubla.org Jul 17 Board Meeting (1:00pm) GG Chpt TBD Mike Mills [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Jul 31 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Airport Mike Hsu [email protected] 415-209-2298 h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org AUGUST Aug 7 West Marin TSD Rally GG Chpt Marin County Doris Fung [email protected] 415-305-1857 Aug 7 Car Control Clinic GG Chpt Candlestick Park Jim Mercado/Sherman Koo [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Aug 13-15 Monterey Historic Weekend - Festorics GG Chpt Monterey Team Festorics [email protected] h�p://www.festorics.org Aug 14 Bay Area ’02 6th Anniversary Bay Area ‘02 Marina Green, SF JP Collins [email protected] h�p://www.bayarea02.com Aug 20 Board Meeting (1:00pm) GG Chpt TBD Mike Mills [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Aug 21 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Airport Mike Hsu [email protected] 415-209-2298 h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Aug 27-28 Driving School (Fri-Sat) GG Chpt Thunderhill Bruce Nesbit [email protected] 415-461-1811 9am-8pm h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Aug 29 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Airport Mike Hsu [email protected] 415-209-2298 h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Aug 29 Driving School Puget Sound Chpt Pacific Raceways, WA Bill Spornitz [email protected] h�p://www.bmwpugetsound.com SEPTEMBER Sep 11-12 Driving School Central Cal Chpt Bu�onwillow Tom Bell [email protected]
559-822-2235 h�p://www.cccbmwcca.org Sep 18 TSD Rally GG Chpt TBD Doris Fung [email protected] 415-305-1857 Sep 18 Board Meeting (1:00pm) GG Chpt TBD Mike Mills [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Sep 26 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Airport Mike Hsu [email protected] 415-209-2298 h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org OCTOBER Oct 9-10 Driving School Roadrunner Chpt Phoenix Interntnl, AZ h�p://www.roadrunnerbmw.org Oct 16 Board Meeting (1:00pm) GG Chpt TBD Mike Mills [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Oct 17 Driving School (Novice) Puget Sound Chpt Bremerton Raceway, WA Bill Spornitz [email protected] h�p://www.bmwpugetsound.comOct. 23 Car Control Clinic GG Chpt Candlestick Park Jim Mercado/Sherman Koo [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Oct 24 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Airport Mike Hsu [email protected] 415-209-2298 h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Oct 23-24 Driving School Inland Emp Chpt Spokane Raceway, WA Sco� Adare [email protected] 509-468-6502 h�p://www.iebmw.org Oct 30 Driving School Puget Sound Chpt Portland International Bill Spornitz [email protected] h�p://www.bmwpugetsound.com NOVEMBER Nov 6-7 Driving School GG Chpt Infineon Raceway Bruce Nesbit [email protected] 415-461-1811 9am-8pm h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Nov 7 TSD Rally GG Chpt TBD Doris Fung [email protected] 415-305-1857 Nov 20 Board Meeting (1:00pm) GG Chpt TBD Mike Mills [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org DECEMBER Dec 11 Board Meeting (1:00pm) GG Chpt TBD Mike Mills [email protected] h�p://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org Dec 11 Not the 49 Mile Scenic Drive Bay Area ‘02 San Francisco JP Collins [email protected]
Bolded events are Regional or National CCA eventsThe most current calendar is at:
www.ggc-bmw-cca.org
Dates Event/Location Organization/Contact
5
Ann
ounc
emen
tsBMW corral for Infineon ALMS race Yet again, the Sacramento Valley Chapter is proud to
announce that there WILL be a free BMW corral to park and watch the American Le Mans series races at Infi-neon Raceway on July 17-18 2004! Discount tickets are available in advance from the racetrack. Come and watch Bill Auberlen drive the Turner Motorsport BMW to the Winners Circle in the World Challenge Touring Car race from our lo�y vantage point at Turn 2. Also in the field will be several of our local Club Racers. Last year we had 125 BMW cars in the corral... let’s get more in ’04! Check the Sacramento Valley Chapter’s website: h�p://www.svbmwcca.org for details.
Rally the Roads!Come participate in one of the most anticipated
programs hosted by the Golden Gate Chapter! Our well a�ended and highly successful Winterfest rally by David Splivalo in February of 2003, showed us the interest our chapter has in these fun rally events. With a renewed vigor, the 2004 our chapter organized rally season will officially kick off on Saturday, August 7 as the first of three scheduled rallies. Like the Winterfest rally, the Au-gust event is designed to allow participants to compete, but at the same time have fun driving some of the most scenic and curvy roads north of the Golden Gate region. The rally will begin at the Larkspur Ferry parking lot in Marin and eventually wind its way into the back country, where the roads begin to narrow, twist and bend. Along the journey, both driver and navigator can indulge in hill top views overlooking some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Bay Area. As always, checkpoints will be sca�ered throughout the rally to ensure participants are on the right path.
The remaining second and third rallies are sched-uled this year for Saturday, September 18, and Sun-day, November 7. Since the season will feature three rallies this year, trophies and prizes will be awarded at the last event. Register for this event online at the GGC site or use the printed form on page 9 of this issue of the Bombe.
When: August 7, 2004 (Registration 7:30-8:30 a.m.)Where: Larkspur Ferry parking lot, MarinContact: Doris Fung (rally master) 415-305-1857
What Members Want! A Tech Session for You. In the May Bombe, member
Fred Bersot suggested that the chapter “provide events that are not focused on performance driving,” and “provide access to technical info.” Well, Steve Casale�o at RennWerks in Mountain View has offered us an op-portunity to do just that. This Fall, Steve will host a tech session at RennWerks that will focus on what members want to know—but, we need your help. We need to know what you want to know so that we can design the session! Fred’s e-mail suggests that a tech session focused on information useful to those who want to maintain their car in good, stock condition may be of interest to the membership. RennWerks is in the business of maintaining daily driver BMWs and can provide such a
session. The focus could be on the details of systems of interest or on more general aspects of maintenance. They are also competent to talk about performance improve-ment techniques—they did take third place in GT at the 2003 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Something else they’re consid-ering is hosting a working-on-cars day. Tech sessions are for our members.
Please let me know what would tempt you to a�end a tech session. The best way to share your thoughts with me is by e-mail to If you would like to discuss your thoughts, you can also call me at 415-453-5873. I would appreciate hearing from you by the end of July. Brant Miller, Technical Session Coordinator [email protected].
Email Announcement ListWe’ve created a Golden Gate Chapter email list from
the National BMW CCA database to send out event announcements that don’t make it into print. We realize that your inbox is filled with spam each day, so we prom-ise to respect your time and limit the frequency of these messages to one or two a month.
This email list is being sent to all Golden Gate chap-ter members who chose to provide an email address to the BMW CCA when they joined or renewed their membership. You have the option to add or remove your address from this list at any time. To add your email address visit h�p://lists.ggc-bmw-cca.org/mailman/list-info/announce and follow the directions. To remove your address go to h�p://lists.ggc-bmw-cca.org/mailman/options/announce, enter your email address and click on the un-subscribe bu�on. You don’t need to enter your password.
July 2004
7
Min
utes
Golden Gate Chapter - BMW CCA Board Meeting MinutesBy Peter GuagentiSecretary, GGC BMW CCA
BMW CCA Golden Gate ChapterNotes from Monthly Board MeetingPrepared by Peter GuagentiMay 15, 2004
Meeting Location: BMW of Fremont, 5720 Cushing Parkway, Fremont, CA 94538Board in A�endance: Mike Mills – President, Juan Bruce - Vice-President, Bob Lenarcik - Membership Chair, Tammi Hull – Treasurer, Peter Guagenti - SecretaryBoard not in A�endance: Mark Dadgar, Member-at-LargeTopics Covered: I. Financials – a. Current Status: We currently have $4,700 in cash on hand. Currently running month-to-month, but we are se�ing a plan to rebuild the chapter’s reserve. b. Improvement Plan: i. Driving events – We have put actions in place to eliminate needless expenses in order to make driving events not have a negative cash flow. ii. Newsle�er – Board discussed skipping one month’s publication in order to create a small reserve, effectively ge�ing us out of the current negative cash position. Board unanimously agrees to reduce total number of issues generated in 2004 from ten to nine, with Bombe staff to decide the most appropriate timing to combine another issue. c. Board voted unanimously to create a new expense policy, effective immediately. If you are owed money by the chapter, the Treasurer must be informed within 45 days of the expense, otherwise the expense will not be reimbursable. In order for final reimbursement to occur, a proper receipt and chapter expense form needs to be submi�ed. All currently outstanding expenses need to be submi�ed and brought up to date by June 15. If we do not receive outstanding expenses by this date, it will not be paid. These new policies will allow the chapter to have greater control over its finances. d. 85% Rule – The board discussed methods to ensure that the chapter adheres to the federal tax law that we generate no less than 85% of our receipts from our members. II. Newsle�er – a. Board discussed newsle�er editor’s contract and job requirements. Kelly Kirkland submi�ed a list of tasks that she currently handles. Kirkland’s current tasks are focused on production of the publication itself—including content and layout—leaving a gap in the management of budget, advertising, and billing. Board discussed having someone take over as manager of the newsle�er. Juan Bruce volunteered to take over this role. III. IV. Membership/Communication – a. Area Reps: Currently have three area reps confirmed and are still working to confirm others. b. Minis: i. Mini SIG event has been tabled. ii. NorCal Minis have go�en back in touch with the BMW CCA. Their interest is primarily in social events, not the driving events that are classically what we hold. We have extended the offer for all NorCal Mini owners to a�end our events and have offered the NorCal organizers to help us schedule social events. c. Chapter web site is launched, still awaiting processes and procedures for content management.
d. Announcements e-mail list has been launched and has successfully helped us fill the Car Control Clinic held on May 15. Subscribe/unsubscribe instructions need to be published on the web site and in the newsle�er. Also need a privacy statement to have available for list members. e. Patelco credit union has sent us marketing content that we will publish in the July newsle�er and will find a home for on the web site. f. Membership brochures have been provided by National. We see a need for more professional local brochures to promote the club. g. Dealer presentations are still to be developed by Dadgar. h. Membership management system will be defered while we complete actions regarding creation of a CIO as well as awaiting the outcome of a potential solution provided by National. V. Driving Events Coordinator – a. All items on hold as Dadgar not in a�endance. VI. Activities – a. Tech sessions: Mills to reach out to tech session coordinator. b. Festorics: There are potential issues with currently not reporting the financials of the Festorics while they use our tax ID number. Hull will reach out to Kirkland to discuss combining books. VII. Board – a. All current board member positions have documented their job descriptions. b. Annual meeting. Board discussed scheduling and organizing the annual meeting. c. CIO update. Board discussed shi�ing our current web technology platform from Cold Fusion to PHP. This would let us shi� our hosting to a specific non-profit hosting provider, which would help reduce costs and let us share our technology with other chapters. Sco� Smith raised the idea of creating an archive of all documents produced by the club. More discussion to take place. d. Motion to create a Technology Manager position, with Mills nominating Smith to the position. Board agrees unanimously. Lenarcik proposes that Smith fill the open Member-at-Large position. Board agrees unanimously. e. Chapter Congress. GGC scheduled to present at the Chapter Congress. Board creating presentation materials now with our best practices, lessons learned, etc. Lenarcik no longer able to go, so Mills will a�end.
July 2004
New
s Fr
om N
atio
nal
NEWS FROM NATIONALFROM: Wynne Smith, Executive DirectorDATE: April 22, 2004MEMBERSHIP STATS as 4/22/2004
Full Associate TotalCurrent Membership 67,868 8,582 76,450Last Month’s Membership 66,180 8,245 74,425Monthly Net Gain (Loss) 1,688 337 2,025Monthly % Change 2.55% 4.09% 2.72%Last Year’s Membership 64,790 7,736 72,526Annual Net Gain (Loss) 3,078 846 3,924Annual % Change 4.75% 10.94% 5.41%New Members, 04/04 1,432Renewals, 04/04 58%Roundels Mailed 68,400
THANK YOU!!!April 18 through 24 was National Volunteer Week
and our newly elected President, Sco� Blazey, pointed out that, “It’s fi�ing that we recognize and thank all the volunteers at every level, without whom the BMW Car Club of America and its chapters would not exist. Your
work provides more than a recreational outlet for BMW enthusiasts. In many cases, you are responsible for rais-ing funds for charitable causes and performing valuable community service. You provide opportunities to educate drivers, young and old alike, and make our highways safer, especially in the absence of meaningful driver education in our public school systems and state licensing processes. You make it possible for our members to learn skills relating to automotive repair and maintenance, and save money at the same time. By your example, you teach organizational and leadership skills to others, and show them how to make a difference—in a club, an organiza-tion, and a community. For all that and more, you have the gratitude of the BMW Car Club of America and its members. If you have the opportunity, please pass our thanks along to those volunteers with whom you work who also help to make this the best car club in the world.”
The staff at the National Office wholeheartedly agrees, and thanks all of you, as well!
PHEW!Last month, you may recall, we lost 817 members...
this month we gained 1,688. So we’re still on that pla-teau—but things are looking just a bit brighter. Please be sure to remind your dealers that new applications reflecting the dues change will be headed their way at the beginning of May.
BMW CCA WEBSITE and DATABASE CHANGESWe’ve decided to bring the website in-house, while
at the same time we will be upgrading the database to allow e-commerce and real-time access to membership records through the web. Calvin Hill demonstrated the possibilities during the board meeting here in Greenville in March and we’re excited about the many prospects the additional iMIS modules will offer. For instance, we’ll be selling club regalia and merchandise online interactively. As chapter volunteers, you will have access to various chapter reports in real-time—this way if you’re trying to generate labels for a mailing on a Saturday a�ernoon—you can go online and download the info for yourself.
We would like some help with design, and will be posting an RFP for design services to assist in the transi-tion. Please watch the RFP section of the current site – the RFP should be posted no later than May 1.
Special thanks to eworldstudios.com, our current website provider, for their years of dedicated service and outstanding assistance to the club. The decision to bring the site in-house is in no way a reflection of our opinion of eworldstudios, it’s just time to be more directly involved in the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the site, and we now have an individual on staff who is capable of doing so.
OPS MANUAL UPDATEWe are in the process of updating and reordering the
club’s Operation Manual. We’re not changing the mini-mum standards or anything, so don’t get too excited —we still need a newsle�er every 90-days—we’re just trying to make information more accessible. My hope was to have the newly approved manual available to everyone at the Chapter Congress. What we will be providing is the most current version of the Ops Manual and a dra� of the proposed update.
9
July 2004
11
Bim
mer
phile
BMW
New
s By
tes
Bimmerphile Editor: Lisa Ferrari
Mini Cooper Tops again… For the second year in a row Mini has received the top award in its segment in the latest Strategic Vision Total Quality Index (TQI). The Mini Cooper was the highest scorer in the Small Coupe under $25,000 segment in this year’s index. The TQI measures new vehicle owners’ satisfaction and as-sesses new buyers’ responses to the complete ownership experience, including buying, owning and driving their new vehicles. The calculations also include the emotional response to that experience. “The respondents’ data is entered into complex calculations that mirror the way people really respond to the vehicle ownership experi-ence.” says Dr. Darrel Edwards, Strategic Vision’s Presi-dent and founder, “Those manufacturers who can deliver the most positive emotional experi-ence and go beyond that to delight their custom-ers are going to be winners.” “We’re very pleased with the results of this survey,” concluded Jack Pitney, Vice President, Mini USA. “Mini’s success in the marketplace has been spectacular since we introduced the car. Our sales continue to be strong and this survey further supports what our customers have already been telling us through their purchase decisions.” The Mini Cooper of-fers a compelling level of product substance with its unique and instantly recognizable design and razor-sharp reflexes that provides custom-ers with a fun “motoring” experience. And Mini offers all options a-la-carte that allow customers to individualize their Mini unlike anything else on the road. Additionally, Mini’s unique market-ing approach incorporates more non-traditional methods and a “cheeky” irreverence that continues to resonate with customers. BMW Press
BMW Oracle Racing Unveils New Look for 2007 America’s Cup Cam-paign… In preparation for the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007 in Valencia, BMW and Oracle Racing have an-nounced a new campaign under the name of BMW Oracle Racing. In 2003, the team, as Oracle BMW Rac-ing, had a strong debut as a
finalist in the Louis Vui�on Cup, the Challenger races for the America’s Cup. The renaming to BMW Oracle Racing, effective immediately, reflects a new team and a more significant role of BMW in the campaign. Under the new contract signed last month, the German premium car brand increased its commitment by contributing more technical know-how, marketing exper-tise, and financial support to the international professional sailing team. “The cooperation with BMW enables us to benefit from technologi-cal innovations in the automobile sector,” says Team CEO Chris Dickson. “One decisive factor in boat design, for example, is the durability of the individual parts. Thanks to BMW, we can as-sure that the full potential of the individual boat components is tapped, while at the same time improving the quality in terms of robustness.” PRNewswire
Strongest Sales Month Ever…The BMW Group (BMW and Mini brands combined) reported an in-crease of eight percent in May sales for 27,787 vehicles compared to the 25,765 vehicles sold that month in 2003, making it the best sales month ever for the BMW Group. The BMW Group also reported year-to-date sales of 115,737 vehicles, an increase of three percent from 112,278 sold in the first five months of 2003. BMW of NA reported its strongest month ever, with sales of 24,432 automobiles and SAVs, an increase of nine percent compared to the 22,455 vehicles reported last May.
Year-to-date, sales of BMW brand vehicles were up 3.2 percent with sales of 100,821 vehicles compared to 97,664 vehicles sold in first five months of 2003. BMW’s automo-bile sales dipped slightly in May, to 19,385 versus 19,610
in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date sales were down 4.7 percent, to 79,896 automobiles compared to 83,793 in the same period a year ago. Strong sales of BMW’s new X3 Sports Activity Vehicle have contributed to the record sales month. Total May SAV sales were 5,047, compared to 2,845 vehicles sold in May 2003, a jump of 77 percent. Year-
July 2004
to-date, sales of BMW’s SAV models are up 51 percent, to 20,925 vehicles compared to 13,871 for the same period in 2003. BMW also reported sales of 6,681 Certified Pre-Owned vehicles compared to 6,715 vehicles sold in May 2003. Year-to-date, BMW CPO sales were up six percent to 29,744 vehicles over 28,123 in the same period a year ago. Demand for Mini brand automobiles continues to be strong. Sales of Mini automobiles in May are up 1.4 percent with sales of 3,355 over the 3,310 in 2003. Year-to-date, sales were up 2.1 percent, with 14,916 cars compared to 14,614 sold a year ago. BMW Press
DaimlerChrysler Design Chief Heads To BMW… DesignworksUSA, the California-based international strategic design consultancy owned by BMW Group, announced today that Verena C. Kloos has been named President of DesignworksUSA. She will report directly to Christopher E. Bangle, Director of BMW Group Design. Ms. Kloos succeeds Adrian van Hooydonk. Mr. van Hooydonk will re-locate to Munich later this year to head the BMW automobile brand studio. Previously, Ms. Kloos was the Head of DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design studio in Como, Italy. In this post, which she held since March of 2000, she was responsible for the de-sign and development of advanced interior concepts for passenger cars of future Mercedes-Benz product lines. She has extensive experience in the United States, having served as Design Director for Volkswagen in Simi Valley, California from 1991-1994. PRNewswire
Plug In and Play Tunes like Dick Tracy...The BMW MP3 Watch takes multi-task-ing to a hi-tech level. Featuring an integrated microphone, and a built-in MP3 player and ear-phones, the watch can record voice memos, play up to 60 songs or five hours of music, and store presentations, videos and photos. The latest, fully loaded upgrade of the popular 2003 BMW Memory Watch, this new model holds up to 256 megabytes (MB) of data through an internal memory card. Using the integrated USB cable, the MP3 Watch ($275) can be recharged and ready to go in just 90 minutes. Us-ers can download data via flash memory by connecting to any computer—Windows or Macintosh—with a USB plug integrated in the strap. An operations start-up CD disc is included with three songs that download as part of the demo. The BMW MP3 Watch is available at BMW dealerships, at h�p://www.bmw-online.com, or by call-ing 888-269-6654. BMW Press
Cheaper By The Dozen?… I guess this was to be expected. Profit margins on the Mini are so razor thin (Deutsche Bank reckons Mini made not much more than $60 million profit last year on a turnover estimated at $3.4 billion—and that’s with the Mini Cowley plant… sorry Oxford, at full tilt) that BMW is said to be drawing up plans to make the next one substantially cheaper to build. That implies—at the very least—that something is not quite right on the pricing or spec of the current Mini. I recall that Goldman Sachs’ autos analyst Max War-burton put out a note in 2001 explaining why Mini was exceedingly expensive to make and not quite the raving
success that everyone assumed it to be. He wasn’t exactly flavor of the month with BMW management at the time. Justautos.com
New 3 Series at dealers by the end of July 2005?… Info possibly from a memo at BMW NA, “2005 will be a very significant year for everyone associated with BMW—it will be the year of the new 3 Series. The new model will be pre-viewed for the public at the Geneva Auto Show in March, and we are planning a National Dealer Meeting, including a driving experience, late April in Miami.” Autospies.com
Rolls-Royce CEO leaves unexpectedly... Tony Go� un-expectedly resigned as Chairman and CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. BMW said it had accepted the resignation and appointed Karl-Heinz Kalbfell to replace Go�, 48, who had held the spot since 2002. A BMW spokesman said Go� was leaving for personal reasons and had not been asked to go. “The goal of selling 1,000 vehicles has not changed. It has nothing to do with this,” the spokesman said, declin-ing further comment. Automotive News
BMW planning to expand U.S. plant again, add third model… BMW plans to further expand its US assembly plant to build 200,000 units annually and add a third model. Last year 109,501 X5 SAVs and 56,589 Z4 roadsters were built at the plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, a production record. Norbert Reithofer, BMW’s head of production, said it is “very unlikely” the plant will build only two models forever. About 40 percent of the cars built at Spartanburg are sold in the US. But Spartanburg plant
manager, Helmut Leube, said any expansion will not happen soon. “First we have to be able to cope with the amount of growth we had during the past few years,” he said. Leube said Spartanburg has the same level of flexibility as BMW’s German plants in Dingolf-ing, Regensburg and Munich and can compete for the production of future models. He added that Spartanburg matches the quality of BMW models built in Germa-ny. Autoweek.com
BMW will drop Toyota diesel… BMW will drop Toyota-made diesel engines from the next-generation Mini due in 2008, company sources say. The German luxury automaker will instead buy a diesel engine jointly developed by PSA/Peugeot-Citroën and Ford. A BMW spokesman denied that the company will drop the Toyota engine. But sources within the company told Automotive News Europe that BMW has decided to use the PSA-Ford diesel engine. BMW agreed to buy 30,000 diesel engines a year from Toyota in 2001. At the time, BMW did not have a suitable engine for the front-drive Mini. The 1.4-liter diesel engine, used by Toyota for its front-drive Yaris, fits the layout of the Mini’s engine compartment. The Mini’s diesel engines are built in Japan and then transported to the Mini plant in Oxford, England. BMW’s existing joint development of the gasoline engine with PSA is believed to be a contributing factor to the decision to drop the Toyota-supplied diesel for the next Mini. BMW expects that up to one million gasoline engines with displacements of 1.6 and 1.8 liters will be produced annually for Minis and PSA models. The Mini’s current gasoline engine is built in Brazil by Tritec, a
13
June 13, 2004 - The two BMW M3 GTRs sporting the numbers 42 and 43 were first and second to cross the start/finish line in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race. A�er a total of 143 laps, Dirk Müller (Burbach), Jörg Müller (Hückelhoven) and Hans-Joachim Stuck (Ellmau), watched by BMW Group’s head of development Profes-sor Burkhard Göschel, took victory in the 32nd edition of the Eifel marathon. The drivers of the second BMW M3 GTR, bearing the number 43—Pedro Lamy (PRT), Duncan Huisman (NDL) and Boris Said (USA)—were the second team to pass the chequered flag a�er 142 laps, clinching a double victory for Team BMW Motorsport.
With this, its seventh one-two win, BMW continues its story of success in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Races. The company with the blue and white emblem has claimed overall victory for the 17th time. The last occasion that a BMW made it to the top of the podium was in 1998, in a success which made racing history: the BMW 320d became the first diesel-powered model to win a 24-hour event.
One of this year’s drivers had been in the winning team of 1998:
Hans-Joachim Stuck. For the 53-year-old, it is the third overall win of his career. Stuck’s victories at the Nordschleife have al-ways doubled as premieres: in 1970 he won the first 24 Hour Race on the Nürburgring, 28 years later came victory in the BMW 320d,
and now the first triumph in a GT model. That takes the tally of this seasoned driver to three wins each in the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the Eifel classic.
“Psychologically it was the most strenu-ous race I have ever entered,” said Stuck a�er the BMW M3 GTR had crossed the finishing line. “The difficult weather conditions meant you were constantly riding along a razor’s edge. But despite that it was tremendous fun. I have to express my special praise for the en-gineers. They handed us a perfectly function-ing BMW M3 GTR.”
Jörg Müller could hardly believe how hitch-free the 24-hour classic turned out: “It was almost too perfect. We never touched another car once and we had the right tires on almost throughout. It was the greatest race I have ever had. It’s a dream.” BMW Press
BMW’s M3 GTRs Dominate Nürburgring 24 Hour Race
July 2004
S p o n s o r sDouble 02 BMW Parts 2002 AD Accurate Powder Coating Auto Dynamik Berkeley Motor Works Ireland Engineering Nate Smith’s Optimal Auto Care Pylon Studios Silicon Garage
Jim
Set
o
Jim
Set
o JP Collins
JP C
ollin
s
JP C
ollin
s
July 2004
Nick
Pon
By JP CollinsAll were in high spirits on Saturday, May 15, for the Bay Area
02 Swap & Show 4. Great weather, great cars, and great enthusi-asm were all present and accounted for. Although the count was slightly down from last year, the quality of the show this year was higher than ever. Once again, several (five) examples of the rare 2002 Turbo were on hand, as were Alpina 02s and Coupes.
Although plenty of show-quality cars were on display, so were the many daily drivers brought in by their proud owners. From the highly modified and customized, to the very original and very stock examples of the 2002 series, all were on hand to a�est to the wealth of vintage Bimmers in the Bay Area.
Each year, our focus is the BMW 2002, but the show is also open to the other models BMW built between 1965 and 1976—the era of the 02 body style. In this fourth year of the Swap & Show,
15
even more non-02 cars showed up than previous years. The addi-tions included: 3.0 Coupes, 2000ti’s, 3.0 S and other rare vintage BMWs. Along with the cars on display, dealers of both new and used parts displayed their wares.
The Swap & Show 4 was a great success because of the wide sup-port from the participants showing their cars, the swap meet sellers, and visitors. But the show could not have happened without the sponsors and planning commi�ee. We want to thank our sponsors. The support from these businesses allow us to produce the Swap & Show. We ask you to support them with your business.
We look forward to next year for Swap & Show V and hope that we inspired the 02 owners who didn’t show this year to bring their cars out to the lawn for the next year. Until then, see you on the road!
JP C
ollin
s
JP C
ollin
s
JP C
ollin
s
15
Jim
Set
o
Jim
Set
o
Owner Paul Rissman’s electric conversion of 2002.
July 2004
17
OverviewThe August 7, 2004 CCC will be at Candlestick Park and will
cost $70 for each participant, which includes lunch. Registration and payments will be accepted only online via Pukkaso�.com (see the GGC website for a registration link).
Imagine knowing what to do when your car begins to slide, or being in control during that panic stop. Even if you think you know what you are doing, come out and explore the limits of you and your car in a controlled se�ing. Car control skills are learned techniques that are fundamental to performance driving, and can enhance your ability to be a safer driver.
Our Clinics are open to all club members wanting to learn more about enhancing driver skills and understanding the capabilities of their cars. If you have been thinking about or planning to a�end a track school, clinics are a prerequisite for first time track school students. We explore the many situations of vehicle dynamics in a controlled environment, with you in the driver’s seat. The program is structured for people without any formal performance driving experience. Our goal is to prepare you with a fundamental founda-tion of skills from which you can further develop your driving abili-ties. Each participant receives personalized instruction provided by experienced club Instructors. The level of instruction is tailored to fit the need of each individual student.
All you need to a�end is a BMW and the $70 per driver reg-istration fee—which includes lunch. Registration in advance is required by all participants. Two driver cars are allowed. Helmets with a Snell 95 (or newer) rating are also required. If you do not have a helmet, make advance arrangements to borrow one from a friend. It will save you the inconvenience of borrowing one from another participant at the event.
If you have further questions a�er reading this informa-tion, please contact Sheman Koo or Jim Mercado by email at [email protected].
Program SynopsisThe day long event consists of three separate low speed ex-
ercises. Our format consists of a short morning lecture, followed by the driving exercises. Each exercise is prefaced with a short talk about concepts specific to the respective exercise. The drills include a skid pad, a slalom course, and a braking and accident avoidance simulation. In these exercises you will learn the proper use of the steering wheel, brakes, and thro�le as elements of car control. We want all students to increase their awareness for what their car is doing under a variety of circumstances, and why. These exercises are intended to be�er prepare you for situations that may be encountered when at speed on the track, as well as in everyday driving.
Our objective is to improve your awareness of vehicle dynam-ics, provide you with fundamental driving skills, and produce safe and controlled drivers. Safety, and being in control, is our top priority at this and all Club driving events.
School ProceduresRegistration: Registration must be made in advance via www.
ggc-bmw-cca.org. Register by filling out and submi�ing an on-line application. Each driver must register separately. On-line credit card payment completes your registration; if you are unable to pay with a credit card on-line, please contact Sherman Koo. This event is limited to 60 participants. The roster will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Refunds will be made to those who cancel in writing/email seven days prior to the event. No refunds can be made a�erwards.
If you are enrolled in a scheduled track school, and need to take this clinic as a prerequisite, we will prioritize your place-ment on the roster. You will not be automatically placed on the roster, and still must submit an application and payment.
Schedule: Please refer to the Calendar of Events for the schedule of clinic events for the season. For the scheduled event day, please plan to arrive at the site by 8:30a.m. We start prompt-ly at 9:00a.m., with the school usually ending about 4:30p.m. The school will be conducted rain or shine. Please be prepared for rain and/or windy weather just in case. Upon your arrival, please check in at the Club Trailer. We will have a lunch break of not more than one hour. Our tight schedule will not allow us to wait for you.
Vehicles and Technical Inspections: This is a BMW Club event for BMW drivers. If your BMW is in the shop or non-oper-ational, substitutions are permi�ed. We encourage you to bring a BMW. Convertibles are allowed. All cars must have operating seatbelts. If there is a question about the appropriateness of your vehicle, please contact Sherman Koo or Jim Mercado
Technical inspections will be performed on all cars on the morning of the school. A�er arrival and check-in, you will need to remove all loose items from inside your car and its trunk, prior to the technical inspection. Many people will bring a plastic tarp or garbage bags to cover their belongings. Common problems that can keep you from participating may include: loose ba�eries, loose wheel bearings, and a spongy brake pedal. If you have an older car and/or a car with high mileage, please check these before the school. Prior to arriving, put about 38 psi or so in your tires. Your tire’s survival rate and performance will improve.
Helmets: Helmets are required on two out of the three exer-cises. Try to make arrangements to borrow a helmet in advance if you don’t have one. Helmets must be a Snell approved M95 or SA95, or newer. Helmets will be checked during the technical inspection. The club does have several loaner helmets available. We do not reserve helmets. If you intend to borrow a club hel-met, plan to arrive early and arrange for one when you register. If you borrow a club helmet, the only thing we ask is that you share it if necessary.
Preparation: Lunch will be provided. Please plan to stay on the premises. You will have to empty your car of all items—bring a tarp or container to protect your stuff from the ele-ments—especially wind! You can also be prepared by equipping yourself with a good learning a�itude. If you come with an open mind, and willingness to listen and learn, you will improve your driving skills and have fun, too.
Directions: Candlestick Park: Take the 3COM Park exit off of Hwy. 101 (Northbound, take the first Candlestick Park exit; Southbound, take the last Candlestick Park exit). Proceed east (toward the bay), then north (along bay edge) to the Candlestick Park parking lot. Look for the open gate on the southwest edge of the parking lot.
Please consider: You should read and understand the above article BEFORE registering.
Both students for two-Driver cars (one car shared by two stu-dents) must submit separate applications via our link at www.ggc-bmw-cca.org—we ask for the “name of driver sharing the
Car Control Clinic August 7, 2004
July 2004
Faces at an A u t o c r o s s
Photos by Kris Linquistwww.linquist.net
19
GONZO Garcia Ken 325 �d 49.703 20 Fraser Sco� M3 49.831 15 Backman Russ M3 50.212 11 Kupper Steve 2002 50.735 8 Sams R. Jason M3 51.015 6 Webber Chris M3 51.988 5 Bensen Jonathan M3 52.249 4 Leong Lance 325i 52.450 3 Kenney Caleb M3 54.377 2 Pieron Remy M3 55.090 1 Reyes Alan M3 55.512 Robbins Sarah M3 64.944
AAA Vijeh Richard 325is 53.571 20 Cowan Jeff M3 53.750 15 Miller Sco� 325i 53.817 11 Hirsch Ben M3 Cnv 55.932 8 White Darryl M3 57.960 6
AA Linquist Kris 325is 54.601 20 Garcia John M5 55.284 15 Escover Tom M3 55.641 11 Henry Colleen M3 56.793 8
GONZO Garcia Ken 325 35 Backman Russ M3 31 Sams R. Jason M3 31 Bensen Jonathan M3 26 Fraser Sco� 325is 19 Kupper Steve 2002 16 Kyle Mike M3 15 Webber Chris M3 11 Aurand Kevan M3 8 Hansen Mark M Coupe 6 Leong Lance 325i 6 Pieron Remy M3 6 Carter Nick M3 4 Reyes Alan M3 3 Kenney Caleb M3 2 Kiefer Bob 325 2
AAA Cowan Jeff M3 55 Vijeh Richard 325is 46 Miller Sco� 325i 26 Wilson Ethan M3 11 Gwee Poh M3 10 Ball Rodger M3 8 Crow Frank 540i 8 Hirsch Ben M3 Conv 8 Grote Tom M3 6 Lewis John M3 6 White Darryl M3 6 Prasad Praneil M3 5
2004 Series Standings A�er 3 Events
Hsu Michael M Coupe 4 Barneson Sco� M Coupe 3 Magdaluyo Mike M3 2 Frew Brian 325i 1
AA Linquist Kris 325is 41 Escover Tom M3 22 Albrecht Stephen 540i Sport 21 Chi�um Andy 328ti Sport 20 Smith Sco� M3 4-dr 20 Lin Kimball 330Ci 19 Garcia John M5 15 Goelkel Chris 535is 14 Henry Colleen M3 8 McCormick Jeff M3 Conv 8 Clark Andrew M5 5 Dickman Patrick 325is 5 Visser Ma� M3 Conv 5 Killeen Deb Z4 4 Oledan Dino M3 3 Ingraham Curtis 2002tii 2 Sanchez Kyle 325i 2 Oledan Joe M3 1 Regis Larry Z3 Cpe 3.0i 1
A Bolhuis John 325ic 40 Boudart Jesse 325is 26 Knoot Peter Cooper S 26 Shieh Frank 325i 25
Schmid Joe 318ti Sport 20 Bry Gary 325is 16 Knoot Ma�hew Cooper S 14 Antonowicz Vance 325i 8 Greenberg Roger 320i 8 Sanchez Bob Z3 2.5i 6 Carter Nick Cooper S 5 Chiang Chu 330Ci 5 Killeen Noah 325is 5 Lo Kin Pong Cooper S 5 Seeley Donna 325i 5 McFarland Randy 330Ci Sport 4 Bry Dena 325is 3 DiMauro Paul M635CSi 1
B Goebel Bob 328is 40 Du�weiler Craig 330i (P)20 Cooper Evan 325i 15 Koumrian Edwin 325iA 15 Lo Kin Pong Cooper S 11
C Liu Patrick 528iA 60 Dyer Joe 850CiA 15 Humphreys Nancy 735ia 15 Small Ma� 318i (P)15 P = provisional results pending car classification
Driver Model Points
Goelkel Chris 535is 56.952 6 Clark Andrew M5 57.577 5 McCormick Jeff M3 Cnv 58.038 4 Oledan Dino M3 58.199 3 Visser Ma� M3 Cnv 58.328 2 Oledan Joe M3 58.498 1 Killeen Deb Z4 58.655A Bolhuis John 325ic 54.502 20 Knoot Peter Cooper S 55.212 15 Boudart Jesse 325is 56.467 11 Knoot Ma�hew Cooper S 56.734 8 Shieh Frank 325i 56.844 6 Carter Nick Cooper S 57.310 5 McFarland Randy 330Ci S 57.338 4 Lo Kin Pong Cooper S 58.288 3 Killeen Noah 325is 59.055 2 DiMauro Paul M635 61.306 1 Chiang Chu 330Ci 62.211B Du�weiler Craig 330i 57.637 (P)20 Cooper Evan 325i 62.119 15C * Liu Patrick 528iA 53.150 20 Small Ma� 318i 55.017 (P)15 C Class are adjusted by formula.
N (non-competing BMWs) in this class at this event
X (non-BMWs) Bowlus Russ Mazda Miata 53.359 Jasper Chris WRX 53.376 Ingraham Eric Mitsu Lancer Ev 54.164 Hewle� Ben Porsche 911 55.450 Eng Dave VW GTI 55.462 Hsu Mike VW Je�a 56.009 Mervich Mark Subaru WRX 56.855 Todd Paul Imprezza 2.5 RS 57.891 Hart Ryan Honda Prelude 58.850 Low Grant Subaru WRX W 58.858 Mei Tatung IS300 58.897 Lopez Francisco Ford Mustang 60.387 Todd Suzie Imprezza 2.5 RS 62.688 Yen Kathy VW GTI 63.854P = Provisional results pending car classification
Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA 2004 Autocross Series Event #3 Marina Municipal Airport May 22, 2004
Driver Model Points Driver Model Points
Driver Model Time Points Driver Model Time PointsDriver Model Time Points
July 2004
21
July 2004
23
Slow
er T
raffi
c Kee
p Ri
ght
By Twisted RhodesIn my haste to meet the publishing deadline for my
May column, I commi�ed a sin. It happens to the best, though I am not presumptuous enough to include myself in that category. The sin? Failing to research information before writing about it. I feel I owe this month’s col-umn to readers John Bulhuis and Jim Chase. They both wrote to me in response to the part of the column that discussed perpetual motion from the motors created by Kohei Minato’s motors.
In my research, my excitement to read about some-thing that could help reduce energy consumption quashed my Inner Skeptic. (He’s the one that kicked my Inner Child in the groin a long time ago.) I should have known be�er, but I simply parroted the information from the web site where I first learned about the motors.
In their notes, they indirectly reminded me that just because something managed to get published doesn’t make it true. They pointed out that some basic laws of physics haven’t yet been repealed by the musician-tin-kerer from Tokyo, and that the fact that it was published on the Internet makes it even less likely that it’s true. One of the downsides of a truly democratic system like the Internet, is that there are a lot of people out there making claims that seem rational, but aren’t. The lack of critical thinking is becoming a more prevalent problem these days… and I don’t mean just with me.
Excerpts of John’s le�er follows:I read with great interest your page in the Bombe. Especially the part about the perpetual motion mo-tors. I LOVE reading about them. I’m one of those icy skeptics, but I still love it. Perhaps it’s because we all want so very badly for there to be a generator that outputs more energy than is put into it!The article at japan.com would have been a lot more believable had the “inventor” mentioned that he had assembled several of his generators in a feedback loop and was using the excess power to run his laboratory or something exciting like that. Alas, no. Not even one mention of “closing the loop.” Breathless web pages gushing about this guy date back to 1997. Yet, we still have not seen as much as one desktop gizmo that can oper-ate on its own……Please understand that this is just another per-petual motion machine hoax, either on purpose, or because the experimenter is making mistakes in his calculations. I did a quick search of the Web, and came across the following comment (one of many):“All Minato’s power calculations appear to be wrong (apparently it’s a common mistake many scientists make); you can’t measure input power using a multi-
meter when the current drain isn’t constant. You can see his workshop in his videos—all his calculations are done using common multimeters and a desktop calculator.” (h�p://tinyurl.com/3ahdw)
This le�er prompted me to do more research—not wanting to make the same mistake twice. I found that there are several discussions that talk about Over Unity— violating the laws of thermodynamics—in reference to Mr. Minato’s motors. Two of these laws are described in a chapter of M.J. Farabee’s On-Line Biology Book (found by Googling for “laws of thermodynamics” (for example: h�p://tinyurl.com/9dzr)).
The first law of thermodynamics explains that “energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of ener-gy and ma�er in the Universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another.” This is referred to as conservation of energy.
The second law of thermodynamics states that “in all energy exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of the state will always be less than that of the initial state.” This is also commonly referred to as entropy.
What these laws say is that you can’t get more energy out of a system than you put into it. The system we’re questioning is the motor/generator setup in Mr. Minato’s lab. According to the aforementioned laws, the generator cannot produce more electricity than was put into the motor driving it. In fact, it will always be less. However, the total energy can’t be created nor can it be lost. So, how come the electrical power out will always be less? You have to account for the conversion of the electri-cal energy into other forms of energy due to friction. A motor converts electrical energy not only into work, but also into heat and noise. Although these motors are sup-posed to be considerably more efficient than traditional designs, they can’t make something from nothing. The same holds true for generators which work in the op-posite direction.
Does all this mean that Mr. Minato is a fraud? Time and proper testing will tell for sure. He claims to have found a significantly more efficient way to arrange the magnetic fields in the motor/generator to reduce the amount of elec-trical energy not converted to work (motion). He claims to have 80% more efficient motors using his ideas. Even if his design really achieves half that, it’s still much more efficient than most motors. How many of you would say “no” to a 40% cut in your PG&E bill?
Before I sign off for this month, I’d like to share some history I just learned that amazed me. I read in this month’s MIT Technology Review magazine that the hybrid gasoline-electric powered automobile is not even close to a new idea. The concept is 100 years old!
Electrical motors were used to complement the foul-smelling and noisy gasoline engines employed by several horseless carriage companies at the turn of the Twentieth Century. A notable design was created by Fer-dinand Porsche in 1905 in an effort to avoid the compli-cated transmissions and gearing required to translate the cranksha� motion to the wheels.
I find it rather ironic that some of the very first ideas used to propel the early automobiles are now being utilized to help us deal with problems created because we abandoned those ideas for a purely gasoline-powered solution. You can read a brief history here: h�p://tinyurl.com/225bm
It Must be True, I Read It On The Internet
July 2004
New
Mem
bers
Wel
com
e!Last Name First Name City Model YearAcuff Richard Mountain View M3 Conv. 2002Afrakhan Iraj Novato 745i 1995Andrews Walter Sco�s ValleyAntioquia AA Hayward 635CSi 1988Baldi Dano OaklandBeal Steve Corte Madera M5 1988Bernard B. Oakland 2002tii 1974Bernstein Mark San Francisco 328i 2000Bevilacqua Donald Gilroy X5 2004Blanchard David SebastopolBledsoe John Richmond Z3 1.9 1997Blum Dwain Berkeley 530i 2001Brown Herschel San Francisco 325i 2004Bulling Walter San Leandro M3 2004Caldeira Ken Livermore 325i 2004Caplan Michael San Luis Obispo X3 2004Carter Nicholas San Carlos Cooper S 2003Cary Benjamin Sausalito 528i Wagon 2001Casey David Avila Beach 635CSi 1987Chan Calton San Francisco 525i 2003Cheng Tony San Francisco 530i 2004Clark Andrew Palo Alto M5 1991Coburn Ian Redwood City M3 2004Cortez Art Santa Rosa 840Ci 1995Desai Behram Mill Valley 750iL 2004Eberline Patrice Richmond Z4 2004Ellis Luke Orinda 740i 2001Ergueta German San Jose M3 2004Escolar David Sunnyvale 330Ci Convert 2001Feiner Andrew Millbrae 325i 2004Finn Christopher Soquel M5 1988Garcia Judith HaywardGillin Andrew Orinda 528i 1999Go Jeffrey Palo Alto M3 1996Goetschius Bre� PetalumaGolick David Concord 530i 2004Gomez Cesar San Mateo M3 1990
Gordon Sco� South San FranciscoGotham Julie Petaluma 330i 2004Gray Paul RossGrunsky Charles San JoseGuglielmelli Tena San Carlos 740iL 2000Hait Ron Walnut Creek M3 Conv. 2004Halverson Rachel Pleasant Hill M3 2003Harris Joseph Half Moon Bay M3 2004Hoffman Bob Antioch M Rdstr 2000Jackson Dawn El Sobrante 330i 2003Jackson Steven San Jose 530i 2001John David Oakland Z4 3.0 2003Josephs Ladislav FremontKenworthy Dudley Mountain View M5 2003Kofman Yale Moraga 528i Wagon 2001Lam Eric San FranciscoLang Michael San Francisco 323i 1998Larsson Cristina Redwood City 745i 2002Lipsky Bill BerkeleyLopez Sergio Menlo Park M3 1988Maclean Ma�hew San Rafael 330Cic 2004Marino Michelle Walnut Creek 330Ci 2004Martinez Uriel Los Gatos M3 2003Matuszewski Paul BelmontMayekar Unmesh Cupertino 330i 2001Mcallister Keith Belvedere Tiburon 2002 1973McGinnis Christine DanvilleMeader Richard Pleasanton 330xi 2004Mercado Edwin Milpitas 325xi 2004Mockel Ken Oakland 740iL 1996Montezemolo Lorenzo Menlo Park 330Ci 2002Murray Joseph Redwood City 325iC 1994Nadler John Cupertino M Rdstr 2000Nguyen Long Walnut Creek X5 4.6is 2003Nichols Kevin San Luis ObispoOdell James Danville 740iL 2001O’Rourke Frank ConcordOwens Shawn Penngrove 2002tii 1972Penano Del Castro Valley M3 1998Phillips Tyler Belvedere Tiburon 3.0CS 1973Pieper Bryan Santa Cruz Z4 2003Prada Dario Santa Clara Z4 2003Preiser Fred SalinasQuemada Frank Palo Alto 330Ci 2004Richardson Gary Sunnyvale M3 1995Rivera Dennis Milpitas Z4 2004Roberts Jeffrey Boulder Creek 530i 2002Robyn Philip El Cerrito 535i 1987Rolley Nathaniel Antioch 2002 1972Rosenwald John Los Angeles 850CSi 1995Rowley James San Francisco 645Ci 2004Rugh Peter Berkeley 733i 1984Shapiro Gwen ArcataSkillman Patricia El Sobrante 545i 2004Slack Gary Vallejo M Coupe 1999Smay David Hillsborough 740i 1998Sofia Ydalberto Brentwood 525i 2002Spingener Bill Napa 635CSi 1986Springer Katherine Carmel 325Ci 2003Tama Hugh OrindaTaylor L. Vallejo Z4 2004Tocchini Giancarlo Santa Rosa M coupe 2000Todd Paul Sunnyvale 325i 1990Townsend Gary Vallejo Z4 2004Valenza D. San Francisco M3 Conv. 2004Vasco Patrick Oakland 840Ci 1995Weitekamp Raymond Antioch X5 4.4 2004Wilson James Mountain View 325ic 1987Wu Kenneth Hayward 740iL 1998Yamada Kevin Sunnyvale M3 1997Yaptinchay Herberto San Mateo 735iL 1988Yeomans David Sunnyvale M3 1995Zheng Henry San Jose 330i 2001Zhou Juntang San FranciscoZilliox Steve San Jose 540i 1998
Last Name First Name City Model Year
2525
July 2004
Cla
ssifi
ed A
ds
COMMERCIAL ADS2002/Bav/3.0/Coupe Radiator Upgrades. Rebuilt
with new 3-row high-efficiency core. Be�er cooling. Fits without mods — same size, mounting, clearances, fi�ings, and appearance. Curt Ingraham, 510-507-2002, [email protected]
Have your BMW painted by a fellow car enthusiast with 17 years of refinishing fine European cars. I do body work, rust repair, and welding. High quality German made acrylic Urethane paints. Many club members cars done–references available. Fast turn around time. Call for more info and to arrange a free estimate. Andy Schank 510-236-5232. aschank25@ yahoo.com
Publication dead-line for copy is the first of the month - see front of magazine for more information.
CARS IS CARS2002 M3 WBSBL93462JR15184 Steel Grey Metallic/
Black, SMG, Premium, Lumbar/Heated Seats, Park Dis-tance, Xenon, HK. 7K miles, no track, no snow/ice, non-smoker, garaged, original owner. 100,000 mile factory warrantee. $42,500. 831-647-9746. [email protected].
1973 2002 tii VIN 2762794 Malaga/Brown; Original engine, numbers match, no apparent rust. Salvage title but very straight. Engine strong; needs brakes, re-wiring, and paint/bodywork. Behr A/C, no sunroof; has Recaros and 5-speed transmission waiting to go in. Would be great driver or restoration candidate. Call Blair: 925-451-0926
PARTS IS PARTSTires: Front: Two Goodrich Traction TA 195/70 R14
90H Have less than 1K miles. Still have whiskers and tread groove markings. Perfect balance and condition. Wheels: Six recently refinished 6 1/2J x 14 H2B, 25mm offset. 6 1/2” x 14” twenty spoke open lug wheels. Per-fect pair of newly refinished, four have been used once since refinish. All run true and are balanced. One wheel has a nick on the inside edge but does not effect balance or use and it remains true. No other curb rash! I believe these fit early BMWs including 3.0, 3.0cs, Bavaria, 530i and 528i as well as other 5 Series (until ’95) 6 Series (until ’89) and 7 Series (until ’94). No reasonable offer refused. Located in southern Marin. Call Jan @ 415-789-5309 or [email protected]
E12 twenty spoke alloy wheels, four each 14x6 with center caps. Very good condition. Come and take them away so I don’t have to scrap them. [email protected], 408-723-0834.
Brembo Big Brake Kit For ’92-’02 E36/E46/Z-3. Brembo p/n 1F.6001A. 320mm (12.6”) one piece ro-tor, front only, requires 16” (or larger) wheels. $1600 new, never installed, make offer. Charlie: 650-948-4623; [email protected].
Workshop manual for pre-74 2002, plus some docu-mentation about the maintenance of the Kugelfischer fuel injection pump available free to needy (and compe-tent) individual. My location is Reno, NV. Any interested party should contact me at: [email protected]
E46 M3 OE partsfrom Dinan conversion of 02 car with 13K miles: Front and rear brakes rotors, calipers, pads, lines $400. Muffler w/quad outlets $300. Front and rear shocks/struts $100. Front and rear springs $100. Sway bar $50. M3 floor mats $75. Induction box $25. Also: Hartge Classic wheel set, 8.5” and 9.5” x 19”, silver, Toyo Proxes T1-S tires, 4K miles from new $1,900. BBS CH wheel set, 8.5” and 10.0”x 19”, SO-3 tires, 3mos old, $2,800. Ernie King, 510-482-2162
E34 7x15 BBS honeycomb wheel w/Michelin MXV 205/65-15 tire. This brand new wheel and Michelin tire were erroneously included as the spare in my E39 540. This wheel lists for $345 and typically sells for $182 new; Tire Rack shows this tire in this size selling for $132 new on Special. I am selling the wheel/tire package for $125. Call or email Nick: 925-867-1269 or [email protected]
27
July 2004
Allison BMW 150 E. EI Camino Real Mountain View, CA 94040 (650) 943-1000
BMW Concord 1945 Market Street Concord, CA 94520 (925) 682-3577
BMW of San Francisco 1675 Howard St San Francisco, CA 94103 Sales: (800) U SA-BMWs
Claridge’s BMW 4421 5 Auto Mall Circle Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 360-5900
East Bay BMW 4355 Rosewood Drive Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925) 463-2555
Home Motors 1313 E. Main Street Santa Maria, CA 93455 (805) 928-7744
Mid City Motor World 4800 N. Highway 101 Eureka, CA 95501 (707) 443-4871
MY BMW One Geary Plaza Seaside, CA 93955 (831) 899-5555
Peter Pan BMW 2695 S. El Camino Real San Mateo, CA 94403 (650) 349-9077
Prestige BMW 2800 Corby Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95407 (707) 545-6602
Coast BMW 1484 Auto Park Way San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 (805)543-4423
Stevens Creek BMW 3737 Stevens Creek Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 249-9070
Sonnen BMW 1599 E. Francisco Blvd San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 482-2000
Weatherford Motors 735 Ashby Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710 (510) 654-8280
Fact
ory
Aut
hori
zed
BMW
Dea
lers
CC
A D
isco
unts
Golden Gate ChapterBMW Car Club of America909 Marina Village Parkway, #189Alameda, CA 94501www.ggc-bmw-cca.org
POSTMASTER PLEASE NOTE: MATERIAL IS DATED, Thanks.
Presort Standard US Postage
PAID Sacramento, CA
Permit 185
HAVE YOU MOVED? Please send address changes directly to the BMW CCA National Office at:BMW CCA, Inc., 640 South Main St. , Ste. 201, Greenville, SC 29601 - or to - [email protected]
Want to join the club? Call 800.878.9292 or go to www.bmwcca.org and sign up for only $40.