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#1. Re: [E36M3] Driving Schools - BMWCCA vs PCA - from Ron Katona
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Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 10:02:17 -0500 From: Ron Katona <rkatona@bellatlantic.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Driving Schools - BMWCCA vs PCA I'm with you 100% on the cost to the student. When you include tires, rotors, pads, fluids, caliper rebuilds, replacing undertrays, food, lodging, and gas, the small variance in entry fees is really inconsequential. I'd disagree a bit on what causes the difference. I can tell you that insurance is almost always from K&K and is pretty much the same rate for any national club. Remember also that BMW CCA (and I'd guess PCA) is a non-profit organization. They could still turn a profit on any single event to fund end of year parties and stuff, but generally DS's break even or lose money. I don't think that's true for NASA, Car Guys, BSR, or whoever. Autocross is always the biggest money maker here in the NCC and actually subsidizes other programs. Differences in rental fees based on the date is a concern out west, less common out east where the fees are usually constant. Paid workers and food or lodging provided to instructors is certainly a factor. But speaking only from the example of the NCC (the one I'm familiar with), the biggest difference in none of the above. The biggest difference is how many students you have if all else is equal, and how many days you rent the track versus how many days of instruction you have. Typically, BMW schools have fewer people per mile of track because they have fewer instructors. Instructors are also sometimes given a free track day before the school. Frinstance... When we rent Summit Point, we rent it for three days. Friday is an instructor only day. Saturday and Sunday are regular schools with instructor sessions thrown in. A NASA event will just rent the track for two days and instructors get whatever track time they can get in instructor sessions or if they don't have a student for a session. Because the NCC "home grows" its instructors, the pool is not unlimited and the number of students is limited to the number of instructors available. A NASA event will generally have as many cars on the track as is considered safe. Instructors come from various backgrounds with less rigorous qualification processes. Don't know how PCA does it, but their costs should be almost exactly the same as BMW. If they are charging less, they have more students per mile, or are being subsidized more heavily by other PCA activities. If you spread fewer entry fees across more track rental days, you get higher costs. If it wasn't for things like autocross and membership fees, the NCC entry fees would be even higher. In return, the theory is that the instruction is better. In some cases, NASA instructors are also our instructors, but you don't know where all the rest of the instructors come from so I think it's safe to say that our schools have more *consistent* instruction. And fewer cars on the track is also nice. Generally, I think you're better off starting with the BMW schools and moving to cheaper alternatives as your goal becomes maximum track time as opposed to more instruction. -- Ron Katona Sean Hester wrote: [...] > > - how much the organization pays for insurance. > - weather the organization exepects to "profit" from putting on a school, or > weather they expect it to be a "loss". (they consider it an event, like a > picnic, that the club dues help pay for) > - different weekends can cost different amounts to rent the track. and > sometimes different organizations pay different amounts (depending on how > many times they rent) > - how much they need to pay instructors, or if they can get enough free > volunteers. > - how much they need to pay corner workers, or if they can get enough free > volunteers. > - if they are providing meals, and how good they are. > - if they're providing t-shirts and how good they are. [...] > here's the cynical way to think about it... > > i calculated the "cost" for tracking my M3. (tires, brakes, rotors, gas, > wear and tear, etc...) my calculations showed that it cost me almost $500 > per DAY.
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#2. Re: [E36M3] Driving Schools - BMWCCA vs PCA - from David Hogg
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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 10:47:53 -0800 From: "David Hogg" <springwood@blazenet.net> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Driving Schools - BMWCCA vs PCA >i calculated the "cost" for tracking my M3. (tires, brakes, rotors, gas, wear and tear, etc...) my calculations showed that it cost me almost $500 per DAY. (yes i mean $1000 for a weekend).< Ooooooooh, Sean! Some info is simply inappropriate for a family-oriented list! You think we actually want REALITY here? Please leave me to wallow in my blissful ignorance. Adding up all the costs like that makes many of us seem ... foolish. And that couldn't be. Could it? Dave Hogg Blissfully and ignorantly tracking away
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#3. New rear control arm bushings. Do it! - from Rob
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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 09:33:10 -0700 From: "Rob" <motor@cadvision.com> Subject: New rear control arm bushings. Do it! Hey Gruppe, as my car now has ~70K miles on it and it equipped with stiff suspension (H&R coil-overs, RD bars) I though it might be a good idea to replace the rear control arm bushings since there has been some talk of these getting soft or failing. I went with the '96> M3 part number and the Ground Control (plastic?) disc inserts that press against each side do supposedly make them stiffer. Don't know if there is a real name for these :) Anyway, the car is much more responsive to small throttle inputs and never gives any feeling of uncertainty from the rear end. I spent an hour last night practicing my Stefan Roser technique and the car is perfect! Regards, Rob M 3.0L
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#4. Rotors - from Patrick Dargan
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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 12:39:50 -0500 From: "Patrick Dargan" <darg01@earthlink.net> Subject: Rotors "...Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 23:19:35 -0500 From: "Paul Elliott" <pelliott@rcn.com> Subject: rotor replacement I'm thinking of replacing my stock front rotors....Ive done pads before, so I'm comfortable with that, but never rotors...." If you've done pads, you shouldn't have any problem. Before removing the calipers though, loosen the small set screw that holds each rotor in place. If these won't come loose, I'd forget it and let someone else worry about it. Without the tools, light, garage, etc., this can be a PITA because you'll have to drill them out. Once the calipers are off, hang them with wire to the spring or somewhere convenient. Don't let them hang. All that is left are two big bolts holding each of the brackets that the calipers bolt to. I think these use a 16mm wrench. These might be on pretty tight so you might need a couple hammer blows to loosen them or a breaker bar. When they are off, remove the set screw and the rotor will come right off. Use a little anti-seize on the set screws and the bracket bolt threads when putting back in.
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#5. Re: [E36M3] rotor replacement - from Carguymb@aol.com
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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 13:52:04 EST From: Carguymb@aol.com Subject: Re: [E36M3] rotor replacement Re the 16mm caliper bracket bolts, they can be a real PITA. Using my breaker bar, I busted both my cheap and nasty Taiwanese 16mm sockets (the first one doing the brakes on the Z3, the second one doing them on the M3). Make sure you have a good high-quality socket for these bolts. I'd always figured 16mm was a nothing size, so I had the sockets as part of a "disposable" tool set for a one-time job. Little did I realise the future need for this size. You'd think they'd be 17mm, like the lug bolts (and like my old VW), but that'd be too easy. Martin Bullen '95 M3 '97 Z3 In a message dated 2/3/01 9:14:59 AM, e36m3@bmw-m.net writes: > >2) As I recall the caliper bracket bolts have 16mm (!) heads. I use a >breaker bar and perhaps also a short (2"-3") extension, with the >steering wheel turned to the extreme l/r in order to get at it.
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#6. E30 M3 impressions... - from Mark Radelow
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Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 19:49:38 -0000 From: "Mark Radelow" <radelow@hotmail.com> Subject: E30 M3 impressions... So as many of you know I went to look at an E30 M3 today for a friend. VERY NICE car. Everything seemed to check out okay, the car was basically pristine. Now I haven't driven one of these things in a long time and never have been able to do a direct comparison back to back with my E36 until now. It's a nice car, seems to be well built and handles quite well. But I would never trade my E36 for it. The motor is gutless below 4000rpm and the car rode really stiff. I guess it takes a special type of person to buy one...just not me :) Mark 95 M3 - Loving it even more now... 91 GTi 16v 88 Chevy Fullsize _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
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#7. Looking for one Pilot SX - from DiVincenti, A.J.
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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 15:03:02 -0600 From: "DiVincenti, A.J." <ADiVin@lsuhsc.edu> Subject: Looking for one Pilot SX I'm looking to for one Michellin Pilot SX 235 40 17. Does anyone have one they would like to sell? AJ
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#8. For Sale - from F. Graziano
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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 16:12:46 -0500 From: "F. Graziano" <fgraziano@monmouth.com> Subject: For Sale I still have a bunch of stuff for sale (including my car). All stuff is 1995 M3. Name your prices im looking to just get rid of = it. =20 *BMW Aluminum Shift Knob *Ron Stygar Adjustable Clutch Stop *Red/Clear Rear Clusters w/ all bulbs *Clear Corners w/ orange bulbs *Clear Sidmarkers w/ orange bulbs *Haynes E36 Manual *1995 Avus Blue M3 w/ Dinan SuperCharger, UUC exhaust, *Kamei Eyelids, H&R springs, 51k miles.Cannot turnover car until April when my new one is imported but i am Definately needing to sell this. I'm in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Asking for around 27k. Thank you, Frank =20
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#9. FS: NEW UUC Exhaust - from Peter Guagenti
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Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 13:32:56 -0800 From: Peter Guagenti <peter@guagenti.com> Subject: FS: NEW UUC Exhaust Okay, it's _almost_ new. Less than 2k miles. Mint condition cosmetically. Fits M3, 328i/is. First $400 takes it. Would prefer a local sale in the SF Bay Area, but will ship (buyer pays $50 for packing materials and shipping). -peterg
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#10. Offset/Spacers question - from Peter Guagenti
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Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2001 14:14:25 -0800 From: Peter Guagenti <peter@guagenti.com> Subject: Offset/Spacers question Is anyone on the list running 35 offset wheels (I think BBS, SSR, and others run this offest) with 15mm spacers? Did this fit on front _and_ rear? Any advice is appreciated. -p