Bimmer Boy is about how I became a BimmerHead and entered the BMW CCA. It appeared in the March 1999 newsletter.
M3 Driving Experience is about me driving Uncle Bob's M3, and was in August 1999's along with The Enthusiast Question, which asks about what defines and enthusiast. Read on, more will surely follow!
Bimmer Boy
Cars have always been in my life. Spending time with my uncles Tom and Bob have pushed the automotive need into my head, which isn't a bad thing, by far. Both having been CCA members -Uncle Tom from about 1971 to 1988, and Uncle Bob from April 1992 until present-Bimmers have been especially important in my car knowledge. Since Uncle Tom's stories of the '66 1800, the '71 2002 from Germany, to his last BMW, the '77 320i, he's been an enthusiast all the way. Uncle Bob, on the other side of the family, has always stuck with German cars, and watched BMWs from a far. Our LaBarca family 'tradition' has been to have a VW in the garage. Uncle Bob began with the black '74 Super Beetle, to the '88 Fox, his fast '90 Jetta GLI, and the '95 Jetta GLX. He pulled top performance out of all of the vehicles. Then when he bought the '72 2002, he began to see the German market from behind another wheel. When it came time to part with the GLX last summer (which was hard on us to lose this super fast car), he was ready to get an M3 to park next to the '02. I posted the GLX ad on the internet, and within a few weeks, he had a buyer who saw the internet ad. He rewarded me with a CCA membership and all its fun, as well as numerous rides in the incredibly fast '95 M3. Being the only car kid around was hard sometimes, with my car pictures all over the place, because there wasn't anyone nearby to talk cars with. Then I started reading Roundel, and thought, 'Hey, here's a place where everyone can get together and share their common car interest. Perfect!!' Then another thought: I'm only 13!!!!! Are these people going to accept a 13 year old talking about the new 3 he saw last week? If the didn't, oh well. I still have a place to share my interest, along with the hope of a Corrado SLC or an M6 in about 4 years. Anyway, I can always go back to Uncle Bob and Uncle Tom.
BMW Driving Experience: Age 14
Ok, So maybe I shouldn't drive yet. But this was on a private road, 99% of the time human free, and I didn't go over 30 miles per hour. For Memorial Day Weekend 1999, I visited relatives in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. My grandparents house became the meeting place for families from State College and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and from Rochester. The State College crew, to us Bimmer Head's appreciation, drove the 62 miles in Uncle Bob's 1995 M3. After returning from Memorial Day sales at the mall, I didn't see the Hellrot, factory bra-ed (ugly!) car. Then, up the deserted street, came the rumble of the three liter car. Come speeding to a hault on the driveway almost leaving rubber, my grandmother emerged from the driver's position, with Bob exiting the passenger side. Broad smiles covered both their faces. It seemed today the car would be open for testing. I figured Uncle Tom was next, being the elder Bimmer Head, but Uncle Bob handed me the keys. I climbed in, my dad in the back seat (merely for observation he says), and Uncle Bob in the copilot. The track was a private drive, circular, with one outer parallel that came back into the circut via and inclined hill. At one corner was the main row of housesl my grandparents was farther dwn the street by itself. At the opposite corner was a 'T' intersection. I started off easily, feeling the clutch and applying power. Next into second, where I remained going through the houses and back into open area. Going through the top of the 'T' to the outer parallel, I aws told to floor it (which I refrained) but did bring it into third. Uncle Bob says I almost had my first roadkill, but that rabbit was faster than we thought. Turning up the hill to re-enter the circut, I stopped for some hill starting practice. I used the parking brake, but still got off quite well. As I came through the stem of the 'T' to turn right towards the houses, I found out that 30mph in third gear was a bit too fast for that corner. Any other car probably would have spun out or toppled, but the M3 gripped hard and handled perfectly, as I saw in my mirror Dad go flying across the back seats. "A true sports car will get you going quickly, but stop you just as fast." reveals Uncle Bob. It's definitely true of the M3 as we pulled into the driveway, my fisrt touch of true M Power coming to a close. So this wasn't a review, simply a prespective of an awesome BMW from someone who usually enjoys it fomr the opposite side of the car. But I agree, it's the ultimate driving machine. (and the ultimate dream machine, according to the words on my English binder:)
The Enthusiast Question
On a common day, I'll walk into English class, binder in hand, which is decorated with an M3, an '02, a '98 Beetle, and a Corrado on the cover. I head over to my teacher and chat about sending his new Jetta to Neuspeed, about 30 valve technology from Audi, New Beetle turbos, or getting to drive that M3 on my binder cover (it was FUN!). As the bell rings, I head to my seat, and the girl behind me says, "Russ, you're obsessed with cars," pointing to the E-30 M3 on my Bahnstormin' t-shirt. "Are you a car freak?" she inquires. "I'm a ...." I begin to respond. But what am I? CCA members can't be classified as 'car guys'. because then what would the female members be? So I come to the term 'enthusiast'. But is that correct? I've only driven now one BMW (that article is still to come), and I've only been in the club 9 months. But, I have a large amount of BMW and Club apparel, and then there's Russ's Vehicle Page (www.angelfire.com/ny2/cars). So help me define enthusiast, and tell me if you're one or not. E-mail me at bimmer_boy@yahoo.com If I get responses before August 20th, they'll show up in the next der BAYERISCHE Brief. So have your story printed, and help me define enthusiast. Then I'll print the M3 Experience: Age 14.
