Bmw may 2014 by kasgraphics

STRAIGHT SIX MAY 2014

Straight Six

May 2014 £5

30 Years ofLift the off! E30 A tribute to this iconic BMW

The motorsport season begins with BMW’s total dominance at the Nordschleife

PLUS: VSS SOUTHERN CONCOURS RESULTS, GENEVA SHOW AND MORE… SHOWAUTOSPRAY SEASON KICKS OFF WITH THE SOUTHERN CONCOURS AND TATTON CLASSIC

BMW CAR CLUB

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Contents Formed in 1952 as The BMW Car Club of Great Britain, incorporated in 1982 as The BMW CarClub (Great Britain) Ltd. A non profit making clubowned and run by and for its members. Combined One-Make Car Club Associated Club of RAC Motor Sports Association Ltd Founder President Vice Presidents

Contents

The Late R.J.T. Hewitt Trevor Gillard John Safe Jeff Heywood Chris Wadsley Len Oakshett

NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS Chairman Vice Chairman Club Secretary Dealer Partnership & Technical Director Historic/Classic Director Regions Director Concours and Valuations Director Events Director Finance Director Scottish Development Director

EDITOR

Magazine Editor

ADVERTISING

Display advertising Classifieds

MEDIA OFFICER Neil Robinson

CLUB OFFICE

General Manager Ass. General Manager Membership Secretary Technical Consultant Financial Manager

David Frith Steve Haslam Simon Brookes

Jamal Blanc John Castle George Champ Steve Haslam Caroline Hobbs Andrew McArthur

Isabelle Phillips Matt Goldsmith Hine Marketing 01452 730770 sales@hinemarketing.co.uk Club Office 01970 267989 www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk nrobinson5@blueyonder.co.uk

David Frith Jenn Roberts Beth Jenkins Andy Everett Sarah Thomas

BMW Car Club (GB) Ltd, Unit 5h, Glan Y Afon, Aberystwyth SY23 3JQ Tel: 01970 267989 Fax: 01225 703885 Office hours MONDAY-FRIDAY 9am-5pm Website: www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk email: office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Chris Willows, Duncan Parker, Ian Martin, John Paulding, Dan Norris, Andy Everett, Robert Rourke, Jamal Blanc, Jeff Heywood, John Olliffe, Douglas Crisp.

CONTENT SUBMISSIONS

Please send all magazine content by email to straightsix@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF BMW CAR CLUB BY Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton Glos, GL2 9LN. Tel: 01452 730770 sales@hinemarketing.co.uk

PARTS ENQUIRIES

This is a service strictly for Club members only – for parts enquiries please ask to speak to Keith Bridge on 01204 900909. Please have your chassis number available with your enquiry and please call during office hours only

Board Torque

Autospray VSS Southern Concours The first Club Concours competition of the year took place at the picturesque Montacute House in Somerset

40 Your Photos 42 Geneva Motor Show Report

Members of the Central Region go back to detailing school

14 Thoughts from the Boardroom 16 BMW News BMW start the motorsport season in fine form

18 MINI News

Any comments you may have about the magazine or the Club should be sent to the Club Office The BMW Car Club (GB) Limited does not necessarily agree with the opinions, suggestions and recommendations, including advertisements by traders. They are entirely the view of the authors and neither the publication of them, nor the references to products or services supplied, implies the endorsement of the BMW Car Club (GB) Limited. Whilst the BMW Car Club endeavours to reproduce articles with the minimum of change to the text provided it does reserve the right to edit any copy submitted without reference to the person who submitted the article

22 Pilot Cup Sport 2

FRONT COVER

28 National Concours News

Members from the South East report from this flagship dealer

12 Meguiar’s Visit

20 Products

http://on.fb.me/bmwccgb

We look at why this X3 is saving lives

39 Park Lane Visit

10 Club News

COMMENTS

Cover photo by Jamal Blanc

36 First Responder

A closer look at Michelin’s game changing road legal tyre

24 Silverstone Classic News 26 Motorsport The first round of the Kumho BMW Championship from Donington Park

30 Dan Norris Dan drives the much anticipated M235i

32 i3 Road Test

44 Australian Adventure Darren Teagles visits our friends Down Under

48 The Mighty 3.0 CSL Robert Norris reminisces over his iconic CSL

50 Running Reports 52 Nuts and Bolts Examining the case of the non revving E46

54 National Festival News 56 BMW Factory Tour 57 Drive it Day The Eastern Region’s Members visit the David Mellor Factory

58 Regional News 67 Register News 74 Classifieds 82 Events The new home for our Events page

George Champ tests the electric i3 in real world conditions

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Board Torque Board Torque sponsored by

Board Torque BOARD TORQUE

I don’t know about you, but the word ‘change’ normally fills with me with dread; and following a major change in life, the phrase “never again” is one that I am sure is familiar to you all. Some common examples have to be moving house or changing the car; and then there is the more frequent ones like changing your computer or upgrading the mobile phone – both of which for me are almost life threatening. Another example I dislike is changing the decor at home. The thought of the mess and upheaval fills me with dread; you just know that the promised job time of a week will end up being three at least. So,The youPractical will beClassics very surprised to know, Restoration Show that at the NEC most of my business life idea has involved going inand Birmingham was a new by the organisers to when clients’ homes andshow changing personal I learnt of the in latetheir January I was finances or reorganising businesses thaton have not too enthused. However, as time went and lost track of expenditure and efficient working with the help of David Evans (new Central West practices. chairman) and his wife Jan, we agreed the Club Like any difficult task, identifying the should attend - especially as theare organisers were problems and finding solutions essential at at any us tomajor be onechange, of their but big names. Aware thelooking start of then there is image is so high within the industry, thethat twoour very different scenarios of those who see thewe benefits of the proposed changes andclub those proceeded to help by being the largest who just don’t want change or don’t seestand. the long presence at the show and with the best term need of the changes – which in many Having delivered all the equipment and cases helped can simply beup down to poor communication with the set on Friday; I left David, Jan andor the stubbornness to resist change under any our newly out sourced merchandise shop to run scenario. their first ever major event on Saturday while I After many years of doing this work, I have wenttotorealise chair our board meeting. When I returned come that all of these elements will on Saturday evening wereare really enthused arise and the very bestthey results achieved and everyone had signedinvolved up 10 new as well when is members, in agreement, butasthis is answering rarely everthe many a reality.technical The decision to change questions. The working the Club’s office quality practices of the shopand wasrelocate another great success with from Melksham – although being their next eventtoatAberystwyth Duxford on May 4th and BMs on clearly necessary the Lawn on Junefrom 15th.almost every business aspect – was exacerbated by the urgency in I spent Sunday on the stand and we signed up which this change was required by all of us that another 14 members, but enjoyed a wonderful day hold the Club’s existence very dear. ofUnfortunately, engaging in so many interesting conversations the events leading up to the you will be able to read a full report in next office being left without staff did not allowmonth’s me reminded metojust themagazine. luxury ofThe fullshow communication youhow all, but

the arguments to move from Melksham were overwhelming and Aberystwyth offered the only instant solution from a financial and staffing point of view; and for the future, if it was to take place, it would facilitate the New Beginning for our great Car Club. They do say that pictures speak louder than words, but I can assure you, the dilapidated state of the old building in Melksham was one of the worst operating business premises I have entered; and I was even more shocked because of the conditions for our staff and the unacceptable representation of our Club image. members fearedwe that particular theSome past and the decisions need to make change in was costfully theinformed Club a lot of money,from but the going future to - with agreement using very influential I am pleased all. The past procedurecontacts; of reviewing signed off to report that the annual costs are less and that accounts does seem to be rather pointless on the move is being covered by the advertising behalf of the members who clearly want to take an commission normally paid to the General interest in the financial running of the Club, and as Manager each month – which I am forgoing. My long as that interest is constructive and in the best staff have also identified significant expense interestswhich of the will Club,be it should be recognised. savings, revealed in detail soon. The presentation provide clear So, I hope that makes will you also all feel evena better about this insight intochange. the team of members who are to aimtoisbe to apromote be Finally, proposedthe as long thoseterm thought wide visits from you all to our wonderful andto the representation of the memberscoastline who all bring brilliant driving roads – and course real Welsh table a specifi c skill area thatof will be required to hospitality. Although the move has had its usual ensure the board will be well represented for the traumas, I would like to thank Jennifer and my future planning - that is a key requirement of any wife for the emergency call to duty on behalf of The members election allcompany. the members; and to standing you all I for would likeare; to Howard taking over from John Castle, who thank youWalker for your patience. wants concentrate on his and We to are just waiting for Classic Keith toRegister come and clean all the trophies National Festival work.because Howard the will cabinets be knownare to ready waiting with back lighting, how posh manyand of you and is–one of our most experienced isand that? respected members, both in the UK and BMW

his month’s Board Torque has been left until the very last minute on purpose because it is without doubt the most important communication to date. Before I go on, I have to start by sharing one of the best event weekends I have had so far.

BMWCC 10

worthwhile the personal sacrifices have been since last June, ensuring the reputation of the BMW Car Club is not only protected but enhanced. The importance of this message is to convey as clearly as possible what will happen at the AGM on May 10th at RAF Cosford and summarise why this meeting is an important crossroads for our Club - hence there will be a full and open presentation about the challenges that have had to be overcome since June. My presentation will be transparent and comprehensive providing an opportunity alldoor those members who attend The uninviting for front in Melksham to hear a first-hand account of how the Club has been run and why decisions have been made, with a view to answering all of the many questions that I know are still in circulation. For the first time ever, we will be sharing together Draft Accounts rather than conveniently signed off accounts because this demonstrates even further the lengths I intend to go to ensure everyone understands the issues of

4 old BMW Club Magazine 2014 The BMWCar Car Club office –May no heating!

Car Clubs Europe, so his inclusion was without objection. Regards Another change is a replacement David Frithfor Richard Baxter, who has chosen to stand down. Whilst he Chairman and General Manager may have chosen to take a rest from the board, BMW Car Club I hope he continues to enjoy his club membership. Replacing Richard will be Tim Fathers, who represents a younger element of the new board and who has already achieved significant success in his time with the Club by becoming the new London Region chairman and heading up the new website development team. Tim is a direct result of the splendid work George Champ is doing to develop and prepare new members for positions of responsibility. Tim has a similar interest in the M Power section to that of Richard as can be seen The dark, old Board Room from his own www.AnyM.co.uk website which was developed and built by himself, so check it out for an insight into his skills and commitment to BMW. Simon Brookes is also standing down and will not be continuing either of his roles as Director or Company Secretary as he embarks on a new and very involving job. Simon has done a very good job in the very difficult role of Company Secretary, but it was felt that with the need to investigate some important rule changes, Simon would not be able

David has his packing hat on!

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Dick Lovett BMW www.dicklovett.co.uk

Bristol: 0845 052 3355 Swindon: 0845 052 5314 Hungerford: 0845 052 3347

to commit the time needed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank both him and Richard for their work in the boardroom on behalf of the Club. It was decided that the replacement for Simon should be highly skilled in modern communication variants, so if anyone wants to explore what is involved and wants to commit to the Club as a director please let me know. As for the Company Secretary, a candidate has been identified and an outline of the rule changes that require investigation have been discussed, but out of respect this position will not be announced until the new board has been appointed. The rule changes proposed by members include a review of the voting procedure, introduction of a maximum term for the chairman with a succession plan to be implemented, director appointment process and change of accounting/ auditing levels of requirement all of which have sound arguments for and against; and in that case, they will all be reviewed by a team of members who are responsible enough to ensure that the position of the Club is never compromised. The presentation will also provide insight into the future development of the magazine which although receiving glowing reviews everywhere; it does not mean we can remain complacent. I intend set up a small team of experts in journalism such as Mike Taylor, Dan Norris, Matt and Hine Marketing to monitor the quality and The new, clean office of in Aberystwyth future development our great magazine and further protect it from ever being at risk due to internal upheaval. Plans will also be revealed on the employment structure of the Club, with the phasing out of a general manager in favour of a stronger office based team and a more active and accountable chairman. This will further demonstrate that the position of the office could literally be anywhere, with the excellent team in Wales making its position there a forgotten argument. The presentation will include more thoughts and plans for the future as well as highlighting all the major strides that have been made recently to enhance the image and professionalism of the Artwork can bebydisplayed properly Club as seen BMW, event organisers and our sponsors. Finally, I hope that everyone who attends remembers it is the future of the Club that is important and whilst I see my input as work in progress, if a better alternative plan is proposed then I would be more than happy to stand aside fully satisfied that I had done the best I could for the Club in the position I found it in.

David The new signs are up!

W T c F

W W

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Judging begins…

ou would be forgiven for thinking the event calendar has always included the Autospray VSS Southern Concours. So popular was last year’s competition, we almost forget that 2013’s was the inaugural event. Organised by the Western Region, Montacute House in Somerset was once again the location and welcomed Members (and non-members) from all over the south, to do battle in the fiercely competitive Pride of Ownership Concours category. Just because cars are judged slightly differently compared to those in ‘Elite’ competitions, don’t for one second think that the entrants haven’t been hard at work and preparing their machinery over the preceding weeks. Fortunately the sun gods were shining as competitors and spectators made their way to the display and judging area. Because numbers were so high last year, the National Trust moved us from the previously used walled enclosure to the grandeur of the grounds at the front of the House. With over 25 cars competing, Nigel Smith and his team of volunteers expertly guided the rest of the visitors to park down the centre of the spectacular tree-lined avenue. By 11:00, over 80 BMWs had already parked up. With well over 100 cars attending during the day, National Trust visitors were somewhat surprised (and impressed) by the spectacle of the Autospray VSS Southern Concours.

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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As the judges cast their eyes over the entries, everyone was welcomed to spend the day looking around the impressive house and gardens, with many taking the opportunity to picnic in such a spectacular setting on what may just have been one of the best days of the year so far. As well as the Concours competition, there were also trade stands to be explored. As well as the Autospray VSS Ltd stand, Bristol based Map-tek (07970 190895 or matt@map-tek.co.uk) were available to discuss ECU re-mapping. Redish Automotive (www.redishautomotive.co.uk), also from Bristol, were on hand to talk to visitors about the tuning, servicing and repair services they provide as one of the south west’s leading independent BMW specialists. Paul Edwards from Autosmart (07875 553703 or www.autosmart.co.uk) was happy to guide everyone through the range of both professional and enthusiast specific valeting products they supply. The guys from Howards (www.howardsgroup.co.uk) were also kind enough to bring down a selection of their BMW stock, including the only X5 of the day. However, it wasn’t all trade stands. The girls were hard at work promoting raffle tickets and delicious cakes. With all the proceeds going to CLIC – helping children and young people with cancer, we raised a total of £540.00 on the day, so thank you to all those who contributed to this total and congratulations to those raffle prize winners. With the afternoon spent shopping and socialising, it was finally time to announce the winners. The cars are broken down into categories; A: Classics (02, E3, E9, E12, CS and E21) pre 1980 B: Modern Classics (E30, E28, E24, E23, Z1) 1980-1990 C: Evolution (E36, E34, E32, E31 and Z3) 19912000 D: Millennium (1 Series, E46, E39, E38) 20012005 E: New Era (E90, E60, E63, E65 and Z4, MINI) 2005 – present As well as the individual Class awards, the entrant who scored the most points on the day would also win the coveted ‘Autospray VSS Ltd Trophy’. Once the crowd had gathered, it was time for Nigel to announce the winners. The pre 1980 ‘Classics’ Class A was won by Anthony Birchell and his 2002 Saloon. Anthony was runner-up last year and took the 2014 victory by 8 points. Class B represents the Modern

This Flash Chrome refurb caught the eye. See last month’s Wheel Refurbishment article for details on discounts (01202 875553) www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:55

Time to get down to business

Autospray VSS Southern

Concours â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;14 Words Matt Goldsmith and Nigel Smith. Photos Matt Goldsmith

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Anthony Birchell’s 2002

Class E winner, Ian Warren

Class C winner, Roger Boaden

Class D winner, Simon Alcorn

Ian Magnani’s Z1

Roger Boaden’s 840Ci

Class A winner, Anthony Birchell

Classics of the 1980s and this was won by Ian Magnani and his Z1. There was only one entry for the ‘90s themed Class C ‘Evolution’ category. Roger Boaden wrapped up the Class honours with his immaculate 840Ci. Class D was a hard fought contest and with just 5 points in it, Simon Alcorn and his E46 ALPINA B3S took the victory. However, the closest competition was in the New Era category. The Class E title was secured by Ian Warren and his E92 335d M Sport, taking top honours by just 2 points. With the Class results confirmed, it was time to announce the winner of the final award of the day. With 294 points and the overall points lead, the ‘Autospray VSS Ltd Trophy’ would be returning to Devon once again as Ian Magnani’s Z1 was revealed as the Southern Concours Car of the Day. Ian’s Z1 retains the Autospray VSS Ltd Trophy; can anyone stop his dominance next year? Congratulations to all that participated and to those of you who were victorious. A huge thank you must go to Nigel Smith of Autospray VSS Ltd (www.autospray-uk.com, 01963 362002) without his support the Southern Concours would not be the success it is. Thanks also to Kathleen and Theresa for collating the scores and to Diana

Autospray Trophy and Class B winner, Ian Magnani

Leake for judging alongside Nigel. Thanks to the girls for their cake and raffle ticket selling, and to the members of the Western Region for setting up, marshalling and dismantling the event. Thanks also to our hosts at Montacute House (www. nationaltrust.org.uk/montacute-house), their hospitality is greatly appreciated. We’re looking forward to next year’s event already!

Simon Alcorn’s ALPINA B3S

Autospray Southern Concours: Price of Ownership Results: CLASS A B

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POSITION 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd

NAME Anthony Birchell Tom Roberts Ian Magnani Michael Pang Sean Damen Roger Boaden Simon Alcorn Dan Wood Adrian Meredith Ian Warren Stephen Hollingshead Michael Goodship

Ian Warren’s 335d M Sport

REGION Devon Western Devon Western Wessex Cornwall Wessex Western Western Cornwall Western Cornwall

CAR 2002 Saloon 2002tii Lux Z1 E30 M3 M635i 840Ci ALPINA B3S E39 540i 330i Sport E92 335d M Sport Z4 Roadster Z4 Roadster

Congratulations to all our winners

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Club News

Product Line

BMW Car Club Online

BMW Car Club (Great Britain) Limited Notice of Annual General Meeting for the year ended 31st December 2013 Notice is hereby given that the 32nd Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held on Saturday 10th May at RAF Cosford, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 8UP at 2.00 p.m. N.B. Members attending the meeting must ensure that they have current, valid BMW Car Club (GB) Limited membership cards with them. VOTING WILL BE BY SHOW OF VALID CLUB MEMBERSHIP CARDS.

With the impending launch of the new Club website, I wanted to take a few moments to throw out some interesting (yet nerdy and somewhat narcissistic) statistics that caught my eye. After a spectacularly one-way conversation last month, it surprised me that the idea of promoting a local event on social media was so quickly dismissed. With over 3200 likes on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bmwccgb) and 1400+ followers on Twitter (@bmwccgb), to most this would seem like a no-brainer. Although the numbers may not compare to that of our actual Club Membership; this audience is exceptional for one very distinct reason – the likelihood that many ‘likers’ and ‘followers’ are actually non-members. Whilst it is great to advertise our events in the Club’s magazine, it is always important to show the potential members that we a very active club and there are many other reasons to join other than the obvious financial benefits. Once the new website has gone live and those who are contributing have all been trained, we will be exploring all possibilities to tap into our online audience and expand the membership. As you will have read in previous issues of Straight Six, our Flickr account (www.flickr.com/bmwccgb) has also been getting some much deserved attention. It may come as a shock, but we have nearly 20,000 photos (at time of going to press) that are free to download – including sets from all of the major shows and events from the past five years. We have amassed over 3,000,000 views on Flickr. Yes, over three million. If you haven’t checked out any of our free online media, then please do so and spread the word!

Letters Wheel Damage

I feel that one of the prime causes of wheels being ‘kerbed’ is not only the vulnerable nature of the currently fashionable wheels, but also that of poor driver vision – and not just the poor rear three-quarter view provided by most modern cars. Giving drivers a chance to accurately position their cars relative to the kerb is a basic safety measure which has been relentlessly sacrificed on the altar of making cars pedestrian friendly, but which has now resulted in cars where the chance of hitting a pedestrian by mounting a kerb has increased. Being reasonably tall, and used to driving cars whose bonnets have only a gentle slope I find that when driving modern cars with sharply-sloping bonnets I seldom have a handy datum to judge my position relative to the kerb, and am constantly checking the nearside mirror to see the tyre/kerb relationship. On a few such cars I can actually see the wiper arms, and use these as a datum, although shorter drivers would find this impossible. Frankly, when in these safety-conscious cars I am a nervous wreck – particularly when being driven by those who seem to regard hitting the kerb – often with some force – as a normal part of driving! No wonder front wheel alignment has become big business. I am sure that the growth in wheel damage cannot all be blamed on potholes, but as wheels became a fashion accessory, and bonnets assumed a sharp downwards slope the result was inevitable. Now you know why les Francais come at you on the wrong side of the road! Mike Fishwick Daglan, France

Have your say! We’d love to hear from you on all subject matters, so drop us an email at straightsix@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 10

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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It is intended that the following business will be conducted at the meeting: 1. To receive the National Committee’s Report 2. To receive and consider the Directors’ Report and the Draft Audited Accounts of the company for the year ended 31st December 2013, and the Report of the Auditors thereon. Copies of these will be available from the Club Office on request. 3. Directors a) To elect directors in place of those retiring by rotation, namely Stephen Haslam, Simon Brookes and Richard Baxter. b) To ratify the appointment of Club Members co-opted to the National Committee, namely David Frith, Jamal Blanc, Howard Walker, George Champ, Caroline Hobbs, Tim Fathers and Isabelle Phillips. c) To consider any proposals that may have been received for election of any other person as a director. 4. To consider the appointment of Auditors to the company for the coming year. 5. To authorise the Directors to fix the remuneration of the auditors. 6. To transact any other ordinary business of the company. Copies of the Report of the 2013 AGM are available either by email or hard copy on request from the Club Office. By Order of the Board Simon Brookes Company Secretary BMW Car Club (Great Britain) Limited March 2014 Registered Office: Unit 5h, Glan Y Afon, Aberystwyth, SY23 3JQ

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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CENTRAL REGION:

VISIT TO MEGUIAR’S

e at the Meguiar’s UK distribution centre in Daventry with full complement of 21 Club Members present. Members came as far afield as Cambridge, Lincoln, Oxford, even from “up North” and all with pretty clean cars too! The seminar commenced with a lively presentation by Dominic (one of the Meguiar’s Marketing guys). He introduced the show with a history of Meguiar’s. The company started in the USA in 1901, mixing polish in a bucket with a balloon whisk for the furniture industry. With the growth of the automobile coach building industry their products became more in demand from the increasing numbers of car owners wishing to keep their vehicles looking good. Dominic continued the presentation with a detailed walk through the product range. He organised the myriad of different products into simple groups and followed the Meguiar’s approach to car detailing; “Clean, polish, wax.” Before starting in earnest on the lecture, Dominic asked the party to nominate the leading brand of car shampoo. Various brands were given but the answer was “Washing up liquid”, which stunned the party. Dominic said that the use of washing up liquid as a car shampoo was not a good idea as its properties were too caustic for most cars bodywork. So now you know. Having described the basic product lines and their applications, the other peripheral products were introduced so that we all had a complete picture of which products would be best suited for each individual’s needs. During the presentation, unbeknown to the assembled crowd, the Meguiar’s team had selected a car to undergo ‘treatment’ in the second part of the seminar. At the end of the presentation, a Beemer was selected for trial polishing (Sally and Darren Button’s E36 1994 Cabriolet) and promptly wheeled into the detailing booth for inspection. Under the critical halogen lighting every single defect in the Montreal Blue paintwork was laid bare for all to see. In this light, the bonnet look like it had been washed with Cif (Sally how could you?).

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Sally’s Bonnet getting the Meguiar’s treatment

Dominic then proceeded to apply what he had been preaching. Starting with a liberal dose of quick detailer as a lubricant and a warm clay bar, the surface contaminants on the bonnet were removed. This was a surprisingly simple and quick task and safe enough for a few of us to try. Both Sally and Darren had to look away at this point. The next step, the polish step, was to tackle the swirls. Taping off a section of the bonnet, and using a pound coin size blob of Ultimate Compound on a detailing pad, Dominic showed with surprising ease how, by hand, the visual appearance of the swirls could be improved. The result was miraculous. With no more than 45 seconds of effort followed by immediate wipe off, the appearance of the swirls had been improved by 70%. Dominic then upped the ante and brought out the DA Polisher. On another section of the bonnet using the same Ultimate Compound, Dominic glided the machine smoothly across the surface. Again after only what seemed about 45 seconds of effort the swirls had been improved by 85-90%.

By this time we all wanted a go, much to the horror of Darren and the amusement of Sally. But in reality the product is basically fool proof. Dominic demonstrated how, due to the formulation of the product and the automatic torque control of the polisher, it is impossible to burn through the paint - even with almost full body weight behind the machine. Darren had his eyes tight shut during that bit. The final step of the demonstration was the application of the wax. The trick here is to use small amounts of wax and spread it a long way. A pea sized amount was sufficient for half a bonnet. Then it must be left for the finger test. When you think it is dry, drag your finger across the wax, if it doesn’t smear, then it is ready to buff off. The car remained in the detailing booth so Dominic could finish the bonnet to remove the Battenberg finish it now had. Under the halogen lights, there were still a few minor defects to be seen, but after little more than 30 minutes effort of clay, polish and wax, the visual appearance was at least 80% better. With the car outside in the morning sun, it was difficult see any defects in the bonnet at all. We would like to thank Meguiar’s for their time and hospitality. More information on all of their products can be found at www.meguiars.co.uk. Thanks are also expressed to Philip Howells for organising the party and doing a pretty efficient job of keeping the numbers down to 21 (limited seminar space at Meguiar’s) and even creating a reserve list too.

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:56

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17/04/2014 12:56

Thoughts from the

BMW Boardroom

he pace with which electric and hybridised cars are emerging on to the market is nothing short of astonishing. For me and my colleagues at BMW, of course, this phenomenon is mostly about BMW i models - the recently-launched i3 and the soon to be available i8 sports car. But alongside this automotive new dawn classic cars are booming too.

The BMW i3 has been more positively received than we could possibly have hoped. Demand is ramping up for our first pure electric vehicle and at the moment we are running to keep up with demand. Apart from those who are already keen to buy an i3 there is also a queue of drivers interested in taking a test drive in the limited demonstration fleet. Although the i3 didn’t win Car of the Year I wasn’t too concerned. For those who remember my comments in this column a couple of years back, I related how many of the so-called COTY winners (judged by a panel of European journalists with differing ideology) have at best not lasted the test of time, and at worst some are now judged among the biggest lemons ever produced. My view remains that it is perhaps better NOT to win this award, not that I am either superstitious or a bad loser! On the plus side i3 did win the UK COTY Supermini title and the overall Car of the Year accolade as elected by a panel of 27 journalists from respected UK titles. The Chair of the jury noted: “Alternative vehicles have made a big impression on UK car buyers in recent years, and the i3 takes things to the next level. It might be a new direction for BMW, but the i3 successfully retains the driving characteristics from BMW’s more established models.” In the same ceremony our 5 Series received the Best Executive Car award. Worldwide BMW has received a significant number of pre-orders for the sporting BMW i8 and without the ability to increase production quickly in the short term it is quite likely that waiting lists will stretch beyond six months very quickly. The early drive reports in prototype cars have carried fulsome praise for i8 and more comments like those from Georg Kacher in CAR magazine will surely stoke demand further. British enthusiasts will first see the car in action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June where its unique styling, searing performance and pioneering laser headlights are sure to make an impression.

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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On the hybrid front BMW offers ActiveHybrid models in 3, 5 and 7 Series form with an X5 to come. Those who read the specialist media will also know that BMW is developing a plug in hybrid sports car in conjunction with Toyota. Following an agreement late last year the two companies will bring their own areas of expertise and excellence to the drive train while retaining individual interpretations of what a sporting car should be to produce an authentic BMW and Toyota. This is an exciting project, but one for which we shall all have to wait a bit longer. Yet while demand for alternative energy vehicles rises, there seems to be little dimming of interest in older cars. In the classic car world it is all about petrol models, of course, and ever greater customer interest naturally drives up prices. A recent US auction sale contained a collection of 18 BMW models that between them made $3.3 million. The star lot was a 1958 series 2 BMW 507 that was bid to over $1.8 million. To my knowledge this is the first time a regular production BMW model has made over one million pounds in a

TIM ABBOTT CEO of BMW UK

public sale. While we all know the 507 is the rarest of BMWs with only 253 ever made, there were some other strong results at the Amelia Island sale. An M1 was hammered down at $379,500, a 503 Coupé seemed almost cheap at $220,000 (when one considers that it emerged with the same provenance as the 507) and a 1600GT hit $116,000. This is the pretty coupé inherited from Glas when BMW absorbed the Dingolfing company in 1966, and in BMW form it lived only a short time thereafter. A humble 501A even made $121,000! So, the classic car movement is thriving, but that is not to say there are no threats. As part of a plan to turn Paris into a low emission zone the Mayor of the city plans to outlaw the use of cars more than 17 years old by September 2014. He also wants to ban motorcycles built before 2004 and older trucks. Of course this is only a proposal and would need ministerial support, but it seems odd that the ubiquitous 2CV and Renault 4, so beloved of the French people, might never again be seen in the capital. We shall see. Paris is not alone though. Closer to home there is a lobby to restrict the current London Congestion Charging Zone to only the most environmentally –friendly cars by 2020. It was first proposed by Mayor Boris Johnson in 2009 and the intention is to remove vehicles that emit higher pollutants to improve air quality. It is obviously fraught with difficulties, especially for owners of older cars who live within the zone, not to mention the historic London to Brighton Run. Balham to Brighton doesn’t have quite the same ring! Until we see the outcome of these political debates I leave you with the thought that cars both old and new appear to be in rude health. So let’s enjoy our cars this spring.

A rare 507 at Goodwood Revival www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:56

Country Lane Tours ‘It is not the cheaper things that we want to possess, but expensive things that cost a lot less’ – John Ruskin

3rd UNKNOWN ITALY TOUR - September 12th – 28th, 2014

Like all events organised by Country Lane Tours this is a holiday with your classic / vintage car, not a route march. Daily mileages are generally low (the totally in two weeks only 1600) with ample time to sightsee and relax. Cars and crews are whisked across Europe by overnight motorail and our first night stop is Maranello, with dinner at the famous Cavallino Restaurant, opposite the Ferrari factory. Our next halt is Assisi before travelling along roads and through rural villages seldom visited by tourists. With stunning scenery, great driving roads, detailed road book, and peace of mind ensured by the presence of a support vehicle as well as an experienced tour director, this is an experience not to be missed!

For full details, including a FREE dvd of the previous events, email your name and postal address to countrylanetours@aol.com or call Ian on 01824 790280

Country Lane Tours.indd 1

17/04/2014 14:07

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 14:11

BMW News

Product Line

BMW Dominant at the

NÜRBURGRING

he BMW Sports Trophy Teams Marc VDS and Schubert finished the qualifying race for the Nürburgring 24 Hours in the top four spots. Victory went to Maxime Martin, Marco Wittmann and Uwe Alzen. The trio in the number 25 BMW Z4 GT3 relegated the car of BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert, driven by Jens Klingmann, Dominik Baumann and Claudia Hürtgen, into second place. Their team-mates, Dirk Werner, Dirk Müller, Lucas Luhr and Alexander Sims, in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 finished third. The second vehicle from BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS with Bas Leinders, Markus Palttala, Nick Catsburg and Dirk Adorf rounded off the one-two-threefour result perfectly after six hours. Starting from 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th on the grid, the BMW Z4 GT3s drove consistent lap times throughout the race, and didn’t show any signs of technical problems. With a clever strategy and their rivals suffering various

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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problems, the BMW teams kept moving up through the field and were able to spend the last hour of the race focussing on bringing the cars home. All four BMW Z4 GT3s celebrated a world debut on Saturday when they were the first to be kitted out with the innovative BMW laser light technology. “It is no coincidence that the first time we use the new laser light technology in a race will be on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “As a demanding test laboratory, this circuit has always played a key role in the development

of BMW cars and our racing cars. For this reason, I am delighted we can now achieve another milestone there with the first use of laser light at a racing event. Highly-efficient laser headlamps are an important safety factor, particularly at the 24-hour race on the Nordschleife. This qualifying race gave our BMW Sports Trophy Teams – Schubert and Marc VDS – the ideal opportunity to run the new technology under competition conditions for the first time before the big race at the end of June.” BMW Group sales top 200,000 for first time in single month The BMW Group sold 212,908 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles in March – the company’s best-ever monthly results. It’s a significant 11.3% increase on the previous all-time monthly high in March last year (191,269 units). A new high for the first quarter of the year was also achieved with a total of 487,024 vehicles delivered in the first three months of 2014 (prev. yr. 448,200 / +8.7%). Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing BMW, said: “This is the first time in the company’s history that over 200,000 vehicles were delivered to customers in a single month - March has rounded off a strong first quarter in 2014. Despite continuing economic uncertainties, we are experiencing steady improvement in almost all regions. Sales of our BMW X-vehicles have been particularly strong; I’m sure the brand new BMW X4, which celebrated start-of-production in Plant Spartanburg at the end of March, will contribute to boosting growth still further when it comes onto the market from July.” www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:56

Mint aeros. AC Schnitzer aerodynamic components are manufactured to OEM standards in PU-RIM, a thermoplastic designed for the automotive industry. Styled byAC Schnitzer’s in-house designer Michele Viandante and engineered for an excellent fit and finish to give your BMW the individual finishing touch. Stand out from the crowd - call us for a package for your car or visit our website.

3 series F30 SE/Sport Front spoiler £508.24 Boot spoiler £353.95 Roof spoiler £263.20 Together £999

1 series F20/F21 M Sport Roof wing £263.20 Front spoiler elements £408.40 Together £599

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17/04/2014 13:15

Autoenh

MINI News

Product Line

by Ian Martin, MINI Register

Ian’s GP2 completing The Hill Test Kelly and Mary’s Cooper S’ grab attention

John Farrar’s R53 Cooper S

Brooklands Mini Day: Saturday 22nd March Brooklands Mini Day is one of the main events on the Mini calendar. Held every March in the grounds of the Brooklands Museum, which has aircraft, motoring, motorcycles, bicycles and the London Bus museum - it’s five museums in one! This year our small collection of MINIs had prime position at the side of the historic Brooklands Clubhouse. The four MINIs were John Farrar’s Blue R53 Cooper S, Mary Sanders with a brand new, fully loaded Volcanic Orange F56 Cooper S (a loan car from Vines), Kelly Brabbin’s dark silver R53 Cooper S and finally my R56 JCW GP2. After parking up, Kelly and I went to book our MINIs in for a run up the famous ‘Test Hill’. The Test Hill was built in 1909 as another facility to encourage use of the Brooklands track for development and test work. It is 352 feet long and divided into three sections, starting with a gradient of 1 in 8, then 1 in 5 and the top third has a gradient of 1 in 4. It was used by manufacturers to test both the ability of cars to climb steep hills and also of their brakes to stop them coming down. Following our safety briefing we excitedly queued for our turn up the hill, the crowds cheering the many Classic Minis and Modern MINIs as they took their turn. Both Kelly’s Cooper S and my GP2

stormed up the hill effortlessly, my GP2 reaching over 60mph at the top and having to brake sharply to stop becoming airborne! After that excitement we settled to enjoy the rest of the museum, including the newly restored Stratosphere Chamber, which was designed under the direction of Barnes Wallis in 1946 to form a key part of the new Vickers-Armstrong’s Research and Development Department. Its purpose was to test aircraft components under the environmental conditions experienced at 70,000 feet; the height at which Wallis’ designs for new supersonic aeroplanes would fly. This meant the reproduction of temperatures as cold as anywhere on the earth’s surface and an air density one-twentieth of that at ground level. Because some of the design problems were similar to those of submarines, it was manufactured in pieces at Vickers Shipbuilders in Barrow-in-Furness, transported by road to Weybridge and erected on what is now the Bus Museum site, before being ‘launched’ on to its present foundations in September 1947. A large refrigeration plant supplied very cold methanol

liquid to coolers at the four corners of each of the air circulation ducts. One end of this complete structure, The Great Door, is carried on wheels and can be moved to one side to give access to the working section to carry out experiments. The Chamber was in operation until 1980. Among the tests done in the Chamber was work on pressure cabins for the Viscount, Vanguard and VC10. Complete aeroplanes including the Scimitar and Sea Vixen were also tested there as were helicopters, naval guns, trawlers, buses and tanks. The Museum is that big we failed to see a lot of the exhibits, but we’ll see them at next visit - a long drive, but a great venue; the home of the world’s first purpose built motor racing track and the birthplace of some of the greatest British aircraft! See you at Brooklands Mini Day 2015! Our next MINI event is ‘British Mini Day’ at Himley Hall, Dudley on Sunday 11th May, if you want to join us get in touch, discounted tickets £6.

...a

•

Brooklands Hill Test

• In

The unmistakable Brooklands banking

• •

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_3-46.indd 18

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:56

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PRIOR-DESIGN PD-M Widebody Aerodynamic Kit for BMW E92/E93 Prior Design has just released a new widebody aerodynamic package for the BMW E92 and E93. The components are made from Dura-Flex FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) which boasts an excellent surface finish that provides sufficient flexibility combined with high durability and provides the ideal surface for easy and inexpensive painting The kit fits all E92 and E93 models except the M3 and include; front and rear bumper kits, side skirts, front wings and rear wheel arch kit. The complete kit retails at £2,629.74 including VAT. A bonnet, rear boot spoiler, roof spoiler and exhaust are available as optional extras. Fitting and painting can be provided at Prior Design’s UK fitting centre close to the M25 and M11 motorways. For prices and fitting requirements call - 0208 5989115

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Autoenhance are proud to announce that they now have stocks of the prestigious S2 wheel - part of the Quantum Forty-Four Alloy Wheels range. The wheels features a recessed rim and countersunk fixing bolts and the slim twin spokes leave plenty of room to show off a big brake conversion. The S2 is available in 19” diameter in widths of 8.5 and 9.5 in various offsets and BMW bolt patterns. A choice of MGM ‘magnesium’ or SM silver lacquer is available. Prices for a set of four wheels start at £745 including VAT. For further details visit the AUTOENHANCE website: www.autoenhance.co.uk or call 0208 5989115

MOMO Hyperstar Alloy Wheel As part of their 50th anniversary celebrations, Italian styling legend MOMO have released a new road wheel which features the classic five spoke design harking back to the styles featured on some of the classic performance and race cars of the past 50 years.. Naturally the Hyperstar is 100% MOMO and bears the iconic name cast into one of the spokes and repeated on the centre cap to ensure no one is left in doubt as to this wheel’s pedigree. The Hyperstar is available in Hypersilver finish and in 5 stud fitments only. It is Runflat and TPMS compatible and available in sizes from 15” to 18”. 15” - £114.99 inc. VAT 16” - £129.99 inc. VAT 17” - £145.10 inc. VAT 18” - £175.10 inc. VAT For more details contact Momo UK 01268 764411 or visit their website: www.momo-uk.co.uk

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_3-46.indd 20

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Italian racewear masters, MOMO have just released a new race boot, the GEOX. The GEOX has been hand-made in Italy and is extremely light and comfortable. It is also the first boot to incorporate MOMO’s new ‘Net Breathing System’. The sole has extra-large perforations across the surface and a full sized waterproof, yet breathable, membrane covering the entire surface of the sole. The boot also has an extremely durable high-tech protective layer. Additionally the rubber used for the sole is fireproof (as is the whole boot), anti-abrasion and anti-slip. Combine this with the ultra-flat structure of the sole and you have a piece of footwear that provides maximum comfort and protection when driving and unparalleled grip across the surface of the pedals. Having research various materials MOMO has used kangaroo leather for this boot for its softness and ability to conform to the contours of the foot and yet maintain its shape and quality over a long period of time. The boot is available in a choice of three colours. It is extremely light and comfortable, making it ideal for endurance racing, and conforms to FIA standards. Available in continental sizes 39 to 46 (UK 6.5 to 11). Retail price - £579.99 inc. VAT. For more details contact Momo UK 01268 764411 or visit their website: www.momo-uk.co.uk

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Powerflex are well known for their polyurethane suspension bushes, many of which are available in adjustable kits to correct the car’s camber angle after lowering. But how do you check the camber angle when you’re working at home? The new PowerAlign Magnetic Camber Gauge, from Powerflex, attaches magnetically to the wheel hub or brake disc and measures the camber angle, allowing on-car adjustment to ensure correct wheel alignment. Retail price £35.94 including VAT. For further details visit www. powerflex.co.uk or contact your local Powerflex dealer www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:57

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17/04/2014 12:57

Sets the Pace

ichelin launched the Pilot Sport Cup 2 (PSCUP2) at last year’s Frankfurt motor show. The fastest road tyre in its line-up, this is a record breaking road-legal tyre with a track focus; setting the lap record for a production car at the Nürburgring on the Porsche 918 Spyder (6 mins 57secs) and most recently, the Seat Cupra in the front-wheel-drive category. The performance levels that this tyre offers are clearly demonstrated by the fact that it is the sole OE fitment on recent ground-breaking cars such as the Ferrari 458 Speciale, the Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series and the Porsche 918 Spyder. The Pilot Sport Cup 2 takes over from where from its predecessors, the Cup/Cup + left off. Jamie McWhir, UK Technical Manager and a former tyre engineer to the Renault F1 Team, explains how this radical tyre combines a number of existing and new technologies, “The Pilot Sport Cup 2 features technologies already used to manufacture other high performance tyres at Michelin, like for example, the aramid fibre belt or the tread compound with two different types of rubber on the inside and outside of the tread. These technologies have been further developed for this new tyre. However, this tyre differs through the introduction of a number of new high-tech features. In particular, the bead region is 10% wider to increase the tyre’s stiffness and improve responsiveness and steering precision. The tyre also features the “Track Variable Contact Patch 3.0”, a process that ensures that more rubber is always in contact with the road, especially when subjected to high forces when cornering.”

22 BMW 22 BMW CarCar Club Club Magazine Magazine May May 2014 2014

BMW_May14_3-46.indd 22

“Developing tyres to be better in any one aspect is relatively easy to do, the challenge we at Michelin set ourselves is to improve as many key performance aspects of the tyre without there being a compromise to others. We refer to it as Michelin Total Performance”, adds Jamie. Thanks to the deeper tread (5.4mm) and a revised tread pattern, Michelin claim performance on wet roads is enhanced with reduced likelihood of aquaplaning, yet dry handling and braking are improved significantly. Tyre life has also been extended by some 50% vs its predecessor, making this a tyre you can afford to drive to and from the track. Further details can be found at www. michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-pilot-sportcup-2 Facts behind the development of the Pilot Sport Cup 2: • 150 hours of tests on European tracks. • 4,000 km of tests on Nürburgring track. • 550 prototype tyres tested. • 200 tyres produced for car ﬁne tuning The very high performance levels of the new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 are made possible due to the considerable resources that Michelin invests in its research and development activities – around €600 million per year.

The new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyre high-tech features: The tread compound Produced with the same tools used to manufacture race tyres, the tread compound of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 integrates BiCompound technology. The outer rubber has been specially designed to deliver outstanding in the dry, especially in tight corners, while the inner part of the tread uses rubber made with a more rigid elastomer to ensure precise steering. An aramid fibre belt The main feature of the belt made with aramid, a high-density fibre, is its heightened tensile strength. This composite is both light and highly resistant; in fact, it is five times stronger than steel at an equivalent weight. The tyre’s footprint remains constant as centrifugal growth of the tyre is effectively controlled, even at very high speeds.

The Track Variable Contact Patch 3.0® This innovation optimizes pressure in the tyre’s contact patch so that a constant and optimum amount of rubber is always in contact with the track, thereby ensuring superior grip in both long and fast, and tight corners.

W S

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A new bead area The bead area is 10% wider than that of a traditional sports tyre. It is strengthened with a high modulus rubber compound that increases the tyre’s lateral stiffness and delivers sporty responsiveness as well as precise steering.

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:57

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26/03/2014 09:33 17/04/2014 12:57

Event News

Silverstone

Classic • Open to ALL BMWs not just ‘classics’ • Hotel discount available • Parade Lap confirmed • Early booking discount • Ticket prices increase on April 1 • Display Pass deadline is May 31 • Non-Members welcome

July 25-27 Words Duncan Parker Photos Darren Teagles

What’s on?

Silverstone Classic 2014 is focused on Maserati and will host a glittering line-up of special races, displays and parades to celebrate the centenary of Maserati, one of the most historic and hallowed motoring marques in the world. On this special milestone, Maserati will be the events official featured ‘Celebration Marque’ for 2014 and highlights over the weekend will be topped by a cavalcade to feature a record number of the Italian company’s most evocative and significant models. Marking the occasion, Maserati’s rich competition and showroom heritage will parade around the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit at lunchtime on Sunday 27 July.This year’s event also celebrates the official 50th UK birthday party for the World’s best-selling ‘classic’ car – the Ford Mustang. There will be races and parades dedicated to the American legend. In addition to the contingent from the BMW Car Club GB, there will be club displays from Aston Martin, Morgan, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lotus, Austin Healey, Allard, Frazer Nash, Morris, MG, Rolls Royce and Triumph. At no other event will you get to see so many famous and legendary marques lovingly maintained and displayed by their owners. The sheer scale of these displays – some 9,000 cars in 2013 - is a landmark feature of the Silverstone Classic; a real celebration of motoring, auto design and memorabilia. As for the racing, each paddock will operate independently with its own Race Control and assembly area; driver changes, team pit information, and tyre changes will take place in their respective pit lane. There will be only one Start/Finish line for all races, which will be in front of the Silverstone Wing building. Qualifying and racing in the morning will be for grids based in the National Paddock and those based in the International Paddock will run in the afternoon. Do not forget that you can catch

PRICES INCREASE AFTER MARCH 31. CLUB DISPLAY PASSES AVAILABLE UNTIL MAY 31 24

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Event News

the bus to each of the pits and spend time within feet of the cars, and in most cases talk to the guys working on them. It really is an up close and personal event. The grandstand seats are all free to use unless it’s specifically reserved (the Silverstone Racing Club, for instance, have their own stand which is restricted.

National Paddock:

• Historic Formula Juniors (Pre ‘64) • Stirling Moss Trophy for Pre ‘61 Sports Cars • Classic Formula 3 (‘71-’84) • Under 2-litre Touring Cars (U2TC) • Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars (Pre ‘63 GT) • Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for Pre ‘56 Sports Cars

International Paddock:

• FIA Masters Historic Formula One (‘66-’85) • Mustang Celebration Trophy (Pre ‘66) • Chopard International Trophy For Pre ‘66 GT Cars • The Super Touring Car Trophy (‘70-’99) • HGPCA Pre ‘66 Grand Prix Cars • HGPCA Pre ‘61 Grand Prix Cars • FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars (‘62-’74) • Group C Endurance

Off Track Entertainment

The line-up for the weekend’s evening entertainment has been confirmed: Friday 25th July Canned Heat Ultimate Eagles Aerosmith Big Ones Saturday 26th July Bonnie Tyler Signed Sealed & Delivered Jim Stapley Band Mo Evans Finally, if you’re in need of a break from the allaction racing on the famous Silverstone circuit, then look no further than the Shopping Village for a spot of retail therapy. With over 150 exhibitors attending there’s something for all the family including: • Motoring Memorabilia • Vintage Clothing & Accessories • Toys & Models • Motoring Books & Literature • Restoration Services • Art & Photography

• Cars & Car Parts • Antiques & Auto Jumble

Accommodation Plans:

Hotel We have once again negotiated a deal with the Holiday Inn Express Northampton which includes the Breakfast Buffet. Evening meals are not included, but the establishment facilitates takeaway orders being delivered from outside the hotel and there are eating establishments local to the hotel. There is a bar at the hotel and plenty of communal area. The cost this year will be £79 per night per room from April until their offer expires on June 24 - at which point our reserved rooms are released for general sale. You can book online at www. expressnorthampton.co.uk or call them on 01604 432800. The discount booking code is BMW. Camping As well as coordinating the ALPINA Register, Simon Alcorn has also agreed to represent the camping group this year. We have spoken to the organisers and they will allocate an agreed area for us based on the numbers that book camping using our codes. The area will be roped off so that our campers can be co-located. The total cost for weekend camping is £49 per person. Please book your camping when you book our CCD Package.

Parade Lap Carry Over From 2013

As those that went to the Silverstone Classic last year will remember, just as our Lap was about to start the sky opened up and our Parade Lap had to be cancelled. The Silverstone organisers have agreed to reinstate the Parade Lap this year and it will be held on the Saturday evening. We will have a maximum allowable number of attendees based on last year’s attendance, so you need to be quick to book your place. We will of course give preferential treatment initially to those who attended last year and lost out! If you wish to take part in the Parade Lap, I suggest booking your place early! We had 270 cars last year and so we have that many allocated for this year (and we will try and get additional ones, but we cannot guarantee that any more places will be available). If anyone is coming to the event and is happy to donate their Parade Lap space to someone else can you please email us (office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk) with your booking number and let us know that you are happy to donate your potential Parade Lap to someone else this year.

Silverstone Classic Booking Code C14070

Classic John Castle 02 Register Richard Stern E24 John Rogers E30 Neil MacDonald Concours Steve Haslam M Power Richard Baxter MINI Ian Martin Track Days Neil MacDonald Z3M Coupe Ian Counel Z1 Jamal Blanc Z3 Z4 E85 Gary Hyde Z4 E89 Paul Kelly Z8 X Series Jonathan Harris 1 Series Danny Nolan 3 Series 4 Series 5 Series 6 Series 7 Series Andrew Osbourne 8 Series i Series Customised Dips Motorcycles Historics Howard Walker

C14071 C14072 C14073 C14074 C14075 C14076 C14077 C14078 C14079 C14080 C14081 C14082 C14083 C14084 C14085 C14086 C14087 C14088 C14089 C14090 C14091 C14092 C14093 C14094 C14095 C14096

Request for Coordinators

This year we are urgently looking for volunteers to assist the organisers. We have a number of people that we know will coordinate some of the Registers, but some of the groups we have no names for. We are looking for people who will take the message out to other forums and champion getting people to come to the event alongside BMW Car Club. They do not have to be members of the Club and we want all models of the brand to be represented. Specifically we need representatives for the 3, 4, 5, 6, Z3 and i Series. If you are prepared to help, please contact us at office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk. Please look at the list for coordinator vacancies and if you would put like to volunteer to help coordinate, it will be greatly appreciated. Please publicise the event wherever you can.

Car Club Display (CCD) Code Deadline

These codes are only valid until May 31 and you MUST book using a Car Club Display code if you wish to display with the Club. The CCD package is the only way to obtain a relevant display pass for the event. Tickets purchased after the May deadline, or without a valid CCD code, will be forced to park outside the circuit and some significant distance away from the action – so don’t miss out! Book Now! We want to make this the best Silverstone Classic to date! Visit www.silverstoneclassic. com and follow the car club links to buy tickets.

PRICES INCREASE AFTER MARCH 31. CLUB DISPLAY PASSES AVAILABLE UNTIL MAY 31 www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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KUMHO BMW CHAMPIONSHIP: Donington Park Words and Photos Derek Binsted (www.djbinsted.co.uk)

Whittaker passes Fielding for the Race 1 win

Class A: Double for Whittaker The new season of the Kumho Tyres BMW Championship started off in bright sunshine at the Donington Park National Circuit. The Class A cars took to the track and with some of the cars registered for the championship not yet ready to compete, just 15 cars took part in qualifying. The session lasted 15 minutes and on a slippery track it was defending champion, Garrie Whittaker in his E36 M3, leading the way with a time of 1:16.070 ahead of Colin Wells’ M3 CSL – just 0.178 seconds behind. Michael Cutt (M3) was 3rd represented the Invitational Class which also runs with the Class A cars. The top 6 cars were all within one second of each other. As race time was approached, the heavens opened up and there was a lot of standing

Garrie Whittaker makes it a double win

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water on the track. The cars had a couple of laps behind the Safety Car before forming up on the grip. The Kumho BMW Championship cars run on standard road tyres and there were doubts whether the race would have even been started at all. When the lights went out to signal the start of the race, a lot of the cars were struggling for grip, including pole-man Whittaker. It was Fielding who took the lead with Whittaker in 2nd with Wells in 3rd. All of the cars made it safely through turn one, even if some found it trickier than others; including Colin Whitmore (E36 M3) who went sideways into the gravel but escaped unharmed. Cutts only managed one lap and then retired. Peter Seldon (E36 M3) retired after only two laps completed; deciding that was his weekend finished and he would take no further part in the proceedings. Michael Timberlake (E46 M3) had struggled in qualifying and then also retired after eight laps.

The top couple of cars were having a good race and Whittaker went on record as saying “he couldn’t believe the pace that Fielding had with the dreadful conditions”, but eventually Whittaker made his move and was leading the race before putting some distance between them. Wrigley was alone in third. One of the closest battles of the race was between Wells and Piers Ross (E36 M3 EVO) with Ross getting the better of Wells a few corners from the end of the race. After 11 laps it was Whittaker who took the chequered flag ahead of Fielding and Wrigley. Ross and Wells came in next with Ian Hills (E36) co-sponsor of the championship in 6th position. Kal Ezzat (M3) in his first race had a problem with his car which decided to go into limp mode, but managed to finish and was the last car home. Fastest race lap for Whittaker with a time of 1:46.618 which was over 30 seconds slower than qualifying; emphasising just how bad the conditions were on track. Sunday’s Race 2, broadcast live on Motors TV, would begin with a rolling start. The pack of BMWs thundered into turn one and all was going well until a couple of drivers got loose. Des Thresh (E36 M3) took to the grass to avoid trouble and was then hit, damaging his car and ending his race. Thomas Hibbert (E36 M3) and Mike Hibbert (E36 M3) were also involved and took no further part. Out in front it was Whittaker leading the way being chased by Fielding. On lap five, Wells put a wheel on the outside of the track and went into a tyre wall and that was his race run. Wrigley made his way past Fielding and was now in pursuit of race leader Whittaker. Lap after lap Wrigley would move right up behind Whittaker but had no answer in how to get past him. The race lasted for 14 laps and it was once again Whittaker taking the chequered flag and his first double win of the season ahead of Wrigley and Fielding. The fastest race lap went to Wells with a time of 1:16.392. After the first two rounds of the 2014 championship, it is Whittaker leading the standings with 30 points ahead of Wrigley and Fielding, both on 27 points. www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:57

Motorsport News

Fielding secures a double win at Donington

Heasman takes top honours in Class C

Ford wins Class D in Race 2

Class B-D: Double for Fielding This year the Class B-D cars will race separately to the Class A machinery in the Kumho Tyres BMW Championship. Qualifying on Saturday afternoon was held on a wet track after a heavy deluge when the Class A cars were racing. A total of 19 cars took to the track comprising of ten in Class B, five in Class C and four in Class D. Rob Alman (328i) found conditions too wet and actually hit a barrier which resulted in the session being red-flagged for a brief period. After the session had finished, it was Mathew Fielding in his red #1b E36 M3 leading the way in Class B with Dave Heasman (328i saloon) in his class C car next. Roger Lavender (E36 M3) and Stuart Laws (E36 M3) were next in their Class B cars. James Ford (318ti) was seventh fastest overall and the fastest Class D car on track. Greg Marking (318is) was ninth overall and second in Class D. Fielding’s time of 1:43.424 was an average speed of 68.88 MPH for the National Circuit at Donington which measures 1.97 miles in length. Sunday morning saw the cars take to a dry track with the sun now shining for their first race of the weekend. As the lights went out, it was Fielding leading into turn one with Lavender, Heasman and Robert Salisbury (M3) close behind. The race settled down and after a couple of laps Robert Williams (E46) found the gravel trap at McLeans’ corner. Unfortunately the rescue crew had trouble removing his car and the Safety Car was deployed, bunching up the field. The restart meant Fielding and Lavender were having a good clean battle up front with Salisbury having a good dice with Dave Griffin (E36 M3). Heasman was leading the Class C race but was now down in seventh place and his slower Class C car couldn’t keep up with the faster Class B cars ahead of him in the dry conditions. Class D was being led by Marking with Ford right behind him and pressuring the silver #70 318is. Laws retired after 10 laps due to a broken wheel. The race ended after 14 laps of the circuit and it was a win for Fielding from Lavender and Salisbury. Class C honours went the way of Heasman with Rob Alman (328i) second in class and Thompson in third. The Class D victory went to Marking; just ahead of Ford with Darren Beckly (E36 318is) in third. The cars returned to the garages to be checked over and prepared for their second race later in the day. Race 2 was the last race of the weekend and it was now very dark with steady rain falling, obviously making the second race conditions extremely difficult. The race got underway and it would be a survival of the fittest (or the bravest) as conditions were now turning treacherous. The Safety Car was briefly deployed and when it released the cars again, it was Fielding leading the way from Heasman and Salisbury. Lavender and Domenic Sordi (M3) retired after only one lap. With fading light and heavy rain, the race continued and Heasman took over the race lead; but this only lasted for a short while as the race was red flagged due to a big collision between Alman and Williams. The race result was decided by this red flag. Unfortunately for Heasman, under red flag rules the result is taken from the previous lap; denying Heasman the race win and gifting the win to Fielding – his second of the day. Salisbury and Griffin finished in second and third respectively in Class B. Heasman had the consolation of taking the Class C win with Thompson ninth overall and second in Class, with Paul Travers (328i coupe) third in Class. Class D honours went to Ford who was fifth overall ahead of Ben Barnicoat (318is E36 coupe) tenth overall just ahead of Beckly. Fielding is leading the standings in Class B ahead of Salisbury with Heasman leading Class C ahead of Thompson while in Class D Ford is ahead of Marking. Marking takes the Class D victory in Race 1

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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17/04/2014 12:57

National Concours supported by

I in fo y

National Concours and Dinner: Saturday 16th August

his year, the National Concours will be held at the Ettington Chase Hotel, Nr Stratford-upon-Avon (Just 10 miles from the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon). With a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere than previous years, the hotel location is perfect for all those wishing to attend the BMW Car Club National Festival the following day. The Concours is just £5 to enter and entrants are advised to arrive at 8:30am for a

Ettington Chase Hotel

9:30am registration. Judging will commence at 10:30am and will conclude at 3:30pm. The awards will be presented in the Live Arena at the National Festival on Sunday 17th August. Members are welcomed to enjoy the hotel’s leisure facilities free of charge whilst judging is taking place. Food and drinks will be available from the Bar, with the option of packed sandwich lunch. After the competition has concluded, everyone is invited to attend the National Concours dinner at the Ettington Chase Hotel in the evening. A three course dinner is priced at £30 per person and it open to all, whether you are staying at the hotel or not. Overnight accommodation is available at a reduced rate and must be booked before the event. A single room, with breakfast is £99 and a double with breakfast is £109. Prices are per room, not per person and are subject to a £5 booking fee. We have a limited number of rooms reserved and as it’s only 10 miles from Gaydon – it would make a great base for those attending the BMW Car Club National Festival. Bookings for the Concours, dinner and accommodation should be made through the Club Office on 01970 267989.

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17/04/2014 12:58

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Dan Norris

There’s no need to swear

arning: this article contains the ‘C’ word. I’ll be honest - I’m not a man who likes to compromise - it doesn’t work well with the day job. Just take a look at the dictionary definition: ‘expediently accept standards that are lower than is desirable.’ But it seems that today may well turn out to have that ‘C’ word as its central theme. I’m standing in a car park on the Ashdown Forest on a bright spring morning, staring at a vision in Estoril Blue. The car before me is the brand new BMW M235i. Its coupe lines with that trademark Hofmeister kink stand out sharply against the dust and stone of the ‘Piglets’ parking area. Its dark chrome wheels are turned to the classic half-lock pose, angel eyes lit, chrome kidney grilles glinting in the sun – all the familiar BMW styling cues are there. But I’m still trying to work out what to make of it. Looking head on, everything seems just right. Snarly, aggressive, purposeful - from this angle the M235i is ready to bite you in the face – and feel no remorse. But from the side or ‘off’ angles I’m beginning to feel uneasy. It’s only as I drive into town later in the day, I realise what’s been on my mind – the Hyundai Coupe. I’m trying to review this new M offering in its own right, but as I go round the car I can’t help making mental notes – needs bigger arches, no side grille in the front wing, wheels don’t look right – the M Performance door mirrors look like they’ve been bought from a scrap yard, donated from a grey car – I’m constantly thinking, ‘I’m sure this will all be put right with the ‘real’ M2’ - if there is one. You can sense the designers were holding plenty back.

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Now, I know that the M235i isn’t meant to be a ‘proper’ M car. BMW is quietly introducing the new half-way M Performance range – and I think it’s a devilishly clever concept, even if there are implications of compromise. Like its older sibling the M135i, the M235i is designed to deliver 70% of the M thrills without many of the down-sides (harder ride, fuel consumption, etc) – and at a significantly lower price tag. Most importantly, though, the M235i is available from your local BMW dealer right now. My initial unease is hardly dispelled when I get behind the controls. The steering wheel is rather elegant, and reminiscent of the Z8, which itself invokes BMW’s aviation heritage. But after a good look around, I appear to be seated in a giant mobile picnic area, with vast cup holders, trays and storage compartments dominating the cabin. I’m worryingly reminded of my parents’ Citroen Picasso, which is hardly an improvement on the Hyundai. The dash is a pretty nasty plastic affair, with those sort of incongruous angular bits all the German manufacturers seem to love at the moment. With past models like the E30/34, the E39 or the recent 1M providing a masterclass for interior design, it’s hard to excuse BMW for making such an uninspiring cockpit. I even have to stretch forward to reach half the controls. This car had better drive well. Once I’ve disengaged stop-start mode, selected Sport Plus and watched my passenger make the sign of the cross, I plant my foot on the throttle and we leap off the line. We have to pass through an initial 30 limit, so I’ve got a few moments to get the general feel before I let rip. My co-pilot for this particular jaunt is the vastly experienced Bob Harper (editor of some sort of BMW car magazine – can’t remember which) and as I start to moan about the limp response and lack of feedback through the electronic steering, I’m drily reminded that I’m simply going to have to adjust my expectations. ‘That’s how it’s going to be from now on,’ remarks Bob. ‘But they’re bound to improve it with time.’ I do hope he’s right, because it’s a serious weak point in what soon turns out to be an otherwise hugely impressive car.

As soon as I start to open up and let the car lose on the clear country lanes around Munich Legends, all my reservations simply evaporate in a puff of low emission exhaust smoke. On the open road, the M235i is immediately absorbing, lively, but smooth at the same time and fast - very fast. One of the first things I’m struck by is just how easy this car is to drive. Even in the manual version, there’s no fussing about trying to avoid the lag from the turbo because – as with the M135i – there is none. For those who like a stick shift, this is certainly one of BMW’s better ‘boxes, but I have to say I would almost certainly choose the 8-speed automatic version - it takes nothing away from the driving experience - gives better fuel consumption, and suits the set up of the car perfectly. But where the M235i will really win you over is in its flexibility. On the tight curves and winding bits, the coupe turns in nicely and sticks doggedly to the road, it feels compact, whizzy and fun. But relax a bit and stretch the car’s legs, and a whole different set of characteristics emerge. The M235i can even begin to feel like a GT car, devouring long stretches of A-road without getting over excited – the car seems to grow in proportion and delivers a stable, calming ride at consistently high speeds. And for those who like to watch the fuel bills from time to time, there’s even an eco mode; although admittedly you’ll probably die of boredom before you ever get to count the savings you’ve made. As I head back to base, I feel a twinge of sadness that my road test is over so soon. The M235i is brilliant fun and just begs to be driven. Whether it’s barrelling through your favourite corners or eating up kilometres on a French autoroute, the M235i is a versatile and rewarding machine - it can be practical, or it can blow your socks off. I have to tell you there is very little in this car that is about compromise. However impressive the M2 is – and we don’t even know there will be one for sure – the M235i can hold its own for exactly what it is: one of the best cars in the BMW range, and one which is perfectly fit for purpose. In fact it’s so good, I’m going to use the ‘F’ word. Fantastic. www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 12:58

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i3 Road Test

Decisions, Decisions Words and Photos George Champ

s humans we do battle with tough decisions hundreds of times on a daily basis. To aid us, we have a whole wide ranging arsenal of weapons to call upon. These aids that help us make decisions; or in other words choices, usually involve emotions. The seven deadly sins; lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride manage to creep in somewhere, balanced by love, needs, looks, speed, safety, comfort, size, practicality, cost. Quite simply, which do we ultimately follow, our hearts or our heads or a combination of both? No wonder we get confused! So let’s get down to discussing the BMW i3. Already Howard Walker (Straight Six, January) and Richard Lofthouse (Straight Six, February) have written excellent articles about the i3 and both of these are essential reading again if you are contemplating buying one. I would also suggest you visit your BMW Dealer and request a brochure (part numbers 94 231 130 199 or 411009 311 21 2 2013 BB or 95 38 1 140 100) or look it up on the Internet. I cannot stress too highly that it is absolutely vital you read this cover to cover and understand the contents as you are sailing into uncharted waters, you are going to have to do your

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homework I’m afraid. As far as most of us are concerned, this car is unlike any other we have contemplated owning before. I am not avoiding the issues and options, but these pages are not the place to discuss them at length so please read the booklet I implore you to arm yourself with the knowledge and have a list of questions ready for the salesman. My first decision was a no brainer and that was when Elms BMW Cambridge contacted me and asked if I would like the loan of an i3 in exchange for a write up and some opinions on how I found it. I have already been seduced by the fantastic futuristic looks of the car, which stem from the BMW E1 of 1991 (see picture), which now quite frankly after 20 years looks rather tame and dated. Look up “Images for BMW Concept Cars” on the Internet and you will see some striking designs, which have led us to the i3 plus the forthcoming i8.

So there we have it; on looks alone it ticks my box. However, beauty is only skin deep and after a four day trial - rather than just a quick spin out from a dealership - can I offer an opinion as to whether this car is one that I (and some of you) should consider buying? All of our personal needs and circumstances are uniquely varied and different. It helps if I start by setting out our personal circumstances; Maggie and I are both retired and have full and interesting hobbies. In my case I just love cars and given the room and money would acquire a massive collection. Between the two of us we have four cars, it was five last year but sadly I had to let my AC Schnitzer 226 bhp Mini Cooper S go. Currently each car fulfils a role, our 2002 Lux enables us to attend Classic Car Shows, the E46 Sea Green AC Schnitzer S3 is just fabulous and can be taken for a really quick spin and also attends shows, our 125i M Sport Convertible is my day-to-day car and will come into its own in the summer (what’s that I hear you ask). Lastly, Maggie has her pink Honda Jazz, which she just loves and is very practical. Here we are straying into the realms of whether an i3 could fulfil the role of the Jazz and it could well do so. The decision to buy the Jazz was based on sound practical solutions as it was a proven, versatile and reliable winner after visiting various other car showrooms, the Jazz felt just right. The decision to buy a pink one was purely emotional based on what she liked and wanted. www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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i3 Road Test

The i3 connects to any conventional 3-pin socket

Charging…

Don’t try and put petrol in here!

Time to put it away for the night

press the accelerator hard down and this car goes like a bat out of hell and will easily out accelerate many other cars

We disregarded the debate going on at the time and most of you will remember it. Only buy a silver car we were told as you have to consider resale values and buying the wrong colour could lose you hundreds of pounds, also it is easy to keep it looking clean. We discounted that as utter rubbish as now white and black have crept in to become the colours to buy. If you want a red, orange, yellow, pink or green car go ahead and buy it and enjoy it. Now let’s get down to the business of the i3. So far we have already seen one emotional decision based on its looks and possibly a second based on practicality as it could indeed easily fulfil the role of the Jazz from a load carrying point of view. Maggie uses her car for mainly short journeys to the supermarket, garden centre and occasional journeys to the rubbish tip; the latter two journeys I flatly refuse to undertake in one of the BMWs. Maggie also does trips to local art courses - usually no more than 30 mile round trips. Already three decision boxes have been ticked before we have even driven the car! These decisions were justified once we actually got to open the doors, climb in and alter the configuration of the seats. Maggie, being petite, was delighted as the seat adjustments meant she was able to reach the accelerator and brake pedals comfortably. The rear loading platform may at first appear a bit high for loading - don’t forget the electric motors and the range extender engine are housed underneath. However, www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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this comes into its own when you have to lift out the shopping carrier bags when you get home as it is always easier dropping them in at the supermarket as you have to lift them up over the edge of the trolley anyway which is also high up. After having some initial instruction and running through the various controls at Elms, Maggie and I were off. We left Elms knowing our journey home was 65.4 miles and the range indicator showed we had a 68-mile range left. We thought this is going to be close, but we knew we had the range extender version so we felt reasonably confident (that’s a lie as we really were uncertain). The range indicator is split into four segments, each of 25% - and it is only when you are down to the last segment that you can operate the iDrive control and engage the range extender, which we thought we had better do as we neared home. The first thing that strikes you about the car is how silent it is, you merely engage drive “D” press the accelerator and you start moving off. Press it hard down and this car goes like a bat out of hell and will easily out accelerate many other cars. Soon we found our way to the M11 and were able to match the speed of the other cars. The only noise being from the road and some slight wind noise, the near silence prompted me to look at the speedo and already I had crept above the legal limit, something you will have to watch out for. We easily managed the journey home as well

as going out twice with three members of the BWWCC who wanted to see the i3, adding another 20 miles motoring. I will save peoples comments to the end of this article, but it was now time to have a closer inspection as we put the i3 to bed and connect one of the two charging cables. The blue one is for using public charging points whilst the black one has a 3-pin plug at one end and makes charging at home using a conventional socket (in my case the one in my garage) extremely easy. The emergency tyre inflator is also stored under the bonnet in the same compartment as the charging cables. The petrol filler cap, yes I did say petrol filler cap, is situated behind a flap on the O/S front wing and is released by pressing a button inside the car. Petrol is of course only needed if you have the range extender version and the tank only holds 9 litres, so you will be really pleased when you visit a filling station and have to fill up. The dipstick for checking the oil level in the petrol engine is located under a removable round panel under the boot floor cover. The rearward opening back doors allow for easy access into the rear seats; and don’t worry - they cannot be opened whilst the front doors remain shut so there is absolutely no risk of them flying open. Incidentally the home charging cable comes with its own display box with lights showing ‘Power’, ‘Charging’, ‘Ground Present’ and ‘Charging Fault’. Both the home and public charging cables BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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i3 Road Test

The high loading platform isn’t a bad thing are locked in position whilst the car is being charged and the vehicle is locked, preventing any unauthorised person from unplugging the supply. By the morning the car was fully charged and ready to go again. We treated the i3 just as we would one of our petrol cars. We headed off to Sainsbury’s for a small amount of shopping, a round trip of 30 miles, as well as undertaking another two demonstration trips. The car still had plenty of range left and was again put on charge. It performed just as well as our petrol cars and of course it was a lot, lot cheaper. On the third day we used the car very much as we would have used Maggie’s Jazz; and yes, we went to the garden centre and bought four bags of compost. The boot is ample sized and extends to an almost flat load carrying bay once the rear seats are folded down, which is a simple operation; we did respect the fact the i3 was a new car and did place a boot liner on the floor first! The Fourth day came around all too soon and it was time to return the i3 to Elms Cambridge. Fully charged overnight, we set off again with the

Maggie is apparently still in the i3 at Elms. Easy to load and unload

No road tax to pay range showing 73 miles so we knew we could easily make it back. The journey via the A120/ M11 was just as straight forward but this time we felt relaxed and confident. We had been supplied with a charge card to use at a charging point, but of course it was not required as the i3 was adequately re-charged at home overnight. The only difference this time was that I used cruise control to ensure I stayed within the limits. In their literature BMW state that the average motorist travels no more than 40 miles in a day and this is well within the range limit of the i3. Ours was subjected to the routine undertaken by our petrol cars plus it managed extra trips to show its capabilities to other BMWCC Members and neighbours. Should you need to undertake much longer trips to say, Scotland; there is a simple solution. You just purchase BMW Access Plan; one of the schemes offered by BMW and substitute your i3 with a suitable conventional BMW of your choice for the duration of your trip - problem sorted! The build quality of the i3 is quite simply superb and is up to the usual high standard of BMW products. The doors shut with the usual quality clunk and the interior seats, carpets, dials and switches all feel like the quality materials you would expect from BMW. You have a choice of three interior trim levels, Loft, Lodge and Suite; the highest being Suite - which is how our car was equipped. The large information display screen was an excellent aid to reversing (new to me so I still used my mirrors and looked over my shoulders). The cost has been mentioned £30,000 to £33,000 plus options, but don’t forget the car is eligible for a UK Government grant of £5,000. Here we have to mention the comparable cost of a top of the range Honda Jazz Hybrid at £20,245 and as far as I could see does not appear on the UK Government’s list of cars eligible for the £5,000 rebate.

Loads of load space When I queried this with a salesman at a Honda Dealership he did not know the answer, unlike a BMW Dealership who will undertake all the paper work for you to reclaim the refund. You must check this out for yourself, as I am not purporting to be an expert on the subject. Maggie and I were very pleased and impressed with the i3 and the $64,000 question, would we buy one? In Maggie’s case a resounding yes, yes, yes, even if it meant giving up her beloved Jazz. What is stopping us? Only the fact that we already have four cars and I cannot afford the additional expense plus exotic holidays we like to go on as well. The i3 gets lots of inquisitive looks and the comments we received from those we showed the car to ranged from “Excellent”, being far and away the most positive, followed by “Very impressed”, “Really impressed”, “Amazed at the acceleration” and “Was worried it would not have been up to BMW quality”. Two of our neighbours who examined the i3 run a printing company and they felt the height of the boot floor was absolutely perfect for loading and unloading heavy reams of paper etc. They are going to explore the possible benefits of running an i3 as a company car. Again, this is something you should check out with BMW Corporate or your Accountant. Remember there is nil road tax to pay and those of you who are worried about battery life - it is guaranteed for 8 years or 100,000 miles and it is made up of modules so any fault will only require replacement of the suspect module. Now get hold of the brochure, read it thoroughly and get down to your BMW Dealership, see the i3 for yourself you will be amazed. My final task is to prise Maggie’s fingers from the steering wheel and tell her she cannot keep it, as it must be returned to Elms – unfortunately, they want it back.

The ugly E1 concept car

A p

H i

W w

A M M

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First Responder Words John Castle and Martin Rogers. Photos Martin Rogers and BMW UK.

t is a horrific statistic that in the UK around 135,000 people die early each year due to sudden cardiac arrest and of these, 80% occur outside of a hospital environment. So you might not be surprised that many of the changes we have adopted in the UK to make our health services more patient-orientated have come from across the Atlantic. Modern ambulances fitted with life support equipment, paramedics, air ambulances and a whole host of specialist equipment has been adopted from the private health sector in the USA (no resistance there to “privatised health care”) in order to save lives. In the late ‘90s, some Ambulance Trusts in the UK picked up on an American idea to train people in the community to respond to local incidents by giving lifesaving treatment until an ambulance resource could get to the patient. There was no dispute that “minutes save lives” and in the case of heart attacks the sooner a defibrillator is used the better chance the patient has of surviving. After a patient has collapsed following a cardiac arrest, every minute that a defibrillator is not used reduces the chance of survival by 7-10%; this is where the Community

First Responder can save lives. An NHS report in 2007 stated that there were 10,158 individuals across 1,331 CFR schemes in the UK and the number has increased considerably since then. If a 999 call is made within a set radius from a Community First Responder’s address, the ambulance service passes brief details to the First Responder and a request is made for them to attend. Whilst the ambulance service will always dispatch its nearest trained personnel immediately, the First Responder can often be at the scene locally much quicker and can provide emergency treatment to the patient until the trained personnel arrive and take over. CFRs are volunteers who, after an interview and checks, undertake about 50 to 80 hours training and a tough qualifying exam. Many Ambulance Trusts link the exam to a BTEC Level 2 qualification which is a nice benefit. The training at this level covers a great deal more than dealing with heart attacks and qualifies the CFR to deal with other emergencies such as strokes, chocking, diabetic conditions, fits and traumas (broken bones, bleeding, burns and scalds). When dealing with the 999 call the

ambulance service decides if a CFR can assist. Each First Responder carries a kit which contains life-saving equipment such as a defibrillator, oxygen, and various other items which is usually purchased direct from the ambulance service at a cost of around £2,500, whilst other equipment such as blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes, and uniforms are purchased separately, usually with a generous discount direct from suppliers. So where does the X3 come in? Well, Martin and I are both CFRs and when I mentioned it to him he told me of his project to get a “scheme car”. I am in rural Warwickshire and use my own car whilst Martin’s “scheme” is far bigger and is centred on Maidenhead. The area covered is both large and semi-rural. As a consequence, many emergency calls are to homes and premises which are not on major A-roads. In bad weather, local Councils are not able to grit the vast majority of side roads, making them impassable for normal vehicles. An estimate is that only 15% might be negotiable in severe winter weather. So Martin launched a fund raising project to buy a suitable 4x4 to use as a scheme car which is made available to CFRs on duty.

The Maidenhead scheme car on duty fund raising

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The hot seat with Terrafix

Custom fitted kit storage

After 12 months with support from local businesses, charities, fund raising events there was enough in the bank to think about a car. At first the group (Martin) considered purchasing a new, discounted, vehicle direct from a manufacturer and the list was narrowed down to either a Land Rover Discovery or BMW X3. But then by good fortune Martin was introduced to BMW Authorities – who are BMW’s blue light car group – and they offered the scheme an X3 Ambulance demonstrator which usually costs in excess of £36,000 for the vehicle and ambulance role conversion. This conversion includes Ambulance livery, lights, equipment storage, Terrafix system & internal & external cameras. The X3 had been in use by various Ambulance Trusts during the last 12 months and was offered to the Maidenhead CFR scheme by BMW Authorities at about half its original price (ex VAT). As there was enough in the kitty, the deal was done.

Martin’s local dealer is Sytner BMW, Maidenhead and they kindly agreed to support the vehicle – initially completing an interim service, prior to delivery, comprising an oil and filter change, and they supplied a set of winter tyres – at a heavily discounted price - which will be vital in freezing conditions and snow. Their support will continue for the next two years with 12 week safety and fluid checks to ensure the vehicle is 100% fit for duty, plus scheduled servicing - all provided free of charge. As the scheme has to fund all the operational costs of the X3, including fuel, from donations and other fund raising activities, the support of Sytner Maidenhead is very welcome. The BMW specification for the car is impressive; six-speed automatic transmission, non run-flat winter tyres, M Sport suspension, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC),Tyre Puncture Warning System (TPWS), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and the usual On-Board Computer (OBC)

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with information on average speed, average fuel consumption, fuel range and ambient temperature plus the special colour scheme and roof mounted warning lights. The car has been in use for half a year and proved its value over the recent wet period. Martin has only one regret; CFRs are not allowed to use “blues and twos” which are strictly for the police, ambulance, bomb disposal and fire services, but in all other respects the X3 does save lives.

Martin and his scheme members take delivery at Sytner BMW

BMW

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 12:59

Swiss movement, English heart

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14 08:09

A naked i3?

ParkLaneVisit The new M5

Words Robert Born, Photos David Cooke

n a beautiful sunny morning, the South East Region arrived in Mayfair to visit BMW Park Lane, BMW Motorrad, BMW MINI and BMW i. Mark Worthington is BMW Park Laneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Managing Director and we were warmly greeted by Mark and his management team. Mark described life at the Park Lane location and its unique issues and challenges. With a growing business he spoke of the big expansion taking place south of the river to the BMW Battersea Servicing location. The new 2 and 4 Series models on display in the showroom were pointed out, as well as the busy week ahead with events, new releases etc. Mark went on to introduce his management team whilst explaining the agenda for the days visit and finally inviting us to partake of the generous refreshments laid on. Noting the cars on display in the main showroom; the blue M5 looks so purposeful, almost brutal, the elegant lines of the white 6 Gran Coupe, the 4 Series convertible (bigger than I expected and certainly a step up from my E36), the 2 Series looks very practical and finally the 760 - who can forget James May being thrown about in the back of a similar model when the Stig got to drive it around Dunsfold? Sideways in a big seven, power sliding out of a corner and also capable of over 21 mpg when being driven with a lighter foot. We went on a brief tour of the subterranean office area where the sales and administration staff are based and into the lower Motorrad display area. I was particularly taken by one motorbike that reminded me of the days of Geoff Duke due to its cafe racer style. At the front of the showroom was the BMW 125 eBay sponsored BTCC Car developed by West Surrey Racing. It had only been unveiled the day before, so best of luck for the British Touring Car Championship this year! www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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Our next port of call was the underground showroom where we saw just some of the selection of used cars. Thirty five years ago I had visited this area when it was a NCP car park. Gone are the days of it being a grubby, dirty and dark space. It was well lit; white washed and has had a special flooring put down. Because space is at a premium, another storage area is used locally for the remainder of the used car stock. A wide variety of cars were on display, segregated only by type - i3s in one area, MINIs in another and BMW in their own area. The opportunity was taken to describe BMW Direct, parts, servicing and restoration; and you could see the teamwork by the friendly banter between Stewart Thompson and Mike Coxon. Upstairs, the MINI showroom proudly displayed the new F56 model MINI. This is the first MINI to be built on a standard BMW production line instead of using its own unique

one. There is great excitement as this model offers greater flexibility in personalisation, whilst the higher build quality and interior feel like they have taken the car to a different level. One Member queried whether the new interior would be comfortable with someone wearing a skirt. I could not offer to test this - well maybe on a Saturday night! The MINI showroom was big; easily swallowing about a dozen cars on display, including an old 1959 Mini Minor with statutory oil leak. Our last port of call was the new i showroom where the i3 was on display. BMW has been working with electric cars since the early seventies, over forty years ago, when it equipped a 1602 with batteries and an electric motor for the Munich Olympics. The range of the car then was 19 miles; how things have changed with the use of carbon fibre, sustainable materials and modern day battery technology. BMW i motoring has opened up a whole new audience and the sales staff has adapted accordingly to meet this. The waiting list for the i3 extends towards the end of the year! You need a totally new mind set when working out costs and travel plans of i3 against conventional petrol or diesel powered cars. BMW Park Lane have a very friendly team who are determined to meet customer perceived levels of service. Efficient, clean working environment - I did not see one dirty car. I came away thoroughly enjoying the day and judging from feedback so did all of our Members. A big thank you to all at BMW Park Lane.

The BTCC 125 BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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YourPhotos Welcome to the ‘Your Photos’ section. If you wish to submit any photos to us, please email them to straightsix@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk with the heading “Your Photos”. Please also include a few words about the photograph and remember to send the ‘non-cropped’ image!

iPhone 4S, ISO 50, f/2.4, 1/800sec Justin Chilton: I had just finished a week long detail after buying the car a week earlier. With the weather being nice, I took the old girl out to look for some nice places to snap pictures.

Samsung Galaxy S3, ISO 50, f/2.6, 1/962sec Steve Daisley: This is a photo of my 2002 E65 735i taken on the cliffs at Hunstanton in March.

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Samsung Galaxy S4, ISO 50, f/2.2, 1/840sec Scott Tostevin: This is my new 1 Series! The picture was taken 10 minutes after it was picked up from the dealer. The photo location is L’eree in Guernsey and the unusual thing about Guernsey is that we have no letters in our number plates, as you can just about see my registration number is 2239 www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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GENEVA Motor Show

Words and Photos John Paulding

here are those who argue that the Geneva Motor Show is one of the most important in Europe, if not the World; as it probably hosts the launch of more new vehicles than any other show. I don’t know if that statement is true, but it certainly seemed like it this year. The organisers of the 84th Geneva International Motor Show issued a document to the press listing all of the World Premiers, First European Presentations and First Swiss Presentations that would be unveiled at the show - it ran to 60 pages, which suggests that statement might just be true!

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Some, like the Range Rover Evoque Si4 Autobiography-Dynamic (pause for breath) and the Land Rover Discovery XXV LE 3.0 SDV6 (another breath) were little more than options on models we are already familiar with, while some were completely new or introduced for the first time to the European market. Fortunately, BMW fell mostly into the ‘Brand New’ rather than the ‘rehashed’ category with the M3 Saloon, the M4 Coupe/Cabrio and the 2 Series Coupe making their European debut, with the 2 Series Active Tourer and 4 Series Grand Coupe making their World Premiere. The line up on the BMW

stand also included the revised X3 and the other newcomers that we’ve already seen in Straight Six, like the i3 and i8 (which seems even more expensive when priced in Swiss Francs). Of course Geneva is about more than just launching new cars. It’s also a showcase for the future, with many manufacturers displaying their design projects to give us a glimpse of what they think we’ll be driving in years to come. Electric cars are a given, but the Biomobile that can cover 100 km on just 0.12 litres of fuel produced from organic waste - I wonder how the oil companies feel about that? Other pieces of automotive magic included the Huracan from Lamborghini -the replacement for the Gallardo, and the Lexus LF-NX which looked like it had been styled with a chainsaw. The Nissan BladeGlider which shows that someone’s been watching those Gillett razor adverts and the Volvo Concept XC Coupe which with two design awards under its belt, could be Volvo’s answer to the Evoque. If you fancy a trip to Geneva next year, it’s easily accessible from the UK by air and if you’re prepared to get up early you can do it in one day. Be warned, Switzerland isn’t cheap - a beer can cost you around £7, but the show is unique and the scenery spectacular. For more on the show see www.salon-auto.ch and for Geneva see www.geneve-tourisme.ch

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BMW fell mostly into the ‘Brand New’ rather than the ‘rehashed’ category with the M3 Saloon, the M4 Coupe/ Cabrio and the 2 Series Coupe making their European debut

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:00

Australian

Adventure

All models were represented

Words and Photos Darren Teagles

went out to Australia on a business trip in December 2013 and thought it would be a good idea to make contact with the local BMW Car Club to see if there was anything going on that I might tag along with. I sent an email to Bob Williams (President - BMW Drivers Club NSW) who replied immediately and invited me along their annual Christmas Picnic and BBQ and also asked if I would be prepared to be a guest speaker at their December club meeting which immediately followed the Club’s AGM! I did a bit of research to find out a bit more about the Club in preparation for the talk I was to give and found out that their Club is very similar to ours, essentially it’s just smaller (they cover New South Wales) with around 400 members that are more like a Region of the UK in scale but operate like our national Club does. You can find out more

It’s always BBQ time in Australia

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about the Club yourself by visiting their web site here: www.bmwclubnsw.asn.au Come the morning of the BBQ I was a little jet lagged (I only landed in Sydney the night before), but pleased to see a bright sunny day. Bob called by my hotel to pick me up and after about 30 minutes traversing the suburbs of Sydney we arrived at a McDonald’s restaurant which was the pre-arranged meeting place for the run out to Woronora Dam (some 45 minutes or so away). There were about 12 cars and about 25 people there for the event, which was one of the shorter runs that they do; this was because they wanted to grab the best BBQ spot available at the dam. In Australia there are many more facilities for this type of event, I was very surprised to see a purpose built BBQ area which was covered and with benches to seat about

The Club Members meet before the AGM

The iconic M535i

Woronora Dam

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A lovely 327 for sale, $219,995

Classic Throttle Shop, North Sydney

If you have to ask the price… You can’t afford it

50-60 people, four cooking points (all electricity paid for) as well as well as toilet facilities. For this particular event, the Club pays for the soft drinks and basic BBQ food; if you want anything fancy to eat or drink then you need to bring your own. There was a great selection of nibbles and drinks before the “sausage sizzlers” were ready to be consumed! The event went well with me being quizzed about our Club and what we get up to, the cars I have owned/own and life the universe and everything in between. After the BBQ Bob gave me the full tourist’s tour of Sydney, all the way from Bondi Beach up to the Harbour Bridge; he drove me around all of the well-known sights also gave me

The Sydney Opera House

with around 400 members, they are more like a Region of the UK in scale but operate like our national Club does some insight into the history as well. Later that evening (and to get my bearings sorted out), I walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge from my hotel which was in North Sydney over to the

Sydney’s skyline by night

In Aus, it’s all about the “standing quarter”

Ned Kelly artwork

Always room for a classic Mini

A tidy 3.0 CSL

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Mercedes and Nissan compete with Ford and Holden in the V8s

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Opera House to take a few photos at night before taking the ferry back across the water to collapse in a heap in my hotel room. Lots of work got in the way of me having fun for the next couple of days before I spoke to them all again after their AGM which I think they all enjoyed. If you ever find yourself in Sydney make sure you head over to North Sydney and have a poke around the Classic Throttle Shop; they have some amazing cars for sale in a great setting: www.classicthrottleshop.com The following weekend I had tickets to go and see the final race in the V8 Supercar championships which was being run (as always) on a street circuit created around the Sydney Olympic Park in an area called Homebush. The guys in the Club were all having a bit of a moan about the event, mainly because of the amount of money that is spent building up and tearing down the circuit every year where they would argue that the same amount of money spent once could create or update an existing motorsport park that everyone could enjoy every day. Long before I arrived I had decided to splash out on hospitality for the event given that I was unlikely to ever go back again and I am very glad that I did as it was a very bright sunny day and about 30 degrees C! Give me another cold beer! As predicted by the BMW Club guys, there’s not a great deal to be seen from any individual spot

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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It’s actually best viewed on the TV, but still, you can’t beat the atmosphere, noise and smells of live racing; the most notable of which was the noise! at the circuit and it’s actually best viewed on the TV, but still, you can’t beat the atmosphere, noise and smells of live racing; the most notable of which was the noise! The racing was pretty close and very aggressive with Jamie Whincup coming in third but winning the championship for the 4th time (in a Red Bull sponsored car – is there anything they aren’t winning?). Overall it was a great trip which was made by the people I met, don’t be surprised if you get a request to host someone who is visiting us from Australia as I said I would try and offer them the same hospitality if they were ever visiting the UK.

Shelia’s wheels

The Sydney street circuit battleground

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17/04/2014 13:16

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17/04/2014 13:21

CSL Line up outside our house in Hayward’s Heath

The Mighty BMW 3.O CSL Words and Photos Robert Norris

aving been a BMW enthusiast for the last 38 years and Car Club Member for at least 30 years, I thought I should recall my time with a very special car - the 3.0 CSL. The time is 1978 and I had just travelled all the way to Liverpool to purchase the CSL with my soon to be wife, Anne. We collected the car and exchanged the princely sum of £2,500 for this 1973 racer. I remember

being hesitant of how the car would drive as we had arranged to travel north to Langholm in Scotland to see some friends who were in the Textile business. There were no disappointments on speed or handling as I had moved up from a white four-cylinder 520. The CSL went like a ‘rocket’ and without thinking we were doing well over 100mph on the M6. Luckily I levelled out at a more sedate 70mph pending our arrival at the Sharrow Bay Hotel in the Lake District, so no prosecutions pending I am pleased to say. Well you had to do it in style to catch your girl; a B&B would not have been acceptable having just splashed out on an extravagant car.

When we returned to our home in Sussex three or four days later, I realised in my enthusiasm for the car I had overlooked the rust that was apparent along the top of both front wings. Otherwise the car appeared sound, so I arranged for the then ‘Ashdown Garage’ (before Munich Legends took it over) to replace both front wings. I failed to ask them to replace the inner wings at the same time and within a year, these leaked water when driven in the wet - so the whole exercise had to be repeated at some horrendous cost. The car really looked the business having had a complete re-spray. At that time I worked in the Holiday Division of British Airways and two colleagues also liked the CSLs (having seen mine in the car park). They managed to find and purchase identical white ones. The only other difference was that one had wind up-windows. Mine, I am pleased to say, was ‘all electric’ and at the time had the best radio around a Phillips 712 FM Stereo cassette tape with microphone – a little green light flashed at you when you were receiving a stereo signal. What a success that would be today – iPods have nothing on that. I always remember my boss at the time being overwhelmed by the car when I offered to drive him to a conference in Birmingham – not only speed, but quality radio as well. I’m not sure it did my promotional prospects any good; having a better car than the boss, as I was then moved into brochure production not the most popular place to be in the Airline at that time! Then I thought what if I get the three cars together for a photo and see if one of the Motor Magazine might publish it – AutoCar did and published a picture on 9th June 1979 – a picture very similar to the one here. I kept the car for another two years and did the CSL track days at Silverstone with Brian Bewdley, which was great fun. Then I sold the car to a local publican (I still don’t know why I did). He in turn sold it to a Classic Car Garage in Hammersmith. Then six months later it disappeared off the radar until about 1984/85, when I had a call from a man in the USA who said he had just shipped it over and could I provide any history. So hopefully YVW 101 L (64th off the production line) is still around – if it is please let the Car Club know so they can tell me – you were a great car!

The 520 prior to being sold for the CSL s)

new (for the historian BMW Ad when the car was

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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17/04/2014 13:21

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17/04/2014 13:21

Running Reports

If you would like to be featured, please contact runningreports@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more info

Owner: Norman Burnham Car: 2005 E65 ALPINA B7

Engine size: ................... 4.4-litre V8 BHP:..................................... 500 bhp

Report No.: .................................... 1 Total Mileage: ..................... 82,356

Torque: ................................516 lb-ft Modifications: Engine: ............................... standard Chassis: ............................. standard Exterior: ............................. standard Interior: .............................. standard

Miles since last report: ..........N/A MPG:........................................... 24.8 Running Costs: .......... £4100 approx. Tyres £1322, Warranty £1600, Tax £225, Insurance £450b Service £500

Back in late 2007 I decided to relocate to Dorset, give up my London based job and company A3 - which meant acquiring my own car. As we already own an E39 Touring, a coupe was on the list and after a brief flirtation with the idea of an Alfa Romeo Brera, I came to my senses and ordered a new 320d coupe. After more than six years and 146,000 miles, I’ve got around to my first Running Report! I’m happy to be able to say that reliability has been near 100% and it fits into my life perfectly, so much so that despite its advancing miles I’m not thinking of replacing it (yet). Frankly, I’m amazed that the clutch and turbo have lasted so long, but both must be near the end of their lives by now. Brakes are also surprisingly long-lived. A life of predominantly motorways is probably the reason why the mechanicals have proved so durable, but this is a superbly engineered car as we would

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 50

This is the best car I have ever owned. However, the original price tag of £93,750 may be more than a stretch for me and most potential purchasers. I traded in my E92 335d with Sytner’s Nottingham and acquired this in January 2013 with a 12 month BMW approved used car warranty. The specification on the vehicle is very high and comparable with new 7 Series of today, minus the heads up display and side impact warning. In fact, I recently drove a 2013, 740 and found the ALPINA superior in many respects. The vehicle is one of only seven on the road in the UK and only one B7 has been registered since 2009. During the last year, I have added 20,000 miles to the car at just over 80,000 at present. I have had one service, which was all pretty standard and cost £500. The real issue is the tyres for the 21 inch wheels. Here I hit a real problem, ALPINA recommend Michelin 245/35ZR21 on the front and 285/30/ZR21 on the rear. Unfortunately, I could not get them anywhere; finally I found

expect of our beloved Bavarians. There have been few minor niggles, the strangest was when an o/s rear wheel sensor failed at 130,000 miles and caused intermittent power failure (interesting in the dark on the M5!). Apparently the driveshaft had somehow caused the wheel sensor to become worn - a very rare failure I’m told. So rare that BMW stumped up 50% of the cost of a new drive shaft. Just lately, it’s developed a flat spot low down in the rev range which has been traced to a faulty connection between the EGR and ECU. Otherwise, it just ploughs on, day after day, racking up 700 miles a week at an easy 55 mpg. The most significant expense has been tyres. I think I’m now on the fourth complete set. The bodywork has a few scuffs here and there and the wheels are now crying out for a refurb, so that’s on the list.

one tyre in Newark and eventually managed to buy a complete set via Michelin. However, this was only after complaining bitterly to an embarrassed representative at their stand at Goodwood. Despite a 30% discount the four tyres came in at over £1300 with the VAT. Michelin are no longer making these tyres (Pilot Super Sport RF) and I am waiting to see what, if anything, they come up with as a replacement; however, barring a disaster I will have some longevity in the current set. In July, the hydraulic cylinder for the remote boot lid was replaced under warranty; I have now taken another 12 months fully comprehensive BMW warranty, which was just over £1600. Thank goodness I did, the car had to be recovered to Sytner Nottingham and it took three days of diagnostic testing to find that a faulty passive control module was the source of battery draining. Expensive cars have expensive costs and I would have been disadvantaged without the warranty. During 2014 the insurance will have been renewed for £450 fully comprehensive and the wheels will be refurbished at around £300. A new VHF tracker system has been fitted as the original was defective and no longer made, £65 for a replacement including labour - which seems like a good deal to me. Despite what some may consider to be an expensive luxury, I would be loathed to give this car up as I find it fantastic. 90% of those miles in 2013 were either Car Club or event related.

Owner: Narin Ganesh Car: 2008 E92 320d SE Coupe

Engine size: .......... 1995cc 4 cylinder turbo diesel

BHP:..................................... 184 bhp Torque: ................................280 lb-ft

Interior: .......Cream Dakota leather; sports seats, DAB radio, USB interface Report No.: ..................................... 1

Modifications:

Total Mileage: .....................146,000

Engine: ...............................Standard

Miles since last report: ...........N/A

Chassis: ............M Sport suspension on 18in star alloys Exterior: .......Folding electric mirrors

MPG:........................................... 55.4 Running Costs:................ First report so not added up all expenditure!

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:21

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08/01/2013 08/01/2013 12:49 12:49 19/4/12 19/4/12 14:11:11 14:11:11 17/04/2014 13:21

Nuts and Bolts

SOLVED: THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS NON REVVING E46 Words and Photos: Andy Everett

odern stuff is great, except for when it goes wrong - and in reality, an E46 3 Series is not even remotely modern by today’s standards. Even so, it’s frustrating when something goes wrong that wouldn’t have happened on an older generation car such as an E30 or E36. So, when I was asked to sort out a 2000 year 328Ci Coupe with an engine that would not rev at all, I was a bit puzzled at first but quickly realised what had happened. The 1998-2000 six-cylinder E46 cars (the 323i and 328i plus Coupe and Touring derivatives) have the double VANOS M52TU engine. This same system is used on the E39 523i and 528i from September 1998 as well as the double VANOS equipped E38 728i. This throttle system has a cable connecting the pedal to the throttle body, but it’s not the same as the previous E36 and E39 cars. They had a straightforward throttle body with a spring loaded disc (nothing to go wrong), and another ‘throttle body’ behind it for the ASC anti-skid system. The idea is that when the ABS sensors detect one wheel spinning at a different rate to another; that second throttle body disc snaps shut, starving the engine of air and reducing it to an idle status. It all worked well enough, but that didn’t stop the designers of the TU series of M52 engines from changing it. On these cars, the throttle body is part cable, part electronic. There is a regular looking throttle body but it now has a motor fitted to the side of it. The idea is that whilst the cable opens the throttle

as normal, the ASC can activate that motor and snap the throttle shut again. Now, that would mean that the throttle pedal would act strangely, so BMW designed the throttle quadrant (the bit the cable fits to) so that the ASC part is independent. Anyway, back to this 328Ci. The car would start, idle perfectly - but it wouldn’t rev one jot over idle - nothing. A quick look under the bonnet revealed that the cable was doing its thing and the plastic quadrant was moving - an ASC problem holding the throttle disc shut? Only one way to find out and that’s to remove it, which is not easy on these if you’ve not done it before. The throttle body is secured to the inlet manifold by four long 10mm bolts, but getting to them is the fun part. Start by removing the complete airbox assembly and that’s easy, just a couple of 10mm nuts and the usual hose clip and the MAF to disconnect. With that out of the way, you need to remove the upper section of the air intake tubing - that is another large hose clip and a bit of carefully applied violence to get it off. From there, you’ll see the second part of the intake tube and throttle body and you have the various other small bits to get off, but it’s all self-explanatory. Disconnect the battery, and unscrew the electrical plug from the side of the unit, remove the four bolts and away it comes. Once off, the problem was clear - the brass disc had tried to seize in the alloy throttle body. This used to be a problem on the old M43engined E36 316i and 318i cars and it’s getting common on these too, as well as the later M54-

This is the throttle quadrant at idle. Note the throttle stop screw - do not play with this to get the throttle to stop sticking!

Here is the ‘414’ throttle body unit. Not the easiest thing in the world to remove, but once you’re stuck into the job it’s not that bad. Here’s the throttle now partially open. The brass disc will be open, letting air in to raise engine speed.....

......Unless of course the disc has stuck shut or the ASC has cut in - the quadrant is still ‘open’ but the throttle disc has closed - note position of the metal bracket in the quadrant centre.

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:21

Nuts and Bolts

45 minutes later, the 328Ci was running and driving like it should. Total cost in parts - £zero, just a bit of time engined cars with the 2.2, 2.5 and 3.0 engines used in later E46 and E39 cars. These later throttle bodies are fully electronic and coded to the car, but the same thing applies. Now, on the M43 the stuck disc would result in a throttle pedal that wouldn’t move. Not on these cars through - the pedal and cable move as normal, but the discs stays shut as if the ASC was activating. On cars with the electronic throttle body, the same can apply - the pedal will feel normal because there’s no cable but the disc is jammed shut. As with the last E36 318i I sorted out, all that was needed was to open up the throttle disc and clean up the bore with some 800 grit wet and dry, polishing away the roughness and step caused. Also, use the wet and dry to create a slight chamfer to the edge of the brass disc - just get rid of the sharp edge that digs into the alloy. Ten minutes later, the throttle discs was opening and closing perfectly and 45 minutes later, the 328Ci

Here’s the bore of the throttle body. Note where the brass disc sits when fully closed, and concentrate on those two areas to clean up. Also put a slight chamfer of disc edge.

was running and driving like it should. Total cost in parts - £zero, just a bit of time. So, if your car ever does this, chances are you don’t need an expensive new throttle body unit. However, that’s not quite the end because another fault of these is the plastic quadrant where the ball end of the cable locates. This can break, and short of fitting a new or used throttle

body you can drill a small hole in the quadrant and use a small tie wrap to hold the cable end in - a dab of Araldite won’t hurt either. The steel cable bracket is prone to breakage and for the sake of £16 from BMW, I’d also recommend that you replace the throttle cable as well as they are well known to go stiff - simple work with the car in bits!

Come and join us on track in 2014 Book Now! To increase your enjoyment we will be running fewer cars at each event in 2014 - so book now to avoid disappointment

T SOLD OUPark May 6th - Cadwell - £150 July 14th - Croft Circuit - £175 Sept 29th - Donington Park - £225 Nov 14th - Oulton Park - £150

Michelin, our track day partner, will be on hand to provide technical support at all our 2014 track days

Prices shown are members ‘early bird’ prices and increase 30 days before the event Call Nick Wright 07714 805 804 or the Club Office 01970 267989 for more information or to book a place www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 53

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:21

BMW Car Club National Festival WHATS ON:

This exciting event will be celebrating all things BMW with a new, arena style event; hosted by master of ceremonies, Steve Deeks. The programme is developing and will be regularly updated – tickets are on sale NOW! National Festival Ticket Prices: Adult Child Family (2 Adult, 3 Children) Rally Pack:

• Region, Forum and Register Displays • Live Action Display Arena • Childrens Soft Play Area • Trade Village • Radio Controlled Cars • “Learn to Drive” (Supervised dual control cars) • 4 X 4 Driving Experience • Driving Simulator • Motorsports Area with Rolling Road • BMW Racing Drivers Club Display • Track Day Bookings and sales. • Go Karting. • Paintless Dent Removal/Wheel Refurb demonstration. • BMW Motorcycle Club Display • West Midlands Police BMW Car/Bike Display • Detailing demonstration • Show and Shine Competition • Large dealer display • Tombola • Club Merchandise. • Scale model cars display (and sales)

Member (Advance) £10.00 £5.00 £30.00 £2.50

Non-Member (Advance) £12.50 £7.00 £36.00 £2.50

August 17: Heritage Motor Centre, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire CV35 0BJ On the Day £15.00 £8.00 £42.00 £N/A

(Includes National Festival Rally Plaque – one per vehicle)

Call 01970 267989 to book your tickets NOW 54

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 54

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:21

NEWfrom BRITISH

MOTOR HERITAGE Startmonkey 400 is a revolutionary new alternative to the heavy battery jump pack. Weighing in at only 1100g and measuring just 210x65x64mm, it will start the 12 volt battery of any 4x4, van, car, boat or motorcycle between 15 and 20 times without requiring a recharge. It will retain 75% of its charge for at least a year. The roadside model connects to your battery with conventional crocodile clips while the motorsport model is fitted with a standard Anderson plug. £199.95 incl UK delivery and VAT. Zircotec has appointed British Motor Heritage as distributor and technical support for their incredible heat management products. Significant reduction in under-bonnet temperatures is possible by coating an exhaust manifold with Zircotec ThermoHold Coating. A range of 14 different coloured ceramic coatings provide the ultimate in thermal barrier performance whilst they are also an attractive durable finish that is easy to maintain. Please call for more information and a quotation to coat your exhaust components. The Motoring Classic’s Powermonkey Discovery measures only 46x13x114mm yet can recharge an iPhone twice, standard mobile phones 3-4 times, or give iPods / MP3 players up to an additional 120 hours playtime. Simply recharge the unit from your computer USB or a mains charger (not supplied). £45.00 incl UK delivery and VAT.

buy online at www.motoringclassics.co.uk or call 01993 707200

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 55

17/04/2014 13:21

BMW Factory Tour

BMW Car Club (GB)

Packages start at £489.00*.

Factory Tour 2014: June 22-27

his June, we are offering all Members the opportunity to join us on an exclusive European tour to the BMW headquarters in Munich. As a Club, we will journey along some fantastic European roads over the six days; pay a visit to the impressive BMW Museum, BMW Welt and enjoy a Premium guided tour of the Factory. Packages start at £489.00 per person. BMW Welt (World) is located adjacent to the BMW company headquarters, the BMW main plant and the BMW Museum. An architectural masterpiece, it is both the delivery centre for new BMW automobiles and a brand experience rolled into one. BMW Welt collates the brand identity of the BMW Group and its four brands in one location. Changing product exhibitions of automobile ranges and motorbikes, as well as numerous interactive exponents show all visitors the world of BMW, BMW M, BMW i, BMW Motorrad, MINI, Rolls Royce Motor Cars and Husqvarna Motorcycles. Every brand has its own experience area. BMW Museum offers a very special journey through time. BMW is presented here, from its origins through to the present and the future. The BMW Museum collects over 125 of the most important and most attractive original exhibits of the BMW brand. The core is the ‘flat’ design in which 26 main topics are displayed in seven exhibition halls.

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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BMW Factory Tour guides guests through BMW’s original plant offers an exciting insight into all areas of automobile production. The experts guiding the tour naturally focus on the guests’ specific requests and questions. In its concept and route, the BMW plant tour follows specific content-related criteria, giving guests access to all automobile production technologies at BMW Plant Munich: the Press Shop, Body Shop, Paint Shop, Engine Shop, the Production of Interior Equipment and Seats, as well as Assembly. Itinery: The 6 Day, 5 Night ‘Club Tour’ to Munich, BMW Welt BMW Museum Including a Guided Factory Tour • Return P&O Ferry Crossing - Dover/Calais • 1 Night at the Novotel Ouest, Nancy • 3 Nights at the Hotel Gasthof zur Post, Munich • 1 Night at the Gulliver Hotel, Luxembourg • 5 Buffet Breakfasts & 3 Dinners • BMW Tour including BMW Museum, Factory Tour & BMW Welt • Complimentary Car Parking at all Hotels • Detailed Road Book featuring Great Drives & Attractions • Commemorative BMW Car Club GB Rally Plate *Prices are per person and based on two persons occupying a car and room. Single room

occupancy supplements £150.00 for the duration of the tour. Our Tour Hotels: Novotel Nancy Ouest - Located 5 km from the centre of Nancy close to the major highways to Lyon, Paris, Metz and Strasbourg. It features comfortable rooms in leafy surroundings as well as an outdoor swimming pool. Novotel Café is open for service 24/7 Hotel Gasthof zur Post - Located in Munich’s Pasing district, just 15 minutes from BMW Welt. Gasthof Zur Post offers country-style rooms, three Bavarian-style restaurants and a beer garden. Guest rooms feature cable TV, a minibar, desk and private bathroom. Hotel Gulliver - Located close to the Belgian/ French borders, the Hotel Gulliver offers modern accommodation with a fine cuisine, free WiFi and on-site private parking. The restaurant offers Belgian specialities, as well as French and Italian dishes. Book Now! To secure your place on this fantastic tour, please contact Scenic Tours on 01732 879153 or visit their website www.sceniccartours.com/ bmw-car-club-factory-tour.

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:22

Eastern Region Focus

DRIVE IT DAY:

Words Steve Haslam Photos Vivienne Bostock

Members of the Eastern Region outside David Mellor Cutlery Factory

ortunately the weather forecast was wrong, so we had none of the heavy rain which had been expected all week – grey and overcast was therefore a bonus. Twenty four Members (oh and Olly) of the Peak and South Yorkshire branch of the Eastern Region met and enjoyed a morning coffee before being escorted on our tour of the David Mellor Cutlery Factory. Thomas – fully endowed with beard and handlebar moustache gave both an informative and humorous guide from the foundations of the David Mellor production to the splendid designs available today. This provided a great start to our day so after thanking our hosts it was back behind the wheel for a little bit of spirited driving. The Derbyshire scenery was at its spring time best with a yellow glow from daffodils in every village – the Peak District truly is picturesque. Our journey concluded at Marsh Green for tea and cakes where all awaited the results of the picture treasure hunt of sites seen along the way – a test of observance. The winners with 100% were Viv and SteveB and newcomers Kathryn, Andrew and Annabelle - well done. In addition, Marsh Green had generously provided a £25 voucher as a raffle prize which was claimed by Hillary Phillips. All in all we had a great time and thank all those who attended and look forward to seeing you again in the near future.

Winnats Pass to Castleton

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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KNIVES, FORKS, SPOONS AND MORE…

Unusual factory roof

Thomas, our tour guide

David Mellor Design: The company was set up by David Mellor, Royal Designer for Industry. Mellor is a key figure in British design with an international reputation as designer, manufacturer and shopkeeper. Born in Sheffield, he has always specialised in metalwork and he is particularly famous for his cutlery design. David Mellor cutlery is manufactured in a purpose-designed modern factory in the Peak District National Park. The Round Building, designed by Sir Michael Hopkins, has won numerous architectural awards. The famous David Mellor shop in Sloane Square, London, and the Country Shop alongside the factory at Hathersage in Derbyshire, sell a professional collection of kitchenware and tableware, expertly selected for those who love to cook and eat. The full range of David Mellor products is available online. For more info visit www. davidmellordesign.com

Afternoon tea at Marsh Green Farm Shop

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Regions

REGIONS Central

Tony Skerrett 07879 404648 central@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

One minor problem with writing articles for the Mag in the so called preseason is that there are not a lot of events/meets in the Central Region that actually happening in March. However, April is an exciting month with Malvern and Old Warden Classic Car Shows; with the Prestige German Car Show at Donington Park on the 27th. Following close on the heels of these shows is Duxford on May 4th, so if you haven’t reserved your place yet, you need to let George Champ know PDQ! (eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb. co.uk) Philip Bladon has agreed to become Central’s Leicestershire representative. Philip is a Procurement Engineer and hails from Tur Langton near Market Harborough. Welcome to Central’s committee Philip. March’s inactivity gives this writer the opportunity to focus solely on Club Members; after all, they are more important than the cars – so my wife tells me! So here goes:

Convertible that I looked after and took to many shows - always dreaming of one day owning an M3.” By chance he stumbled upon an E36 M3 Cabriolet in Daytona Violet tucked away in the back of a garage looking a bit sad for itself. “After a good look, the overall condition inside and out was not as bad as it first seemed, it started first time and I arranged a test drive. It drove like a dream! That was three years ago and it has never let me down.” Frank has maintained the original features including a refurb of the steering wheel, upgraded to a hard top, added xeon lights, a short-shift gear lever and put cross-drilled and vented discs on the front and rear. The E36 M3 was the first M3 to be built in right-hand drive. It debuted in February 1992 and was in dealer showrooms by the November of that year. It was first powered by a six-cylinder engine displacing 2990cc and developing 282bhp.

Frank Brown’s E36 M3 Convertible

Peter Collison Gentleman, Race Driver, Stuntman and sometime Race/Event Car

I first met Frank at the 2011 Kimbolton Event and quickly got to know him after listening to his tales as a bar owner in Tenerife with many lovely Senoritas forever adorning his Bar. As so often happens, all good things come to an end and Frank returned to the UK. One of the first things he needed to do was to get himself a car.

Today, Frank is the proud owner of an E36 M3 Convertible, the latest in his string of BMW purchases. It all started with the first purchase of his sons red 1988 E30 320 SE. After a fair amount of polish and a few shows, it won the ‘Best in Class’ at the NLFT car show in 2006. Frank says “That’s where it all started for me; I had the bug and ended up replacing the red E30 with a very nice white 1989 E30 325

Peter is an unassuming Club Member. He regularly attends the monthly meets, but under that calm exterior lays an amazing history of automobile involvement. Some of you may remember Peter from Kimbolton where he acted as a Marshal, expertly guiding the Beemers into their allotted spaces. Peter runs a beautifully maintained 2008 Blue Z4 Sport which only comes out during the summer months. He bought the car from a Director of BMW UK, partly because he liked the colour and because

it had only done 2000 miles! Even now the Z4 has only done 5000miles! Peter claims it was a bargain which sounds pretty good. Peter started to get involved in Racing in 1964 and in addition to racing; he also prepared

Central West It’s starting to get busy now with lots of weekends filling up with Club events. It’s great to have met many of you for the first time and to have seen your stunning cars. As the lighter nights are now upon us, we hope many more of you will be able to attend the monthly pub meet

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owners cars for race and track activity. In the 1990s, with his son Peter, set up Four Ten Racing - the name being the number 410 with which he was assigned back in 1964 for track and racing events. He was also involved with both Formula Ford and Formula Caterham teams. It was not just involvement with UK companies - apparently he was also involved with a European manufacturer as well. Aside from automobile events, Peter developed his own Keystone Cops Fire Comedy Engine and even built three such fire engines from scratch. This comedy act was successfully displayed in the UK and also in Europe such was the popularity of the event. Perhaps his greatest achievement was building a Human Cannon Ball cannon, the ‘Ball’ being his son Steven! You just can’t beat a BMW owner for originality. Four Ten flourished, winning numerous trophies and coming third overall in the Ford European Championship. With the knowledge built up from taking part in many race/track meets, Peter became involved with work for both BBC and Central Television; notably as a Stuntman and even acted as a Stunt Advisor on the Noel Edmunds Show. To cap it all, he also took part in the successful blockbuster TV series

Soldier, Soldier starring Robson Greene and was also involved in the 1990 ITV series, Bone. Four Ten carried on as a team until the early 2000s, but prior to this Steven was primarily active in the track/racing events whilst Peter was mainly engaged in preparing driver’s cars for both track and race events. Peter has an in depth knowledge on many cars and enjoys every visit to Silverstone where he has taken part in many track events, but now he is quite content to enjoy his Z4 and help out on a spot of Marshalling. But phew, ‘Human Cannon Balls’, well done Peter. Dave Evans 07800 616500 centralwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

which is held on the second Tuesday of every month at approximately at 7.30 (full details in the pub meet section). If you’re running late don’t worry! We don’t stand on ceremony and many of us eat while chatting over a pint (or whatever your tipple may be).

Event report

Autobahn Open Day We held our first Regional event at the beginning of April and we were pleased with the turn out and enthusiasm from both members and non-members. We would like to take this www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:22

Regions

opportunity to thank our host Rob (Owner of Autobahn) and his wonderful team who worked so hard to host the event and look after us on the day. There was a superb display of M3s and also a great variety of classic and modern cars. The weather was not great, but fortunately only a few spots of rain tarnished the immaculately polished and presented array of cars on display. There was also a show and shine competition and the quality of the cars was so high that we had a tie for first place. Well done lads! 1st Brian Elliot - E91 ALPINA D3 Bi-Turbo Touring Dean Dyoss - E92 335i M sport coupé 2nd Dave Evans - E23 733i 3rd Ian Sutton - E36 328i Sport with 6.0-litre LS2 supercharged V8

My Pride & Joy

This Stunning E24 635CSi Belongs to Club Member, Tim Saunders. I came across the car on eBay; it was being sold by a BMW specialist in Hertfordshire. I’ve always admired the looks of the E24 and

I can remember in my early teens taking a liking to them, so 20 odd years later, when I was considering investing in a German classic the choice was very easy. It’s a two owner car originally owned by a company director who I believe put the majority of the 95,000 miles on the clock, the second owner a lady who did minimal miles and then it seems to have been stored for a year or so. It has an automatic gearbox, cruise control, sunroof and a full leather sports interior. Everything still works! It’s also has the original dealer fit stereo upgrade option (or so I’m led to believe). So, as a family, off to Hatfield we went and the deal was done. I drove her back with my wife and son following in my E46 just in case anything happened, but I needn’t have worried, the car drove beautifully and my love affair had begun. I’ve had a full service and the auto box oil changed; a few bits and bobs here and there and recently the whole underneath rust proofed together with a bit of bodywork under the rear bumper, so she’s ready for the great British summer!

Forthcoming Events

May: 04: Duxford Spring Car Show. RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Being organised by Central and Eastern Regions, this is a great day out for all with the added attraction of the Imperial war Museum. Hopefully you will by now have advised us if you wish to attend. 10: BMW Car Club AGM. RAF Cosford Air Museum (see p.10)

Cornwall Dartmoor Run

This is pencilled in for Sunday 15th June, but at the time of writing this in the first few days of April the exact details are yet to be confirmed. As soon as they are finalised they will be sent out to anyone interested. It will be a leisurely saunter over Dartmoor, stopping for something to eat and calling in to Moretonhampstead Motor Museum. And being June, it will of course be ideal weather for such a thing.

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 59

June: 15: BMs on the Lawn. Sea Front, Weston-superMare. If you’re interested, please let us know as we need to advise the Western Region of numbers. 25-27: Silverstone Classic. Silverstone, Northamptonshire. (Book with Silverstone Classic directly, see p.24 for details) August: 16: National Concours. Ettington Chase Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon. (see p.28) 17: National Festival. Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. Please book your tickets in advance (01970 267989) as we will also need numbers for our Regional display area. November: 14-16: Classic Car Show. NEC, Birmingham. We will also hoping to arrange several regional get-togethers throughout the summer to include a barbecue and dive and dine.

We need your photos and a brief write up on your cars for the Pride & Joy section please. You can follow us on Facebook, twitter and the forum. We are always happy to receive your emails, text messages and calls. Looking forward to meeting many more of you throughout the summer months James Brewer 07527 490728 cornwall@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Car of the Month

This month’s Car of the Month belongs to Adam Raskauskas.

Directory of Local Services

As soon as we have access to an up to date Member List, the Directory will be emailed out. We do have of course have contact details for Members we have met or spoken to, but there will be new Members who have joined and other Members who have moved on since we last had an official list in May last year. Please bear with us!

26: Ragley Hall Classic Vehicle Show. Ragley Hall, Alcester. Please advise us ASAP if you wish to attend as we are organising this as Region.

1990 BMW E30 318i Touring

“I bought the E30 in May 2010 to use as a practical everyday car. On arrival it was more of a faded red, almost pink, and just needed a handful of things doing to it – water pump, cam belt and roof lining, the latter a common fault with E30 Touring it seems. Getting the car

prepared for MoT, I realised that it was much cleaner than I had first thought, with original jacking points and no sign of being welded. A good helping of Meguiar’s to get the car back from pink, and the plan of using it as my everyday car soon changed. It’s now my second car and has even sported wedding ribbons! Even though it’s not the 325i, it still gives me pleasure every time I drive it. You can feel the road, and is practical but smaller and more compact than its newer equivalents. A thank you goes to fellow long-term Club Member and specialist Henry Richards for finding it, and for helping to restore it to its original condition. To have your car featured as the Car of the Month, please email me some details, along with a good picture (as high-resolution as possible). The next monthly pub meet is on 12th May at The Punchbowl and Ladle, Penelewey, Feock, Truro, TR3 6QY. See you there, anytime from 7.30pm! BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:22

Regions

Cumbria

Stuart Roberts 01946 590356 (after 7pm) cumbria@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Regional News

Club Office to finalise the details. There will be more details to come in future editions of the magazine please let me know if you wish to attend as spaces will be limited. We have the Fastlane Car Show in Corbridge on the 11th May (www.fastlaneshow.co.uk). I have the entry form for this event so please let me know if you wish to attend. Grasmere Show is on the 22th June and I have the entry forms available for those who wish to attend. Haigh Hall on the 3rd August, Dalemain Classic show on the 17th August. Please support the shows were you can as this is your Region and will only work if you get involved. If you wish to attend a specific event then please share the details and we will attend as a Region.

This month saw our Region visit the Lakeland Motor Museum for our first drive and dine. The meet was very well supported by our members. We also had the pleasure of hosting our Club chairman Mr David Frith. He had travelled up on Saturday morning to spend time with us. He Sat and explained what was happening within the Club and told us of the new and interesting things that were planned for the months ahead. This was very well received by all I believe. This was also our chance to ask questions about our Club. We will now look to organise a meeting in June in the west of the county, September in the east and December in the north that will also include a Christmas Dinner meeting. I will be looking for people to help arrange these meetings so if you want to get involved then please just contact me. Can I please ask that you ensure the Club Office has your up to date contact details. It is usually the last thing we think about when changing email addresses.

Car of the Month

Event reports

This month’s event was our trip to the Lakeland Motor Museum. This is an absolute gem of a museum and a must for all motoring enthusiasts. We were made to feel very welcome by Hazel and her team. There are cars, motorbikes, push bikes and memorabilia from all ages. The period shops were of serious interest to those of us that could remember that far back. The event was attended by several of our new Members to the Region and I would like to thank them for supporting the event. I look forward to our next trip out, which may be a karting trip!

Forthcoming Events

I am pleased to announce that the Cumbrian Region will be hosting an Invasion of the Lakes 2014. I am currently in discussion with the

Devon We welcomed another new member, David Wilson and the return of Antony Birchall to our pub meet at the Passage House Inn on Thursday 27th March, again there was an enjoyable evening had by all 20 who attended. Please note; there will be no pub meet in May as we are holding a car show (weather permitting) on the 25th May. Please meet in the Passage House Inn, Kingsteignton at 11:00am on Sunday 25th May. Please do come and support your Region, Car Club and the Passage House Inn. There is a very busy year ahead and the dates we have so far are as follows:

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 60

This is a new section in our report that I feel is very important as we have some of the very best cars located in the Region. If you wish to nominate either your own car or a fellow members then please forward me the details. >>>car of the month photo This month’s entry has been provided by Mr Darren Adair who is the very proud owner of this Estoril Blue E46 M3 with full black leather interior. It didn’t stay stock for long, with new BCRR coilovers being fitted to give a great ride height whist keeping the aggressive stance of the M. Next was the introduction of a new DC yellow BBK. New anti roll bars and a strut brace were also fitted to stiffen up the handling, all of which were powder coated to suit the BBK. Darren then changed all the oils and diff fluids for peace of mind. I am sure there will be more to add in due course. As you can see from the photo this M3 is in superb condition and a total credit to Darren and we’re looking forward to seeing this at our shows this season. Kathy Jemfrey 01626 330436 devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

3-4th May 10th May

Welsh Weekend BMW Car Club AGM, Telford (see p.10) 25th May Devon Region Car Show in conjunction with the Passage House Inn Kingsteignton 15th June North Devon Hospice Charity Car Run 28th June Rover P4 Car Show Blue Ball Inn Sidford Sidmouth 12-13th July Powderham Historic Car Show 27th July Torbay Old Wheels Car Show 9-10th August Castle Hill Second Car Show

13th August Fireworks Championships Plymouth 16th August National Concours (see p.28) 17th August National Festival at Gaydon (see p.54) If you require information on any of the above dates please do not hesitate to contact me and I will forward whatever information I have to date. If I have missed a planned event please let me know along with slapped wrist.

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:23

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www.elmsbmw.co.uk www.elmsbmw.co.uk Bedford: 0844 326 7246 Bedford: 0844 326 7246 Cambridge: 0844 326 7249 Cambridge: 0844 326 7249 Stansted: 0844 326 7244 Stansted: 0844 326 7244

Elms offer members: Elms offer members: • Generous discounts off the new BMW and MINI • Generous discounts off the new BMW and MINI range •range A minimum discount of £500 on approved used • Acars minimum in stockdiscount of £500 on approved used stock •cars 15%inplus discount on parts and accessories 10% • 15% plus on discount on parts 10% discount all service work and and accessories labour (15% on discount all service cars overon 4 years old) work and labour (15% on carsDiscount over 4 years old) code ELMSCC20133 activation

Discount code ELMSCC20133 George Champactivation – 07514 216660 George Champ –eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 07514 216660 AGM FOR EAST ANGLIA REGION 2014 eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Due to circumstances beyond this As always, a warm welcome to allmy thecontrol new members will take place later than usual and will be held who have recently joined the Club. A really pleasant As always, a warm welcome to all the new members surprise last month todate, be voted asand one of “Hewitt’s during exactjoined time, venue to be who haveJuly, recently the Club. A really pleasant Heroes”, thank you. to (See advisedlast ASAP. surprise month be page voted12asJuly oneissue). of “Hewitt’s Thethank following committee Heroes”, you. (See page 12 members July issue).have News confirmed their willingness to stand again for The AGM for East Anglia Region will take place on News re-election: Thursday 29th August at 7pm at The Lodge Country The AGMas forRegional East Anglia Region will take place on Myself Chairman Inn, near Battlesbridge, SS11 7QT. Thursday 29th August at 7pm at The Lodge Country David Adams – Suffolk Branch Representative June was a relatively quiet month event wise Inn, near Battlesbridge, SS11 7QT. Matthew Hunt Cambs/Beds Branchit would coupled with the – fact “Summer” decided June was a relatively quiet month wise delayRepresentative its start. However, by the time youevent read this coupled with the fact “Summer” decided it would hopefully July will have seen an improvement. We did Kathrinestart. Mason – Norfolk Branch delay However, by our the relationship time you read this enjoyits the chance to cement with Elms Representative hopefully will have seenwho an improvement. We did BMW andJuly MINI dealerships, are now our Region’s Markthe Steward –toDeputy Norfolk Branch with enjoy chance cement ouron relationship Elms Sponsors. We were able to put showroom displays Representative BMW and MINI whoStortford are now(Stansted), our Region’s of members’ carsdealerships, in the Bishops Sponsors. WeCambridge wereisable to put onofshowroom Clive Scoulding stillbranches undecided if he willdisplays stand Bedford and Elms. of members’ cars in theBranch BishopsRepresentative. Stortford (Stansted), again as Essex Bedford and branches ofisElms. Event News The role of Cambridge Events Coordinator no longer The 16th June also saw cars displayed at considered necessary10asmembers’ each branch “Journey through the Ages”, a last minute event being Event News successfully run their own events. If anyone held16th nearJune Diss.also The saw event10was not without drama, at The members’ cars its displayed wishes to put their name forward to stand for as apparently local stop the show “Journey through theresidents Ages”, atried lasttominute event being any of the above positions please let me know going ahead by various means. I am told this included held near Diss. The event was not without its drama, viaapparently email as local soon as possible. removing or altering signs to to thestop event even aseither residents tried theand show broadcasting that the show hadand cancelled – but Ifahead oncebythe date, time, of included the going various means. Ibeen amvenue told this all thisremoving has been yet toorconfi be verified. AGM has rmed, if anyone is unable either altering signs to the event and even broadcasting the show had been cancelled but to attend inthat person with their current BMW–CC all this has yet card to be there verified. membership is an alternative. Proxy

Forthcoming Events

forms will be made available in ample time for AUGUST youHelmingham to use. These canSuffolk be emailed to spaces you and 04: Hall, (Only 20 are then returned mestand) for inclusion in the above available on our to Club AUGUST process. 04: Helmingham Hall, Suffolk (Only 20 spaces are 10 & 11: Norwich Motor Show, Norfolk Show available ourdirect Club via stand) Ground. on Book www.norwichmotorshow.co.uk

Forthcoming Events

Duxford Spring Car Show 4th May

wouldlike liketoto part display, please contact the Summer. would bebe part of of thisthis display, please contact NeilNeilthe Summer. McDonald(neil@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk). (neil@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk). When McDonald When you you bookbook The Goat 25 Vicarage Causeway, Hertford The Goat Pub, Pub, 25 Vicarage Causeway, Hertford yourticket, ticket, please remember to request an EA stand Heath, your please remember to request an EA stand Heath, – First Sunday of every SG13SG13 7RT –7RT First Sunday of every monthmonth a largea large pass.We Weonly only have spaces, soisitimportant is important pass. have 2525 spaces, so it thatthat gathering gathering of classic and interesting of classic and interesting cars. cars. youletletmemeknow know if you stand. you if you willwill be be on on ourour stand. Please note,note, not allnot theallevents listed listed aboveabove are runare run Please the events Regions by BMW Car Club. by BMW Car Club. 25: Little Gransden Air Show – Cambs/Beds. 25: Little Gransden Air Show – Cambs/Beds. Contacts: George Champ 07514 216660 Contacts: SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 01: – Open Breakfast Morning, 01:JDJDCLASSICS CLASSICS – Open Breakfast Morning, Anglia Regional Chairman. George ChampChamp 8:30am-11:30am. www.jdclassics.co.uk/news-events.asp Anglia Regional Chairman. George 8:30am-11:30am. www.jdclassics.co.uk/news-events.asp EastEast extended wheel base the specifi cation on this Bring your own picnic or eat at one of the eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk. Tel: 07514 216660 eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk. Tel: 07514 216660 car includes double glazing, electrically adjusted many food outlets. Adjoining regions will be 01: North Norfolk Coastal Run – Norfolk. 01: North Norfolk Coastal Run – Norfolk.

rear Branch. seats, rear sunblind and self-levelling rear supporting us in particular Tony Skerrett of Suffolk David Adams Suffolk Branch. David Adams 01:Central Classics byKelly the Lakes – Suffolk. 11am –So 4.30pm suspension. The interior also features wood trim and Brabbin of Eastern. please 01: Classics by the Lakes – Suffolk. 11am – 4.30pm jane.s.gibbons@btinternet.com. Tel: 07774 668596 jane.s.gibbons@btinternet.com. Tel:rear 07774 668596 with fi ne matchstick inlays, and wooden let me or your Regional Chairman know if you Norfolk Branch. Katherine Mason. l13klm@aol.com 01: Hedingham Castle Classic and Vintage Car Norfolk Branch. Katherine Mason. l13klm@aol.com folding tables fitted into the back of the front would like us toCastle reserve you a space. BeforeCar 01: Hedingham Classic and Vintage Show – Essex/Suffolk border. Book direct, Show – Essex/Suffolk border. direct, seats. As can in the picture, the car you realise it the show is notBook many weeks away Essex Branch andbe EAseen Events Coordinator www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk Essex Branch and EA Eventsfrom Coordinator www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk has been fi tted with wheels a later E38 so please let us know ASAP. Members from Clive Skoulding. cjj.skoulding@btinternet.com Skoulding. cjj.skoulding@btinternet.com 7Clive Series, as it was originally fitted with metric theClassic countryCar areShow welcome toBook attend 07:throughout Buntingford – Herts Tel: 07500 804988 07: Buntingford Carso Show direct www.buntingfordchamberofcommerce.co.uk/ wheels and804988 tyres which are now hard to find. as indeed many Classic have done in the– Herts past. Book Tel: 07500 direct www.buntingfordchamberofcommerce.co.uk/ buntingford-classic-car Cambs / Beds Branch. Matthew Hunt buntingford-classic-car EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST NEEDED matthew.hunt13@btinternet.com. Stranger Than Fiction Cambs / Beds Branch. Matthew Hunt 07973 986525 13-15: Goodwood Revival. Please make your own At this stage I just need to know if you would matthew.hunt13@btinternet.com. 07973 986525 13-15: Goodwood Revival. Please make your own arrangements to attend. like to reservetoaattend. space for items 1, 2 and 3. The Herts Branch. Tim Fathers. tim_fathers@hotmail.com arrangements appliesKumho to ourChampionship, events list shown below. Herts Branch. Tim Fathers. tim_fathers@hotmail.com 22:same BMWRDC Brands Hatch. 1. Duxford Spring Car Show 4th May.Hatch. 22: BMWRDC Kumho Championship, Brands 29:We Battlesbridge Classic – Essex. will have space for Car 200 Show members carsBook so direct at www.battlesbridge.com/events.php 29: Classic Car Show Essex. Book let Battlesbridge me or your Regional Chairman or –Branch direct at www.battlesbridge.com/events.php Representative know if you would like us to OCTOBER reserve you a space and they will in turn advise Stephen Kelly – 00353 87 418 1372 27: JD CLASSICS – Open Breakfast Morning, OCTOBER me. Paymentwww.jdclassics.co.uk/news-events.asp at the gate on the day £10 per As with the “Star Car” item I am inviting all of ireland@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Stephen Kelly – 00353 87 418 1372 8:30am-11:30am 27: JD CLASSICS – Open Breakfast Morning, person (much lower than the normal admission you to submit a motoring related snippet (not ireland@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 8:30am-11:30am www.jdclassics.co.uk/news-events.asp price). necessarily a BMW) with an accompanying News NOVEMBER 03: Truck Racing and Fireworks, Brands Hatch. 2. BMW Car Club National Festival amusing There’sfrom an old saying “If Please send inphotograph. some of your photos the recent News NOVEMBER car shows. (Gaydon) August. We will again have an you’ve got it fl aunt it” that’s certainly case 03: Truck 17th Racing and Fireworks, Brands Hatch. Please send in some of your photos from the the recent 18:East Charity Race Experience, Snetterton Anglia Region Stand and to helpRace me book with the owner of this matt painted or wrapped car shows. Circuit, Norfolk. 18: Race Experience, theCharity size of our stand please letSnetterton me knowRace if you Motorsport two toneNews chocolate brown and orange Maybach. Circuit, Donegal International Rally: June would Norfolk. like to attend. Tickets and Passes for Possibly not to every ones21st-23rd taste, but if I 2013 was Motorsport News

Irish Irish

Pub the Meets East Anglia Stand are going to be available shortly via the Club Office, but as I say I do need Pub Meets Suffolk Pub Meet – Third Thursday evening of the

given itpair for freeMoffett I wouldand certainly drive itwere and be Monaghan Sam James O’Reilly Donegal International Rally: 21st-23rd June 2013 the delighted of the proud of winners it. You get theDonegal idea soInternational I look forward to Monaghan pair Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly were Rallysome over the weekend. Their Subaru Impreza WRC I will to have an idea of number of likely attendees. contributions from you all, otherwise the delighted winners ofover the Donegal International a 90 second victory the Ford Focus of month at Wild Man, 3. 7.30pm. BrandsThe Hatch suiteSproughton, reserved soIpswich, far for recorded run out of suitable material. RallyKelly overand theKevin weekend. Theirafter Subaru Suffolk Pub19/9, Meet17/10, – Third Thursday evening of the Donagh Flanagan threeImpreza tough WRC IP8 3DA. 15/8, 21/11. British F3/GT Championship 30/31st August. a 90 second victory Ford Focus of with many of the stages madeover verythe slippery by month at 7.30pm. The Wild Man, Sproughton, Ipswich, daysrecorded HSCC Historic Car Championship 27/28th My First Car Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan after three tough wet conditions. IP8 3DA. 15/8, 19/9, 17/10, 21/11. Cambs/Beds/Herts Pub Meet –Fourth Tuesday days with many of the very A slippery by September. British Racing COME ON GUYS EVERYONE HAD For the first two days, itstages lookedmade as though last evening of the month at Truck The Royal Oak,Championship Barrington wet conditions. including Fireworks 1st November. Only 20 FIRST CAR! Cambs/Beds/Herts Pub Meet –Fourth Tuesday year’s winners Garry Jennings and Neil Doherty would CB22 7RZ at 7pm all nearby Herts members especially For thevictory, first two it lookeda as though evening of month The Royal Oak, Barrington spaces27/8, pertheevent soathurry once they have gone score a repeat but days, they incurred costly threelast welcome 24/9, 22/10, 26/11. penalty for checking out of a and service too would year’s winners Garry Jennings Neilarea Doherty CB22 7RZ atgone. 7pm all nearby Herts members especially minute they have early,score dropping themvictory, to fifthbut place forincurred Sunday morning’s Norfolk Pub Meet – Last Sunday lunchtime of a repeat they a costly three welcome 27/8, 24/9, 22/10, 26/11. restart. The penalty disappointed pair managed recover area to too the month from 1pm, Aug 25th meeting is at The minute for checking out of to a service Star CarManor Road, Dersingham, Norfolk, PE31 thirdearly, position by the them finish,towhich them still morning’s Feathers, dropping fifth leaves place for Sunday Norfolk71Pub Meet – Last Sunday lunchtime of Come on don’t be shyalways I knowdouble manycheck of you have leading the Tarmac Championship. 6LN. venues restart. The disappointed pair managed to recover to the Changing month from 1pm,soAug 25th meeting is atwith The some stunning/interesting BMW’s out there so Katherine Mason 25/8, 29/9, 27/10, 24/11. It wasposition a dreambycome true forwhich Moffett and them O’Reilly third the finish, leaves still Feathers, 71 Manor Road, Dersingham, Norfolk, PE31 please submitvenues to me so your favourite the on only theirthe second rallyChampionship. in this car. On their debut in leading Tarmac 6LN. Changing always doublephoto checkofwith Essex Pub some Meet, combined with Chelmer Valley car with and details so that we a World Rally Car two months ago, they won a round Katherine Masonbrief 25/8,facts 29/9, 27/10, 24/11. It was a dream come true for Moffett and O’Reilly Carcan Meet – Every last Thursday evening of of the National but On all (CVCM) share the appreciation together. Just forsecond fun IChampionship, am inviting to add send me in onDunlop only their rally in this you car. theirtheir debut the month. All types of classic cars and others attend firstdetails International winfiwas moreAll than they could of your rst car. you need to have doa isround dig Essex Pub Meet, combined with Chelmer Valley a World Rally Car two months ago, they won at The Lodge Country Inn, Battlesbridge SS11 7QT. hoped for. Car Meet (CVCM) – Every last Thursday evening of out anDunlop old photograph (even if it is in Black and of the National Championship, but to add their Combining the Essex Pub Meets throughout the year. the month. All types of classic cars and others attend White, ha, ha) scan andmore Email it to mecould withhave first International winitwas than they BMW Car Club members welcome to attend. 29/8. at The Lodge Country Inn, Battlesbridge SS11 7QT. hoped brief for. details. See if you can guess whose some 26/9. 31/10. 28/11. Combining the Essex Pub Meets throughout the year. car this was. It is a 1976 (R reg.) Chrysler Alpine BMW /Car ClubLondon members welcome to attend. 29/8. HERTS North Meets – Second Monday S 1500cc. Answer at end 26/9. 31/10. 28/11. from 7pm at The Crooked evening of the month

Chimney, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7XE. The This willNorwich be amongst oneShow, of our biggestShow events 10 HERTS / North Meets – Second restart of your ownLondon Herts meet, so please comeMonday along 17&&11: 18: National Motor BMW Festival,Norfolk Gaydon. Book this year.Book Not Office. onlyvia will there be hundreds of Ground. www.norwichmotorshow.co.uk evening of it. the12/8, month 7pm at The Crooked and support 9/9,from 14/10, 11/11. direct with Clubdirect Attention all E30 owners – This cars on show Aircraftinflaying displays as not well. Chimney, Lemsford, Welwyn AL8 7XE. The The Hare Pub, Roxwell, CM1Garden 4LU – City, The first year’s event willbut be special number of ways, restart of ownwe Herts meet, soexotic come This month have toplease thank the There isNational so much to seeFestival, at Aircraft 17 & 18: BMW Gaydon. Saturday of your the month a again gathering of cars etc.along least because we celebrate 30Duxford, years of the E30Book and and support it. 12/8, 9/9, 14/10, 11/11. direct with Club Office. Attention all E30 owners – This Reasons for providing details of another car exhibits, Tanks, Military vehicles and Historic 64 BMW Car Club Magazine www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Hare Pub, Roxwell, CM1 4LU – The first year’s eventIwill be special in a number of ways, fromThe their collection. material. promise you and your family will not not Saturday of the month a gathering of exotic cars etc. least because celebrate 30struggle years of the E30 itand be bored andwe will certainly to see all. 64 BMW Car ClubBMW Magazine Elms Cambridge our EA Region sponsors

Regionals-AUG.indd 64

will be on hand with 2 new display cars for you to view and discuss. Last year we had approximately 130 BMWs Regionals-AUG.indd 64 on display and this year I have asked Duxford for a larger display area so that we can show off 200 cars. www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 61

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk BMW 750iL E32

This is the long wheelbase version of BMW’s 7 Series designed to compete with the Mercedes S-Class in the luxury car market. It is finished in diamond black with grey leather interior and is fitted with BMW’s first production V12 engine which produces around 300bhp. As well as the

Forthcoming Events

The following list is for your information and I suggest you make a note of those you are M1 interested Rallying in the International Rally 1980 in.Donegal Booking arrangements will be your own responsibility either directly with me, the Club Office or the organisers via their websites. M1 Rallying in the Donegal International Rally 1980 Proposed events list as follows; any ideas and suggestions are always welcome:

15/07/2013 10:50

May: Monthly Pub Meets throughout the year (continue as now) 3-4: BMW Car Club Welsh Weekend, Aberystwyth

15/07/2013 10:50

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:23

Regions 04: Duxford Spring Car Show (EA Club Stand) 10: BMW Car Club AGM, RAF Cosford (including Regional Chairman’s Annual Conference, see p.10) 10-11: Snetterton, Kumho Racing/ BTCC (Book directly) 31: Marshall Aerospace, Cambridge – FULLY BOOKED June: 21-22: Journey Through the Ages (EA Club Stand) July: 5-6: Sherringham Car Show (Book direct) 12-13: Heveningham Hall/Wings & Wheels (EA Club Stand) 25-27: Silverstone Classic, Silverstone, Northamptonshire (Book direct, see p.24) August: 03: Helmingham Hall (EA Club Stand) 16: National Concours, Ettington Chase Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon (See p.28) 17: National Festival, Gaydon (EA Region Stand) advise GPC if you would like a space, but buy tickets and pass direct with Club Office on

Eastern Last month I published a list the postcodes for the Members of our region. This produced a flurry of mail as it turned out that one of them was missing. Quite an important one too, as it included the Chesterfield area which has long been the main centre of activity in the South of our Region. The post code directory is available on line, but unless you are prepared to pay the cost of a new 7 Series, the Post Office only allows you to see local areas in patches for free, and it is not possible to get the full picture. So it is not the first post code that is missing from the list, and may not be the last. If you live in Derbyshire, you are now officially an Eastern Region Member. Sadly, as part of the balancing of membership numbers, the Lincolnshire area has now been moved elsewhere, so we have to apologise to these members, and wish them well in their new Region (yet to be advised). Regional boundaries don’t have walls around them. It matters not where you live, if you wish to join our events or meetings, you will be welcome wherever you live.

May Events

Quite a big program for members in May, with the usual pub meets at Chesterfield and Howden on the 12th and 27th respectively. On the 10th, we have the Club AGM. It is Bank holiday weekend around the 25th, but Steve Bostock (07811 722742) is taking bookings for the Cheshire Classic Car Show at Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9JY. The cost is £6.50 per car, and we have unrestricted space. Please book your spot direct with Steve as soon as possible. It’s a great show with a BMW Concours competition amongst other things, and is included to replace the Northern Festival.

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 62

01970 267989 (See p.54) 24: Lt Gransden Air Show (EA Club Stand) 31: Classics by the Lakes, Bury St Edmunds (EA Club Stand)

Nurseries Colchester, Brands Hatch Events, Please note not all the events listed above are run by BMW Car Club.

September: 14: Kings Lynn Historic Quayside (EA Club Stand) TBC: St Mary’s Motor Show, Bishops Stortford (EA Club Stand) TBC: North Norfolk Coastal Run (we organise as usual) TBC: Kimbolton (EA Club Stand)

Contacts:

November: TBC: Charity Motor Show, Snetterton (Book direct) Others TBC: Santa Pod, Car Fest (Chris Evans), JD Classics open days, Hilton & Moss open day Chelmer Valley Car Meet various events throughout the whole year, Lavenham Car Show, Battlesbridge Car Shows, Battlesbridge Country Run to Mill Race

George Champ (Director and East Anglia Regional Chairman) bmwgeorgeacs@gmail. com 0751 421 6660 Katherine Mason (Norfolk Branch Rep.) l13klm@aol.com Mark Steward (Deputy Norfolk Branch Rep.) marksteward1973@yahoo.co.uk David Adams (Suffolk Branch Rep.) jane.s.gibbons@btinternet.com 0777 466 8596 Matthew Hunt (Cambs/Beds Branch Rep.) matthew.hunt13@btinternet.com 0797 398 6525 Clive Skoulding (Essex Branch Rep. and East Anglia Events Coordinator) cjj.skoulding@btinternet.com 0750 080 4988 Answer: Graham Rudd from Suffolk Branch Howard Walker 01484 844920 eastern@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Future Events

June: The Bridlington Fish and Chip run has been moved from later in the year as the calendar was getting very full. The new date is the 15th June. Starting at the Morrisons Supermarket (no I don’t have shares!) in Borobridge at 9:30 am, we will be travelling through some of the best parts of the Yorkshire Moors, ending up in Brid for fish and chips on the dock side. Contact me on 01484 844920, pm Howard from the forum or email h@635csi.co.uk to let me know if you are coming. July 6th: The Doncaster Classic Car and Bike show organised by Paul Rice – email: paulrice@ tesco.net. This is the first time in recent years that we have attended this event. Full details on the web at www.doncasterclassiccarshow.org. uk and please support Paul at this show. July 27th: Provisionally a visit to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, with the possibility of a “behind the Scenes” tour, as I have a contact there. No promises, but let me know if you would like to attend. August 2-3: The Harewood Hill Climb, organised by Nick Wright, our track day specialist. No details yet and it is still to be confirmed. If you would like to compete or just watch, email Nick at nick@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk August 22nd: Last but not least is a Tour of the BMW Plant at Thorne, just of the M18 on the 22nd August. This is where the cars come into the country and are inspected prior to delivery. It is a very interesting tour, especially when they show you how to remove a dent from a car so that it is invisible. The tour will include a meal at the BMW Restaurant, and a non-refundable deposit is required to cover the cost of this. To book and pay your deposit, make a PayPal payment by visiting www.paypal.com

- payments should be may to my email address: h@635csi.co.uk and put £10.50 as the amount. Click Continue and follow the instructions to pay by credit card. Any surplus will be refunded on the day but a small charge will be retained to cover PayPal expenses. This is likely to be a very popular trip, so its first come first served. Maximum 20 people, but if we get to be oversubscribed, another tour will be arranged. Deposits are only refundable to those who turn up on the day, except in special circumstances. Any questions contact Stephen Haslam.

Other News

Just a word about the Howden meet (sorry – Vale of York Pub Meet). It is at the Barnes Wallace on the B1228 Bubwith Road, just North of Howden next to the level crossing. Last month my wife ordered a “small, pork filled Yorkshire pudding without the Yorkshire pudding or the potatoes”. Here is what it looked like: Never order a large meal at the Barnes Wallace unless you have not eaten for a week

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:23

Regions at least! Best pub grub for miles. While she was eating it, four of our members were standing at the bar having a pint: Pictured left to right, Andy, Peter, Nigel and Colin, who had been served by Anna the barmaid, pictured here on the left with our hostess, Kirsty.

The Strines Run

Earlier on the 16th of March, we did a run over the Strines to Glossop and back. We set off from the MacDonald’s just off the M1 at junction 35a, in bright sunshine, with all the convertibles in roof down mode. After a brisk run through some great scenery, we arrived at the Strines Inn for coffee. When I opened the 728 door, the wind nearly knocked me off my feet, blasting me at about 50mph. Coffee drunk, we drove over the Snake Pass into Glossop, only to become swallowed up in a great mist. Some of us called at The Grouse Inn on the way to Chapel for lunch, whilst others (possibly the less hardy ones) closed their roofs and went their own way. It was great to have so much support so early in the year. Perhaps we should do it in February in 2015? As soon as we got back over the hills,

Ireland Isle of Man London North East

Windblown at the Strines Inn

the sun burst through the clouds whilst we all drank more coffee and ate cake at the High Peak Garden Centre.

Drive it Day

For the full report on the Peak and South Yorkshire’s ‘Drive it Day’ visit to the David Mellor Factory, see p.57. Stephen Kelly Ireland@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Dan Mills manx@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Tim Fathers london@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Michael Barron 07570 795232 northeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Yes it’s May already! Lighter nights at the monthly meetings at the Dun Cow, great for some car park banter and tyre kicking - if you have not been before, please come along and you will be made very welcome. Meetings are on the first Wednesday of the month, from 7.30pm onwards. We will not be attending the Farther’s Day Show at Harewood House in June this year. I know this is a bit of a disappointment, but things change as we all know, so this year let’s hope for the same support from our Region for the Scottish Show and Shine event, that we used to give Harewood.

18: Derwent Reservoir Picnic. Yes you may think this is a bit ambitious, but fingers crossed for a sunny day, you never know! Bring a picnic for a relaxing day on the Derwent Reservoir -unfortunately no BBQs. We will meet at the Manor House Inn, Carterway Heads, DH8 9LX at 11.00am then drive to the Reservoir. After lunch, Andy Wilson will take us on a short scenic drive.

to be asked back. Those of us that attended last year know what a great show this is and a one not to miss. This show has something for everyone with all sorts of cars on display and historic Corbridge only a 10 min walk away, with historic pubs and coffee shops. We are not limited to space BUT the organisers need to know how much space that we need to be allocate, so could you let give me or Andy Scott at (jandrewscott@jandrewscott. plus.com) your details i.e. name and reg number, unfortunately it’s no good just turning up on the day, closing date for entries is June 20th. Entry is free to exhibitors, with all proceeds going to local charities. We will meet at the Wentworth Car Park, Hexham, NE46 3PJ at 9.00am for the 10 min drive to the show field.

June: 01: Scottish Show and Shine. We will be supporting our friends from north of the border at their Show and Shine at Drumlanrig Castle. This is a very picturesque part of the country and is worth the drive alone. The Castle is in Forthcoming Events the stunning Dumfrieshire seat of the Duke and May: Duchess of Buccleuch and Qweensberry, I have 11: Fastlane Show. We have been invited to had a look on Drumlanrig Castle website and attend the Fastlane Show at Corbridge on the August: it looks a very interesting castle set in some 11th of May. I have let the organiser of the show splendid grounds. This will be a day out for all that we would try our best and put on a Club 17: BMW Car Club National Festival. Yes this of the North East Region. It was great to see the the family, entry is just £4.00 per Adult and £3.00 Display. There will be a large gathering of Ferrari, is the one we all wait for, as soon as the last one sunshine at June’s monthly meeting with cars filling perthere’s Child.still room for more. Porsche, Jaguar, Lotus, Noble, TVR,theCorvette, finishes and we look for the date for next year. All Dun Cow and car park, but hopefully BMW. There will be a full Concours I can say is put this date in your diary, and let’s Those wishing to make their own way there; This month’s meeting on the 7th will include for those wishing to enter, for morea info give the hope for a North East display to be proud of. the address is Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill, talk and demonstration from etyres, giving us a North West Region sponsored by website a look www.fastlaneshow.co.uk All the of the events will be on the Club Galloway, insight in to looking afterDumfries the black& rubber that ourDG3 4AQ entry is from ultimate driving machines cannot doorwithout. We will meet at the Wentworth Car Park forum, where each event will have all the details, 10.00am, meet at Wentworth Car Park, Hexham, Williams Stockport BMW Hexham, NE46 3PJ at 8.30am and depart 9.00 so keep an eye on the North East section of the 3PJ that at 8.30am Etyres arefor a nationalNE46 company operate and threedepart 9.00am. www.williamsstockportbmw.co.uk the 10min drive to the show. Entry mobile is freetyre for fitting one vans around our Region and forum for any updates that may arise between theyIt was willgreat have tyre fitting van at the Dun Cow for of thewith North East Region. tothe seea the Telephone 0161 477 6000 driver and one passenger, donations on issues of Straight Six, and if by some chance July: sunshine at June’s monthly meeting to withlook cars filling members around and ask questions; it should be the Dun Cowlet car park, butknow there’s still room for more. day at your discretion. Please me ASAP an event is cancelled i.e. the weather or other 06: MG Classic Show, Corbridge. This is the show a very interesting night. This month’s meeting on the 7th will include so I can let the organisers know. reasons this is where the information will be. that gets bigger each year and we are privileged a talk and demonstration from etyres, giving us a Hall, Wigan on 11th August, I can now confirm that

REGIONAL NEWS

North West

NEWS

great to see the ing with cars filling s still room for more.

7th will include yres, giving us a ck rubber that our do without.

REGIONAL NEWS

North West North West

insight in to looking after the black rubber that our ultimate driving machines cannot do without. Event News

North West North West Region sponsored by

are going to be having a stand and it looks as thoug Jeff Heywood 0161 678 2088 we should have a worthwhile day. As I write this in northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Williams Stockport BMW

Etyres are a national company that operate three www.williamsstockportbmw.co.uk mobile tyre fitting vans around ourDay Regionat andHarewood House took place on Sunday Father’s they will have a tyre fitting van at the Dun Cow for Telephone 0161 477 6000 16th branch had a great turn out; twelve members to look around and of ask June. questions;Our it should be Region sponsored a very interesting night. carsby met at Scotch Corner Services, with Tony and son

first week of July, I have around ten cars lined up to join me and I have confirmed with the organisers th North West they can give us space for more cars if required. Hall, Wigan on 11th August, I can now confirm that we Welcome to the May edition of North West and now on Twitter: meeting up on route at LeemingbarBMW to joinCar theClub convoy Those of you who are on my list of attendees are going to be having a stand and it looks as though GB Event News we should have a@BMWNW worthwhile day. As I write this in the News. I’m writing this after just returning (timed to perfection I must say). The big surprise of the should have receivedfrom details of arrangements; givin Father’s Day at Harewood House took place on Sunday first week @bmwnw of July, I have around ten cars lined up to North West dayhadwas Team Dixon; at the keep up the 16th of June. Our branch a great turn out; twelve first ny that operate three join me and I have confirmed with the organisers that Search for: services, BMW Car Club GB North West www.williamsstockportbmw.co.uk a987745 week-long break in Germany, I took in If anyone else would lik locationwhere and time of arrival. Peter Cheesbrough 07887 cars met at Scotch Corner Services, with Tony and son they can give us space for more cars if required. good work Bryan. ur Region and join us give me a call or an email and I will update y and now on Twitter: meeting up on route at Leemingbar to join the convoy Email:Those of you whonorthwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk are on my list of attendees @BMWNW to perfection I must say). The big surprise of the have received details of arrangements; giving with the latest information. t the Dun Cow for Telephone 0161(timed Jayshould Milnes 07850 740519 is a great event,Peter with lots of BMWs and day 477 was Team6000 Dixon; first atThis the services, keep up the location and time of arrival. If anyone else would like to Cheesbrough 07887 987745 www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk good work Bryan. loads of other classics toEmail: questions; it should be join Messina us give me a call or an email07833 and I will 681513 update you BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014 63 Andy drool over.northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk The BMW stand with the latest information. Jay Milnes 07850 740519 This is a great event, with lots of BMWs and New Members: was by far the biggest and the Concours07833 cars681513 were Andy Messina loads of other classics to drool over. The BMW stand I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the ne New Members: was by far the biggest and the Concours cars were unbelievable. A massive thanks to allon that organised Hall, Wigan 11th August, I canNews now confirm that we I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the new News unbelievable. A massive thanks to all that organised NW based members who have recently joined the C this great day out. Roll on next year! So what has been happening this month? Well, I have NW based members who have recently joined the Club. are going to happening be having a stand and it looks as though this great day out. Roll on next year! So what has been this month? Well, I have We look forward to seeing you at forthcoming We look forward to seeing you at forthcoming not been in the Region for much of the month as I not been in the Region for much of the month as I we a worthwhile day. AsClubI write this inWest theand across the country. BMW_May14_47-82.indd 63 17/04/2014 13:23 events in the North haveshould been awayhave on a road-trip holiday around Europe, Club events in the North West and across the count membersaway of the Club are welcome toholiday attend around Europe, haveAs been onyou a road-trip

Williams Stockport BMW

Search for: BMW Car ClubNews GB North West

Regions the Techno Classica Show at Essen and a couple of days at the Nürburgring – well it would have been rude not to! A tiny ‘ringers t-shirt caught my eye in the ‘Ring shop, so little Alfonso Messi is now a sworn in ‘ring baby! Techno Classica (see photo) saw us walk many miles taking in acres of automobile exotica, so I am now suffering from sore feet and DC’s aching calf syndrome… does it develop into mad cow disease? Only calf man Curran holds the answers… BMW Motorsport at Techno Classica

March saw the region hold its AGM at the Swan, where serving NW Chairman Peter Cheesbrough decided to step down from the position. Peter has done an excellent job in keeping the region together over the past 12 months in what has been a difficult time, both for the club and this region. Peter is well respected by all our regulars, and this was reflected by the committee’s unanimous decision to present Peter with the ‘NW Clubman of the Year’ award at the meeting which was well deserved – well done and many thanks from us all Peter.

organised an event for April, but a cock-up at the club meant details were never published in the April magazine. We do have the Tatton Classic Car Show coming up in late May, plus all the Swan meets have been rubber stamped for the year, as have most of the regional pub meets, so let’s see some of you out and about as the weather (hopefully) improves.

Event Reports

March 16: NW AGM & Sunday Lunch at the Swan. The regions AGM attracted a decent turn-out, but it was obvious that an air of depression still hangs over the region – where is the club going? What direction is it heading in? Why are all trips/ most events being outsourced? These are all the questions (and more) the current Chairman and Board will need to answer at the upcoming National AGM in May… More joined us for the Sunday lunch, with well over 30 now in attendance, showing that politics and car clubs do not mix.... A hearty lunch was enjoyed by all and JH presented the second round of the quiz series. The winner’s prize going to current table toppers the E46ers, although it’s tough at the top of the NW Quiz League!! The Swan Car of the Day was awarded to Andrew Broadbent’s immaculate E38 728i – well done sir!

too high! Hopefully by the May meet I will have uploaded the Techno Classica photos!!

Forthcoming Events

May 18: Sunday Lunch and Quiz at the Swan Please make the effort to come and join us for our regular meet and the 3rd round of the NW Quiz – those who dare usually don’t win! There will also be a prize for the best presented car on the day, although that may be a toffee wrapper depending on whether the club will give us a pound or two for prizes!

31 & 1 June: Tatton Classic Car Show We may still have one or two places left on the club stand on either the Saturday or Sunday (or both) at what is the largest classic car show in the north. For more details, please give Andy Messi a call on 07833 681513

Local NW Branch News

Andrew Broadbent’s E38 728i won the ‘Swan Car of the Day’ award in March

The ‘collective’ present the ‘NW Clubman of the Year’ award to Peter Cheesbrough

There was no candidate willing to take over the role as Chairman, so a vote was taken and passed unanimously for the region to be run by committee, or collective as the guys prefer, meaning the NW Borg collective now consists of; Andy Messina, Keith Bridge, Andy Farrugia, Darryl Curran, Kev Royle, Andy Osborne-James, Paul Kelly and yours truly. If eight of us can’t run a region and conquer the federation between us then there is something wrong! You will have to be a little patient with us on the event organising front, as we are still sorting ourselves out and planning on what to do for the remaining six months of the year. We had

April 01: Manchester Branch Meet A really good turnout this month, bearing in mind that a) it was my birthday and everyone had to buy me drinks (what happened there!) and yes, that makes me an April fool, and b) the Red Devils were playing in the Champions League quarter final (c’mon you reds!) It was also encouraging to see quite a few new faces – keep it up guys. A good night of banter and serious club chat ensued, with many still expressing their disquiet with the club – everything will eventually out my friends… The Luddite in me also managed to actually get some new technology to work, allowing me to show everyone photos (loaded on to my new tablet - whoo hoo) of our recent trip to Germany and our test of an X5 M50d – unfortunately not to be seen by everyone – I have been told the page count is

Scottish Scottish Region Regional News I didn’t manage the April Drive & Dine to Oban as I had something else on. I think this

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Manchester Branch News Manchester Branch meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at the Sheldon Arms, Sheldon Way, Ashton-under-Lyne M34 5QL. Situated just 500 metres from Junction 23 of the M60, why not join us for a bit of banter and Farmer’s Market talks from DC. Don’t miss May’s meeting when DC will tell us how to produce veal from his calves, which should be interesting... The next two meetings are on the 6th May and rd 3 June 2014 at 8:00pm – arrive earlier if you wish to eat first. Wirral & Merseyside Branch News The Wirral & Merseyside meetings take place on the last Sunday of every month at The Shrewsbury Arms, Mickle Trafford, near Chester. You are more than welcome to join Phil Pinnington & friends. Please give him a call on 07803 577935 for more details. Isabelle Phillips 07803 612220 isabelle@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

is the first time I have missed a monthly event since joining the Club. It made me realise how much I missed it and was thinking about the

guys all out having a great drive so I couldn’t wait to hear about it. To me, being in the Car Club is not just about the cars and shows it’s all www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:23

Regions about the friends and the laughs we have while enjoying our cars on the great Scottish roads. You just can’t beat it! Gary and Dave had kindly taken on the task of organising this event and by the comments on the forum they did a fantastic job as everyone had a great time. Alex, a new member had contacted me about attending this event and text me after he got home saying “what a great bunch of guys. Looking forward to the next one!” That just says it all to me if we can make new members want to come back that makes all the hard work of organising events worthwhile! On the 4th May we are attending the Scottish Championship Car Racing event at Knockhill featuring Legends, Minis, Sports & Saloons, Formula Fords and Classics. Gary has taken on the task of organising this event as well and has arranged for us to put on a static display which is attracting a lot of interest. This should be a great day giving us the chance to show off our cars while watching the motorsport. The 1st of June is the date for the Scottish Regional 2014 Concours event which will be held at Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway this year. This is a change of venue and I am really looking forward to welcoming everyone to this fantastic castle. Entrance to the site will be £4 per adult/£3 per child from 10am. We will hold the Concours in front of the castle with judging from 11.30 (this time will be dependent on the number of cars on the day). There is

Scottish Region Events list 2014 Date 4 May 1 June 6 July 3 August 7 September 5 October 2 November 7 December

Monthly Event Monthly Drive & picnic Monthly Drive & Dine Monthly Drive & Dine Monthly Drive & Dine Monthly Drive & Dine Monthly Drive & Dine AGM Xmas Monthly Meet

Venue Knockhill Concours - Drumlanrig Castle Tentsmuir, Tayport Drive and Dine Ayrshire Glenshee Lamermuir Eastern BMW, Edinburgh TBC

Event Classic Car Show Classic Car Show Classic Car Show Scottish Extravaganza National Festival

Strathaven Bridge of Allan Moffat Glamis Gaydon

Shows 2014 Date May 18th May 29th June 12th/13th July 16th/17th August

plenty parking for those not entering the show. It is important that I know how many cars to expect so we can be prepared for it so please make sure you add your name on the forum, where you will find all the details or drop me an email if you are attending. There is lots to do onsite with a cafe, play area and gardens so this is an event you can bring the family too and make it a family day out. You can also access the castle for an additional fee. See their website for more. http://www.drumlanrigcastle.co.uk/

South East The South East Region has got off to a fantastic start in 2014. As we start to move towards the fine weather, I’d like to encourage you to consider attending some of the excellent shows to be attended by the region in the following months. If are planning to attend any shows, please put your name down as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Forthcoming Events

May: 10: BMW Car Club AGM, RAF Cosford Air Museum, see Club News on p.10 11: Basingstoke Festival of Transport 24-26: Enfield Pageant of Motoring June: 08: Bromley Pageant of Motoring 14: Harris Hospice Car Show and Fun Day 21: Abridge Motor Fest

Venue

Note - Please do not forget to check the car club forum regularly for any last minute changes and updates to any of our events or just to keep up to date of what’s going on in the region or drop me an email with any questions. You can also find us on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/ groups/13576080191/ We look forward to meeting you whether new to the club or longstanding to any of our events , everyone is always welcome. Issy 07803612220 scottish@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Anthony Howells southeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

21-22: Coopers Tunbridge Wells Motorsport themed weekend July: 05: Biggin Hill Car Show and Fun Day (TBC) 20: Concours, Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum 25-27: Silverstone Classic, Silverstone, Northamptonshire. Book with Silverstone Classic. See p.24 for details. August: 03: Help For Heroes Car and Bike Show 16: National Concours, Stratford-upon-Avon. See p.28. 17: National Festival, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. Please book your tickets in advance (01970 267989). We will also need numbers for our regional display area. See p.54. 31: Hop Ralley at Headcorn Aerodrome 31: British F3 Championships

September: 15: Players Show North Weald 28: Historic Car Championships October: 12: BTCC 26: Charwells House & Sunday Lunch We have some extra events coming up next year so please keep on checking the forum. We look forward to meeting longstanding and new members. Everyone is welcome at the events. New South East Region Members We’d like to welcome all new SE members who have joined the club recently and look forward to meeting you at forthcoming shows and Events My Pride and Joy I know SE members have some stunning BMWs out there. You can either nominate your own car or a fellow member’s one. Just forward the details to me including a photo and some brief facts about your pride and joy.

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Regions

Thames

Chair position available, please contact the Club office for more information

Mid Wales

Chair position available, please contact the Club office for more information

North Wales

Chair position available, please contact the Club office for more information

South Wales Spring is in the air, but I still seem to be getting a poor response to events this year. If you would like to attend any of the events in the list below, please let me know! Gaydon – The BMW Car Club National Festival - is a certain for us this year, as most of you have booked and sent me payment, so thank you for that! Festival Fields Show at Pembrey Country Park (this year only) will be on Sunday 13th July, so I also need numbers for that one too please. Also don’t forget, that you don’t need to wait to be texted, if you see an event in the list below that you wish to attend, please let me know. It would seem that I am struggling to get response to events this year, so if there is anybody else who would like to take up the challenge of organising our visits to these events instead of me, then could you please make yourself heard. May: 3-4: BMW Car Club Welsh Weekend (Aberystwyth) 10: BMW Car Club AGM (RAF Cosford Air Museum, Telford) June: 15: BMs On The Lawn (Western Super Mare) July: 13: Festival Fields Classic Car Show (Llanelli) This year to be held as a “one-off” at Pembrey Country Park 25-27: Silverstone Classic, Silverstone, Northamptonshire. Book with Silverstone Classic. See p.24

Peter Sherratt 07718 042888 southwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk August: 16: National Concours, Stratford-upon-Avon. See p.28. 17: National Festival, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. (Bromsgrove/Gaydon -1 Night Stay). Please book your tickets in advance (01970 267989). See p.54. September: TBC: Deutschland Dragon Run (Around The Welsh Triangle) November: TBC: Welsh Region AGM December: 12: Christmas Bash Thank you again Phil Marker for making the effort to organise the Easter Run. If anybody has any thoughts regarding different future events, feel free to let me know and I will be sure to look into adding them to our forthcoming calendar. Also as I said earlier, if somebody else wishes to organise a visit to an event, please let me know. If you don’t know already, we have our Pub Meets at the Twelve Knights Pub, Margam, Port Talbot, SA13 2BN, on the first and third Wednesday evening of every month at 7pm (6pm for food). Don’t forget too that any member who recruits a New paid member into the Club, will receive a £5 voucher to use against membership or Club

Wessex

Tim Maltby 07885 252448 wessex@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk was great to see recent new members and so a warm welcome to both Ray and Shirley Powell and too David and Carol Gardiner. See you all at the Basingstoke Festival of Transport then!

Lean pickings this month I am afraid as apart from a couple of good pub meets and our AGM there is not too much to report. Our AGM was attended by 16 members including David Frith who had nipped up from Cardiff and was able to add some background to the recent changes, restructuring and his vision for our Car Club which was appreciated by those present. It

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merchandise, providing your valid membership number is quoted at the time! So all of you Welsh members out there, why not show your support along with all the regular guys by coming to our relaxed Pub Meets for a friendly atmosphere, with good company, useful BMW and general motoring information, advice, tips and info to share.

May Basingstoke Festival of TransportConfirmed date is Sunday 11th.Whilst it is too late to display your vehicle there is nothing to stop you attending the show (free entry and parking).Please come along and visit our stand for a chat. More details from Simon Alcorn 07973 299024 Wilton House,Salisbury Breakfast Meeting .08.00 to 11.00 Sunday May 25th- Theme

‘’Calling all Classics’’ Sherborne Classics at the Castle, Dorset. Sunday 20th We haven’t been here as a region, but would welcome your comments .Is it worth us organising a Club presence this year? Silverstone Classic 25 to 27 July. If you are coming and need to buy tickets do not forget to do so by May31st if you want to park infield with the BMW Car Club. Is there anything that you feel you would like to attend? How about a Drive & Dine?

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299024

wcarclubgb.co.uk

ms of articles and say nothing has been empted a few on June n on gaining ‘’Highly A C2. We had our mouth Area that took y 3rd which produced a summer evening.

Western Ron Parish – 01179 406930 / 07812 899823 western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Western

Western Region sponsored by

Dick Lovett BMW

in!) It will take place on the hard standing just

www.dicklovett.co.uk

ng: Wednesday 7th Hounds, Wimbourne, & A31. Contact John

Bristol: 0845 052 3355 Swindon: 0845 052 5314 Hungerford: 0845 052 3347 NewsAt the time of writing this, clocks have gone

ival, Gaydon: Have ted in joining us on cours or a bit of fun ? On Sunday have you egional Wessex display? so that we can set up challenges! Contact

As per the Retro does round and displaying Contact Tim Maltby

Cheltenham This is a round of the British and Midland Championships and a very popular event last year. It’s a great venue and we will have a dedicated display area. If the weather is good, we will have a parade lap up the hill. There is easy access to the pits and great opportunities to view the racing. This is the home of the Bugatti Owners Club and there is a very interesting museum to visit. To get a discount for this event, we have to buy tickets in advance. We get them on a sale or return basis so boastsletthe to have please meopportunity know if you would likesome fun family to attend – £12 time near(£15 the on beach (and the sea if the tide is per person the gate).

forward and everyone is probably making the

Here we are, passed the halfway mark of 2013. I do most of the lighter evenings and putting any hope you are enjoying the Car Club events despite SORN vehicles road;our especially the weather. This back monthon is the of course National as the show seasononis 17/18th now starting. Festival at Gaydon August. I look forward First off isaMontacute House to meeting number of you there,Concours either on the Western Region stand or somewhere sponsored by Autospray VSS Ltd, around but by the nowshow. Remember over two days, with on be will have it’s already happened - a the fullConcours report can Saturday. and I will be a lot freer this year found in Margaret this magazine! – no Show and Shine to deal with. Last year, we had The next event to look out for is BM’s a Regional picnic at lunchtime 1.00–2.00. It would ongood the lawn be to do on theWeston-Super-Mare same this year, so just sea come to the front, Sunday 15 June 2014 Region’s area with your lunch. It’s a good time to meet dustas offmost the of picnic hamper and the up and Time haveto a chat you will be visiting other stands the day. out? possibly getduring your swimwear

Pub Meetsthe Tropicana again this year. opposite Our very entertaining pub meets Anyfriendly modeland BMW or MINI (classic orcontinue onmodern) is the first Wednesday each month asnousual. more thanofwelcome and prior I would love to see some new faces, plus all my usual booking is necessary; however, it would be friends of course. Next Meet: Weds 7th August – useful to get an idea of numbers beforehand to Woolpack Inn, Shepherds Way, St Georges, Weston– help manage the7XE. layout. The sponsors, Clayton Super-Mare, BS22 01934 521670 or Cars, which is a Bristol based BMW specialist, www.woolpack.butcombe.com

have supported this event from the beginning by supplying raffle prizes, trophies and technical advice on the day. In addition they judge the Car of the Show category on the day. It’s an informal day but if you fancy joining in there will be a Show and Shine competition (£2.00 entry fee) with the chance to vote for your

Regions Nigel Smith western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk favourite cars and possibly win a trophy for yours. The competition is not compulsory so you can just come along (with or without your car) to meet other enthusiasts. If you are coming from further afield and prefer to stay overnight there are plenty of B&Bs, Guest Houses and Hotels in the area some of which are listed on the following website: www. weston-super-mare.com/Tourist_Information_ Centre For further information or if you wish to register your attendance please contact me on either on 01934 622376 or by email to Robert. scanlan@foremostgolf.com Looking forward to seeing you there if you can make it and I hope the weather is kind to us this year!

Members from all Regions are invited to the 6th annual event of BMs on the lawn at Weston-super-Mare on Sunday 15 June. You are welcome to arrive any time around 09:00 but the show will finish at 16:00. This event has steadily grown from around 10 cars in the first year to 43 last year and is equally popular with partners/wives/husbands and families as it

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:24

Registers

REGISTERS ALPINA Registers CLASSIC I was pleased to see that the Nürburgring has a new owner, the German automotive firm Capricorn Group who paid over €100M for the ‘ring and its associated facilities. They have promised to invest a further €25M in the “Ring” by relocating the roller coaster to another town in the region, scrapping the much maligned ring card payment system, and remodelling the current Eifeldorf into a Silverstone-style technology park. Capricorn will launch a new company called Capricorn Nürburgring to handle the new business from 1 January 2015. So we will still be able to get those “Ring” stickers for the boot lids of our classics – what a relief. In the 2013 Budget, George Osborne extended the Vehicle Excise Duty exemption to all cars built before 1 January 1974 (previously 1973). This new exemption date came into force on 1 April 2014 and a number of members have been in touch to say that the DVLA are not making it easy. The short version is that owners have to get their V5C (Log book) altered BEFORE a zero rated tax disc can be issued. To get the V5C changed from “PLG” to “Historic” you need to complete a form V10 “Application for a Tax Disc” making clear that the application is for a change of “Taxation Class”. You will need to enclose your current V5C and evidence supporting the “date of manufacture” if it was before 1 January 1974 but the car was not “first registered” until afterwards because it was held in the BMW Concessionaires stock pile in Belgium. You will not need to provide this evidence if your car was first registered in the UK before 1 Jan 1974. Also, for some reason, you will also need to enclose your current MoT certificate despite the DVLA being able to check it on line although they will check your 3rd party insurance automatically as usual. I think it is probably worth sending all this paperwork

Simon Alcorn 07973 299024 alpina@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk John Castle classic@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk “recorded delivery” just in case the DVLA claim it has been lost. If you have a current tax disc which you paid for and it has not expired then enclose the disc and a form V14 to claim a refund. Unfortunately you can only claim a refund for the first day of the month following your application. Few of us will have heard of Sir Diarmuid Downs who died in February, age 92. He spent his entire engineering career at Ricardo, the engine research company in Shoreham –by- Sea, West Sussex. His early work after graduating from London University in 1942 involved enhancing the performance of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine used extensively by the RAF throughout the war. After the war he turned his skills to investigating “knock” in spark ignition engines. He developed an engine with a sampling valve which allowed the mixture in the cylinder to be sampled during the 4-stroke cycle which exposed how it changed chemically under pressure. This led to the introduction of the additives into motor vehicle fuels which previously had only been used in high performance aero engines. Leaded fuel became the norm for cars of our period and the BMW hemispherical cylinder heads with no sharp edges and lots of mixture “swirl” using shaped piston crowns, with which we are so familiar, were certainly developed by BMW on the basis of work by Downs at Ricardo. Leaded fuels were withdrawn from sale after 2000 and as a rule of thumb BMW specialists recommend that pre 1978 cars should use a lead replacement additive to protect valve seats when using modern fuels because it was not until about that time that BMW introduced hardened valve seats across all models and not just for USA cars where leaded petrol had started to be phased out in 1976. We want to continue to expand events for classic owners. Forthcoming events are

E3 Tony has reported from Techno Classica, Essen on a very successful visit where he met up with the German E3 Verband. The theme of Techno Classica this year was “Original versions” and the Verband were able to show

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Duxford Spring Car Show, 4 May. The Club has been allocated 200 spaces. Tickets will be sold at the “Car ClubS2 entrance and there is a dedicated BMW display area. It is a great day out and includes free entrance to the enormous Duxford collection of historic aircraft. Motorsport at the Palace is a charity event at Crystal Palace 25-26 May. Entry is £10 at the gate and there is a Club Stand with five invited classics to visit as well as watching timed sprints around part of the old circuit. See www. motorsportatthepalace.co.uk Silverstone Classic, 25-27 July. The Club is supporting BMW UK with a fully managed display adjacent to the BMW Hospitality Suite. A Parade Lap, carried over due to a torrential downpour last year (sounds familiar) will be re-staged. Details are elsewhere in this issue with booking codes as it is important to make your booking before 31 May in order to get your Club Display Pass to be able to park in the BMW display area. If you would like to help marshal or officiate on any of the three days of the event, Duncan Parker silverstone14@bmwcarclubgb. co.uk, would be delighted to hear from you. BMW Car Club National Festival, 17 August. I am on the Organising Committee with George Champ with responsibilities for fitting all the displays onto the site and arranging a programme for the Display Ring. The aim is to make our annual event enjoyable for Club Members, BMW owners and the general public so that they will want to return each year and for the event to increase in status and attendance. Your Registers and Regions need your help, commitment and support for us to forecast the numbers for which we have to fit in. Get the date in your diary and decide whether you want to support your Region or Register and let them know. Tony Wilkes with help from Nigel Gibb e3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

a 2800L and 2500. One snippet of news is that Mario Theissen BMW’s ex Formula 1 Team Leader has just purchased a 2500 for his collection – what excellent taste. The outing by the 1973 of Dealer Team

BMW 3.0Si replica built by Alex Elliott of Roundel Racing at the 72nd Goodwood Members Meeting on 29 March sadly did not go as planned. It qualified for the first race in 19th position on the grid but suffered from fuel problems in the first race and retired after 2 laps. It will be back. This is the original orange painted Shell sponsored car which with blue printed engine produced 224HP and won the 1973 Class1 Castrol Saloon Car Championship driven by Tony Lanfranchi, Director of BMW Concessionaires Competitions Department. This is the car at Mallory Park. Tony is planning to be at Crystal Palace (see Classic news above). See you there?. www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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Registers

E9 CS

(also includes the 2000CS with Ian Juffs)

For sale at Techno Classica. One used 3.0 CS Alpina B 2 in an incredible, original un-restored condition, only 12,500 km. €112,000 or near offer.

E12/E28

The March informal “Southern Classics” meeting very kindly organised by Robert Bourn was a great success. Robert reports “ With the sweet burble of a 1955 V8 Baroque Angel, with 450,000 miles on the clock, the stunning looks of one of the original BMW Team Motors CSLs, kindly brought to the meeting by Alex Elliott, Roundel Racing, a great supporter of the Register, a collection of other BMWs from Selwyn’s great Neue Klasse, a clutch of E24s (thanks to John Rogers and the E24 Register who started this series of events), The “Sharknosed 5” series

One of the essential items of support for a successful classic is that it has good spares support. So I was delighted to see that Walloth & Nesch in Germany have announced an expansion of their product range for the E12 (518 –M535i). The ‘02s, E3 and E9 already enjoy access to a range of patch panels which can be used to repair the common corrosion

areas such as rear wheel arches, without having to replace complete panels and this makes restorations both easier and cheaper. It is hard to believe that the first 5 Series, the 520 with M10 carburettor engine was introduced in January 1973 followed by the 520i in

02 A guy in Germany is now rebuilding 16V Twin Camshaft replica Schnitzer heads for M10 engines, I don’t have anymore details but here is a video and email for seriously interested 02er’s. Not sure it’s a straight swap and if someone does investigate maybe we can provide a detailed parts and instructions? www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXrppagXH-s A mere 28,000 Euros for the complete kit. Email me and I’ll forward the contact details.

John Castle, and Nick Hull classic@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk E30s, E36s, E38s, E39s, E46s, an M3, an M6 E63 and a Z4M filled the car park So it was a real cross section of BMW owners who enjoyed great hot food and drink, hosted by Peter Sonneveld (he owns a collection of cars and a bus!) and his friendly and helpful staff. The weather fortunately was dry even though the forecast differed and there were the occasional drops of rain. There was even room for an interloper in the shape of a 1915 Studebaker. It all made for a fantastic day out so thanks to all who attended. I for one can’t wait to do it again. Neither can we! Supported by Pat Tremain and Geoff Weeks. classic@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk March and that many of the parts need to keep them running are still easily available. Backed up by Motorsport successes on the track these medium sized saloons were a serious challengers to Rover, Mercedes and even Jaguar. This was a typical advertisement at the time. Time you joined the “unbeatables” too? Richard Stern 07770 443373 02register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Bavaria Tour 2016 is on. Celebrating; 100 years of BMW AG 50 years of BMW ‘02 30 years of BMW ‘02 Club e.V. The event will true to tradition start on a Thursday with celebrations continuing through to the following Sunday. Make sure to reserve May 26th to 29th 2016 already now! Again, true to tradition, Oberammergau just south of Munich will be hosting this epic event. More details from the

German 02 club as soon as I have them. Major events this year include; Masters Series Brands Hatch – celebrating 50 years of F1 at Brands Silverstone Classic – contact John Castle BMW Car Club annual event – via Club office Le Mans Classic http://www.lemansclassic. com/en Dutch 02 Weekend – no details yet but usually first weekend September

E21

Mark Brown 07958 173098 e21register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

E23/32/7 Series E24

Andrew Gilbert 01353 727173 e23register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Meetings:

May will be unusually busy as I am planning to attend no less than three events in the London area and nearby. The annual BMW meeting at Ace Café which I have attended many times before is on Saturday 10th May at 11am. Previously this has been a 3 Series feature but a wide variety of BMWs are attracted including some very splendid custom cars. M Power cars have been particularly invited to the Blancpain GT Sprint event at Brands Hatch on Sunday 18th May. Alex Zanardi will be driving one of the works prepared BMW Z4 GT3 cars in this one hour format of GT racing. On 25-26 May the Car Club will be at the Crystal Palace Sprint, as reported elsewhere, and I am on the list to be on display. I have visited twice before and can confirm that the racing on the very short circuit is quite lively and the local crowd not too www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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John Rogers e24register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk overwhelming. Do let me know if you would like information on any of these. In March we visited Riverview Café, Forrest Row. This was a special BMW Sunday morning meeting which E24 owner Rob Born had organised for E24s and SE Region. Riverview Café is run by a very efficient husband and

wife team and has a regular monthly Sunday morning Classic Car meeting (second Sunday of each month). The atmosphere was very friendly with many interesting cars on view. Perhaps we should go to one of the regular meetings later in the year. We were 6 E24s plus Rob and Mark Hillier in their other cars. This is a picture of Rob with Ted Robinson next to Ted’s car. Spares Availability: John Castle wrote in his April article about BMW starting to “run out” of parts for our Modern Classics and the failure of support from BMW Classic. E24 owners have been noticing the difficulties and I am aware that Ron Inskip has been helping to solve some of the problems. If BMW have lost interest, does anybody know of any breakers or spares specialists who could assist? I know of a few E24 contacts but do any of the other Registers have any suggestions? BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Registers

E30

Neil McDonald neil@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

City Road Cars have found an E30 service book. The book was found in an E30 BMW cabriolet. It is for a red/burgundy 325i 4-door SE, Registration F739 TCP. The book has about 30 stamps and quite a few comments to too. It looks like the car spent much of its life in the Scunthorpe area and the last stamp is dated October 2005. The car is still in existence as they have run a quick DVLA check, but unfortunately I cannot find out any ownership details. If you are the owner of F739 TCP, please contact John at City Road Cars on 0114 239 9994. Motorsport at the Palace is a charity event at Crystal Palace, 25-26 May at which

M POWER CONCOURS 8 SERIES

the Club is intending to have a display of five classics each day. These five cars get free entry whilst for the rest it is £10 at the gate. The highlight will be the timed sprints around part of the old circuit which several club members will be entering. Neil Macdonald (neil@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk) and Tim Fathers (london@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk) are sorting out the displays and some places are still available for certain models to show the Classic Section at its best. Even the catalogue for the event is worth viewing, see www.motorsportatthepalace.co.uk Silverstone Classic, 25-27 July. This is one of the major commercial events at

which the Club supports BMW UK by having a fully managed display adjacent to the BMW Hospitality Suite. A Parade Lap, carried over due to a torrential downpour last year (sounds familiar) will be re-staged. Details are on p.24 of this issue with booking codes as it is important to make your booking before 31 May in order to get your Club Display Pass to be able to park in the BMW display area. If you would like to help marshal or officiate on any of the three days of the event, the Club Office (office@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk) would be delighted to hear from you. Position Available. Please contact the Club Office for more details – office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

supported by

Steve Haslam concours@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Steve Hamblyn 01273 557675 8series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

conversation about the 8 Series history, I was delighted to hear that I had been selected as the Register Captain. I have been a member of the South East Region for several years, but have not been an active member for the last two due to many other retirement pastimes; including golf and following Formula 1 races. I have owned several BMWs over the years, starting with a 1981 M535i, which has subsequently become a classic. My first 8 Series was a 1997

blue 840Ci which I bought with 40k on the clock and recently exchanged it for a 1999 red 840Ci with an excellent specification and which is in practically brand new condition. I am looking forward to my new role of Register Captain and hope to meet up with other 8 Series owners and spreading the word about the 8 Series in general. If you have any questions, queries or suggestions please contact me through the Club or at the above number.

Having seen the March issue of Straight Six and the new Club Directory, I noticed that the position of 8 Series Register Captain was vacant. I have been a fan of the 8 Series for many years and am on my second model at present. I contacted David Frith at the Aberystwyth offices and enquired about the role of the Register Captain and subsequently put my name forward. A couple of days later David contacted me and after an interesting

MINI

Ian Martin 01865 589550 or 07879 642593 ian@miniregisteruk.co.uk Facebook: MINI Register UK Twitter: @MINIRegisterUK Flicker: MINI Register UK Email: ian@miniregisteruk.co.uk Tel: 01865 589550 or 07879 642 593 (please leave a message or send a text)

MINI Events:

May 11: British Mini Day – Held at Himley Hall - Dudley after 20 years is firmly established as a great opener to the summer Mini show

season, with numerous trade stands, a 20 class concours competition, special displays with their trademark crowd pleaser ‘Win a Mini for a £1’. British Mini Day is held by the British Mini Club in the grounds of Himley Hall, near Dudley, West Midlands. Post code for your satnav is DY3 4DF

As you will see in this issue of Straight Six, the MINI Register has been given our own page toward the front of the magazine in addition to our section in the registers; I’ll be using this for ‘MINI News’ ‘Event Reports’ ‘Tech Advice’ and ‘Your MINI!’ but I need you help to keep the content fresh and relevant to what you the MINI owners want!

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Registers

15-25: MINI Does the Ring! - Kelly Brabbin and I had a trip across Germany to the Nürburgring in her BMW 318is last year and this year we are planning a second trip! This time I’ll be taking my JCW GP2 (GP1241) and Kelly will be taking her R53 MINI Cooper S on track, I’m inviting fellow GP2 owners from the GP2 International Club on Facebook, the GP UK Owners Club and some MINI owners from the Regional UK clubs to join us, so if you’re interested please get in touch for details, let’s see if we can make this a big MINI and BMW event. We plan to drive to Dover on Thursday 15th May staying overnight to catch a midmorning ferry from Dover on the Friday driving to our hotel close to the Nürburgring and after a weekend at the ring plan a driving tour of Germany taking in the Porsche factory (route and times to be confirmed). We plan to return via Calais on the 18:00 ferry Saturday 24th May. June 8: Mini Cooper Day - The annual Beaulieu event has always been one of the significant events on the MINI calendar, with a large display of Coopers from each of the marques, ranging from 1961 Coopers up to the latest New MINI John Cooper Works. Trade stands will be available for all those elusive items with all your favourite traders. 22: The Mega MINI Meet – Lytham Hall, Lytham St Annes, I’ve provisionally booked for six MINIs and the organisers are also asking if BMW’s would like to join us! July 25-27: Silverstone Classic – The MINI Register has been asked to make a big show of MINIs this year as previous shows there was

only my JCW GP2 there, all Modern and classic MINI/Mini welcome to attend regardless of BMWCC membership, so if you can help me with this it would be much appreciated as I been tasked with looking after the MIN/Mini area! To order your tickets call 0871 231 0849 or visit www.silverstoneclassic.com and to benefit from the fantastic car club display package and obtain your infield vehicle pass, please quote your MINI Register booking code: C14077 The earlier you book the bigger the discount! So come on let’s make a big MINI show! August 10: Mini In The Park - Santa Pod Raceway “The UK’s Top Mini Show” for owners of Classic Minis and Modern MINIS, plus Mini Clubs and a Mini show for car fans of all ages. Mini In The Park (‘mitp’ for short) is the only British Mini show that features Mini Concours, Mini RunWhat-Ya-Brung (RWYB) racing, Mini Club car displays, a Win-A-Mini competition, Mini Trade Stands and Auto jumble, plus lots of great action and entertainment, and a great Mini festival atmosphere. 17: BMW Car Club National Festival – Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon our very own club annual show for BMW and MINI. For full details see the ad in Straight Six. 31: MiniFest 2014 – Uttoxeter Racecourse, MiniFest attracts Mini/MINI enthusiasts from all over the UK, advance tickets £6 per person or £8 on the day or why not experience the Mini/MINI only camping at £10 per person with overnight entertainment and entrance to the Sunday show included. Don’t forget the fabulous ‘Win a Mini for £1’ raffle! September 28: The BIG MINI Show! – Penkridge Market, Penkridge, a MINI show aimed at the modern MINI enthusiast, the show promises to be jam packed full of everything MINI and more, so if you own a modern MINI this is the show you need to visit this year! With the biggest names in MINI specialists and traders who will be exhibiting with the latest products and ideas to make your Mini unique! The Big MINI Show wouldn’t be complete without the UK’s Biggest MINI Clubs showing off what they have to offer!

1 SERIES

October 19: Mini Fair 2 – Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, the final show of the Mini/MINI season, being indoors clubs are allocated only six places for a clubstand which is free including six free entrance passes. Being so close to Halloween fancy dress is almost compulsory! This year’s theme is: MINI SPOOKFEST! The show holds the Grand Finally of the British Mini Club’s Mini/MINI Concours, and also your last chance to ‘Win a Mini for £1’. MINI Challenge 2014 May 10-11: Brands Hatch Indy – Mini Festival June 21-22: Snetterton 300- British F3/GT July 12: Oulton Park August 2: Castle Combe August 16-17: Silverstone GP September 13-14: Brands Hatch GP – Dutch Super Cars Remember you are also a member of the BMW Car Club GB so are more than welcome to join any of the many and varied events held by the BMWCC across the UK, not forgetting the regional pub meets, as these the best places to find out what is going on in your area. So let’s see if we can have a MINI presence at as many of these meets as possible! So if you own a MINI even if it’s not the main car, why not become part of the MINI Register it’s FREE if you’re already a member of the BMW Car Club GB! To Join the MINI Register contact club office 01970 267989 or email: ian@miniregisteruk. co.uk Modern MINI Magazine – If you’re a MINI Register member and not getting your copy of Modern MINI please get in touch with club office and let them know so they can sort it for you. ATTENTION: - All MINI owners please send me or club office your up to date Email Address For more of what’s going on in ‘Your MINI Register’ watch out for your MINI Register UK Newsletter in your email! Danny Nolan 1series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

TRACK DAYS

Nick Wright 07714 805804 nick@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

X REGISTER

Jonathan Harris xregister@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Z REGISTER

Alan Jones 07749 286736 zregister@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

You may have read in the press, that the tax disc is to be withdrawn in October of this year. When I first saw the headline, I thought that we motorists would be saving lots of money by not having to pay the road tax. But, as I read further www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 71

down I realised that all they were talking about, was that fact that you will not have to display the paper road fund licence on your windscreen. The tax disc was introduced in 1921 looking very different than it does today. It was just

simply black ink printed on a piece of thin grey paper, and there were no perforations around the outside meaning some cut the disc out with scissors, whilst others just folded the edges over to make the disc fit into the holder. BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Registers The perforations did not appear until 1938 making it much easier to put the tax disc in the holder. But then the paper perforations disappeared in 1942 but then reappeared in 1952. Nobody seems to know why, other than it could be the fact that the cutting equipment was destroyed during bombing raids. Of course the police can check to see if your vehicle is insured, taxed or MoT’d via their databases, so if you are stopped by the boys in blue for some reason, there really is no need for the tax disc to be displayed, plus it will save money not having to provide the tax discs in the first place. So from October of this year you will no longer need to display a tax disc in your windscreen. You can still pay in 6 or 12 months blocks, but you will also be able to pay by direct debit as well, enabling you to spread the cost though out the year. One drawback becomes evident when you come to change your vehicle. In the past you could leave six months road tax on the vehicle you are selling to help with the sale, from October this will not be allowed, so if you are selling a taxed vehicle on the 20th day of the month, you have already paid for this month’s tax, and you are not allowed to transfer the tax disc to the new owner. The new owner will have to tax the vehicle from the 20th meaning that the road tax will be paid twice for that month that the car was sold. The DVLA have introduced a new look driving licence, hopefully to make it more difficult for fraudsters to produce copies. The new look licence was introduced in February of this year, but you do not have to apply for one, unless you have to make any changes to your current driving licence. The new security measures on the card are an extra security holograph of the driver’s photo which will appear in black and white and be engraved into several layers. Optical Variable Ink will be used on the card which appears to change colour depending on the angle the card is held. On the

same topic please check your current driving licence hasn’t expired, as they only last for ten years. It will be much cheaper to renew your licence than having to pay a fine. The music line up has been confirmed for Silverstone Classic on the 25-27 July; on the Friday night headlining the stage will be Canned Heat which will be their only UK appearance in 2014. Then on the Saturday night it will be the chart topping singer Bonnie Tyler. Also, Television personality Mike Brewer will add yet another significant dimension to this summer’s award-winning Silverstone Classic. Best known as the star of Channel 4’s second-hand car show Deals on Wheels and now the Discovery Channel’s popular Wheeler Dealers, Brewer will be one of many famous faces contributing to the non-stop entertainment at the World’s Biggest Classic Motor Racing Festival in 2014. By happy coincidence the former car trader has just finished having his Ford Mustang renovated and he will be bringing his pride and joy to Silverstone to lead Saturday’s special on-track parade celebrating 50 years of America’s most revered motoring icon. “As an owner of a 1967 Fastback Mustang that I recently restored, it’s a treat to be able to get the car out and enjoy what the ‘pony’ stands for,” enthused Brewer. “This year is going to be a BIG one for Mustang enthusiasts and the biggest party of all happens to be in the UK,

Z1 Midlife Crisis

Last month an unusual original spec Magic Violet Z1 popped up for sale, one of 228 colour schemes produced, aesthetically in very good condition, with camouflage interior, the well taken images suggesting it had been looked after, with unmarked alloys and 98,000 miles on the clock, it was described by a fellow owner as “high mileage for a Z1”, which got me thinking. Mileage has been the main topic of conversation as recently as last month and the

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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so I was delighted to be asked to be involved with this year’s event and to bring my car along for everyone to enjoy. It’s always a pleasure meeting fans of classic cars and I can’t wait to get to Silverstone Classic in July to meet them all and start soaking up the amazing atmosphere.” So don’t delay in getting your tickets as the price includes seeing all these great artists. Please visit www.silverstoneclassic.com or call 08712 310849, and remember to use the booking code to obtain your infield pass, but don’t forget this year any BMW can attend using the infield pass code supplied within the BMW club magazine. This discount package offer ends on the 31st May. Also don’t forget your tickets for the BMW Car Club National Festival at Gaydon. Advance tickets are much cheaper than paying on the day. I’d also like to welcome some new members to the Z Register this month they are; Brian Bishop and John R. Stott. Z Register Stickers I was on the phone to the Club Office the other day, and I found out that they have had a delivery of new Z Register stickers for your car window (see photo), so if anyone would like one to replace any existing one or just to have a new one, please contact the Club Office on 01970 267989 the price is £2.50 plus postage.

Jamal Blanc z1register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk daily driver from London. Despite it reaching the kind of figures that would take you around the World ten times, it had been serviced every year regardless of mileage and it is still going strong, so if Zero miles is too low and 98k is too high, what is an acceptable mileage for a Z1? Type “high mileage E30” into any search engine and there are hundreds of cars with skyhigh figures and owners proud to show just how far they have come in 25 years. A cars shelf life is determined by the earliest part to fail, yet despite having the same engine configuration as the E30, few mechanical issues and living proof that the M20B25 engine was built to last, we seem to have this innate fear of cars that creep towards the 100K mark. Do cars suffer from midlife crisis? Mileage is no guarantee of condition as we all know, there are too many variables to take into consideration, but what if those 98,000 miles have been completed in strict compliance to that detailed in the Operation Manual, from

the “running in” period through to regular service intervals? Page 29 of the Operation Manual states: “First 1200 miles, maximum efficiency and a long operating life can be achieved by driving at varying engine and road speeds under 4000rpm. Do not exceed 2/3 of the maximum road speed in 5th gear. Do not fully depress the accelerator pedal after the first 1200 miles, increase speeds gradually, not only to the engine, but also the final drive.” More relevant to our driving today it states: “Do not allow the engine to warm up to operating temperature at idle speed. At exceptionally low temperatures however, allow the engine to run for about half a minute at a fast idle to ensure that oil reaches all parts of the engine. Never run a cold engine at high speed, as this will cause rapid wear and shorten its operating life. When driving under load, accelerating or climbing hills, try to prevent www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

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Registers engine speed falling be below 1500rpm, shift to a lower gear in good time. After a lengthy period in heavy traffic or in slow moving queue of vehicles, let the engine ‘breathe deeply’ by driving for a few kilometres at engine speeds above 3000rpm, this will disperse any soot deposits in the combustion chambers.” How many follow these instructions today?

It would be interesting if we could measure the tolerances of wear from 2 cars at opposite ends of the mileage spectrum as a comparison, that’s not really viable of course and you have to take it at face value, relying on whatever paperwork is available, but the point is you can do as much damage driving it as not driving it. The only rational explanation for our concerns

over mileage is resale value. High mileage cars lose value, but its not all bad news, there has been alot of movement in the Z1 market recently, (a handful is alot), which is a surprise given these rarely change hands, either reseller’s have cottoned onto the fact the Z1 has gone up over the past few years, or fans of this unique model have realised the Z1 represents a better ROI than an ISA. Mike Fishwick z3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

I’ve said it before, I know, but why did BMW not promote a race series for basically standard Z3, and later the Z4 models? They seem to have a bottomless purse when it comes to the DTM Championship, where the cars are caricatures of the standard product, yet never appeared to consider a race series for genuine production sports cars, which would have been a cheap and effective advertising medium for our cars, which are supposed to offer a good combination of performance and handling. Instead, it was left for the 750 Motor Club to promote a formula for the Z3, modifications being strictly limited in order to provide close and economic racing, which BMW (GB) chose to ignore, even though it provided excellent

advertising for the pedigree of their cars to any potential owner. This interesting series has now been replaced by a very similar formula for the 1.9 litre M44-engined E36 Compact, which of course shares many major components with the Z3. As for wasting - yes, wasting – their money on the DTM series, I wonder how many people are sufficiently influenced by a race car resembling a squashed 3 Series to buy a new one? I would hazard a guess that very few new M3 buyers ever use either the performance or handling, being more interested in appearance and posing, while the interest of many other 3 Series owners ends at the bonnet badge. So come on Tim Abbott – how about a bit

of BMW (GB) sponsorship and publicity to revive the Z3 formula, a race series which would have very real benefits for the reputation of BMW’s much-vaunted DNA? You must be wondering what brought on this diatribe – it was that nemesis of the Z3, the Mazda MX-5, which in its current 160bhp form has been given a race series by Mazda of Russia – on ice! Modifications are restricted to a roll bar (with the roof down, of course) and studded tyres, so providing a genuine production car ethic, and no doubt doing wonders for the reputation of Mazda’s classic sports car. I wonder if Russian Z4 owners have to put up with the jibes of a Jeremisovich Klarksonovski?

Advanced Poseidon

car wash At ValetPRO we like to perfect our products and with Advanced Poseidon Car wash we have done that. It’s a maintenance car shampoo, designed to give a glossy and shiny surface while protecting your paintwork between washes. It also helps improve the durability of waxes or paint sealants. However the most important element is its cleaning power, and I am proud to say that Advanced Poseidon Car Wash is an incredibly effective cleaner that’s mild enough for all types of paint ﬁnishes.

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

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Z3. 2.0L 2000. Manual. Petrol. 79,000 miles. Limited edition colour MORA (purple). Electric, heated cream leather seats piped to match car. Elec windows, elec E30 325i convertible. 2.5-litre, 1989,135,000 superb. Recent heated wing mirrors. Manual hood. 6 stack CDmiles, player.Red, Air drives con. PAS. Silver side Z4brakes, M Roadster. (Nov finished In Imola Red with full Champagne tyres, starter, belts.2007) Manual roof, new radio/cd. CatMOT 1 alarm. Refurb Leather alloys, vents(originals available). FSH (BMW stamped) Most old certificates. New and just 4real 21K on MOT the clock. Extras Include full Champagne Leather chrome is just excellent, headturner! I have old Please ring for further rearinterior tyres fitted. months 6 months Tax.MoTs!!!! 2 lady owners. Complete toolkit Heated Seats, Pro Sat-Nav, Bi Xenon auto lighting, wipers, uprated and Interior, unopened firstHerts) aid kit.Price: Comes with private plate. Featured inauto Dec 2012 362774 Straight details. (Watford, £2595 ovno Tel: 01923 251882 or 07812 sound (ParkSadly Distance Control), Monitoring Six “Invasion of thePDC Lakes” for sale as I’veTyre justPressure purchased a new 3System, series Ref: 8628Fsystem, BMW Z3. 1.9-ltr Roadster For Sale. 2002 boot (51) Convertible. miles. Manual. BMW. £5,500 to include soft topmultifunction rain cover, luggage rack 83k and 4 winter tyres. Bluetooth phone prep and steering wheel. New battery fitted Silver. leather interior. Electric andcorrectly windows. PAS. ABS. Air brendadrew@sky.com £5500hood Tel: (VGC), 07702750239 Ref: 004/07F OctRed 2012, MoT’d onPrice 29/10/13. Washed andseats waxed from new. Private

con. Central locking. Twin airbags. Radio cassette with 6-disc CD changer. 6 months

plate not included. Jeff Heywood will happily the condition E21 320/6. Wantedverify E21 enthusiast Z3 Roadster for sale.Ex-Chairman 1999 (T reg) tax and MoT. VGC. ClubonMember owned. Price £3750 ovno Tel: 01923 251882 orto and love lavished thisBlue vehicle just320 email give my thejheywood@talktalk.net TLC I can no longer 2.8-ltr. 46,000 miles. Manual. withif required, 07812 362774 Ref: 001/08/09F £15,000 onoleather Tel: 01772 324467supply. Ref: 8927 £950 spent last August to get black Price: roof. Blue on Black interior. through MOT. Presently on SORN. Power hood. Power seats. Heated Sapphire blue. 157,680 miles, Manual. seats. Parking sensors. Sony radio disc No reasonable offer refused. Call for player. Boot rack. Very good condition more details. Neil Goodson. Price: £650 for year. Price: £3500 Tel: 01242 261544 Tel: 07917404190 Ref: 001/06/07 Ref: 002/07/08

PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL DIGITAL IMAGES ARE SUPPLIED AS HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES. YOUR CAMERA SHOULD BE SET TO ITS HIGHEST SETTING. BMW Z3. 1.9-ltr Roadster For Sale. 2002 (51) Convertible. 83k miles. Manual. Silver. leather interior. Electric hood (VGC), seatsedition and windows. PAS. ABS. Air77 Z3. 2.0LRed 2000. Manual. Petrol. 79,000 miles. Limited colour MORA (purple). www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk BMW Car Club Magazine con. Central locking. Twinleather airbags.seats Radiopiped cassette 6-disc changer. 6 months Electric, heated cream to with match car. CD Elec windows, elec tax and wing MoT. VGC. ClubManual Memberhood. owned. PriceCD£3750 ovno 251882side or heated mirrors. 6 stack player. Air Tel: con.01923 PAS. Silver 07812 362774 Ref: 001/08/09F vents(originals available). FSH (BMW stamped) Most old MOT certificates. New rear tyres just fitted. 4 months MOT 6 months Tax. 2 lady owners. Complete toolkit 16/07/2013 and unopened first aid kit. Comes with private plate. Featured in Dec 2012 Straight Six “Invasion of the Lakes” Sadlymiles, for sale as I’ve just blue, purchased a new condition, 3 series BMW M535i 1986, 126,000 service history, exceptional BMW. £5,500 to include soft topexhaust rain cover, luggage16in rack and 4 winter glass sunroof, stainless andboot manifold, BMW alloystyres. with brendadrew@sky.com Price £5500 Tel: 07702750239 Ref: 004/07F Continental tyres, Alpine CD multi-changer. Price £4975, Tel: 07532 017343

Please note: All trade adverts are charged at non-members rate. Feature adverts are not available to traders. Please send all adverts (with photo if required) before the first of the month preceding issue to bmwcarclub@btconnect.com or place advert on website www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Spares & Plates Classifieds-AUG.indd 77

E21 320/6. Wanted E21 enthusiast to Z3 Roadster for sale. 1999 (T reg) give my 320 the TLC I can no longer 2.8-ltr. 46,000 miles. Manual. Blue with supply. £950 spent last August to get black roof. Blue on Black leather interior. through MOT. Presently on SORN. Power hood. Power seats. Heated Sapphire blue. 157,680 miles, Manual. seats. Parking sensors. Sony radio disc No reasonable offer refused. Call for player. Boot rack. Very good condition Two sets of alloy wheels for sale: Set of 4 BMW cross-spoke 15” alloys (Style 2.0LPrice: 2000.£3500 Manual. Limited edition MORAPrice: (purple). details. Neilcolour Goodson. £650 forZ3.year. Tel:Petrol. 0124279,000 261544miles.more 20) with centre bosses and new symbols. Refurbished - no marks on wheels. Electric, heated cream leather seats piped match car. Ref: Elec001/06/07 windows, elec Tel:to07917404190 Ref: 002/07/08 Suitable for E28 or E34 models. All tyres by the same manufacturer, with 6mm heated wing mirrors. Manual hood. 6 stack CD player. Air con. PAS. Silver side BMW 6 SERIES 3.4 FSH 2dr (BMW 635CSi tread depth. Dry stored for two years. Offers in excess of £285.00. Set of four vents(originals available). stamped) Most old MOT certificates. New COUPE. WHITE, DOCUMENTED 18” wheels, similar to BMW (Style 135M) but not original spec. in good condition, rear tyres just fitted.FULL 4 months MOT 6 months Tax. 2 lady owners. Complete toolkit Please note: All trade adverts are charged at non-members rate. Feature adverts are not available PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL DIGITAL IMAGES ARE SUPPLIED slight blemishes. Suitable for E46 model. All tyres by the same manufacturer. SERVICE new and unopenedRECORD, first aid kit.Supplied Comes with private plate. in Dec 2012 Straight 2.5 BMWFeatured 3 SERIES CONVERTIBLE to traders. Please send all adverts (with photo if required) before the first of the month preceding HIGH RESOLUTION Tread depth 5mm plus. Removedorfrom foron winter season. Offers in excess of North Oxford Garage, ‘EWL 33Y’ issue to bmwcarclub@btconnect.com placecar advert website Sixby“Invasion of theAS Lakes” Sadly for sale as 2dr. I’ve IMAGES. just purchased new this 3 series Metallic Royal aBlue, car has YOUR CAMERA SHOULD BEcover, SET boot TO luggage ITS HIGHEST £295.00. Tel: 01625 260348 was £5,500 first registered tosoft andtopserviced BMW. to include rain rack and 4SETTING. winter tyres. www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk been in the same family from new until brendadrew@sky.com by Pergamon PressPrice and £5500 was Tel: the 07702750239 Ref: 004/07F August 2012 and then owned by a lady personal transport of Robert and Dr. BMW 2002 Cabriolet for Restoration Project www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk BMW Car Club 77 E21doctor 320/6. Wanted E21 Magazine enthusiast to Z3 Roadster for sale. 1999 (T reg) BMW enthusiast who traded Elizabeth Maxwell. Following her or Spares. 1976 BMW 2002 Cabriolet for give my 320 the TLC I can no longer 2.8-ltr. 46,000 miles. Manual. Blue with the car in with us. Full cream interior husband’s BMW supply. possible restoration project or spares. Includes £950 spent last August to get black roof. Bluedisappearance, on Black leatherthe interior. was re-registered France, Heated where it through shell, engine, gear box, bonnet, square rear lights and blue hood. Alloy wheels, electric MOT. Presently on SORN. Power hood. Powerin seats. wasParking used daily by Dr. Elizabeth. Lots Sapphire and numerous other spares. No V5. Any questions blue.and157,680 Manual. seats. sensors. Sony radio disc windows mirrors,miles, original radio, Classifieds-AUG.indd 77 16/07/2013 of history, including photos outside No reasonable offer refused. Call for please call Tony Clarkson on 01274 544005 or player. Boot rack. Very good condition 2 keys. The car has a comprehensive during work hours on 01422 310411. Price: £1000 Tel: 01274 544005 Ref: 8920 chateau is In261544 Superb more details. Neil Goodson. Price: £650 for the year.Maxwell Price: £3500 Tel: 01242 service history with a folder of Condition. # A Great Investment Tel: 07917404190 Ref: 001/06/07 Ref: 002/07/08 BMW 1987 E30 Bonnet, no damage or rust. Current paint finish - metallic blue. invoices etc. Taxed 23/2/14. This is an For The Discerning Buyer.Drives Open to offers - £50. Brake Discs for E28 -520i new, in makers packaging. £35. imported vehicle. Price: £6495 Tel: Exceptionaly Well., Price: £9,950 Transportation at purchaser’s expense for each item. Contact: 01625 260348 (BMW Tel: 0114 2399994 CRCALL DIGITAL0114 Pleasemember) note: All trade adverts are charged at non-members rate. Feature adverts are not available 2399994ARE Ref: CRC PLEASE MAKE Ref: SURE IMAGES SUPPLIED Car Club to traders. Please send all adverts (with photo if required) before the first of the month preceding

bmwcarclub@btconnect.com or place advert on website E36 issue M3 toExhaust. Genuine rear exhaust section for E36 M3. Almost new condition withwww.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk support brackets. Price £200, Tel: 01407 764365 or 07706 001436, Ref: 8930

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

Classifieds-AUG.indd 77 BMW_May14_47-82.indd 74

14:51

AS HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES.

BMW 316 SE. 5 door, silver, 1994 M Reg, electric sunroof, 115000 miles, all service YOUR CAMERA SHOULD BE SET TO ITS HIGHEST SETTING. history, all MOTs, very nice car. Price £650 Tel: 07779 897033 Ref: 8939

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

BMW Car Club Magazine 77 www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

16/07/2013 14:51 17/04/2014 13:24

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 75

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09:55

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 77

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:24

SALES SERVICING RESTORATION

Smarter motorists deserve smarter cars

Jaspers Green Motors Bodywork Specialists BMW Specialist

Unit 7 , Goulds Farm, Rayne, Essex CM77 6DF

ChipEx is a revolutionary paint chip repair system that really works. It’s the easy-to-use alternative to touch-up sticks or the more expensive ‘smart’ repair sytems. The ChipEx repair system allows the home user to simply & safely deal with paint chips, scratches & ‘road rash’ damage to a very high standard. It also helps to increase the ‘used value’ of your vehicle without the cost and added inconvenience of booking a specialist body shop.

Every ChipEx paint is hand-made to the manufacturers’ original paint formulation for an exact colour match. Then using our unique 3 step process of ‘paint, blend and polish’ users can apply and remove the paint better than any touch-up kits or paint sticks. Kits start from only £29.95 and the results are amazing - you’ll wonder why you never tried it before!

Engineering excellence has always been our priority at Classic Heroes. Whether it is a routine annual service or a full scale restoration project we give every car the same level of love and attention as if it was our own. We also provide day to day practical advice on how to keep your BMW in turnkey working order. Whether you need a full scale written report or just some help preparingmarques a budget to cope with All leading catered the demands of the next few years motoring. We are delighted to offer BMW car club members 40 forfrom– E9 classic &CSL’s modern plus years of experience dealing with every modern classic BMW CSL’s to E46 and Proprietor everything in between.

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For further information and videos, or to order your bespoke ChipEx repair kit, just visit our website today www.chipex.co.uk. You could also give us a call on 01295 258308. Don’t forget to look out for our ChipEx ‘how to’ videos on the ChipEx YouTube channel or follow our latest news and user feedback on Facebook and Twitter.

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 78

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Just a handful of the work we’ve carried out in February

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Lots of Condition Based Servicing in February. Here’s just 4 examples; E82 123d E90 320d E63 M6

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This customer wanted improved handling, less body-roll, and exceptional stopping power. So we installed Powerflex bushes, H&R Anti Roll bars, and AP Racing brakes to name a few.

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This E46 required the entire subframe panel This M3 owner wanted to carry out some (Rear Axle Carrier Panel) to be replaced as routine suspension maintenance and a few it was so badly cracked and ripped. sensible improvements at the same time.

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BMW_May14_47-82.indd 79

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BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 80

www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:25

Car Care and Motorsport BMW and MINI Product Suppliers

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Manufacturers of Car-O-Port and Autopod and 10% Discount off all our products for Mercedes‐Benz Club Members UK Distributors of the Moltex and Supertex Fleece Lined Tel: 0161 425 7403 Car Covers and the CTEK Range of Battery Chargers Mercedes‐Benz Car Covers for All Models – Indoor & Outdoor and Conditioners. Tailored or Semi‐Tailored as well as the Cair‐O‐Port Indoor Air Storage Tent Suppliers of Quality Car Care and Race Products.

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Advice and many more useful info@darren-wood.com products also available Please see UNIT‐ 3 BREDBURY COURT IND EST ASHTON ROAD BREDBURY SK6 2QB our website or call us for Brochure.

Applies to any car you own Just add HCLMBC09 in the code box in our website checkout or call the office quoting this code.

10% Discount off products from Hamilton Classics Ltd has been negotiated for BMW Car Club Members when they are ordered through the Club. Please view the Hamilton Classic Website for the full range of Web: www.hamiltongrouponline.com Car Care and Race Products available and contact thee: office@hamiltonclassic.co.uk Club on 01970 267989 toTel: +44(0)118 973 7300 place your order For more detailed product information contact Hamilton Classic on the number below.

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BMW_May14_47-82.indd 81

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

17/04/2014 13:25

Events

National Events 2014

If you would like an event added to the calendar, please email details to straightsix@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk MAY:

3-4: 04: 10: 24-25: 25-26:

Welsh Weekend, Aberystwyth Duxford Spring Car Show, Cambridge (East Anglia Region) Club AGM. RAF Cosford Air Museum, Telford (see p.10) Masters Historic Festival, Brands Hatch, Kent (See 02 Register) Motorsport at the Palace, Crystal Palace, London (See Classic Register)

JUNE: 01: Scottish Regional Concours, Drumlanrig Castle (Scottish Region) 15: BMs on the Lawn. Weston-super-Mare (Western Region) 22-27: BMW Factory Tour (see p.56) JULY: 25-27: Silverstone Classic, Silverstone, Northamptonshire (see p.24) AUGUST: 16: 17:

National Concours, Stratford-upon-Avon (see p.28) National Festival, Heritage Motor Centre (see p.54)

Welsh Weekend: May 3-4 We have secured and exclusive deal with the Park Lodge hotel in Aberystwyth for the popular Welsh Weekend event in May. With the option of one, two or three nights; accommodation includes bed and breakfast for the duration of your stay, as well as an evening meal on Saturday night. Prices based on two people sharing: 1 Night: (Saturday) including evening meal 2 Nights: Including Saturday evening meal 3 Nights: Including Saturday evening meal

£164.00 £259.00 £354.00

Prices based on single occupancy: 1 Night: (Saturday) including evening meal 2 Nights: Including Saturday evening meal 3 Nights: Including Saturday evening meal

£119.50 £204.50 £289.50

Places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment. Call the Club office on 01970 267989 to secure your place on this year’s Welsh Weekend. 82

BMW Car Club Magazine May 2014

BMW_May14_47-82.indd 82

Pub Meets:

This section is for those regular pub meets that are on-going within the Regions. You will always be very welcome to attend any of these events, so pop along and introduce yourself. CENTRAL: Second Monday of the month. The Navigation Inn, Bridge Road, Stoke Bruerne, Towcester, NN12 7SY CENTRAL WEST: Second Tuesday of every month, The Old Wagon & Horses, Stourbridge Rd (A451), Kidderminster, Worcestershire,DY10 3NX CORNWALL: Second Monday of the month at The Punchbowl and Ladle, Penelewey, Feock, Truro, TR3 6QY. CUMBRIA: First Thursday of the month at 7:30pm. Hunday Manor, Winscales, Workington, CA14 4JF DEVON: RESUMES IN JUNE (See Regional News for details) Last Thursday of the month at 7:00pm for 7:30pm meet. Passage House Inn, Hackney Lane, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, TQ12 3QH EAST ANGLIA: Norfolk Pub Meet: Last Sunday lunchtime of the month from 12.30 pm at The George and Dragon, 3 The Street, Thurton, NR14 6AL. Contact - Katherine Mason (Norfolk Branch Rep.) l13klm@aol.com Suffolk Pub Meet: Third Thursday evening of the month at 7.30pm, The Wild Man, Sproughton, Ipswich, IP8 3DA. Contact - David Adams (Suffolk Branch Rep.) jane.s.gibbons@btinternet.com or 0777 466 8596 Cambs/Beds Pub Meet: Fourth Tuesday evening of the month at The Royal Oak, Barrington CB22 7RZ at 7pm all nearby Herts members especially welcome Essex Pub Meet: Every last Thursday evening of the month. The Lodge Country Inn, Battlesbridge SS11 7QT. Contact - George Champ (East Anglia Regional Chairman) bmwgeorgeacs@gmail.com 07514 216660. EASTERN: Peak & South Yorkshire: Second Monday of the month from 8pm at The Twin Oaks Hotel Church Lane, Palterton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S44 6UZ Yorkshire and Humberside: The last Tuesday of the month, 7:30pm to closing time at Barnes Wallis Inn. One mile north of Howden on the B1228, 5 minutes from the M62 J37 www.barneswallisinn.com IRELAND: TBA ISLE OF MAN: TBA LONDON/HERTS: Second Monday evening of the month from 7pm at The Crooked Chimney, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7XE NORTH EAST: First Wednesday of the month at the Dun Cow from 7.30pm to 8.00pm. Dun Cow, Primrose Hill, Bournmoor, Chester-lee- Street. Tell 01913 852631. NORTH WEST: Main meet: Middle Sunday of alternate months from 12:00 noon. Next meet is on the 18th May at The Swan, Bucklow Hill, Cheshire, WA16 6RD. Contact Jeff Heywood - 0161 678 2088 Manchester Branch: First Tuesday of the month at 8.00pm at the Sheldon Arms, Sheldon Way, Ashton-under-Lyne M34 5QL. Contact Peter Cheesbrough - 07887 987745 Wirral and Merseyside: Last Sunday of the month at lunchtime. The Shrewsbury Arms, Mickle Trafford, CH2 4EB. Contact Phil Pinnington - 07803 577935 SCOTLAND: Regular meets in various locations contact isabelle@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for details. SOUTH EAST: Dorking Area: Second Saturday in Month, 7pm for 7.30 meal. The Owl, Dorking Road, Kingsfold, RH12 3SA. Maidstone Area: Last Saturday of the Month. Time 7.00pm at The Ship Inn, 14 The Street, Cobham, Gravesend, Kent. Tel 01474 814326. If you plan to attend please leave a post on the SE forum. Email Anthony.howells@hotmail. com so we have an idea of numbers. Surrey/Hants Area: Last Tuesday in the month, at 8pm. The Jolly Farmer, Binsted Road, Blacknest, Alton GU34 4QD.Tel:01420 22244 SOUTH WEST: TBA THAMES: TBA WALES: North Wales: TBA Mid-Wales: TBA South Wales: First and third Wednesday evening of every month at 7pm (6pm for food) at the Twelve Knights Pub, Margam, Port Talbot, SA13 2BN WESSEX: Bournemouth Area: TBA at the St Leonards Hotel, Ringwood. BH24 2NP, 7.00pm onwards. Contact John Olliffe 07834 498114 Basingstoke Area: TBA. Meet 10.00am. Harvest Suite, The Wheatsheaf Hotel, North Waltham, Basingstoke RG25 2BB. Contact Tim Maltby 07885 252448 WESTERN: First Wednesday of each month. Woolpack Inn, Shepherds Way. St Georges. Weston–Super-Mare BS22 7XE www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

17/04/2014 13:25

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To find your local dealer, the number to note is 0800 325 600 or simply visit www.bmw.co.uk. Suitable for BMW cars from 1998 production onwards with RDS text function (please check availability with your Dealer). To check coverage in your local area please visit www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/postcodesearch. Excludes Channel Islands. Calls to BMW Customer Information are free from BT landlines. Call charges from other networks may vary, please check with your provider.

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