[mandrimac]

Can some of you guys who have attended performance driving center give some driving tips to a 325i Step newbie? Thanks in advance.

[akhbhaat]

Golden rule: slow is fast.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by mandrimac

Can some of you guys who have attended performance driving center give some driving tips to a 325i Step newbie? Thanks in advance.

Only tip possible, join the BMW CCA (www.bmwcca.org) - you can use my membership number as referrer (36024) - and take part in local chapter driving schools and autocross events.

The driving schools and autocross events are the best teachers.

[noflash]

Originally Posted by mandrimac

Can some of you guys who have attended performance driving center give some driving tips to a 325i Step newbie? Thanks in advance.

Put it in 'S'.

[mandrimac]

Originally Posted by noflash

Put it in 'S'.

I am sorry but what is 'S'? I guess it is a sticky, but how do I do that?
Thanks

[dom1]

Originally Posted by mandrimac

I am sorry but what is 'S'? I guess it is a sticky, but how do I do that?
Thanks

If you have a stick, you don't need to worry. 'S' is sports mode in the automatic transmission.

[kobechrome]

Break the car in correctly.

Don't expect to take anyone off the line in the 325. Just enjoy the car.

[Dankoristik]

I definately agree. Put the car is "DS" Drive Sport mode. Although, if you are just on a stroll don't worry about this.

[noflash]

Originally Posted by mandrimac

I am sorry but what is 'S'? I guess it is a sticky, but how do I do that?
Thanks

When you are in Drive, move the stick to the left. You'll have higher shift points and move a bit faster.

As for driving tips, what do you mean?

Be safe, always look for cops, don't clip any curbs, both hands on the wheel, don't rev your engine at a stop light!!

You should prob sign up with your local BMWCCA chapter and attend a driving school or two.

[england1987]

Originally Posted by mandrimac

Can some of you guys who have attended performance driving center give some driving tips to a 325i Step newbie? Thanks in advance.

You start off in the class room, and talk about theory, such as the size of contact patch between the road and tire during certain manuvers. The most important thing is LISTEN. On the side pad, they will try to make you life hell by pulling on the handbrake until you loose control. To correct this just let go of the steering wheel and the car wil somewhat correct itself. then grab the wheel and give it a bit more countersteer. They will make you do this untl they have made you loose control. even if it means holding the handbrake on to make you look stupid. As you are driving around the track make sure that as you go around the corners, that you look around the corners before you get there. They like you see to whats coming before you do it. Also, give it as much gas as you want, its not there car your driving, the instructors don't give a damn how you treat the car. On the slalom course, make sure that you look ahead down the line of cones and not at the cones (trust me, they can tell) as they come towards you. keep a steady speed as you go through them, otherwise you will have understeer and oversteer. Dont wimp out of giving it some gas to get to speed. You dont want to be going to slow enterign the slalom course, otherwise, you will find it hard to get your speed up. On the emergency lane change, make sure that your speed is constant as you enter the lane change. Otherwise, you WILL over/understeer horribly. dont brake until you have gone through and changed direction, if you dont wait, you will cause the back end to come around and hit the cones on the exit. BRAKE, when you break, make sure that your full weight is on the brake pedal. They jokingly say that if you can break the pedal off, then you can have the car. It can't be done. On the emergency breaking in the wet, slam your foot on the break pedal, the ABS works, just trust it. On the water wall jets, they make you drive down the middle then randonly turn on the water wall jets, trying to make you hit the water. this works until they make you count backwards in multiples of whatever with the radio in your hand. This is not possible. This is why we now have bluetooth technology. Now for Autocross. This is a relaxing drive around a small course at the end on the track. Go for gold, you'll know what to do. Just apex the corners at the green cones and you'll do fine. there is one problem, a increasing radius at the start cone. As you go through this the car will seriously understeer and push toward the gravel, just back off the gas and this will correct itself. they incorporate a small slalom course into this aswell.

I'm booked in for a two day driving course in march, and I can't wait to see how the new 3er really handles on a road course. :rocks:

[KL2DC]

In a sentence...Slow in...Fast out...eyes need to be straight on...carve your driving line...the key to quick times on any circuit/course is how long you can stay at WOT...