Let's start an Austin BMW car club!

[dskadberg]

Since there seems to be no Austin BMW car club jumping out at my face from this forum, I think we should start one. There is the parked thread for weekly BMW meets. I don't know why that one isn't picking up. But somebody has gotta do something. All in favor, responed to this thread.

Thank you fellow Austinites.

[sherwin0779]

I agree! let's start one.....

Let's start one!

[gobuffs]

It is called the Tejas chapter.

[darubez]

[dskadberg]

It is called the Tejas chapter.

you have a link to a page w/ info on it or anything? or when do they meet and where?

[RADI0ACTIV3M4N]

you have a link to a page w/ info on it or anything? or when do they meet and where?

Do you live in lakeway?

[lightflyer1]

http://www.tejaschapter.org/tejas.html

There was one other informal meeting but only 3 or so show up. Died now I think.

[Jessejames323IS]

yeah there is the Tejas group its a local chapter of the BMW Car Club of America. You should join the BMW CCA Im a happy member for two years now. Its one of the largest car clubs in America. Not to mention the perks like discounts on part and labor. O and a great magazine every month all about Bimmers.

[MurphysLaww]

I'd do it if it'd get more of you jokers out to the Autocrosses.

[dskadberg]

Do you live in lakeway?

no i dont live in lakeway, im in northwest austin. if you know austin at all, mopac and 45th street. but if you dont know austin, its hard to explain. im about 20 minutes from lakeway.

to everyone else though, do we have to be in the BMW CCA to be in the Tejas chapter? cuz i dont have the money i would need to join the CCA

[weaksauce]

no i dont live in lakeway, im in northwest austin. if you know austin at all, mopac and 45th street. but if you dont know austin, its hard to explain. im about 20 minutes from lakeway.

to everyone else though, do we have to be in the BMW CCA to be in the Tejas chapter? cuz i dont have the money i would need to join the CCA

you drive a bmw and you can't afford to join the car club?
next your going to complain about what a POS a BMW is because it is always breaking, when actually it will be maintenance neglect that ruins the car.....

[autodrenaline]

I just created a new forum less than two weeks ago specifically geared towards us Austinites, but not vehicle specific; however, I am focusing on BMW and the general high-end crowd and you are all invited to use the forum and check in on social events (there will be more than regular car meets).

I will host a weekly car meet starting two to three weeks from now and will announce the location by Monday. I still need to meet with some people and businesses.

One of my main goals is to keep the events entertaining and the forum classy. I've seen too many fruitful forums go down the tube and will not let that happen with mine.

I mentioned my site on a forum I have frequented for a few years now and had close to 30 users join overnight. I'm not officially "public" yet so I've used the small feedback I have received so far to do a lot of editing and true knit-picking to perfect content, templates, functionality, etc.

I am looking to do car shoots to use in the photo gallery as well as graphics for the forum so if you're interested, come to my forum and shoot me a PM. Can't miss my bright red admin name "jwalker."

There are many different car-specific forums, but I invite you all to join the mix. All cars. All Austin.

http://www.autodrenaline.com/

[Apex000]

BMW CCA is a good club, i have been a member for about 2months & I've heard good things about the folks in the Tejas Chapter .

but i like the austin BMW (non cca) club idea.

[dictator]

I joined the tejas chapter last year and it seemed to be geared towards people with nicer BMWs i drove down to a meeting in san marcos once and after my 82 320i I'm pretty sure the next oldest was a e36/5 they are more geared towards socialites not mechanics. They do some repair workshops but it usually ends up as a drive through the country followed by lunch in the hill country.

I want a group of mechanics and people that work on their car every waking hour.

[darubez]

I joined the tejas chapter last year and it seemed to be geared towards people with nicer BMWs i drove down to a meeting in san marcos once and after my 82 320i I'm pretty sure the next oldest was a e36/5 they are more geared towards socialites not mechanics. They do some repair workshops but it usually ends up as a drive through the country followed by lunch in the hill country.

I want a group of mechanics and people that work on their car every waking hour.

Well on this forum, there isn't much of an Austin scene. The guys from M3forums seem to meet pretty often on the weekends to work on their cars, but they pretty much all have E46s. They also do a lot of drives, which you seem opposed to.

Personally, I'm in (m)ursing school so I don't have time to work on my car, but I do enjoy casual meets to talk cars and life over a few brews.

[j rock]

I joined the tejas chapter last year and it seemed to be geared towards people with nicer BMWs i drove down to a meeting in san marcos once and after my 82 320i I'm pretty sure the next oldest was a e36/5 they are more geared towards socialites not mechanics. They do some repair workshops but it usually ends up as a drive through the country followed by lunch in the hill country.

I want a group of mechanics and people that work on their car every waking hour.

I have heard from other BMW owners of E30/36 that the BMW CCA is mainly composed of older people circle-jerking about roundels. I've never really had the inclination to join.

I JUST WANNA DRIVE!

[M3 Adjuster]

I joined the tejas chapter last year and it seemed to be geared towards people with nicer BMWs i drove down to a meeting in san marcos once and after my 82 320i I'm pretty sure the next oldest was a e36/5 they are more geared towards socialites not mechanics. They do some repair workshops but it usually ends up as a drive through the country followed by lunch in the hill country.

I want a group of mechanics and people that work on their car every waking hour.

Once again.. a person who goes to ONE event, and thinks everyone in an entire chapter is represented by the people at the one event they attended 5 years ago. Each and every chapter has different types of people... it's not one homogeneous group. Oddly... it seems that most people seem to go to
one event.. or.. like J rock... they hear some rumor, and then presume it to be true, without ever finding out for themselves.


That said.. ** in general** the Austin Chapter tends to be more of a social group.... they do a lot of hill country drives and they also do a lot of wine
tasting type events... HOWEVER.. there are plenty of enthusiasts in the chapter.... but you probably won't see them at the wine and drive events either! How about checking out the chapter message board... maybe joining yourself... posting an idea or contacting chapter leadership about the events that YOU like to do and see if they will do it...

When I first moved to DFW... I wanted to do a dyno day... the chapter that I was a member of Indiana did them annually.. I knew NO ONE in Dallas, but I knew that I could find friends and BMW enthusiasts if I came to events.... So.... when i found out there was no such event locally.. i sent a note to the chapter president and said I'd like to start one. The president responded.. sure! Boom.. I contacted a few shops... found a date... wrote a few paragraphs and it was published in the chapter newsletter (THIS IS BEFORE COOL/USELESS THINGS LIKE WEB FORUMS) with my name as a contact... The first dyno day had 20 cars! I wrote an article that summarized the event and it got published in the chapter flyer... Suddenly.. it turned out every one wanted to dyno their cars! I ended up running three more such events for the chapter. So... where were those people that wanted to dyno their cars?? They were RIGHT THERE IN THE CHAPTER. But without someone to set up an event... they had nothing to attend!

If you drive around this world expecting everyone to cater to you... you're likely going to end up disappointed, disenchanted, and posting in some internet forum about it.

[dictator]

I only described the parking lot at the christmas party in san marcos. and that was xmas of 08. I barely had my permit 5 years ago. And that one event had at least 30-40 people. It was a fair representation of the attendance at future events.

My understanding is that the Lone Star group is more car and driving (autox) oriented while tejas is more of a social group. As described by a dallas resident that didnt care for the seemingly aggressive and sporty nature of lone star.

From what I have heard Tejas and Lone star are two very different chapters and gather around very different events.

Well on this forum, there isn't much of an Austin scene. The guys from M3forums seem to meet pretty often on the weekends to work on their cars, but they pretty much all have E46s. They also do a lot of drives, which you seem opposed to.

I'm not necessarily opposed to drives. I just dont particularly care for a spring drive in the country with the top down and a scarf trailing in the wind.

I prefer raw physical driving, freezing cold and blistering heat are some of my favorite climates for aggressive driving.

I'm lookin' for a group that opens their hood to do more than just check their washer fluid.

[M3 Adjuster]

Yes... in general the Lone Star Chapter has a lot of motorsports events... But it was NOT LIKE THAT WHEN I CAME HERE IN 1998. There was no DE program... There was autocross and a lot of social events with a fairly tight knit group of people in there 40s to 50s.... yes.. the type of people that can AFFORD new BMWs like I couldn't (and still can't!)...

To be honest.... unfortunately.. a LOT of the motorsports enthusiasts in the Lone Star Chapter have moved on... They've had kids, they have moved away, they have moved onto different cars.... The key thing to understand is that chapters change based on the people that are active. If only people that do social events show up to events.... then the chapter will be social only... if you are a wrench turning mofo, but you never show up, never get INVOLVED, and never meet the other wrench turning mofos in the chapter... well.. guess what... the chapter may just stay social.

The great thing about BMW CCA is that typically each chapter has TONS of funds for events... But without IDEAS and VOLUNTEERS, nothing will happen except for what is already working for that chapter. Bring your ideas, and your energy, and I doubt you will be turned away. The fellow that runs our DIY events for our chapter would post in our forums periodically... " hey... when is the next DIY day? " I recruited him to set up the next event and we had a good turnout and now we have another coming up this weekend. Had he just sat around and posted on BFC.... nothing would have happened..


It's funny that you comment about the person you know that doesn't like the LSC chapter motorsports events... and I get that question a lot...Why does your chapter do (so many) motorsports events?... Because that's what people have expressed a passion for !.... We can certainly do social events (and we are now doing a LOT more)... but if no one steps up to either 1) make themselves heard (in the proper forum) or 2) volunteer to make their passion a reality, then unfortunately, it's just not going to get done.. Our chapter can afford to rent a dance hall for $2000 and throw a $50 a plate black tie dinner..., but to be honest... I don't know that we would get the attendance... nor do I have personally have the passion to set up such an event... if someone does... then let me know..... maybe the LSC needs that type of event? As it is, currently we run 9-10 autocross events a year, two street Survivals, two DE events with club races (typically.. although attendance for those has been dwindling) and we do a handful of social events.. a holiday party, a fun day at Speedzone.... his year we have done two DIY days... etc.. Why? Because we have VOLUNTEERS that want to do those events and put them on. If we get volunteers that want to do social events then we will do those as well! Heck.. if we get even just the IDEAS then lots of times we can make them happen.... Would a drifting event be cool?... or a backyard BBQ... or more TECH sessions... DIY days.. Express your ideas to the chapter leadership and MAKE the chapter what you want it to be, instead of EXPECTING it to be what you want it to be automatically..

The key thing I am trying to get across is that I see a lot of " us vs them" mentality in this forum.... And it's not like that at all.. or at least it SHOULDN'T BE. It's US here in this forum... and there are people like US in the chapter.... Some of us hang out in both arenas...... but LOTS of people sit around and play the US vs. THEM game instead of getting involved. That happens on BOTH sides of the fence. There are people here that say that all the people in the chapter are THIS OR THAT... and there are indeed some people in the chapter that say... well all those folks on BFC are THAT AND THIS... when in truth, there's a mix in both.. So join the local chapter... Heck... many events one can attend and you don't even have to be a member.... Come on out.. meet some folks... You just might find that the 55 year old guy with the E92 is a pretty cool guy actually, and maybe he has two E30s at home, or he owned one a few years ago... You also just might find a 24 year old that just got out of college, and drives an E36 M3... but he first owned a 318is... Or you might find a guy that has 3 M3s, 2 2002 project cars and a MINI cooper..... damn.. i think I've had too many beers! GO RANGERS!

[fdegraff]

As a new e39 owner, I could use a little mechanical mentoring. The forums are extremely helpful, but seeing/doing in the Austin area would be outstanding.

[j rock]

The key thing I am trying to get across is that I see a lot of " us vs them" mentality in this forum.... And it's not like that at all.. or at least it SHOULDN'T BE. It's US here in this forum... and there are people like US in the chapter.... Some of us hang out in both arenas...... but LOTS of people sit around and play the US vs. THEM game instead of getting involved. That happens on BOTH sides of the fence. There are people here that say that all the people in the chapter are THIS OR THAT... and there are indeed some people in the chapter that say... well all those folks on BFC are THAT AND THIS... when in truth, there's a mix in both.. So join the local chapter... Heck... many events one can attend and you don't even have to be a member.... Come on out.. meet some folks... You just might find that the 55 year old guy with the E92 is a pretty cool guy actually, and maybe he has two E30s at home, or he owned one a few years ago... You also just might find a 24 year old that just got out of college, and drives an E36 M3... but he first owned a 318is... Or you might find a guy that has 3 M3s, 2 2002 project cars and a MINI cooper..... damn.. i think I've had too many beers! GO RANGERS!

I was so moved and filled with pride after I read this that I went and bashed in some Audi headlights. When I sat down at the computer again, I actually looked up the Tejas chapter and they are doing a pretty cool drive next weekend. I'm going to try and make it, but I have to work Friday & Saturday... Still, after looking at the RSVP list, I feel like I should go buy a newer generation BMW

[ArizonaE36]

I was so moved and filled with pride after I read this that I went and bashed in some Audi headlights.

[Bimmerista]

I was so moved and filled with pride after I read this that I went and bashed in some Audi headlights.

Good for you! Other than the R8 & Q5, all other Audi cars are some of the biggest POS' on the road.

[j rock]

Kidding....

[M3 Adjuster]

I was so moved and filled with pride after I read this that I went and bashed in some Audi headlights. When I sat down at the computer again, I actually looked up the Tejas chapter and they are doing a pretty cool drive next weekend. I'm going to try and make it, but I have to work Friday & Saturday... Still, after looking at the RSVP list, I feel like I should go buy a newer generation BMW

LOL... well at least someone heard me... thanks!