great post! thanks for taking the time for this.

 

Great pictures!

 

Jason: Great pictures, thanks for taking the time to post them. It's cool that you make it back to Bimmerfest every year. But, I must say, the Bimmerfest crowd does as much damage to the BMW image and brand than good - I just don't like their style or approach.

 

What about them bothers you? Not to same I'm on any side here, just want to know why you think this?

 

I think their approach to modifying their cars (a lot of the time M variants) is tasteless and diverging from the goals and image of a Motorsport modified BMW. Big stereos, ugly taillights and wheels, overly slammed suspension, etc. isn't German, isn't discrete, and has nothing to do with performance and balance. And, the individuals themselves often look like tools - a 23 year old in a modified E46 M3 (thanks mom and dad) who thinks they are the shit isn't cool.

Perhaps I'm biased, as my real introduction to car communities was with a much more focused, performance oriented group. I started frequenting Portland International Raceway, M5board.com, and getting to know local (much older) BMW enthusiasts. Their approach to their cars seemed more practical and modest, but their driving was incredible, and appreciation for the cars in line with mine. I received a substantial amount of training and practice in a good friend/senior BMW track instructor's E39 M5. The techniques and skills I've accumulated I owe to him. These memories, in those type of settings, is what a BMW is all about to me.

I realize there is much more to Bimmerfest than what I described. In the end, it's people taking pride in their cars and wanting to share this passion with a community of other enthusiasts. But, the whole thing just bothers me.

About the fifth edit here: I know Jason personally, and know he is a true enthusiast.

 

Excellent shots and story. Thanks for taking the time to post 'em!

 

Great thread, I read through it top to bottom!

Excellent pictures, as always.

 

Great post.

I want to make boom boom with that falken model, hot.

 

M5kid/Trevor,

It's always great to hear from you, kid. Ironically, when I first got my M5 I was 25 and the first thing I thought about was how to preserve the M-heritage as much as possible as originally intended by BMW. I wanted to be as tasteful as possible in terms of overall asthetics focusing instead on performance. That's exactly how a true car enthusiast thinks. That philosophy has carried over even to this day as I elevate my Turbo to perfection.

I agree with you about the atmosphere at Bimmerfest being like that but on another note, there were quite a few true enthusiasts at the show. They were the ones parked in the outskirts hanging about. The ones that you're thinking of were all clustered mainly in the center with all the other big horsepower freaks.

 

Agreed. Loving your Turbo and the way it's progressing, BTW.