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Oh man!! WHAT A DAY!!!!! The wife and I got up early (for a Saturday) and headed to BMW's temporary "WallysWorld" at Hollywood Park, in the beautiful downtown "Inglewood" (sniff).. ;-)
As we pulled up to the "Ultimate Driving Experience" staging area, we saw this HUGE track over a big rigg, with a X5 on top of it. WHAT A SIGHT that was!! yeah, I was about to pee-in-my-pants if I had to drive an X5 on that track, UNBELIVABLE!!
After "sign-in" I hopped into the M5 on display. Oh man!!! that was a mistake. I think I am ready to dump my 540 as we speak (please email me w/ your offer price). :-) Of course, my wife was nowhere near the M5, ... I finally had to "rip" her out of the new 3 convertable (she just won't let go..It was sooooo emberassing!!!) =). She, of course wants me to "dump" our new 540 so she could get her convertable, yeah!! right!!! Oh, eh Marc!!!If you are reading this, I think I need you to draw up some divorce paper, my man!! ;-)
Seriouly, (I hope you guys/gals are enjoying this thus far) afterwards, we proceeded to the "X5" Cafe, We weren't hungry, but BMW provided some really nice conti breakfast, kudos to BMWNA for the set up! Nice touch!
We sign-up for the X5 "spinn out" demo. .....DUDE!!!!! That was SOOOOO Awesome!!!! And yes, we drove over the " big rigg" track that I mentioned previously. I've gotta tell ya... that was some cool $hit!! You know, I've had Jeeps for the past 14 years, and quite frankly, I've out grown/sick and tired of, SUV. Mind you that I was a BIG Jeep man for the past 14 years, I can say this w/ confidence. I know JEEPs well, I was one of the best in product knowledge for the AMC JEEP (later the Chrysler Jeep)during my 3years tenure as a salesman in while I was in college. I loved those Jeeps. You cannot touch a Jeep w/ Ford, Toyota Landcruiser, 4Runner, Pathfinder, RangeRover, ML430, etc... JEEPs are the BEST (aside from Hummer) for 4WD. But.... Here's the reality.. MOST (statistically speaking) SUV do NOT go off-road. And BMW was up front w/ this issue. Fact is, X5 wa s designed to handle like a car, w/low center of gravity. Yeah, big deal, Right???I was not all that impressive, until they demo the X5 on the "roller track", and all of sudden my jaw dropped in disbelief... I know exactly what was going on there (and NOBODY else did!!!), BMW X5 was on the roller track, and the last part of the demo showed that the X5 was able to distribute power to the only front wheel that it had traction on. Folks, if you have no clue as to what I am talking about, then skip this part. Fact is, a Jeep (and other manufactures as well) will NOT be able to get you out of that situation (unless you have a winch) Fact is, a 4 Wheel Drive is a really a "2 wheel drve" (one wheel on front, and one wheel on back). And at best, it can be a "3 wheel drive" assuming you purchased the "Rear Trak-Loc" Differential. There is NO front wheel differential. And a "front trak-loc" Diffrential doesn't exist (not possible due to different front wheel speed in a turn).
As I was still shocked in disbelief, my wife was able to haul me into a X5 and off to the race track we went.
We had a kick-ass Brazillian Kid (a proffesional racer as they all were) Piere'. We did things that we would NEVER do (and hopefully, never will do) to our own car. LOVE IT!! We were "..'burning gas, and kicking asphalt.." You guys have got to try it!!! 'nuff said....
My wife was the first one to drive, Oh Man!! she scared the crap out of me (and I was sitting on the back seat). But I've gotta tell'ya, she did the first lap in 22 senconds flat, I was so freggin' impressed (That's my girl!!! -) ). Her second lap was even better, inside our car it was pure hell!! She took out 5 cones, and we were slipping and sliding!! and the guy sitting next to me (Ron was his name) was Rollin' on the floor Laughing his ass off, coughng... ;-) on the joke I cracked on Asian drivers. In the meanwhile Piere' was trying to figure out the joke (he was Brazilian) and my wife was doing 50 MPH on this small course. Oh man!! That was one of my "finest" moment in creating a koatic atmosphere...You guys have gotta hang w/ me sometimes, I am just a "total jack-ass".. i'll tell'ya..
I was the last person to drive the course, I puched the throttle, and woshhhh.. the X5 kicks ass!!! did my first lap in 21.5 and did my second at 20.3 Wow!! I surprised my self. I know some basic rule of swinging in and out of corner, from reading Car Mags and books when I was in high school. But have not drive in that manner for a good 15 years. The only practice I get these days is playing my Playstation's "Grand Turismo 2" occasionally(sp). ;-)
Ah... finally, the autoX, yes... well here's the deal with that. We were divided into 2 teams with 11 people, so my team had only 5 drivers, and to even things up, They asked.. (at this point, I raised my hand..) ... hey!! who wants to drive twice (duh!!, let me think, Geroge..). This other kid in the group raised his hand, and of course, I had him beat.. oh!! he was VERY dissapointed.. The funny thing was, I would normally back off and let the "young" guy drive, ...but something you just can' giveup.. (i.e. my wife, my kids (don't have any yet), and a chance to drive a Bimmer for free ;-) ) So I was Driver #1 and #3.
Long story short, I knocked down the "green" (god help me!!) cone, as the #1 drive. Oh Man, That was a major setback... thought we lost, but I was reminded that "tounting" was allowed (HE.....HE....HE.........He) and when it was the other team's turn, I just lost it... I went WILD w/ comments like:
1).... SSSSSSSTOPPPPPP ... YOUR CAR"S ON FIRE!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!
2) Wait... wait... SLOW DOWN... WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!
3) TOO FAST!!, TOO FAST!!! ARE YOU NUTZZZZ???
anyways, It worked, and this one girl Knocked off a GREEN cone (yess... and now we're even =) ) as she was pulling away.
So, despite my screw up, we WON!!! it was not even close!! (heheheheheeheh, I am a dirty bastard..)
But the part I was most proud of... the moment the instructors asked: "...who was the #1 driver in team one.." I was stood up and said .."YES!!!!!!" ... I won the Fastest Lap!! =) ...... But them the instructors embarrassed me by saying... oh!! However, you hit the green cone and you that a 5 seconds penalty ..." Oh man!! that was *ucked-up!!.. i sat down.. and was really dissapointed.. I really wanted the award especially knowing that JFrench won the "most improved" award (that one, i don't want ;-) ....)
In the mean while they announced that ".. the winner of fastest lap goes to #3 driver of team one.. " ... i said to myself, ".. What ?? That's still MEEEEEEEE!! Daaahhhhh" ...YESSSS!! I stood up again and the annoucing instuctor thought I was playing w/ him... ;-) After a brief explanation, I walked home H-A-P-P-Y w/ my trophy.. Oh wow!!! what day... All this fun, laughter and game, all before 12:30 pm... Can you believe that???
Anyways... To sum-up the day.. X5 Damn impresive, it will be my next Sports UV. BMWNA, Excellent event!! I am sold on Bimmers for life!! The Ultimate Driving Experience, Just shut-up and "DO IT" !!!
and that's all folks...
beewang
'00 540 "Pride of Dingolfing" (aka My ride to Cutter's Bimmerfest 2000) ,is due to arrive in less than 3 weeks and counting
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