Let me address your comments (archive)

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Hi Ryan, your comments bring up something I'd like to respond to:
1) When I said the Z3 is unsafe it is with in the context of High Performance Driving Schools...My helmeted head is an inch and a half above the windshild and a couple of inches above the roll hoops...Yes the Z3 has faired well in roll overs on the street but I've reached 125 MPH at some of the tracks I've been to..So no thankfully there are not any stats, and I personally would like to keep it that way..

2) The Schools out on the West Coast are very well organized and run..Buy the way they are not races, they are schools to teach us how to run at speed within our abilities. And to say no instructor is forced into a car is short sighted...It is a tremendous job of organizing instructors and to send a car to the grid that may or may not be safe could disrupt the entire run session. That's not fair to the sponcering chapter..So yes I think it is ok to exclude all un modified open cars, 328 convertibles,Z3 and M3 Roadsters.

3) In reguards to a roll cage, maybe so...But this is not a race. And on the West coast there are a lot of hard tops with roll bars, 328's, M3's etc.especially in the B and A run groups..

4) Yeah I know my top is not operational when the bar is on....But if I ran into a rain problem going to and from the event I can take it off. It only takes 30-45 min. to convert my car back to stock.

5) The HMS bar gives me some concern also. but it is higher than the hoops and is the highest bar that can be done and still use the top...Some have talked about the HMS bar, 5 point, and run with the top up would be accepted...The top would provide some protection from rocks and other missles..

Ryan in closing it is not my intension to argue either. But it is unfair of us as a class of car owners to act like we are being scorned because we are being excluded for a legitimate safety concern... And unlike you, obviously, most of the complainers don't know what these events entail and the potentially leathel danger. So I say lets get all that want to do this stuff go out to the track at one of these events and do a ride around with an instructor...Then if you still feel the stock roll hooped Z3 is safe enough well talk..Lastly I have found that the CCA folks I have worked with have been wonderful, and helpful to accomplish getting my car to a relitivly safe state. But I did it in a positive manner in stead of whinning, and arguing...It's not that they wanted to exclude me or a class of car, it's just that we needed to make it safer.

If you have any other comments I'll be glad to respond, Tom Bell

: Your points are well taken. But to say the Z3 is unsafe where are the stats? I think this brings up the question are any cars safe? IMHO the school is made safer by the way it is run not by excluding car types. Under race conditions a full roll cage is the minimum safty equipment needed for any car. I have seen damage (off track into guard rails) at driving schools with cars like the 540 and M3 up to this time no Z3 damage (we have several ZM including 320hp euro engine) Mine is a 300hp turbo 2.8. I agree that no instructor should be forced into a car. BMW club of Canada does not seem to have a shortage of instructors willing to set in the lowly Z3. PPL on this board have survived roll overs in there Z3 on the highways. It is a safe car! Maybe the schools should be made safer?

: If we put roll bars in of the height that is demanded no on could close their soft top. The HMS roll bar which is fine product is not high enough to meet these standards.

: I hope this reply does not sound like a flame but like it was intended to be, a good discussion. I treat safty seriously. My mods to my Z3 in order That I installed them;

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