So I was dodging all these notorious pot holes, raised man holes, and endless constructions in Boston. I am getting pretty good at handling my MCS after 2 months of ownership.

But is there any Mini Driving school near by to enhence my driving ability? I am not thinking about tracking my MCS, although it might be an option, I just want to enjoy my MCS the fullest I can.

I did a quick search, and found out there are several events going on in IL, SC, TN, AL, and etc. Nowhere near New England. Do I really have to drive 18+ hours to take these classes? Or do I have any alternative?

I know I can do springs, shocks, and sway bars to make MCS handle better, but I want to improve my skill. Anyone shed some light for me~

 

www.boston-bmwcca.org/

Follow that link. They offer Advanced driver courses and track courses as well as other events such as autoX

 

SWEET!

 

I agree about BMWCCA.

You should really join the BMWCCA! I attended this event that they are holding again in July http://www.wmc-bmwcca.org/event/231 . It's without a doubt just what you are looking for. It taught me great stuff about my Mini and just how far I can push it and just what it does when I push it too hard. I recommend this for everyone. I will have my kids do it as soon as they are eligible to.

 

Onasled,

Nice Video

Nice

 

yellow, also try www.scda1.com, also offer some great events and classroom instruction. Very nice, family run, business.

 

Thanks guys. I will try one of this event ans see how it goes.

BTW... nice video onasled.

 

If you get some money (about $500 - $800) that you can throw at a school where you abuse someone else's car, I highly recommend Skip Barber's driving school in Limerock, CT.

For a full day driving school you get instruction from some really top notch race drivers in front wheel drive car handling. A little slalom, some threshold braking, some skidpad work, and finally a little autocross in a Viper (rather disappointing since you don't leave 2nd gear and the course is short). The best part of the class is that you get to abuse someone else's car, not your own.

 

http://themclub.net/

These guys hold a AUTO X school event yearly..check on their website for updates on the school...they just had one couple months ago...I think it runs about $150

 

Get signed up for the MINI Peabody Gymkana event on November 13 - a fund raiser for Keith Polischuk. Driving instructors from the Boston BMW CCA will be present!

 

Thought I would revive this thread just to add acouple of things. First I'd second the notion of joining CCA heartily. They run nearly a dozen AX and School event a year. The most valuable of these and by far the best bang for the $$$ you could ever hope to have, is when they host the Evolution School, which generally happens in April. Virtually all the instructors as SCCA National champions and the cost for an entire day is under $250. The Boston chapter is at: http://boston-bmwcca.org/

One great thing about the boston area is that BMWCCA and NERPCA (the local Porsche region) have a recpricol agreement for DE events so that if your a BMW CCA member you can attend PCA DEs as well. NER has a very long and storied DE history and has IMO, (and that of many CCA instructors as well) a more well defined education program for track driving. Many of the instructors participate at both clubs events as do many of the students. Porsche club info can be found at: http://www.porschenet.com

 

White Mountain Chapter of BMWCCA also has several drivers schools throughout the year. Track days as well.

http://www.wmc-bmwcca.org

 

To my brain, the White Mountain and Boston chapters of the BMWCCA are interchangable. They both do NHIS events, the same instructors are at them... I get confused when someone asks if the last event I was at was Boston chapter of White Mountain chapter.

Even better, I did an SCDA event at NHIS, and it was the same classroom instructor as the BMWCCA events.

For a first-timer on the track, I'd recommend the BMWCCA events over SCDA. BMWCCA is more structured, and I think the average pace of the drivers there is slower, for whatever reason. SCDA flies a little looser... which might be nice once you're comfortable doing a track day, but at first the structure of the BMWCCA events is comforting.