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Originally Posted by SteveT
M-School is not a defensive driving school, it is a competitive driving event. It is expensive, but I wouldn't say particularly over priced for what you get. I have done the two day M-School followed by Advanced M-School at VIR. You learn how to best drive BMW M cars, driving their car. I think a big plus is two instructors for each group of five students. They give you drills that teach you particular skills and then follow it up with track time. Basic M-School is paced at about a maximum of 90mph at the PC and the Michelin Proving Grounds. I was reaching 130-140 at VIR in an E46 M3. The instructor told me the speed I wasn't watching the speedometer. At the finish of Advanced M-School/VIR we were doing complete laps of VIR and could take an instructor or do it on our own. A number of the events were timed during both M-Schools, so you can watch our progress against the group and it gets competitive. Both events are well organized and very professional. The instructors are excellent and have included guys like Joey Hand, Bill Auberlen and Dave Russell. The price included room and meals for M-School as well as transportation around Spartanburg. We paid for our own rooms at VIR.
I have also done club events and you do get track time. If that's what you want they are great for that, but it's you car, tires, etc. There's not much instruction that compares with M-School. You can find a good instructor, but you might not. There is also no provision to focus on the skid pad/car control or practicing of lines through lead follow. There are other schools, but nothing that gives you sort of BMW Culture like M-School.
BTW, I also drove the E90 M3 on the Nurburgring this past October at BMW NA's invitation. It wasn't necessarily an M-School and I did have to pay for the event, but I'm still smiling after the four days there. The E90 M3 is amazing, but that's a different subject.
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Thanks for the M School impressions. I am looking for quality instruction at this point, and it sounds like the M School delivers that. The advanced school is more than what I would like to pay for at this time, but sounds like more fun.