BMW Performance Center West Driving School Announced @ The Thermal Club, CA

[Powaup]

Originally Posted by E36toF30

Yeah, that would be my first question as well. Doesn't sound like it based on the provided description

Would make no sense for them not to

[agagom]

Nice, super excited!
It will be the most valuable mod/upgrade to me: the driving skill!

[Fronzdan]

Originally Posted by ft1330

Wish they had performance center NORTH EAST because South Carolina is not exactly what I would call accessible to us.

Amen to that! SC is way too far.

[dclowd9901]

Makes you wonder what took them so long. If they had this when I ordered my M3, I would've done a PDC instead of an ED and drove the damn thing home!

[roy@acuteperformance]

Can't wait for this to open!!!

[Dave2011M3]

Originally Posted by lux

Looks like they are trying to develop private garages and villas around the track property. Interesting concept but that would be the last place I'd want to locate my vacation home.

Yea, Palm Desert area isn't very close to the beach. It would be a 2 hr. drive for me but I would definitely go except in the summer where the temps can be easily 110+ F.

Dave

[GOLFFRR]

[///M ARMY]

Great news. So cal guys are gonna love this

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by Diver

Definitely a great idea, and probably a bit more to see in the area than Spartanberg. Then again, Spartanberg shows what some hard working folks in the USA can do.

Ever been to Thermal, CA? I've stayed in Palm Desert a couple of times. There are some incredible drives (Palms to Pines, anyone?) out there, but not much else. I'd actually say it's quite similar to Spartanburg in that you're close to some good drives, but not much else. Spartanburg itself is a bit bigger, and there's Greenville just 45 minutes away. Thermal has Hwy 74 nearby, but you've got to drive to the Los Angeles or San Diego area if you're looking for a metro area. I'd be surprised if Palm Springs and Palm Desert combined are as big as Spartanburg (population wise).

LA is accessible from Thermal, but it's a solid 2 hr drive. From Spartanburg, you have to drive northwest to Asheville or east to Charlotte for anything resembling a big city though, and neither are as large as LA, obviously. Asheville is the clear choice if you're looking for a decent sized city with great food and mountain driving; takes about an hour less than the drive from Thermal to LA according to Google Maps.

I still think Thermal is a reasonable choice for SoCal, and I'm sure this facility will pay out for BMW. There are tons of BMWs in SoCal, and hence tons of BMW drivers. I'm really thrilled for everyone out there who will have a better opportunity to experience PCD.

[chief]

This is very exciting and a tremendous boast for Coachella Valley, Riverside County and all of Southern California!

[GarlicBun]

Yes!!! this is the best news for west coast resident!
finally don't have to go all the way to middle of nowhere (no offense) lol

[MFNATIK]

Originally Posted by GarlicBun

Yes!!! this is the best news for west coast resident!
finally don't have to go all the way to middle of nowhere (no offense) lol

Ah but you are. Thermal is the middle of nowhere and I live in SoCal as well hahaha.

[chiefneil]

Awesome! I skipped an offer from BMW for a free driving school in Spartenburg because I didn't want to fly all the way out there. If it comes around again for SoCal I would definitely do it.

[Whateva]

I'm joining!

[GarlicBun]

Originally Posted by MFNATIK

Ah but you are. Thermal is the middle of nowhere and I live in SoCal as well hahaha.

lol true!
but at least we can stop by outlet for some shopping on the way there

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=6

[Jeef]

I can't believe this is happening! So excited for this

Finally BMW!

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by ft1330

Wish they had performance center NORTH EAST because South Carolina is not exactly what I would call accessible to us.

Originally Posted by Fronzdan

Amen to that! SC is way too far.

Bunch of whiners :P

SC is actually the optimal location for the East Coast (as a whole). Spartanburg is a day-drive anywhere from New York, NY (12 hrs) to Miami, FL (11 hrs). Most people fly to Spartanburg, then drive back. We drove both ways (from SoFL), and really enjoyed the drive. Spartanburg is located such that it makes a lot of sense to spend a lot of that drive on the Blue Ridge taking your time. Hell, we had it worse because it takes 5 hours to get out of Florida. There aren't many worse drives than Florida outside of the Midwest. It's nothing but ugly ass Slash Pine trees, fields of Palmettos with interspersed Cabbage Palms, and ugly towns. From the NE, you can take I-78/I-81 (which is a hell of a lot better drive than I-95/I-26). You can pick up the Blue Ridge anywhere past I-64. We ended up taking the long way around, staying in Atlanta for a night, just so we could drive through the mountains.

Obviously SC isn't close to you guys in the NE, but it makes PCD accessible to a lot more folks than if it were up there.

[M3ANMACHINE]

Awesome!!!

[M3_WC]

Great news.

Going to be hot in the summer months though, 110+ degrees. That is far out in the desert.

Get some good golf in, during the trip.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by ft1330

Wish they had performance center NORTH EAST because South Carolina is not exactly what I would call accessible to us.

Originally Posted by Fronzdan

Amen to that! SC is way too far.

Translation: I wish they would put one in my back yard ..... yeah.. they definitely need to put one closer to me.. Because it's so much harder to get to South Carolina from the North East than it is from the WEST COAST.

me.. me.. me.. !

Originally Posted by bradleyland

Bunch of whiners :P

SC is actually the optimal location for the East Coast (as a whole). Spartanburg is a day-drive anywhere from New York, NY (12 hrs) to Miami, FL (11 hrs).

< other stuff snipped>

Obviously SC isn't close to you guys in the NE, but it makes PCD accessible to a lot more folks than if it were up there.

[VMRWheels]

Really excited for this!

[Alpine F31]

Fantastic news!
That's 2260 miles closer to my house than Spartanburg, SC!