September - BMW Car Club of America Iowa Chapter

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
NEWSWERKS
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA
Presidents Corner
Recipe Series
Salisbury
Concours
Social
Germanfest
Fall Colors Tour
New Members
Joy of Detailing
Member Spotlight
Car Show at J and J
Motorsport
by Nicole Jobst-Smith
Once again Jack and Janel Kramer will host their
annual German Car Show in Cedar Rapids on Oct. 5.
The show will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.
Bring your favorite chair to relax in and enjoy the
bands, cars and people.
As usual, the grill will be turning out tasty burgers and
brats with Janel whipping up her famous German
potato salad. There will also be plenty of refreshments
on ice. Trophies will be awarded for several
categories. Bring your favorite German car to display;
it does not have to look perfect, just fun to look at.
Jack is looking forward to showing off his new lift.
J and J Motorsport is located at 1920 51st St. NE in
Cedar Rapids. Please email Jack if you plan on
attending at [email protected].
2013 ALMS/
Continental Tire Race
at Road America
Street Survival
Beautiful Day
for a Ball Game
Annual Picnic
Driving School Data
Acquisition - Part 2
Calendar of Events:
September 2013-October 2013
NEWSWERKS
Events, club activities, and all happenings BMW
NEWSWERKS is published for the Iowa Chapter of BMW Car
Club of America.
September 2013
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
David Brighton
[email protected]
515-576-8059
September 8
Salisbury House
Concours
10:00 a.m. before the
Concours
Caribou
3220 Ingersoll Ave.
Des Moines
September 10
Informal Social
6:30 p.m.
El Bait Shop
200 SW 2nd St.
Des Moines
September 20-21
Germanfest
Guttenberg
(see article in this issue
for details)
October 2013
October 5
J&J German Car Show
Cedar Rapids
October 6
Street Survival
Des Moines and
Quad Cities
October 8
Informal Social
6:30 p.m.
Hessen Haus
101 4th St., Des Moines
October 19 & 20
Fall Color Tour
Follow us on
Facebook and look
for details on
upcoming events
in email blasts.
2
NEWSWERKS
Area driving events
from other chapters
September 7-8
High Performance Driving
Event with Buckeye
Chapter
Mid-Ohio
September 14-15
High Performance Driving
Event with St. Louis
Chapter
Gateway
September 15
Car Show with Windy City
Chapter
VintageFest
(regional event)
September 19-21
Driving Tour with RVP
Chapter
Ohio-Kentucky
(regional event)
September 28-29
High Performance Driving
Event with Badger Chapter
Road America
September 28-29
High Performance Driving
Event with Windy City
Chapter
Gingerman
October 2013
October 5-6
High Performance Driving
Event with Motor City
Chapter
Grattan
October 5-6
Driving Tour with Windy
City Chapter
TBA
October 6
Driving Tour with St. Louis
Chapter
Missouri
October 19-20
High Performance Driving
Event with Buckeye
Chapter
Mid-Ohio
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA
Secretary
Dave Trachtenberg
[email protected]
Driving Events Coordinator
Jeff Daly
[email protected]
At Large/Membership
Communications Director
Chris Kjellmark
[email protected]
Governor Quad-Cities
Subchapter
Open - The board is looking
for someone to fill this role. If
interested, email President
David Brighton.
Immediate Past President
Fred Bell
[email protected]
Vice President
Jeff Daly
[email protected]
Treasurer
Ryan Smith
[email protected]
At Large
Mike Myers
[email protected]
Social Events Coordinator
Alison Bell
[email protected]
Newsletter/Advertising
Nicole Jobst-Smith
[email protected]
515-418-0375
Webmaster
Manoj Tomar
[email protected]
Club Website
www.bmwia.org
National Office
BMW CCA National Office
640 South Main Street, #201
Greenville, SC 29601
1-800-878-9292
[email protected]
To join the BMW CCA or renew membership or change your
address – www.bmwcca.org
NEWSWERKS is a publication of the Iowa Chapter BMW CCA
and is no way associated with BMW AG.The contents featured
herein shall remain the property of the chapter. This publication
is mailed to chapter members in good standing six times per
year. The ideas, suggestions and opinions expressed in this
publication are solely those of the chapter and/or its members.
Please submit material suitable for publication to:
Nicole Jobst-Smith at: [email protected] or
[email protected]
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
President’s Corner by David Brighton
As our Club attempts to attract
new participants to our quality
schedule of events, several
organizers have tried different
formats to create an experience
that everyone will enjoy and
remember. Most recently, Mike
Lingenfelter, our Regional
Vice-President from Indiana,
has organized and hosted a
Fall Colors Drive that originates and occurs around
the Great Lakes Region and upper Midwest. One of
the features Mike has used during his fall driving tour
has been a “come and go” touring method. Participants
can drive the entire tour, or join and leave the tour to
fit into their personal schedule. During this event,
the route is established; events and overnight stops
are published. With this style of touring, each
participant makes their own reservations at the hotel
of their choice. By creating an “ala carte” lodging
experience, all participants can pick hotels that fit
their budget and style.
Change of Address Information
Please send your requests for address changes
directly to the National Office at the address below.
The local chapters have to receive this information
from them and cannot change this information
themselves. Please send a note with your proper
information to the National office at:
The Iowa Chapter will attempt to adapt this style of
lodging choice to its Fall Colors Tour this year. This
year’s tour will begin at BMW of Des Moines and wind
its way through Iowa with a luncheon stop at
Zimmerman BMW in Cedar Rapids. We will then meet,
at a yet undetermined point, the North Star Chapter
from Minneapolis. The entire group will then continue
on to our destination of Dubuque and enjoy a 3 ½ hour
dinner cruise aboard the Dubuque Riverboat down the
Mississippi. Participants are encouraged to make their
own reservations in a hotel or B&B that fits their
budget and lifestyle. The list of hotels and B&B’s has
been published via our email contacts list and will be
sent out several more times before the event begins.
Hope to see you there.
The club is seeking a newsletter editor to
eventually replace Nicole Jobst-Smith. The club
is also looking for a treasurer to replace Ryan
Smith in Spring, 2014. If you are interested in
either position, please reach out to David
Brighton at [email protected].
Roundel, BMW CCA, Inc.
Address Changes
640 South Main Street, Suite 210
Greenville, SC 29601
Or email to: [email protected] (yes, 2”C’s)
Or on the website: BMWCCA.org
Thanks to the sponsors of the 2012 Annual Dinner
Merrill Axle and Wheel
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
3
For a year now, club member Don VanLengen has done a recipe series. This is the final recipe in his
series. He highlights two below: fondue and Key Lime Pie. Next we will begin a series in the newsletter
highlighting the national member benefits for club members.
Try Something New, Fondue by Don Van Lengen
Well it's not new, but to many, Fondue was lost back in
the 70's and they have not experienced the fun. It can
be a great romantic dinner for two, or getting together
with family and friends. Fondue can be part or all of a
meal and you don't even need a fondue pot. OK I have
two but that's me. A good stand-in can be a small
crock pot. Here are some ideas:
Cheese sauce, or hot broth for meat, bread and
vegetables. Meat should be sliced thin for faster
cooking or could be partially cooked just before
service. Vegetables should be bite-sized and could be
presteamed over broth in the microwave or blanched.
You can also heat sauces in the oven in a good glass
dish that will hold the heat longer.
We did one a few weeks ago with warm crab dip, blue
cheese spread, cheese sauce and beef broth with
Marsala wine.
You could just do a dessert fondue, with melted
chocolate in a bit of warm cream, serve with cake
slices, cookies or fruit.
So try something new, Fondue.
Recipe Series by Don Van Lengen
Key Lime Pie
preheat oven to 350.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
3 egg yolks
1 graham cracker pie crust or pie crust baked
Add milk, egg yolks and lime juice in a bowl or blender. Mix well and pour into crust.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, cool and chill.
Top with whipped cream, added twist use toasted coconut on top or lime zest over whipped cream.
You could add 1/2 cup coconut into filling for coconut lime.
Simpson Motorsports Inc.
Jim Simpson
319-351-1269
3577 Perch Dr. SE
Iowa City, IA 52240
4
NEWSWERKS
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
Salisbury Concours Social
by Nicole Jobst-Smith
The club is going to have a mini “Cars and Coffee” meeting
before the 2013 Salisbury Concours d'Elegance. This
special concours focuses on classic automobiles, which
are judged on their elegance and beauty.
The concours is on Sunday, Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The BMW club is meeting at the Caribou Coffee, 3220
Ingersoll Ave. in Des Moines at 10 a.m. before heading
over to the event.
Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for students and children 12
and under are free. All proceeds from the Salisbury
Concours d’Elegance benefit the educational programs
and restoration work of the Salisbury House Foundation.
Directions: Salisbury House is located three miles west of
downtown Des Moines, IA. Exit I-235 at 42nd Street. South
to Tonawanda Drive; left on Tonawanda for one block. Local
parking is limited; free parking and free shuttles are
available nearby at Des Moines University, 3200 Grand
Avenue.
Germanfest by Dave Jasper
Fall Colors Tour by David Brighton
Looking for an early fall drive in your Bimmer? Consider
attending Germanfest In beautiful Guttenberg on
September 20-21.
The 2013 version of our Fall Colors Tour has been planned
for October 19-20. The drive will begin in Des Moines and
end in Dubuque with a dinner cruise on the Riverboat on
Saturday night. The cost of the dinner cruise is $49 at this
time. If a major sponsor is secured, the cost may be reduced.
A new trend around the BMW CCA is the ala carte option for
lodging during the drive. If you wish to stay overnight in
Dubuque and continue with the drive on Sunday morning,
you will get to make your own lodging reservations
depending on your preferences. Here is a list of the top rated
hotels and B&B's in Dubuque.
This will be the 23rd annual Germanfest in Guttenberg. The
coordinators are interested in having an informal display of
German automobiles. There will be a dedicated space
reserved on the street for those interested in displaying
their BMW’s. Vintage or current model BMW’s are all
welcomed and encouraged to attend. This will be rather
informal with no judging of any sort. Last year the
Wisconsin Jaguar club displayed some interesting
examples of British motoring history but I feel a Germanfest
should display GERMAN cars, right?
Visit the website www.germanfestinguttenberg.com for a
schedule of events. The car display will occur on Saturday
during the day if there is enough interest. There are plenty
of interesting activities and events throughout the weekend.
My favorite is the home beer brewing and wine making
competition. There are lots of pictures from last year’s event
on their Facebook page, Guttenberg Germanfest.
Contact Peggi at: [email protected] to RSVP or if you
have any questions.
Welcome New Members
First Name
Bryan
Karen
Conor
Bryce
Tsukasa
Daunelle
Billy
Travis
Last Name
DeJong
DeJong
Flaherty
Flaherty
Ogihara
Hughes
Adamowski
Crookds
City
Baxter
Baxter
Bettendorf
Bettendorf
Bettendorf
Des Moines
West Des Moines
Ankeny
Hotels
Hampton Inn-855-271-3622
Hotel Julien Dubuque-563-556-4200
Best Western Plus-800-568-8520
Hilton Garden Inn-855-277-5057
Holiday Inn Express-877-859-5059
B&B's
The Richards House-563-577-1492
The Mandolin Inn-800-524-7996
Redstone Inn-563-582-1894
Hancock House-563-8989
First Name
Jay
Raisa
Matt
Nicole
Broderick
Craig
John
Tyler
Erich
Last Name
Leydens
Pesman
Van Horn
Johnson
Miller
Buskohl
Wike
Nesset
Grubert
City
Des Moines
West Des Moines
Muscantine
Cedar Rapids
Marion
Waterloo
Cedar Rapids
Marion
Des Moines
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
5
The Joys of Detailing
Washing Your BMW
Quick question – What is
the one thing that you can
do to have the greatest
impact on prolonging your
BMW’s exterior life. Hint, I
gave this one away in my
last article. Yes, as I stated
last time, wash your BMW
weekly. Why you may ask?
Very simply that a dirty
surface will hold moisture
and contaminants against
it easier and longer than a
clean surface.
In this area that we live in the most critical time to
thoroughly wash your BMW is during the winter
months. The majority of the surface deterioration on
your ride will occur during the winter time of the year,
particularly due to all of the salt and chemicals that
accumulate on and underneath it. Even in the winter, a
hand washing is best when you can find an
appropriate area to wash it in. Regardless of the
season, wash your BMW weekly and establish a
regular schedule without regard to the weather.
A thorough washing should include spraying
underneath, in the wheel wheels and behind any
moldings. Keeping your BMW free of contaminants
through weekly washings will leave a body and paint
finish that will last for many years to come.
When you wash your BMW, be sure to use the correct
tools for proper cleaning and to avoid inflicting any
damage to the finish. The very first tool that you should
consider is soap. Only use a soap that is made
specifically for hand washing vehicles. Do not use
dishwashing detergent. It is too strong and will strip
the wax off of your ride.
Next, choose your dirt removal tool. Your best choices
are a sheepskin’s mitt, a boar’s hair brush, a microfiber
chenille mitt with long ‘fingers’ or a deep sea wool
sponge. Do not use any other type of sponge, rag or
towel. They do not have the depth, softness and
6
NEWSWERKS
porosity to keep grit away from your BMW’s finish as
you are washing. The grit particles have no place to
go and are trapped between the rag or sponge and the
finish of your BMW. Even with running water the grit
will still become trapped. Therefore, as they are
rubbed over the finish, the trapped abrasive particles
will grate against it and inflict hundreds of small
scratches. Not good.
The washing tools that I mentioned to use will trap and
hold most of the dirt particles in a manner that will help
to keep the grit away from your ride's finish. Plus, when
you rinse, the dirt and grime will freely wash out. The
ride wash soap will act as a lubricant in the area
between the paint finish and the washing tool.
I prefer to rinse with a hose using a steady stream of
running water to keep the grit off. You can use one
bucket with your water and soap in it while frequently
rinsing your brush, sponge or mitt with a hose. Another
method is to use two buckets, one with water and soap
and the second bucket with only clean water for
rinsing. In either case, use a Grit Guard® in the bottom
of the bucket to keep the grit trapped at the bottom of
the bucket and away from your washing brush, sponge
or mitt.
When you have finished washing, thoroughly dry with
a soft cotton or waffle weave microfiber towel or a
natural sheepskin chamois. When using a towel, have
two handy. The first towel will remain wetter and is
used for the initial removal of excess water. The
second towel will be used for the final wipe down. In
addition, if you are using a cotton or microfiber towel,
give a light spray of quick detail into the area before
you wipe off the water for even more amazing results.
Now that you have washed it, get out and drive and
enjoy your ride . . .
Rick Prevette
Prevett’s, Ltd.
www.prevettes.com
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
Member Spotlight
Brian Smith
Hometown (where you live now): Osceola, Iowa
BMWs owned: “Junior” E30 M3. Also “Pepper”
Mini Cooper S
What made you decide to purchase your first
BMW? My first BMW was a 1972 Bavaria,
purchased in Austin, Texas, in 1986. I had a
perfectly fine and noble car (1969 Ford Country
Squire “Thunderwagon”), but thought it’d be fun to
have something more entertaining. I’d considered
a Datsun 2000 roadster (with broken front
suspension) owned by a friend of a friend in
Houston. I regularly perused the want ads – 1970
Alfa GTV, anyone? An ad for a Bavaria, slightly
modded (suspension stiffened, mild cam, Webers,
lovely Cromodora wheels) appeared one day. I
thought “too much money, too many modifications!”
Then I happened to park next to it one Saturday
morning in the grocery store lot. I took this as a
sign. Eventually test drove the car on a highway
heading east out of Austin. The speed limit
dropped, so I checked the speedometer – and
learned I was going 20 mph faster than I’d
guessed. It felt like fine machinery – I was hooked.
Mr. W was part of the family over 20 years.
Do you have any fun stories about your car?
(Where you purchased it. Trips you’ve made.
Anything.): With both Mr. W and Junior, any time
I’m driving is fun. But to pick one: My brother was
kind enough to road trip with me to Detroit to pick
up Junior. The first time I sat in the driver seat and
started him, I thought “it sounds like a French
tractor engine!” I later learned that sound is typical
of the Getrag gearbox; the engine itself sings from
5000 to 7000 rpm. Despite the attractions of the
engine, I most enjoy Junior’s steering, whether on
the track or at street legal speeds. It’s accurate and
communicative; you’d need to wrap your hands in
gauze or hit them with a local anesthetic to miss
the messages from the wheel.
What is your favorite BMW Club event and
why? I love our Longest Day Driving Schools. It’s
great fun to drive Junior, but also to work with
students in the classroom. I can see them learning,
both in class and on the track. Helping folks learn
what they can do, helping them gain skills that can
save them in daily driving – that’s tremendously
satisfying. It’s also a great place to catch up with
folks I only see at our events.
Do you have a dream car? I think the last dream
car I had is one I have had since 1972 – an Austin
Cooper S. I fell in love with stories of such a small
car -- 10 feet! 1400 pounds! 1275cc! Space for 4
high school boys! Doing so much. I remember Dad
taking the new-to-us car through a construction
zone on North Central Expressway in Dallas. The
speedo cable was broken at the time; we opined
that it was a little bumpy. We later calculated that
5000 rpm meant we were traversing the
imperfections at 80 mph. As I noted again years
later with Mr. W, a good car feels relaxed when
you’re going quicker than you realize. As for a
current dream car, I’m cautiously optimistic that
soon someone will produce a relatively small
vehicle that’s got space for 4 adults, is efficient in
its use of space and natural resources, and that
just feels good when you drive it.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
7
2013 ALMS/Rolex/Continental Tire Race at Road America
by David Brighton
For many years now, several of our Iowa BMW CCA
members have attended the ALMS races at Road
America in August. They have always had good stories
about their adventures of camping in the infield of the
track and the excitement of the races themselves.
This year, due to
circumstances beyond
our control, Becky and I
could not attend
Oktoberfest or the F1
races in Austin. For
many years now, we
have attended either
one or both of those
events annually. But
since there was no
possibility of attending
either of those events
this year, I decided it
was time to attend the races at Road
America. Becky still could not attend, but Kolin gladly
accepted my invitation to make the trip across
Wisconsin. The activities at the track began on
Thursday and concluded on Sunday. We decided to
travel on Thursday and watch the practice, qualifying
and the races on Friday and Saturday and then return
for the Cubs game on Sunday.
For those of you that have never attended an F1 race,
access to the cars and drivers is very restricted. The
exact opposite is true of the ALMS/Rolex/Continental
Series.
On Friday, Kolin and I walked the paddock exploring all
of the team’s headquarters and talking with many of
the mechanics and team members present. We
watched from about five feet away as the mechanics
began the process of restoring the Bimmerworld M3
back to racing shape after Paul Dalla Lana put it into
the wall in practice. We also walked the perimeter of
the entire track and watched for a few minutes at each
viewing location to get the perspectives of all 14
corners and view the track differently than we see on
television.
8
NEWSWERKS
We had registered for the Badger Bimmers Car Corral,
which gave us a parking and viewing spot near turn 14.
The Badger Bimmers group supplied a great box lunch
at noon and provided plenty of beverages. The car
corral has a private set of bleachers to watch the race
from trackside and also a large tent to sit under to get
out of the sun, and to watch the race on the large
screen TV.
Since this event was the historic first time these series
had run at the same time on the same weekend, five
classes for Grand Am and five classes for ALMS, the
racing began early on Saturday morning with the first
race beginning at 8 am with the IMSA Prototype Lites
cars and was followed by the IMSA GT3 Cup race.
Following these two races and as part of the
registration, Badger Bimmers set up private meetings
with James Clay of Bimmerworld, Will Turner of Turner
Motorsport and the team manager from the RLL team.
Each of those leaders talked to our car club group for
about 30 minutes and ended with a Q & A session.
Following those sessions was the pit lane walk. During
that time, each team brings their cars and drivers to
the pit lane and allows everyone in attendance to get
close to the cars in order to get autographs and
pictures with the drivers. Thousands of race fans take
advantage of this time to rub elbows with their favorite
drivers and teams. Following the pit lane walk, the
racing began again with the Continental Tire Sports
Car Challenge race followed by the Rolex Sports Car
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
Series race which was televised live on Speed TV.
This race featured the exciting finish of Bill Auberlen
in the Bimmerworld M3 chasing down the Porsche
of Patrick Long and a pair of red Ferraris.
Since Road America is one of the most famous
race tracks in this country and the racing there is
exciting and close to home, our Iowa Club may
attempt to put together an event there next year.
Watch for more details in future editions of
Newswerks for details. If you would like to help plan
this event, contact David Brighton at
[email protected].
Street Survival – Times Two! by Fred Bell
On Sunday, October 6, we have TWO Tire
Rack® Street Survival teen driving safety
courses in Iowa.
In central Iowa, we’ll be working again with
the Des Moines Valley SCCA folks to do our
ninth school. We’ll be back at the Iowa
Speedway parking lot in Newton, where we
held our very successful May event. This is
a great venue with lots of room – and the
possibility of a few moderate-speed parade
laps on the NASCAR track as a bonus!
Concurrently, our Quad Cities Subchapter
is hosting their second school at Bettendorf
High School, assisted on this one by Great
River Region SCCA and Porsche Club of
America members.
We’ve talked about Street Survival quite a
bit in these pages over the years. Suffice it
to say that Street Survival is the ideal way
for teens to learn about car control in
slippery conditions and about accident
avoidance - things that aren’t taught in
Driver’s Education. Students are age 15-21,
and have either a driver’s license or have
held a learner’s permit for at least half of
the period required before licensing by the
state of issue.
Registration for students is at
www.streetsurvival.org for both events. That
site has lots more information about the
course, including a very good video about
the in-car training. Other features of our
schools are classroom training, and
demonstrations that include seeing traffic
from the vantage point of a semi driver
(Parents: this is a great eye-opener for you
too!), a distracted-driving simulator, and an
airbag detonation.
For local information, contacts are
registrars Becky Brighton in central Iowa
([email protected]) and Chuck
Gipson in the Quad-Cities
([email protected]).
As always, we need your help in two ways:
putting out the word to parents of potential
students, and as volunteers at the events.
Please contact friends, family, and coworkers who have young drivers in their
households – the life you save may be
theirs! And if you are interested in
instructing or being a volunteer worker at
the event, please contact the local registrar
or register through
www.motorsportreg.com. This is a very
worthwhile program, and the huge effort
that it takes from club volunteers is more
than repaid in the service we provide to our
communities.
Street Survival is always excellent prep for
winter driving in Iowa, too – it will be here
before we know it. Get signed up today!
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
9
Beautiful Day For A Ball Game by David Trachtenberg
Hopefully you didn’t miss this year’s BMW Club day at
the ballpark. Once again, the event was a sell-out, as
we watched our Cubbies lose to Fresno 4-1.
Like previous years, we parked some of our finest
BMW’s near the entrance to the ballpark. We had
quite a display this year, including M3’s, a 135 and a
335is.
We enjoyed a nice spread of ballpark food and drink
and enjoyed both inside and outside skybox seating.
Although our Iowa Cubs couldn’t capture the win, our
chapter had a great time cheering them on.
If you haven’t been to this annual event, you’re missing
a great one. Don’t miss out next August as we get
together again.
Play Ball!
10
NEWSWERKS
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
Annual Picnic 2013 by David Brighton
The 2013 Annual Picnic was held on a very pleasant
July 20 in Cedar Rapids. The event was held near the
riverfront in the Manhattan Pavilion in Ellis Park. The
food theme this year was Caribbean with an
outstanding meat selection prepared by Kolin Brighton.
Members from both sides of the State were in
attendance with everyone going home with a door
prize. With the pleasant weather that day, members
were able to visit and reminisce during the long
afternoon
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
11
Driving School Data Acquisition – Part 2: Accessory Selection
by Mike Meyers
The last article said we’d move on to the capabilities
that came with the addition of a few accessories, so
lets start with the accessories themselves—they are
going to fall into two categories: External GPS and
OBD Data. Harry does provide his own discussion of
accessory selection at
http://www.gps-laptimer.de/Compatibility.html.
Additionally, as this article goes to press, Harry has
just released the first customer version of Lap Timer
for Android!
OBD Data
External GPS
This is the means by which you can acquire data from
the car, such as engine RPM and throttle position, and
incorporate it into the charts and videos created by
Harry’s Lap Timer. The application can also use these
data, along with information you input into a definition
for your particular vehicle, to derive your current
selected gear and implement a shift light display. Boost
and various temperatures may also be available for
some cars.
As mentioned in the last article, this is not an optional
accessory if you are using a device, such as an iPod
Touch, that does not include an internal GPS sensor.
There are two ways to go here, either a GPS dongle
connected directly to the device running the
application, or a remotely mounted external device that
communicates via Bluetooth. Products are available
using either connection method that are small (around
the size of a book of matches), cost about $100, and
offer improved position availability, accuracy and
update rates relative to any internal sensor. Here are
two examples:
The Emprum UltiMate GPS receiver connects
directly using the legacy 30 pin connector found
on older iPhones/iPods/iPads and provides
position updates 5 times per second (5 Hertz).
An adaptor would be required if you are using a
newer device with the Thunderbolt connector.
The Dual Electronics XGPS150A GPS receiver
provides 4-5 Hertz data via Bluetooth, making it
independent of the type of connector on your
iPhone/iPod/iPad, as well as making it available
for use with an Android device. As it is an
external device, it will require its own mounting
and recharging solution.
There is another alternative if you want to go all out—
the VBOX Sport. It’s also an external Bluetooth device,
but it provides position updates up to 20 times per
second (and lists for over $400!)
12
NEWSWERKS
More correctly, this is OBD II data, a standard which
was phased in to all cars sold in the United States
between 1994 and 1996. All OBD II compliant vehicles
will have a standard connector somewhere interior to
the vehicle in proximity to the driver’s seat. So, if your
car is older than this, or does not otherwise support
the OBD II interface (for example, if an aftermarket
engine management system has been installed) the
following solutions will not apply.
There are two primary connection options here as
well—wifi or Bluetooth, though wired solutions exist as
well. However, if you want to use the wifi capabilities of
the latest GoPro video cameras, you are going to have
to go with a Bluetooth OBD device. As the GoPro
camera creates its own network, you cannot have
simultaneous connection to both the GoPro and a wifi
OBD device.
If you are using wifi, the PLX Devices Kiwi 2 Wifi is a
popular device, retailing for around $110. There are
many other wifi device options available for both iOS
and Android covering a wide price range.
For a Bluetooth device compatible with iOS, there is
currently only a single provider—GoPoint
Technologies. They make two products, the GoPoint
BT1 at right around $100. At a slightly higher price,
they also produce a BT1A model that is also
compatible with Android devices. If you are using an
Android device, there are many more Bluetooth
options available across a wide price range.
Whether you select a wifi or Bluetooth OBD adapter,
choosing a device from a source that provides good
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA • www.bmwia.org
customer support and a sound return policy is
recommended, and if the device has an active user
community, that’s even better. Neither of these is likely
available from an eBay sourced, Chinese produced
product.
Discussions on Harry’s Lap Timer forums note several
difficulties and challenges using OBD adapters with
BMW cars, so Harry’s application does offer some
advanced configuration settings to attempt to cope
with these challenges.
The best option, if available, is to get a
recommendation from someone who already has a
device that is working in a car like yours, or
alternatively, find someone willing to lend you an
adapter and try it out yourself before purchase. You
might find yourself with a purely plug-and-play solution,
or you may end up feeling like you are working at the
bleeding edge of technology.
Dual XGPS150A GPS Receiver
In the next article, we’ll discuss how all of this can be
brought together, along with video, so you can create
something like the following from your next driving
school!
http://youtu.be/XcVKtxzSIOg
GoPoint Technologies BT1 OBD II Adapter
Emprum UltiMate GPS Installed o iPhone
GoPoint BT1 Adapter Installed in BMW E86 Z4
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
13
IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA
PO BOX 42113
URBANDALE, IA 50323
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Permit No. 486