October 2009 - the Tejas Chapter, BMW CCA

At Flat Creek Estates WineryPhoto by Eric ChangOctober 2009InsideThis IssueGotcha CoveredThe Wright RoadtripSeptember Event ReviewOctober 2009 1Tejas Trax

Tejas Chapter OfficersPresident Vice President Secretary/TreasurerGlenn McConnellAustingmcconn535@aol.comHerb LooneySan Antonioloonjak@swbell.netSandy McConnellAustinZeeYa3@aol.comMembership Driving Events Events Coordinator Chapter MailGina SilvestriAustinginasilvestri1@gmail.comLinda CavazosAustinracegirl330@yahoo.comKathy EltringhamRowlettk_eltringham@hotmail.comP.O. Box 17216Austin, Tx 78760Project Coordinators, Chapter Email and NewsletterAustin Area San Antonio Area Kerrville Area San Marcos AreaVacant Vacant John SwannKerrvilleswannzee@swannzee.comJack LaumerSan Marcosjacklaumer@yahoo.comCorpus Christi Area Chapter Email Tejas Trax Newsletter EditorDonna BoganCorpus Christidblrddonna@yahoo.comTejasChapter@aol.comGlenn McConnellAustingmcconn535@aol.comBMW CCAVice Pres. SouthCentral ZoneMark Doran1777 South Harrison StDenver, CO 80210303-758-4200South Central TechTips RepTerry SaytherAustin, Tx512-442-1361(8am-5pm Central Time)MembershipInformation$40 per year1-800-878-9292VISA or MasterCardwww.bmwcca.orgCommercial Advertising Rates for Tejas TraxFull Page Centerfold Half Page Quarter PagePer Year - $500Per Month - $50Per Year - $900Per Month - N/APer Year - $300Per Month - $30Per Year - $200Per Month - $20Visit the Tejas Chapter Web Site at http://www.tejaschapter.org/tejas.htmlThe Tejas Trax is printed monthly by Kinko's of AustinDISCLAIMER: TEJAS CHAPTER is a local association of BMW owners. TEJAS CHAPTER (hereafter, theClub is a non-profit (74-2732211) Texas corporation (#10340292-01), and is associated with the BMW Car Clubof America as a local chapter. The Club is not connected in any way with BMWAG or BMWNA. Tejas Traxis the publication of the Club and is mailed to all members in good standing, as well as to all current advertisingpatrons. All of its contents remain property of the Club, but BMW CCA & BMW ACA Chapters may quotefrom the publications, provided proper credit is given. The ideas, suggestions, and opinions expressed hereinare those of the authors and no authentications, endorsement or guarantee is expressed or implied by TEJASCHAPTER. TEJAS CHAPTER assumes no liability for any of the information presented. None of theinformation presented bears the status "Factory Approved" unless so indicated. Modifications within thewarranty period may void the warranty!October 2009 2Tejas Trax

It’s That Time Again ........FromThePresidentFirst of all, it is time for chapterofficer elections again. I don’t knowwhere the time has gone, as it doesn’tseem possible that it has been two yearssince the last elections.There is a nomination form on page7 of this issue that can be filled out andmailed in. In addition, there is anomination form on the Tejas Chapterwebsite that can be submitted, if youdon’t want to cut up your copy of theTejas Trax. Deadline for nominationsis November 15, 2009. If you areinterested in running for a position onthe Tejas Chapter board, you areencouraged to nominate yourself for thatposition.Secondly, it is time again for ourannual Utopia drive weekend. We havebeen doing this event since 1999 and itjust gets better every year. This is oneof those events that many of ourmembers put on their calendar manymonths in advance. John & MariaSwann always do an outstanding job inplanning and executing this event. It isthe event that I look forward to the mosteach year and this year is no exception.From the details that John has provided,I believe this year’s Utopia weekend willbe the best one ever. John and Mariahave even opened up their home this yearfor a Friday night ice-breaker. You can’task for better event hosts than that!For information on the event, seepage 5 of this issue. Also, there are manymore details in the Events Section of theTejas Chapter website, as well as theRSVP form to fill out. If you don’t doany other event with the chapter thisyear, this is the one to attend! Hope tosee you in Kerrville on October 23rd.Lastly, it should be that time of yearfor the annual BMW of Austin TechSession. For four years, BMW hadopened their doors to the Tejas Chapterand put on a spectacular Tech Sessionevent that got bigger and better eachyear. They provided door prizes, a BBQmeal, gift bags, and, most importantly,provided their technicians and lift spaceto allow us to do work on our Bimmersat a very reasonable cost - in many casesFREE! This year, BMW of Austin is notable to financially continue the tradition.Some major hail storms that wiped outover 200 cars and a down economywould not allow them to put on an eventthat was of the standards they wanted tolive up to. I know that many, manypeople will miss this event this year, butfully support BMW of Austin’s decision.Until next time ....Glenn McConnellWelcome New MembersAustinBernadette BiermannLes LoganStacy MarcusGeoff Reid Del Rio Windcrest San AntonioEric Varga Ric Babcock Tiffanie Mason James McDermottOctober 2009 3Tejas Trax

"Experience Our Passion"7011 McNeil Dr343 - 3500THE ULTIMATEDRIVING MACHINE10% Discount onParts & Servicefor BMW CCA membersOctober 2009 4Tejas Trax

Tejas ChapterUtopiaDrive WeekendFriday, Saturday & Sunday,October 23-25, 2009Friday, October 23rd:- Spend Friday night (23rd) and avoidhaving to drive into Kerrville early onSaturday morning.- BYOB and an appetizer to theSwann's home for a Friday evening icebreaker.5.30 to 7.30pm.Sunday, October 25th:- Meet at Comanche Trace visitor'scenter at 9:30am. (Get Directions)- Sunday will begin with a picturesquedrive into some of the less traveledareas around Kerrville.- Then we'll end the event with a fabulouslunch in a goat barn at the WelfareCafe, while our cars sit contentedlyin the goat corral. The Germanstyle cuisine will complete our epicureanmedley. This restaurant is a newaddition to our itinerary, and the locationis just a couple of miles from Interstate10 near Boerne. Lunch will be$20, which includes iced tea, choiceof main course, dessert, tax and tip.Saturday, October 24th:- Meet at La Quinta Inn at 9:00am.- Morning drive- Lunch on Saturday will be near Utopia.Lunch will include an appetizer,soup, choice of two main courses, dessert,iced tea, or coffee, and will costjust $18 plus tax and tip.- Afternoon driveCocktails at 7:00pm, Dinner at8:00pm. Dinner will be at theComanche Trace Country Club (VistaRoom). Menu is pasta dinner, with individualcooking stations with saladbar, dessert and tea/coffee/soft drink.Dinner will be approximately $18 inclusive.Cash bar.Accommodations:- No "home hotel" this year, but recommend any hotel on Sidney Bakernear La Quinta, for convenience.Participate either day as a single event or join us for the whole weekend(separate Incentive Points for each day).RSVP by filling out the RSVP form on the website athttp://www.tejaschapter.org/tejas.htmlOctober 2009 5Tejas Trax

October 2009 6Tejas Trax

Name:It's That Time Again!Nominations for the Tejas Chapter Officersfor 2010 - 20011Please take a moment to fillout the nomination form below.To be eligible, nominationsmust be received by November 15, 20092010-2011 Officer Election Ballotswill be included in the December 2009issue of the Tejas Trax.Tejas Chapter, BMW CCA2010 - 2011 Officer Nomination FormMembership Number:In the boxes below, write in a name for each officer position.Nominees must be current BMW CCA members to be eligible. Youmay nominate yourself for a position! Send this nomination ballotto the Tejas Chapter mail box.President:Vice President:Secretary/Treasurer:Driving Events Chairman:Membership Chairman:Events Chairman:The nomination ballot is also available at the Tejas Chapter website, under the Officers Section (http://www.tejaschapter.org) if youwould prefer to submit it via the internet.October 2009 7Tejas Trax

Gotcha Coveredby Donald YuleThe blessing and the beastSince we all reside in a countrythat until recently has been blessedwith great prosperity, many of us ownmore than one vehicle. If you were oneof the many that took advantage ofyour loan from the Chinesegovernment, you may have partaken ofthe so called “cash for clunkers”program and have something new andshiny in the drive. Like many U.S.homeowners, we’re blessed with alovely two car garage that only trulyfits one car. So where there aremultiple persons in the household,there’s always the debate about whogets to park in the garage. I’mpersonally in favor of deciding whogets garage time privileges by thealphabetical order method. But to behonest, just because I possess an Xchromosome doesn’t really mean thatI’m the decider here. Which meansthere is a darn good chance that mytrusty steed will probably have to facethe elements sooner rather than later.Now I’ve got a car cover, but it’s ageneric and not really meant to domuch more than keep the sun and dustoff. So what’s the best approach totackling the car cover beast?Like car enthusiasts everywhere,we’re all on a series of mailing lists,which inevitably leads to an ungodlynumber of parts and accessorycatalogues flooding our mailboxes.Among the plethora (I finally get touse the word plethora in a sentence)are companies that sell a number ofcar covers, but are you getting a goodselection at a decent price? When youreally start delving into this, it appearsOctober 2009 8that buying a car cover is harder thanfinding a good, well, a good anything.Pick your poison, tires, shoes, paint… an honest politician. They all kindof fall into the same category – we’relooking for good consistentperformance, over time, withouthaving to suffer from a buyersmyocardial infarction. Prices reallyvary, from a few hundred dollars toover five hundred for custom fitting,embroidery, multicolored panels etc.This by the way adds nothing to theprotective qualities of the cover.A multitude of choicesThe number of cover types isstaggering. The number ofmanufacturers is less so. Covercraft isprobably the largest producer of carcovers around. Even third partycatalog resellers (even if they’rebranding the covers as their own,they’re typically not the manufacturer)are selling Covercraft covers. So Ithought we’d use them as a goodexample of what’s out there.To simplify things, we’ll place thecovers into two categories. Outdoor/Indoor and Indoor/Storage. In bothcategories, there are plenty of options,all of which really boils down to whatfabrics are used in the cover. Keep inmind that just about all covers aremade of synthetic or natural fibers,either polyester, polypropylene or abrushed poly cotton material. Theycome in a confusing variety of brandnames. Today, we’ll focus on thosetypes that are most available.Outdoor/Indoor CoversTechnalon: Kimberly-Clarkmanufactures the fabric used inTejas Trax

Technalon car covers, and is one of thenation’s leading makers of car coverfabrics, come to find out. This fabricprovides good moisture resistance andprotection against typical damagingagents, including bird droppings,industrial pollutants, tree sap, and acidrain. Dries quickly and the fabricfibers resists moisture. It’s breathableallowing for the free flow of airthroughout the fabric, which isextremely important. And it issomewhat impact absorbent. But thisis really limited to scratches,indentations, nicks, and dings.Noah: Noah car covers are made frompolypropylene and polyethylene. Thismaterial is durable, water resistant,dust resistant, UV resistant and highly“breathable,” allowing all trappedmoisture, including seam seepage andcondensation to evaporate easily. Thefabric weighs 4.45 ounces per squareyard, making it easy to handle andfold. Noah fabric is a very popularmaterial for outdoor car covers.Weathershield HP: WeatherShieldHP is a woven polyester product.Manufactured through an immersionprocess that applies heat and pressurewhich permanently encapsulating thefibers of the fabric. Through thisprocess (supposedly), Weathershieldhas properties that allow it to shedmoisture and block dust, dirt, birddroppings, tree sap and grime.Interesting how so many of thesefabrics have the same repellantfactors. Hmmmm?Sunbrella: This is the same materialused for outdoor awnings, umbrellasand patio furniture seat cushionOctober 2009 9covers. This fabric is a solution dyedwoven acrylic so it’s more resistant tofading, but it’s not noted for it’sbreathability or moisture repellency.Sunbrella is supposedly designed toblock damaging UV rays fromreaching the vehicle’s exterior andinterior. Hey, maybe someone candevelop a fabric that can protect usfrom mind numbing marketing rays!Look, all covers protect your interiorand exterior from UV – uh, becauseit’s covering the car? Duh.Ultra’tect – Marketing BS Alert!:This cover is marketed as beingdesigned for the budget conscienceconsumer who requires a high qualityoutdoor all-weather car cover at anaffordable cost. Developed by SafetyComponents Fabric Technologies(Wow what a mouthful. Makes youwonder what else they manufacture.Sir may I interest you in this lovelycar cover and water resistant ballisticunderwear combo?), the Ultra’tectfabric is said to retain its color andstrength in extended outdoor exposureand provides a high degree of waterresistance and UV protection. Statedas being manufactured from double150 denier yarns - well, this is a bit ofgood old American marketing horsehockey. The term denier is actually aunit of measurement of linear massdensityof textile fibers calculated asone gram per 9000 meters. Who knew?So what’s really being said here is thatthis cover is made of double thickyarn, whatever that means? Look, it’sa budget cover that is somewhat fadeand water resistant. There you go. Ofcourse that’s doesn’t sell car coversdoes it.continued on page 10Tejas Trax

Gotcha Coveredcontinued from page 9Indoor/Storage – Good Basic IndoorProtectionPolycotton, Flannel and DustopCovers: If you’re looking for a basiccar cover to provide some protectionto your vehicle that is primarily storedindoors, a polycotton car cover maybe the best choice. The polyester andcotton blend provides a bit ofprotection from and minor scratches.These car covers are in the affordablecategory but do provide good aircirculation under the cover, and theycan be washed in your home washingmachine. Tan flannel covers are verypopular due to their soft inside layer,compact size, and incrediblebreathability. They provide decentprotection from dust and dings,making it a good choice. Dustopcovers are woven from a softpolycotton blend that provides goodindoor protection. These types ofcovers are breathable to allowmoisture underneath the cover toevaporate, and are light and easy tostore. With all of these covers, youcould be super economical and use anold sheet, which probably gets you90% of what these covers provide witha lot less expenses. However, it willlook like a sheet and peg you foreveras a cheap ass, but what the heck.Well folks there you have it. Ihope that we gotcha covered on thebasic ins and outs of the car covergame. Until next time …Honey… Hey … it’s my turn topark in the garage!October 2009 10Tejas Trax

BMW Group Publishes NewSustainable Value ReportBMW Press ClubThe BMW Group released itsSustainable Value Report 2008 at the IAAFrankfurt Motor Show today. This is thecompany’s seventh report, highlighting itsachievements, challenges and goals in thefield of corporate sustainability.The new report clearly states the BMWGroup’s position on sustainability: identifydemands and reflect on challenges; invest inthe future; understand that success andsustainability belong together – and thenseize that opportunity.The new Sustainable Value Report onceagain sets new standards in terms of bothcontent and form. This is the first time thekey pillars of the sustainability strategyrevised in spring 2009 have been presented.Sustainability has now been establishedGroup-wide as a corporate target andmeasured by means of a balanced scorecard.This allows detailed guidelines to bedeveloped for all BMW Group divisions.All proposals must now be measured againstthe corporate goal of sustainability. Everyproject submitted to the BMW Group Boardof Management for approval must first beevaluated according to sustainability criteria.These include aspects such as resourceconsumption and emissions as well as thesocial and sociopolitical implications of thedifferent options.The BMW Group has also overhauledits sustainability organisation: In summer2009, a Sustainability Board was establishedat the highest management level. This board,which comprises the entire Board ofManagement, will determine the strategicalignment for corporate sustainability. Twicea year, its members will meet to discuss andadopt the strategies and activities proposedat operational level by the SustainabilityCircle.The new Sustainable Value Report isclassified as Application Level A – thehighest ranking in the Global ReportingInitiative’s (GRI) international guidelines forsustainability reports.The BMW Group’s Sustainable ValueReport 2008 was also produced incompliance with strict environmentalstandards. The report is printed on 100 %recycled paper, and the carbon emissionsgenerated through the production of thereport have been offset. The new SustainableValue Report also conforms with therequirements of the Blue Angel” (RAL-UZ14) environmental label, considered one ofthe world’s strictest environmental labels.Just a few days ago the BMW Groupwas once again able to defend its leadingposition as the most sustainable automobilecompany in the Dow Jones SustainabilityIndexes. The BMW Group has been listedin this major sustainability index for 10 years– and has been the industry number one forthe last five consecutive years.October 2009 11Tejas Trax

BMW 550i GT - comingin DecemberThe BMW 5 Series Gran Turismoadds new facets to BMW’s UltimateDriving Machine tradition and refinesthe concept of first-class travel. Forthe first time, attributes of an elegantsedan, a contemporary Sports ActivityVehicle and a classic Gran Turismoare masterfully melded into a single,harmonious vehicle concept.The traditional European termGran Turismo (Grand Touring) wasfirst applied by Italian carmakers inthe 1950s when they combined theperformance, handling, and style of a2-seat sport car with luxurious amenitiesand luggage room for each occupant.BMW’s new Gran Turismo nurturesthis tradition in its own contemporaryway, providing exceptionalspace, style, luxury, and comfort forfour passengers, plus the performanceand driving pleasure of a BMW.It does so with 21st-century performance.BMW’s wide-rangingEfficientDynamics initiative endowsthis new automobile with an outstandingbalance between performance andefficiency. Thanks to its innovativetwin turbo V-8 engine and 8-speedautomatic transmission, the 550i GranTurismo can accelerate from rest to 60mph in just 5.4 seconds, yet deliversremarkable fuel efficiency in everydaydriving.October 2009 12Tejas Trax

Tejas Oktoberfestby Sandy McConnellSaturday, September 26th, wegathered under sunny, warm skies, justafter lunch, in the substantial parking lotof Cabela’s in Kyle, Texas. Gina Silvestrigreeted us with smiles, maps and aspecially planned agenda for the day!Allan Gazza, who also helped planned theday’s activities was not able to be with us,as he was out of town involved in his owntravels and plans that happened to fall onthe same weekend.roads like Bullick Hollow Road, VolenteRoad, and FM 1431. What a sight to seeso many beautiful BMWs in agile,synchronized motion, along the way.Sridhar Kamma, the third person whohelped in the planning, arrived in hisgorgeous and long anticipated, brand new,bright red, M3. (See Sri’s article in theSeptember Tejas Trax to learn more abouthis European pick up and deliveryadventures.) After some time for fondgreetings and welcoming newcomers, Ginagathered everyone together for a drivebriefing and then we all organized for acaravan to our first stop of the day, FlatCreek Estate Winery. Sri had the honorof leading us in his new M and we happilyfollowed.Our route toward Flat Creek wasscenic and well chosen. We passed thefamed Salt Lick Restaurant, the MansfieldDam and beautiful Lake Travis, thepopular, rebuilt, Oasis Restaurant andother interesting and captivating sights.The drive was enhanced by curvy and funOctober 2009 13We pulled into the Flat Creek Estatesand parked our bimmers. I was impressedat how strategically the three black Zsparked under the striking setting of somegrand old Oaks!An outside pavilion was the setting forour wine tasting experience at the FlatCreek Estates Winery. Our hostessMadelyn greeted us warmly and had animpressive layout of wines available fortasting. They had also arranged tables forcontinued on page 16Tejas Trax

Flat Creek WinSeptembeMany thanks to Allan Gazza, GiMany more great photos are avOctober 2009Tejas Trax

y & Walburg26, 2009na Silvestri & Sridhar Kammaailable on the chapter websiteOctober 2009Tejas Trax

Tejas Oktoberfestcontinued form page 13our group, decorated simply, butbeautifully, to set the perfect ambiance.The vineyards, within sight of the patio,were green and fresh and provided aninspiring and relaxing setting for our timethere. Madelyn presented several of theirwines, by explaining the types of grapesthat go into their production, the processesthat were used in their production, as wellas other unique factors that may haveaffected the flavor and textures of eachwine. She informed us that this year theyhad to import a lot of the grapes used intheir wine production, because their crops(and most of the other wineries in centralTexas) were negatively affected by thedrought and extreme weather conditionsof this wine production season. We werethen treated with an opportunity to taste anumber of available wines and, as always,this was a popular passtime. The wineswere very delicious and as varied, as theindividual tastes and preferencesrepresented by the people that consumeOctober 2009 16them.After a leisurely time at the winery,we were on the road again, enroute toWalburg, Texas. Again, we had a veryscenic and challenging drive as weheaded north via Leander and LibertyHill, Texas, and then east and north ofGeorgetown to Walburg, Texas.Walburg was largely influenced andsettled by German immigrants. TheWalburg Restaurant shares in thisheritage and specializes in Germancuisine and a wide selection of importedGerman beer and wines, all in keepingwith their Bavarian heritage. Therestaurant’s building is a vintagestructure originating in 1882 and overthe years, the meals have been sampledby the likes of the Governor of Texas,and movie stars Robert Urich, JaneSeymour, Robert Duvall and JohnTravolta.Due to the foresight of Allan Gazzaand Gina, we had the opportunity ofparticipating with them in the firstweekend of their 2009 Oktoberfestcelebrations! The upstairs room in therestaurant was reserved specially for usand we were able to enjoy the scrumtiousand elaborate German food buffet that waslaid out for the occasion. Our waitress’swere efficient and very pleasant, also.Besides the food, the restaurant decor andmemorabilia are all German and forOktoberfest, they were also featuring livemusic, (some from Munich, Germany) outback in a specially set up tent in theBiergarten! If you missed this event, youmissed a good one!I would like to offer a special thanks,to Gina Silvestri, Allan Gazza andSridhar Kamma for the outstandingplanning and leadership that went intothis event.See you next month in Kerrville!Tejas Trax

"One step closer toaccident-free mobility"BMW Press ClubMunich. The road-safety visionsof society, politics, business andscience haven now been clearlydefined as "Vision Zero (Accident-Free Mobility)" and "Safety for All".The "Ko-FAS" (Cooperative VehicleSafety) research initiative has set itselfthe goal of implementing thesevisions. It wants to make acontribution towards making accidentfreemobility a reality. "In the future,maintaining safe conditions on theroad will require extensivecooperation between road users. Thisinterplay is bringing the Ko-FASinitiative one step closer to achievingits aim of accident-free mobility," saysDr. Ralph Rasshofer, member for theBMW Group in the steering committeeof the Ko-FAS initiative.The best-possible accidentprotection that an automobilemanufacturer could provide motorvehicle drivers with is active safety.According to official statistics, lessthan two percent of accidents arecaused by technical malfunctioning,while the vast majority occur as aresult of human error. This means thatit is important that the driver isafforded a maximum level of supportbehind the wheel, to prevent thecircumstances that cause accidentsfrom even occurring.It is against this background thatthe Federal Ministry of Economics andTechnology launched the Ko-FASresearch initiative on September 18,2009. Its aim is to achieve asignificant increase in road safety andan accompanying reduction in roadaccidents and motoring fatalities. Thiswill necessitate finding ways ofreliably mapping out the drivingenvironment, with the aid ofcooperative sensory and perceptivesystems, conducting a comprehensivesituational appraisal to draw up aprecise assessment of collision risks,culminating in the activation ofappropriate preventive protectionmeasures.The joint project involves 19partners, comprising reputable vehiclemanufacturers and parts suppliers,universities and institutes of appliedsciences, as well as research institutesthroughout the whole of Germany. Atotal budget of 25.5 million euros hasbeen made available to the projectpartners for the duration of theproject, which is scheduled tocontinue for just under four years.continued on page 18October 2009 17Tejas Trax

"One step closer"continued from page 17Three joint projects – one commongoalThe Ko-FAS initiative comprisesthree joint projects, known as Ko-TAG, Ko-PER and Ko-KOMP. Theresearch and technology department ofthe BMW Group is heading the Ko-TAG and Ko-PER projects.The specialists involved in theKo-TAG project will be conductingresearch in the field of Car2Tagcommunication, which employs anetwork of transponders whosefunction it is to precisely locate andclassify objects using cooperativesensory systems. The aim in future isto employ this technology to protectparticularly vulnerable road users,such as pedestrians and cyclists but itis also to be used in the area ofvehicle-vehicle safety.Employees of BMW GroupResearch and Technology successfullydeveloped the first pedestrianprotection system to be based on thiskind of technology during theAMULETT project, which precededthe current one. It involved a testvehicle which exchanged wireless datawith an active module, similar toRFID, which can be integrated into achild's schoolbag, for example. Thiscooperative sensor technology wouldmake it possible to locate suchindividuals and classify them asvulnerable road users who are notvisible to the driver at the moment inwhich the risk situation occurs.Ko-TAG will take the findings ofthe AMULETT project as its startingpoint and subject them to furtherstudies. Researchers are nowparticularly interested in suchquestions as how this radio technologycan be employed in more intensesituations, such as those in whichmany people are involved. "In future,this radio technology will allow us todraw extremely precise and highlyreliable assumptions from the sensorydata. This will in turn provide us witha means of effecting yet anotherconsiderable improvement in roadsafety," explains Daniel Schwarz ofBMW Group Research andTechnology, and project spokesmanfor Ko-TAG.The Ko-PER project isresponsible for conducting researchinto processes of cooperativeperception in longitudinal traffic andat intersection areas. "For this project,we are supported by the findings of thesuccessfully concluded EU research'PReVENT' project, but what we arenow also looking for is an activeOctober 2009 18Tejas Trax

exchange with the national 'simTD'(Safe Intelligent Mobility Test Fieldfor Germany) support project. Thevarious research activities all leadtowards the same joint goal – toincrease the level of safety on theroads," says Dr. Reiner Wertheimer,Ko-PER project spokesman for BMWGroup Research and Technology. Theresearchers from the BMW Groupinvolved in the Ko-PER project arelooking into ways of utilisingcooperative sensory networks formapping out the traffic environment.The aim is to create an overall pictureof the immediate traffic environmentby exchanging and merginginformation from various sensors,employed to gather data in bothvehicle environments and transportinfrastructures. What researchers areaiming at in particular is to create away of revealing hidden road usersand identifying the dynamicchronology of road events. This willmake it possible to conduct a constantand comprehensive assessment ofexisting collision risks.The members of the Ko-KOMPproject will be researching intoprotection systems for vehicles whichare activated prior to an impendingcollision and whose aim it is toprevent an accident from occurring orat least tempering the consequences ofthe accident. In particular, the projectwill be involved in examining systemsfor expanding the external vehicleshell and effecting the timelyactivation of autonomous emergencybrakefunctions. Also planned is avirtual test field for simulatingcommunications channels for diverseroad traffic scenarios.October 2009 19Tejas Trax

“The Wright Roadtrip”by Spencer CubageAfter a 3 year hiatus from BMW,and our beloved M Roadster, thisspring we “did the right thing” andbought a new 2007 335i Coupe. HowI wandered off of the BMW path…Ido not know. As we do a lot of citydriving and this Coupe was to be ourdaily driver, I opted for the new, 6speed automatic, complete withpaddle shifters. The sport package wasincluded as well. What a beautifulmachine ! This automatic comes witha sport mode and the aforementionedpaddle shifters. Yes, you can reallyexplore the twin turbos with thetransmission in sport mode !of other notable houses on our trip.One, the Farnsworth House, designedby Mies Van de Rohe, and the otherwas the Biltmore Estate. Our routeincluded the following states: Texas,Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa,Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia,North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia,Alabama, Mississippi, and Lousiana.We drove a total of 5290 miles....everymile was really fun !Traveling on both interstates,(known as toll roads up north) andback roads, the Coupe was a joy todrive. We were fully loaded for the 19day trip, including my guitar ! Onleisurely days, we would program theGarmin Nuvi to “shortest route”, italmost always guaranteed a fine, backroad route. Those are the roads wherewe had our fun. So many of thebeautiful back roads were well paved,curvy, hilly and empty. Great fun !!!A year ago, Liz and I were inWisconsin and visited Frank LloydWright’s Wisconsin home in SpringGreen, known as Taliesen. We havealways been Wright fans and on thattrip discovered that some of his homeswere available for nightly rentals.After researching on the internet, wefound four homes and one hotelavailable for rent. We structured ourtrip around these houses, as they arebooked far in advance. We would endup staying in and visiting a total of 12of Wright’s designs.In studying our route andtimetable, we decided to visit a coupleOctober 2009 20The first notable Wright structurewas the Price Tower in Bartlesville,Tejas Trax

Oklahoma. Great place to stay. Wewere on the 13th floor during a greatthunderstorm. It was very interesting,but enjoyable. As we drove northtoward Wisconsin, the weather turnedcooler and was beautiful. Likespringtime in Texas. We had to buildfires every night in the Wright homesthat we had rented.We stayed in two Wright homes inWisconsin, one in Indiana and one inOhio.Schwartz HouseTwo Rivers, WI.Seth Peterson Cottage,Lake Delton, WIHaynes HouseFt. Wayne, INNear Ft. Wayne, Indiana isAuburn. The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum is located there.It is a great place to visit. The buildingis the original Auburn AdministrationBuilding, done in the Art Deco styleof the era. The car collection isfantastic.The Penfield HouseWilloughby Hills, OhioOctober 2009 21continued on page 22Tejas Trax

“The Wright Roadtrip”continued from page 21to visit the Biltmore Estate. Now, thatis one large home ! It takes about 2hours of steady walking and climbingto explore it on the self guided tour.It was built at a time of no income taxand money was not an issue.After leaving Asheville, weheaded to Alabama to visit our lastWright house on the trip. From therewe drove the Natchez Trace Parkwayinto Natchez, Mississippi and spentthe last night of our vacation in oneof our favorite B&Bs, MonmouthPlantation.We arrived home on Sunday,Father’s Day, very happy to have donethe “Wright Roadtrip” and just as gladto be back home !!!Making our way to Wright’smasterpiece “Fallingwater”, we drovethrough the hills of westernPennsylvania. What great roads andbeautiful scenery are there. Aftertouring Fallingwater, we went toJohnstown, Pennsylvania, site of theinfamous Johnstown flood of 1889.The museum in downtown Johnstownis in the library that was built after theflood. The original library wasdestroyed in the flood, with many ofthe downtown buildings at that time.We then went to the damsite which isrun by the National Park Servicewhere the remains of the dam are stillvery visible. It is a beautiful area, withmountains and streams everywhere.We left Western Pennsylvania andheaded for Asheville, North CarolinaFallingwaterMill Run, PAprobably Wrights most famoushouse...October 2009 22Tejas Trax

Date Event Meet LocationOctober 23-25, 2009Oct 30 - Nov 1, 2009Annual Utopia Weekendsee page 5Houston Chapter Hill Country WeekendTejas Chapter members invitedKerrvilleFredericksburgNovember 1, 2009 F1 Club of Austin Oktoberfest WalburgNovember 14, 2009 TBD TBDDecember 5, 2009 Annual Charity Event TBDWeb Site Infohttp://www.tejaschapter.org for the most up-to-dateinformation about the TejasChapter.Tejas Chapter MerchandiseAre you interested in getting shirts with the Tejas Chapter logo? Do youneed a good BMW related gift for somone? A Denim Shirt, Polo Shirt, ora T-Shirt perhaps? Long sleeve, short sleeve, or maybe sleeveless.Perhaps a tote bag or ball cap would be of interest to you.Chapter members Jose & Cathy Alejo of ALEJO USA, can make thishappen for you. They have our Tejas Chapter logo and can apply it onalmost anything they carry in their catalogs. Embroidered and screenprint logos are available. Seen in the picture below, the Denim shirtshave embroidered logos and the T-Shirtshave color screen print logos.You may contact Jose or Cathyby calling (254) 527-4060.You may also go online towww.alejousa.com. or emailalejousa@alejousa.com.October 2009 23Tejas Trax

Tejas Chapter Incentive Points Challenge for 2009To encourage participation, the successful Incentive Points Challenge began in 1998. Themembers or associate members who earn the highest number of points by the end of the year(up to 10th place) receive valuable prizes at the Post-Holiday Party in January 2010. TheRookie of the Year award is for the member that joined in the current year and earns RookiePoints based on Incentive Points earned divided by the time as a member during the year.ActivityPointsReturn Survey Form (form available on request or at website) 50Attend a meeting or event 30Organize a monthly event, (social/technical etc.) 100Assist with a monthly event (credited by organizer) 50Each new member recruited (credited by CCA) 30Original photo(s) published in the Trax (30 pts max/issue) 10Original photo(s) published on the website (30 pts max/event) 10Original Tech Tip published in the Trax 15Original Article published in the Trax (500 words or more) 30Original Article published in the Trax (less than 500 words) 15Recruitment of a commercial ad for Trax20% of ad cost2009 Incentive Points Challenge Rookies Leader BoardAs of October 2, 200926.54 Pts 7.63 Pts 5.06 Pts David WakashigeChip Beaudette Tad Goodwin Joseph Hall 2.72 Pts20.94 Pts 5.72 Pts 4.99 Pts Richard SteinHarold Cohen Donna Bogan Daniel Urrea Robin Stein12.07 Pts 5.65 Pts 4.30 Pts 2.58 PtsLes Logan Michael Schwartz George Hessler Jim Blue9.27 Pts 5.27 Pts 4.28 PtsBrian Hall William Harris Lisa Foight8.79 Pts 5.16 Pts 3.39 PtsAlbert Merrifield Johnny Mitchell Mack BariTejas Chapter PatchesDisplay your Tejas Chapter membership witha high-quality embroidered patch. May besewn or glued to anything from shirts tobags to notebooks.To get yours, send $5.00 for each patchto the Tejas Chapter mailbox or get one atthe next chapter event.October 2009 24Tejas Trax

2009 Incentive Points Challenge Leader BoardAs of October 2, 2009965 Pts 230 Pts Robert Giles Frederic Lynes Dalia HunterAllan Gazza Kevin Duffy Jack Laumer Albert Merrifield James Hunter710 Pts 210 Pts Bill Leisey David Michna Stephen KneuperSridhar Kamma Harold Cohen Martha Ricketson Michael Schwartz Bob Lewandowski560 Pts 200 Pts 80 Pts Daniel Urrea Marc MarshallRoger Williams Ken Carson Ray Landry 40 Pts Brian McKinney550 Pts Mary Lou Katchen John Wagner Chris Basse Johnny MitchellGina Silvestri Kurt Schwerdtfeger 70 Pts 30 Pts Ken Patton530Pts 180 Pts Mike Del Portillo Jose Alejo Michael PepinHerb Looney Adriana Diesen Tad Goodwin Dwight Allmon Mike PerkinsDonald Yule Nathan Fong Rick Morgan Patricia Allmon David Plutowski520 Pts 170 Pts 60 Pts Mark Anderson AJ RanftMarco Cordon Alan Greene Mike Anderson Melanie Anderson Harvey Reiter500 Pts 160 Pts Donna Bogan Jacinta Avila John SchmidSusan Yule Paul Goldfine Jonna Clark Mack Bari Donald Sloan470 Pts 150 Pts Fred Egloff Jim Blue Richard SteinWayne Eltringham Spencer Cubage Hugh Fisher Richard Butler Robin Stein415 Pts Chris Pedersen Joseph Hall Mike Byrd Shell StorerKathy Eltringham Steve Pedersen Ken Hollins Don Charbula David Wakashige360 Pts 145 Pts Tom Motes Richard Crowley Claude WellesEric Chang John Swann Corinne Sayther Bill Duran Jo Ann Welles330 Pts 140 Pts Amanda Shanks Virginia Duran 25 PtsMike Sevel Steve Ricketson Wyatt Shanks Bob Ellingson Denise Reid310 Pts 130 Pts 50 Pts Yovanni Flores 20 PtsLinda Cook Chip Beaudette Ron Buchalski Jeff Franklin Fred Brinkley290 Pts 120 Pts Alan Campbell Oscar Gamboa Lisa FoightMartie Peterson Philip Nybro Jonathan Griffith Tom Ginnity 10 Pts280 Pts 110 Pts J. Harper Terry Giroux Brett BartschiTim Cook Tim Ehrhart Don Heller Tom Goodwin Billy House260 Pts Brian Hall Casey Jordan Jordan Greene Wm MurphyTom Brown Brad Mitchell Ken Lahanas Billy HarrisGregg Peterson 90 Pts Les Logan Frank HendersonLinda Cavazos Sam Love George HesslerOctober 2009 25Tejas Trax

1995 M32nd owner by BMWCCA Member(#106598), 10/95 production date,clear title, no accidents, ownedsince 9/2001 @ 133,260 miles,currently 210,200 miles, matchingengine/chassis numbers, stock 3.0liter x 6 cylinder DOHC, superstrong engine, no oil usage, engineoil/filter changes every 3,000 miles,no track, no racing engine: RecentFluidyne aluminum heavy dutyradiator ($860), new coolantexpansion tank w/new updated tankcap, new coolant tank level sensor,hoses/clamps, new dual low tempradiator sensor (80-88 Degrees C),new upper/lower radiator hoses,recent steel impeller water pump &profile gasket, recent aluminumthermostat housing & profilegasket, recent low temp thermostat& profile gasket, new fan clutch,new BMP brass coolant tank bleedscrew/o-ring, new expansion tanklevel sensor, recent alternator (80amp changed in 9/2005), new a/cdrive belt & deflection roller, newalternator/water pump drive belt &deflection roller, recent completevalve cover gaskets/spark plug holegaskets, BMP magnetic oil panClassified Adsdrain plug, Recent New Sachs OEMClutch/Pressure Plate/Throw-OutBearing/Pivot Pin/Clutch Bolts/Shifter Guide Pin Suspension: H &R springs with Bilstein Gas SportShocks, all new spring perchrubbers, BMW Motorsport uppershock tower reinforcement plates(5mm), OEM lower xX-bracex,Racing Dynamics front/rear swaybars & bushings, Racing Dynamicsupper shock tower brace, ActiveAutoworks rear shock tower brace,BMP alum/red urethane rear uppershock mounts, BMP adjustable reartrailing arms, Ireland Engineeringurethane rear control arm bushings,recent OEM steel lower controlarms w/bushings Exhaust: SuperSprint DTM stainless steel rearmuffler, new (4) exhaust flangebolts/nuts & (2) new metal exhaustdonut seals (at time of SS rearmuffler install) Brakes: NewBrembo cross drilled & slotted frontbrake rotors/pads, stainless steelbrake lines, Tires/Wheels: Aftermarket M3 CSL replicas 17x (faircondition) w/stainless steel valvestems mounted on Yokohama ES100 - 235/40/ZR17 performancetires, excellent condition (9 out of10) Best Offer!! Contact JohnCoates, Jr. at 985-285-0973 or sendemail to fahrenm3@aol.com.More details on this car on theTejas Chapter website.October 2009 26Tejas Trax

Classified Ads1995 540iA Sport76,000 miles. One of 200 built forthe US and one of only 35automatics. Cosmos Black withleather parchment interior.Nurburgring adaptive suspensionwith M servomatic steering. Largerbrakes and M trim were all part ofoption 813 for that year. Over$10,000 invested since purchase.All fluids, bushings, belts, hosesand catalytic coverters replaced.New cooling system includingradiator and water pump. Newbrakes. BMW 18" Double Parallelwheels with Michellin Pilot Sport IItires. Pioneer sound system.Original Stereo and code available.All receipts including originalfactory sticker. $12,000. Additionalphotos listed in "Members' Cars".Contact Ken Sepulveda at 512-858-7619 or send email tobigdogchewtoy@yahoo.com.Steering WheelE46, BMW Euro Sports SteeringWheel with airbag (new), fits allE46 incl. M3, Steering wheel is newand covered with black leather (2different leather - on the top andbelow - plain leather and at the sides- perforated leather) and with 3-color M-Stitching and neverinstalled in a car. It comes completewith a new 2-stage Airbag and newblack "SRS Airbag" bracket - noother parts needed. Mint Condition,you will get a unique steering wheel,Made in Germany, OutsideDiameter is 370 mm, Please note:the wheel fits only e46, not e36 orother models. Contact ClaudioSanchez at 512-627-3499 or sendemail to claudio3@swbell.net.Classified ads FOR PERSONAL USE items are printed free for currentmembers of BMW CCA. Ads will run for three issues, unless stopped earlier.Ads may be extended by a request in writing to the Tejas Chapter mailboxor by email. Members are limited to five (5) classified ads running at a time.The ad rate for non-member ads or member ads of a COMMERCIAL natureis $10.00 per issue. These ads will be accepted on a monthly basis andpayment must be received before ad is printed. Classified ads submitted forpublication in the Tejas Trax are also placed on the Tejas Chapter's website.October 2009 27Tejas Trax

Tejas ChapterBMW CCA, Inc.P.O. Box 17216Austin, TX 78760PRSRT STDU.S. PostagePAIDPermit #1434Austin TXOctober 2009 28Tejas Trax