BMW Performance Driving School vs Barber Mazda Driving School?

Hi everyone!

It's my dad's 60th birthday this year and I want to get him something nice for his birthday. He likes cars and we both like talking about cars, except he's not as passionate (or obsessive).

He doesn't know how to drive a stick, but is open to learning. So I was thinking about getting him a two day gift certificate to either the BMW driving school (not the M school, too much $$$) or the Ski Barber Mazda driving school (not the racing school, again, too much $$$). Does anyone have experience with either that could speak about it?

There's not much information to be found on the Skip Barber experience (mostly about their performance driving experience), but it seems like the BMW school is very nice in SC -- great facility, nice folks, nicer cars (135s and 335s mostly). The nice thing about the Skip Barber school is that it teaches the participants how to drive stick and that it's done at a real track (I'm thinking Road Atlanta location), so presumably you get to do a few laps at the end. Downside is that the cars are more pedestrian (not hating on the cars, but it just doesn't seem as special of an occasion when you're driving mazda 3's).

I thought about taking him to a DE event to save some money except that neither of us have a car that could do it (also we're not close to each other). Both events are around the same cost.

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks so much!!

Twice a year since 2007, I have helped instruct a three-day seminar for the Society of Automotive Engineers at the BMW Performance Center. Facility, instructors, and vehicles are top-shelf all the way, and Greenville SC is a beautiful town. I have no knowledge of the Barber school.

AngryCorvair wrote: Twice a year since 2007, I have helped instruct a three-day seminar for the Society of Automotive Engineers at the BMW Performance Center. Facility, instructors, and vehicles are top-shelf all the way, and Greenville SC is a beautiful town. I have no knowledge of the Barber school.

Thanks! Does the facility have a full track or is it something closer to a testing track?

In reply to bcp2011:

i guess "testing track" is a pretty good way to look at it. you can find it on google maps. it looks a lot like this:

Another vote for the bmw school.....my friend went there to learn, he came back on the same level I was, if not better. I wish I had money laying around to burn.

yamaha wrote: Another vote for the bmw school.....my friend went there to learn, he came back on the same level I was, if not better. I wish I had money laying around to burn.

Trust me, if it weren't for the fact that it's his 60th I wouldn't be doing this. A nice dinner is all he would be getting next year!

Just to be sure, your friend atteded the regular, not the M school right?

AngryCorvair -- thank you for digging that up!!

If you are going to the BMW school, a $48 investment in a BMW CCA membership will get you 15% off if I recall correctly.

Might need to wait until you have a membership number to buy, but I believe the math works out in your favor

Karacticus wrote: If you are going to the BMW school, a $48 investment in a BMW CCA membership will get you 15% off if I recall correctly. Might need to wait until you have a membership number to buy, but I believe the math works out in your favor

A fantastic investment indeed, thanks so much for the tip!!!

Has anyone done the $99 or so "Ultimate BMW epxerience"? What were you're thoughts?

My Dad and I did the two day BMW school, it was a blast. They balanced teaching racing stuff with good practical street driving ( the only place I've been to that lets you do 60 to 0 panic stops) All of the instructors were top notch and the cars were a ton of fun(335i sedans and 135i s). The skid pad was a blast, and again there was a mix of reacting to skids, along with drifting. At the end of the second day we got to "sample" a couple other BMWs around a tight little road course, and take X5s through an off-road course which was more fun than I imagined (If you do it remember to turn the parking cameras on as you go through the water, nothing like watching your own wake ) I would defiantly recommend it, though be warned that once your start you will want to go to the M school (I'm saving my pennies). Ryan

Also at the end the instructors took us out for a very sideways lap in the M5s (E60 with the sweet V10) and it was the best ride I've ever been on.

I've done the two day Skip Barber Advanced driving course, and it was a great experience. My wife did the one day course, and that one offered more bang for the buck. Although we were at Lime Rock, there was no time on the racetrack, so check into what's included. We did get many laps on an autocross course (with a few in a Viper) as well as a few hot laps with the instructors driving. I've been in a few situations on the street where the training I received was invaluable.

I signed up for Skip Barber course at a race weekend, and by putting a few bucks down on my credit card that day, I saved around 30%. If you called and asked, I'd expect you could talk them into a similar discount.