Re: BMW CCA in Europe

[John Firestone <john.firestone@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mike Biles writes:
>
> If I'm not mistaken BMW CCA stands for BMW Car Club of America. While I
> guess one might want to start a chapter outside the US wouldn't it be worth
> seeing if there is a BMW Car Club of the Netherlands (or whatever country
> your in). I'd find it hard to believe that the only BMW fanatics in the
> world are here in the states, maybe you could get a hold of a local dealer
> and see if they would know of a local car club.

Indeed, there are clubs in the Netherlands and there is a BMW club in
the city I live, poor as it is.  The clubs tend to be small and local,
however. I think we are interested in a trans-national chapter to
shrink the distance between ourselves and between ourselves and the
CCA. I can only speak for myself, but I feel I am a *long* way away
from the Boston office or my fellow members, with only the Roundel,
e-mail and the occassional visit to the U.S., or visitor, striding the
gap.

I am intrigued by your suggestion of forming a purely European car
club and establishing U.S. sister chapters.  The only challenge I can
see is that the attention we devote to the U.S. chapters would
probably displace the ties we might have had or felt to the CCA as a
whole. In the end, we might become a European club with ties to
particular members and U.S. chapters rather than a CCA club in Europe.
To us, the CCA would continue to be what it is now: not much more than
a magazine subscription. This is no problem for me.  I just think it
would be nice if things did not have to be this way.

- -John
'96 318is
john.firestone@domain.elided

------------------------------