The member clubs of the BMW Club of Canada believe strongly in providing driving skills safety education. To that end we offer a variety of driving safety skills schools. We have a national driver safety education program, and the regional clubs participate and offer a variety of school options for their members.
Why Participate? Learn the limits of your car and of yourself, improve your skills, save some money and have fun! Review our most recent webinar that discusses this very topic.
Where? The BMW Car Club of Ottawa will be holding summer schools at Calabogie Motorsports Park - a 5km road course built near Calabogie Ontario (about an hour's drive west of Ottawa).
When? See our Events page to find out when we are hosting our next driver education program.
Cost? is similar or better than you'd pay other clubs for their lapping days, but with us you get an experienced instructor as your co-pilot all day long, plus classroom sessions to discuss theory. Check the registration site for pricing but usually one day schools are around $400 and two day schools are around $600. HST is added on top of these prices.
Tech Inspection. All students must have their cars checked out before the school (usually 2-3 weeks) to make sure they are in good shape and safe. Their local mechanic must fill out a form (enclosed in the registration package) or available for download here. We have updated the technical inspection form for 2016 and also includes a new tire supplemental that is available for download here. Basically, your car must be in reasonable shape (not held together with baling wire and prayers!), with tread on the tires, some brake pad, not leaking nasty fluids, and not a safety hazard!
Who? Unlike other clubs, the BMW Club always welcomes participants from other clubs, driving other brands of vehicle. Sport Utility / Pickup trucks are not allowed due to their high centre of gravity. A BMW is not required to participate, nor is a BMW Club membership- however members (of any BMW Club Canada or BMW CCA chapter) pay a reduced rate. We often have about half the participants in BMWs, and the other half are an assortment of sports and sporty cars of all kinds. Some SUVs are ok (BMW, Porsche, Audi), some convertibles are ok (with fixed visible roll-over protection), but no EV or PHEV are permitted at this time.
Info Packet! An information packet will be emailed to all participants.
Instructors! Please register for our events if you wish to participate as an instructor. Registration is free for single and two day events, with a small fee for Fridays when and if we hold three day events.