Clubs are a terrific way to find people with similar interests and share your passions. If your passion is your BMW, you’re not alone. BMWs have been in the U.S. since the 1950s, so there’s a good chance fellow bimmer enthusiasts are in your area. 

So, how do you bring them together and start a club? There are already BMW clubs nationwide, but here are six tips for creating a smaller club in your area.

Pick a Name

A club of any kind is as good as its name. Be creative when deciding on a name and make it memorable. The name isn’t the most pressing matter when starting a club, but you’ll want to make it stand out and garner interest from your bimmer companions.

If you can’t come up with a name, start simple and let future members vote on a name later. You can get the members involved and let them come up with ideas. Start with a generic name that includes BMW and the city you live in. For example, you could name the club “Bimmers of Boston” or “The Chicago BMW Club.”

Recruit With Social Media

To get the club going, you’ll need to recruit members. Start with the people you know best, like your friends, family, co-workers and other familiar faces. They may be more likely to join the club if they see you. Once you’ve exhausted those options, use social media to find your BMW friends.

Social media is an excellent tool for recruiting. More than 300 million Americans use social media across all platforms. Research strategies for going viral on platforms like Tik Tok — satisfying the algorithms and participating in trends can generate high engagement and have users reach out to you about joining. Use YouTube to document the club’s fun events and Facebook and Twitter for news.

Design Cool Gear

A fun part about being in a club is the gear. Repping your club’s colors shows pride, just like you would with your favorite sports teams. To get the most out of your equipment, design a unique logo that’s recognizable and fitting for your club. Members can wear their apparel to meetings, club events or walking around town. After all, the gear serves as free promotion for the club.

Club gear can entail numerous types of clothing and other goodies, but standard T-shirts will look great on all your members. Make the logo large and easy to read on the front when designing the shirts. A full front logo will be about 10 to 12 inches wide and 10 to 14 inches tall. Anyone who sees your shirts around town should easily detect what your club is about.

Find a Common Meeting Area

At some point, you’ll have your first meeting. Find a location in the city that makes sense for all your members and is easy to obtain permission for hosting. You won’t be able to show up and have a meeting in a store’s parking lot without asking.

Start by contacting community centers in the area because they often rent out space to clubs and organizations. A local bar is an excellent place to hold meetings because your members can buy drinks and patronize the business. You also may find new members for your club.

Look for outdoor spaces to hold some of your meetings. BMWs are the center point of your club, so search for fun sites. For example, you could find a local racetrack or a car business if they permit you to occupy the space for a while.

Book Fun Events and Guests

A group of bimmer enthusiasts can talk about their cars for hours. These conversations bring BMW owners together, but what makes these clubs fun is the events. Organize fun events for your car club and invite guest speakers to visit. Nowadays, you can rely on video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet to ask people worldwide to speak to your members.

A car club gives you numerous opportunities for events. You can organize an annual car show where your BMW friends can show off their customized rides, fit with aftermarket upgrades. BMW has been in motorsports for nearly a century, so contact someone involved with their race teams, such as drivers, engineers and more.

Delegate Responsibilities

When running a club, you don’t have to do it alone. A BMW group may be your dream hobby, but delegating responsibilities relieves stress and shows you’re a good leader. Find people you trust and assign roles like secretary, treasurer and more. A study from The Leadership Quarterly shows delegation leads to effective leadership, especially when you allow members to be creative and develop ideas for their roles.

Finding BMW Buddies in Your Area

Your bimmer is your pride and joy, and there are others in your city who feel the same way. Car clubs are a fun way to celebrate your favorite automobiles. These six tips show how to start a smaller bimmer club in your area.

Converting to an SUV from a car can be an intimidating yet necessary experience. Before purchasing a larger vehicle, you’ll want to ensure that you have a budget in mind. Then, look for the features you want and compare the options. 

Weighing the pros and cons of getting a bigger vehicle can be challenging, but it might be an inevitable decision if you need more space. Here are some things to consider when purchasing a larger BMW. 

1. Fuel Efficiency 

Larger SUVs typically burn more fuel, so you’ll want to consider gas mileage and the vehicle’s purpose before buying. The larger the car, the more gas you’ll use per gallon. Fuel efficiency is important for many reasons, like the distance you drive and how often. Plus, fuel-efficient vehicles are much gentler on the environment. 

BMWs can hog gas just like other large vehicles, but the BMW X1 has excellent fuel efficiency. The 2023 BMW X1 gets 25 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, which is as good as a car. Most oversized vehicles get less than 23 mpg on the highway unless it’s a minivan which averages between 24 and 30 mpg. 

2. Parking Space

If you’re considering an SUV, you might want to consider private and public parking. You’ll need to learn how to navigate parking spaces to accommodate having a larger vehicle. Trucks and SUVs can be harder to park than smaller cars.

You want to be confident in what you’re driving, so ensure you test-drive your SUV before purchasing it. If you have a large family or like to host parties at your home, you should consider a higher thickness when laying down an asphalt driveway. A more elevated driveway can accommodate the larger vehicle. 

3. Technology Features

BMW SUVs have fabulous technology features, like comfortable interiors and high-end trim with syncing capabilities for your smartphone — they don’t call them luxury vehicles for nothing. They support Apple and Android connectivity and an available hotspot for Wi-Fi.

The BMW X5 has handwriting recognition, a rear cross-traffic alert system, adaptive cruise control and voice and gesture control features. Most luxury SUVs have cruise control and voice recognition options, but this make and model takes the cake for security technology with handwriting recognition. If fancy is what you’re looking for, a BMW SUV is your best choice. 

4. Storage Space

SUVs are popular for their storage space, so if you take many trips or have a bigger family, you’ll likely love having an SUV. The BMW SUV with the most considerable volume for storage space is the BMW X5 at 33.5-72.3 cubic feet. 

Depending on what you need the storage space for, you could look at the BMW X3, which has a slightly smaller storage space of 28.7-62.7 cubic feet. However, seeing storage space in person is always your best bet. Viewing the car in person, you can look at things like feet, knee space, cups, and cubby holders and test them out. 

5. Safety Features

Safety features on a larger vehicle are necessary, like blind-spot monitors. A bigger vehicle means more significant blind spots that can lead to accidents if you aren’t careful, especially if you’re used to a smaller car. BMW’s safety features include blind spot detection and warnings about lane departure and frontal collisions. 

Blind spot detection warns you when drivers enter your blind spot, but relying solely on this feature can be dangerous. You’ll want to get comfortable with more limited vision within your new vehicle. Rear park distance control and an SOS button to request help in an emergency have been standard features on BMWs since 2022. 

BMW’s Active Protection System activates post-crash braking when a crash occurs and powers down everything from the windows to the engine. If you have small children, you’ll love the LATCH anchor child seat system’s safety feature for car seats. You can also get Surround View, which includes Side View, Rew view camera, Panorama View, 3D View, and Top View. 

What To Know Before Buying a BMW 

More oversized vehicles often mean more gas, parking and blind spots. However, they also offer increased storage space and exciting offroading capabilities. Make sure you compare your options and view your potential BMW in person for a test drive before you make your decision. 

BMWs make excellent SUVs that will exceed your standards — you’re sure to find an option that meets your requirements and make you feel more confident on the road.