According to 16,000 people (and counting) on Instagram, yesterday, August 4, 2022, was National BMW Appreciation Day. I felt a bit bad for not knowing this, so I decided to Google it and find out more–when it started, what nation(s) celebrate this day, and what people are doing to show their appreciation of BMWs. Well, Google returned nothing–nada, zip, zilch, zero. It appears that it was simply an Instagram “Add Yours” request started by Ameera, a 2020 S1000RR rider, that went viral.
Ameera on her S1000RR in front of Long Beach BMW Motorcycles. [Photo by @ronin_koa]
How could you not take a rolling shot of Jay Miller’s 2002 Turbo when heading to BMW CCA Foundation’s Ultimate Driving Museum?
While I don’t believe there is an official National BMW Appreciation Day, for all of the hardcore BMW enthusiasts out there–if you’re reading this, that means you–every day is National BMW Appreciation Day. Many of us seemingly eat, sleep, and breathe BMWs. Whether it be cruising with friends, motorsports, weekend Cars & Coffee meets, or a plethora of BMW CCA events, we’re always looking for the next adventure or experience that includes our vehicles and our groups of friends that share our passion. These vehicles are a big part of our lives because we do, in fact, appreciate them.
Meeting up for photos is always a good time. Tom Kapikian’s 535iS and Alpina B7 Turbo.
How do I show my appreciation for BMWs? Road trips, BMW-related activities, and keeping them clean! My 1991 318iS has a full schedule of road trips this year– the Vintage, the East Coast E30 Picnic, overnight and out-of-state club tours, and Oktoberfest just to name a few.
Making time for an evening drive in my 1991 318iS, with a quick stop for a photo.
Just last week I drove my 2015 328i M Sport Wagon from the suburbs of Washington, D.C. to Orlando, FL for a family vacation–it’s about a 900 mile trip one way. I exchanged a number of waves and extended thumbs with fellow BMW drivers on the road showing our mutual approval of our vehicles. Essential items for the trip included quick detailer spray and microfiber cloths–gotta keep it clean! We may have relaxed our in-car snacking rules a bit for the trip, but when we returned I spent a good chunk of time deep cleaning the F31’s interior and washing the exterior. And of course it needed an oil and filter change, which my five-year-old son helped with in our garage. Start ‘em young!
Our 2015 328i M Sport Wagon. There’s always a photo opportunity.
When I go to Cars & Coffee events, my camera is always focused on the BMWs. It doesn’t matter if they’re classic or modern, clean or dirty, fast or slow, perfect or “in progress”, they are all great. And who doesn’t like meeting people through vehicular admiration in parking lots? Whether it be me drooling over someone else’s car, or someone else showing interest in mine–my phone’s contact list is full of first names and year/make/model as the last name because of it.
Sean Vojtecky arriving at a local Cars & Coffee event.
An M5 CS at BMW’s Baltimore Vehicle Distribution Center during an NCC BMW CCA event.
How do you show appreciation for your BMW? Do you park in an “end spot” away from others? Do you look back at your parked car as you walk away? Do you have any fun BMW-related activities coming up? Share your photos and stories with BimmerLife by leaving a comment below. While I hope that everyone appreciates their BMWs every day, perhaps next year on August 4th, we can follow Ameera’s lead and celebrate #NationalBMWAppreciationDay by sharing our automotive adventures and projects with fellow enthusiasts. —Mike Bevels
[Photos by Mike Bevels and as credited.]
