Quote:
Originally Posted by mid-corner fun
My comments were based on re-classing attempts I've witnessed via fellow racers & friends but I did not mean to discourage you, unlikely does not mean impossible.
As far as bumping up class-wise, let's say you do end up in TTB somehow. The calculations you made leave a margin of 1 or 2 points before up classing. That's a very tight margin, it leaves no room for future (planned or unplanned) adjustments. Were you not planning to run camber plates? No aero eventually? Sorry, not on a computer so I can't look up the exact points right now.
Also, how is the field in your particular region? Is there decent competition in TTB or TTA/TT3?
Either way, my point is that investing in a platform based on the hope that a reclassification may make it relatively competitive is risky. I would rather plan for a competitive setup based on an existing class + add-on points but that's just me. BTW, in my region DE4 & TT run together in most events, I opt to run with DE4 as I'm squarely in TTA territory and off by ~4 secs from the leaders, no way to get closer without losing some serious weight or do serious upgrades to this platform.
Hope you sort this out, always good to have more people in the TT groups!
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I will not buy an e90 M3 for TTB if I am not first reasonably assured by the TT Director of a dyno re-class based on a reasonably expected power to weight ratio. A stock 4 Dr M3 weights about 3,725. The minimum base weight is 3,625 without driver. I weigh 155 lbs for a total weight of 3,880 or 255 lbs above the minimum weight. If the penalty for being 200 lbs underweight is 14 pts (and 18 pts for 260 lbs), then I would hope to get at least 14 pts back for being between 225 and 255 lbs over weight. (BTW: camber plates are free.) However, again, I totally agree it's too risky to buy the car on this assumption without hearing from the TT Director first. (Note: he previously told me I could dyn-reclass a '09 and up RX8 from TTD* to TTD or even TTE** depening upon how the power to weight ends up.) I just want to know if an e90 M3 can be competitive starting in TTB rather than TTB** (and/or whether I would be better of with 328 or 330 in TTD)?
Regarding the TTB and previous TTA/now TT3 competition in the Midwest, TTB has been faster than TTA on occasion. At Autobahn South last September, the fastest TTB time was a record breaking 133:178 by an S2000 with every go fast part, followed closely by a heavily prepped Solstice (Turbo), Cayman, e46 M3, and another S2000--all within 3 seconds of each other. The fastest TTA that day was 133:75 by a Vette, followed by five others including a Cayman S, e90 M3, and heavily prepped 350 Z--all within 5 seconds. However, the new TT3 rules will likely make the class uncompetitive except for a fully prepped race car. (If was to buy a semi DD for TT3, I would get an Evo--which I'm sure is blasphemy on this forum
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All of that said, a 328i starts in TTE. If I prepped for TTD, that gives me 39 points to play with. Thus, I would have tons of room for modifications but it would cost a fair amount and would probably not be as fun--at least on the street.
Thanks again for the input.