Why do you not track?

[OC3]

Originally Posted by KTM505SX

Calm it down,you make it sound like people are out there racing wheel to wheel and will do anything to get on the podium.There are rules in place and if you follow and have skills of a 16 year old you come away with a new found respect for the car and your abilities.Nobody but an idiot is gonna go out there and let loose their first time out,99 percent of first time attendees are consumed with the wealth of info they are absorbing and are too damn scared to push the car to begin with.

These cars are very forgiving and easy to drive even at 9/10's,a typical new driver is not even at 7/10's and is too busy learning lines and trying to get over fears they've had before coming to the track.100mph is nothing in an M3,let a lone at the race track

Well said.

Originally Posted by rjd598

I think everyone should try one track day. It will really make you enjoy your car that much more IMO. Especially when we have a car like the e9x m3 where it really shines on a track.

Indeed.

[SenorFunkyPants]

You can always try out drifting as well...

[Merked M3]

I track because Laguna Seca is 10 minutes away!

[raywong]

trackday is very expensive here, it is considered rich people only activity. you need to pay US$2000 non-refundable deposit 2 months ahead for a 3 days 2 night package. It is a cross country drive into mainland China. the drive to the track is 3 hours on nice highway. they usually stay on top speed for the whole 3 hrs since the law is a little different there. you are lucky windshield and head light not cracked after 3 hr high speed chase. Cars without paint shield and duct tape applied will lose all the paint on the bumper and windshield looks like frosted glass. The radiator also looks like a mess and there's nothing you can do to protect it. It is highly expensive, but to see 40 super cars running together is awesome.

[SoTempted]

Originally Posted by JuniorM3

Because you don't want to jump in the deep end alone so you need to email me, and i'll be your coach for the day and i'll teach you how not to break your M3.

I would love to learn how to actually drive my car with skill. The biggest reason I don't track (besides growing up in Hawaii where there is no track), I don't wanna go out there and completely not know what I'm doing... I CAN'T STAND the feeling of not knowing what I'm doing.

[J08M3]

I hope to get my car on the track one of these days.

[sameh]

I don't track cause I don't have ZCP and my non ZCP Civic M3 would be too slow on the track, add to that my car is DCT so it's not involving and driving it on the track would not be fun at all. I also elected to get a sun roof not CF and I don't have the lowered center of gravity hence my rollover risk is like 1700 times the real ZCP M3s with CF roof. I do have other options on the car that make it slow like a pig, to name few, I have premium sound and Nav..What's the point of tracking then?

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by sameh

I don't track cause I don't have ZCP and my non ZCP Civic M3 would be too slow on the track, add to that my car is DCT so it's not involving and driving it on the track would not be fun at all. I also elected to get a sun roof not CF and I don't have the lowered center of gravity hence my rollover risk is like 1700 times the real ZCP M3s with CF roof. I do have other options on the car that make it slow like a pig, to name few, I have premium sound and Nav..What's the point of tracking then?

I don't track because my Non-ZCP is faster

[PKL]

Originally Posted by The HACK

It's like trying to convince someone that's never skydived that skydiving is a thrill of a lifetime. Or trying to convince a life-long Atheist that his salvation lies in belief in someone named Jesus Christ. It's something that, unless it's experienced

How does one experience Jesus Christ? That is impossible, any way you cut it!

[spdy330]

As for me I did not purchase this car to track it. I wanted an M3 since 1990 and it is finally in my garage. I am too old to play around like that. To me it makes no sense for me to take mine on the track when a lot of people have the same exact car so I can watch them on the track and still have fun at the same time. To all my friends that do track I will come out to support you while my car is parked in the lot .

[richardg]

I track my new (to me) e92M and I will say the only thing that had me hesitant was an accident. I could care less if I destroy my e36m. It would not be the end of the world to be out car I am only 10k into and owe nothing on. For me it is the fear of financial loss. I still owe about 25k on the e92M and I know my insurance carrier will not cover. The only track events I have done in my e92 are the BMW CCA events because they are eligible for HPDE insurance.

[///My5UV]

People that have never been to the track or some sort of driving school have no idea how much they suck at driving, and don't know how much better at it they could be.
I can see worrying about the insurance angle because $hit happens sometimes and if your insurance doesn't cover you at the track (even if it is safer with a good group than driving to work) you could be out alot of money.
I absolutely don't get people doing tons of expensive suspension and weight saving mods to drive a car on the street, but at least they help foot the development bill for the people that actually get some use out of them.
I'll probably take the new M3 to the track someday to see how the balance is and if I want to change it. I think it's important that you know the handling of your car under controlled conditions before you have to deal with an emergency situation. Way better to have an off through a grassy runoff area than into a concrete wall, curb, or pedestrians.
For most people, getting good instruction at the track would give them a valuable new perspective on how to drive well. You won't get that at an open track day or from a tourist lap on the 'ring.

As to railing on people taking too much gear as a newbie, I will say that Pilotis can make it easier for a beginner to heel-and-toe, you really should have some sort of hat to keep the sun out of your eyes and cover up the helmet hair, and if it's safely and properly mounted then having video of your laps is a great learning tool. The big thing is don't let all that get in the way of you focusing on driving and learning. It'd be good to take a torque wrench with you but if you're polite you can almost always borrow one. Having your own helmet is great but every organization I know has them on hand to borrow. Luckily most allow cheaper motorcycle helmets for beginners instead of the expensive SA helmets you need for actual racing.

And if all that still scares you, there's always auto cross and the touring street-survival type classes, but if you've never had any training beyond driver's ed, please get some.

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by rjd598

I think everyone should try one track day. It will really make you enjoy your car that much more IMO. Especially when we have a car like the e9x m3 where it really shines on a track.

Note only that, there are so many crucial things to learn even in a Car Control Clinic (which is the safest form of driving).

[persian54]

I think this turned into a pretty decent discussion.

Better that DCT vs 6MT, or Vert vs Coupe/Sedan....

[persian54]

Originally Posted by weip98

1) I bought the convertible because I wanted a grand tourer, not a track car.

2) I think some of us had to scatch and save for a long time to get our M3's. With no formal training on track driving, I would be really scared to go out on the track with my $70k car.

Wait, if you got a vert, it should have cost more than 70k....

Just saying


The vert still handles great on the track, I can tell you that much :P

[aus]

Originally Posted by SoTempted

I would love to learn how to actually drive my car with skill. The biggest reason I don't track (besides growing up in Hawaii where there is no track), I don't wanna go out there and completely not know what I'm doing... I CAN'T STAND the feeling of not knowing what I'm doing.

I think this would be your Chapter: http://www.sunbeltbmwcca.org/

They love newb's who want to learn.

.

[NYCMCBM3]

if I had the time I would track , right now i'm just too busy

[gobrigavitch]

I haven't decided whether I'll track or not. I just got a 2009 E90 M3 3 weeks ago. Here in Saskatchewan there are no tracks. There is one in Calgary (which is 8hrs away and may close in a year or two). There is sometimes one in Edmonton (depends on the Indy and what they are doing) and there is one in Gimli, MB which is about 6 hrs away. I wouldn't mind the drive, but the real kicker will be insurance. From what I understand only one company is offering track day insurance in Canada. They only offer per year and the cost is 3.5-4% of the car's value per year with a 2500$ deductible.

So if I do go to an event in Gimli or Calgary it's likely I will only get to one or perhaps two a year. If I do that I need to drive the car there and back on the same tires I'll track it on and then I either have to drive it on the track uninsured or pay 2000$ for a weekends worth of insurance.

What I'll likely do is go to Auto-X in Saskatoon and Regina which are only a short distance away. Then I'll use the 2000$ that I would put toward track insurance plus the cost of driving 700+ miles and put that money towards a yearly trip to 2 day M-school and eventually Advanced M school. The cost will be about the same, I'll get world class instruction, a nice helmet and jacket, and I won't be putting any wear and tear on my car.

I really would like to take my car to a track a few times a year, but I just don't think it's going to be feasible for me.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by gobrigavitch

I have decided whether I'll track or not. I just got a 2009 E90 M3 3 weeks ago. Here in Saskatchewan there are no tracks. There is one in Calgary (which is 8hrs away and may close in a year or two). There is sometimes one in Edmonton (depends on the Indy and what they are doing) and there is one in Gimli, MB which is about 6 hrs away. I wouldn't mind the drive, but the realy kicker will be insurance. From what I understand only one company is offering track day insurance in Canada. They only offer per year and the cost is 3.5-4% of the car's value per year with a 2500$ deductible.

So if I do go to an event in Gimli or Calgary it's likely I will only get to one or perhaps two a year. If I do that I need to drive the car there and back on the same tires I'll track it on and then I either have to drive it on the track uninsured or pay 2000$ for a weekends worth of insurance.

What I'll likely do is go to Auto-X in Saskatoon and Regina which are only a short distance away. Then I'll use the 2000$ that I would put toward track insurance plus the cost of driving 700+ miles and put that money towards a yearly trip to 2 day M-school and eventually Advanced M school. The cost will be about the same, I'll get world class instruction, a nice helmet and jacket, and I won't be putting any wear and tear on my car.

I really would like to take my car to a track a few times a year, but I just don't think it's going to be feasible for me.

Now THIS is a good REASON...... and not an excuse


I would love to do M School.

[radiantm3]

One big misconception of taking your car to the track is thinking you are going there to race. With the right HPDE program, that's not the case at all. It's all about learning how to drive your car better in a safe, controlled environment. Our BMWCCA instructors put it very well on my first day. He kept drilling into our heads that we were not at a racing school, but a driving school. You drive at your comfortable pace just as you would through some windy roads through the mountains. Only at the track, everyone is going in the same direction and you are in a much more controlled environment. Your weekend drive through the mountains is much more dangerous than your first few HPDE's.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

One big misconception of taking your car to the track is thinking you are going there to race.

Yeah this is what I don't get...

Some of my friends are like "my RSX-S isn't fast enough to keep up with your M. My Stang isn't a good handling car"

yet these same guys canyon their cars.... do burn outs....

:/

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

One big misconception of taking your car to the track is thinking you are going there to race.

There are 2 ways to this fact actually. When I tell people that I track my car, they think I'm racing and they get excited. When I tell them it is nothing like racing, they loose interest and think it is somehthing useless... Go figure