Budget track day review 2008

Post Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:25 am

Did a few events this year with the trusty sport. The car is still running standard suspension and engine. The suspension really is becoming laughable with high speed stablity beocming an issue so a B12 kit will be purchased in before I commit to anything in 2009. I've attempted to post a couple fo photos, two from the ring in and a few from Donnington. The car also attended some days at C'Combe and an eventful LLandow which ended with a trip on the AA flat bed. Here's to 2009.

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Post Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:22 pm

I see from your pics that the car is caged, presumably it's a trackday toy?
If so, I'd fit the Gaz coilover kit instead - far better suited to track use and fully adjustable.
£500 for a set of springs and shocks just seems daft to me.

Post Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:47 pm

Cheers Handpaper, I appreciate what you say but am struggling to find the £500 let alone the £1000 for the coilovers. I do use the car a fair bit on the road albeit just for fun.

Post Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:49 pm

Looks like fun. Can you get to an Abingdon(oxford) trackday in late feb? Look in the motorsport section if you are interested.

Come on then, spill the beans on the AA truck?

Post Mon Dec 29, 2008 2:25 pm

Hello Jon, would be more interested in Colerne but really want to sort the suspension beforehand which is looking unlikely. The AA were required after twin engine mount failure resulted in a busted radiator and damaged gear linkage. I pushed it onto the highway and expalined that I had to do an emergency stop which resulted in the damage. Yeah right!

I now run with RS 2000 engine mounts which are meant to be stiffer.

Post Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:04 pm

Good effort! I like the story, i'm sure the AA van man didn't buy it, but he still gets paid the same.

I'm set on Abingdon now I think as there is another chap who does rallying in his metro vvti that I have nearly co-erced into coming. I will undoubtably catch you in the south west region some day.

Post Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:01 am

ScottEgg wrote:Cheers Handpaper, I appreciate what you say but am struggling to find the £500 let alone the £1000 for the coilovers. I do use the car a fair bit on the road albeit just for fun.

im running the B12's (£450) on my track car mate as do alot of people, and it's very capable indeed.. add a set of ARB's and polybushes and your onto a winner..

im on a tight budget also, if i was entering the car into PBMW you would need the adjustablity of coilovers, but for just some light hearted track day fun the Bilstiens are in perfect harmony!

my car's a daily and will out handle any rice mobile type R !

Post Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:25 am

Thanks juniorGt, I think we're both singing from the same hymn sheet. B12 it is!

Post Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:07 pm

I've just posted up a couple of events on the forum for 2009 so hopefully some of you will be coming out to play

.

AA cover will collect you from a trackday so long as it is a non-competitive event, a lot of the AA guys don't realise this but unless they've changed the rules recently you would be covered so long as it's a mechanical failure and not a crash (don't ask me how I know

). Last time I looked the RAC wouldn't cover you like this but I used to have a printed copy of the AA reg with me in my trackday car to avoid arguments

- I use a trailer nowadays but since then it hasn't broken once

Post Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:14 pm

Useful stuff Steve, I will go through the small print of my policy. If it remains the same I will definately stick a copy in the glovebox. Interestingly, I've recently started thinking about getting a decent tow-car and trailer. I would then take the beemer off the road and save on Tax/Insurance/Mot etc. Is this what you have done or is your car still road worthy?

Post Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:52 pm

They are both capable of running on the road but both are currently SORNed; I've got a Westfield and a 106GTi s/c - both for track use and no road car

.

Luckily, I do diagnostics on cars as a day job (when I'm not instructing, trackdaying or running trackdays!) so my V6 TD Vito makes a great runaround and tow vehicle

I only got the Westie recently so I might run it on the road over the summer for a bit of fun

Post Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:05 pm

I'm toying with the idea of taking my touring to Castle Coombe in the New Year. Like many, it's on a budget, just to satisfy my curiosity about these events. What's worth doing to a stock car prior to doing this? Fluids change etc?

Post Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:39 am

Lovely looking sport there sir...

I run H&R kit (springs/shocks/ARBs) and it's very, very good. Comfortable enough to spend several hours on the road and performs superbly on the track. As mentioned above, couple this with some new bushes and you'll be laughing. M3 top mounts and control arm bushes are useful mods too.

Post Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:38 am

I had a Westy (pre-lit x-flow) before the beemer. Great, pure driving experiance and brilliant track day car albeit the lack of much protection did influence my driving style. Ultimately it was the continuouse mino maintnenacne and the frustratingly small fuel tank that made me sell it (that and the fact that it didn't depreiciate over three years!) Excellent car.

RoscO, my advice for first track days would be to check the cars braking elements, change fluids, check tyres and ensure no leakages. Then just sign up and try to relax. It aint a race so make sure you join the slowest group and just pootle around until you feel comfortable. Once done, theres no going back!

Oldbimmer, cheers for the advice. I guess you run a 60/40 set up wiht the H&R kit? It's about £100 less than the Billies which would free up some do for polybushes.

Post Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:19 pm

the H&R cup kits are brilliant aswel, run them on our mk3 golf work horse... bit of a sleeper till the twisties when ponsey r8 drivers hold you up lol

Post Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:20 am

ScottEgg wrote:
Oldbimmer, cheers for the advice. I guess you run a 60/40 set up wiht the H&R kit? It's about £100 less than the Billies which would free up some do for polybushes.

Yes, a 60/40 kit, along with the H&R anti roll bars. It's just so easy to drive on track.. Highly recommended kit.

I have also used standard BMW rubber bushes as I'm not too keen on poly bushes.