Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Not keen on using my car on the track

"M" Specific discussion
User avatar
TomK
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2363
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:50 pm
Location: West London

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by TomK » Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:27 pm

mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:21 pm Horses for courses i guess , it surprises me not more owners plan weekends away touring different places , chugging around the Cotswolds on a Sunday afternoon aint gonna push the boundaries :P
I quite agree with you, but my original point I think stands, I don't understand why someone with a "high performance" car wouldn't want to at least just try it on a track. Hey-ho.
I'm going to get planning a road trip anyhow, you've piqued my interest again :) Ferry to santander an onwards seems like a good one I've been mulling for a while.
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage

User avatar
mr wilks
Legend
Legend
Posts: 21895
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:02 pm
Location: Lancashire

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by mr wilks » Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:39 pm

TomK wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:27 pm
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:21 pm Horses for courses i guess , it surprises me not more owners plan weekends away touring different places , chugging around the Cotswolds on a Sunday afternoon aint gonna push the boundaries :P
I quite agree with you, but my original point I think stands, I don't understand why someone with a "high performance" car wouldn't want to at least just try it on a track. Hey-ho.
I'm going to get planning a road trip anyhow, you've piqued my interest again :) Ferry to santander an onwards seems like a good one I've been mulling for a while.
Ive been taking fast cars to Normandy almost 20years & i think its those drives that allowed me to " cut loose " & explore each ones capabilities & not crave a track environment to exploit them
I would deliberately choose the ferry that docked at 4am on a Tuesday in June to explore the 330d , 996 , Scirocco R , 645ci , V6 TTs ,ZMs , 35is etc on some of the best autoroutes knowing the plod didn't surface until at least 7am :P
id like to think i was a safe driver & wouldn't risk myself injuring others but unless you have driven there its hard to convey the surfaces , long distance vision of the roads , lack of other road users & until recently the total lack of any speed enforcement .
This change in police policy the last 18 months along with a sense that when we were out as a group we were pushing things a little too hard & after discussion with the others that's why we haven't gone over this year , if we were a group of reckless idiots i doubt we would have stopped going until there was a incident :?
3 ZMRs
3 E89s
5 Si coupes
5 Si roadsters
997 C4
TTRS
F82 M4
MK7 Golf Gti
current Bmw 6 Gran Turismo

User avatar
Number5
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6022
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:34 pm
Location: Bristol M4/M5

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Number5 » Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:08 pm

mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:30 am

A decent well planned roadtrip 4/5 days will lay to rest any track desires , there are many places you can get out & really use these cars to their & your best without going 130mph on a long straight .
I was out in the Dales + Pennines recently for 3 days with 8/9 other M / 35is cars , we have done many similar drives around Northern France , all enjoy a spirited drive , none of the owners have any desire to visit a track to see what their cars can do , they already know :D this year we decided not to do the France trip as we all agreed the speeds over previous 4 years had reached crazy :cry: ( far better roads , zero traffic through vast forests its impossible not to push on :driving: imagine the Nurburgring being 80 - 100 miles & having it to yourself ) but talking to all after the "slower" :oops: roads of the north of England all agreed the pleasure of pushing the cars to their best can be enjoyed at 50-70mph :whistle: when the terrain is more challenging .
So sack the trackday idea & get a roadtrip planned , you will see a different side to your car :thumbsup:
I have to agree with all of the above. Its a thoroughly good way to learn your car and spend some time with like minded people.


However...
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:21 pm I don't get the buzz of chasing the same tarmac lap after lap ( most likely shared with others who you have no idea on skill level) when i can head off for 3 - 4 hours & enjoy the different scenery & landscape .
Scenery ? I dont remember much Scenery. I was concentrating far too hard on the car in front and the road to notice any scenery :rofl:
Alpina Roadster #307
Porsche Boxster GTS
Previous Zs
Stratus E86
G29 30i
1x Imola Z4MR
Alpina #019
10x E85 Se/Si Roadsters
2x E89's
Roof Motor Relocations (Bristol)

Haggisman
Member
Member
Posts: 628
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:09 am
Location: New Zealand

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Haggisman » Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:47 pm

Number5 wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:08 pm
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:30 am

A decent well planned roadtrip 4/5 days will lay to rest any track desires , there are many places you can get out & really use these cars to their & your best without going 130mph on a long straight .
I was out in the Dales + Pennines recently for 3 days with 8/9 other M / 35is cars , we have done many similar drives around Northern France , all enjoy a spirited drive , none of the owners have any desire to visit a track to see what their cars can do , they already know :D this year we decided not to do the France trip as we all agreed the speeds over previous 4 years had reached crazy :cry: ( far better roads , zero traffic through vast forests its impossible not to push on :driving: imagine the Nurburgring being 80 - 100 miles & having it to yourself ) but talking to all after the "slower" :oops: roads of the north of England all agreed the pleasure of pushing the cars to their best can be enjoyed at 50-70mph :whistle: when the terrain is more challenging .
So sack the trackday idea & get a roadtrip planned , you will see a different side to your car :thumbsup:
I have to agree with all of the above. Its a thoroughly good way to learn your car and spend some time with like minded people.


However...
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:21 pm I don't get the buzz of chasing the same tarmac lap after lap ( most likely shared with others who you have no idea on skill level) when i can head off for 3 - 4 hours & enjoy the different scenery & landscape .
Scenery ? I dont remember much Scenery. I was concentrating far too hard on the car in front and the road to notice any scenery :rofl:
Many good points raised in the various posts and I now enjoy the track as a safe environment to drive quickly without breaking the law. I also enjoy spirited safe driving on road trips here in NZ.for different reasons.
My Introduction to the track was through car clubs. and “driver training” programmes using either ex police advanced driving instructor’s, race series drivers and / or factory test drivers accredited by BMW or Porsche in my case.
The point was to provide a safe environment to understand the dynamics of car control, what can go wrong, how to control your car when it does and the best way to try and get out of trouble using braking tests, slaloms, car positioning and how your specific vehicle will behave under emergency circumstances. Understeer, oversteer, correct driving position etc. All these lessons gave me a great understanding of coping with the unexpected when driving on the road.
I went on to more serious track stuff, still have my national Motorsport licence and enjoy going to the track to blow out the cobwebs of myself and the car, we both feel better for it. Equally, I enjoy the monthly day out over the twisties with like minded enthusiasts.
Either way it’s all fun but the grounding of the track programmes made road driving more enjoyable and safer for me. Room for both.
2003 Toledo Blue 3.0 E85 Manual
2008 Volvo V50 - Dog Car
2020 Kia Sportage GT - Her Indoor’s Car
1995 Dakar Yellow M3 E36 Race Car - Sold
2009 Vauxhall Astra VXR - Sold
2003 350Z well modded - Sold
1992 911 RS - Sold and still in mourning

Online
User avatar
Ed Doe
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2192
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:06 pm
Location: Ashbourne or Frimley

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Ed Doe » Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:54 pm

For clarity I absolutely agree that a road trip is a fantastic experience in the car. Bit imo it's not comparing apples with apples - a trackday is a totally different experience to a road trip.

The point I, and a few others had made is its a wonderful experience to take the car on track and explore the limits of performance in relative safety, and to me at least it seems a shame not to have at least tried it having bought a sports car in the first place. You will have a great experience doing a road trip in the car but if you're driving the same way as you would on a track I refer you to Tom's post, and would add you're clearly therefore not enjoying the
drive for the scenery at that point!

I love a good road trip but if we can drag it back on topic - I still maintain that on a cost basis alone buying a cheap second car as a track car doesn't financially stack up, and seems a massive shame to be buying a slower/different car to the M, to then drive it in a scenario (on track) in which really the M would excel and provide so much enjoyment.

Heyho, I feel I've said my piece, Simon best of luck with your further musings on the subject, if you ever wanted to feel what an M is like on track my you're always welcome to passenger in mine on a track day! Genuinely if you do fancy it drop me a pm and I'll let you know when I get some days booked for next year.
Carbon Black '07 M Coupe: Intrax 1k2 Coilovers, AP-Racing, Raybestos ST45s, Tillets, Schroth, Vibratechnic, Apex EC7, Strongstrut, Eventuri, H&S, RTD, 4.1FD :evil:
Silver Grey '06 3.0si Coupe - SOLD :(

Haggisman
Member
Member
Posts: 628
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:09 am
Location: New Zealand

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Haggisman » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:01 pm

Ed Doe wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:54 pm For clarity I absolutely agree that a road trip is a fantastic experience in the car. Bit imo it's not comparing apples with apples - a trackday is a totally different experience to a road trip.

The point I, and a few others had made is its a wonderful experience to take the car on track and explore the limits of performance in relative safety, and to me at least it seems a shame not to have at least tried it having bought a sports car in the first place. You will have a great experience doing a road trip in the car but if you're driving the same way as you would on a track I refer you to Tom's post, and would add you're clearly therefore not enjoying the
drive for the scenery at that point!

I love a good road trip but if we can drag it back on topic - I still maintain that on a cost basis alone buying a cheap second car as a track car doesn't financially stack up, and seems a massive shame to be buying a slower/different car to the M, to then drive it in a scenario (on track) in which really the M would excel and provide so much enjoyment.

Heyho, I feel I've said my piece, Simon best of luck with your further musings on the subject, if you ever wanted to feel what an M is like on track my you're always welcome to passenger in mine on a track day! Genuinely if you do fancy it drop me a pm and I'll let you know when I get some days booked for next year.
Well said :driving:
2003 Toledo Blue 3.0 E85 Manual
2008 Volvo V50 - Dog Car
2020 Kia Sportage GT - Her Indoor’s Car
1995 Dakar Yellow M3 E36 Race Car - Sold
2009 Vauxhall Astra VXR - Sold
2003 350Z well modded - Sold
1992 911 RS - Sold and still in mourning

User avatar
mr wilks
Legend
Legend
Posts: 21895
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:02 pm
Location: Lancashire

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by mr wilks » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm

Haggisman wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:01 pm
Ed Doe wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:54 pm For clarity I absolutely agree that a road trip is a fantastic experience in the car. Bit imo it's not comparing apples with apples - a trackday is a totally different experience to a road trip.

The point I, and a few others had made is its a wonderful experience to take the car on track and explore the limits of performance in relative safety, and to me at least it seems a shame not to have at least tried it having bought a sports car in the first place. You will have a great experience doing a road trip in the car but if you're driving the same way as you would on a track I refer you to Tom's post, and would add you're clearly therefore not enjoying the
drive for the scenery at that point!

I love a good road trip but if we can drag it back on topic - I still maintain that on a cost basis alone buying a cheap second car as a track car doesn't financially stack up, and seems a massive shame to be buying a slower/different car to the M, to then drive it in a scenario (on track) in which really the M would excel and provide so much enjoyment.

Heyho, I feel I've said my piece, Simon best of luck with your further musings on the subject, if you ever wanted to feel what an M is like on track my you're always welcome to passenger in mine on a track day! Genuinely if you do fancy it drop me a pm and I'll let you know when I get some days booked for next year.
Well said :driving:
Indeed i totally get why folks love tracking their cars & ive never expressed any questions why that should be .
I'm in Lancs , lots of great roads around me but id guess the closest track would be at least 3 hrs ?
Soon turns into a big day out or big weekend & at the end of it would i have enjoyed it more than a trek across the North Yorks moors & a nice hotel in Whitby with Mrs W ? Doubt it
Its not that i wouldn't be totally blown away on a track with a decent car , i would most likely be hooked but then a whole new motoring void opens up before me & i'l be honest , i don't have the time or inclination :o i have zero desire to buy a Mx5 or similar toy of any guise just to see how it went round a track ( i once had a Miata import for a month or so :oops: ) & taking my 997 or a 981 on a trackday to "enjoy what it can do " is just not going to happen , 3 days in the Cairngorms over Glenshee then yes my hands up in the air :P
3 ZMRs
3 E89s
5 Si coupes
5 Si roadsters
997 C4
TTRS
F82 M4
MK7 Golf Gti
current Bmw 6 Gran Turismo

User avatar
TomK
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2363
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:50 pm
Location: West London

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by TomK » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:24 pm

mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm would i have enjoyed it more than a trek across the North Yorks moors & a nice hotel in Whitby with Mrs W ? Doubt it
Have you tried?
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm taking my 997 or a 981 on a trackday to "enjoy what it can do " is just not going to happen
How come?
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage

User avatar
mr wilks
Legend
Legend
Posts: 21895
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:02 pm
Location: Lancashire

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by mr wilks » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:36 pm

TomK wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:24 pm
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm would i have enjoyed it more than a trek across the North Yorks moors & a nice hotel in Whitby with Mrs W ? Doubt it
Have you tried?
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm taking my 997 or a 981 on a trackday to "enjoy what it can do " is just not going to happen
How come?
For the reasons above , if there was a track half hour up the road ive no doubt long ago id have pooled resources with my lad & been there every opportunity ragging around a modified Mk5Gti Golf :P
Its like the "ring" , so many see it as motoring mecca yet the St Sever forest in Normandy is bigger , nobody there & ive driven it so many times at max that i don't need to see if a track would be faster or slower :? ive already reached the point on so many drives when i get home & the garage door goes down until its next outing i'm 100% satisfied .
3 ZMRs
3 E89s
5 Si coupes
5 Si roadsters
997 C4
TTRS
F82 M4
MK7 Golf Gti
current Bmw 6 Gran Turismo

Online
User avatar
Ed Doe
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2192
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:06 pm
Location: Ashbourne or Frimley

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Ed Doe » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:39 pm

Three Sisters circuit is in lancs
Anglesey is less than 2hours away and nestled in some of the greatest driving roads in the UK.
Donington is just over 2h away.
Mallory is about 2h away.

My point still stands - all very interesting that you prefer road trips but not relevant to the OPs question regarding whether to buy a cheap track car or take the M on track
Carbon Black '07 M Coupe: Intrax 1k2 Coilovers, AP-Racing, Raybestos ST45s, Tillets, Schroth, Vibratechnic, Apex EC7, Strongstrut, Eventuri, H&S, RTD, 4.1FD :evil:
Silver Grey '06 3.0si Coupe - SOLD :(

User avatar
mr wilks
Legend
Legend
Posts: 21895
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:02 pm
Location: Lancashire

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by mr wilks » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:42 pm

Ed Doe wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:39 pm Three Sisters circuit is in lancs
Anglesey is less than 2hours away and nestled in some of the greatest driving roads in the UK.
Donington is just over 2h away.
Mallory is about 2h away.

My point still stands - all very interesting that you prefer road trips but not relevant to the OPs question regarding whether to buy a cheap track car or take the M on track
Ed Doe wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:39 pm Three Sisters circuit is in lancs
Anglesey is less than 2hours away and nestled in some of the greatest driving roads in the UK.
Donington is just over 2h away.
Mallory is about 2h away.

My point still stands - all very interesting that you prefer road trips but not relevant to the OPs question regarding whether to buy a cheap track car or take the M on track
Taking a cheap car on a track will only leave him wondering & comparing , pointless imo unless the trackday scene is something he wants to get into
Now where the f is the three sisters :? never heard of it :P & Anglesey for me takes me through Snowdonia , a area i love to drive so by then have little desire to then put the car round a circuit chasing other cars , perhaps its a age thing ? 52 i see no allure going out clubbing either :P
3 ZMRs
3 E89s
5 Si coupes
5 Si roadsters
997 C4
TTRS
F82 M4
MK7 Golf Gti
current Bmw 6 Gran Turismo

User avatar
TomK
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2363
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:50 pm
Location: West London

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by TomK » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:48 pm

mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:36 pm
TomK wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:24 pm
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm would i have enjoyed it more than a trek across the North Yorks moors & a nice hotel in Whitby with Mrs W ? Doubt it
Have you tried?
mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:12 pm taking my 997 or a 981 on a trackday to "enjoy what it can do " is just not going to happen
How come?
For the reasons above , if there was a track half hour up the road ive no doubt long ago id have pooled resources with my lad & been there every opportunity ragging around a modified Mk5Gti Golf :P
Its like the "ring" , so many see it as motoring mecca yet the St Sever forest in Normandy is bigger , nobody there & ive driven it so many times at max that i don't need to see if a track would be faster or slower :? ive already reached the point on so many drives when i get home & the garage door goes down until its next outing i'm 100% satisfied .
Yeah I get your reasons that you don't have a track nearby, as an idea for you perhaps anglesey has some rather lovely hotels nearby that the mrs might like, I can recommend the groes inn as a starter for 10.
I was more confused about why you say you wouldn't want to "enjoy what it can do" phrase with reference to two pork models, I know they should really be used with a baffled sump on track but is that your reason, you're worried they'll go pop? If so I really wouldn't worry, unless you're caning the ass out of them you'd get away without, but they definitely do need mods for proper track work.
If it's a value thing, I'd say my Z4M is one of the cheaper cars on track on the days I go on, considerably so in most cases, castle combe action days are not track days...!
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage

User avatar
TomK
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2363
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:50 pm
Location: West London

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by TomK » Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:53 pm

mr wilks wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:42 pm perhaps its a age thing ? 52 i see no allure going out clubbing either :P
I spent a most enjoyable day with a 72 year old in his lovely 991.2 gt3rs at the ring a couple of weeks ago, so I don't think it's an age thing :P
He did say it's be his last (GT) porsche though!
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage

Online
User avatar
Ed Doe
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 2192
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:06 pm
Location: Ashbourne or Frimley

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Ed Doe » Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:02 pm

Never too old to party :lol:
Carbon Black '07 M Coupe: Intrax 1k2 Coilovers, AP-Racing, Raybestos ST45s, Tillets, Schroth, Vibratechnic, Apex EC7, Strongstrut, Eventuri, H&S, RTD, 4.1FD :evil:
Silver Grey '06 3.0si Coupe - SOLD :(

Haggisman
Member
Member
Posts: 628
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:09 am
Location: New Zealand

Not keen on using my car on the track

Post by Haggisman » Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:33 pm

I’ve enjoyed 3 911’s over a 15 year period. Doing several official Porsche driving instruction day’s with Porsche factory driver’s I appreciated the car and brand much more as well as making me a safer, more competent driver / owner. The track is a great place to do that, it’s not all about wringing the car’s neck.
A fine wine tastes better at the right temperature and in a decent glass, however, some people still drink out of plastic glasses.
Go to the track in your Z4M and enjoy, if you get the bug then consider buying something you are prepared to lose and really learn to drive.
2003 Toledo Blue 3.0 E85 Manual
2008 Volvo V50 - Dog Car
2020 Kia Sportage GT - Her Indoor’s Car
1995 Dakar Yellow M3 E36 Race Car - Sold
2009 Vauxhall Astra VXR - Sold
2003 350Z well modded - Sold
1992 911 RS - Sold and still in mourning

Post Reply