1st Trackday

Ouch, I personally prefer a more linear throttle response, in sport mode it tends to give too much too soon, driving on track is about smoothness no? In fact, most drivers I know prefer cabled systems rather than by wire so they can progressively apply power to play with the back end.

Furthermore, you should bare in mind that the op is about to do his 1st trackday and is asking for advice, I find it amusing that you would recommend sport mode, he is far more likely to get into bother with it on.

:thumbsdown:
 
To the OP, make up your own mind with the sport button. but i suggest you start off with it turned off and learn the car a bit before you try it.

I don't like the sport button. Its fine for straight line junkies, but it does make it harder to modulate the throttle in the corners and can make the car kangaroo if the track is bumpy or you're using the kerbs at all if your foot bounces on the throttle.

The sport button is obviously like marmite :)
 
sport button is a complete FAD, all it does it mimick you pressing the throttle more but with less pressure applied on the pedal, i does not make the car faster, ive done countless sprint tracks, and traction control off and sport mode left alone if far better..... you'll be so much smoother

The brakes will be suffering so bare that in mind, bt they also are very good imo, for prolonged track use they will wilt.

The engine loves to rev, keep an eye on oil temps as they will rise slightly, and overall just have mecanical sympathy, the s54 is the perfect track motor, lovely high revs, a well driven z4m will be a hard machine to keep up with.

the z4m does suffer understeer with its stock alignment settings, the car has enough adjustment to really make a difference in how the vehicle drives, bmw really set the car up conservatively to protect the plonkers with this short wheelbase rocketship. Pulling the camber pins will allow more camber to be dialed in on the stock suspension, camber pins with a simple shim kit will get you -2.5 negative camber, this will make a big difference when dialling out some of that understeer.

pulling camber pins and shims is a VERY cheap way of getting the most from the imo very good stock suspension.

http://store.bimmerworld.com/e36-front-camber-shim-kit-p610.aspx
 
Yes the Sport button does make the throttle very sensitive but it also makes it much easier (for me anyway) to nail heel-toe downshifts. That benefit outweighs the twichyness in my opinion and i've gotten used to driving fast with it ON anyhow. To each their own. :)
 
ga41 said:
Yes the Sport button does make the throttle very sensitive but it also makes it much easier (for me anyway) to nail heel-toe downshifts. That benefit outweighs the twichyness in my opinion and i've gotten used to driving fast with it ON anyhow. To each their own. :)
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I found it easier to heel toe with sport on but with the M it's impossible to balance the throttle with it enabled so it stays off now. Didnt take long to get the knack of heel toe without sport when I changed from twisting my foot and jabbing the throttle to just rolling my foot right. Brake is modulated better that way too and I can heel toe for any downshift not just when braking properly as before with the old style.


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HI guys.

Thank you all very much for your input. Thought I'd report back from the day. :)

Turns out this local track of line is well a track for the locals and fairly shitty at that. Its short and the only straits are cut up by a made and bumpy chicane. It very badly maked (no baking points, various couloured cones that mean bugger all etc) AND its the only track in the region people can use for , wait for it :lol: DRIFTING!!! NO offence to drifters here :) BUT you have have to remember that this is the south of France where the country side prevails. Just let you imagination run wilde and I'lll take some pictures next week!

So any anyway, the car was great. I took the instructor for a few laps, warmed up the car and tried to figure out the "trajectory". Then I went on my own -Still ended up going a bit too fast, braking too hard and accelerating too hard. Left TC on and no Sports button. Very impressed with the electronics gathering things up (and no you don't have to be an idiot to keep on :x ) meant I could come
 
Doh!
a little closer to the car's limits. After 20 mins went in for a cool down, coffee and fag (oddly, you cab get a beer at Maacy D's in France but not on a circuit :? ).

Went back and followed a mate in an Elise, with Sports button on. Now I don't know weather its because the tires were at temperature but it seemed like I could let the car move around more without triggering a light in the dash. TC remained the same. It did seems lie the ESP was not intervening so much.

However at the end of that 3 rd session the rear brakes were squeeking a bit so that must be ESP???

Had a little dipper with TC Off and Sports on but was too chicken to push it and felt sorry for those squeeky brakes. On a clear run out of a corner I did try to provoke it with much success and eventually went down to 2nd and floored more with got me into a 360 faster than you can say it :rofl:

All in all it was great to enjoy the car and I'm very impressed by how solid it is (brakes stopped squeeking going home). A little dissapointed with the track - you could do all of it in 3rd and it was dirty and messy with the gravel and bit of car hanging around from the drifters (seperate sessions). I'm also a bit annoyed at myself not taking more time to explore the cars limits more in progressing through the corners as opposed to just braking the latest throwing it in and then hooning it out like a dragster. Still to mly benefit i'd say I was pretty sympathetic to it not redlining, kept cuteous and let pass everyone that wanted to (pesky Renaul Clio sports on track wheels :D )and kept out the way of the guys who knew what they were doing (WHICH WAS NOT EVERYONE BELIEVE ME).

Anyway - going to get some lessons SOON. ideally ibn the wet with TC off. Really want to nget the hang of this oversteery thing :D

Sorry for such a long post.
 
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