Track Days
- Thread starter UaeExile
- Start date
Liverpool
How long have you had it?
Not driven it (have done an experience day at Dubai Autodrome), but Yas Marina is a nice, wide, safe track, and the only slippy parts are likely to be were there's dust/sand off-line.
The track day organiser may have some instructors to hand so try and get a couple of sessions with them to give you some pointers.
Not driven it (have done an experience day at Dubai Autodrome), but Yas Marina is a nice, wide, safe track, and the only slippy parts are likely to be were there's dust/sand off-line.
The track day organiser may have some instructors to hand so try and get a couple of sessions with them to give you some pointers.
shortfuse 2
Senior member
go for it you will love it.build up the laps in speed get your lines correct you will be amazed how well they handle 
My Z? No, but I've been to track several times on 2 wheels...
/photo whore over
Honestly, you'll be nervous your first time on a track no matter how long you've owned your vehicle for. My advice is to just sign up and go for it. If you're doing a 3-day trip, use that first day to just learn the lines of the track and soak up all the information you can from instructors and those around you. Find an instructor and have him/her follow you and let you follow them. Make sure to catch up with them after the session and ask for tips. It's a lot of fun, and will make you a better driver all around.
/photo whore over
Honestly, you'll be nervous your first time on a track no matter how long you've owned your vehicle for. My advice is to just sign up and go for it. If you're doing a 3-day trip, use that first day to just learn the lines of the track and soak up all the information you can from instructors and those around you. Find an instructor and have him/her follow you and let you follow them. Make sure to catch up with them after the session and ask for tips. It's a lot of fun, and will make you a better driver all around.
domsz4 said:
The E85 is not a heavy car by todays standards. BUT braking Hard and going around corners fast will take it toll on any car.
I used to find at a set of OEM pads would just about last 1 track day. (i stopped using OEM pads) and tyres, especially front ones do get hammered by the ever-present under steer
So prob at least new front tyres and brakes. .... It kinda adds to the cost of the day. When you factor in petrol and the day itself.
The westy had a set of mintex 1144 (I think that's the number) and toyo proxies and they hardly wore at all at oulton park. (tbf they don't seem to wear out period and it's not like I don't hammer them) wasn't too bad on fuel either.
Now compared to that the z4 is deffo heavy
The westy had a set of mintex 1144 (I think that's the number) and toyo proxies and they hardly wore at all at oulton park. (tbf they don't seem to wear out period and it's not like I don't hammer them) wasn't too bad on fuel either.
Now compared to that the z4 is deffo heavy
Depends how you drive/brake, but I could get 3 trackdays and 6-12 months (10-20k miles) out of a set of OEM pads on a heavier e34 M5. However I could wear out a set of tyres on an airfield in 2 hours, compared to 2-3 Oulton Park trackdays.dario said:domsz4 said:
The E85 is not a heavy car by todays standards. BUT braking Hard and going around corners fast will take it toll on any car.
I used to find at a set of OEM pads would just about last 1 track day. (i stopped using OEM pads) and tyres, especially front ones do get hammered by the ever-present under steer
My tyre wear on the Z4M is quite even, but then I've usually finished my braking and am on a trailing throttle before I'm at the apex of a corner, so don't tend to scrub my front tyres with any of this alleged huge understeer. Maybe I'm just driving too slow
mmm-five said:Depends how you drive/brake, but I could get 3 trackdays and 6-12 months (10-20k miles) out of a set of OEM pads on a heavier e34 M5. However I could wear out a set of tyres on an airfield in 2 hours, compared to 2-3 Oulton Park trackdays.dario said:domsz4 said:
The E85 is not a heavy car by todays standards. BUT braking Hard and going around corners fast will take it toll on any car.
I used to find at a set of OEM pads would just about last 1 track day. (i stopped using OEM pads) and tyres, especially front ones do get hammered by the ever-present under steer
My tyre wear on the Z4M is quite even, but then I've usually finished my braking and am on a trailing throttle before I'm at the apex of a corner, so don't tend to scrub my front tyres with any of this alleged huge understeer. Maybe I'm just driving too slow
Its more likely that the lack of understeer is due to your being an M/// this is really what the Z4 should have been from day 1, but not necessarily with the power as standard.
good steering set up. good diff, reasonable brakes and a great chassis.
What's the story with insurance on track days? I'm pretty sure I remember reading in my insurance policy that track use is not covered - is that a standard thing? Do people take their expensive cars onto the track and risk damage/hitting another car/being hit without the backup of insurance?
most of the time.................
You can get a road policy that covers track days, and it's not always more expensive than one without.
Alternatively, if you're only doing the occasional event here & there, then you can get single day cover from MORIS, Competition Car Insurance, etc.
Cost for this seems to be about 1% of covered amount as premium, 10% of covered amount as excess. You can reduce the amount of cover you want as well so that you reduce the premium - although of course this would reduce the maximum payout.
Mine costs about £150/day for a public day at the Nordschleife.
If you crash into someone else, then it's their problem if they're not insured, as the first rule of trackdays is "Assume everyone is uninsured, and leave plenty of space".
Other than the 'Ring (which has accidents every day, but for most non-Brits is covered under a normal road policy), I've only ever seen about 6 accidents in 15 years and only one of them involved car to car contact.
Alternatively, if you're only doing the occasional event here & there, then you can get single day cover from MORIS, Competition Car Insurance, etc.
Cost for this seems to be about 1% of covered amount as premium, 10% of covered amount as excess. You can reduce the amount of cover you want as well so that you reduce the premium - although of course this would reduce the maximum payout.
Mine costs about £150/day for a public day at the Nordschleife.
If you crash into someone else, then it's their problem if they're not insured, as the first rule of trackdays is "Assume everyone is uninsured, and leave plenty of space".
Other than the 'Ring (which has accidents every day, but for most non-Brits is covered under a normal road policy), I've only ever seen about 6 accidents in 15 years and only one of them involved car to car contact.
if he wasnt driving like a spanner then he would have had more chance not to prang it. every corner he was squeeling the tyres and the way it was steering looked like he was always trying to provoke it to let go.
if you take it easy and build up your speed keeping within your limits you should be ok, accidents will happen no matter what but you can do alot to try and miminise them.
I wouldnt worry too muh about hitting another car. usually there are overtaking rules for trackdays where you cant overtake another car untill they indicate for you to do so. people who flaunt this will be reprimanded in my experience.
if you take it easy and build up your speed keeping within your limits you should be ok, accidents will happen no matter what but you can do alot to try and miminise them.
I wouldnt worry too muh about hitting another car. usually there are overtaking rules for trackdays where you cant overtake another car untill they indicate for you to do so. people who flaunt this will be reprimanded in my experience.
Seen plenty of people go off there in races (when I've been spectating/marshalling).
You get a pendulum effect at that Donington corner/chicane as you flick it right off the back straight and then immediately left onto the start/finish.
It also looks like he went onto the grass on the exit, which is never a good thing do with a pit-wall so close
You get a pendulum effect at that Donington corner/chicane as you flick it right off the back straight and then immediately left onto the start/finish.
It also looks like he went onto the grass on the exit, which is never a good thing do with a pit-wall so close