Trackday

[Jembo]

Jembo, what are you saying is critical?

3rd party cover is nigh on impossible to get, and the sign-on disclaimer has only ever protected the organiser anyway..

Everyone who attends has to accept (morally if not legally) that accidents happen, but if you’re driving recklessly, then no disclaimer/insurance is going to cover you. Even the sign-on disclaimer may not cover the organiser if they can be shown to have been negligent by not removing a dangerous/reckless driver earlier.

I was more thinking from my personal view.

Let’s say someone did as above, rammed me on purpose, I was injured & I could prove it - arguably I would use the insurance’s legal cover to pursue them, rather than have to instruct lawyers at my cost.

Also I believe you can have insurance to cover repairs to barriers & ambulances where the track seek damages from you... so on these 2 points is what I’d be looking for it to cover.

Obviously if I ditched the car through my own fault or stupidly having a touring car justle, then I wouldn’t expect it to cover that.

 

[chilistrucker]

Oooh thorny subject of trackday insurance... personally, i never bother, but then in my mind i wrote the car off the second i took it on track. As for risks, i accept that someone may crash into me entirely through no fault of my own and write my car off.

That said, there are ways you can reduce the risk... watch your mirrors, let the faster cars through on the straights. Report any bad driving to the organisers, and subsequently dont be a bad driver yourself. Give yourself and others around you space on track. Make sure your car is track worthy, and check it throughout the day to ensure it stays that way.

Look at trackdays at bedford, should be close by and its perfect for beginners being long, wide and flat.

Thorny indeed thanks all for the input.
As a novice I will indeed be giving plenty of space to those around me, I'm also pretty good on the mirror thing, awareness and reading the road ahead, its probably the lorry driver in me, (old school lorry driver not one of these dodgy modern day steering wheel attendants :wink: )

The only previous track day I have done was at Bedford and I did find it ideal for me as a novice and was a great way to get a feel for my then E34 M5. The briefing was very helpful as was the help and tips from the track instructor who came out with me for a few laps.

I'm definitely going to get something booked for that week, Brands is right on my doorstep but as mentioned by people on here I think wide and flat will prob be best for my first outing in the Z4, Snetterton or Bedford I think.

My brother in law who races bikes is probably coming with me, if not he is going to set up his go pro in the car. Obviously I'll take some food and drink with me, and make sure the car is good on arrival at track, tyre pressures, fluids and fuel. Obviously I don't want to take anything I won't need on the day but are there any essentials people would recommend?

Oh, a lid, I do need one if I can't hire 1 on the day.

 

[brillomaster]

You do need a lid... most circuits have them to hire, but limited supply. Id personally buy your own, sparco and omp do helmets for 90ish pounds.

Id also get a decent tyre pressure gauge, as you might need to bleed off some air as the tyres warm up. Normally i have to take about 7psi out of a hot tyre.

 

[mmm-five]

The only previous track day I have done was at Bedford and I did find it ideal for me as a novice and was a great way to get a feel for my then E34 M5.

I spent a few years tracking e34 M5s too - alongside its normal daily driver duties.

 

[chilistrucker]

You do need a lid... most circuits have them to hire, but limited supply. Id personally buy your own, sparco and omp do helmets for 90ish pounds.

Id also get a decent tyre pressure gauge, as you might need to bleed off some air as the tyres warm up. Normally i have to take about 7psi out of a hot tyre.

Thanks
I will get both, I'll have a nose in Halfords for the decent pressure gauge and have a nose online for lids.

mmm-five, nice pics. Such a cracking car, I had a 94 plate that till now was by far my favorite car, but I am now really loving the Z4, the more I drive it the more I really love it 8)

 

[chilistrucker]

Looking at Bedford on Monday the 29th, its the full track and a decent price for the day.

Site says max DB is 101 static and 87 drive by. Mine is only the standard 23i sdrive Msport, would I be right in assuming this will breeze the Db levels?

Once again,thanks all the help and info on here is really appreciated 8)

 

[mmm-five]

Looking at Bedford on Monday the 29th, its the full track and a decent price for the day.

Site says max DB is 101 static and 87 drive by. Mine is only the standard 23i sdrive Msport, would I be right in assuming this will breeze the Db levels?

Once again,thanks all the help and info on here is really appreciated 8)

You'll have no problem with noise.

My Z4MC with a carbon intake and Rogue Diablo exhaust was only 93dB static.

 

[mmm-five]

mmm-five, nice pics. Such a cracking car, I had a 94 plate that till now was by far my favorite car, but I am now really loving the Z4, the more I drive it the more I really love it 8)

I still miss my 3.8 big-brake one. But the bills were getting OTT with the amount of abuse I was giving it (i.e. 1 track day a month, a set of pads every 2 days, a set of discs every 6 months, an inspection every 6 months, a set of tyres every 3 days).

I still meet up with some M5Board.com friends, some of whom still have M5s, along with CSLs, GTRs, etc.

 

[R60BBA]

mmm-five, nice pics. Such a cracking car, I had a 94 plate that till now was by far my favorite car, but I am now really loving the Z4, the more I drive it the more I really love it 8)

I still miss my 3.8 big-brake one. But the bills were getting OTT with the amount of abuse I was giving it (i.e. 1 track day a month, a set of pads every 2 days, a set of discs every 6 months, an inspection every 6 months, a set of tyres every 3 days).

I still meet up with some M5Board.com friends, some of whom still have M5s, along with CSLs, GTRs, etc.

Shoulda parked it up in the garage.

Clean ones are going for good money now.

:?

 

[mmm-five]

Shoulda parked it up in the garage.

Clean ones are going for good money now.

:?

If I’d had the space, I would have bought 2 and stored one, but until recently I didn’t have space for 2 cars and my single car has always been my daily driver, weekend hooner, & track day barge.

I’d drive them into the ground (fully maintained though as I didn’t want something breaking on the way to work/track/Germany). Both lasted 170,000 miles before something major was needed, and with a value of £5k it wasn’t worth spending £8k on an engine rebuild.

My mate has stored some though, and got them before they were expensive, but then spent lots on restoring them & storing them.

If I could find a reasonably-priced one now, without too many miles or rotten sills, then I’d have another...but then I’d always be in 2 minds of what to drive, as it has more or less the same performance as a Z4M, but goes about it in a completely different manner.

 

[chilistrucker]

They are cracking cars, I did consider getting another but as mentioned the nice ones are commanding more and more money these days, hence the reason I ended up with the Z4

 

[chilistrucker]

Re lids, I've been having a nose online and there are 2 motorbike places near me that both have a decent range of sub £100 lids which is handy. There is a choice of full face, open face and flip up lids. I know its going to be down to personal preference but is there anything I should know other than just picking the one that looks good?

 

[mmm-five]

Motorbike helmets (type b) are constructed differently to car helmets, so I'd buy a car-specific one (type a). Mainly due to the car ones needing to be (more) fire-resistant than a bike one as you're less likely to be stuck, upside-down in a bike fire.

Most track day organisers will not specifically check, but some will, and you may find they'll tell you to go and rent one from race control/sign-on.

Also check what they specify for convertibles - as some will only allow open-face in tin-tops, and I don't know what they'll class the e89 as.

Best of both worlds - if like me, you don't want a sweaty full face one - is either a rally style one with a chin guard & peak, or a full face one with the visor removed.

Mine's the older version of this...which was about £60.

 

[brillomaster]

Full face helmet for an open top car is what all the organisers i use say. I wouldnt chance it with anything less.

If youre worried about a sweaty lid, get a balaclava to wear underneath it.

 

[chilistrucker]

Thanks again, and as mentioned it does seem that full face is the requirement for an 'open top' car. I'm ok with that, so if they are out there, (I'm sure they are) I'll go for the type A helmet, full face with an adjustable visor

 

[chilistrucker]

Thanks again, and as mentioned it does seem that full face is the requirement for an 'open top' car. I'm ok with that, so if they are out there, (I'm sure they are) I'll go for the type A helmet, full face with an adjustable visor

ced
Just spoke with MSV and although it does have to be a full face lid, they are fine with either car or motorbike variations, I just have to decide now if I'm going to do Snetterton or Bedford.....

 

[Lazza]

I’ve done quite a few track days at Bedford, Silverstone Stowe, Goodwood, Donnington, Brands, Anglesey, Knockhill, Castle Coombe, Mallory, Blyton Park, Abingdon, South Weald... and others. Always used a motorbike helmet and never had a problem. I did pick one marked as being fireproof but it has never been checked. Some operators like the visor to be down but I prefer to remove it whenever I can.