Does heel/toe cause any extra wear on any parts of the car?

[RobM77]

StressedDave said:

I figured it was either broken car or funding - you're still listed at the bottom of the results sheet for Roadsports, so I presume you paid entry fee to championships and are now condemned to be listed as 'Not Seen'.

Yes, sadly you're spot on there! If I remember rightly championship registration is about £375 as well!!

The car's actually in full working order sat in my garage now It just needs a fire extinguisher refill to race, which is about £65. I may do another race if I can't sell it before a local one comes up. I have actually been out in it this year, I tested at Combe a few weeks ago, which was great fun

In the time since my last race I've been trying other sports to try and find something cheaper that I enjoy. Since that last race I've been sailing, kayaking and jet-skiing so far and I'm going waterskiing next week along with some more kayaking. I also run, cycle and swim regularly, as well as playing Badminton, Squash and Tennis when I can. Nothing really grabs me like motor racing though; I haven't yet had that "wow, this is the sport for me!" feeling that I had when I first stepped in a go kart at 17 or when I first took the track in a car when I was 21. It's such a shame that it's so expensive. I saw my old team mate from the Metro Cup at the weekend and he's actually crewing on big racing yachts instead. It costs him £300 for the whole of Cowes week, and I think that includes beer!

I've had a few quotes for arrive and drive in single seaters and it's coming in at around £1500 per race, but I think I can do it for about £1000 per race if I own my own car and get someone to run it for me. That's cheaper than Caterham racing, and of course I get someone else to set the car up and look after it etc, which given my free time and expertise is essential really if I want to be competitive. Given that I've just booked a two week holiday on a Greek island in a villa with a private pool for £940, this motor racing lark does all seem a bit expensive!

My other option is buying an R400 or R500 and doing track days etc. I think I'd miss the competition though. I've done a few track days in my road going Elise and Caterham and go to the Nurburgring once a year, but it's just not the same.

[BertBert]

RobM77 said:

You're quite right. I wasn't strictly correct there. If I had all the vision in the world I wouldn't accelerate out of a bend until I was actually leaving that bend from the point of view of my car. My car doesn't have eyes, it still thinks it's cornering! Once you are pulling lateral g you are subject to the physical complications of cornering - you can't just accelerate off where you want to.

Yes of course you can. The point has been made that in many, many road driving situations, your bend speed is limited by visibility way, way below the speed you might enter it if there was complete line of sight at your chosen level of grip contingency. Then you are fully able and it's perfectly dynamically ok to accelerate before the steering unwinding point. Are you saying that however low the speed you enter a bend, you would never increase that speed until the bend unwinds?

RobM77 said:

With regard to your second comment, I have been driving on the road and racing on the track for many years; so maybe with both sides of the story under my belt I'm better to judge such a statement than you, who seem to have only driven on the road. Not best to judge, but certainly better. I say that driving on the road without thought to the limits and aspects of car control is a foolish pursuit. Yes, it's not the sole concern for the road going motorist, but just as before one goes sailing one should learn to swim and how to right a capsized boat, I think you would benefit from a more thorough understanding of how things work, especially before you criticise others who are trying to look at the whole picture.

Er I hope your powers of observation on the road are better than your powers of observation in my profile. All I can say is that you may be a fabby driver, but you take a mighty bigotted position in an intellectual debate. And as for the sailing analogy, with respect, utter bks.

Bert

[Scoobman]

Hi all
I am thinking of geting a MX5 MK1.
As I had one years ago before I could H&T and it was a great car in many aspects.

Someone mentioned that they didnt find it all that good for H&T
Any MX5 owners out there H&Ting with ease?

[RobM77]

Scoobman said:

Hi all
I am thinking of geting a MX5 MK1.
As I had one years ago before I could H&T and it was a great car in many aspects.

Someone mentioned that they didnt find it all that good for H&T
Any MX5 owners out there H&Ting with ease?

I've driven a couple of Mk1 MX5s and a Mk2 and heel and toed in them without an issue. It seems that everyone has a slightly different technique, so the best thing to do is to get a test drive and find out. There's certainly nothing obvious in the pedal box preventing effective heel and toe as far as I can see. Bear in mind also that the MX5 has a huge amount of upgrades available for it, so no doubt something can be sorted with different brake pads (makes a surprising difference on most cars) or even pedal extensions (although I'm not sure if they're legal on the road - can anyone advise?). They're great cars, so have fun!

[GravelBen]

Scoobman said:

Any MX5 owners out there H&Ting with ease?

Took me a little while adjust to the different brake feel when I first got it but now the MX5 feels right and other cars overservoed brakes feel wrong.

[RobM77]

GravelBen said:

Scoobman said:

Any MX5 owners out there H&Ting with ease?

Took me a little while adjust to the different brake feel when I first got it but now the MX5 feels right and other cars overservoed brakes feel wrong.

[StressedDave]

RobM77 said:

I've driven a couple of Mk1 MX5s and a Mk2 and heel and toed in them without an issue. It seems that everyone has a slightly different technique, so the best thing to do is to get a test drive and find out. There's certainly nothing obvious in the pedal box preventing effective heel and toe as far as I can see. Bear in mind also that the MX5 has a huge amount of upgrades available for it, so no doubt something can be sorted with different brake pads (makes a surprising difference on most cars) or even pedal extensions (although I'm not sure if they're legal on the road - can anyone advise?). They're great cars, so have fun!

There's nowt in Con & Use about the illegality of extensions and I've fitted them to my '5 to improve the position for heel and toe... I've also been running the Axxis Ultimate pads to bring the performance of the brakes up to the same level as the uprated suspension.

[RobM77]

StressedDave said:

RobM77 said:

I've driven a couple of Mk1 MX5s and a Mk2 and heel and toed in them without an issue. It seems that everyone has a slightly different technique, so the best thing to do is to get a test drive and find out. There's certainly nothing obvious in the pedal box preventing effective heel and toe as far as I can see. Bear in mind also that the MX5 has a huge amount of upgrades available for it, so no doubt something can be sorted with different brake pads (makes a surprising difference on most cars) or even pedal extensions (although I'm not sure if they're legal on the road - can anyone advise?). They're great cars, so have fun!

There's nowt in Con & Use about the illegality of extensions and I've fitted them to my '5 to improve the position for heel and toe... I've also been running the Axxis Ultimate pads to bring the performance of the brakes up to the same level as the uprated suspension.

There's your answer! I've often wondered because in catalogues such as Demon Tweaks and GPR they quote that pedal extensions are for "off road use only".

[RT106]

I believe the brake pedal has to have a high-friction surface. Some of the after-market extensions are for show, not function, with polished surfaces.

There's certainly no law against fitting a throttle pedal extension to aid heel and toe.