BMW E46 - SMG Track day car
Discussion
After a great deal of research l have decided on a this as my choice of car for Sunny weekend/evening fun car but also as important l am looking to do track days and hill climbs, l have been a spectator at these events and it looks real fun without any pressure.
First question -
Have l choosen the correct car/
Anybody else out there on the same wave-length as me,
Any tips.
Thanks VW
First question -
Have l choosen the correct car/
Anybody else out there on the same wave-length as me,
Any tips.
Thanks VW
I had an M3 SMG that was my everyday car, and used for trackdays for a couple of years.
There are pros and cons to choosing one:
I'll start with the cons:
It's heavy
The standard brakes struggle
It gets through tyres and brakes very quickly due to the weight.
On the other hand:
It's a perfect car for travelling to and from the tracks in comfort
It handles very well, and you can play with understeer / oversteer through the bends.
It's quite forgiving if you get it moving around.
It's relatively fast in a straight line, which is useful for getting past slower cars that don't like to move over
There are numerous upgrade parts available should you wish to modify it.
Mine started off standard, but over the course of two years I added AP Racing brakes, HSD Coilovers (better than the price would suggest) and Eibach anti-roll bars.
It was a brilliant 'jack-of-all trades' car, and there weren't that many normal road cars that were quicker on a track day. (I personally find being quicker than around a half to 2/3rds of the other cars on a track day is most enjoyable. Some people are chasing you, and you are trying to chase others)
If you are planning on loads of track days, something lighter might be better. But for 4 or 5 a year it could be exactly what you're looking for.
If you're interested, here's a video of mine at Snetterton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8h4ugO3sho
If I can offer any more advice I'd be happy to give my opinion.
There are pros and cons to choosing one:
I'll start with the cons:
It's heavy
The standard brakes struggle
It gets through tyres and brakes very quickly due to the weight.
On the other hand:
It's a perfect car for travelling to and from the tracks in comfort
It handles very well, and you can play with understeer / oversteer through the bends.
It's quite forgiving if you get it moving around.
It's relatively fast in a straight line, which is useful for getting past slower cars that don't like to move over
There are numerous upgrade parts available should you wish to modify it.
Mine started off standard, but over the course of two years I added AP Racing brakes, HSD Coilovers (better than the price would suggest) and Eibach anti-roll bars.
It was a brilliant 'jack-of-all trades' car, and there weren't that many normal road cars that were quicker on a track day. (I personally find being quicker than around a half to 2/3rds of the other cars on a track day is most enjoyable. Some people are chasing you, and you are trying to chase others)
If you are planning on loads of track days, something lighter might be better. But for 4 or 5 a year it could be exactly what you're looking for.
If you're interested, here's a video of mine at Snetterton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8h4ugO3sho
If I can offer any more advice I'd be happy to give my opinion.
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