tracking a 911
Discussion
Just had to rave to fellow 911ers about my first trackday at Bedford in my 996 targa (bedford on Saturday). 
The porkster was just fantastic - loads of feedback, superb grip, turn in, traction and awesome stopping power. It was just a question of learning how it handled, turning off the psm and then just revelling in the cars qualities. It made me feel like a track superstar, even when I overcooked it and span it a few times
Any of you out there with a 911 (or indeed any porker -I passengered in a 968 CS which was fab as well) - you simply must take it on a track and discover what all the fuss is about.
The porkster was just fantastic - loads of feedback, superb grip, turn in, traction and awesome stopping power. It was just a question of learning how it handled, turning off the psm and then just revelling in the cars qualities. It made me feel like a track superstar, even when I overcooked it and span it a few times
Any of you out there with a 911 (or indeed any porker -I passengered in a 968 CS which was fab as well) - you simply must take it on a track and discover what all the fuss is about.
Batser,
Welcome to the addiction of trackdays !!!
Porsches are fantastic, in that you can do the shopping one day, and hoon round a track the next, without any problem. This certainly shows that you get what you pay for.
Unfortunately, the addiction can get expensive the more the habbit bites.
Have fun.
G.
Welcome to the addiction of trackdays !!!
Porsches are fantastic, in that you can do the shopping one day, and hoon round a track the next, without any problem. This certainly shows that you get what you pay for.
Unfortunately, the addiction can get expensive the more the habbit bites.
Have fun.
G.
Batster,
I too only started going to trackdays recently, and did 4 last yr. You'd think you drive it hard on the road and then realise on the track just how much more it can do! Best thing is you can take it to and beyond the limit without fear of trees and cars coming the other way! Bedford is just about the best place to start. I'm now hooked and time permitting I'll be doing a lot more next yr. There's one in Bedford again on Good Fri, going to be there?
I too only started going to trackdays recently, and did 4 last yr. You'd think you drive it hard on the road and then realise on the track just how much more it can do! Best thing is you can take it to and beyond the limit without fear of trees and cars coming the other way! Bedford is just about the best place to start. I'm now hooked and time permitting I'll be doing a lot more next yr. There's one in Bedford again on Good Fri, going to be there?
Butzi said:
Batster,
I too only started going to trackdays recently, and did 4 last yr. You'd think you drive it hard on the road and then realise on the track just how much more it can do! Best thing is you can take it to and beyond the limit without fear of trees and cars coming the other way! Bedford is just about the best place to start. I'm now hooked and time permitting I'll be doing a lot more next yr. There's one in Bedford again on Good Fri, going to be there?
Butzi
What would you say your 4 track excursions cost last year. I presume that you got through some rubber and pads etc....I have never taken my 993 on a track and would be interested to do so.
Butzi
Having tracked my previous cars (Box S and M3) I knew hoow expensive it was - following Saturday's blitz, I need two rear P zeros and I suspect the pads are spent, so its pretty pricey but in terms of the buzz I get out of finding what I can do and more importantly what the car can do, its money well spent.
Plan to go back to Bedford in March, but will confirm with a thread nearer the time
Am now lusting after a 911TT!
Having tracked my previous cars (Box S and M3) I knew hoow expensive it was - following Saturday's blitz, I need two rear P zeros and I suspect the pads are spent, so its pretty pricey but in terms of the buzz I get out of finding what I can do and more importantly what the car can do, its money well spent.
Plan to go back to Bedford in March, but will confirm with a thread nearer the time
Am now lusting after a 911TT!
Hi guys,
I kind of guestimated the cost a bit. It depends on who you book it with, it cost anything from £190 to £400 fo a day in Bedford last yr. The PCGB one was the most expensive but then you have less cars on the day (but Bedford track is so long, you won't really notice).
After that you have to add the cost of going there and back, plus accomodation if you stayed there (I live in Leicester, so I drive down in the morning, and tank up with Shell Optimax just before I get there.) I generally use about a tankfull of fuel on the track, sometimes a little bit more.
Tyre and brake wear, I guestimated about 1000 miles worth of wear each day depends on how you drive.
It might seem expensive at times but it's certainly money very well spent!
I kind of guestimated the cost a bit. It depends on who you book it with, it cost anything from £190 to £400 fo a day in Bedford last yr. The PCGB one was the most expensive but then you have less cars on the day (but Bedford track is so long, you won't really notice).
After that you have to add the cost of going there and back, plus accomodation if you stayed there (I live in Leicester, so I drive down in the morning, and tank up with Shell Optimax just before I get there.) I generally use about a tankfull of fuel on the track, sometimes a little bit more.
Tyre and brake wear, I guestimated about 1000 miles worth of wear each day depends on how you drive.
It might seem expensive at times but it's certainly money very well spent!
I'm pretty new to the track day scene having never gone near a track until I bought my TT. I've now done 10 in the last 12 months, 4 of which at bedford in the last six weeks so it's certainly addictive!
Regards to cost, the biggest expense has been tuition of which I've spent about £2K but it's worth every penny as it's the only modification that you get to keep forever! Sadly it's a fact that men take criticism of there performance in bed easier than that of there driving!
Wear and tear; I've killed 1 set of tyres and front pads. Stone chips; only from Bruntingthorpe, virtually none from Bedford.
Tyre pressures: Everyone seems to have there own idea but I have definitely found that standard 36/44 works great. The car is perfectly balanced.
I was at bedford on the 11th too! Enjoy.
Regards to cost, the biggest expense has been tuition of which I've spent about £2K but it's worth every penny as it's the only modification that you get to keep forever! Sadly it's a fact that men take criticism of there performance in bed easier than that of there driving!
Wear and tear; I've killed 1 set of tyres and front pads. Stone chips; only from Bruntingthorpe, virtually none from Bedford.
Tyre pressures: Everyone seems to have there own idea but I have definitely found that standard 36/44 works great. The car is perfectly balanced.
I was at bedford on the 11th too! Enjoy.
Be warned the cost can be a killer. Budget accordingly.
My first track day resulted in a nail in a tyre in the second session (result replace with 2 new tyres and a wasted track day). My second resulted in a spin across a small sand bank which bizarrely caused a coolant hose to come loose and drain coolant everywhere (result, half a wasted track day and 12 hours labour to put the hose back in - nope, I can't work it out either).
What really annoys me is the "What are you complaining about, you own a GT3, you must be loaded" brigade. I am hoping for better luck next time.
My first track day resulted in a nail in a tyre in the second session (result replace with 2 new tyres and a wasted track day). My second resulted in a spin across a small sand bank which bizarrely caused a coolant hose to come loose and drain coolant everywhere (result, half a wasted track day and 12 hours labour to put the hose back in - nope, I can't work it out either).
What really annoys me is the "What are you complaining about, you own a GT3, you must be loaded" brigade. I am hoping for better luck next time.
That's pretty bad luck. A bit worrying to have a nail on the track!
Well at least you didn't hit anything hard, could be a lot worse. Come to think of that, some might want to add insurance on the cost (can be more than the track day fee itself). I didn't bother, considering the cost and excess you have to pay anyway, not worth it for my little runaround on a safe-ish track like Bedford.
Well at least you didn't hit anything hard, could be a lot worse. Come to think of that, some might want to add insurance on the cost (can be more than the track day fee itself). I didn't bother, considering the cost and excess you have to pay anyway, not worth it for my little runaround on a safe-ish track like Bedford.
Uh oh, Batster needs help from the PH collective!!
The same thing went through my mind after two wallet-shredding aborted track days. Sell the porker, buy a "sensible" car and a cheap track day special and run the thing into the ground. Four milliseconds later I figured you're a long time dead and it's only numbers in a bank account anyway, so let it drain and try not to think about it...
(Someone please back me up here as I need the reassurance.)
The same thing went through my mind after two wallet-shredding aborted track days. Sell the porker, buy a "sensible" car and a cheap track day special and run the thing into the ground. Four milliseconds later I figured you're a long time dead and it's only numbers in a bank account anyway, so let it drain and try not to think about it...
(Someone please back me up here as I need the reassurance.)
OK i'll jump in here,
I can see sense in buying a 2nd track car, but only for some people, but if you've got a Porker in the 1st place, then why bother !!
Even running an Elise will be a costly exercise, and that's after purchase costs.
I'm sure even after a few sets of tyres and brakes on the porker, it would be cheaper than a 2nd car.
(Which will also still need tyres and brakes !)
Go on, it's only money.
G.
I can see sense in buying a 2nd track car, but only for some people, but if you've got a Porker in the 1st place, then why bother !!
Even running an Elise will be a costly exercise, and that's after purchase costs.
I'm sure even after a few sets of tyres and brakes on the porker, it would be cheaper than a 2nd car.
(Which will also still need tyres and brakes !)
Go on, it's only money.
G.
The whole point of doimg the track days is to explore what your 911 can do, and enjoy the car. Kind of miss the point if you then go and drive a different car on the track or even worse, sell the 911! Much easier to budget accordingly and do as many track days the budget will allow each yr. The good thing about 911 (or any Porsche) is that you can thrash the car to death on a track and then drive home in comfort (relatively) without worrying about bits falling off.
>> Edited by Butzi on Wednesday 15th December 14:27
>> Edited by Butzi on Wednesday 15th December 14:27
Absolutely spot on, Butzi.
The 911 is the car that is unequalled in offering both a sublime on track experience as well as reliable, tractable and user-friendly everyday transport.
There will be a few costs along the way, but on balance I doubt it would be any more than owning a second car as a track day slag.
The 911 is the car that is unequalled in offering both a sublime on track experience as well as reliable, tractable and user-friendly everyday transport.
There will be a few costs along the way, but on balance I doubt it would be any more than owning a second car as a track day slag.
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