Daily use car for track days
Discussion
Evening all
I'm looking to do between 6-8 track days a year and was originally going to buy a second car to use solely for this. But after looking into it and taking into account the cost of purchasing the car, insurance etc am thinking just to use my daily use car.
I have a 2014 Golf R. And my question is, would using this do any harm to the car I.e thrashing it?
Besides tyres and discs and pads what other wear and tear would there be?
Anyone else use a fairly decent car for track days have any feedback?
I'm looking to do between 6-8 track days a year and was originally going to buy a second car to use solely for this. But after looking into it and taking into account the cost of purchasing the car, insurance etc am thinking just to use my daily use car.
I have a 2014 Golf R. And my question is, would using this do any harm to the car I.e thrashing it?
Besides tyres and discs and pads what other wear and tear would there be?
Anyone else use a fairly decent car for track days have any feedback?
On a car that modern i doubt anything would become damaged anytime soon.
Gearboxes and clutches are more likely to wear quicker as you'll be driving at 10/10ths for about 15 mins at a time easy. Upgrade your brake pads and brake fluid, also search on the forums to see if any oils would better suit your car to prolonged high RPM use.
Gearboxes and clutches are more likely to wear quicker as you'll be driving at 10/10ths for about 15 mins at a time easy. Upgrade your brake pads and brake fluid, also search on the forums to see if any oils would better suit your car to prolonged high RPM use.
The single pot callipers and lack of track pads make a 14 Golf pretty unsuitable for track usage across a full day. You'll find that you will spend the entire day trying to manage pad temperatures and then judder post track usage.
There is however nothing fundamentally stopping you from using a daily for track usage, something like a Megane RS would be better choice.
There is however nothing fundamentally stopping you from using a daily for track usage, something like a Megane RS would be better choice.
How advanced are you with track days?
If you're always at 100% then you might find the car gets too hot, the brakes fade and you're constantly having to reign in your driving. However, limit yourself to short bursts of attack (maybe 5-7 mins) and I bet you'd not see any problems with anything other than the increased tyre and brake wear you mention.
I run a completely standard E46 M3 on track when my fun car is broken. People would say you can't do that, brakes will melt etc but with a bit of mechanical sympathy I've never had a problem. Not going slow either, just having some radar when I feel the tyres going off and brakes fading (about 5 mins if dry).
If you're always at 100% then you might find the car gets too hot, the brakes fade and you're constantly having to reign in your driving. However, limit yourself to short bursts of attack (maybe 5-7 mins) and I bet you'd not see any problems with anything other than the increased tyre and brake wear you mention.
I run a completely standard E46 M3 on track when my fun car is broken. People would say you can't do that, brakes will melt etc but with a bit of mechanical sympathy I've never had a problem. Not going slow either, just having some radar when I feel the tyres going off and brakes fading (about 5 mins if dry).
I have a second car exclusively for track days, but this is because I'm running fairly old, high-mileage stuff and can't risk breaking my daily on track. But in such a new and clearly performance-oriented car, I would have absolutely no issue taking it on track and driving it at ten tenths.
If you had seen the kind of durability testing OEMs do on cars these days, you would be absolutely astonished and never hesitate to hammer a car again
it will be absolutely fine from a powertrain / chassis point of view. The only thing I would expect issue with, as mentioned above, is the brakes. These take the greatest punishment on track (vastly more than even the very hardest of road driving), and you've got a fairly heavy, powerful car. The main issue will be pads overheating, but putting more suitable pads in should be plenty. To do it cheaply I see EBC do Redstuff pads for the Golf R, £90 front and £58 rear, I haven't managed to burn those out in my E36 yet. Changing to a high-temperature brake fluid is also strongly recommended, ATE Super Blue is very popular.
Brakes and car durability aside, if you're new to the track day game, you may be surprised how you end up driving. Of course, it depends on the track and your attitude, but I don't generally find myself driving flat-out lap after lap. In fact, unless I particularly want to see what my laptime is it's not that common I'll even be going maximum attack for one full lap. I shift up early on long straights, brake a little early for the big stops, and instead enjoy finding the limits in the corners and having the car move around a bit.
Eight tenths of a Golf R's performance envelope on a circuit would still be mighty f
king quick for your first track day, so the car will be fine!
If you had seen the kind of durability testing OEMs do on cars these days, you would be absolutely astonished and never hesitate to hammer a car again
it will be absolutely fine from a powertrain / chassis point of view. The only thing I would expect issue with, as mentioned above, is the brakes. These take the greatest punishment on track (vastly more than even the very hardest of road driving), and you've got a fairly heavy, powerful car. The main issue will be pads overheating, but putting more suitable pads in should be plenty. To do it cheaply I see EBC do Redstuff pads for the Golf R, £90 front and £58 rear, I haven't managed to burn those out in my E36 yet. Changing to a high-temperature brake fluid is also strongly recommended, ATE Super Blue is very popular.Brakes and car durability aside, if you're new to the track day game, you may be surprised how you end up driving. Of course, it depends on the track and your attitude, but I don't generally find myself driving flat-out lap after lap. In fact, unless I particularly want to see what my laptime is it's not that common I'll even be going maximum attack for one full lap. I shift up early on long straights, brake a little early for the big stops, and instead enjoy finding the limits in the corners and having the car move around a bit.
Eight tenths of a Golf R's performance envelope on a circuit would still be mighty f
king quick for your first track day, so the car will be fine!Hi
As others have said, brake pads and fluid should be on the list, but I'd spend ~£300 on pads for a car of your size and get something better than EBC. Performance friction, Pagids, Ferodo ds2500 or ds3000 etc is what I'd be looking at. I've always been disappointed with EBC personally. You could even get some really track oriented pads and just put them in for track days? The extra cost would be offset by longer life any way, so they would pay for themselves.
I'm not sure what tyres the Golf R comes with but perhaps fitting something like AD08Rs or even getting a track set of wheels and tyres would be good. Would a set of 17s fit on the R, then tyres would be cheaper.
Insurance could be a consideration as well. I'm insured with REIS and the policy includes cover for 4 track days a year and further days for 0.5% of the cars value. I've also used Competition car insurance in the past and that policy also included some track days also.
Cheers
As others have said, brake pads and fluid should be on the list, but I'd spend ~£300 on pads for a car of your size and get something better than EBC. Performance friction, Pagids, Ferodo ds2500 or ds3000 etc is what I'd be looking at. I've always been disappointed with EBC personally. You could even get some really track oriented pads and just put them in for track days? The extra cost would be offset by longer life any way, so they would pay for themselves.
I'm not sure what tyres the Golf R comes with but perhaps fitting something like AD08Rs or even getting a track set of wheels and tyres would be good. Would a set of 17s fit on the R, then tyres would be cheaper.
Insurance could be a consideration as well. I'm insured with REIS and the policy includes cover for 4 track days a year and further days for 0.5% of the cars value. I've also used Competition car insurance in the past and that policy also included some track days also.
Cheers
Edited by robinandcamera on Monday 12th January 12:43
I have a Megane 265 Trophy, previous owner used it only as a track day car (along side his R26.R and Clio V6). I use it as a daily but also for the odd track day / trip to the Nurburgring.
The car is perfect. Its ultimately what it was built for...
You don't have to go and do a set of tyres each time, can have a good thrash around and with good maintenance should be ok.
The car is perfect. Its ultimately what it was built for...
You don't have to go and do a set of tyres each time, can have a good thrash around and with good maintenance should be ok.
Could you consider fitting a detachable tow bar (£400?) and towing a car to the track?
I went through a similar thought pattern, however, garage and drive space dictates that i can not store a car and trailer. I have decided to go with bike and collapsible trailer solution - expense is buying a bike (2.5k), passing my bike license (circa £800 - lessons, test, cbt, theory), buying equipment (leathers, boots, gloves, helmet (£500-1000).
It's worth considering rather than hooning around in my daily which may get damaged.
I went through a similar thought pattern, however, garage and drive space dictates that i can not store a car and trailer. I have decided to go with bike and collapsible trailer solution - expense is buying a bike (2.5k), passing my bike license (circa £800 - lessons, test, cbt, theory), buying equipment (leathers, boots, gloves, helmet (£500-1000).
It's worth considering rather than hooning around in my daily which may get damaged.
I have seen a Ferrari California, a McLaren MP4-12C etc etc on a track day.....but generally people use track cars or older cars modified for the track.
At a minimum you need to upgrade tyres and brakes. I have seen a set of standard road tyres on a TVR trashed by lunchtime. And brake fade after 5 minutes on track is not uncommon and vary frustrating.
Track day insurance only covers accident damage to your own car, and my policy has a £1000/10% excess. Mine came as part of a classic car policy - you might find it quite expensive to cover your Golf for track days. Beware - you cannot claim off someone else, even if they have driven into your car while spinning. You are basically uninsured on track. It doesn't cover mechanical damage, so whatever stopped the brand new Jag XF at the side of the same track as the above supercars wasn't covered.
I would suggest you get together with a good friend and hire a Caterham for the day from someone like Book-a-track. They supply everything - car delivered to the track, mechanics, instruction, fuel, track day booking - you just turn up and drive. Cost will be about £400 each, but bear in mind that on an average £150 track day I get through £150 of fuel, my £800 track tyres last about 6 track days, etc etc, so it's actually not expensive. Sharing the car is not as daft as it sounds - its more fun with two of you, and I rarely drive more than three hours at any 7 hour track day.....too tiring! I have before now had to stop three times on the way home because I was falling asleep at the wheel.
At a minimum you need to upgrade tyres and brakes. I have seen a set of standard road tyres on a TVR trashed by lunchtime. And brake fade after 5 minutes on track is not uncommon and vary frustrating.
Track day insurance only covers accident damage to your own car, and my policy has a £1000/10% excess. Mine came as part of a classic car policy - you might find it quite expensive to cover your Golf for track days. Beware - you cannot claim off someone else, even if they have driven into your car while spinning. You are basically uninsured on track. It doesn't cover mechanical damage, so whatever stopped the brand new Jag XF at the side of the same track as the above supercars wasn't covered.
I would suggest you get together with a good friend and hire a Caterham for the day from someone like Book-a-track. They supply everything - car delivered to the track, mechanics, instruction, fuel, track day booking - you just turn up and drive. Cost will be about £400 each, but bear in mind that on an average £150 track day I get through £150 of fuel, my £800 track tyres last about 6 track days, etc etc, so it's actually not expensive. Sharing the car is not as daft as it sounds - its more fun with two of you, and I rarely drive more than three hours at any 7 hour track day.....too tiring! I have before now had to stop three times on the way home because I was falling asleep at the wheel.
If you can afford one of the Megane RS models I'd say thats the obvious candidate
I looked into this exact topic and ended up buying an old and cheap track day car based on doing a Trackday with 2 mates (one a stage 2 focus st and one a tuned leon Cupra r with huge brakes etc)
Both are epic on the road but literally turned to baked tyres and banana brakes within a few laps of bedford. Similarly the road tyres (toyo) on my peugeot fell apart on track too...
It's very hard to find an all rounder that as others have said is barely insured at enormous cost when on track
I looked into this exact topic and ended up buying an old and cheap track day car based on doing a Trackday with 2 mates (one a stage 2 focus st and one a tuned leon Cupra r with huge brakes etc)
Both are epic on the road but literally turned to baked tyres and banana brakes within a few laps of bedford. Similarly the road tyres (toyo) on my peugeot fell apart on track too...
It's very hard to find an all rounder that as others have said is barely insured at enormous cost when on track
As above, road tyres are not suitable for spirited on-track driving. Long before the tread is worn away, they will melt and smear the treadblocks all over the surface of the tyre. I trashed a set of Eagle F1's in a morning, and that was with 100bhp pushing 1000kgs!
The cost of track tyres, track brakes and track insurance would push me away from this idea. Plus, even the stiffest sportiest road cars feel like a blancmange compared to a no-compromise track car, even one put together on a low budget.
The cost of track tyres, track brakes and track insurance would push me away from this idea. Plus, even the stiffest sportiest road cars feel like a blancmange compared to a no-compromise track car, even one put together on a low budget.
aww999 said:
As above, road tyres are not suitable for spirited on-track driving. Long before the tread is worn away, they will melt and smear the treadblocks all over the surface of the tyre. I trashed a set of Eagle F1's in a morning, and that was with 100bhp pushing 1000kgs!
The cost of track tyres, track brakes and track insurance would push me away from this idea. Plus, even the stiffest sportiest road cars feel like a blancmange compared to a no-compromise track car, even one put together on a low budget.
I've never heard of or experienced tyres 'smearing treadblocks all over the tyre'. The cost of track tyres, track brakes and track insurance would push me away from this idea. Plus, even the stiffest sportiest road cars feel like a blancmange compared to a no-compromise track car, even one put together on a low budget.
OP, get yourself some decent pads (XP10, RS29, PF01 etc) and fluid (RBF600) and you'll be fine.
It happened at Cadwell Park in the summer. You could see quite clearly where the rubber had melted and then been pushed over to the outside edge of each groove in the tyre. I had to finish early as I had a long drive home and was worried about whether they would remain legal after many more laps.
Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff