Trailer the car or drive it to the track?
Discussion
OK, I have a question which I am unsure of as a novice I am worried that if I drive my car to the track then it gets damaged I will not be able to get it home! where as if I take a trailer I then to to take the jeep and the whole things like a chore and I know I will just keep adding stuff to the day out and eventually see the whole thing as a massive effort just to go to the track.
What I want is just to enjoy the day rather than plot a military campaign, any ideas anyone?
Trailer or drive to the track?
What I want is just to enjoy the day rather than plot a military campaign, any ideas anyone?
Trailer or drive to the track?
Depends what car it is for.
Had the Westy and used to drive it to Brands (my local circuit) but used to need to take another car with all the tools in anyway just in case. We now have a trailer and a towcar so it makes sense to trailer it. We can get everything in one car, saves petrol compared to having to take 2 cars and means if there is a reliability issue or worse it can be loaded up and taken home without having to wait hours for recovery. Plus for me I would rather spend an hour loading a car onto a trailer and strapping it down and then have a comfortable ride with the music on than drive 200 miles in the Westy...that is more of a chore.
It depends on the car as I say though. If it is reliable (basically a normal car) and can fit some tools in then I wouldn't bother.
Had the Westy and used to drive it to Brands (my local circuit) but used to need to take another car with all the tools in anyway just in case. We now have a trailer and a towcar so it makes sense to trailer it. We can get everything in one car, saves petrol compared to having to take 2 cars and means if there is a reliability issue or worse it can be loaded up and taken home without having to wait hours for recovery. Plus for me I would rather spend an hour loading a car onto a trailer and strapping it down and then have a comfortable ride with the music on than drive 200 miles in the Westy...that is more of a chore.
It depends on the car as I say though. If it is reliable (basically a normal car) and can fit some tools in then I wouldn't bother.
If I had the space and the funds to keep a trailer and a car big enough to tow, without reducing garage space for more interesting machinery I would. But, in the absence of that, I can't say I've had any problem driving to the tracks. I only do Bedford and Brands, which are both within an hour or so and that's reasonably civilised even in the Caterham.
I trailor so I have no worries about getting back. I also like getting out of the Amazon and into the track car and driving like a loon, then flipping back and sedately poodling back whilst all those around are crazed idiots. I'm lucky though as I have a decent tow car and space for a trailor.
Paul.B
Paul.B
yes getting it on a trailer is a pain (particulary in my case where it has to be winched on and centred perfectly for the straps to fit), but with something as extreme as the XTR driving it really isn't a fun option, and I know with my driving skills driving it back will one day not be possible...
Plus with knockhill having it's oven microclimate it gives me the chance to take slicks and wets, and provides somewhere to get changed after a soaking.
maybe a bit mad but I also enjoy poodling down the road in the landie after a track blast - now if I could just get motorway drivers to stop cutting sharply infront of me, don't they realise a 3/5 tonne rig takes some stopping.
ken
Plus with knockhill having it's oven microclimate it gives me the chance to take slicks and wets, and provides somewhere to get changed after a soaking.
maybe a bit mad but I also enjoy poodling down the road in the landie after a track blast - now if I could just get motorway drivers to stop cutting sharply infront of me, don't they realise a 3/5 tonne rig takes some stopping.
ken
Next year I plan on getting a trailer (one that'll fit in the garage with the car on it) and tow car. I've always driven my track car to the track and I've never had an issue, i've always driven home fine. What is pushing me to trailer these days is i'm finding I don't have time to mess about getting the track car through MOT's (putting the CAT in, getting to the MOT place early to piss about on the laptop getting it through emmissions etc), road insurance is a total waste of money to drive maybe 10 time a year to track as is TAX. 2 years TAX, MOT & Insurance and the trailers paid for and then I have the bonus of peace of mind and being able to take spare wheels etc to track.
When it used to be just the road car going for an occasional jaunt round the track (911 then Cerbera) I would always jusy drive there and back. Could see no point of a trailer as it was my dailer driver anyway.
But first with the westie and now the Tuscan I would always use a trailer for a 'track focussed' car. Although fun on the road now and again, I wouldn't realish a 'journey' in the Tuscan.
But more importantly, I've actually got home from loads of track days where the car would have been unable to under its own steam. I've maybe had extreme [un]reliability issues, but at least I know I will get home. And once you've bitten the bullet and got a trailer and decent tow vehicle, you can start to take a choice of wheels/tyres so you've more chance of fun whatever the weather; you can take jerry cans so you can run the car on low/light fuel all day and re-fill at every stop; you can take a decent range of tools to actually fix things that go wrong, not just a spanner or two and a pair of pliers. Plus change of clothes (learned that after having to drive home in just my pants having got soaked to the skin an Knockhill), food etc.
So it's not just the car on trailer, but all the other stuff it suddently becomes practical to take. From a 'cold start', I can get the trailer out and hitched, car out and on trailer, wheels/jerry-cans/tools/junk in the pickup and be ready to leave in about 45 minutes so not too inconvenient. Keep plotting to make a wheel and jerry-can rack for the trailer and leave wheels/cans there so save some time and backache; maybe one day.
But first with the westie and now the Tuscan I would always use a trailer for a 'track focussed' car. Although fun on the road now and again, I wouldn't realish a 'journey' in the Tuscan.
But more importantly, I've actually got home from loads of track days where the car would have been unable to under its own steam. I've maybe had extreme [un]reliability issues, but at least I know I will get home. And once you've bitten the bullet and got a trailer and decent tow vehicle, you can start to take a choice of wheels/tyres so you've more chance of fun whatever the weather; you can take jerry cans so you can run the car on low/light fuel all day and re-fill at every stop; you can take a decent range of tools to actually fix things that go wrong, not just a spanner or two and a pair of pliers. Plus change of clothes (learned that after having to drive home in just my pants having got soaked to the skin an Knockhill), food etc.
So it's not just the car on trailer, but all the other stuff it suddently becomes practical to take. From a 'cold start', I can get the trailer out and hitched, car out and on trailer, wheels/jerry-cans/tools/junk in the pickup and be ready to leave in about 45 minutes so not too inconvenient. Keep plotting to make a wheel and jerry-can rack for the trailer and leave wheels/cans there so save some time and backache; maybe one day.
After driving to Cadwell and back and having to change tyres twice (from road tyres to slicks and back again) I think I'll be trailering mine to trackdays in the future. Plus I reckon trailering the car there makes it a couple of seconds a lap faster knowing you haven't got to drive it home again afterwards.
i drive to and from the circuit in my bmw track car. have to use a pillow on the long journeys as the buckets are not to comfy.
I do pay road tax, insurance and m.o.t.
As i start to get more serious i may use a trailer but i have RAC as back up to get home. Part of the fun is driving to and from the circuits especially if your not on your own!!!!!
What about if you fancy going to spa or the ring???? Driving is part of the fun
I do pay road tax, insurance and m.o.t.
As i start to get more serious i may use a trailer but i have RAC as back up to get home. Part of the fun is driving to and from the circuits especially if your not on your own!!!!!
What about if you fancy going to spa or the ring???? Driving is part of the fun
sniff diesel said:
After driving to Cadwell and back and having to change tyres twice (from road tyres to slicks and back again) I think I'll be trailering mine to trackdays in the future. Plus I reckon trailering the car there makes it a couple of seconds a lap faster knowing you haven't got to drive it home again afterwards.
IRTA: you're far more likely to stack your car if you take it on a trailer!
I normally track day with another mate with a 7. I drive and he has a trailer for his and our kit. The assumption is if one of us has a problem we put either car on it for the way home.
Although having spent 2hrs in torrential rain with only an Aeroscreen during a trip to Cadwell I'm pretty close to get a trailer as well.
Although having spent 2hrs in torrential rain with only an Aeroscreen during a trip to Cadwell I'm pretty close to get a trailer as well.
papercup said:
GreigM said:
I used to drive - after being stranded a couple of times I now trailer - much better all-round as you can take tools/spares etc
Edited by Herman Toothrot on Thursday 5th November 10:56
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