Booked my first Trackday - car being prepared - Can't wait !

[autofocus]

Hi there,

Ok finally taken the plunge and booked my first trackday. Its booked with Javelin and is this Saturday at Elvington (14th).

The car (1996 P Golf GTi 16v) is being prepared over the next few days by a local mechanic. Today he has given it a full service (inc fuel filter, sparkplugs etc). He has removed the existing discs and pads all round and replaced them with EBC grooved, drilled and vented discs and EBC 'Greenstuff' pads. All the tyres have been checked and balanced, the K&N air filter has been cleaned, the ECU checked for faults and I think were good to go.

Both me any my business partner are booked on for the day, its his first event as well and we are really looking forward to it.

Anyone elese booked on for this event ?

Any hints or tips ?

Regards

Tim

[Elderly]

autofocus said:

Hi there,

Ok finally taken the plunge and booked my first trackday.

Both me any my business partner are booked on for the day, its his first event as well .....


Any hints or tips ?


Tim

Spend a bit on tuition but don't waste your money on ................... photographs

[hyperblue]

1) Get your discs and pads bedded in ASAP!

2) Have a great day

[T89 Callan]

Get the ABS switched off on that car.

It's not that fun in a MK3 Golf when you lift the indide rear wheel into a corner (as it always will) and the ABS decides to go mental and cut the brakes. I know this from slightly scary experience.

Also put the MFA on oil temp and keep an eye on that, if it starts to get hot unclip and remove the front grill and it makes just enough difference (although I wouldn't expect that at this time of year).

Other than that I wouldn't expect any problems with a MK3 Golf. It's a nice predictable car to drive and taught me well.

Have a good time.

[iguana]

Greenstuff are bilge for track I'm afraid as are their discs, if you can run standard discs from gsf & a better pads- the yellowstuffs are fine for the $ or the mintex fast raod jobbies gsf do now are not as good but a good step on from stock or the utter tripe of greenstuffs.

The standard suspension on a mk3 & wallowamstermatic (TM) is woefull wobblly nastyness so does need sorting really.

Whip the front disc backing plates off & decent fluid too.

[FLD_WILLIS]

If you've got the money to change the pads again then get rid of the Greenstuff as Iguana's already said above... I used them on a 106 Rallye and although they're pretty decent when you're flying down B-Roads, I found that they get very hot very quickly on a track. Ferodo's are always a good pad (DS2500 off the top of my head) and I'm currently using Black Diamond and rate them highly too.

Have fun and remember... It's NOT a race, drive within your limits.

Edited by FLD_WILLIS on Tuesday 10th November 11:17

[joe_90]

FLD_WILLIS said:

If you've got the money to change the pads again then get rid of the Greenstuff as Iguana's already said above... I used them on a 106 Rallye and although they're pretty decent when you're flying down B-Roads, I found that they get very hot very quickly on a track. Ferodo's are always a good pad (DS2500 off the top of my head) and I'm currently using Black Diamond and rate them highly too.

Have fun and remember... It's NOT a race, drive within your limits.

+1 for the Ferodo, excellent on the Clio cup on the track.
+1 spend money on tuition.

[silverthorn2151]

Don't turn it off too quick when you get in from the circuit and don't put the handbrake on until it's well cool.

I do apologise, I sounded like one of my kids at the end of that sentance.

[autofocus]

Hi there,

Thanks guys for all the tips. I know some people dislike the EBC discs and pads but I have used them on a couple of road cars and always been really impressed. Will see what they are like on the track and will change them if they are no good.

Will look at getting the ABS turned off as advised, and will get a basic tool kit and things like a foot pump etc ready for the weekend.

Don't worry will be taking it pretty steady and am treating this as long term so that as I get better on track I can take the car to the next stage.

Will post some pics and my thoughts after the weekend.

Regards

Tim

[bull996]

autofocus said:

Hi there,

Thanks guys for all the tips. I know some people dislike the EBC discs and pads but I have used them on a couple of road cars and always been really impressed. Will see what they are like on the track and will change them if they are no good.

Tim, I dont want to pi55 on your chips, but you will be lucky to make lunchtime onthose pads. Get them done before you go.
I tried a set of reds and they were on fire and broke into bits by 11.30.

[T89 Callan]

bull996 said:

autofocus said:

Hi there,

Thanks guys for all the tips. I know some people dislike the EBC discs and pads but I have used them on a couple of road cars and always been really impressed. Will see what they are like on the track and will change them if they are no good.

Tim, I dont want to pi55 on your chips, but you will be lucky to make lunchtime onthose pads. Get them done before you go.
I tried a set of reds and they were on fire and broke into bits by 11.30.

I run Greenstuff pads in my Beemer and my old MK3 GTi and they lasted fine all day. And I certainly wasn't pottering round.

Maybe for mega-power-turbo-1.5Ton-prat-mobiles they are lacking but for a 150bhp hatchback they are esily good enough.