Is it worth doing a track day in an Audi S4 B8.5 Avant?

[Digga]

Good advice from the last couple of posters. Take things sensibly, be considerate to other drivers, be mindful of conditions, and not too much can go wrong. If, then, that's the itch scratched, fine. If you then want to get into track days more, you can consider options from there.

Enjoy it. We're all going to be a long time dead, so you might as well follow your heart.

[W109driver]

Really interesting thread for me.
I'm a totally beginner, with a old, but nicely running 944.
Love to have a few track days.
Which would people recommend.

1. Money is an issue as always.
2. I live in South Devon.
3. Interested in handling rather than speed.

[nickfrog]

Castle Combe and Thruxton are your closest and they are both similar so unless you're prepared to travel further, that would be my starting point.

[TroubledSoul]

W109driver said:

Really interesting thread for me.
I'm a totally beginner, with a old, but nicely running 944.
Love to have a few track days.
Which would people recommend.

1. Money is an issue as always.
2. I live in South Devon.
3. Interested in handling rather than speed.

Similar advice; brakes are king. Luckily for you, yours will fare much better as your car weighs a lot less than the OP's. Next up would be suspension and polybushes for me, personally.

[mpit]

I have a B8.5 S4 that I use to tow my track car, and as such I've ended up taking it on track a few times.

My observations are as follows;

You absolutely need to upgrade the brake pads and fluid - the standard items literally melt. DS2500 as a minimum, but they do wear fast when used hard.
It's very heavy and very thirsty on track, but with the sports diff can be entertaining.
You need to turn off ESC completely or you'll cook your rear brakes.

At Snetterton, a Marshall took this while my pads were bedding in https://www.instagram.com/p/BaXHXQzHV7o/?taken-by=...

Ultimately, it's a capable car - in the few sessions I did I managed 58 seconds around Brands and 2:19 around Snetterton and upset some track focussed cars in the process.

Would I do a few sessions in it again? Sure. Would I want one as a track car? No way. It's fine for starting out with, no doubt.

Edited by mpit on Wednesday 29th November 15:35

[Digga]

W109driver said:

I'm a totally beginner, with a old, but nicely running 944.

Would not take much to make that a very capable and enjoyable track car. It is certainly a very good place to start and a really nice car. IMHO the front-engined Porsches are really coming into their retro prime now.

[Hol]

I have a dedicated track car so I never felt the urge to take my B8.5 S4 on track.


A flappy gearbox is always a bonus on the track, but I never really felt it was an out of the box track star, compared to some of the previous (albeit modified) everyday cars I have owned, that is.

However, apart from family outings and the odd spirited drive, it only really got used between home and the train station, so I never really pushed it in the same way. They might have hidden depths.

The BEST thing I ever did was change the standard rubber for something better and having the geometry checked.

[checkmate91]

I have taken my 2009 Focus RS around Snetterton a few times. First time it was totally standard and, to be frank, we over-drove it - too much braking, too much speed in the slower corners. The Contis were ruined and the pads likewise plus lots of deposits on the discs.

Second and subsequent times, car is lowered with koni adjustables and Michelin PSS tyres. Comletely different proposition, better handling and grip with much less sliding around in the corners. We respect the brakes now (fast road pads, that's all) and keep the traction control off. Car's much happier and driver fun is still had.