Cost of track days
Discussion
I'd say £500 a day is realistic, but a substantial part of that can just be extras.
Few tracks near me so often a hotel, £60. Dinner the night before, breakfast and lunch for the day and probably a service station stop on the way home, £45. You may use a tank just getting there. £60. Add the cost of the day and that's probably £300 before you've had a lap, fuelled it twice or paid for additional service work, insurance and whatever else comes up.
Great fun, but an expensive hobby.
Few tracks near me so often a hotel, £60. Dinner the night before, breakfast and lunch for the day and probably a service station stop on the way home, £45. You may use a tank just getting there. £60. Add the cost of the day and that's probably £300 before you've had a lap, fuelled it twice or paid for additional service work, insurance and whatever else comes up.
Great fun, but an expensive hobby.
upsidedownmark said:
£500/ day? no chance.. more like half that!
Not sure if we're counting the cost of day - anything from 100ish upwards.
Yes we are counting the cost of the day. Not sure what tracks you are driving on but I've not paid less than £130 for a day and have paid £300 for Silverstone GP track.Not sure if we're counting the cost of day - anything from 100ish upwards.
Add that to your £200 consumables list and travel to and from a track (have you counted that?) as well as some people are counting insurance and I think you'll find your kidding yourself if you think the day is costing £250.
Yes, the fuel includes getting there, and no, I don't generally do overnights - generally I'm 1-2hrs drive.
I would agree with 130-300 for the day. Rare I go over the 200 mark, but yes, that would take things into the 350ish regime (not deluded, but it's closer to 250 than 500 - just
If you're tracking something heavier, then it'll be a lot more. Someone specifically asked about costs around seven type cars, hence throwing out some numbers.
I would agree with 130-300 for the day. Rare I go over the 200 mark, but yes, that would take things into the 350ish regime (not deluded, but it's closer to 250 than 500 - just
If you're tracking something heavier, then it'll be a lot more. Someone specifically asked about costs around seven type cars, hence throwing out some numbers.
I'd never really considered the full cost of a trackday, but mine is something like...
Fee: £150-£200 (average £175
Travel - £60
Insurance - £50
On track fuel -£60
Oil £60 / 6 days = £10
Tyres - £500 / 15 track days = £35
Other fluids and consumables (pads etc) circa £20
TOTAL £410
This is in a Caterham with average miles about 150 in a day
Plus a days lost earnings if it's on a weekday.... so a lot more than I realised
Fee: £150-£200 (average £175
Travel - £60
Insurance - £50
On track fuel -£60
Oil £60 / 6 days = £10
Tyres - £500 / 15 track days = £35
Other fluids and consumables (pads etc) circa £20
TOTAL £410
This is in a Caterham with average miles about 150 in a day
Plus a days lost earnings if it's on a weekday.... so a lot more than I realised
Camoradi said:
I'd never really considered the full cost of a trackday, but mine is something like...
On track fuel -£60
Oil £60 / 6 days = £10
Tyres - £500 / 15 track days = £35
Other fluids and consumables (pads etc) circa £20
Wow, the tyres on a Caterham survive 15 track days? Or am I reading it wrong.On track fuel -£60
Oil £60 / 6 days = £10
Tyres - £500 / 15 track days = £35
Other fluids and consumables (pads etc) circa £20
My GTV (heavy v6 at the front) maybe survives 2 or 3 full days
Curiously, do you drive the Caterham for trips or weekend "chores" too?
I'm forever amazed at how many folk don't realise the cost of things that they do, whether is be a track day or buying a Costa every morning. Maybe it's just blisfull ignorance and they don't want to know!
Whilst the lightweight figures sound good, if say once you start piling the pounds on, costs are considerably more.
Disks and pads on a Caterham over an M3 anyone?
Nobody has mentioned the never ending path of upgrade.
Once you start doing a few and you man maths yourself into some essentials.... Tillets, harnesses, 3 way adjustable, lightweight wheels, big brakes, furry dice.
Soon adds up. I started down that path and then just decided to spend near double on a car which already had all the bits. Way cheaper!
Whilst the lightweight figures sound good, if say once you start piling the pounds on, costs are considerably more.
Disks and pads on a Caterham over an M3 anyone?
Nobody has mentioned the never ending path of upgrade.
Once you start doing a few and you man maths yourself into some essentials.... Tillets, harnesses, 3 way adjustable, lightweight wheels, big brakes, furry dice.
Soon adds up. I started down that path and then just decided to spend near double on a car which already had all the bits. Way cheaper!
V6todayEVmanana said:
Wow, the tyres on a Caterham survive 15 track days? Or am I reading it wrong.
My GTV (heavy v6 at the front) maybe survives 2 or 3 full days
Curiously, do you drive the Caterham for trips or weekend "chores" too?
I'd not get 15.. but I've had 7 out of my set, including weekend fun and driving to spa for a trackday. I could probably get another 1 or 2 as they're *just* on the wear bars. But I'm sliding it in most corners, and probably eat tyres compared to many, so I could see that being possible. 3 was about what I'd get out of the boxster, but it was about 2.5 times the weight.My GTV (heavy v6 at the front) maybe survives 2 or 3 full days
Curiously, do you drive the Caterham for trips or weekend "chores" too?
I do use the caterham for weekend 'fun' and some trips.. but not really for chores. After a series of compromise cars (eg. a roofrack on a boxster), I gave up and bought a dull estate. Missed fun too much, and added a caterham. A luxury, but one of my best decisions ever..
@Rick - true of course. Mine's had some changes/upgrades, but that's been largely because I've enjoyed the process and getting my hands dirty.. not specifically because 'track'.
Edited by upsidedownmark on Friday 14th August 14:47
You can track pretty much anything and as someone said you can have as much fun in a slow car as the latest supercar and nobody gives a toss as they are all having fun whatever their in. Oh and a Clio would be a great choice as a track slag.
With the costs of track days, have a look at evenings with MSV, Snetterton in August was £80 or alternativley airfield days tend to be cheaper....2 hours of track time is more than enough for starters and if your tracking a light weight, small capacity car your not going to destroy a set of pads, tyres or use much more than a tank of gas.
If you go cheap and cheerfull and I'll use our KA as an example (ok it's an EnduroKA, but as it's nearly stock the consumables are cheap).
40 quid of gas will last a solid 2 hours flat out running on track (don't buy gas on circuit unless you've just won euromillions)
No need for a full fluid change, unless it's old or you haven't had a service for a while.
Tyres again, you'll hardly notice any ware unless your sliding it around for a complete day, although on most circuits the front left might look a bit scrubbed. Road tyres are fine for the odd track day, no need to go full 888's to start with.
Brakes...well if it's slow you won't be on the brakes much and that's half the fun trying to keep the speed up and taking corners flat that others in faster cars would have a squeeky pant moment trying is very satisfying
Helmet you can get away with a motorbike helmet or hire one at the circuit
Pick somewhere local so you don't need to stay away
Insurance is personal. Accidents do happen, but contact on track days is very rare and track operators and other drivers are pretty good at spotting the loons before they hurt themselves or others. Again as other have said, if your comfortable with the implications of not having any then go for it, many do.
There's novice only days and non race car days, search these out as you get a more level playing field of competency and courtesy.
A short bit of tuition is often free as part of the day, take it if it's there and even if it is a small cost do it as you'll learn the right way around the track
Food and drink and some basic tools and your good to go
So for your first time out, you could probably get change from 250-300 quid from a track evening without too much additional ware to your car if it's something like the above. If the bug bites, which it could well do then start factoring in a set of tyres sooner than normal, more than regular fluid changes and quicker use of consumables and it become a very slippery slope, but it's a fun slope to be on.
With the costs of track days, have a look at evenings with MSV, Snetterton in August was £80 or alternativley airfield days tend to be cheaper....2 hours of track time is more than enough for starters and if your tracking a light weight, small capacity car your not going to destroy a set of pads, tyres or use much more than a tank of gas.
If you go cheap and cheerfull and I'll use our KA as an example (ok it's an EnduroKA, but as it's nearly stock the consumables are cheap).
40 quid of gas will last a solid 2 hours flat out running on track (don't buy gas on circuit unless you've just won euromillions)
No need for a full fluid change, unless it's old or you haven't had a service for a while.
Tyres again, you'll hardly notice any ware unless your sliding it around for a complete day, although on most circuits the front left might look a bit scrubbed. Road tyres are fine for the odd track day, no need to go full 888's to start with.
Brakes...well if it's slow you won't be on the brakes much and that's half the fun trying to keep the speed up and taking corners flat that others in faster cars would have a squeeky pant moment trying is very satisfying
Helmet you can get away with a motorbike helmet or hire one at the circuit
Pick somewhere local so you don't need to stay away
Insurance is personal. Accidents do happen, but contact on track days is very rare and track operators and other drivers are pretty good at spotting the loons before they hurt themselves or others. Again as other have said, if your comfortable with the implications of not having any then go for it, many do.
There's novice only days and non race car days, search these out as you get a more level playing field of competency and courtesy.
A short bit of tuition is often free as part of the day, take it if it's there and even if it is a small cost do it as you'll learn the right way around the track
Food and drink and some basic tools and your good to go
So for your first time out, you could probably get change from 250-300 quid from a track evening without too much additional ware to your car if it's something like the above. If the bug bites, which it could well do then start factoring in a set of tyres sooner than normal, more than regular fluid changes and quicker use of consumables and it become a very slippery slope, but it's a fun slope to be on.
Edited by blaine54 on Saturday 15th August 07:36
The most expensive (costs, not value) car I've tracked was my Giulia QF. You could do a set of £1000 tyres (OEM pirelli corsas) and a set of pads in a day on top of £200 insurance, £150 fuel and ticket. Easily over £1500 for the day.
We got that down to under £1000 by upgrading the pads to PF items and fitting Michelin PS4S, but you still need to outlay on the parts.
Bonkers money!!
Cheapest car (costs, not value) I've tracked is my current Exige 410. I'm 8 track days in and still on the original Cup2 tyres, pads and discs. It does like fuel on track, but only at a rate of £90 for a full day (100 laps of Goodwood for example). Insurance and entry is the biggest cost, but you're looking at £500/600 all in I'd say.
We got that down to under £1000 by upgrading the pads to PF items and fitting Michelin PS4S, but you still need to outlay on the parts.
Bonkers money!!
Cheapest car (costs, not value) I've tracked is my current Exige 410. I'm 8 track days in and still on the original Cup2 tyres, pads and discs. It does like fuel on track, but only at a rate of £90 for a full day (100 laps of Goodwood for example). Insurance and entry is the biggest cost, but you're looking at £500/600 all in I'd say.
ecain63 said:
Cheapest car (costs, not value) I've tracked is my current Exige 410. I'm 8 track days in and still on the original Cup2 tyres, pads and discs. It does like fuel on track, but only at a rate of £90 for a full day (100 laps of Goodwood for example). Insurance and entry is the biggest cost, but you're looking at £500/600 all in I'd say.
Thanks for sharing. That sounds like a good solution for the future for me. I track my TVR Chimaera.
Just under 1100 kg, my costs are about in line with UpsidedownMark.
Track tyres last 6-8 track days, but I never buy them new.
Last set of R888Rs were £300 from a guy who had bought them for his show Subaru Imprezza, then changed them after a few hundred road miles because his girlfriend hated the hard ride. Baffling. I also sometimes use ex Clio Racing slicks, which are about £30 a tyre.
Fuel is the main cost, as a 4.6 litre Rover v8 wasn't designed for economy, especially driven on track.
A full set of pads lasts me a 6 track season, including road miles, at about £200.
Insurance varies, depending on who you insure with and how many track days you do. Road policies with inclusive track days are the cheapest and are available for TVRs.
So yes, not a cheap hobby, but fun, especially when done with friends. I wouldn't want to do a track day on my own.
Just under 1100 kg, my costs are about in line with UpsidedownMark.
Track tyres last 6-8 track days, but I never buy them new.
Last set of R888Rs were £300 from a guy who had bought them for his show Subaru Imprezza, then changed them after a few hundred road miles because his girlfriend hated the hard ride. Baffling. I also sometimes use ex Clio Racing slicks, which are about £30 a tyre.
Fuel is the main cost, as a 4.6 litre Rover v8 wasn't designed for economy, especially driven on track.
A full set of pads lasts me a 6 track season, including road miles, at about £200.
Insurance varies, depending on who you insure with and how many track days you do. Road policies with inclusive track days are the cheapest and are available for TVRs.
So yes, not a cheap hobby, but fun, especially when done with friends. I wouldn't want to do a track day on my own.
nickfrog said:
ecain63 said:
Cheapest car (costs, not value) I've tracked is my current Exige 410. I'm 8 track days in and still on the original Cup2 tyres, pads and discs. It does like fuel on track, but only at a rate of £90 for a full day (100 laps of Goodwood for example). Insurance and entry is the biggest cost, but you're looking at £500/600 all in I'd say.
Thanks for sharing. That sounds like a good solution for the future for me. worldwidewebs said:
The key for low costs is low weight. I get about 10 days out of a set of tyres and pads from my Elise Cup - my old S1 Elise was about the same for pads but lighter on tyres (and better on fuel, not being supercharged)
Sure. My current offset for that is that the track car is also my daily, which has been the case for a number of years so I only pay for 1 lot of depreciation, tax, insurance, maintenance.The other side benefit is that I can travel in confort to the overseas circuits, namely Spa and Ring, but will also include Laon if and when it's built
But looming retirement means that I can now forego the daily and have one focused car. Not sure where the sweetspot is between S2 and S3 (I don't comfortably fit in a S1 at 6ft1).
I would also shift from 6 to 12 track days a year so the road car compromise thing needs to disapear anyway.
nickfrog said:
Not sure where the sweetspot is between S2 and S3 (I don't comfortably fit in a S1 at 6ft1).
I went from an S1 to the S3 (and have previously had an S2). In terms of room, the S1 is better when wearing a helmet as the roll-bar cover on the S2/3 comes further forward and lower than the one on the S1. I'm 6'2" and fit fine in the S1 with Tillett B5 seats on the standard runners but in my S3 I've had to fit the same seats on fixed brackets to get enough room when wearing a helmeti think others have it about right. i've 1 car for both road&track. i tend to go entry + 2 full refuels (covers to/from&at the track) + £150 for tyres, brakes etc. CL RC6e pads £200, set of 18" nankang AR1's are £600/set, keeping the factory 19" for track was prohibitively expensive.
unfortunately there's been a lot of experimentation and re-thinking for me plus failures. 3 yrs i've not really come away from a trackday without something unexpected happening. multiple cooked pads, torn tyres, cracked oil cooler, blown hoses. car is only 2015. I've also been one of the few seemingly doing it properly too. I tried various (not car specific) recommendations and failed various times, to then find out years later that those who recommended are now having same issues i was.
I decided to ignore the vast majority of common knowledge & thoughts and do my own thing. initial outlay has been 2-3x what i expected to prep it for track.£2k seemed right, i'm now around £6k of mods (including the failures like multiple cooked pads) just to get it stable on the track and very few of those are pure performance mods.
I ended up with dedicated pads and wheels&tyres and swapping between them for track-only use, so thats around £1400 i didn't expect to spend. i figure year 2-3 will be that break-even point assuming i can get 4-5 days/yr in (currently doing 3/yr due to cost of failures). prepping the car and working on it's weaknesses will be the unexpected side to costs. thankfully the clio has a LOT of info behind it for track prep.
insurance - i'm with Aplan for road. they do an addon cover for track too which also give you 5 events/yr for £250 (at least it is for me on a 2015 civic typeR). Morris/ad hoc track insurers couldnt come close to that.
unfortunately there's been a lot of experimentation and re-thinking for me plus failures. 3 yrs i've not really come away from a trackday without something unexpected happening. multiple cooked pads, torn tyres, cracked oil cooler, blown hoses. car is only 2015. I've also been one of the few seemingly doing it properly too. I tried various (not car specific) recommendations and failed various times, to then find out years later that those who recommended are now having same issues i was.
I decided to ignore the vast majority of common knowledge & thoughts and do my own thing. initial outlay has been 2-3x what i expected to prep it for track.£2k seemed right, i'm now around £6k of mods (including the failures like multiple cooked pads) just to get it stable on the track and very few of those are pure performance mods.
I ended up with dedicated pads and wheels&tyres and swapping between them for track-only use, so thats around £1400 i didn't expect to spend. i figure year 2-3 will be that break-even point assuming i can get 4-5 days/yr in (currently doing 3/yr due to cost of failures). prepping the car and working on it's weaknesses will be the unexpected side to costs. thankfully the clio has a LOT of info behind it for track prep.
insurance - i'm with Aplan for road. they do an addon cover for track too which also give you 5 events/yr for £250 (at least it is for me on a 2015 civic typeR). Morris/ad hoc track insurers couldnt come close to that.
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