I think I have been bitten by the bug
Discussion
First of all Hi everyone, my first visit into this sub-forum. I have had a quick read a few pages back, but am just after some advice.
I had a short M3 experience at Palmer in Bedford, on Friday. My first foray onto track. This one as a gift from work. Long and short of it was that I was reasonably competent, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The thrill was amazing, and now I want more.
I know that doing track days is not cheap, and i know I wont be driving like i did on Friday. But I would assume that although the buzz is not quite as intense as driving a race car, the enjoyment would last much longer. So I have a few questions if you could help guide me.
The car I want, a BMW E39 528 touring, is probably a really silly idea, but is there any real reason why I should ditch the idea? I used to have a saloon, but really fancy a touring for this. If there are genuine reasons then I will have to look at something else. My wife has said it will look silly.
Whatever car I go for, I would assume that I would need to do the following things ;
I suppose that's it for the moment, thanks in advance guys/girls. I just need pointing in the right direction, to make sure I can afford it, and don't go the wrong route.
Cheers!
I had a short M3 experience at Palmer in Bedford, on Friday. My first foray onto track. This one as a gift from work. Long and short of it was that I was reasonably competent, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The thrill was amazing, and now I want more.
I know that doing track days is not cheap, and i know I wont be driving like i did on Friday. But I would assume that although the buzz is not quite as intense as driving a race car, the enjoyment would last much longer. So I have a few questions if you could help guide me.
The car I want, a BMW E39 528 touring, is probably a really silly idea, but is there any real reason why I should ditch the idea? I used to have a saloon, but really fancy a touring for this. If there are genuine reasons then I will have to look at something else. My wife has said it will look silly.
Whatever car I go for, I would assume that I would need to do the following things ;
- Service - inc fluids
- Refresh brakes
- Reasonable tyres
I suppose that's it for the moment, thanks in advance guys/girls. I just need pointing in the right direction, to make sure I can afford it, and don't go the wrong route.
Cheers!
A 528 touring will be heavy on tyres and brakes but you already know that.
It's not the ideal car but if it's well serviced there should be absolutely no problem track daying it, but I suspect you'll be wanting to change to something more fit-for-purpose before too long so don't whatever you do start making significant track-biased upgrades to the 528.
It's not the ideal car but if it's well serviced there should be absolutely no problem track daying it, but I suspect you'll be wanting to change to something more fit-for-purpose before too long so don't whatever you do start making significant track-biased upgrades to the 528.
OscarIndia said:
Estate cars on a track....Madness....!
Get it done!
Ah, but that be Scotlandshire where they all be a little bit crazy.Get it done!
At Le Mans Bugatti in the summer there was a chap tracking his big old Mercedes tank. No brakes after half a lap!
The reality is that you can take anything on track and have a great time!
silverthorn2151 said:
The reality is that you can take anything on track and have a great time!
Indeed. Just not for very long. When NXI20 took an E55 saloon around Donington for a bit of light entertainment the brakes could be readily smelled by pretty much anyone, anywhere out on track or the pit wall and were spent in very short order. Those were 8 pots too I believe - not exactly underspecified you might think, but not really up to the job. Reportedly great fun in full hooligan mode all the same - missile on the straight, barge through the bends.On a related note, the time before that that I saw a big AMG Merc on a track was an SL on a warm day at Spa. It's engine blew before lunch on the first day. All that said, I have seen a W12 Phaeton out having fun a few times now, and Bentley Contis and Jag XJs and XFs are occasionally spotted too. But again - they don't clock up a lot of laps.
silverthorn2151 said:
OscarIndia said:
Estate cars on a track....Madness....!
Get it done!
Ah, but that be Scotlandshire where they all be a little bit crazy.Get it done!
At Le Mans Bugatti in the summer there was a chap tracking his big old Mercedes tank. No brakes after half a lap!
The reality is that you can take anything on track and have a great time!
It has to be the ultimate insult, being overtaken by and eatate car with a baby seat in the back!
Thanks for the input. I still really want the 5 series. But am looking at other options.
I could get a cheap one and replace the brakes, or could go for something smaller. The car will be kept on road all year, and may be used to get me too and from work occasionally.
I don't mind spending little on upgrades if it means I can be flexible with the car choice. And if I am replacing stuff, then the condition of the current parts is irrelevant? I think.
I could get a cheap one and replace the brakes, or could go for something smaller. The car will be kept on road all year, and may be used to get me too and from work occasionally.
I don't mind spending little on upgrades if it means I can be flexible with the car choice. And if I am replacing stuff, then the condition of the current parts is irrelevant? I think.
We have an MGzs 180 for trackdays when the Radical is broken or its raining.
V6 engine, a bit of a trackday gem that is under the radar somewhat. Cheap as chips too! We have some track day wheels for it and as it's a hatchback we bung a load of stuff in and drive it there.
There are some MG estate types as well that you could consider.
One of the quickest guys you will ever meet on track is Don Palmer and last time I saw him he was still belting round in his 200,000 mile Golf diesel.
Trackdays are about driving whatever you want close to the limit of your ability and the cars performance. I think it's great to have different stuff on track.
V6 engine, a bit of a trackday gem that is under the radar somewhat. Cheap as chips too! We have some track day wheels for it and as it's a hatchback we bung a load of stuff in and drive it there.
There are some MG estate types as well that you could consider.
One of the quickest guys you will ever meet on track is Don Palmer and last time I saw him he was still belting round in his 200,000 mile Golf diesel.
Trackdays are about driving whatever you want close to the limit of your ability and the cars performance. I think it's great to have different stuff on track.
You won't enjoy the E39 on track at all. It's too heavy, fairly underpowered, softly suspended and has crap brakes.
All E39 Tourings have rear airbag suspension which is soft and wallowy, and not upgradeable.
If it really must be an estate, you'd be far better off in an E36 328i. Quicker, easier to modify, less likely to kill you. I tracked a 328i where the only upgrades were braided hoses, fluid and front RS29 pads and apart from a few scratches on the door handles, it wasn't too bad.
All E39 Tourings have rear airbag suspension which is soft and wallowy, and not upgradeable.
If it really must be an estate, you'd be far better off in an E36 328i. Quicker, easier to modify, less likely to kill you. I tracked a 328i where the only upgrades were braided hoses, fluid and front RS29 pads and apart from a few scratches on the door handles, it wasn't too bad.
John145 said:
Make sure you've got fresh dot 5.1 brake fluid.
On the contrary I think fresh DOT 4 should suffice so long as the braking system is well maintaied and the right pads are used, and if you manage to boil DOT 4 you should just cut the crap and change to Castrol SRF.DOT 5.1 has less resistance to compression and only a marginally higher boiling point than fresh DOT 4.
Output Flange said:
All E39 Tourings have rear airbag suspension which is soft and wallowy, and not upgradeable.
It's a hydraulic self-levelling system rather than an airbag system. It's quite easy to ditch it and fit a conventional shock/spring setup, but let's face it, spending this sort of money trying to make a 5 series estate lap fast is a bit of a waste.OP- do a trackday or two in the Beemer, then put a towbar on it and use it to tow a proper track toy
Edited by HustleRussell on Wednesday 26th September 16:16
Output Flange said:
You won't enjoy the E39 on track at all. It's too heavy, fairly underpowered, softly suspended and has crap brakes.
All E39 Tourings have rear airbag suspension which is soft and wallowy, and not upgradeable.
If it really must be an estate, you'd be far better off in an E36 328i. Quicker, easier to modify, less likely to kill you. I tracked a 328i where the only upgrades were braided hoses, fluid and front RS29 pads and apart from a few scratches on the door handles, it wasn't too bad.
Totally agree!All E39 Tourings have rear airbag suspension which is soft and wallowy, and not upgradeable.
If it really must be an estate, you'd be far better off in an E36 328i. Quicker, easier to modify, less likely to kill you. I tracked a 328i where the only upgrades were braided hoses, fluid and front RS29 pads and apart from a few scratches on the door handles, it wasn't too bad.
The E39 tourer is a terrible terrible idea. Sorry
You may enjoy it at the start but the novelty and the cars huge short comings as a trackcat will soon start to annoy you as you improve as a driver IMHO.
Thanks for the input. I still really want the 5 series. But am looking at other options.
I could get a cheap one and replace the brakes, or could go for something smaller. The car will be kept on road all year, and may be used to get me too and from work occasionally.
I don't mind spending little on upgrades if it means I can be flexible with the car choice. And if I am replacing stuff, then the condition of the current parts is irrelevant? I think.
I could get a cheap one and replace the brakes, or could go for something smaller. The car will be kept on road all year, and may be used to get me too and from work occasionally.
I don't mind spending little on upgrades if it means I can be flexible with the car choice. And if I am replacing stuff, then the condition of the current parts is irrelevant? I think.
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