Keeping safe without wrecking car value

[davidjames84]

Pretty simple really guys.
I want to start doing trackdays maybe 5-6 a year in my e36 m3 but I'm worried that if I have a roll cage installed in will ruin the car for anything other than track work and hamper the appreciation the car is gaining.
I will at least put FIA seat in but what's the advice on this?
Thanks guys

[E-bmw]

Any appreciation will be based on originality/mileage/history/condition, so if you are more worried about that then get a cheap stter, strip/modify it & keep your P & J un-molested.

If not, just do it!

[GroundEffect]

Doing that many track days will not help it appreciate, at all.

Consider a track mile does as much damage to the various systems as 5-6 road miles...

[davidjames84]

So I'm better of using a low valued car and start with that then?
I have a e46 325 se I'm ment to be selling but it's really good condition and not worth a huge amount rather than ruining my ac Schnitzer factory m3 I guess. Will I get bored of the 325 do you think?

[E-bmw]

In a word, no.

I used one on track for over 3 years & if it weren't for a combination of the onset of the old tin-worm/328 for less/offer I couldn't refuse, I would still have it now.

Spax coilovers, e46 brake upgrade & good pads, remap, inlet/exhaust manifold, strip EVERYTHING not required.

All can be done bit-by-bit as time/money allows, job done, you WILL have a hoot.

[davidjames84]

This is the m3's spec so it's not standard but still going up in value

E36 spec

Engine
-ARP Rod bolts
-ACL racing main shells
-magnetic sump plug
-K&N panel filter
-evolve remap 326.8 BHP
- Scorpion cat back DTM

Drive train
- ACS short shift kit
- HEL braided clutch hose
- febi prop bush
- rouge engineering gearbox mounts

Brakes
Front:
-Porsche 996 turbo calipers
-road and rally brackets
-textar road pads
- goodridge braided lines
- new BMW solid lines
- ATE CSL floating 345mm discs
- ATE super blue fluid
-Porsche pad sensors

Rear:
-Porsche 996 c4s calipers
- road and rally brackets
-textar road pads
-goodride braided lines
- BMW soiled lines
-Porsche pad sensors
- ATE super blue fluid
- BMW E46 M3 floating rear discs

Steering
-E46 clubsport purple steering rack
-lemfodder inner rods
-lemfodder track control ends
- BMW cooler hose
- BMW high press hose
- BMW tank to pump hose
-febi pas fluid

Suspension
Front:
- ACS bilstien shocks
- H&R road springs
- Myhle hd arb links
- Jb camber shims + high tensile bolts
- reinforced turrets
- E36 Evo wishbones e30 joints
-power flex purple lollipop bushes
-eibach AC Schnitzer anti roll bar set to hard
-Eibach ARB bushes
- ACS carbon fibre strut brace
- Z3M under brace
- rouge camber top mounts
- vibratech engine mounts
- reinforced subframe

Rear:
-Bilstien b6 norsclife dampers
- H&R road springs
- MYLE hd rear arb links
-Eibach Ac Schnitzer anti roll bar set to soft
-Eibach ARB bushes
- rouge engineering top mount kit
- rouge engineering rta bushes
- powerflex purple subframe bushes
- jb engineering adjustable camber arms
- ACS rear alloy strut brace

Wheels
- ACS type 3 18" 8.5"j et 43 x5
- Federal 595 RSR 235/34/18 xl
- AME spacers 15mm rear 18mm front


Exterior
- ACS carbon front spliter
- ACS roof spoiler
- E46 m3 boot badge
- ACS grill badge
- Cree reverse light bulbs
- Bosch aero double wipers
- Matt black kidney grills

Interior
- ACS short shift gear knob
- ACS pedals
- Sony Bluetooth head unit
- Double OEM mats l,

[upsidedownmark]

Personall I would suggest that you are reasonably safe with an unmodified road car. Lets face it, cars crash on the road, and have come a long way over the years. I'd estimate that <5% of cars I see at a trackday have a cage. A lot of the 'chat' here recently has been about fitting (for example) harnesses without a cage, which is a different problem.

As to getting bored of (any) car, unless you're a complete talentless 'clarkson' who just wants 'power' in a straight line and isn't interested in finesse, or learning to extract more from the car and yourself, no. In my slightly contentious opinion, there's generally an inverse correlation between the value/flashiness/potential of the car, and how well it's being driven/enjoyed

[velocefica]

I personally would never drive a daily or altered road spec car on a track day especially one that will appreciate in value.

If your planning on having a hoon then I would get a track prepared car and use it for track days. You'll probably find in the long run it cost you less then what you will lose in value of a buggered M3.

Edited by velocefica on Wednesday 2nd March 21:45

[iguana]

M3 track cars have appreciated too, my full track example I'd had a lot of trackdays fun in went for double my purchase price 3 yrs ago.

Anyway you'd soon want to upgrade suspension at some point to on that soft road spec & a cage if you want to go that route is removable leaving almost no trace.

[davidjames84]

the car needs to be useable on the road as it will spend much more time on the road, from most I have read a roll cage and road driving don't go well together unless you always wear a helmet so I think that idea is out.

I looked into a dedicated track car like a Clio 172 or MR-s with a 2zz but then I'd have to sell the m3 as I don't have the space for more cars and the m3 is my p&j and I have spent a lot on it

I want a fun weekend car that will cope with weekend, might just put a bucket seat in and keep the 3 point belt and be mind full on the track

[HustleRussell]

It depends to an extent on how hard you want to drive the car, Every trackday I've been to there's been club racers wringing every last out of their car and in stark contrast a chap in an old Morgan or something who seems content flowing smoothly around the track on a nice line without ever squealing a tyre.

[davidjames84]

More of a fun thing than extracting 100% of the car. Just allowing some oversteer and stretching the old girls legs without worry of losing my licence or hurting other people

[Wollemi]

Start off with your car as it is. If what you want to do is see how it goes when driven hard in a safe and legal environment then that's all you need. Get some instruction and only go on well run track days where the risk of collision should be much less than driving fast on the public road.

[NJH]

davidjames84 said:

the car needs to be useable on the road as it will spend much more time on the road, from most I have read a roll cage and road driving don't go well together unless you always wear a helmet so I think that idea is out.

The areas of the cage with which it is possible for your head to contact in an accident should be covered in that FIA spec hard impact foam anyway (the stuff bought in 1m sticks). Still though I wouldn't want to hit into that stuff without a helmet on.

You can do it if you want but its true that the safety systems are all designed to work together so track car = cage, harness, HANS device, helmet. Road = no cage, airbags (including steering wheel), 3 point belt.

As to wearing a helmet when road driving, never done that. For me the area of concern was the closeness of the cage to my head and this is directly related to the car and the cage installation. In a modern hatchback for example you could easily get the seat nice and low such that in a strapped in seated position you are a long way from being able to hit the header bar or B post bar, or roof side bars. In sports cars you're going to be really close to all of these unfortunately due to how cramped the cabin becomes with a cage in place. M3 was not to bad from memory, never driven one on track but did drive a race prepped one once about 100 ft.