dxb335d
26-05-2008, 07:27 PM
Had my first track day last week, well track evening. My good mate Jay came with me and was a passenger in every session.
Well it was not in sessions as it was an open pitlane which was awesome, did shiight loads of laps:D
It was a Piston Heads track evening. I had been around Snetterton once before as a passenger in a mates Radical, so had rough idea of what the track was like (aswell as knowing if from computer game) But it was my first track day in a car. Obviously i had an idea of how to drive having grown up karting as a teenager so im pretty handy behind the wheel lol. (if i dont mind saying myself haha)
The evening was limited to 40 cars and i think this was fully booked as there were plenty of cars there.
A madantory noise test was done on everycar goign on track, the 335d static noise test result was 77 Decibels LOL
We did two sighting laps following the ''pace' car as it were to get an idea of the track. I missed the first 5 mins of the drivers breifing and didnt realise this was what we were doing and didnt realise we had to stay in line, and silly bollox here overtook two cars :p
The DXB had worn non runflats and only mod being a DMS re-map. So standard suspension geometry.
I was very suprised how well the 335d went. We were catching up cars and passing them all the time.
Passed Aston Martin V8 Vantage, E36 M3 track car, TVR, Subaru's and caterham type cars.
In straightline, we pulled cleanly upto and past the E36 M3 track car and stayed with the Aston easily and pulled just a touch towards the end of the straight.
But over a whole lap i was quicker and got past.
At one point we were about 10 car lengths behind a M3 CSL and we were closing a tiny amount every lap. But it was tight so i was impressed with that also.
A few cars passed me, notably a elise which was on slicks and was fast over a whole lap. An intergra type R track car with some sorted suspension was also very fast!!
We were on the edge and i loved it so much i didnt come in for ages. I did say to Jay we will do 4 laps then come in and rest the car then go again for 4 laps. But i got carried away and kept saying ''just one more lap'':D
The car was impeccable, didnt go into limp home mode once (didnt think it would, but have heard some mapped 335d have done) and the car took an absolute beasting every lap. Couple of moments were caught on camera followed by comments of
''FFFUUUCCCCKKK'' from Jay lol.
and whats this Shight that BMW brakes aint up to much on track??!!
Mine was superb, DIDNT FADE ONCE and i was doing 15 odd laps at a time. Brakes have been fine over a week since also. Only a slight squeek when crawling in traffic, what would cause that do you think?
But brakes were superb no issues what so ever.
Braking hard from 125+mph every lap
I was very impressed with the Dynamics of the E92, its a fine handling car. It was always pliant and nuetral throught the whole lap and very happy to swap direction quickly through the two chicanes. Its a very well set up car from the factory (sport suspension remember) and im sure a non sport suspension E92 would only be a fraction behind.
NOT ONCE did the 335d feel breathless on track, it was always pulling hard relentlessly trying to headbutt the horizon and the ENOURMOUS torque help pull the car ouT of the bends.
A LSD diff would have made heaps of difference though. Its the only thing lacking on a super car. Traction control was very intrusive out of some of the slower bends and a real hindrance to acceleration. I half de-activated it on some laps and the car did feel much livlier and more fluid and came out the bends somewhat happier.
With an LSD diff the car would be mich faster and would be a Awesome track tool!!
I didnt really feel the 1600kg of weight around the track, the E92 wears its weight well and didnt push on into the bends ay all, even when going in very hard into the bends. I did out brake myself a couple of times finding the limit.
The rules are, if a car is quicker than you then let them past,and only pass on the left!!
I sometimes struggled with this with my racing back ground and just wanted to find every gap and lunge up the inside at the first opportunity BUT i couldnt do that, number one i would get thrown of the premisies number two i would prob have an accident with someone else who wasnt expecting a race style lunge up the inside.
If you dont have a racing backgroudn i cant imagine this would be a problem for you as you would cruise up and they when the chance arose would move over to the side, providing you were quicker!!
I did insure my car for on track, and feel i would have been silly not to with a car of this value.
I was insured with these guys and fully recommend them
www.richardeggerinsurance.co.uk
Cost me £300 and my excess was £3500! Well worth it if ya bin ya motor!
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/edit1-26.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/edit2-19.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/IMG_6297C.jpg
These pics were taken by a fellow PHer, good action shots!
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/1.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/2.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/4.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/5.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/3.jpg
My favourite shot, the rear wheel looks massive and the tyre looks like an elastic band Looks really wide also the rear!
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/Snettertonmay08027.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/Snettertonmay08020.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/Snettertonmay08003.jpg
All in all a highly entertaing evening out. Some great cars parked up in the pits (shame they didnt go on track) and a mightily impressed Carlos with the 335d.
Oh and on the way home i got 42mpg :cool!: On the joy of a re-mapped 335d haha!!
Carlos
Well it was not in sessions as it was an open pitlane which was awesome, did shiight loads of laps:D
It was a Piston Heads track evening. I had been around Snetterton once before as a passenger in a mates Radical, so had rough idea of what the track was like (aswell as knowing if from computer game) But it was my first track day in a car. Obviously i had an idea of how to drive having grown up karting as a teenager so im pretty handy behind the wheel lol. (if i dont mind saying myself haha)
The evening was limited to 40 cars and i think this was fully booked as there were plenty of cars there.
A madantory noise test was done on everycar goign on track, the 335d static noise test result was 77 Decibels LOL
We did two sighting laps following the ''pace' car as it were to get an idea of the track. I missed the first 5 mins of the drivers breifing and didnt realise this was what we were doing and didnt realise we had to stay in line, and silly bollox here overtook two cars :p
The DXB had worn non runflats and only mod being a DMS re-map. So standard suspension geometry.
I was very suprised how well the 335d went. We were catching up cars and passing them all the time.
Passed Aston Martin V8 Vantage, E36 M3 track car, TVR, Subaru's and caterham type cars.
In straightline, we pulled cleanly upto and past the E36 M3 track car and stayed with the Aston easily and pulled just a touch towards the end of the straight.
But over a whole lap i was quicker and got past.
At one point we were about 10 car lengths behind a M3 CSL and we were closing a tiny amount every lap. But it was tight so i was impressed with that also.
A few cars passed me, notably a elise which was on slicks and was fast over a whole lap. An intergra type R track car with some sorted suspension was also very fast!!
We were on the edge and i loved it so much i didnt come in for ages. I did say to Jay we will do 4 laps then come in and rest the car then go again for 4 laps. But i got carried away and kept saying ''just one more lap'':D
The car was impeccable, didnt go into limp home mode once (didnt think it would, but have heard some mapped 335d have done) and the car took an absolute beasting every lap. Couple of moments were caught on camera followed by comments of
''FFFUUUCCCCKKK'' from Jay lol.
and whats this Shight that BMW brakes aint up to much on track??!!
Mine was superb, DIDNT FADE ONCE and i was doing 15 odd laps at a time. Brakes have been fine over a week since also. Only a slight squeek when crawling in traffic, what would cause that do you think?
But brakes were superb no issues what so ever.
Braking hard from 125+mph every lap
I was very impressed with the Dynamics of the E92, its a fine handling car. It was always pliant and nuetral throught the whole lap and very happy to swap direction quickly through the two chicanes. Its a very well set up car from the factory (sport suspension remember) and im sure a non sport suspension E92 would only be a fraction behind.
NOT ONCE did the 335d feel breathless on track, it was always pulling hard relentlessly trying to headbutt the horizon and the ENOURMOUS torque help pull the car ouT of the bends.
A LSD diff would have made heaps of difference though. Its the only thing lacking on a super car. Traction control was very intrusive out of some of the slower bends and a real hindrance to acceleration. I half de-activated it on some laps and the car did feel much livlier and more fluid and came out the bends somewhat happier.
With an LSD diff the car would be mich faster and would be a Awesome track tool!!
I didnt really feel the 1600kg of weight around the track, the E92 wears its weight well and didnt push on into the bends ay all, even when going in very hard into the bends. I did out brake myself a couple of times finding the limit.
The rules are, if a car is quicker than you then let them past,and only pass on the left!!
I sometimes struggled with this with my racing back ground and just wanted to find every gap and lunge up the inside at the first opportunity BUT i couldnt do that, number one i would get thrown of the premisies number two i would prob have an accident with someone else who wasnt expecting a race style lunge up the inside.
If you dont have a racing backgroudn i cant imagine this would be a problem for you as you would cruise up and they when the chance arose would move over to the side, providing you were quicker!!
I did insure my car for on track, and feel i would have been silly not to with a car of this value.
I was insured with these guys and fully recommend them
www.richardeggerinsurance.co.uk
Cost me £300 and my excess was £3500! Well worth it if ya bin ya motor!
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/edit1-26.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/edit2-19.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/IMG_6297C.jpg
These pics were taken by a fellow PHer, good action shots!
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/1.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/2.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/4.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/5.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/3.jpg
My favourite shot, the rear wheel looks massive and the tyre looks like an elastic band Looks really wide also the rear!
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/Snettertonmay08027.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/Snettertonmay08020.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/mybizuk/Snettertonmay08003.jpg
All in all a highly entertaing evening out. Some great cars parked up in the pits (shame they didnt go on track) and a mightily impressed Carlos with the 335d.
Oh and on the way home i got 42mpg :cool!: On the joy of a re-mapped 335d haha!!
Carlos