BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92)

BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Go Back   M3Post - BMW M3 Forum > E90/E92 M3 Technical Topics > Track / Autocross / Dragstrip / Driving Techniques
 
BPM
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      06-19-2009, 08:25 PM   #1
sandwood
Private First Class
sandwood's Avatar
7
Rep
160
Posts

Drives: Z4M, formerly e90 M3
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Wash DC

iTrader: (4)

FATT at Summit Point today

Just a brief review. I'm still a novice, only my second time at Summit Point, first time in the M3. It was a blast. I passed everyone in my group except a c5 corvette, which was well driven but whom I hung with nicely, and an F40 ferrari, who for some reason was slumming it in my novice group for the better part of the day. I waved him past at one point and I couldn't hear my instructor at all. plus nice tongues of flames out his exhaust pipes on the over-run.

there were loads of nice cars, of course - a 996 and 997 GT3, a 997 GT2, a 911 turbo, 3 or 4 Z06 corvettes (I passed at least one), a number of different generation M3s, etc.

There were actually 2 GTRs in my group, including one that was heavily modified - the guy claimed 550hp to the wheel. He would pull long lengths on me on the straights, but he didn't have good lines and said he was having traction problems so I reeled him in on the corners and he waved me past a couple of times - very satisfying. he went in to limp mode late in the day when I was hot on his tail and he had to pull off the track and then limp into the pits. he said he injectors were maxed out and threw a code causing it to go into limp mode.

The M3 felt great. Brake pedal travel got a bit long a few times. the front of the car pushed on turn 1, more than I thought it would. I had the tires around 40 psi hot all around. My instructor wanted me to run with traction control full on, so maybe that had something to do with it? I was too busy with the early part of the corner to see if it was cutting in, but I'd bet it was. it certainly was coming on a lot at the exit of that corner.

traction control didn't actually bother me too much, though - I never felt it interfered with my line, just took a little juice out of some of my corner exits perhaps. my first instructor signed me off to go to the advanced group, my second instructor did one session with me and said I needed to do a session or two with traction control completely off, and then I should be good to go. Hopefully I'll be back out there next month and can really get the hang of things with traction control off.

A few general observations: the car felt a little lighter and more floaty than I would really like, both at high speed (I was hitting around 125 on the main straight), and on heavy braking for corners. is this just the nature of the beast? I had EDC on normal except one outing when I forgot it - damn stupid BMW doesn't make normal the default and have you push a button for comfort in my opinion. I also had "power" off. When I've improved my transitions and am comfortable with traction control off, then I'll experiment with the power setting.

brakes were good. next time out I will change out the brake fluid for something with a higher boiling point.

I have a way to go before I need anything better than the pilot sport tires - I love them. communicative, a little greasy after a while, but plenty of grip for me still.

steering feel so much better than regular every day driving lets on.

I did have the overflow of power steering fluid that everyone has mentioned (as did another guy with a coupe in the advanced group). now that it has done this, can I just forget about it, or should I consider draining it a little more before another track day?

what do those of you with more track experience think about getting aftermarket springs? I think it could be tightened up just a bit, and maybe slightly lower center of gravity would help too....? But I live in the city and I've already scraped the thing under the front spoiler on one or two parking lot entrances, so I'm not too keen on lowering it at all.

I also think it could use slightly more front tire, but I'm not in any rush.

thoughts, comments?
Attached Images
  
Appreciate 0
      06-24-2009, 09:05 PM   #2
bayerischeperformance
Second Lieutenant
12
Rep
237
Posts

Drives: e46 m3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Fairfax, va

iTrader: (3)

get a small towel and zip tie it around there. or a small arm band. You will still lose a little fluid but it wont go everywhere
Appreciate 0
      06-26-2009, 07:37 PM   #3
4u3
Private First Class
18
Rep
105
Posts

Drives: 09 E92
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Pasadena MD

iTrader: (0)

What track were you on? I did Shenadoah twice, will do Main track this July at FAAT. I am a novice driver so this is all new to me, just having fun, will not change anything at this point. Plan to track 3-4 times this month at Summit Point. MBNA is running, so are Track Daze. Glad you had fun.
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:55 PM.




m3post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST