$5000 to blow

[uncle ben]

I recently discovered I love track days and want to put a little money into my car. Currently stock everything except SRF fluid and ferodo ds1:11 pads. What would you spend the $5000 on and why? Thanks

[Suds]

Ok, I will play.
Generally first mods to track a F8x are camber plates, more negative camber to the front and rear of the car, some track tires, maybe wheels.
This will get you really far.

[Darth One]

Answer is in the title, $5000 to blow

J/k, track tires is my reco. Once you wear out $5000 of tires, you'll know what exactly to spend the next $5000 on, and so it goes…

[edycol]

Originally Posted by uncle ben

I recently discovered I love track days and want to put a little money into my car. Currently stock everything except SRF fluid and ferodo ds1:11 pads. What would you spend the $5000 on and why? Thanks

Be careful with SRF. If you didn't flush first time with 3 bottles, go back and redo job with 2 bottles. Key to SRF is that you MUST get rid of old hygroscopic fluid since SRF is hydrophobic fluid. Best is to use BMW flush method to get out everything from DSC/ABS module then use pressure pump.
However, IMO changing more often fluid allows you to use fluid with higher boiling point. SRF is excellent race fluid but for track days IMO fluid like Motul RBF660 etc. is better choice.

[Jbonly21]

Camber plates and some track wheels and tires, coilovers or m performance has kit.

[DocL]

Best place to spend money in the beginning is on driving instruction. Take something like a three day Barber course, and then get a good amount of track time under your belt.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by uncle ben

I recently discovered I love track days and want to put a little money into my car. Currently stock everything except SRF fluid and ferodo ds1:11 pads. What would you spend the $5000 on and why? Thanks

Echoing what others have already stated:

$1-2k - Instruction first if you are new to the sport.
$600 - Camber Plates to save your...
$1.6k - Tires
$2-3k - Suspension


That's right around your $5k budget right there, and money well spent. After that look into track wheels if you find yourself going once a month or more. If not, save your money for track days, tires and insurance, because it adds up!

[Bluer2]

Kratos Turbo Kit and a E85 tune for 800whp...................................just kidding

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

Camber plates
Tires
Track days

The car is already super capable.

[RSXDC5]

Originally Posted by uncle ben

I recently discovered I love track days and want to put a little money into my car. Currently stock everything except SRF fluid and ferodo ds1:11 pads. What would you spend the $5000 on and why? Thanks

Remove charcoal intake filters $free
Track-able tires, 200tw $1500
Camber plates $450
GTS Diff/steering coding $50
GTS or XP-H DCT tune if dct $50?
BM3 & f80paul track tune $1000
F Girodisc rotors $1300
R Race Toe Links w/ eccentric lockout, SPL $350
F Monoballs, sealed, Bimmerworld $350
Alignment $300
$5300 approx.

This gives u all around upgrades. Better tires and neg camber, software, more power w/ linear track tune, brake cooling, alignment & feel

Then save for MCS 1-way dampers ($4k), crank hub ($3k), fresh tires/pads/fluids ($2.3k)

[uncle ben]

Thanks everyone for all the great input.

[sly1types]

Originally Posted by RSXDC5

Remove charcoal intake filters $free
Track-able tires, 200tw $1500
Camber plates $450
GTS Diff/steering coding $50
GTS or XP-H DCT tune if dct $50?
BM3 & f80paul track tune $1000
F Girodisc rotors $1300
R Race Toe Links w/ eccentric lockout, SPL $350
F Monoballs, sealed, Bimmerworld $350
Alignment $300
$5300 approx.

This gives u all around upgrades. Better tires and neg camber, software, more power w/ linear track tune, brake cooling, alignment & feel

Then save for MCS 1-way dampers ($4k), crank hub ($3k), fresh tires/pads/fluids ($2.3k)

Thats a great list x2

i just installed SPL rear toe links this weekend, i didn't know they would really make a difference, but my shop said the eccentric was worn out at the last alignment.

[NYG]

BBK + Camber Plates will be ~5G. Both critical for tracking an F8x.

[D_SheerDrivingPleasure]

Or you could purchase 200 raffle tickets and hope you win the M2C dream car...

https://www.bmwcca.org/raffle

[bimmerboyE92]

I mis-read... thought it said $5000 on BLOW. I would've brought the hookers???

[D_SheerDrivingPleasure]

Originally Posted by bimmerboyE92

I mis-read... thought it said $5000 on BLOW. I would've brought the hookers???

YES. I was waiting for someone to have a go at this.

Hookers and blow. Where's the party!?

[uncle ben]

Just an update. This is how I’m spending $5000 in Canadian and include shipping and related charges.

Giro disc front discs $1900

Turner front monoball sealed $380 (got a deal)

Rogue engineering trans mounts $130

Vorshlag camber plates $950

Replace worn front tires $1000

$4630 spent, the rest should hopefully cover a good alignment.


I still wanted to add a couple more things like rear toe links with eccentric lockout, and rear Girodiscs, but it will have to wait a bit. Thanks again for all the advice.

My next question is how would you guys spend the next $5000? Hookers and blow right?

[NYG]

If I had to do it all over again - I would invest in a 2-way adjustable coil over suspension before spending money on stickier tires etc... Don't buy the M Performance or KW HAS. They're just lowering springs which help center of gravity but are still too soft.

You're not going to maximize grip until you've got the right dampers, springs and camber. I'm a member of the F8x needs a BBK in the front club but even then without the right suspension, the balance of the car will be all over the place under threshold braking.

[Montaver]

With what you have so far I'd do a street able bucket seat and spend the rest on some good coil overs. Seats/harnesses are the most impactful things for any track car IMO, being strapped in properly makes a huge difference especially under heavy braking.

[uncle ben]

Originally Posted by Montaver

With what you have so far I'd do a street able bucket seat and spend the rest on some good coil overs. Seats/harnesses are the most impactful things for any track car IMO, being strapped in properly makes a huge difference especially under heavy braking.

I was having trouble staying in my seat on my last track day. I’ve heard good things about the cobra Nogaro seat. Not sure if it would be an improvement over the factory seat or not. Also not sure how I would deal with the airbag warning light. If the car would still drive normally or if I would need to get it coded out.

[Suds]

Cobra Nogaro in my M2c, a great seat for the price.
Airbags are coded out, also no heated front seats.

[uncle ben]

If I run the cobra seat with a three point seatbelt, would it perform better than the stock seat with a three point belt?