Few questions regarding tracking your car

[ano0oj]

Hey guys, long time BMW fan/owner here. Currently driving an X5 50i, but looking to add an M3 or M4 to the family within the next year or so. I have a few questions for you regarding tracking your car, something I've been wanting to do for a very long time.

When it comes time next year, I'll likely pull the trigger on a car with M Carbon Ceramic brakes, DCT and not much else. The additional cost of the Competition Package makes me want to just go with a full Dinan Signature package instead - any thoughts on this?

1. What mods are absolutely necessary for the track? This will be my futre wife's car so I want it to still be comfortable for her every day driving but also hold up on the track when I decide to take it there. Wheels, suspension, brakes, etc.

2. What are the typical costs that people overlook for track days? Can I expect to go through tires, track fees, etc.

3. If your track is 150-200 miles away, do you just drive there or take your M on a trailer?



And last - would love to meet up members for any track days next year!

[HRE_Wheels]

Originally Posted by ano0oj

1. What mods are absolutely necessary for the track? This will be my futre wife's car so I want it to still be comfortable for her every day driving but also hold up on the track when I decide to take it there. Wheels, suspension, brakes, etc.

2. What are the typical costs that people overlook for track days? Can I expect to go through tires, track fees, etc.

3. If your track is 150-200 miles away, do you just drive there or take your M on a trailer?



And last - would love to meet up members for any track days next year!

1 - Brakes are the most important if you ask me. I would upgrade the fluid, upgrade the brake lines at least, and look into a better performing pad that can handle the heat better. Wheels and suspension you don't absolutely need to get on a track, but it would certainly help make it more enjoyable. Not everyone will be able to drive this car to it's absolute limit right away, so I would recommend getting familiar with the car first, then start upgrading suspension and wheels/tires once you start getting a better feel for the car on track.

2 - Yes, track fees, tires, brake components, fluids like oil, brake fluid, and fuel can add up, but other than that I would throw in safety equipment like helmet(s) for example.

3 - I would just drive the M. If it's road legal I don't see why not. My track car isn't street legal, nor would it be fun to drive on a public road for a few hours straight, so I have no other choice to trailer. I would do a track day driving the M one day, and your following track day rent a trailer and see what experience worked out better for you.

[ecf34]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

1 - Brakes are the most important if you ask me. I would upgrade the fluid, upgrade the brake lines at least, and look into a better performing pad that can handle the heat better. Wheels and suspension you don't absolutely need to get on a track, but it would certainly help make it more enjoyable. Not everyone will be able to drive this car to it's absolute limit right away, so I would recommend getting familiar with the car first, then start upgrading suspension and wheels/tires once you start getting a better feel for the car on track.

2 - Yes, track fees, tires, brake components, fluids like oil, brake fluid, and fuel can add up, but other than that I would throw in safety equipment like helmet(s) for example.

3 - I would just drive the M. If it's road legal I don't see why not. My track car isn't street legal, nor would it be fun to drive on a public road for a few hours straight, so I have no other choice to trailer. I would do a track day driving the M one day, and your following track day rent a trailer and see what experience worked out better for you.

Just to add to #2: track insurance adds considerable cost to track days (but is usually optional)

[ano0oj]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

1 - Brakes are the most important if you ask me. I would upgrade the fluid, upgrade the brake lines at least, and look into a better performing pad that can handle the heat better. Wheels and suspension you don't absolutely need to get on a track, but it would certainly help make it more enjoyable. Not everyone will be able to drive this car to it's absolute limit right away, so I would recommend getting familiar with the car first, then start upgrading suspension and wheels/tires once you start getting a better feel for the car on track.

Will those individual component replacements be good enough for the track? I was thinking I'd have to budget in some brembos or the M carbon Ceramic full kits

[ano0oj]

Originally Posted by ecf34

Just to add to #2: track insurance adds considerable cost to track days (but is usually optional)

What's the usual rate for this? I don't think I'd be able to drive with peace of mind without it!

[ecf34]

Originally Posted by ano0oj

What's the usual rate for this? I don't think I'd be able to drive with peace of mind without it!

I think I was quoted $250 for a day and $350 for a weekend. I decided against it as it was more than the cost of the event.

[HRE_Wheels]

Originally Posted by ano0oj

Will those individual component replacements be good enough for the track? I was thinking I'd have to budget in some brembos or the M carbon Ceramic full kits

Good enough to at least get you started, but you're not going to be winning any Time Trial events with it. The factory equipment will overheat eventually causing the brake fluid to boil which is what we're trying to prevent. The lines and the fluid will help with keeping the temps down, the pads will give you better performance and better heat tolerance.

Once you've done that if you feel you still need better braking power, then I'd go with a Brembo BBK option for sure, but don't expect to need that immediately.

[darkbluemn]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

Good enough to at least get you started, but you're not going to be winning any Time Trial events with it. The factory equipment will overheat eventually causing the brake fluid to boil which is what we're trying to prevent. The lines and the fluid will help with keeping the temps down, the pads will give you better performance and better heat tolerance.

Once you've done that if you feel you still need better braking power, then I'd go with a Brembo BBK option for sure, but don't expect to need that immediately.

Is track duty brake fluid also good for DD? What differently should I do for that fluid? Like I know the racing pad is bad for daily use.

[HRE_Wheels]

Originally Posted by darkbluemn

Is track duty brake fluid also good for DD? What differently should I do for that fluid? Like I know the racing pad is bad for daily use.

Yep absolutely. No issues here running Motul 660 for the last few years. I'm sure many will recommend their own brand, but I only use Motul fluids myself.

https://www.motul.com/us/en-US/produ...0-factory-line

Full on race pads like Hawk DTC series pads will not be good for the street. If not within operating temperature you will not be able to stop very well at all. The compounds that race pads use need to be within their operating temperature range which is usually way too hot for normal street driving so they're never truly effective unless you're on a track. I'm still on my street/track pads, which work fine in both situations though they do squeak and squeal a lot - I use Hawk HP+ pads which they advertise as an autocross/track pad, but I haven't had an issue on the street.

[Reach]

I do not recommend you pursue the carbon ceramic brakes. The steel brakes and stock brembo calipers are more than capable once you have uprated brake fluid and track pads.

There is no consensus that the carbon brakes actually perform better on a given stop, although they certainly manage heat better. Wear on them is a real concern. They are not covered under maintenance, and after double-digit track days they need replacing at quite considerable cost.

In short, save the $$$ toward dedicated track pads, wheels, and tires.

[Powerslide]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

Yep absolutely. No issues here running Motul 660 for the last few years. I'm sure many will recommend their own brand, but I only use Motul fluids myself.

https://www.motul.com/us/en-US/produ...0-factory-line

Full on race pads like Hawk DTC series pads will not be good for the street. If not within operating temperature you will not be able to stop very well at all. The compounds that race pads use need to be within their operating temperature range which is usually way too hot for normal street driving so they're never truly effective unless you're on a track. I'm still on my street/track pads, which work fine in both situations though they do squeak and squeal a lot - I use Hawk HP+ pads which they advertise as an autocross/track pad, but I haven't had an issue on the street.

I actually daily drive for long periods of time on my Pagid RS29 (when I don't have time to swap out pads or want to scrape brake pad deposits off). They can squeak quite a bit - but braking performance is equal to stock pads even when cold...

On the track - they can take incredible punishment and just keep on stopping all day long... couldn't be happier (unless someone invented a similar performing pad compound that also never squeaked)

[Powerslide]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

Yep absolutely. No issues here running Motul 660 for the last few years. I'm sure many will recommend their own brand, but I only use Motul fluids myself.

https://www.motul.com/us/en-US/produ...0-factory-line

Full on race pads like Hawk DTC series pads will not be good for the street. If not within operating temperature you will not be able to stop very well at all. The compounds that race pads use need to be within their operating temperature range which is usually way too hot for normal street driving so they're never truly effective unless you're on a track. I'm still on my street/track pads, which work fine in both situations though they do squeak and squeal a lot - I use Hawk HP+ pads which they advertise as an autocross/track pad, but I haven't had an issue on the street.

I don't doubt the incredible performance of the Motul or similar synthetic brake fluids.

The only caveat is that synthetic brake fluids are not covered under the BMW factory warranty - they apparently foam up when the ABS kicks in and can cause problems - which is why it is not covered per my SA).

If you're ok with possibly risking warranty coverage (which may have a relatively low probability), what you'll get in return is higher and more consistent performance vs. stock or other covered brake fluids.

I compromise and use a Super DOT 4 brake fluid - it performs better than stock - not as well as Motul 660, but is still covered by the factory warranty. If you're beginner or intermediate level on the track - the Super DOT 4 will be more than adequate - I used it for multiple track sessions last season with no issues at all.

My only other "mods" are Pagid RS29 brake pads and Bridgestone RE-71R tires (both of which performed flawlessly at the track).

Good luck!

[wigaster]

Originally Posted by ano0oj

Hey guys, long time BMW fan/owner here. Currently driving an X5 50i, but looking to add an M3 or M4 to the family within the next year or so. I have a few questions for you regarding tracking your car, something I've been wanting to do for a very long time.

When it comes time next year, I'll likely pull the trigger on a car with M Carbon Ceramic brakes, DCT and not much else. The additional cost of the Competition Package makes me want to just go with a full Dinan Signature package instead - any thoughts on this?

1. What mods are absolutely necessary for the track? This will be my futre wife's car so I want it to still be comfortable for her every day driving but also hold up on the track when I decide to take it there. Wheels, suspension, brakes, etc.

2. What are the typical costs that people overlook for track days? Can I expect to go through tires, track fees, etc.

3. If your track is 150-200 miles away, do you just drive there or take your M on a trailer?



And last - would love to meet up members for any track days next year!

Dude if you are just starting and have never tracked your car then just go out there stock. You aren't going to overwhelm the vehicle the way you will be driving. Go out and have fun. Once you get a little bit better upgrade your pads. After that, if you still like it then you can go with dedicated tires and wheels and such. At that point you'll need to start considering a higher performance brake fluid bc you'll be working your brakes a lot harder. It all spirals from there depending on how serious you want to get with it. Don't overthink this right now. Just go out and have fun. You don't need to modify anything right now. The car is pretty damn capable rolling out of the dealership. Don't get the CC brakes. Waste of money and expensive to replace.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by ano0oj

When it comes time next year, I'll likely pull the trigger on a car with M Carbon Ceramic brakes, DCT and not much else.

1. What mods are absolutely necessary for the track? This will be my futre wife's car so I want it to still be comfortable for her every day driving but also hold up on the track when I decide to take it there. Wheels, suspension, brakes, etc.

2. What are the typical costs that people overlook for track days? Can I expect to go through tires, track fees, etc.

3. If your track is 150-200 miles away, do you just drive there or take your M on a trailer?

Carbon Ceramic Brakes are actually much more expensive in the long run for track use. Most hard core track junkies that I know passed on the CCBs and run the standard calipers with the stock fluid and the stock brake lines. I completely agree with Reach's comments about the CCBs above. You will have to change the brake pads, but you don't need to upgrade anything else. If you track more than 1-2 times per year, change your brake fluid every year rather than every other year.

I have an M4 and I did a group Euro Delivery in May 2016, with a total of 10 M2s, 2 M3s, and 2 M4s. During that trip most of our group drove one day each at Nurburgring Nordschleife, Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands, and Spa Francorchamps. Everyone that tracked their car on that trip had Michelin Pilot Super Sports except me, as my car came with Continentals. Those three track days destroyed the front tires and most of us had to replace the front tires upon redelivery. The PSS has very soft shoulders and wear quickly at the track. So the above advice to go stock is great for your first track weekend, but be advised that if you plan on doing this more than once a year, you should invest in a set of track tires and wheels. Camber plates will also help remedy this. Also, all of us who tracked our M cars during the group Euro Delivery installed Pagid RS29 brake pads prior to arriving at Nurburgring. Turner shipped the pads to our hotel in Munich and we changed them in the parking lot of our hotel in Grindelwald when it turned out that the proprietor had a floor jack. I brought all of the necessary tools, include the caliper pin punch tool, torque wrench and socket in a separate small suitcase. We changed the brake pads on 8 M cars in three hours!

I tracked my M4 completely stock, except for the Pagid brake pads, at the three tracks mentioned above during my Euro Delivery. After redelivery I did 2 days at Laguna Seca in August as part of BMW CCA Oktoberfest on a new set of Michelin PSS and with the Pagids. In October I bought a set of track tires and wheels, and had Ground Control camber plates and the Dinan Coilovers (HAS) installed prior to a track weekend at Buttonwillow. In February of this year I did another track weekend at Buttonwillow and in March I did another track weekend at Laguna Seca, for a total of 11 track days in 10 months. With that experience here's my answers to your numbered questions:

1. You will absolutely need aftermarket brake pads, and if you're going to do this more than 1-2 times a year, a set of dedicated track tires and wheels. I would also strongly recommend camber plates. As I mentioned above, I used the Pagid RS29s and those lasted for all 11 track days but need new fronts for the next track day. I don't recommend running these on the street. My track wheels and tires are the Apex EC-7 18x10 ET 25 wheels with Nitto NT01 275/35-18 tires front, and 18x11 ET44 with 305/35-18 rear. I use Ground Control camber plates. Installed the Dinan springs because I had about $400 in gift certificates and decided to install them while the camber plates were being installed.

2. Track insurance. Lockton costs me over $400 for a track weekend. It may cost more than the event, but it still costs a lot less than repairing your car if you hit someone or something. For me it's less than 0.5% of the MSRP of my car. This gets cheaper as your car gets older.

3. Buttonwillow is ~255 miles and Laguna Seca is ~430 miles away. I drive my car with the stock tires and the track wheels and tires in the back seat. I take an aluminum racing jack and a 18V cordless impact wrench and swap them at the hotel the night before and swap them back at the track before heading home. The last two track weekends I took an extra set of Pagids and the tools to change them.

I hope I've answered your questions. Your future M3/M4 is perfectly capable of doing 1-2 track weekends a year without having to change anything except the brake pads. More than that and you should consider track wheels and tires. Camber plates will help those front tires last longer. There is absolutely no need for Brembos or any other brake kit, or brake lines. Stock brake fluid also works just fine. See CanAutM3 posts about this. He's done more track days than I have in his 2015 M4 and runs stock brake fluid, changing it every year.

BTW, the DCT is awesome on the track! My track settings for my M buttons are Sport+, Sport+, Comfort, with Drivelogic set to S3, DTC off, and M View in the HUD. I would suggest that for your first track day you drive with DTC on (all nannies on). If everything goes well, the next day try it with MDM on. At your next track weekend, run with MDM on the first day. On the second day, and only when you are perfectly comfortable with a little slip coming out of the corners should you consider DTC off and always discuss this with your instructor.

[Woodengun]

I have just gone through this.

1. Brake pads - you need track pads. Brakes get much hotter on track day than daily driving. Stock street pads won't hold up to the high temps. Stock fluid is fine - just change every 1-2 years.

2. Camber plates. You need more negative camber up front to get even tire wear. $500 for plates + $3-400 for install and alignment is a lot cheaper than going through tires 2-4x faster than you have to.

3. Tires - stock tires don't like to be pushed as hard you are likely to push during track day.


I purchase track day insurance - I end up paying $600 for a day coverage of $90,000 with 10% deductible. If I crash or someone else crashes into me (normal track day insurance only covers the driver, not any other cars in multiple vehicle crash), I want a new M, not a "cross my fingers that this used M wasn't abused" M.

The car is a great daily driver - it will get you to/from track just fine.

[darkbluemn]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Carbon Ceramic Brakes are actually much more expensive in the long run for track use. Most hard core track junkies that I know passed on the CCBs and run the standard calipers with the stock fluid and the stock brake lines. I completely agree with Reach's comments about the CCBs above. You will have to change the brake pads, but you don't need to upgrade anything else. If you track more than 1-2 times per year, change your brake fluid every year rather than every other year.

I have an M4 and I did a group Euro Delivery in May 2016, with a total of 10 M2s, 2 M3s, and 2 M4s. During that trip most of our group drove one day each at Nurburgring Nordschleife, Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands, and Spa Francorchamps. Everyone that tracked their car on that trip had Michelin Pilot Super Sports except me, as my car came with Continentals. Those three track days destroyed the front tires and most of us had to replace the front tires upon redelivery. The PSS has very soft shoulders and wear quickly at the track. So the above advice to go stock is great for your first track weekend, but be advised that if you plan on doing this more than once a year, you should invest in a set of track tires and wheels. Camber plates will also help remedy this. Also, all of us who tracked our M cars during the group Euro Delivery installed Pagid RS29 brake pads prior to arriving at Nurburgring. Turner shipped the pads to our hotel in Munich and we changed them in the parking lot of our hotel in Grindelwald when it turned out that the proprietor had a floor jack. I brought all of the necessary tools, include the caliper pin punch tool, torque wrench and socket in a separate small suitcase. We changed the brake pads on 8 M cars in three hours!

I tracked my M4 completely stock, except for the Pagid brake pads, at the three tracks mentioned above during my Euro Delivery. After redelivery I did 2 days at Laguna Seca in August as part of BMW CCA Oktoberfest on a new set of Michelin PSS and with the Pagids. In October I bought a set of track tires and wheels, and had Ground Control camber plates and the Dinan Coilovers (HAS) installed prior to a track weekend at Buttonwillow. In February of this year I did another track weekend at Buttonwillow and in March I did another track weekend at Laguna Seca, for a total of 11 track days in 10 months. With that experience here's my answers to your numbered questions:

1. You will absolutely need aftermarket brake pads, and if you're going to do this more than 1-2 times a year, a set of dedicated track tires and wheels. I would also strongly recommend camber plates. As I mentioned above, I used the Pagid RS29s and those lasted for all 11 track days but need new fronts for the next track day. I don't recommend running these on the street. My track wheels and tires are the Apex EC-7 18x10 ET 25 wheels with Nitto NT01 275/35-18 tires front, and 18x11 ET44 with 305/35-18 rear. I use Ground Control camber plates. Installed the Dinan springs because I had about $400 in gift certificates and decided to install them while the camber plates were being installed.

2. Track insurance. Lockton costs me over $400 for a track weekend. It may cost more than the event, but it still costs a lot less than repairing your car if you hit someone or something. For me it's less than 0.5% of the MSRP of my car. This gets cheaper as your car gets older.

3. Buttonwillow is ~255 miles and Laguna Seca is ~430 miles away. I drive my car with the stock tires and the track wheels and tires in the back seat. I take an aluminum racing jack and a 18V cordless impact wrench and swap them at the hotel the night before and swap them back at the track before heading home. The last two track weekends I took an extra set of Pagids and the tools to change them.

I hope I've answered your questions. Your future M3/M4 is perfectly capable of doing 1-2 track weekends a year without having to change anything except the brake pads. More than that and you should consider track wheels and tires. Camber plates will help those front tires last longer. There is absolutely no need for Brembos or any other brake kit, or brake lines. Stock brake fluid also works just fine. See CanAutM3 posts about this. He's done more track days than I have in his 2015 M4 and runs stock brake fluid, changing it every year.

BTW, the DCT is awesome on the track! My track settings for my M buttons are Sport+, Sport+, Comfort, with Drivelogic set to S3, DTC off, and M View in the HUD. I would suggest that for your first track day you drive with DTC on (all nannies on). If everything goes well, the next day try it with MDM on. At your next track weekend, run with MDM on the first day. On the second day, and only when you are perfectly comfortable with a little slip coming out of the corners should you consider DTC off and always discuss this with your instructor.

Do you swap track and street pads? Any issue with that?

[darkbluemn]

Originally Posted by Woodengun

I have just gone through this.

1. Brake pads - you need track pads. Brakes get much hotter on track day than daily driving. Stock street pads won't hold up to the high temps. Stock fluid is fine - just change every 1-2 years.

2. Camber plates. You need more negative camber up front to get even tire wear. $500 for plates + $3-400 for install and alignment is a lot cheaper than going through tires 2-4x faster than you have to.

3. Tires - stock tires don't like to be pushed as hard you are likely to push during track day.


I purchase track day insurance - I end up paying $600 for a day coverage of $90,000 with 10% deductible. If I crash or someone else crashes into me (normal track day insurance only covers the driver, not any other cars in multiple vehicle crash), I want a new M, not a "cross my fingers that this used M wasn't abused" M.

The car is a great daily driver - it will get you to/from track just fine.

Even minor collision will get you a new M? How does the insurance work?

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by darkbluemn

Do you swap track and street pads? Any issue with that?

Sorry, I meant to mention that. I'll swap pads the day before I drive to the track and leave them on until I get home. Noisy as hell but worth doing at home rather than at the track for the time savings.

[M3 Pilot]

No mods needed.

Just make sure your car is properly maintained. Ie. Sufficient Brake pads, fresh brake fluids, engine, diff oil, no leakages of any fluid. Tyres with sufficient meat, correct tyre pressure, wheel alignment.

Don't use R comp tires yet as they can mask your mistakes.

[Kung Fu English]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Carbon Ceramic Brakes are actually much more expensive in the long run for track use. Most hard core track junkies that I know passed on the CCBs and run the standard calipers with the stock fluid and the stock brake lines. I completely agree with Reach's comments about the CCBs above. You will have to change the brake pads, but you don't need to upgrade anything else. If you track more than 1-2 times per year, change your brake fluid every year rather than every other year.

I have an M4 and I did a group Euro Delivery in May 2016, with a total of 10 M2s, 2 M3s, and 2 M4s. During that trip most of our group drove one day each at Nurburgring Nordschleife, Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands, and Spa Francorchamps. Everyone that tracked their car on that trip had Michelin Pilot Super Sports except me, as my car came with Continentals. Those three track days destroyed the front tires and most of us had to replace the front tires upon redelivery. The PSS has very soft shoulders and wear quickly at the track. So the above advice to go stock is great for your first track weekend, but be advised that if you plan on doing this more than once a year, you should invest in a set of track tires and wheels. Camber plates will also help remedy this. Also, all of us who tracked our M cars during the group Euro Delivery installed Pagid RS29 brake pads prior to arriving at Nurburgring. Turner shipped the pads to our hotel in Munich and we changed them in the parking lot of our hotel in Grindelwald when it turned out that the proprietor had a floor jack. I brought all of the necessary tools, include the caliper pin punch tool, torque wrench and socket in a separate small suitcase. We changed the brake pads on 8 M cars in three hours!

I tracked my M4 completely stock, except for the Pagid brake pads, at the three tracks mentioned above during my Euro Delivery. After redelivery I did 2 days at Laguna Seca in August as part of BMW CCA Oktoberfest on a new set of Michelin PSS and with the Pagids. In October I bought a set of track tires and wheels, and had Ground Control camber plates and the Dinan Coilovers (HAS) installed prior to a track weekend at Buttonwillow. In February of this year I did another track weekend at Buttonwillow and in March I did another track weekend at Laguna Seca, for a total of 11 track days in 10 months. With that experience here's my answers to your numbered questions:

1. You will absolutely need aftermarket brake pads, and if you're going to do this more than 1-2 times a year, a set of dedicated track tires and wheels. I would also strongly recommend camber plates. As I mentioned above, I used the Pagid RS29s and those lasted for all 11 track days but need new fronts for the next track day. I don't recommend running these on the street. My track wheels and tires are the Apex EC-7 18x10 ET 25 wheels with Nitto NT01 275/35-18 tires front, and 18x11 ET44 with 305/35-18 rear. I use Ground Control camber plates. Installed the Dinan springs because I had about $400 in gift certificates and decided to install them while the camber plates were being installed.

2. Track insurance. Lockton costs me over $400 for a track weekend. It may cost more than the event, but it still costs a lot less than repairing your car if you hit someone or something. For me it's less than 0.5% of the MSRP of my car. This gets cheaper as your car gets older.

3. Buttonwillow is ~255 miles and Laguna Seca is ~430 miles away. I drive my car with the stock tires and the track wheels and tires in the back seat. I take an aluminum racing jack and a 18V cordless impact wrench and swap them at the hotel the night before and swap them back at the track before heading home. The last two track weekends I took an extra set of Pagids and the tools to change them.

I hope I've answered your questions. Your future M3/M4 is perfectly capable of doing 1-2 track weekends a year without having to change anything except the brake pads. More than that and you should consider track wheels and tires. Camber plates will help those front tires last longer. There is absolutely no need for Brembos or any other brake kit, or brake lines. Stock brake fluid also works just fine. See CanAutM3 posts about this. He's done more track days than I have in his 2015 M4 and runs stock brake fluid, changing it every year.

BTW, the DCT is awesome on the track! My track settings for my M buttons are Sport+, Sport+, Comfort, with Drivelogic set to S3, DTC off, and M View in the HUD. I would suggest that for your first track day you drive with DTC on (all nannies on). If everything goes well, the next day try it with MDM on. At your next track weekend, run with MDM on the first day. On the second day, and only when you are perfectly comfortable with a little slip coming out of the corners should you consider DTC off and always discuss this with your instructor.

You are clearly an experienced track racer, doing 11 days in 10 months, and I think your needs are different than his.

I think NT01s are a bad idea for a beginner on track, for example.

I don't think he needs track pads for the first day. Stock pads should be fine for the first couple.

If he's not a beginner then I don't think he'd be asking the question after all.

[CanAutM3]

I concur with what many have said. If you plan on tracking regularly, avoid the CCB. They wear rather rapidly with extensive track use and will cost you >$15k to replace. That being said, if you plan on going to the track only once or twice a year, the CCB can be an interresting alternative since you can run the stock CCB pads without issues at the track.

My 2 cents on minimum mods in order of importance:

1. Fresh brake fluid (OE fluid works fine) - Must
2. Proper track pads when using iron rotors (RS29 for example) - Must
3. More suitable tires (RE71/AD08R for example) - After 2-3 track days (the PSS will be destroyed by then )
4. Camber plates - If you do more than 3-4 track days/year
5. Dedicated Track tires/wheels - If you do more than 5-6 track days per year

Best not to start counting what a track day costs, it can become depressing . But if you want to know, I figure an average track day costs about $500~800 including registration, accomodations, food and consumables (fuel, tires, brake pads, brake rotors) depending on the track and experience level. Insurance, if you elect to take one, will be over and above.

Drive it to the track. The whole point behind an ///M car is to serve a dual duty practical DD and track toy.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Kung Fu English

You are clearly an experienced track racer, doing 11 days in 10 months, and I think your needs are different than his.

I think NT01s are a bad idea for a beginner on track, for example.

I don't think he needs track pads for the first day. Stock pads should be fine for the first couple.

If he's not a beginner then I don't think he'd be asking the question after all.

I recently replied to a PM regarding brakes for track use. I'll simply copy it here since it is relevent:

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

While I don't recall starting a thread on brakes, I am sure I do have multiple posts on the topic .

I find the stock brakes on the F8X pretty stout and perfectly fine for track use. They just need proper track pads. The stock pads are simply not adequate for extensive track use. Begginers could manage for their first few outings, or very advanced drivers can make it work with a lot of brake management, but it is much better to get proper track pads. Even more so if you are running r-comp tires.

I even run the stock fluid. Have done so on all my ///Ms over 16 years and never had a pedal go to the floor. Fluid needs to be fresh though, so I have it flushed once a year at the start of the track season. Never had to bleed any of my ///M brake systems mid season either.

That being said, I mostly run with DSC off. Using DSC/MDM will put a lot more strain on the brakes. Particularly if you are over-driving the car and getting a lot of intervention. High temp fluid such as Castrol SRF might be a good precaution in that case.

I run the Pagid RS29 on an otherwise completely stock brake system. The RS29 can sustain DD duty as long as there is a decent transfer layer on the rotors. Otherwise they can start to squeal pretty bad. I usually have a track event every 1-3 weeks, which is close enough to not wear down the transfer layer. If I have a longer stint between track days, I usually swap back to street pads. The new calipers on the F8X iron rotors are great for quick pad swaps, it is barely a 5min job once the wheels are off.

I hope this helps.

Have fun on track, the F8X is a great track toy

Cheers.