Cost to Operate

[mikerunt]

Has anyone put together a Cost to Operate style analysis of regularly tracking, or competivley racing, the F8x platform?

Taking into consideration these wear and tear items:

• Tires
• Brake pads
• Engine Oil change
• Diff Oil change
• DCT Oil change
• Fuel
• Plugs

I’m building a worksheet to normalize at a cost per hour based on some loose recommended service or life intervals.

If anyone has any feedback or a starting point I’d love to see it.

[DRLane]

I did this years back, but at a cost per event. Didnt yield much but can be a fun and depressing exercise to evaluate your annual budget with the family CFO.

Gas is a big one! Track insurance if desired and then entry fees.

[Gossypiboma]

The last thing I need to know is exactly how much I spend on track weekends.

[Suds]

I did this back in 2021, did not buy track insurance or include gasoline.
So track fees, tires, brake pads, replacement parts, shop fees and hotels stays for some out of town events.
I spent close to $32k on 29 track days (14 weekends).
Hotel fees were less than $2,500 of the total.

Here is the track car brake down.
Z06 M4 M2c
Total Miles 410 1640 1440
# of Days 4 12 13

[jfritz27]

This seems like the right home for this: in many ways this is the dumbest hobby ever

[RugbyBro]

I did a loose calc - it’s about $800-$1000 per event for me. As DRLane said it’s a little depressing

[Suds]

Yeah I have looked at it at about $10 per track mile.

[Theruleslawyer]

$700ish a day without hotel. However if I take out the stuff FCP will lifetime warranty for me, about $550 a day. That doesn't really include general wear or upgrades. Just track specific wear items.

[4Y_stack_acceleration]

FWIW my napkin math I did a couple months ago (let me know if any of this is wrong as I'm only one season into this hobby)

Assuming 10 events in a season

One set of tires to last the season (ECF, square and rotated): 1,600
One set of pads to last the season (PFC 11): 400
One set of rotors to last the season (OEM): 650
One flush of brake fluid for the season (SRF): 175
Engine oil: 80
Misc. end of season maintenance/repairs: 2,000

491 consumables and maintenance per event (assume DIY consumables install)
375 average reg fee per event (solo group)
Gas to and from track: 80
Gas at the track: 120 on average (accounting for 2-day events)
Assuming no insurance (otherwise 350 on Lockton)

So about 950-1,150 per event... ouch... not even including lodging for multi-day events or the bottomless pit of expense on car upgrades

[uncle ben]

Not including upgrades (which you will eventually do) figure around $1000 a track day. That’s my experience.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by mikerunt

Has anyone put together a Cost to Operate style analysis of regularly tracking, or competitively racing, the F8x platform?

Taking into consideration these wear and tear items:

• Tires
• Brake pads
• Engine Oil change
• Diff Oil change
• DCT Oil change
• Fuel
• Plugs

I’m building a worksheet to normalize at a cost per hour based on some loose recommended service or life intervals.

If anyone has any feedback or a starting point I’d love to see it.

We keep track of all of this. It changes exponentially with pace so not at all one size fits all.

Assuming you get a car for free, and all the mods/install labor are free, street insurance, registration etc and parking is free, and all maintenance to the car and part failures are also free, and you drive the car to the track, it is around $1.5k/h.
That's for: fuel, tires, track insurance, entry fees, hotel, food, brakes

[MotoGPWannaBe]

I did this after my second track weekend at COTA and it made me wish I bought a Miata

[mikerunt]

Originally Posted by MotoGPWannaBe

I did this after my second track weekend at COTA and it made me wish I bought a Miata

I’m looking at a RUSH SR for the same exact reason.

[mikerunt]

Epic feedback all around. i built this little tool that helped me understand everything and compare it to a Rush SR.

Im considering selling my M to move to a rush so i can race W2W this year on a budget.

here are some assumptions:

- based on 28 track days with a avg of 4.5 sessions per day at 25mins per session - which for me is a blend of NASA, test and tune open track, and speed district or similar
- Rush inputs are from Rush themselves
- BMW includes labor at $200 p/hr for service. figure you can save ~$2000 by doing it all yourself
- BMW hours for service is from RWE and other shop feedback
- BMW is based on my car with AP breaks and DS3.12 pads, SPL catalog, MCS3W
- BMW Tires are Hoosier R7
- i used some averages (track day fees / mpg / miles to from track / hotel) that are likely high side

likely not perfect, but close.

PM me if you want the excel file to do your own

[Theruleslawyer]

Interesting, those rushes look like the mini legends cars. Looks like a ton of fun. Id been looking into a bike engine super 7.

[dawei213]

Per event runs around $330 for me.
Track insurance - $350
Gas - $100
So at a minimum $780 just to start. Then there's prices for consumables and upgrades. So I'm probably averaging $1000 to $1100 per event like everyone else.

But but but....it's hella fun and I'd rather sink money into this than to buy anything else that's not related to motorsports.