Tell me about track days ?

[New POD]

Because my wife said "You could use my Mx5 to do a few trackdays"

 

Oh yeah, well it'll need the slightly slipping clutch and mediocre brakes looking at first.

 

WCPGW ?

[skattrd]

Do a search, we had this a few months ago with talk of an AS trackday ...

 

 

edit: 2 minutes searching: http://autoshite.com/topic/18467-any-interest-in-some-kind-of-track-day-next-year

[purplebargeken]

I did the MGOT day at Brands Hatch a few months ago. It was bloody ace. 

[sierraman]

I don't know what happens as regards insurance, as it specifically says it doesn't cover for track use on most policies. On an old £500 Celica or something you would probably just accept 'rubbing is racing' if you had an off. What sounds like financial suicide however is when people take a £20,000 BMW out - no doubt bought on the chuckie - and then get a bang up the bum from some spotty youth in a Corsa who just shrugs his shoulders.

 

I would imagine also it depends on the company you are keeping on a track day, if you are amongst a selection of Porsches etc and you turn up in a Maestro, you are just going to get in the way.

 

It sounds like good fun though but I'd be tempted to give the car a good going over though, you would want a good set of tyres on, probably replace the brake pads and discs as a precaution along with the fluid. This might sound like overkill but you are likely to be driving the car at its limits, hence a mismatched set of tyres and a set of clapped out shockers are likely to either fail suddenly leaving you stuck there or worse...

[Mr Lobster]

I last did one in my Alfa 145 which was eight years ago and really want to do another.

 

I did one of MSVs Beginner track days at Oulton Park and it was ace. Most of the cars were broadly similar in power - MX5s, MR2s, assorted GTi type stuff so you didn't really get in anyone elses way.

 

Did get through a lot of fuel so worth making sure you are full when you start and did burn a bit of oil. Also found that after about four laps the tyres were getting a bit overheated so had to keep resting them.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Tell yourself about flipping trackdays. Or do a trackday and tell us about it.

[hairnet]

http://www.trackdays.co.uk/car-track-day-guide/

 

they wont care what you turn up in as long as bits arent hanging off and more important its not leaking fluids - you must attend the briefing before it starts or you dont get a go even if youve paid

 

did snetterton in a car and on a bike and apart from licence they check nothing

 

done zandvoort with mums civic (RLY) and apart from lid and licence - no vehicle check - id put two new tyres on it and changed the oil - it used about 100ml

 

even tho it was vtec yo for 3 sessions

 

road ins will cover fk all so if you wanna do it dont crash but you can buy insurance that covers on track

[sierraman]

Are you intending driving it home after?

 

I'd definitely get the clutch sorted though as that wont take much abuse if its slipping, get the brakes checked over, change oil, check for duff bushes/shocks, then get some decent tyres fitted.

[MarvinsMom]

i've been, but its not my idea of fun, TBH.

 

a friend of mine used to be into the track day thing.

 

he had a mark 1 golf with some fancy engine fitted, each time he went to one, something either fell off, siezed, broke or caught fire.

 

i used to go along because at that time i was driving a  works freelamder van so when Gav blew up, crashed, broke the golf he woild be able to tow it home.

[nebuchenezer]

I don't know what happens as regards insurance, as it specifically says it doesn't cover for track use on most policies. On an old £500 Celica or something you would probably just accept 'rubbing is racing' if you had an off. What sounds like financial suicide however is when people take a £20,000 BMW out - no doubt bought on the chuckie - and then get a bang up the bum from some spotty youth in a Corsa who just shrugs his shoulders.

 

 

Hmmm, an example of trackday insurance is here: http://www.trackdays.co.uk/insurance/

[sierraman]

It sounds to me like on a track you have a high risk of a shunt so I can't see the premium being cheap. As the old adage 'it's not yourself you need to worry about, its the others'

 

If say you ran out of skill midway on a bend then hit say a new BMW M5 I'd imagine, besides being awkward, you wouldn't be liable for the damage caused. You might cop for a black eye in the paddock though...

[dugong]

Felly says we can't.

[sierraman]

How do the people who take their car on the Nurburgring go on? Say you took out several cars in a pile up would you be liable if there was a fatality?

[Angry Sheep]

I bought a cheapo MX-5 and took it to Rockingham for a track day. Didn't do anything to prepare - it took the abuse and I had a laugh.

 

Then bought another cheapo MX-5 and drove it to the Nurburgring. With hindsight, I should have put some better tyres on as it was wet and it kept trying to kill me. But apart from that it was a giggle.

 

Insurance? Meh...