Most reliable track car?
01-10-2017, 04:12 PM
#61
+1 for the e46 M3. I know there are vanos issues but I never had any. 20+ days with no issues at all. Wish I kept it
Had a jinxed e36 M3 but replaced it with another one last year and no issues beyond normal old-car replacement needs.
Now moving to swap an s54 into the e36 to get the best of both cars. Probably tempting the track gods but should be a super fun car. Okay I'm off on a tangent
Had a jinxed e36 M3 but replaced it with another one last year and no issues beyond normal old-car replacement needs.
Now moving to swap an s54 into the e36 to get the best of both cars. Probably tempting the track gods but should be a super fun car. Okay I'm off on a tangent
Little e36 m3 keeping up with the big dawgs at COTA is awfully fun.
01-10-2017, 06:27 PM
#62
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by lcrain
I have an e36 s54 swapped track rat. I did the besian vanos upgrade and a full bimerworld cooling system and it has run like a top. It will consume oil, so keep an eye on it.
Little e36 m3 keeping up with the big dawgs at COTA is awfully fun.
Little e36 m3 keeping up with the big dawgs at COTA is awfully fun.
01-10-2017, 08:23 PM
#63
I would recommend an upgraded oil cooler also. I can only speak from personal experience, but I have never had abnormal oil temps with it.
Sorry for the huge pic...
01-10-2017, 08:57 PM
#64
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by lcrain
I would recommend an upgraded oil cooler also. I can only speak from personal experience, but I have never had abnormal oil temps with it.
Sorry for the huge pic...
Sorry for the huge pic...
01-10-2017, 09:15 PM
#65
Exige S 10000+ track miles 120hrs @7.5-8kECU dump 34k total miles. Consumables are cheap at least compared to Porsche. You need to stay on top of the nuts and bolts . Great track car makes you a better driver than you realty are .Makes everything else feel like your driving a bus..carl
Last edited by 4carl; 01-10-2017 at 10:00 PM.
01-11-2017, 01:33 PM
#66
01-16-2017, 03:13 PM
#67
Three Wheelin'
IMO you can't beat Formula Mazda for fun, cost, and speed. It has no trade offs for the street. There are no drivers aides. Gearbox is a dogring sequential H pattern. It has easily adjustable aero, suspension, gearing. It runs on 87 octane. Weighs 1150 pounds, has 185 HP, and something like 1200 pounds of downforce. Pulls 2gs. Championship drivers will get 2:14s at COTA (despite about 125mph peak speed there), MSR 1.7 CCW 1:12s, MSR 3.1 2:12s, Hallett CCW 1:13s. Very little heating issues except for the hottest 30 minute run sessions of the summer. Even then, one or 2 cooling laps for the session solves the problem. Brake pads $175 for all 4 corners once a year. Goodyear slicks $1000 for all 4 corners. The motors are almost bullet proof. Biggest wear items are gears, but they are usually only about $300 per gear to replace. Bondurant offers a slightly detuned, higher geared FM in some of its race programs. It's not a street legal sports car. That's its biggest issue--finding run groups. I will only drive it in groups with other open wheel or low light weight cars due to safety. Professional maintenance in some areas may be hard to find.
I am fortunate as they are headquartered at my home track. I use a turn key service and just arrive and drive as time is too valuable for me, especially living almost 2.5 hours from the track. Would love to see more people with them. $16,000-$22,000 will get you a car. Mine is a 1991--serial number 002.
Here is a video of me at MSR running a few 1:14s. I am not the fastest but can hold my own respectfully. The GoPro wasn't mounted well to see hands, steering, and shifting but it will give you a sense of the cornering speeds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jvd3wcj2XY
I am fortunate as they are headquartered at my home track. I use a turn key service and just arrive and drive as time is too valuable for me, especially living almost 2.5 hours from the track. Would love to see more people with them. $16,000-$22,000 will get you a car. Mine is a 1991--serial number 002.
Here is a video of me at MSR running a few 1:14s. I am not the fastest but can hold my own respectfully. The GoPro wasn't mounted well to see hands, steering, and shifting but it will give you a sense of the cornering speeds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jvd3wcj2XY
Last edited by DC640; 01-16-2017 at 05:09 PM.
01-16-2017, 04:12 PM
#68
^ Nice video
In the same vein I rented this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4hTpFhW25g
I am renting a faster version later this year. I never drove aero before and with a car like this, I can clearly see how I suck on the track.
I hit 2:17 at COTA with traffic but since I was renting, I left a lot of buffer.
In the same vein I rented this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4hTpFhW25g
I am renting a faster version later this year. I never drove aero before and with a car like this, I can clearly see how I suck on the track.
I hit 2:17 at COTA with traffic but since I was renting, I left a lot of buffer.
01-16-2017, 05:11 PM
#69
Three Wheelin'
bummers are good in general but need to add some parts to make it durable. i think advantage of p cars are that you dont really need to upgrade a lot of things for enjoyment and durability.
01-16-2017, 09:01 PM
#70
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Karl - I've spent enough time on COTA to know that is one hell of a car you are driving - I'll have to look into that one - but also that you are one smooth driving, major league sucker on the track. Outstanding driving. Any idea what the top speed of the Wolf is on the long straight?
01-16-2017, 09:06 PM
#71
True that BMW needs a few upgrades. Can't beat the free factory maintenance though. E46 M3. Rotors replaced twice under maintenance until dealer said no more. Apparently they found it odd that I was wearing out rotors before pads. I swapped in PFCs for track. SMG clutch replaced as well. Sold before needing to do rear subframe reinforcement. Went to an E36 M3. Loved it. 
01-16-2017, 10:24 PM
#72
Burning Brakes
Feel free to PM me. My best time is 1:13.7--even on that run my tires weren't new. Good cool day with sunny skies and no wind will get the championship guys down into 1:12s, but that's not possible every day.
