I did my first trackday today.
Anyone with any money to spend on their car they should invest in a trackday - it`s the best money I have ever spent! - by a long chalk.
I managed over 120 track miles, with no problems and drove home with the car as strong as when I started.A recent M3 grenaded its engine, the caterfields were constantly tinkering and the EVO VI/VII got slower and less numerous as the day went on but all the 911 guys just kept on thrashing their cars through the day with no hitches.
You`ll never appreciate how good a 12yr old car can be(if it`s a porsche) until you use it how it was meant to be used.

 

Very true!

You wait till you've done Spa and the Nurburgring - then you're living! <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

 

Tony

Soooooo right! I did my first in my C4 at Philip Island (home of the Ozzie Bike GP), and on Sunday I went down to Winton Raceway and did my second in my '91 C2 Turbo. There was a Ford Cobra (not the classic), a Z3, and some others... but the Porsche's ruled!

I plan to put in many many more hours on the track!

And, Hey John... I'm seriously jealous <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" /> ...Mmmmm, Nurburgring!

 

Hi
I'll get into this one - I'm planning my first track 'evening' at Knockhill (when I can get hold of the guy)
My thoughts are divided: I know its how the car was meant to be driven, and that I'll LEARN, but

1. Does the car benefitfrom being driven to the max, when well serviced and warmed up..

OR

2. Its great fun but hastens tire, trans and engine wear significantly - e.g would've needed a top end at 130k miles, but because of a few track days needs it at 100k.

At 85k miles and no problems currently, maybe I want longevity more than I want the track - espec as the car gets driven hardish already.(Scottish roads..)

Any comments?

 

Johnny,

I think it depends on why you bought the car. If you plan to hold on to it and preserve it for the next few decades, then trackdays may not be part of the plan. Any car, new or old, Porsche or not, will realize accelerated wear from track use. I don't believe the 964 is unique in this regard, i.e we could be having the same discussion about an M3 or Lotus, don't you think?

So, IMHO, I believe it comes down to your own preference relative to the driving experience. If you're fully satisfied with the Porsche experience, then please continue on your present course. If you're looking for more thrills behind the wheel, then by all means take it to the track.

A word of warning, however. Your first visit to the track may not be your last.

 

Your tyres won't really suffer. Sometimes the edges of the tread blocks can 'melt' a little, but this soon wears off. Surprisingly little wear will happen, as long as you don't make a habit of spinning.

Mechanically, just drive hard but with a sympathy for the car - do everything smoothly and your car will love it as much as you.

The only weak spot is the brakes. It's quite common for 964s to cook them - when the discs and fluid get too hot they can really fade with alarming suddenness (spelling?). Just don't be tempted to do too many laps at once - maybe stick to two or three, then rest.

When the car is resting, leave it with the handbrake off and in gear.

Don't overfill your oil - it expands enormously when hot. Just half to 3/4 full. And watch out for your rear tyre pressures going up, up, up.

 

Oh, and Johnny...

If those are 'Highland' Scottish roads, you will not be pushing your car any harder when on the track than you probably already do (I take mine to the highlands every year <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" /> ), except for the brakes - see above.

 

For the benefit of those who don't know the Scottish Highlands - we are talking about fantastic driving roads, for the most part deserted (except for the occasional sheep), with glorious views. You can often see up and down the roads for miles. They are fast, challenging, glorious...

 

Hey Boggiano!!

You brag about Nurburgring, Spa.... and make many of us 'Down Under' jealous... and now you rant on about lovely Scottish roads... enough already!!

We can only take so much in one thread

 

 

Kevin, I hope you realise that us poor Europeans are crowded together like sardines in a smallish can, there are far too many cars in the road and there are far too many coppers doing speed checks.
That's the price we have to pay

The openness of Australia prompted me to seriously consider living there. Great nature, relatively easy to get away from things, more relaxed people, BUT... no German autobahns without speed limits handy. And no Nurburgring

Choices, choices... <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

Cheers,

JW