chakka

For those of you who do both DD and track, i'd appreciate some input on what you've needed to do make it good for both without going to an extreme. I know all too well the slippery slope that can occur.....

My track days would be around 20 per year max, I drive in Red/Black with PCA and am an instructor, so I do have track experience. Example is my previous car, a 93' RSA had bilstein cup suspension, 650/800lb springs and lowered. Everything else in the suspension was stock. Great on the track and okay on the street, but not something i'd want to drive daily...

PJorgen

I've got an '09 C2S with PDK that I use as a semi-daily driver and track car. I too am an instructor and do about 15-20 track days/year. My previous track car was an '02 C4S 6MT that I put a cage in, seats 6-pt harnesses etc. Got tired of it as a street car.

Anyway, so far I've done nothing to my '09. It's still considerably faster than the '02, due to the extra 65hp and the PDK. I using Pirelli Corsa tires which are the stickiest non-R comps I've every driven, and the 60 treadwear rating confirms that.

Beyond tires I've decided that I will keep this one stock and just not drive it as hard as I did the '02. I realize that wasn't exactly what you were asking for, but that's the approach I've taken.

chakka

Actually, your input is really helpful. Helps me to understand how the car is in stock form and how it does on the track. Good to know it works well without doing a lot to it.

Deansdream

I have an '06 C2S. I've added Bilstein suspension and a good deal of negative camber, though not as much as if it were only a track car. I can put the suspension in a stiffer sport mode w/the press of a button at the track, so it's not uncomfortable on the street. I also added a third radiator and replaced the stock seats w/GT2's so I could add a six point harness. I'm very comfortable driving this car around town and on long trips to the track (all I miss are the heated seats) and, while it's a compromise, I am happy with its performance on the track.

RudyP

Almost exactly the same answer as PJorgen. PCA/BMWCCA instructor, about 12-15 track days per year and I keep my 2006 C2S stock. Only difference is that I have a set of 18" OZ wheels with pilot sport cups (that I switch at home and drive to/from the track) and use performance friction PF01 pads. I get about 15-20 days out of a set of tires although they do get pretty heat cycled out towards the end of that period.

I do recommend a pad upgrade though. I had to use OEM pads once and went from brand new to halfway done in a single day.

dasams

Did you add LCA's? If not, what camber were you able to get on the fronts? I am getting my car aligned next week and am on the stock suspension. Hence, front camber will be limited to about 1 deg which should be a good compromise. Not sure what I'll dial in for the rears - just depends on my what the shop recommends to balance the car. Dave

Jake951

My highest priority would be safety equipment, especially if you are doing that many track days per year. As you know, that means at least a roll bar, harness, and HANS. The harness then requires seats with pass-through holes, so now you are already heading down the slippery slope. And the roll bar will make the rear seats useless for anything except carrying small items there, so that may be a deal breaker if you need the seats for DD use. Beyond that you can do relatively simple upgrades like brake pads (I like PFC08's), tires, and a track-oriented suspension alignment, which still allow DD use.

mattyf

Let me know what they say about the rear.

Deansdream

I got camber plates. Front is -2.43, rear -2.16

Hatzenbach

Pretty much same here as well.
I do ~10 tracks days / year. I just upgraded from a Boxster to a 997.2 C4S
Both of them were/are my daily drivers and track cars.
The Boxster had a Spec Boxster suspension and as many "Go Fast" parts as I could afford, of course dedicated track rims. Was very nice on the track but pretty rough as a DD.
The C4S has PDK/Sport Chrono Plus/PASM ---AND--- OEM GT2 seats
I added a 3rd radiator (as on my first trackday in mild temperatures the oil temp went up to 275), I also added a harness bar and 6 point harness and otherwise will leave it stock and run on street tires (Michelin SS), and of course Pagid Yellow on the track
Alignment is:
front: -1.5 camber (that's the most they could get w/o camber plates or GT3 LCA), 0 toe
rear: -1.1 camber (hope that this way it will eat less rear tires) 1/16 toe in

Hope that helps

7500rpm

I started off almost like you with my 06 C2S, but mostly weekends with some track days (read Mod-man, what have you done to your car started by USMC_DS1 this week). Sticky tires like the MPSC or CORSA increases the fun. You'd need more negative cambers so these short life tires last that little bit longer, I run -1.5deg front and -2.3 rear. You could live with these tires as DD unless you have a long commute, then you might consider having a second set of wheel like me. To get those camber, you need LCAs and control arms because factory does not allow you to go that far. Once the control arms go in, you sacrifice some NVH but I find them acceptable. If you've gone far enough with LCAs and control arms, sway bars are cheap and you FEEL the difference. They do not affect DD-ness. Put a high flow air filter in and the car sounds faster and sportier at high revs.

If you liked that sportier sound, go the next step with exhaust to get more aural satisfaction. The gundo hack is cheap and effective. The car would feel fast at the track even if you gained no speed from these two mods, but makes you feel like a racing driver.

Whilst Porsche provides some of the best OEM brakes, you will enjoy more with higher temp pads and brake fluids. Unfortunately, the best track pads squeal a little and some people cannot accept that.

Since you mentioned 20 track days a year, you want to consider protection for your investment which includes 3rd radiator, deep sump pan and baffles and always making sure you have oil level at the maximum mark. Use a heavier grade oil like 10w/50 for better protection and change your gearbox oil, although Porsche says no need to.

Hey, if you read up to here, the slope gets even steeper with LWFW, suspension, GT3 upgrades, oil pressure accumulator, etc. etc. Your question is very subjective and depends much on the person's tolerance for his DD

dasams

The 09 C4S launch cars sure are sweet for DD and track

Can anyone comment on whether set-up works equally well on a C2S?

chakka

Really helpful info. Configuration is right in line with my RSA. Safety equip, shocks, pads/fluids, tires and alignment. Great to hear the feedback! Like any car, you can take it and throw as many $$$ as you want, but good to know that in basic stock form the car does well. Just don't see the dollars for a GT3 in the near future. I don't think i'll enjoy the track less in a C2S than a GT3, just a different type of experience. Never bad, just different.

Given it's not a GT3 high use track motor, have there been any motor related issues of note to be on the lookout for in my searching to ask about? My thought would be to look for a 2009 since it has direct injection with some of the mod's and/or safety upgrades mentioned.

johnwb

GT3 lower control arms (more negative camber) and H&R anti sway bars transformed my 05 997C2S on the track. That's step one as far as I'm concerned.
No downside on the street with that set up.

I have since added roll bar, GT2 seats and harness. Harder to get in and out of seats as a DD.

The 997S makes a great dual purpose car with limited modification.

Have fun!

BlueJay73

I have a 2011 C2S PDK.
I found the car would plow (understeer) around corners and severely wear the outer edge of the front tires on the track, so I installed GT3 adjustable LCA's so I could get more neg camber. (To do a modest complete job, I also installed GT3 adjustable front and rear sway bars, and rear toe locks.) It corrected the understeer very well. I'm pleased with the results, and would do it again. Front -2.1 degrees, rear -1.8. I'd like more neg camber for the track, but this is my DD, so I'm staying pat at these settings. No extra tire wear on the street at all, and much better tire wear on the track.

I have 18 inch track wheels, 9 in front, 12 in rear, with R comps. I found street tires would "chunk" badly. I much prefer the R comps.

Things I want to and may do:
PFC08 pads and slotted rotors. I'd like more bite than the stock pads give, and the stocks wear out pretty quickly. I've already replaced my front rotors once. But darn, race pads and rotors are expensive!

Things I would love to do for the track, but probably won't do:
Properly bolstered race seats with harnesses, to keep me stable in the seat. Not going to do this because it's my DD. I have heated and ventilated seats.

Roll bar (with above harness). Not going to do. DD.

Lower the car. Nope.

It's a great track car, and of course, is a great DD.