Track days

Peerzy

Peerzy

Peerzy

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Joined
9 Nov 2008
Posts
7,148
Are there any track days like the VXR ones where you can turn up and rent a car for the day, I'd like to do some racing/track driving and don't fancy paying £200 for 10 seconds in a DB9, my car isn't track prepared or even suitable for track driving and the I wouldn't like to really take it on a track without correct insurance.

I would do the VXR one by I'm only 19 (20 in a month) and you need to be 21.

Thanks
 
I think the VXR ones are quite unique, and as you say the 'driving experience' ones are expensive and rubbish.

Good excuse to buy a track car :)
 
Yeh, your not going to get a good amount of time in a car thats not yours on track unless your going to spend a fair bit of dosh. Apart from the VXR days, the only other similar thing I can think of is a Palmer motorpsort day. loads of different cars available to drive, but you have to pay for it, i think its about £650-£750.

http://www.palmersport.com/
 
He's obviously worried about the fact that he's not covered by insurance while on track. If he bins the car thats it. You can get track insurance, but for a 19 year old I wouldn't have thought it would be that cheap.
 
Thomas. PLease. said:
He's obviously worried about the fact that he's not covered by insurance while on track. If he bins the car thats it. You can get track insurance, but for a 19 year old I wouldn't have thought it would be that cheap.
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Yup, plus it would cost more replacing tyres, pads, discs anything else that needed doing before or after the track day than the £150 the VXR day costs, plus would like to not trash my car within an inch of it's life, it's not really built for track days.

The track day doesn't have to be really good fast cars, hot hatches or older BMW's would be fine, it's more the experience than driving a really fast car.

I'd be happy throwing a £5k Clio Cup or Mk5 Golf GTi for example so not looking for stupid stuff like M3's, Elises or Imprezas.
 
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Yeh, I can understand your situation, I've been hankering to get on track since I was first able to drive at 17. However being at school and uni haven't spared me a lot of disposable income to spend on such luxuries, even if I did have the money i only had a 1.0 106, hardly an ideal track weapon I have to admit. I have just had to wait really.

Now being a touch older and coming to the end of university, I'm preparing to take my car on track later in the year, I'm now considering the VXR day as well.

I'm not sure what to recomend really except waiting until you are a bit older, and have a bit more spare income to spend. Either on cars, a better car daily car and track insurance, or a second dedicated track car, or on expensive track days ala palmer sport.

Maybe worth posting in the pistonheads track day sub forum, probably a few more knowledgable people over there, that would be clued up on track insurance etc, if you are interested in that.
 
There are a few guys on here who track day fairly cheap cars (the red bimmer springs to mind) so you could always buy something cheap and have a laugh with it.

After watching the BMW production cup a few weekends back, an e30 320 stripped out looks to be a hell of a lot of fun!
 
Skeeter said:
There are a few guys on here who track day fairly cheap cars (the red bimmer springs to mind) so you could always buy something cheap and have a laugh with it.

After watching the BMW production cup a few weekends back, an e30 320 stripped out looks to be a hell of a lot of fun!
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It's not gonna be financially do-able as a Uni student.

Buying an old complex BMW, taxing it, testing it, insuring it to drive to track (or having to pay to tow it), insuring it for track day, replacing rubber, servicing plus initial purchase cost.

Gonna cost far more than I'm willing to pay, end of the day I can wait 1 year and 2 months and do the VXR day or throw a couple of grand on doing it now in an old Bimmer.
 
Skeeter said:
There are a few guys on here who track day fairly cheap cars (the red bimmer springs to mind) so you could always buy something cheap and have a laugh with it.

After watching the BMW production cup a few weekends back, an e30 320 stripped out looks to be a hell of a lot of fun!
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Still not going to be cheap though, looking at £1000+ depending on the car you buy. Money set aside for mechanical work that will need doing. MOT, tax and insurance. Consumables every few track days, pads, filters and oil. Plus the actual track days themselves, £120 upwards depending on where your going.
 
Thomas. PLease. said:
Still not going to be cheap though, looking at £1000+ depending on the car you buy. Money set aside for mechanical work that will need doing. MOT, tax and insurance. Consumables every few track days, pads, filters and oil. Plus the actual track days themselves, £120 upwards depending on where your going.
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Plus I'm 19 with no experience of ever owning a BMW, so I'm sure I'd get touched up with every minor fault.

Insurance on an old BMW is also gonna be bad considering it would be a track car that would get driven like 5 times a year.

I'll wait unless anyone wants to let me have a go in there old Beemer :D
 
Yes.... but other than the VXR trackday, there isnt much alternative is there?

Im saving my pennies for something like a Lotus Elise specifically so I can track it. Ill let the missus buy the 'normal' car and keep myself the toy :)
 
It's an avenue a friend of mine is currently looking into.
There is definitely a niche in the market for it I'm sure, so we've been testing a few different cars to see what the reliability / fun factor is in each...

Have a word with the guy at www.reallyFQ.com
Everything still in its infancy at the moment but you should get some info.
 
Peerzy said:
Buying an old complex BMW
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No, no, no. That's the beauty of the older BMWs, they are in fact quite simple. :)

Running costs aren't too high, but they could also easily mount up (as with any car put on track lots though), especially if you don't do the work yourself.
 
Just organise some go karting with some friends every couple months or so. I went last week with 15 others and had a right laugh.

Ok, so it's not the same as a car. But, you still get to learn what lines to use, find out what driving on the limit of grip feels like and some rwd characteristics. Plus it's always a fun day out of with mates, close racing with no fear of binning anything.
 
I've got to ask, why do you want to drive a road car on the track?
I have to say that I've never really been that impressed with stock road cars, most are just a little lardy and soggy. If you want a track experience, go do a days experience in a single seater. That will probably include time in a road car with a good tutor, followed by time in something that's dedicated for track work.

For just fun, go with the karting.
 
How much do you want to spend? There are plenty of companies who will provide you with a car and for a few hundred quid that you can blat around all day, cars such as Caterhams, Lotus's etc I am sure there will be restrictions at your age but I was offered a Caterham for £500 plus the track day fee. If you want a full day in someone elses motor that is good value.

http://www.track-club.com/
 
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No idea where you're based but the Teesside Autodrome offer days in their prepped cars. They've got British Championship specced mini coopers, lotus elises, and track prepped mx5s.

Never been there myself other than for karting, but the track is the longest and fastest kart track in the world, and great fun :cool:
 
dale1uk said:
No idea where you're based but the Teesside Autodrome offer days in their prepped cars. They've got British Championship specced mini coopers, lotus elises, and track prepped mx5s.

Never been there myself other than for karting, but the track is the longest and fastest kart track in the world, and great fun :cool:
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I haven't been there for a few years despite it being my local go kart track, I actually prefer the one in Sunderland (cheaper and better track imo).

I don't know anything about the car track experiences on offer, but they seem rather short and I would prefer to have that kind of experience on a proper track.
 
Peerzy said:
It's not gonna be financially do-able as a Uni student.

Buying an old complex BMW, taxing it, testing it, insuring it to drive to track (or having to pay to tow it), insuring it for track day, replacing rubber, servicing plus initial purchase cost.

Gonna cost far more than I'm willing to pay, end of the day I can wait 1 year and 2 months and do the VXR day or throw a couple of grand on doing it now in an old Bimmer.
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Im in the same situation. I'd love to get my Z4 out on the track but Im scared of binning it or just general wear and tear that will come from a trackday.

Contemplating spending <£1000 on a track car at the moment. Sure it won't be as quick as my car but it will be more fun as I won't be constantly worrying about killing it.

Will give me a chance to get under the bonnet of a relatively simple car too as I'd love to be able to work on a car because at the moment, I'm pretty clueless.
 
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