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Good grief! "Ruin" your car by tracking it?! No, not at all. As James said, fuel consumption -- yes, a bit more tyre wear -- yes, and also brake pads. But these are all consumables anyway.
The most important thing with tracking is what you learn about your car and, of course, yourself. I reckon most important among these is how it performs under high speed braking, which is a critical skill we should all learn, not just experience in a panic, emergency situation. There's a MUCH greater probability you'll "ruin" your car on the road, by not knowing its limits and how it reacts in an emergency!
Modern cars, especially the FI Euro cars, are built to operate at high speeds. I've just returned from Europe, and I can tell you there are plenty of hot hatches, Polo GTIs included, cruising the autobahns at 160+kph
It's my personal opinion only, but I really see very little point in modifying a car's power and/or handling unless you take it on a track. Because, unless you are doing something illegal, you just won't understand what you've done or, indeed, whether you've done the right thing. My 2c
As FLOODY has shown, you can have great fun in basically a stock car. A little work, such as brake pads and competition fluid will give you greater confidence. No-one goes to these things and does 20 or even 10 laps straight. Mostly it's 5 or 6, one of which is your lead-in and another a cool-down. If your car can't handle that, then
2015 White German SUV
2013 White German hatch
2011 Silver French hot hatch
2008 TR Golf GT TDI DSG
Im happy to know my car has all the bits, dont need to demonstrate it and "ruin" it on the track. I prefer to park it at a BBQ and tell everyone what it can do.
When you sell your car, in the advert, say "plenty of track days" and see how many calls you get.
In all seriousness, enjoy your car however it best satisfys you, whether it be on the track or shiny in the garage.
Why are you posting in a thread about a track day if you have no intention of attending?
Petrina, I have to reitterate what Flaps said. If you have no intention of attending this track day then why are you continuously posting on this thread????????
The only way you'll ruin your car is if you push it either beyond its or your own (most likely the latter) limmitations. You could cruise around the track at 80km/h just to expirience what a well maintained road feels like to drive on or you could try and be Michael Schumacher and within 1 lap you'll probably write yourself off.
why would anyone think it's the car that lacks creditiblity with a comment like:
"Im happy to know my car has all the bits, dont need to demonstrate it and "ruin" it on the track. I prefer to park it at a BBQ and tell everyone what it can do."
It's not the car lacking credibility dude.
Let's not turn this into a p1ssing contest. horses for courses. Track days are the only place to go now days that you can safely open your car up, get real heat in your tyres and brakes and a grin ear to ear of pure satisfaction.
And yes, my car is stock and I'm having a blast doing sprints against corolla's and old school torana's, alfa's and cortinas etc. I, and no body else gives a toss that we're battling at the bottom end of the field.
Oh well, it's been good to get some interest from others into wakefield and trackdays in general.
Track Car: 06 Polo GTI Red Devil mkII Daily: 2010 VW Jetta Highline Gone but not forgotten: 08 Polo GTI
** All information I provide is probably incorrect until validated by someone else **
Whats the go with peoples insurance for the track day? Im pretty sure my insurance doesnt cover track days and I dont want to smash someone or myself by accident with no insurance
Your insurance won't cover it, it's why you take it easy.
I used to remove number plates and put tape over rego sticker at Eastern Creek before I entered the place as I was told insurance companies have spotters at the open track days. Not sure about at Wakefield though. As for other people, leave space and only overtake on straights and you won't crash into them.
Whats the go with peoples insurance for the track day? Im pretty sure my insurance doesnt cover track days and I dont want to smash someone or myself by accident with no insurance
Don't crash, problem solved
I'd put money on who's having more fun, us guys at the track, or Petrina at a BBQ talking bout his mods
This is has turned into a very strange thread. Perhaps we should try and it put back on track (don't pardon the pun )
If someone flips a snag at the BBQ on my car and damages the paint, the insurance will cover me. Im guessing any slip ups at the track and you won't be covered. Your insurance assessor will say "thats the cost of motorsport sport".
Excuse the pun but your mechanics will be "licking their lips" with glee like they are at a BBQ when you drive in with no brakes and no tyres and need a service.
Im sure you guys will have a great time on the track, im only ribbing you a little.
Lets everyone add how many track days they've done and how many time they pharked their car or seen someone else phark their car. Petrina, unless you're an idiot on the track, you have more chance of ruining your car on the road or some drunk stepping of a curb and innocent you end up hitting him. And it's already been said, tyres & brakes are consumable, you will need to replace them at some point, why not have fun in the process.
However with the Swift GTi I did about 25 track days and never had a problem. FFS, the car was still running well when I sold it to get the Polo last year, 220,000+km over 13 yrs and in all that time I had one gear box rebuild, never had to rebuild the engine. Admittedly I went through a lots of tyres and brakes and a few clutches. It never suffered from track days, if it did it wouldn't have lasted as long as it did !!
I have seen idiots on track days and remember an idiot (ricer) in a Skyline GTR lose it on Turn 1 at Eastern Creek and roll it through the gravel. All day he looked like he was out of control and you learn who to "avoid" when out on the track. Some people think they are professional racing drivers, but they get caught out pretty quick. It's a wake up for many to see a car looking like the GTR did get carried back to the pit area with a forklift !
Last time I was at wakefield, I was driving my mates Mitsubishi 3000GT (twin turbo 4wd) boost etc etc.. did a 7.4second run for the 1/8 mile sprints. So it was fast.
He had the brakes upgraded to 6 piston calipers just weeks before the track day. Pizza sized brakes.. Cost about $6k. I was driving and the disk sheered clean off and I had no front brakes. Had to do about 2 extra laps just to slow the car down (only had rear brakes). Those 6 piston Calipers lasted 3 hot laps. End of day.
Car needed to be towed home to sydney... Not cheap. Imagine how our Polo Gti bicycle brakes will go.
My other mate ran an Subaru Sti all day long. How many times it skidded off the track and he held his breathe. No issues on the day but he forever complained the car felt loose afterwoods and sold it.
Last edited by Petrina Polo; 24-07-2009, 10:59 AM.
I've only been on the track in my last car (Impreza) and friends Porsche, Never came close to damaging either.
Driving fast is not about driving hard, its about learning how to drive smart (putting this into practice has been slow for me).
On an open day you are not in it for the win, its not competition. There is a chance you could damage your vehicle, or someone else could. Same goes for life...
No one damaged their vehicles in any obvious way when I went to the track. I don't see me pushing the POG hard enough to do any real damage, maybe slide off the track or something.
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