Southern Track Car?

[Nobrainer]

I've been having a little think and have decided to offer up my car as a 'Southern track car' whatever that means.

Its an 04, mk 1 180 in silver with 35,000 on the clock. I'm into doing track days with it so no real problem with others coming along for the ride (and drive of course!)

I've had it around Keevil once and I know I push quite hard so I'm not worried about wear and tear from others as long as the costs are covered.

...

[Smokey]

Its actually quite a big commitment mate, not to put you off. (I would love to see a Southern one!)
A few questions you really need to ask yourself....

Do you use the car as your daily drive?
Are you happy that others will drive it to the limit?
If it was crashed, can you do without the car?
Will you insure it for track days, is it finantially worth it?
Do you have the time to organise the trackdays?
Can you afford the trackdays yourself?
Will you livery it up? (dazzer could replicate mine)

I know you have spent a few bob on braided hoses etc, how much do you value the car?

In my scenario, I bought a cheap but running ZS and have spent only as much as needed to get it the way I wanted (with bucket seats/harnesses/stripped out/livery)

Costs:

I make pretty much nothing out of the track days. A simple breakdown would be this:

No. of Drivers: 4
Track Cost: £80
Petrol Cost: £70 -inc. travel to/from track
Additional Driver Cost: £30
Wear and Tear: £40 (£10 per head)
Session Time: 2 hours

Total Cost: £ 220 split 4 ways

This is only a guide, trackscotland and Knockhill track days have different costs and depending on distance from track, petrol may be more or less. Also, when I looked in to Oulton, the track costs were about double Knockhills! (always check additional driver costs!!)

I think wear and tear at £10 per head is fair.

Things do come up though, I had to buy brake fluid after the last session so straight away thats almost half the wear/tear money gone. The things that are likely to wear are brake disks/pads (£110 at cheapest) and tyres (£80 per corner for cheap rubbish or around £150 for something worthwhile)

It's not a whimsical decision mate and if you choose to go ahead with it, take as much advice from everyone as you can as it has been a massive help to me!

Good luck either way though, would look forward to a North/South track day meet!!!

[peterzs]

Sounds a great idea, have to have a word with Smokey to work out costs, comes down to how many will take up the generous offer.

Think Smokey puts a limit on numbers, minimum and maximum, to give reasonable track time for everyone, and to keep the costs to an affordable amount.

Something to chat about at Goodwood!!!!!!!!!

Smokey has beaten me to it!!!

[stamford]

I contemplated it with my own ZS but decided no purely because it is my car and have had it over 7 years so have become attached to it. Plus it would hurt me to see it damaged, daft I know but that's the way it is! If I had the space and money I would buy another one and convert that.

[Smokey]

It's funny you should say that Mick, I bought the track car as I wasn't a huge fan of the mk1 and knew what it's purpose would be. But over the last few months working on I and making it what it is, I have grown very attached to it!

[ZRed]

You always run the risk of losing everything 1 corner in and might not be you driving.

[Nobrainer]

Thanks for the input guys and your all right so I won't do it

[Nobrainer]

Only joking!
I have thought about these things and they are all very valid points.
I bought the car to track day and get me to work, but when it ends up off the road 1. hopefully there will be help to get it back on the road and 2. I can always cycle to work if I have to :-(
I'm happy that others will drive it to the limit. I do. And most people when driving someone else's car tend to be a little cautious. Of course there's always the drive it like you stole it guys (but that's probably me). Hopefully a small deposit will help with this.
I want to do the track days myself so even if no one wants to come its not the end of the earth, its just encouragement for me if people do.
I've been thinking of a bit of a livery anyway and have been chatting to a friend who does some design work already.
I will begeting something back from this hopefully -help with the car. The more help I get the better the car will be. I find its labour costs and time that are the killer so that's what I need -offers gratefully accepted :-)

[Jay-ZS+]

I buy a rich for life scratch card very couple of weeks, know if I won my car would be donated straight away! Oh well fingers crossed I win! lol

Personally I'm not sure I'd be totally comfortable driving someone elses car round the track. You get to know your own car the bite of the brakes and the amount of slip of the tyres. Also the fear of binning it. Wouldn't mind so much trashing your own car, but would hate to trash someone elses!

Although when I read that make it doesnt half sound daft!!

[talkingcars]

I'm interested although my problem is time to actually get to track days.