E46 Things
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Do this
Agreed, PFCs are a great track pad.
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Bring:
-torque wrench and check lugs between sessions once things have cooled down
-tire pressure gauge, may want to bump pressures up or down depending on your car. BFR has a compressor and air hose
-extra quart or two of oil, check level between sessions once things have cooled down
-small tool kit (sockets, screwdrivers etc), because racecar
-cooler and water for you to drink. Sun will take it out of you, keep hydrated. The track sells ice.
-Hat...same reason
-windshield cleaner and paper towels to clean bug debries off windshield. RainX if it looks like rain.
-fill up gas tank before getting to the track. Several gas stations just off of I90. The track has gas on site but not cheap...cheaper though than RA
-in car camera /GoPro, etc securely mounted. Impress your friends with your skills. Memory card so you can actually record.
-remove loose stuff from car... you know the drill.
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Saturday was spent doing some prep for Wednesday’s trip to Blackhawk Farms. @patsbimmer1 so generously offered to let me borrow his GoPro, and @i_love_cars hooked me up with a set of track brake pads. I replaced the pads, took my time, cleaned everything thoroughly and had one of the kids help with bleeding the brakes which actually worked out rather well.
I got the camera setup and tried out the Track Addict telemetry software.
When I returned home I noticed a check engine light for a cam sensor
I sure hope the sensor or VANOS solenoid will hold on until after Wednesday. I reset the code and went for a 20 mile shakedown run and everything is running tip-top, the code did not return so perhaps its a fluke. The weather forecast shows storms Later in the week so lets hope those also hold off until after Wednesday
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Rain will be fine as long as your tires have good tread. Brake a bit earlier in the braking zone depending on conditions. Shiny looking parts of the track in the wet have less grip. Due to drainage patterns, track will puddle in a few places such as on the inside of T3 as you enter the carousel, the inside of T3d, and the inside of T6 after the silo (6a on some track maps). Stay off the painted rumble strips in the wet, tend to be slippery. Stay on the track, grass is glass in the wet.
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Wet bad, dry good...
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Wet bad, dry good...
The standing water was a real thing that day. Those were good times lol
2011 E92 M3 6MT ZCP - ESS 625 supercharged
2007 Z4MR
2003 E39 M5
2002 E46 M3
2021 X5 40i -
Sessions 1 and 2 I was not driving anywhere near the limit of this car’s ability and was not recording. Session 3 was incredible! I had the camera setup but it did not start recording through the Track Addict app. I made a mistake by turning the screen off on my phone and I dont think it runs in the background.
This car is quite fast and I certainly have not had to point anyone by in this class.
The car is performing flawlessly with a smidgen of safe understeer on turn and I’d love to see what it could do in the hands of an advanced driver.
The instructor is signing me off on Novice group though I need to work on looking ahead and using my peripheral vision better. I should be able to record session 4.
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Session 4 was good but there were a few guys that weren't checking their mirrors to point me by so I had to proceed at a more moderate pace. I got it on video, its a bunch of wind noise. Tech inspector was not fond of a suction cup mount on the windshield so I had to mount it outside. Trying a different position in the car for the final session/#5
The instructor, John Gobey, is a chipper old British gentleman and has been great to have! He loves the M3 and has an E46 M3 track car of his own but is running an Alfa Giulia today.
An M3 binned it on turn 7. He is okay, the airbags deployed and the far side of the car (not shown) is a bit battered
I parked next to another E46 M3 in the paddock area owned by a guy named Frank. Its Mystic Blue and has an ESS supercharger kit. Very nice guy, not incredibly talkative, but he did give me a new MANN air filter that came in a filter kit he bought. Thanks Frank!
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Sounds like you are having a blast! I cant wait to see some videos!
https://www.instagram.com/_jdesigner_/ http://nevertoolow.tumblr.com/
🥳SOLD BMW E24 633CSI - BMW M30B32 🧪SOLD HCH ES9 - 1.3 LDA
👽BMW E30 325IC - Toyota 1JZ-GTE ⏰ HONDA EF9 CIVIC SI - JDM B18C5
☠️BMW E36 318i - Ford 5.0 FE302 🚴♂️ GT-Labomba - 26x2.75 Freeride
🤹♀️SOLD BMW E36/7 Z3 - BMW M54B25 🧓SOLD BMW E10 2002 - BMW M10M05 -
Session 4 was good but there were a few guys that weren't checking their mirrors to point me by so I had to proceed at a more moderate pace. I got it on video, its a bunch of wind noise. Tech inspector was not fond of a suction cup mount on the windshield so I had to mount it outside. Trying a different position in the car for the final session/#5
The instructor, John Gobey, is a chipper old British gentleman and has been great to have! He loves the M3 and has an E46 M3 track car of his own but is running an Alfa Giulia today.
An M3 binned it on turn 7. He is okay, the airbags deployed and the far side of the car (not shown) is a bit battered
I parked next to another E46 M3 in the paddock area owned by a guy named Frank. Its Mystic Blue and has an ESS supercharger kit. Very nice guy, not incredibly talkative, but he did give me a new MANN air filter that came in a filter kit he bought. Thanks Frank!
Frank lives in East Troy I believe. If it's the same guy he's really nice and yes, very quiet.
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Today was pure joy! I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this track day. Everything was perfect!
Session #5 was a fantastic finish to the day.
Driving home was even kinda neat. The bluetooth connection on the car picked up a phone call from my wife as I had the frigid AC flowing and cruise control set. I know there are a lot of new cars that are capable on track, comfortable to drive, and still offer amenities, but it is a sweet experience to be able to “have it all” to an extent. Another surprise was the fuel economy. I didn’t even use 2/3 of a tank. Many were astonished
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You deserve it man! I hope to join you next time! I know the feeling, driving home with the numbers still taped on and thinking to yourself "these plebeians driving next to me have no idea how cool my day was and what this car did." It's such a cool feeling.
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You still had fuel left? Must not have had your foot down enough.
https://www.instagram.com/_jdesigner_/ http://nevertoolow.tumblr.com/
🥳SOLD BMW E24 633CSI - BMW M30B32 🧪SOLD HCH ES9 - 1.3 LDA
👽BMW E30 325IC - Toyota 1JZ-GTE ⏰ HONDA EF9 CIVIC SI - JDM B18C5
☠️BMW E36 318i - Ford 5.0 FE302 🚴♂️ GT-Labomba - 26x2.75 Freeride
🤹♀️SOLD BMW E36/7 Z3 - BMW M54B25 🧓SOLD BMW E10 2002 - BMW M10M05 -
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Found a video clip of the F80 M3. I called it an M4 in my original post because in my brain an M4 should have 4 doors and the M3 was originally a 2 door. Thanks for rustling my jimmies with your wonky naming structure BMW
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Interesting, not where I thought the off occurred when you mentioned it. Looks like compared to the prior lap he was into the rumbles on exit from T7, got on the gas while on the rumbles and hooked to the right onto the tire wall.
Text mentions he had the traction control off. Wonder if he had done this from the outset or just for this session. Typically keep the nannies on for folks starting out.
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