So you like driving a car designed for A-B city car on a race track ...

Yes.

The Fabia has a very high (relative) centre of Gravity, big understeer, all the weight on the front wheelsnarrow tyres, brake fade and over 90 ish its pretty much given its best.... not the best for a track really is it.

Part of the reason I don't own a Fabia.

A good track car has Low kerb weight, low centre of gravity, wide tyres, high power to weight ratio no constraints for emmissions as its sole purpose is to post the fastest lap that is possible for its power to weight for its category and its driven wheels.

No...a good track car is one which is fun to drive on track. A fast track car would probably be all the above, but unless you're actually racing or doing timed laps, what's the major incentive to be the fastest on track?

Rob.

And both of them will be (relatively) understeery, cook their brakes after a few laps and eat tyres.............? I also thought we were talking fast cars? :confused:

Chris

Well clearly the Cavalier GSI2000 whiuch has fully independant suspension all round will be a much better track car than vRS or any thing else mentioned so far.

You could opt for the Cavalier GSI 2000 Turbo 204bhp easily tunable too fully independant suspension again.

Cook brakes yes (I tempered my front & rear discs on my old cavalier on the road once not in the UK mind) everything will so why not cook the brakes on a cheap as chips car over that of your main car?

Eat tyres - well all this wheel spinning is a waste of power you need to flow round the circuit not point and squirt brake and repeat.

Yes.

Part of the reason I don't own a Fabia.

No...a good track car is one which is fun to drive on track. A fast track car would probably be all the above, but unless you're actually racing or doing timed laps, what's the major incentive to be the fastest on track?

Rob.

Every lap is timed and you want to show improvement over the day as you learn the circuit and get more confidence.

Every lap is timed and you want to show improvement over the day as you learn the circuit and get more confidence.

Really? AFAIK tracks like Anglesey and that don't allow timing, purely because they don't want people to start getting overly competitive and killing 'emselves. It's just a bit of fun after all...

Rob.

No track days allow timing. Of course it does go on...

You may be able to do timed laps at something like the Brands racing school, but it's not cheap.

Well clearly the Cavalier GSI2000 whiuch has fully independant suspension all round will be a much better track car than vRS or any thing else mentioned so far.

Clearly - unless you don't have the budget to run/insure/trailer a dedicated track car?

You could opt for the Cavalier GSI 2000 Turbo 204bhp easily tunable too fully independant suspension again.

Indeed I could - but what's that buying me over the car I already have. It's still a lardy 4 door saloon that's unreliable, underpowered and understeery?

Cook brakes yes (I tempered my front & rear discs on my old cavalier on the road once not in the UK mind) everything will so why not cook the brakes on a cheap as chips car over that of your main car?

Because I'd still have to replace them if I wanted to use the car again on track? My new brakes have not managed to be cooked yet, so I don't see that as a disadvantage of my car.

Eat tyres - well all this wheel spinning is a waste of power you need to flow round the circuit not point and squirt brake and repeat.

Can't argue with that - you'll have to let me know next time you go to a track day and you can give me some tips

Chris

I have never damaged my car on track

Over the last 5 years with my 2 Skodas, I have done over 1000 laps of the Ring in them and about 3500 track miles as well.

I have overtaken amongst other things:

M3

911 C4s

Diablo ( now that was funny, the guy was scared to death)

360

Evos

Scoobs

Escort Cossies

Skylines

Exiges

Couple of single seaters in the wet (nightmare to overtake, you just see a wall of spray and eventually, almost too late, the red light)

I have had a lot of fun doing it, made a lot of friends, upset a few people. Would I do it again? As I can only have one car (that needs to do 50-60k per year of road miles) YES.

Oh and can I have lessons too please?

I'm obviously doing something wrong :(

Clearly - unless you don't have the budget to run/insure/trailer a dedicated track car?

Indeed I could - but what's that buying me over the car I already have. It's still a lardy 4 door saloon that's underpowered and understeery?

Because I'd still have to replace them if I wanted to use the car again on track? My new brakes have not managed to be cooked yet, so I don't see that as a disadvantage of my car.

Can't argue with that - you'll have to let me know next time you go to a track day and you can give me some tips

Chris

204bhp in a 1150kg car vs a 1300kg+ fabia...... hmm thats a big difference.

Cooking the brakes require a good 30 mile run fully laiden boot and 5 male adults in the car, lots of high pace and lots of braking from high speeds down steep hills really test the brakes. The pedal goes rock hard in the end and its like the servo has gone but in reality the discs are glowing the pads are likely to be shot the fluid bubbling. . Glad Ive grown up a lot since then.

I have never damaged my car on track

Over the last 5 years with my 2 Skodas, I have done over 1000 laps of the Ring in them and about 3500 track miles as well.

I have overtaken amongst other things:

M3

911 C4s

Diablo ( now that was funny, the guy was scared to death)

360

Evos

Scoobs

Escort Cossies

Skylines

Exiges

Couple of single seaters in the wet (nightmare to overtake, you just see a wall of spray and eventually, almost too late, the red light)

I have had a lot of fun doing it, made a lot of friends, upset a few people. Would I do it again? As I can only have one car (that needs to do 50-60k per year of road miles) YES.

But your driving an Octavia SDi... thats has just eenough power to get me out of bed in the morning.

For me that just wouldnt inspire at all on the track.

Now say it was a 330d then its a different ball game

LOL! I drove round the Ring in a 330d touring, complained it was slow and wallowy. Then took the owner round in mine - he was a bit surprised

Was your time under 8.5 minutes?

Lol an Octavia 1.9SDI overtaking a 330d Touring round the ring. was he 4 up + luggage + changing the TV channel for his in car TV??

You think the SDI was quick, you should have seen his 1.4-16v Octy!

Chris

Really? AFAIK tracks like Anglesey and that don't allow timing, purely because they don't want people to start getting overly competitive and killing 'emselves. It's just a bit of fun after all...

Rob.

Porche 997 come with a stopwatch & lap times on your dash FFS.

:eek: :orb_laugh

Get caught using it however and they'll kick you out.

Porche 997 come with a stopwatch & lap times on your dash FFS.

:eek: :orb_laugh

That doesn't mean trackdays condone or permit it...as Nick said, it's not allowed although that doesn't stop it from happening.

And not driving a Porsche 997 and not really being concerned with putting in the quickest times (we don't all share your obsession with numbers), I've never timed any of my laps. It's more about enjoying driving the car...

Rob.

I have timed mine.

I know my times for Castle Combe, Anglesey, Donington (full and National), Oulton Park and the Ring.

Here we go again

eh?

Really - how can they prove you have been using it? Just cancel it before they stop you.

So your paying to go on a track day where your not allowed to race your not allowed to time your laps - it really does make a lot more sense to go go-karting, or pass your racing drivers licence then away you go and race in a proper race series.

So your paying to go on a track day where your not allowed to race your not allowed to time your laps - it really does make a lot more sense to go go-karting, or pass your racing drivers licence then away you go and race in a proper race series.

Unless you want to drive/learn your own car, or don't really want to commit to the time/finance of entering a proper race series.

Comes down to what you want from it...when you go to a pub, do you enjoy a nice drink or do you do to see whether you can drink more than you did last time?

Rob.

I have timed mine.

I know my times for Castle Combe, Anglesey, Donington (full and National), Oulton Park and the Ring.

Exactly - otherwise you could push a little harder on the B roads and save some cash.

If your going there for skid pan lessons thats a skill improvement, if your just going there to go round & round not knowing if anychanges you make to your driving style is having a time reducing imrpovement then whats the point.

Some here have listed cars which they have shamed by passing them - well who knows they may have been on warm up or cool down laps the only way to know for sure is to look at the quickest time for all attending.

You could make it exciting by working out your power to weight and gross it up so everyone has a comparative lap time. 997 Turbo or 1.9SDI tavia

Karting is out for me as I have the power to weight ratio of a small house :(

Now why didn't |I think of doing competitive driving? :confused:

Unless you want to drive/learn your own car, or don't really want to commit to the time/finance of entering a proper race series.

Comes down to what you want from it...when you go to a pub, do you enjoy a nice drink or do you do to see whether you can drink more than you did last time?

Rob.

But I can have a nice drink at home and rather than pay

Karting is out for me as I have the power to weight ratio of a small house :(

Now why didn't |I think of doing competitive driving? :confused:

Im not talking about indoor Karting Im talking about the full on outdoor karting 120mph stuff. Buy one of those with 2/3 mates who like to race too for