GTI_LU_PO Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 (edited) Just been taking a look at the Brands Hatch website.I hadnt realised how relatively cheap track days were, for all the build-up plus 1half to 2 hours track time its £99! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> If you were a beginner to track driving (like myself) then you can go on a £59 event for a similar thing! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Considering treating myself in the near future and taking the GTI for a few laps!I have seen overtime that a few members have done this... whats the loop like on a track? (esp. GTI)Can the little VW handle itself out there? style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Edit: Just been looking at posts in the 'events' section - With my grown-up hat on there is no way I would thrash the loop at one of these! Wouldnt want to either damage the engine/brakes/gearbox (and/or) smash the poor thing to pieces! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> Hmmm... style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> thinking of convincing my mate to let me use his Golf GTI 16v instead!!! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> He He!!!! Edited August 11, 2006 by GTI_LU_PO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 If you drive within your limits the chances of you crashing are minimal to say the least. If you're worried, some insurance companies will do track-day insurance for a relatively small fee (compared to a new car, anyway!)If you're not confident enough then do an airfield day at somewhere like Bedford first - that way there's nothing to hit, and you can get used to the car's handling on the limit.Depending on the track day organiser you'll have anything from basic 1 litre cars to Radical SR3s turning up on the day - obviously the GTI will come somewhere in the middle! It's pretty damn good as far as FWD hatchbacks go - there's a little more understeer than some of the French hatchbacks, and less feedback through the steering wheel, but it can hold its own.It's worth finding out who the trackday organiser is and searching for other people's opinions of them on Google or similar. The trackday organiser can make the difference between an excellent track day and a rubbish track day. A good organiser will do a drive-through of the circuit first (i.e. you all follow a van round to learn the layout), will give you a good briefing, and will split you into groups based on your vehicle and experience (i.e so you don't end up out in a session with nothing but track-day specials).The usual layout gives you 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off, so there's plenty of time for the brakes and everything else to cool down. As long as the car is well maintained then you should have no problems with it - obviously the most important thing to check is brakes, as you really don't want them to fail! If you're running standard GTI brakes you'll probably experience fade towards the end of the 20 minute session once you start pushing hard - that's to be expected. You can help counteract it a bit by changing the brake fluid before you go, especially if it's never been done before.You won't damage the engine or gearbox unless you do something silly like put it into 2nd gear at 80mph, and to be honest you'd have to be a muppet to do that and deserve everything you get.You do have to consider the cost of brake pads and tyres - on an abrasive track you could easily wear through a couple of millimetres of tyre tread after a full day of track work.Many decent organisers will offer you a 20 minute tuition session with a pro for around 20 quid extra, which again is a good idea if you're a bit nervous. You'll also need to include the cost of helmet rental (assuming you don't have one) which is usually 10 quid for the day. And you need to cover your arms and legs - no t-shirts or shorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chfs911 Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.a...48&t=297524&p=1That's me in the red RS this morning.Great fun and I highly recommend it!Opposition wasn't too shabby either.Still past most of them bar no. 1 & 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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