Review - First track day with the X
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
Review - First track day with the X
I had my first track day with my X MR last Friday and am generally very pleased with the car. Out of the box it was just as quick as my tricked out TT (2:17s at Thunderhill) and although I had a couple of hiccups during the day it ran really well.
Things to note:
- Even though the petrol tank gauge showed more than a third full it was sucking fumes and cutting engine power. A quick trip to the pumps cured this one.
- Untuned - I was getting 5mpg around the track.
- Using Super Sport mode was a massive improvement for the SST box under 'auto' control with the right gear always being selected. Yes - after a few laps I threw limp mode with an overheated transmission. The big cog in the display with 'Slow down' was a big hint. Pulling off and letting the car cool down cleared this. I'll have to look at the venting and either take the fog lamp out for the next run or look at an aftermarket option.
- Was faster than my friends new M3 with sticky tyres on it in the morning - until he worked out how to use the Traction control properly then it wasn't
.
- No sign of brake fade during the day. Impressive.
- Bang for buck - Very impressed.
So things to come away with:
Got to get a couple of stone chips fixed.
Needs a tune.
Take a closer look at the transmission cooling.
Could use stiffer sway bars.
Next time play with the ASC more.
One thing I'd suggest to all is to re-torque your wheel (lug) nuts before trying hot laps - but you all knew that anyway. Warped rotors are a pita.
Things to note:
- Even though the petrol tank gauge showed more than a third full it was sucking fumes and cutting engine power. A quick trip to the pumps cured this one.
- Untuned - I was getting 5mpg around the track.
- Using Super Sport mode was a massive improvement for the SST box under 'auto' control with the right gear always being selected. Yes - after a few laps I threw limp mode with an overheated transmission. The big cog in the display with 'Slow down' was a big hint. Pulling off and letting the car cool down cleared this. I'll have to look at the venting and either take the fog lamp out for the next run or look at an aftermarket option.
- Was faster than my friends new M3 with sticky tyres on it in the morning - until he worked out how to use the Traction control properly then it wasn't
.- No sign of brake fade during the day. Impressive.
- Bang for buck - Very impressed.
So things to come away with:
Got to get a couple of stone chips fixed.
Needs a tune.
Take a closer look at the transmission cooling.
Could use stiffer sway bars.
Next time play with the ASC more.
One thing I'd suggest to all is to re-torque your wheel (lug) nuts before trying hot laps - but you all knew that anyway. Warped rotors are a pita.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
I torqued them to 80ftlbs each, which should be about right. Dealerships always seem to over tighten so I didn't want to take the risk as it's completely stock out of the dealership 800 odd miles ago. I don't want to take it back for warped rotors when the fix is so simple.
One thing I forgot to note was a curios sort of rolling thud clunk while turning hard left into turn 11. I put it down to understeer at the time but will check to see if I can see anything and mention it to the dealer when I talk to them.
The corkscrew at Laguna is something else !
Some pics... http://gotbluemilk.com/web090417/66/index.html
One thing I forgot to note was a curios sort of rolling thud clunk while turning hard left into turn 11. I put it down to understeer at the time but will check to see if I can see anything and mention it to the dealer when I talk to them.
The corkscrew at Laguna is something else !
Some pics... http://gotbluemilk.com/web090417/66/index.html
