Soon to be attending my first track day in my 135i...help!

[dcaron9999]

Originally Posted by 02rsxpilot

I'm failing to see the issue your non-stock tune presents. Leave DSC on, and drive within your limits. The car won't let you put down more power than it can handle if you leave traction control on.

If there are issues with your tune when pushed to track level performance, your car will let you know (limp mode, etc...)

Good points made here.

Just dont use DSC OFF/TIMYOYO mode (long press of the DTC button). Learn to drive the car with nannies on first, then as you progress through the next run groups, you can remove one level (DTC mode) for a little less computer interaction, and more skid ... As you drive, you should note where the traction control light flashes, and adjust your brake input/throttle input/race line accordingly in these areas of the track.

[dcaron9999]

For street: Either don't touch anything, or hit the DTC button once to disable traction control, but keep stability control (DSC) on.

For novice track driving: Drive in DTC mode (1 press of DTC button) and make note when disability control kicks in.

Track driving: Once you become familiar where you are likely to lose traction, turn everything off (hold DTC button). The DTC limited mode simply intervenes too much and prevents advanced techniques such as trail braking which involve yaw change.

It gets hairy when you change your steering inputs based on feel (lets say the rear starts a good slip angle), and suddenly both you and the traction control are dialing in counter steer. You'll dart across the track if you don't also anticipate the additional inputs from traction control, which vary depending on too many things to keep track of.

Full Dynamic Stability Control - default mode DSC.
In this mode the brakes are appllied at any wheel, and the engine power is contolled (ie shut off) in order to bring the car back into line. If the car senses a spin is about to happen, the engine power is cut momentarily and the brakes are applied any any individual wheel to cause an offset force to straighten the car out and bring it back under control.

Dynamic Traction Control DTC - Press the button momentarily.
This mode is DSC 'light'. It can still reduce power or apply brakes to any wheel, however it will allow some wheel slippage and assumes it is due to road conditions (gravel, snow, mud, ice or rain). This is simply a software program change to DSC, with some of the stability parameters modified from the default.

DSC/DTC Off (hold the button for 5 seconds).
This is 'E-Diff' mode. The computer is reduced to only attempting to limit a spinning rear wheel by applying the brake to that wheel. In this mode, the engine is not controlled, nor are the front brakes activated. It is not really an E-Diff at all. It is just called that, to sound special. If the car is about to flip over, in this mode it will not try and save the car by cutting engine power. If it is about to do a 360 - it doesn't care - the computer is only monitoring rear wheel spin. This is our TIM YOYO mode (That's It Mo Fo Your On Your Own).

[hatepotholez]

Originally Posted by granracing

I don't think it hurts to flush the brake fluid. Different pads? Eh. Novices on their first time out should be focused on learning the proper line, slowly working their way up, traffic, flaggers, and so forth. Speed should come second. I always tell students that I want them to focus on these items first and get them really down. Forget how fast you or anyone else is going. If you do this, speed will just come.

Typically the first session they do this, hurts their ego a little to have cars passing (but sloppy lines). By the third session, those other drivers are still driving sloppy lines, being more aggressive, not going faster while the driver who focused on proper lines and techniques is blowing by the other driver.

The point is to take the time to learn the right methods, and speed will come to you naturally. With your brakes and equipment, be smooth.

I started with a 110 HP Honda Prelude. It wasn't long before I was passing a lot of cars with much more HP and better suspensions. As others have said, focus on the driver.

New to the site and the 135i is my current top choice to replace my recently sold S2000 due to kids in the family. Need to reply to validate my account and thought this section would be a natural fit. Sixle, over the past several years I've compiled a lot of information that should help people like yourself with autocross, HPDE and Club Racing. It's a totally free online resource and think it'll answer a lot of your questions, so don't feel too bad plugging it: www.GoAheadTakeTheWheel.com .

Good luck and have fun out there!! Dave

Thank you for the advice and website!!

[Ski Killset]

Yeah I wouldn't exactly advise someone to do a track day with stock runflats, stock brake pads and stocks alignment. Honestly I won't do a track day without rear subframe bushings. The car gets a little strange underhard braking, when the rear is wiggling all over then the front brakes go away.

Get these things fixed and then learn your car!

[02rsxpilot]

Originally Posted by Ski Killset

Yeah I wouldn't exactly advise someone to do a track day with stock runflats, stock brake pads and stocks alignment. Honestly I won't do a track day without rear subframe bushings. The car gets a little strange underhard braking, when the rear is wiggling all over then the front brakes go away.

Get these things fixed and then learn your car!

I did two events bone stock. That's exactly what I'd recommend. Otherwise you have no baseline and no idea what you actually need to upgrade.

[Ski Killset]

Oh I could tell driving home the day I bought my car what needed to be fixed. I wouldn't go out at speed with runflats, massive understeer and a wiggly rear.

But that's just me.

[02rsxpilot]

Fair enough. I think a lot of it has to do with what car you came from or what feel you prefer. Personally I found all the talk about understeer to be greatly exaggerated. The RFTs leave you wanting for grip, no doubt, but I found that at both ends of the car, not just up front. The actual balance of the car was actually much more neutral than I expected, compared to all the chatter.

On a side note, it seems the N54 folks complain more about the understeer than the N55. I wonder if there was any tweaking to the suspension or an improvement in the RFTs that might explain that. Dunno.

For 1st time trackers, I'd suggest fresh DOT4 brake fluid and an open mind. After that, go to town with your mods (it's half the fun), but spend twice as much time scrutinizing your driving as you do any mechanical shortcomings of the car. Your lap times will improve much faster.