You are starting out the right way, basically starting from stock and figuring out what does and does not work.
I started out doing NASA group one, now running in 3 hoping to get into TT, or 4 to get a comp license and race spec E30s one day :-).
Here is my path:
Year 1
- Stock
- Brake Pads - EBC Yellow Pads F & R lasted 3 track Days -
- Brake Fluid - Motul RBF 600
- Tires - Michelin PSS - Fronts got pretty haggered from no - camber and these are not a great track tire
Year 2 - Updates (3 Track Days)
- Tires - Hankook RS4 tires
- Wheels - Apex EC-7 Staggered
- Brake Pads - Carbotech XP10 Front & XP8 rear. Huge improvement over EBC Yellow and drove them on the street, you sound like a bus heavy squeal. I hardly drive maybe 5k miles a year
- Brakes - Titanium Shims still unsure if it helped or not
- Coded the electronic driving nannies - car would do insane things like brake mid turn, once coded out car was much better to drive
Year 3 - 5 Track Days
- Year of Suspension
- Ohlins R&T W/ Vorschlag Camber Plates (finally getting camber
) - dropped 3 seconds off my best lap time
- Corner Balanced
Year 4 (2019)
- ER Oil Cooler - Tired of having to slowdown or drive 80% mid session to drop oil temps - One track day so far Oil temps remain low or I back off for 1/4 a lap and all is good
- Brake Pads: Hawk DTC 60 Front - Best pad yet, I daily but again hardly drive.
- Tires new Hankook RS4s - tires last forever grip is great, replaced due to not running negative camber and running over a few nails
- Brake Rotors - Zimmerman blanks heavy but seem fine, prior BMW rotors
- Brake Piston Replacement - Re-built the brake calipers with the Stoptech rebuild kit due to the seals and pistons beginning to crumble - overall breaking is better I need to see how the seals held up from this past weekend.
At this point I really do not want to do much more. The car is a perfect blend of a daily and capable HPDE car. I would maybe do M3 control arms and subframe bushings and a seat. The car is fast e.g. it can hang or be faster than e90 m3s, new caymans etc.
Best upgrades
- Coilovers Ohlins
- Tires Hankook RS4s
- Brake Pads DTC60s
- ER Oil Cooler
I am running stock power, aside from a BMW PPK and axle back exhaust
Hope this helps, others may have different opinions.