Costs per trackday?

[Gashead1105]

A question for the guys on here who've done a few trackdays: leaving aside depreciation, how do you find the costs of tracking a V6 stack up against other previous cars? In particular, for those who used to have one, in comparison to an S2 Exige? I have my first trackday in the V6 tomorrow at Bedford and I'm now feeling slightly worried by comments on the other place about bald tyres after one day from new!

My expectation is that I will spend quite a lot more on petrol than in the S2, probably refill every 2 runs at c£40, but I'm not expecting that much tyre wear, running corsas rather than trofeos and I need to drive the car home at the end of the day. To be honest, I'm expecting costs on an annual basis to not be much more than my old S2, particularly as I'm not spending money on mods/refreshing parts like I was with the S2 and I've got servicing thrown in as well...

Cheers Will

Edited November 1, 2015 by Gashead1105

[Fortis]

Sorry Will

This probably won't be much help, but just go and enjoy your time on track. This time of year with the corsa's on you will be fine

You won't be going flat out either if it's your first track event in the V6 so fuel consumption shouldn't be a problem.

Have you been reading too much on another Lotus Forum ? 

[Barrykearley]

Stuff the costs

you only live once - bloody enjoy it and lick you wounds later!!

[Gashead1105]

27 minutes ago, Fortis said:

Sorry Will

This probably won't be much help, but just go and enjoy your time on track. This time of year with the corsa's on you will be fine

You won't be going flat out either if it's your first track event in the V6 so fuel consumption shouldn't be a problem.

Have you been reading too much on another Lotus Forum ? 

Yes too much time on the other one! 

I can't wait to be honest, had a little taste of what the V6 can do round an ultra slippery rockingham a few weeks ago and have been super excited since. It's so much better, more slide able and more controllable than my S2 Exige was. But the misery guts elsewhere have made me fear bankruptcy after tomorrow! 

i don't quite know why I've posted this actually, done loads of days with previous cars including heavier ones like a megane 250 and my mate was hardly moaning about the expense when he had an m coupe, which has almost as much power but a lot more weight than the V6. It's quite reassuring to just hear the message 'bugger the costs, go out and enjoy it'. Which I shall!

[Barrykearley]

Good man - better than spending it on soft furnishings!!

[Gashead1105]

Or a new kitchen... Though that might change in a couple of weeks, my wife is coming on the next trackday mid November and driving!

[Barrykearley]

Kitchens are well over rated

i had to get one to buy a play car a couple of years ago.

she don't look after the kitchen - and she's long stopped being appreciative of it. 

Cars been upgraded a couple of time and it's ace 

[CTRMint]

I feel your concern, trust me I've been there,  you should check my earlier posts.

However, I've just got back from Oulton Park this weekend, which is my 3rd track day,  one previous at Oulton Park and an other at Hethel.  I can honestly say go do it, then look back and consider the costs.  Everyone else told me just to go enjoy the car, and not to worry.  Personally I think the V6 isn't cheap to track, it drinks fuel but the rewards are worth it. 

For a full day of fun at Oulton Park I used 2.75 tanks, the other .25 got me there and back etc.

As for tyre wear, I'm no expert, so others are probably better placed to comment, but I've not found it too bad, but I'm not sliding the car around.  I also watch my pressures like a hawk, keeping them at 32psi for most of the day.   

Hope that helps.

[alias23]

As already mentioned by CTRMint get the tyres hot then bring the pressures down to 32psi, tyre pressures do seem to be a big thing on the v6.

Tyre wear on the Corsa's don't worry I'm still on the originals at the front and the rears did me a fair few track days with no issues.

Brakes also seem to fair well. Fuel wise I probably do two tanks worth on a day which in my opinion ain't bad.

Have a great day tomorrow!

[Gashead1105]

24 minutes ago, alias23 said:

As already mentioned by CTRMint get the tyres hot then bring the pressures down to 32psi, tyre pressures do seem to be a big thing on the v6.

Tyre wear on the Corsa's don't worry I'm still on the originals at the front and the rears did me a fair few track days with no issues.

Brakes also seem to fair well. Fuel wise I probably do two tanks worth on a day which in my opinion ain't bad.

Have a great day tomorrow!

I'm at Bedford tomorrow where I always got through a couple of tanks in the S2. So I'm going in expecting worse than that but by the sounds of things it won't be too much worse. Which is good news!

Noted on tyre pressures, I was going to aim for 30 psi but a couple of psi higher seems sensible.

Thank you all. Here's hoping for a sunny day but a greasy track as I want to play with sport and race modes!

[Bibs]

Have you read Jonny's article on the DPM system, it's essential if you want to get the benefit of Race mode?

http://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-cars-news/tlf-on-dpm/

[Gashead1105]

5 minutes ago, Bibs said:

Have you read Jonny's article on the DPM system, it's essential if you want to get the benefit of Race mode?

http://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-cars-news/tlf-on-dpm/

 

Yes, thanks.  And I had a brief play with race mode at Rockingham where, if I hadn't read how the system worked, I would've switched back to sport just as it was getting started!

[dmax]

 

On 11/1/2015, 4:21:01, Gashead1105 said:

A question for the guys on here who've done a few trackdays: leaving aside depreciation, how do you find the costs of tracking a V6 stack up against other previous cars? In particular, for those who used to have one, in comparison to an S2 Exige? I have my first trackday in the V6 tomorrow at Bedford and I'm now feeling slightly worried by comments on the other place about bald tyres after one day from new!

My expectation is that I will spend quite a lot more on petrol than in the S2, probably refill every 2 runs at c£40, but I'm not expecting that much tyre wear, running corsas rather than trofeos and I need to drive the car home at the end of the day. To be honest, I'm expecting costs on an annual basis to not be much more than my old S2, particularly as I'm not spending money on mods/refreshing parts like I was with the S2 and I've got servicing thrown in as well...

Cheers Will

4

As i work in a dealership, the cost of our demo on track has been calculated in details, and in taking all into account (tyre, service, brake pads, petrol), A V6 cost around 4 euros / per Km in track use.

[Gashead1105]

19 hours ago, dmax said:

 

As i work in a dealership, the cost of our demo on track has been calculated in details, and in taking all into account (tyre, service, brake pads, petrol), A V6 cost around 4 euros / per Km in track use.

When it's put like this.... Ouch! At Bedford in a couple of days with the wife - got fogged off last Monday - and I reckon it will be easy to do 40-50 laps between the 2 of us. At 4 miles, so 6-7km per lap that's somewhere in the region of £6-700 on the basis above! Fortunately the only up front number will be petrol and everything else can be dealt with as it arises.

[LF1]

I did the calculations based on that €4/km and recent track days, I have to say although terrifying at first glance probably quite accurate. Every track day won't cost you that, considering a set of tyres will run for a few days but on average i think it is likely spot on. Then when you add in a couple of nights at a hotel, crossings and petrol for somewhere like Spa and you will likely hit €10/km. Is it worth it... oh yea!

[Bullphi]

Tyre and brake wear is not too bad but fuel is. You'll be getting less than 10 mpg so keep an eye on it so that you don't run out.

[D.no]

This is all relative. For those who say an Exige V6 is expensive to track, they should try an R35 GT-R!