[Londoner]

A few wee links below. Yes my helmet is ridiculous, and yes the marshals examined it, but I can see damnit!

The MP analyser is fun, it also lets you export a shed load of track data via a map if you're that way inclined. Only irksome thing is it doesn't seem to be calibrated very well. I was hitting 140 mph on the straight according to my (which you can't obvs see) HUD, which is reliably (according to Waze and google maps at least) 2MPH fast, but I never saw more than 136 MPH on the analyser, so looks to be at least 2mph slow.

Fastest lap was a modest 3.04, but who cares - it was great fun. Funny, every track day morning you get a little bit of fear before the first drive, but as soon as you get a couple of laps under your belt it literally melts away and you don't want to come off.

Oh and you can see my brake pad warning light come on right at the end of the cockpit video. In fairness they (OEM) have done 25,000 miles and two track days so not too shabby.

[MY340i]

Looks like good fun and nice smooth driving. Cheek overtake at 15;40 eh.

[SkyJawa]

Speedo reads high, so will the HUD, true gps speed will be less. Eg in my car speedo reads 70 but it’s actually around 68.

[G82Dude]

Looks awesome! Had a BMW track day at Bedford few years back - great fun!

Wonder if owners will want to do that in their electric cars in years to come...?!

[Samuaw]

Out of curiosity, was your gearbox in sport ?
I have yet to take mine on track, but I would have thought it would have downshifted as you were braking with more rev hang, instead of downshifting at the exit when nailing the accelerator.

Either way, looked like an amazing day out , haven’t been to Bedford in a few years now but it seems like the corner before the back straight has changed from when I last went.

[Londoner]

Originally Posted by MY340i

Looks like good fun and nice smooth driving. Cheek overtake at 15;40 eh.

Eheh yes, was a tad cheeky of me!

[Londoner]

Originally Posted by G82Dude

Looks awesome! Had a BMW track day at Bedford few years back - great fun!

Wonder if owners will want to do that in their electric cars in years to come...?!

I even like the canteen/school dinners lunch at Bedford!

Good question re electric! It won't quite be the same but beggars can't be choosers I guess.

[Londoner]

Originally Posted by Samuaw

Out of curiosity, was your gearbox in sport ?
I have yet to take mine on track, but I would have thought it would have downshifted as you were braking with more rev hang, instead of downshifting at the exit when nailing the accelerator.

Either way, looked like an amazing day out , haven’t been to Bedford in a few years now but it seems like the corner before the back straight has changed from when I last went.

I was in sport + all the way mate. Well spotted re the inconsistency. It did sometimes overhang much more eagerly, but other times not. There didn't see to be rhyme or reason to it. Maybe xHP would resolve??

One other thing worth mentioning is the difference the LSD makes. I've done two with the 340i, one without, now one with. Although it's still significant with fast road driving, the additional predictability is magnified hugely on track.

[BIFCAIDS]

Originally Posted by Londoner

I was in sport + all the way mate. Well spotted re the inconsistency. It did sometimes overhang much more eagerly, but other times not. There didn't see to be rhyme or reason to it. Maybe xHP would resolve??

One other thing worth mentioning is the difference the LSD makes. I've done two with the 340i, one without, now one with. Although it's still significant with fast road driving, the additional predictability is magnified hugely on track.

Did you not fancy shifting yourself? My only gripes ever when I've had the 340 on track... Weight and the Limiter being in such a crap place, exiting Shell Oils at Oulton Park I must have adjusted my grip and pressed the button... good move with someone right behind me on the apex Brown flag moment.

[Londoner]

Originally Posted by BIFCAIDS

Did you not fancy shifting yourself? My only gripes ever when I've had the 340 on track... Weight and the Limiter being in such a crap place, exiting Shell Oils at Oulton Park I must have adjusted my grip and pressed the button... good move with someone right behind me on the apex Brown flag moment.

Never owned an auto before the 340 so really tried to like paddles, but try as I might, just don't feel the love. And I can't get used to juggling 8 gears, at least in a track setting - feels so fiddly, compared to a quality, short shifting 6 speed manual arrangement where you know what gear you're in simply by touch. Appreciate I'm in the minority - most seem to love the BMW paddle configuration in fairness.

Saying that, obviously the ZF8 wasn't designed for track/race scenarios (although am now even more surprised it's been specced on the new M cars) and is a fantastic auto box but some extended track time does expose the shortcomings of it. Might have to take a look at the remap options.

LOLOL re the limiter!! I did that too, although not in quite so critical a moment! Weight...yes, you can't help but feel a tad dejected when you make a (for me rare) perfect turn in and a little MX5 still darts around you, mouse/elephant style. Have just purchased the full MP suspension kit to assist and have been made to swear to the GF it's the last mod. Wonder what fitting will cost.

[BIFCAIDS]

Originally Posted by Londoner

Never owned an auto before the 340 so really tried to like paddles, but try as I might, just don't feel the love. And I can't get used to juggling 8 gears, at least in a track setting - feels so fiddly, compared to a quality, short shifting 6 speed manual arrangement where you know what gear you're in simply by touch. Appreciate I'm in the minority - most seem to love the BMW paddle configuration in fairness.

Saying that, obviously the ZF8 wasn't designed for track/race scenarios (although am now even more surprised it's been specced on the new M cars) and is a fantastic auto box but some extended track time does expose the shortcomings of it. Might have to take a look at the remap options.

LOLOL re the limiter!! I did that too, although not in quite so critical a moment! Weight...yes, you can't help but feel a tad dejected when you make a (for me rare) perfect turn in and a little MX5 still darts around you, mouse/elephant style. Have just purchased the full MP suspension kit to assist and have been made to swear to the GF it's the last mod. Wonder what fitting will cost.

I know what you mean with juggling 8 gears, coming into a slow corner from a high speed section and you feel like you've gone down the equivalent of 12 gears but you've only gone down 3. The box itself is fantastic but my god it's awful for track driving.

Re the limiter, I know these cars technically aren't built for track use but it still isn't a great location for the button, it genuinely felt like fuel starvation

How do you find the seats, it doesn't help I'm used to buckets and a 6point harness but I felt like I was only held in place by the door or centre console at times

Me personally, if I was using the car on track more regularly I'd be fitting a Quaife or Wavetrack with a set of 18's running Dirreza's or AR1's.

[Londoner]

Originally Posted by BIFCAIDS

I know what you mean with juggling 8 gears, coming into a slow corner from a high speed section and you feel like you've gone down the equivalent of 12 gears but you've only gone down 3. The box itself is fantastic but my god it's awful for track driving.

Re the limiter, I know these cars technically aren't built for track use but it still isn't a great location for the button, it genuinely felt like fuel starvation

How do you find the seats, it doesn't help I'm used to buckets and a 6point harness but I felt like I was only held in place by the door or centre console at times

Me personally, if I was using the car on track more regularly I'd be fitting a Quaife or Wavetrack with a set of 18's running Dirreza's or AR1's.

Most humble apologies for the belated - yes lolol re the seats - exactly the same experience! I found myself constantly pressed up against the door, and my arm/elbow kept triggering the window switches, was a tad annoying! And my passenger got out after only a couple of laps because she was thrown around so much and felt sick. I don't think these M-sport seats are that bad though, suspect all cars without dedicated buckets and harnesses would have the same issue.

Interesting re Quaife or Wavetrack - why would you pick one of them opposed to the MP LSD?

And 18s over 19s or 20s? I thought the bigger wheels/tyres would be the more track (but not road) friendly no?

[Londoner]

Question for you track vets - how many additional oil changes do you carry out? I did a change a few days before my last track day, and have done one every year (8-10,000 miles) however if I did say...two track days in a year, should I be doing a change every 6 months/5000 miles?

[BIFCAIDS]

Originally Posted by Londoner

Most humble apologies for the belated - yes lolol re the seats - exactly the same experience! I found myself constantly pressed up against the door, and my arm/elbow kept triggering the window switches, was a tad annoying! And my passenger got out after only a couple of laps because she was thrown around so much and felt sick. I don't think these M-sport seats are that bad though, suspect all cars without dedicated buckets and harnesses would have the same issue.

Interesting re Quaife or Wavetrack - why would you pick one of them opposed to the MP LSD?

And 18s over 19s or 20s? I thought the bigger wheels/tyres would be the more track (but not road) friendly no?

Oh don't worry about the reply ha ha ha.

Yeah the M-Sport seats are great but certainly not made for track action.

Well it's finding an MP LSD, however the Quaife and Wavetrack are cheaper fitted I think and they're great units.

18's mean you can have a chunkier tyre, you need some movement in the tyre itself. The lower the profile the less movement you have and you'll get a lot of roll over on the shoulder, less than ideal. 18's are gonna cost you a lot less too.

[Londoner]

Originally Posted by BIFCAIDS

Oh don't worry about the reply ha ha ha.

Yeah the M-Sport seats are great but certainly not made for track action.

Well it's finding an MP LSD, however the Quaife and Wavetrack are cheaper fitted I think and they're great units.

18's mean you can have a chunkier tyre, you need some movement in the tyre itself. The lower the profile the less movement you have and you'll get a lot of roll over on the shoulder, less than ideal. 18's are gonna cost you a lot less too.

What's your thoughts on track day tyre pressures? Do you deflate a bit due to heat/expansion?

And any comments on oil changes would be greatly appreciated!

[BIFCAIDS]

Originally Posted by Londoner

What's your thoughts on track day tyre pressures? Do you deflate a bit due to heat/expansion?

And any comments on oil changes would be greatly appreciated!

Re Tyre pressures, yes always deflate. On my Clio, at the start of a track day I start at 30psi cold, I do a 10min session and see where they're at, usually 34/35psi hot if I've pushed a little hard. I then drop them back down to about 28psi and proceed with the next session, keeping constant tabs on the pressures and dropping where needed.

Obviously you'll need to take into consideration what pressures you should have in and drop accordingly. With it being RWD the rears are gonna be the ones to keep a main eye on.

As for oil, me personally would just keep to your regular intervals. You're changing oil more frequently than BMW say as per servicing requirements, a track day will be like taking the car on a driving holiday where you may tend to drive quicker and "on it" for a solid day. If the car was a dedicated track toy then things are a little different, my Clio might only do 1500 in 12 months (4 or 5 track days) but I change the oil every year. Again I'm putting different oil in than standard and the car is only driven hard and nothing else, then in-between track days it doesn't move and oil degrades when left.

I'm certainly not saying what I do is 100% correct but it's worked for me for 7 years on the same engine.

There are more variables to take into consideration also, if yours is tuned over standard you're putting more stress on the engine.

I'm sure there is someone in here who has more nouce than me though.