yup. very true. When you go to a track event they look at the sticker they dont call the guy you bought the seat from
While you’ve been wrong uncountably many times, I would have to say in this case you are correct. The main issue people have is that you are making, what we consider to be a nice car, into a dedicated track car. Your car is a 2 seater with harnesses. If you love the B8 platform this much, then more power to you. People can give you shit that the S4 isn’t a track worthy car, but my experience would lead me to disagree. It’s a very capable car, especially with mods. BUUUUUUT you have turned what is probably a 30-35k car into something worth about 20k. Despite your 15k worth of safety mods. But you can’t put a price on everything in life.
For me the eventual solution is a dedicated car that will make me a better driver while being much safer out there. I don’t have the means to make that happen right now, but it’ll happen eventually. Doesn’t have to be as capable as a B8 S4. We’ve heard your 2 cents on old cars and I get your perspective.
I think this is a pretty good article for anyone serious about this hobby, either from the instructing or student perspective
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/fatal-accident-at-road-atlanta-1721931526
I did read the Kinja article and forward it over to leadership of the clubs I drive with most.
If I’m going to wreck, I want to wreck in an autobahn car. I feel German cars built to higher crash standards than Japanese or American cars.
I think the 3.0TFSI is a great engine for a track car and the B8 is the neatest package it comes in. Whether it’s a poor man’s 911 turbo or a rich man’s 325i is a matter of perspective. I’m not independently wealthy but this is my main hobby and I don’t mind splurging on it to have fun. If I’m fortunate enough to do well in my career, I will escalate to a 991+ GT3 and then onto exotic sports cars or cup cars. No garage queens - they will all go on track.
+1 on the safety thing
+1 too on the dedicated track car thing.
For me personally, the B8 is not rewarding to drive. It takes little skill to deal with, and the car is generally unfazed and will keep going. You don’t really work to put down great lap times. The car is just benign and dare i say it, even boring to drive on the circuit. It’s fun in the rain because you can go hog wild with your inputs and get it all sideways with little delicacy. But it’s not the right way to drive. It is by no means a poor platform. It’s great. It’s just not a “driving enthusiast” car.
I’m shopping for an E30 track car. That said, the B8 is a car that does all things well. It’s just too bad it’s such a snooze to drive compared with other platforms which would yield a more visceral experience…and demand more from the driver.
Safety always #1. That article posted is a rude awakening. Anything can happen on the circuit–no matter how good the driver, and how good the car control. You simply cannot account for things like spilled oil or coolant. When put in a bad spot, fatal things occur. I’m going to take it a lot easier at CTMP from now on after reading that. If anything, a slower, tighter course is much safer than these high speed jobbies.
I felt this way about the 991 C4S PDK. It was the most mechanical and boring track ride I’ve ever been on. Lap after lap it did everything perfect and didn’t complain. The GT3 has the same formula but makes you feel like more of a track star- it’s louder, lower, higher revving, and the PSM lets the car slip 10 degrees in every turn.
I will have an update to post this week. I’m getting the 6 point belts fitted, and I’m going to do a corner balance after having the car lowered 10mm. I’m expecting the car to be 3810 pounds with me in it and fuel, or about 3620 pounds dry. About 57% of the weight over the nose. We’ll see what numbers we get.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/18/025ccde775156f1252bf19854a7e10f1.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/18/f5852b5e2d697300f8aa686a6319adb5.jpg
These were not trivial to install. To get the submarine belt in they had to pull the seat out, remove the AC footwell venting from the floor, and drill into the seat adapter frame which is very hard metal.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/19/82b804a8fe54f85f90369af85dd686bd.jpg
How are you liking the seat so far?
I’m sure it’s pretty comfy, but it must be pretty hot when it’s hugging you like that.
When I ran full buckets, that was the thing that I didn’t like the most for long drives. You come out with a sweaty back.
Unfortunately for me, all tracks are long drives for me 
That said, it will be incredible to drive with this. Lap times will drop simply because you can focus more on driving. Not to mention you can feel the car more and you get the perception of a dramatic reduction in vehicle pitch and roll.
Next track day is on Monday at Laguna. The weight just came in. It’s 3780 with a full tank and me in it - this confirms I got the B8 under 3600 pounds. This is about 50 pounds better than my worst case estimate. 50% cross weight, so no change from January even though we moved weight around. 58% over the nose.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/19/fc969cc2a5b78b0426df4185f225cccd.jpg
This is a fantastic setup.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/24/341dde8e9a28bceb80218b2a4f5921a3.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/24/4d87f6ffa012f5bd83207d5c454bbdae.jpg
Nice! Glad to see it all came together so well. And curious to hear your impressions from the track.
Found an E90 who is crazier than me. At least he has good taste in these matters.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/24/500e9461488d75a751167cbdd7ccc080.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/24/8aa52d8e75261e2cccb9a68059980219.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/24/d5127f73d07e655d76bd6e7c28ade7e7.jpg
^^ Awesome!
So … I sold my S4 and bought an e92 m3. Similar intentions to the above fellow. Picked up the car last Thursday:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/20/ab3e95d69183de6e46c7cf3b12d27574.jpg
Great car. The last cool BMW.
Thanks Saki, loving that na v8 sound.
Is it a 6MT? EDS suspension or regular? For suspension components, I highly recommend Ground Control coilovers and camber plates on a BMW. Dinan makes a lot of spherical components and links that will stiffen things up for track work. Performance Friction makes great race pads that I think work well on BMW OEM rotors, but can’t go wrong with Pagid RS29. There are some off the shelf brake ducting kits for the E92 but they will rob about 1" of ground clearance from you, so don’t slam the car 
BTW, I’ve been following an e90 track build thread and just put two and two together, same guy! Small world.
So I’ve abandoned my beloved 6MT and gone with DCT this time around. After a few test drives of friends cars I just feel like it is the right transmission for this car/platform. Less purist I know but I think it’s well matched to the car.
Then it’s a ZCP (Competition Pack) car meaning it has more aggressive EDC and an “active” sport EDC mode. I’m planning to add Ground Control camber plates (just spoke with them on the phone yesterday actually), and then transition to coilovers after I’m content I’ve experienced what the comp pack EDC has to offer.
For brakes, I’m going straight to a “small” front Stoptech BBK, 355mm 4-piston setup. This allows for easier wheel fitment, and eventually I will add the similar rear kit and be able to rotate pads front->rear as they wear down (same pad shapes). Performance Friction '08 pads are available in this pad shape also (my favorite pads). Good bite, low pad wear, low rotor wear, and easy to bed. Definitely grabbing a set.
Then I’ve purchased a lightly used set of 18" Apex wheels that come with Hankook RS-3’s and have some good life left on them.
All coming together. Will share my track impressions when I get to that point.
And thanks for the tips, well received!
The e92 is killer! I think you’ll love the DCT on track. My instructor kept going on how he wished he had the paddles on his evo 8 track car. I think it’s definitely preferred DCT track / 6MT street, in terms of enjoyment.
Spoke to a guy with an e92 (drove from toronto to mount tre blanc and then mid ohio for his “vacation” lol) who was able to fit an 18" apex wheel over his 380mm ST60 trophy calipers (I think they were ST60’s, but could have been 4 pots?).