what is it with all these "hard parkers" ugh

[MMMCOOKIES55]

I thought it was bad in the 335i crowd... but wow. Every time I come across a nicely modded E9x m3 it has all these track oriented mods.... but when you start talking about tracks they look at you like your an alien. Some just flat out say oh no i wouldnt track this car its my "baby".... its an M3 not a P1... or others will just lie to your face and say oh yeah ive tracked it, you ask what track and they are always like "oh yeah one at my home state or yeah theres a nice one in VA ive been to" ..... SMH.

I had a guy say "yeah i've been to VIR a TON, like every other weekend since I bought the car new" oh cool, you do alot of full course or what? "well you cant do just half a course dude..."

anyone else run into that?

[Edward]

Not really. But I too raise an eyebrow at a car with a cage that doesn't see enough track time to warrant useless back seats and monkey bars in your car.

[cenix]

So you track with Hawk HPS pads and H&R sport springs?

[Rat3d ///M]

I don't judge. it's their car and what they do with it doesn't change the way my breakfast tastes in the morning. I have 6 piston brakes and I've been on a track twice in my life..you gonna hate on me too? jk

[MMMCOOKIES55]

Eh, I guess I'm not hating lol. It's more so the guys that lie about it that earks me.

[Amirsm3]

I hard park like a boss so much that they make new spaces for me every time I pull into a starbucks parking lot.

[spiderspider]

i dunno man, most of the weekend trackers i've met think they're friggin' mario andretti

[MMMCOOKIES55]

Very true....

[Kong Sheng Han]

Originally Posted by MMMCOOKIES335

I had a guy say "yeah i've been to VIR a TON, like every other weekend since I bought the car new" oh cool, you do alot of full course or what? "well you cant do just half a course dude..."

anyone else run into that?

I track, and I'm not sure how I would respond to your question. What the hell is a full course? I'd probably respond just like the other guy.

[jphughan]

Some tracks like MSR Cresson and even TWS allow you to run a half course. All it takes is having a stretch of pavement that links two segments of the track to bypass a bunch of other corners and for the track to decide to run that configuration that day.

But to your larger point, I know what you mean. I met a guy whose M3 was kitted out with everything you could possibly imagine: supercharger, suspension, BBK, exhaust, wheels, SSK, and TONS of interior and exterior cosmetic mods. His car won some M Fest award and was featured on the cover of some magazine, but yeah he just had it as a pure show car. At least he owned it though: his license plate was "M3 4 SHO". And I have a buddy who went from an E92 335i he tracked twice to an E89 Z4 he said just wasn't a track car to an R8 V10 6MT that he's now put probably $30K worth of mostly cosmetic mods into, including a $6K+ exhaust and custom leather upholstery work (and of course all that carbon fiber and the R8 tax isn't cheap!), and he says he wishes he could track it but can't because he doesn't have the budget. So instead it only gets driven about 3K miles per year and the rest of the time he drives his i3. Doesn't make any sense to me at all, but he's got his dream car, it looks great, and it's definitely pristine, and I guess that makes it all worth it to him.

[New2Roundel]

I think it's pretty obvious to identify cars that are tracked from those that aren't, regardless of make. Excessive track-oriented mods, unless you are close to racing the car, suggests that you like the style, but not actual track events. Also, if things are too shiny or pretty looking, odds are, the car has never seen a track. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally speaking, track guys aren't big into throwing a parts catelogue at their car, unless it's a track-only car or a legit race car.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by New2Roundel

I think it's pretty obvious to identify cars that are tracked from those that aren't, regardless of make. Excessive track-oriented mods, unless you are close to racing the car, suggests that you like the style, but not actual track events. Also, if things are too shiny or pretty looking, odds are, the car has never seen a track. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally speaking, track guys aren't big into throwing a parts catelogue at their car, unless it's a track-only car or a legit race car.

^ This. My M3 track mods were brake fluid, pads, camber plates, and a BBK on the front axle. Only that last one was obvious; you'd have to really know M3s to spot the extra camber from the plates, and the others wouldn't be noticed at all. The real giveaways were my browned rotor hats from heat wearing down the black anodization and the rubber marks on my front bumper and hood. I've since discovered Mother R3, which helps with those rubber marks, but I don't anticipate I'll use it too often. I only even try to get it washed once a month and only succeed some of the time, partly because I'm lazy but mostly because I enjoy my car from behind the wheel, not through a camera lens, so I have other ways I'd rather spend my time.

[javarithms]

Originally Posted by Kong Sheng Han

I track, and I'm not sure how I would respond to your question. What the hell is a full course? I'd probably respond just like the other guy.

1: hors d'euvre,
2: sul tavolo (on the table),
3: antipasti,
4: pasta, cleanser (not counted),
5: main course,
6: cheese,
7: dessert.

Full course.

[elim11]

Because racecar. How you gonna get the best spots at Starbucks car meets with stock car. Silly.

[cmo_93]

I hard park. I drive hard too, however. I've been to a few car meets with a mountain of brake dust on my car proudly sitting beside all the shiny show cars.

[MMMCOOKIES55]

Originally Posted by javarithms

1: hors d'euvre,
2: sul tavolo (on the table),
3: antipasti,
4: pasta, cleanser (not counted),
5: main course,
6: cheese,
7: dessert.

Full course.

in my defense the guy was talking about VIR and member days and BMW CCA days they usually do north course or south course, not full course alot (which is lame).

ah... I guess to each their own, I just think if your going to mod a car with all this expensive suspension, wheel and tire setups and the like... why not actually enjoy all that money you just blew

[elim11]

Originally Posted by MMMCOOKIES335

in my defense the guy was talking about VIR and member days and BMW CCA days they usually do north course or south course, not full course alot (which is lame).

ah... I guess to each their own, I just think if your going to mod a car with all this expensive suspension, wheel and tire setups and the like... why not actually enjoy all that money you just blew

What's your thought about those who have expensive suspensions, wheels etc and do go to the track but get lapped by guys in completely stock cars.

[ajee622]

i like this car, but will never track it. but i also won't go nuts with mods on it either.

that's the beauty i feel about the m3. i'm ok with leaving it somewhat stock without feeling i have to lower it, add rims, add full exhaust etc....

to each his own though

[oolas3]

Originally Posted by elim11

What's your thought about those who have expensive suspensions, wheels etc and do go to the track but get lapped by guys in completely stock cars.

They should keep practicing until they become better track drivers.

[cenix]

Originally Posted by elim11

What's your thought about those who have expensive suspensions, wheels etc and do go to the track but get lapped by guys in completely stock cars.

My guess would be the same sentiment. These are classified as "track day hard parkers" who take pics of their cars cruising the tracks (hard to tell speeds in photos) and posting pics up on the forums saying they had a successful race event.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by elim11

What's your thought about those who have expensive suspensions, wheels etc and do go to the track but get lapped by guys in completely stock cars.

They would be going faster and would have accumulated more fun experiences to look back on if they'd put that money toward more track time rather than more go-fast parts. I hear so many novices at the track with heavily modded cars say, "I know I can't get all the potential out of this car, but I just didn't want the car to be holding me back from achieving MY potential." As a novice, a bone stock M3 is already way more car than you'll be able to harness -- with the possible exceptions of brake fluid and pads on tracks that are harder on brakes. But hey, at least those novices actually signed up to track their cars, so that's something.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by ajee622

i like this car, but will never track it. but i also won't go nuts with mods on it either.

that's the beauty i feel about the m3. i'm ok with leaving it somewhat stock without feeling i have to lower it, add rims, add full exhaust etc....

to each his own though

You could always come to a track day as a spectator and catch rides with instructors. Organizations almost always allow that and it's typically free or pretty inexpensive. If nothing else, you'll get a glimpse into another part of the car enthusiast world, and let's face it, that's hardly the most boring way to spend part of your day on a weekend.