E90Post
 


 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Tracking, Autocrossing, Dragstrip, Driving Techniques > Track days report - E92 335i



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      08-27-2007, 01:51 PM   #1
cb650
New Member
1
Rep
23
Posts

Drives: e92
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The City

iTrader: (0)

Track days report - E92 335i

This weekend I made it to the BMW CCA high-speed 2-day driving school at the Thunderhill track north of Sacramento, CA. It was my first time at Thunderhill and my first time on any track in a car (have done some motorcycle track days and some autocrosses in different cars). Bottom line, great fun, you've got to do it if you get a chance! I can't believe how many people don't get to the track. Cost is very reasonable, $400 for two days. You get 8 total sessions on the track of about 30 minutes each with an instructor sitting next to you, telling what you're doing right and wrong.

As far as the car, the E92 335i was very nice on the track. I just put the shifter in DS mode and drove. The shifting program learned pretty quickly that I was on the track and wouldn't shift well in to the 5000 rpm range. Brakes worked great with no fade (fade adjustment system, I think). Engine was solid and I had no trouble keeping up with anyone out there (M3s, Porsches). My only complaint is the car is set to understeer quite a bit. I understand that most car mfgs do this because they are afraid of inexperienced drivers crashing cars that oversteer a bit. For me personally I much prefer oversteer and if I did any mods to the car I would work on suspension and probably adjust the camber. It is just really annoying when you want to go faster in a turn and the front wheels just plow and the more gas you give the car the straighter it goes. I had no problems with engine heat at all (max was 260 degrees, and that was after 30 minutes of all-out driving in 95 degree heat). I guess the second oil cooler works just fine.

In the end, the track day was incredible. It just shows how the driver is so much more important than the car. I drove in the D (novice) group and I regularly passed a new 911 GT3. But a spec miata in the A group would have totally spanked me and anyone else in the B, C, or D groups. It was interesting to see the cars on the course though, it is open to everyone but it probably 85% of the cars were Porsches or BMWs, with a few 'Vettes, Lotus, Audi, and Subaru. Just goes to show that no matter how good a car does in a review, there are not that many cars that you would actually want to drive on the track on a regular basis.

Anyway, get yourself to a track day if you haven't done so. It is quite safe to you and your car and will make you a way better driver. The golden gate CCA does a phenomenal job of putting together a safe, well-organized, and fun track day event.
Appreciate 0
      08-27-2007, 02:35 PM   #2
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
Cool...btw, isnt turn #2 a hoot.
__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2007, 07:34 AM   #3
ToddPhilly
First Lieutenant
ToddPhilly's Avatar
United_States
19
Rep
313
Posts

Drives: BMW 335i Coupe
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: King of Prussia, PA

iTrader: (0)

Making me jealous! I can't wait to get my car out.

BTW: The driver of the GT3 you were passing must not have been very good...those are absolute monsters, and can readily eat our car alive on a track.
__________________
335i Coupe: Crimson Red / Black
X3 3.0si: Alpine White / Sand Beige
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2007, 07:50 AM   #4
jjlawyer
Private First Class
8
Rep
115
Posts

Drives: 335i '07 6mt
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

What second oil cooler?
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2007, 11:23 AM   #5
jbass524
Major
jbass524's Avatar
99
Rep
1,050
Posts

Drives: 2011 E90 M3
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Norcal

iTrader: (2)

CB650, I was also at Thunderhill last weekend in my Gray 335 Coupe.

It is very biased towards understeer but did you see the instructor in an E90 328? He was killing it and it was stock except the tires and wheels.

I felt the same as you when I started but as I got better (with more instruction) the understeer becomes more managable.

You could try non run flats that you can use tire pressure with to adjust a little of the steering bias and you can add an adjustable sway bar to help with it also. This is short of a full suspension mod which I'm not going to do. The car is still far better than I am.

BTW. Temps in the later sessions got up to 280 but I was in manual mode and hitting 6 and 7000 RPM in 9 10 11.
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2007, 11:27 AM   #6
cb650
New Member
1
Rep
23
Posts

Drives: e92
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The City

iTrader: (0)

Turn 2 was cool, but the e92's understeer sucked because the car would just not turn at higher speeds. I want some camber plates so I can get the car more neutrally balanced or even with some oversteer.

Yeah, the GT3 could have skooled most anyone with a more spirited driver. I would love to take one for a spin.

The second oil cooler is located by the passenger-side front wheel. You can see the vent opening in the wheel well on the right (front bumper) side. The earlier e92 automatics did not have this second cooler and overheated quite easily.
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2007, 11:29 AM   #7
cb650
New Member
1
Rep
23
Posts

Drives: e92
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The City

iTrader: (0)

Cool, Jbass, I remember talking to you for a bit. That was an awesome weekend! Can't wait to do it again!

That is cool that our cars had no problems with the heat. I was worried after reading all the stories of cars going into limp mode in normal traffic.
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2007, 11:36 AM   #8
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by cb650 View Post
Turn 2 was cool, but the e92's understeer sucked because the car would just not turn at higher speeds. I want some camber plates so I can get the car more neutrally balanced or even with some oversteer.

Yeah, the GT3 could have skooled most anyone with a more spirited driver. I would love to take one for a spin.

The second oil cooler is located by the passenger-side front wheel. You can see the vent opening in the wheel well on the right (front bumper) side. The earlier e92 automatics did not have this second cooler and overheated quite easily.

Yeah, I was at Reno/Fernley and my car pushed badly in turn #2 there as well. Now, I have coilovers and non-staggered setup..and think turn #2 at Thunderhill will be more fun..like it was with my Spec Miata and Audi.
__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-29-2007, 05:30 PM   #9
flyga3
Geboren zu Fahren!
flyga3's Avatar
United_States
12
Rep
377
Posts

Drives: F25 X3
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by S4to335 View Post
Yeah, I was at Reno/Fernley and my car pushed badly in turn #2 there as well. Now, I have coilovers and non-staggered setup..and think turn #2 at Thunderhill will be more fun..like it was with my Spec Miata and Audi.
What size tire and wheel do you run on track?
__________________
2011 F25 X3 2.8 (in service)
2009 E90 328i (retired)
2007 E92 335i (retired)
2005 R53 MINI Cooper S (retired)
2002 E53 X5 3.0 (retired), 1999 E46 328i (retired)
Appreciate 0
      08-29-2007, 05:50 PM   #10
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
235/40/18 Pilot sport cups..on 18X8.5 SSR Type C RS wheels on ALL FOUR CORNERS...to lessen understeer.

__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-29-2007, 05:55 PM   #11
flyga3
Geboren zu Fahren!
flyga3's Avatar
United_States
12
Rep
377
Posts

Drives: F25 X3
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by S4to335 View Post
235/40/18 Pilot sport cups..on 18X8.5 SSR Type C RS wheels on ALL FOUR CORNERS...to lessen understeer.
Sweet! You happy with the set-up?
__________________
2011 F25 X3 2.8 (in service)
2009 E90 328i (retired)
2007 E92 335i (retired)
2005 R53 MINI Cooper S (retired)
2002 E53 X5 3.0 (retired), 1999 E46 328i (retired)
Appreciate 0
      08-29-2007, 06:13 PM   #12
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
I have only autocrossed so far...but I liked that..car rotated nicely. Trying to get out to a track event in the next month.
__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-29-2007, 06:44 PM   #13
flyga3
Geboren zu Fahren!
flyga3's Avatar
United_States
12
Rep
377
Posts

Drives: F25 X3
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by S4to335 View Post
I have only autocrossed so far...but I liked that..car rotated nicely. Trying to get out to a track event in the next month.
Cool, let us know how a road course goes. I think you changed shocks too?

I've got a few weeks before my car is stateside for a track event. But I must have a nice sticky set of track wheel/tires. I'll do a session on the RFTs just to see how it feels, but I'm concerned once I get to a set of non-RFTs that the car will be too soft given the suspension is compensating for the RFTs.
Any reason you didn't go to 19s? I wonder if 19s, non-RFT, with stock suspension would help stiffen-it-up a tad.....
__________________
2011 F25 X3 2.8 (in service)
2009 E90 328i (retired)
2007 E92 335i (retired)
2005 R53 MINI Cooper S (retired)
2002 E53 X5 3.0 (retired), 1999 E46 328i (retired)
Appreciate 0
      08-29-2007, 06:56 PM   #14
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyga3 View Post
Cool, let us know how a road course goes. I think you changed shocks too?

I've got a few weeks before my car is stateside for a track event. But I must have a nice sticky set of track wheel/tires. I'll do a session on the RFTs just to see how it feels, but I'm concerned once I get to a set of non-RFTs that the car will be too soft given the suspension is compensating for the RFTs.
Any reason you didn't go to 19s? I wonder if 19s, non-RFT, with stock suspension would help stiffen-it-up a tad.....
Not too many 19 track set ups..and the tire cost goes up in a big way..that is why I did the 18" track wheels. I also have the Morr Alloy VS7 19X8.5 and 19X9.5 wheels for street use.
__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-30-2007, 02:55 AM   #15
bmwv
Second Lieutenant
108
Rep
234
Posts

Drives: 325i Manual, M2 LBB DCT
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: CA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2017 BMW M2  [0.00]
2006 BMW 325i  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbass524 View Post
CB650, I was also at Thunderhill last weekend in my Gray 335 Coupe.

It is very biased towards understeer but did you see the instructor in an E90 328? He was killing it and it was stock except the tires and wheels.

I felt the same as you when I started but as I got better (with more instruction) the understeer becomes more managable.

You could try non run flats that you can use tire pressure with to adjust a little of the steering bias and you can add an adjustable sway bar to help with it also. This is short of a full suspension mod which I'm not going to do. The car is still far better than I am.

BTW. Temps in the later sessions got up to 280 but I was in manual mode and hitting 6 and 7000 RPM in 9 10 11.
I was there too in a TiAg 325i. That was a lots of fun except that I went 2 feet out of the track on turn 9 on my last lap. I just hope I didn't bend a wheel again.
Appreciate 0
      09-11-2007, 03:27 PM   #16
judec
born to be turbocharged
judec's Avatar
Slovakia
24
Rep
1,347
Posts

Drives: Not a bimmer yet
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Slovakia

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by cb650 View Post
The second oil cooler is located by the passenger-side front wheel. You can see the vent opening in the wheel well on the right (front bumper) side. The earlier e92 automatics did not have this second cooler and overheated quite easily.
Sorry, but this is the first and only oil cooler the car got. The earlier e92 automatics, as well as other E9X without sport package, did not have any cooler thats why they overheated so easily. Anyway, it was treated as a complaint, as its supposed to be included in the sport package, so the package owners can ask their dealer or BMWNA for a cooler to be retrofitted. This issue is killed in the general forced induction thread, just
__________________
Disclaimer: All this message was written with recycled electrons.

Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:13 PM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST