carl

I'm wondering with all the 'track junkies' on here how you all justify the cost of trackdays. I'm condsidering doing one, but my reasoning is as follows:

Trackday: around 100 quid
Insurance: around 70 quid
Helmet: around 70 quid
Set of part-worns: don't know, around 100 quid?
Better discs: around 150 quid
Track-rated pads: around 100 quid

TOTAL: 590 quid

Now I know some of these items are reusable, but you can spend half a day at the track using someone else's car/helmet/etc for around 300 quid. Admittedly, that won't teach you much about the handling of your own car.

So what do you reckon? Track day or Tangerine? (I'm thinking that the best value for me is probably 'The Wetter the Better').

On a related note, what do you all think to the idea of hillclimbing a Scoob? See

Rum*

Best thing to do is speak to Black Scooby about hill climbing....he does a faid bit in both his Scoob (when its working, hey Mark!! ) and also his Peugeot.

No doubt in due course he will comment *S*

IWatkins

Carl,

I know what you mean by the costs

Hillclimbing would be an interesting pursuit for a Scooby owner as there are not many about in hillclimbing. I've seen one this year and that was a Legacy

Only problem with hillclimbing is that for most events you spend a lot of time sitting about. Shelsley Walsh hillclimb (my local venue) only takes about 35 seconds for this class of car and with only four or six runs at a meeting gives you a total track time of about 3 minutes for the weekend

But there again, hillclimbing is a lot of fun and a much more social motorsport than circuit racing (IMHO). Lots of sitting about, drinking tea etc. Nice.

Cheers

Ian

Rum*

Harewood Hill Climb (Leeds) has a regular 3 Scoobs...and a couple of Evos...(Black Scooby in one obviously)...not sure how many runs they have, buts quite a long hill and great spectator viewing.

carl

IWatkins: I'm considering the Prescott hillclimb because it's (a) cheap, (b) an opportunity to explore the limits without traffic coming the other way (c) near Powerstation so I can get a bumpsteer mod

Although, to be honest, with a 15ft wide track I'd rather have something where I can see a bit more of the road (like a Caterham).

carl

[deleted -- duplicate post]

[This message has been edited by carl (edited 26 October 2000).]

Lee

Carl.

helmet. I got a bsb-type A for £35. and its a once-off purchase.

re : pads/discs/tyres. You can have great fun and learn a LOT without crucifying the car.

It all depends on whether you want to run at 90% or really push it. And as all experienced guys will tell you, when you've got the lines right you will not be punishing the car as much.

btw you forgot fuel I got 7mpg last time

Paul Wilson

Well for 600 notes you can have an absolute hoot at the Ring, get rides around in all sorts of cars that are there, with the big plus that if you are taking it easy the wear on tyres and brakes is very low. Oh and for £600 that will cover everything for a weekend, inc fuel to get there and fill up your boot with cheap wine on the way back.

MartinM

Carl

Spooky post or what! I am also considering track days and Wetter the Better as well, have driven Ferrari's at a Tangerine event (see

carl

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by MartinM:
<B>Carl

I didn't know that Tangerine had Scoobs, but they had a couple of rally prepared Evo VI's (amongst other cars) for their 'rally experience'. The only comment about their 'rally experience' is that that's just what it is - a taster of driving the different cars, about 10 mins in each. [/quote]

Apologies if I implied Tangerine had Scoobs, I just meant for a similar price you can drive around in someone else's F355/3200GT/911/Viper/etc.

For rally experience, the Drive-it-all Mintex Challenge is good (mind you I was pretty crap at it -- can't get the hang of this RWD thing). Didn't pay (one of those company freebie things) but I think it's about 250 quid for a day. Interesting to see the cars people turn up in (a few Porsches, Clio Williams, Supra, et al were kicking about when I was there).

DavidRB

Carl: I'd do the Wetter the Better first, that way you'll be more prepared for the car sliding around when you do the hillclimb and consequently, you'll enjoy it more. IMHO of course.

Jerome

I'm also wary of the cost of track days - but not the cost of the day itself, but of the hidden cost of wear and tear to the engine and other components. I wouldn't want to buy a second hand car that had spent many days on a track.

Surely even driving at 90% round the track will have an effect long term - especially if the car already has 50k plus miles on it like mine.

Jerome.

Blackscooby

Sorry for the delay chaps ~ been working in Athens for a couple of days...

OK I see Mr Rum has been talking about me !

Hillclimbing. Harewood is a lark and its the cheapest form of motorsport I think. Each round at Harewood cost something like £68 which comprised of 2 pratice runs, and 3 timed. On average each run was about 70 seconds. The season was something like 10 rounds. I sustained some mechanical damage this year but mainly cos I over did the boost.

I just use a none race National B license which cost under 30 quid last year.

Decent helmet, and a good 3 layer nomex race suit. (just in case God forbid it goes up in smoke one day)

The tyres have lasted a season ~ only just (road legal Toyo T1's)

Gone through a g/box, a couple of AP Racing clutches, piston and changed the turbo. So the Subaru has (sadly) retired from Harewood to compete in a Pug 205 GTi in the hope that it would be cheaper.

My fastest was something around 67.7 seconds against an STi 5 Type 5 with VERY similar times, and a Standard UK 99 motor completing the run in 69 / 70 seconds.

Class 3 (Road Modified over 2l) which contains the Scoobs, and EVO's is a VERY competitive class with a fantastic atmosphere amongst competitors.

Very much a social event with some serious rivelry (sp) when it comes to competing.

For details and the nice views see

DavidLewis

[deleted initial post as it didn't give the right impression]

I dont mind how much it costs, its worth every penny.

[This message has been edited by DavidLewis (edited 28 October 2000).]

Pete Croney

Entry £120
Fuel £70
Tyres £20 (it was wet and there was no measurable wear)
Helmet£0 (got one)
Ins £0 (covered under main policy)
Lunch £5.75 (Beef stew)

So less than £200 for well over 100 laps of a fantastic circuit.

Hoppy

If you can't justify the cost of track days, you can't justify having a Scoob in the first place. Or are all those expensive upgrades and drainpipe exhaust just there to frighten old ladies on the bypass?

Hoppy

Stef

I have to agree with Pete (surprisingly! ).
If you only did one track day, then the costs can be fairly high. However, if you do several and don't push the car too hard, then it's really no different to a few spirited drives in the country!
There are some people who drive harder thsn most on track and the car requires more consumables. A big brake conversion is essential for anyone who drives hard on track, but you get the benefits of it all the time on the road as well.
If you just do one or two a year and drive sensibly, there's no reason why your brakes and tyres shouldn't last without too much damage. If you feel the need to push the car harder, you'll need to upgrade various bits and change tyres/pads more regularly. It's up to you.
The best thing to do is have a go, take it easy, and see how you get on. You'll either get the bug or you won't....but I doubt the latter!
Every Scoob should have uprated disc/pads in anyway, and these will survive any track day unless you stay out too long. More, short sessions of a few laps at a time are much easier on the car and yourself.

Stef.

owbow

I've not got a scoob but i've done some Rallying and track days.. and this is worth considering.

Learn your limits (eg. spin your car at 110mph ) on a good track, with well set out runoffs, and it may well save you 10/20 times what the trackday cost when you meet a similar situation on the way home from work one day. Might even save your life.

Owain.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Carl

Its worth it

Money alone cannot buy the feeling & exhilaration of a track day...

millband

....not to mention the excuse it gives you to post pictures of yourself in every other post on the board! :-p

S

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

millband

This is PTMW! here - I don't need excuses!

millband

Don't worry - as a fellow Dk Green 5-door owner, I completely understand your need to show the world how good they look!

S

AWD

Don't skimp on the price of a good helmet. Your head is worth a lot more than a few quid. You can often pick up a last year's very good model of lid for massive discounts.

mutant_matt

If you ride a bike then you'll already have a decent helment to use. If you don't ride a bike, get one now!!!!!

A Scooby is fun but nowhere near as much fun as a Bike (in the summer at least).

Dave T-S

....and quite often the extreme sizes are cheap. No doubt Sunlip got an XXXXXXXXXL for £3.40 that fits his big fat head perfectly!!!

AWD

Matt - we live in England, so as much as riding a bike is fun, we can be sure that it is going to be raining for a good few months of every year. At times like this it is much nicer to sit in a warm, dry car, listening to music whilst driving. I agree that a bike is great fun (both in speed and handling), but I wouldn't have just a bike (and no car) unless I lived somewhere warmer and dryer.