Watkins Glen 2-day track event with the M5

[johntomferg]

Great write-up and great vid! Looks like you had a blast.

[hyperboost]

Looked like you had fun. Now you are hooked , lol

[OSAB1]

MDM is a life saver.

[rconti]

BMW should cover the break wear. I know a guy who routinely tracks his 335 and has had a few pad replacements under maintenance.

[StealYourFace]

God that car is a beast.

This video should be shown to every "expert" that says that 6MT is not engineered for this car, or that a car of this size and power should only be DCT. Not trying to start a war, but only trying to point out that before you take the dct/auto dive, watch this vid. I really think the MT take rates should be more like 20%. even for a car lke the m5.

And I also hope the current M5 depreciates like the e60 Awesome vid. Running a car with half the power there is just as fun.... or so I keep telling myself!

[DriveHard]

Great run. Looks real good. Very jealous of your speed. I loved the glen when i went last year. Was able to get a 2:27 in my 128. Getting thru the esses flat out with all that armco took some getting used to. I always thought positive happy thoughts when going thru there. Enjoy ur car im glad it is being used correctly. Ps ur brakes are fine. Car needs reprogram there is a bulletin about early pad wear indication.

[krnnerdboy]

Wow, that track is perfect for a powerful beast. And your driving is impressive for someone who's never been on track!!!

[Bdh821]

I wish you had some footage with me in it. It was a lot of fun seeing such a monster powered car on the track with me. I do recall passing you tho...

[nmehta211]

Great videos Chris! I can vouch for the power in his car--on a track like the glen his car was like a fishing rod reeling others car closer.
The glen was a humbling track. It's long straights and narrow esses are daunting and I managed to eat all 4 street pads and front rotors on my e90 m3.

On a side note chris, I am looking at numbers for the m5! Lets see the deal I can get this summer. Might have to get the dct transmission though for the fiancé.

Neel

[pkimM3r]

Good video. But how do you go from saying this car passes everything and e90s cannot compare and then saying if i were to do this again i would get an m3?

Passing is subjective - you were in the novice group.

[chong0]

Originally Posted by pkim1079

Good video. But how do you go from saying this car passes everything and e90s cannot compare and then saying if i were to do this again i would get an m3?

Passing is subjective - you were in the novice group.

This car is heavy, and it's obvious. the e36 I was in (cage, coilovers, r tires) with an instructor blew me away on how well it went through the turns and especially turn 1. There is no denying physics and the car lumbers through these turns but is insane through the esses and straights. the engine just pulls and sounds awesome with wot. however doing this with an m3 would feel better because of the weight issue.

you are correct that Passing is subjective and I can only comment on my novice run group. During my runs i counted 2 point bys- a 135 (mentioned by post above) and an e46 m3. As I stated this was my first track event. I took the car stock and had a blast.

[OSAB1]

Nice enthusiasm about your event. Keep going as much as you can and get instructors to go with you, pay for private ones if its in the budget, and keep humble about it all. Terms like " flat out" can get you in trouble. don't worry about things like that in the beginning. Keep a cool head and talk to as many advanced instructors and pros that you can. You will learn a lot. E36's are great cars to begin with and a good place to start exploring your talents and abilities. Just recently an awesome driver, Ian Prout, set a lap ITR record in an e36 4dr at the Glenn of a 2:09!!!!!!!!!! Not an m3!!!!!! M5 is a great car but not a track car. Get In a car with cage, proper belts and less gadgets and explore yourself. Be safe. I love the Glenn!!!!!

[OSAB1]

Also dealers never pick up my brakes on my e92 M3. Every two days I run at the Glenn, I need new rotors and my pagids are toast. I go 6 days a year to the Glenn alone!!!! Get ready to write checks. Lol.

[darkrabbit]

^^ You might be braking too much. Pads done in 2 days seems high... Problem is though the stock rotors and calipers suck when it comes to heat dissipation. If you track a lot and you're not braking too much, you should probably go BBK. You will save a TON of money in the long run, I kid you not. The amount of a beating my ST's will take is incredible with ST rotors and PF06 pads.

-J

[chong0]

Originally Posted by jaym3smg

^^ You might be braking too much. Pads done in 2 days seems high... Problem is though the stock rotors and calipers suck when it comes to heat dissipation. If you track a lot and you're not braking too much, you should probably go BBK. You will save a TON of money in the long run, I kid you not. The amount of a beating my ST's will take is incredible with ST rotors and PF06 pads.

-J

bbk on the m5? They are monster rotors stock- do they make a bbk for this car?

[jmh]

Originally Posted by chong0

bbk on the m5? They are monster rotors stock- do they make a bbk for this car?

Not sure there is anything viable at this time. The "standard" Brembo kits are all around the same size as the stock rotors for the front (400x36) , G-Power has a ceramic disc / brake upgrade for the F10 M5 (420x40)
There's (at least not to my current knowledge) any tuner out there offering a viable rear brake upgrade due to the electronic handbrake and DCT (park)
Nate@IND would know , also might be worthwhile to give Dave Zeckhausen a call
(Brake/Stoptech expert in NJ) http://zeckhausen.com/