Cost of a track day

[ianm5]

My running costs for the car as a daily driver have been bizarrely low over the past two years. If you don’t drive hard stuff lasts ages. We probably should promote this more for our residuals.

I’d love to do a gentle track day, does anyone have experience of how much this is likely to cost in wear? Assume my pads, disks and tyres are all new.

I’ve heard stories of friend noobs writing off disks and pads on a 911 on a single day .. an expensive outing.

[Juliana19]

I've done a few track days in mine now, including a trackday last week at the Nürburgring.

These cars are shockingly bad on consumables when driven hard especially tyres. Brakes aren't too bad, I've done 2 track days on my these pads (from brand new) and they are nearly done (that was a set of EBC Blue stuff pads at a cost of ~£400). Tyres are worse, I pretty much destroyed a set of PSS at Bedford and now have a new set of PS4s which have taken a heavy hammering at the Nürburgring...seems to be the weight that chews the outer edges and moves the tread a lot on main body of tyre

Don't get me wrong they are good fun on track and surprisingly capable for a 2 tonne car but it will take its toll.

[ianm5]

Thanks for that, I suspected it would be like that. I noticed you also have a SCS2000, I used to have a stock one. Which is more fun on the track?

I know they are very different cars but if you offered me an hour drive in my M5 or S2000 today I’d take the S2000 every time.

[F10CPROG]

I have done 2 track days, on stock pads and its been fine. I don't leave the braking until the last minute to be fair in the M5 as its heavy and don't really want warped discs and dead pads.
There's not really any such thing as a "gentle" track day. Once you are on track and get the feel you start pushing hard very soon on. That said, if you a progressive with your inputs, you will reap the rewards in terms of pace and longevity of parts on the car.
Book one and enjoy it! If its fairly local to Essex, Brands, Snetterton or Bedford give me a shout and i'll join you.

[Juliana19]

Originally Posted by ianm5

Thanks for that, I suspected it would be like that. I noticed you also have a SCS2000, I used to have a stock one. Which is more fun on the track?

I know they are very different cars but if you offered me an hour drive in my M5 or S2000 today I’d take the S2000 every time.

The S2000 is far more fun on track but it's a bit of an unfair comparison given my S2000 is a dedicated track car. The M5 is very capable and feels unbelievably fast out of the turns (even compared to s2000) but you definitely can't feel what it's doing underneath you as well as something lightweight and with no electronics. I wanted to track the M5 so I could push it to it's limits and see how it would react in relatively safe environment, I won't be tracking it on a regular basis. If you are going to track I'd definitely recommend putting in some more track focussed front pads

Either way you will have fun.

[F10CPROG]

Originally Posted by Juliana19

The S2000 is far more fun on track but it's a bit of an unfair comparison given my S2000 is a dedicated track car. The M5 is very capable and feels unbelievably fast out of the turns (even compared to s2000) but you definitely can't feel what it's doing underneath you as well as something lightweight and with no electronics. I wanted to track the M5 so I could push it to it's limits and see how it would react in relatively safe environment, I won't be tracking it on a regular basis. If you are going to track I'd definitely recommend putting in some more track focussed front pads

Either way you will have fun.

Good points made here, suprisingly capable car given its nearly 2000kgs! But the feel on the limit is abit numb. My Boxster S is a track car and you can feel it wriggling around under you!