Has anyone on the forum had experience with Team Continental's driving lessons? If anyone done it before, please let me know how it was and what you've gained from the lessons. Most important, was it worth your time? My buddy(Evo VIII MR) and I (G35C 6MT) were hoping to attend the March 6th lesson, if anyone else is interested, feel free to join us.

dent20

 

hey dent,
geeman49, townsley, and I have all taken the TC driving school.

I think all of us found it to be very worthwhile. It will give you a new appreciation for the G and what it can do.

I'm thinking of doing the BMW track days as they are much less expensive ($100 after a $40 annual member fee.) It would also be fun to try and keep up with the M3's.

Good luck and be safe.
Al

 

I agree with Al - it was extremely educational. You'll learn a lot about the G, about driving, and about the true state of your abilities. I was really blown away on track day - High Performance Driving on a track was nothing like I thought it would be. I definitely want to take another course - can't in March, but maybe later in the season....and hopefully before the warranty on my brakes is up. I tore through my pads in 1 afternoon!

In addition to the BMW track days, I believe the Cascade Sports Car Club (http://www.cascadescc.com/) also offers track days.

 

I went to the Cascade Sports Car Club's school last March, and recommend it without hesitation. Here's a post about it from last spring. I also drove with the Alfa Romeo club last October (no instructors that time).

This March the Cascade school and the BMW day are both on the same weekend I have to be out of town, so I'm thinking hard about going to the TC school March 6. I feel fairly comfortable out solo on the track, but could certainly use more seat time with an instructor.

 

Thanks to everyone that took time and replied. It definitely informed me more about these driving lessons. There was one thing that I was confused about. Everyone mentioned all day on the track. Is it 3 - 4 lesson with an instructor and the rest of time you're going solo? Another thing, my vehicle is still fairly new, under 5000k. The motor of course, since I'm still running conventional oil. Brakes and tires, god know how expensive it's to replace those... Or anything else I should have heads up?
Thanks again.

dent20 - G35C6MT

 

As far as actual time on the track, here's what I wrote about my Cascade Sports Car Club day:Auto club days (BMW, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, etc.) typically rotate three or four groups -- novice, intermediate, advanced, and (sometimes) race prep. Usually you get at least five sessions of 20 min. or so long, with breaks between sessions of 40-90 min. while the other groups are on the track. At the club days, unless it's your first time on the track you drive solo all day.

As long as your motor is broken in (i.e. over 1200 miles) you should be fine. My first track day was with approx. 2000 miles on my 2004 5AT coupe (completely stock). My first time I drove with the VDC on all day, and actually had more wear on the rear pads than the fronts. Your 6MT brakes should hold up better than mine. As for tire wear...that just comes with the territory.

Here's a brief list of stuff I take to the track:

First, I remove anything that isn't bolted down (floor mats, etc.) and some things that are (spare tire)
Rubbermaid-style bin (small enough to fit in the trunk) for storage, and tarp to keep out rain
Helmet (driving schools sometimes let you rent one for a fee)
Torque wrench (torque lug nuts after every session!). If you don't have one, you can probably find one to borrow -- most everyone is very friendly.
Air compressor (plugs into cigarette lighter)
Tire pressure gauge with bleeder valve
Lightweight aluminum jack
Jackstands
Toolbox -- I don't take a lot of tools, just some basics
Window cleaner/paper towels
Extra motor oil
Blue painter's masking tape to cover headlights (not everyone does this)
Snacks & H20
Sunglasses
Folding lawnchair
Sunblock/umbrella (it is Portland, after all)
I haven't done this -- yet -- but some have dedicated race wheels/tires/brake pads they change at the track

I've gone on long enough, but I will say this: Have fun, don't be intimidated, and don't feel any pressure to go faster than you're comfortable with. The first time out is a bit overwhelming because there's so much to learn. Once it's over, come back here (and the other G sites) and search for threads from the trackers. All of the advice and tips from people much more experienced than me is much easier to follow once you've been out there, and it'll fuel your desire to get back out there as soon as possible .

 

Hey Sandman, remember those pictures that you took at PIR? I was wondering if you still had it. Drop me an email at dentned@hotmail.com. Thanks!

Ps. Tried to PM, but it wouldn't work.