Ensuring Your Car Is Fit For The Track
Track Day Preparation
Track days are the only way to experience the full potential of your car in a legal and relatively safe environment. It's an exciting and enjoyable experience, but you shouldn't overlook the additional stress you put on your vehicle when using it on a circuit.
Most modern cars will handle a track day with ease, especially the types of car we supply. However, all manufacturer's service schedules are suited to vehicles that are used exclusively on the road, and a little extra TLC is required before you venture on track. It is worth remembering that this applies even if you own a high-performance sports car.
To assist customers who would like to take their car on track, we have developed a dedicated pre track day inspection service.
Contact Us
Call
01202 825911
Please ask to speak to Tim
about track day preparation and inspections.
Our Pre Track Day Inspection
Suitable if your car is regularly maintained to the manufacturer's specification and is a standard road car without significant modification.
Please tell us when and at what mileage your last oil change was performed and which track you are due to visit.
This inspection includes a visual defect and condition check of the following items.
Car on a lift:
- Tyres with pressures set for road use*
- Wheels
- Brake discs
- Brake pads
- Brake lines
- Exhaust**
- Suspension
- Running gear
- Steering components
Car on the ground:
- Engine bay - check for leaks
- Engine oil levels and condition
- Coolant levels
- Brake fluid levels and condition
- Battery condition & security
- Seat belt action and condition
- Torque wheel nuts***
- Light check
You will receive a report that highlights any points of concern. If you wish, we can address any issues that we find.
* You will need to adjust your tyre pressures throughout your track day.
** We are unable to guarantee that your car will pass any track imposed noise test.
*** Retorque your wheel nuts after 30 miles and again before going on track.
Pre Track Day Service & Inspection
Suitable if your car follows an alternative maintenance schedule, has significant modifications, is driven spiritedly in everyday use, or if you'd like the extra peace of mind.
In addition to the above, we will also carry out:
- Engine Oil & Filter Change
- Brake Fluid Change
Additional tasks can be completed on request, for example:
- Air filter replacement
- Gearbox oil levels checked or oil changed
- Differential oil levels checked or oil changed
- Geometry check
Post Track Day Inspections
For peace of mind, you may wish to have your car inspected after a track day. After talking to you about the behaviour of your car on the day, we would offer a bespoke post track day inspection to ensure you receive the best value for money.
Cost
The cost of track day inspections depends on the make and model of your car. One thing you can be sure of is that it is far cheaper than a blown engine or a trip to the barriers.
Track Day Upgrades
Track use has the habit of highlighting the limits of your car. We offer various upgrades for those that want to improve their car's track performance.
Brakes
Gradual decreased braking performance is one of the things that is most noticeable when using a road car on the track. Standard road car brakes can begin to fade remarkably quickly when subjected to track use.
To combat this, we generally recommend the following upgrades, as required:
- Upgraded brake pads
- Steel braided flexible brake lines
- Upgraded brake fluid
- Upgraded brake discs
Brake upgrades beyond the above are possible. However, we consider such upgrades as motorsport related that may impact the drivability of your car in everyday use. Please talk to us about your requirements.
Suspension & Geometry
It is worth remembering that the more track-focused your car becomes, the less suitable it will be in general road use. With this in mind, for road-going cars, we don't recommend suspension upgrades beyond those offered by the original manufacturer.
We consider further modifications as motorsport related and therefore, carried out at your own risk.
We recommend that you choose suspension and geometry modifications with exceptional care. It can be easy to ruin a car's ride and handling, both on and off track, by specifying unsuitable components or geometry.
Please tell us about the aspirations you have for your car so that we can explain what options are available to you, and recommend a suitable upgrade path.
Engine Tuning
We don't carry out engine tuning in house, nor do we recommend generic engine remapping services that you may find on the internet. We can, however, recommend reputable tuners. This service will very likely be provided with a limited warranty, as is usual with motorsport services.
Warranty Considerations
As you would expect, modifying your car, and in some cases using it on a track day, will void any manufacturers or third-party warranty. It is worth checking with your provider.
Additionally, third-party "high performance" parts that are not manufactured for racing use, but become faulty after being used on a track, will often be void of warranty because of use outside of their design parameters.
Professional motorsport parts are generally provided with a limited warranty because manufacturers have no control over the conditions in which their products are used. The warranty is usually restricted to manufacturing defects, which can be very hard to prove. However, by their nature, they are also very reliable.
Further Information
For those thinking about getting on track for the first time, we have a useful blog post that provides some tips for booking and enjoying your track day.