Quote:
Originally Posted by ZPrime
First off, to the OP:
Why the hell are you planning on £7-8k of aftermarket brakes if you've never done a track day?
Why are you planning on Cup2s if you've never done a track day?
Both of these are VERY VERY VERY BAD IDEAS.
Learn to drive the car as it comes before you start changing stuff. Changing stuff first is a massive waste of money, and it will also make it harder for you to learn.
One of the best ways to learn a car is to have less grip, not more. Race tires (which Cup2 basically are) hide a lot of flaws and make it very difficult for you to approach the limit of handling on a car safely.
I understand running a separate set of dedicated track day wheels, but I would strongly suggest not putting Cup2 on them until you've got double-digit count of HPDEs under your belt.
Same goes for the brakes... the only reason I can think you might want to do those brakes is because the M2C's stock brakes are big and make it impossible to fit 18" wheels. But even then... I would wait until you have more time under your belt before modding the car.
One of the only problems I have with this forum is that some people here seem to love to just throw mods on a car with basically fuck-all consideration to what those mods are actually doing for performance / handling / etc. The stock braking system will be fine for at least your first time out or two. If you are cooking the stock brakes, you are probably braking wrong (yes, there is a right and wrong way to brake at a track day).
Changing the fluid out for a higher temp fluid isn't a terrible idea, and maybe consider moving to a more aggressive pad compound if you start to experience fade... but most HPDEs are going to give you 20-30min lapping sessions, and unless you're doing something really stupid with the brakes, I would expect them to hold up fine... especially for a track day noob.
I've been to 4-5 HPDEs (with previous cars), and I'm sure as shit not changing anything on my (OG) M2 prior to my first HPDE with it.
As far as torque wrench + impact gun -- you've got the basic idea correct. Always hand-thread nuts or bolts before putting the ugga-dugga gun on them. Final tightening should be with the torque wrench so you know they are to spec. Wheel hangers are helpful, and having two can sometimes make life easier than just one. If you're truly getting deep into HPDEs, then a stud conversion is worth considering, but make sure to do your homework and buy one that (a) isn't shit and (b) can tolerate "weather" if you're also going to daily-drive the car (some stud kits are designed for race use and are meant to be replaced every few events and aren't designed to handle road salt or even much rain, so they will rust...)
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Hi ZPrime,
Thanks for the input and thoughts on the impact wrench / torque wrench subject. It's all really helpful advice.
As for the question on the Cup 2 tyres they came from a BMW dealership here in the UK as a package with the 763M wheels I wanted. The wheels were heavily discounted as the dealership buys them in bulk and effectively the 4 Cup 2s worked out at £250 for the set. It was really a no-brainer. I wasn't necessarily going to start doing track days on the Cup 2s. Your comment about learning the car with less grip has got me thinking, so perhaps I should swap the stock tyres (hopefully PSS / PS4S) on to the 763M wheels, start from there and use the Cup 2s at a later date.
As for the AP Racing brakes I completely agree this is a self-indulgent modification for a novice, although I have done 20+ laps at the Nurburgring in 2006 and some more recent track day "experienced" so I'm not a complete newbie to track days. As you said, the stock brakes are probably fine for the first few outings, but I really don't want to crack, discolour or unnecessarily stress the stock brakes. They are going in a box in near pristine condition should I ever sell the car or the brakes on their own in the near / distant future. And yes, I have been researching up on braking zones, etc. Driver61 on YouTube has been helpful and I will be getting tuition at the track. Bottom line with the brakes is that I will be doing a lot of track days and I want consistency in my braking throughout each track day. I don't see any issue with putting these on my car from the start. I'm also 39 so kind of big and grown up now so fully capable of doing my research and making my own decisions.
Trust me, I have been debating on whether to put coilovers on the car and remap it, etc, etc, but I am going to hold off on these for the time being as I am fully aware I should learn the cars' handling before putting in place mods like this
