PC Valkyrie

In the AMG subforums, there are a handful of us who take our cars to a track for higher performance driver education (HPDE) days or lapping days run by groups. It truly is one of the best ways to enjoy the capabilities of your car and to improve your driving skill. And I'm not talking about drag strip type of track, but a proper twisty circuit or road course.

Any of you non-AMG W203 owners also enjoy driving your car at such events? If so, please post your experiences, pictures, and videos!! I would love to read about or see pictures/videos, whether you have a sedan, wagon, or coupe.

I read in another thread about people thinking that the C-coupe could be a great track toy.......

nrg_mike

I've tracked with just about everything except a W203 (Hondas, Nissan GTR, Ariel Atom, etc)... I've done AMG test days, I've done track events w/ a lot of other cars but honestly, don't get to use my 203 for more than just drives to work and home. )-= sad

NegroC230

im about to , soon...New England area

laneshift

What does the coupe have over the other versions of our C-Classes that make it more track worthy? I've always wondered.

nrg_mike

IMO, the sport coupe had a much softer suspension. It floated/rolled quite a bit due to the higher center of gravity.
The sport suspension on the sport model W203s is much better suited.

XsuperbeeX

+ infinity

PC Valkyrie

Hmmmm.....not a single person has tracked their non-AMG W203 C-class?

With regards to the C-coupe, my guess is that the 2005 C320 Sport Coupe may have been the most capable non-AMG W203 C-class.

Other than the obvious power advantage compared to the C230 Sport Coupe(all 3 versions), the 2005 C320 Sport Coupe has the benefit of the Direct Control upgrades to the suspension/steering that was bestowed upon all the facelifted W203 C-class cars. This includes newer front and rear axle bearings, re-calibrated stiffer sports suspension, wider front track, more direct steering ratio, and revised manual transmission with direct rod linkage and shorter shift travel.

Compared to the 2005 C320 Sport Sedan and 2006-2007 C350 Sport Sedan, the 2005 C320 Sport Coupe was lighter, which in theory should always help with regards to dynamic driving, although the C350 Sport Sedan probably had faster straightline acceleration.

carbonfiberwhor

Took my baby out a year ago out to the palm beach raceway

I mostly track the M3, but I've driven a few E55's, slk55's, cl65, many types of bmw's, honda s2k's, nissan, infiniti, etc..

Recently ran my buddies C63 at the track. I'll see if he took any vids. BTW, delimited we hit 178mph in it

03MBC320

i'm scared to track mine, i thnk it'd fall apart

johnand

It is on the top of my short list to do with my car.

W203E35

I would like to track my car. I have done canyons at night and i'll tell you after I put cheap tires my handling is horrible. I slide a lot and on top of that my steering became horrible.

Word to self, never buy cheap tires.

splinter

“canyons at night” aren’t properly tracking a car.
Have its steering repaired under warranty and get some decent tires.
Been inviting the forum’s young bucks to closed course events since my fifth post.
Your C350 is more than up to the task…http://www.opentrackracing.com/

It’d be swell to have a 135i DD and track toy like the OP’s.
Grateful for the continuing advances from his oncology profession, as both of my parents and I are still vertical after having been afflicted for years - mom having been first diagnosed in 1980. (As an aside, my son is again interning at USC’s Norris Cancer Center this summer.)
No doubt he can drive too, as his C55 gives C63s an honest run.

PC Valkyrie, next time you’re in SoCal, trust you’ll ring so can we swap stories and can compare my C’s setup.

reference

03MBC320

what maintenance should be done before/after to the suspension to make sure tracking the car doesnt do too much damage?

PC Valkyrie

You can take any properly maintained car and track it. Just make sure nothing is at risk of "breaking" before heading to the track. Some track groups may want proof that your car has been inspected recently to ensure safety. If your car is safe, then the only dangers are inexperienced drivers being too aggressive or making mistakes and crashing their cars.

One myth is that you have to modify your car to track it. Nothing can be farther from the truth. In fact, I would encourage people to simply take their stock cars and enjoy them on a HPDE or lapping day. For your average driver, the goal is not to become a race car driver, but to improve upon your driving skill. Going fast is not something that will come with your first time or first few times. With time, you will naturally become faster with more experience while respecting your own limits and your car's limits. For first-timers, it's always wise to have an instructor or someone experienced beside you.

There are many things to learn about driving on a track, as it is nothing like driving on a curvy on-ramp or "canyon runs". For example, one of the most important things to learn is the proper "racing line" to try to "straighten out" the curves and ensure your car being in the right position prior to each turn so that you can hit the apexes and optimize exit speed. The principles you learn when driving on a track will make you a more competent and safer driver on the streets when it comes to threshold braking, and steering/throttle corrections in dicey situations.

And I can't emphasize the following enough: there are always going to FASTER drivers/cars than you. It isn't and shouldn't be a race. Satisfaction should come just realizing that you as a driver are improving each time you go lapping. Sure, there is nothing wrong with a little "competition" to see if you can pace/outpace the other car, but it should not be done at the expense of knowing your own or your car's limits. Go beyond those limits (often becuase of ego) and bad things can happen.

The only other thing to note is that lapping your car will cause some wear and tear, mostly for your tires and brake pads. Both would be considered "consumables" if you're a track rat, and you would have to budget accordingly.

PC Valkyrie

Splinter, I would love to track with you one day. You can probably teach me some lessons given your experience and insight about our cars. Unfortunately, the huge distance separating us makes that practically impossible in the near future.

AdidasC230

I auto cross my W203 C230 Sport, It actually "does quite well but needs a bit more low end" this coming from a Z06 Vette Owner.

I did a Sebring track day a few weeks back but I didn't get any pics.

I enjoy pushing the car and learning its traction point and how to properly toss it around and get it to react right, its allot different then all the FWD cars I have owned before.

W203E35

When you guys Autocross the car or Track it are you guys in Dyno Mode? Traction Off? or Traction On?

AdidasC230

at auto X and at Sebring I took off ESP but I did not put it into dyno mode, It let me get completly sideways at auto X and for track days ABS is a must, I did my first run is Dyno mode and you cant jam on the brakes like you can with ABS on with ESP off.

I like the car in ESP off mode, you don't need alot of tire spin and it lets you get completely sideways without an issue, I dunno Ive never felt it invade on my driving on either auto x or sebring, now if you leave it on heck yes, I left it on for a friend who was learning how to auto x in a RWD car which is ruff since its easy to kick out the tail with the sway I put in.

Dyno mode, I have no use for on a track its to hard to not have ABS, I am a mash the brakes guy and dont want flat spots on the tires, plus like I said in ESP off AKA light it never invaded, and I drove it pretty damn hard, was top 3 in my class

nrg_mike

At least turn traction off... Traction control always comes down like a hammer and ruins all the fun... Besides, that bogging feeling is terrible.

LILBENZ230

I can press ESP off in my car and the traction control function still steps in at the first hint of wheelspin.

AdidasC230

Tracton control is off when I turn ESP off in my car, I got plenty of wheel spin of the line at auto x without any interference from the ESP.

03MBC320

^^ didn't know the 230 could really break their wheels loose so easily

once i get my new spring mount on i'm gonna start looking to go tracking at Orlando Speedworld nearby, i've always wanted to but never looked into it, glad this thread came about

LILBENZ230

I wonder if that's a change from 2005-2006, from I4 to V6, or from 5AT to 6MT? My traction function remains on and is very stern. Whether or not it will correct yaw with ESP off, I'm not sure - but it will definitely not allow wheelspin.

e24kgold

+1...When esp is disabled, allows more margin but will still intervene if the car is way out of shape. Its is never truly disabled. I'm sure this is true for 06' and 07' models too.

zerocover

The ESP off button does very little with stability control still on. With ESP on I get terrible bogging whenever I smash the gas, and absolutely no wheel spin.

If I push the button and turn ESP off I can chirp the tires, any fun causes the light to blink and the stability control to step in causing the ESP light to blink at me, but not bog the car. I can get ever so slightly sideways in this mode (controlled slide). Its a good thing.

If I turn on dyno mode and drive hard, this car becomes a death trap. I have no problems doing 360's esp when I dont want to.