[sksc1105]

What modifies will you recommend? I want to be capable of play with m3 on track.

[jbass524]

In this order:

1. Driver training
2. square wheel and tire setup
3. Evolution or Stett oil coolers
4. Distilled water with Mocool in the radiator
5. negative front camber.

No power, lowering, coilovers, meth until you're running within 3 seconds of Spec Miata winning lap times. By that time you'll probably want a different car for tracking.

With all this said, you may be a prodigy who can make our cars go really fast with little training. Even with that, you'll need the cooling (1 & 2)

[DieselDiner]

Would upgraded brakes (at least pads) fit somewhere on your list?

[Track First]

x2 on brake pads. I believe your street tires would be fine if it is your first trackday. You should also do the remove ego mod, it is not a race it's a track day.

[mid-corner fun]

Originally Posted by jbass524

In this order:

1. Driver training
2. square wheel and tire setup
3. Evolution or Stett oil coolers
4. Distilled water with Mocool in the radiator
5. negative front camber.

No power, lowering, coilovers, meth until you're running within 3 seconds of Spec Miata winning lap times. By that time you'll probably want a different car for tracking.

With all this said, you may be a prodigy who can make our cars go really fast with little training. Even with that, you'll need the cooling (1 & 2)

good advice.

Start with #1. The rest will follow

[mid-corner fun]

Originally Posted by Tim@SEA

You should also do the remove ego mod, it is not a race it's a track day.

+1

[VSmotorsports]

The three best mods to start out with are upgraded brake fluid, stainless steel brake lines, and upgraded pads. The fluid is a must but for the other two mods, if it is your first track day you most likely will not be going to fast but working on learning how to drive on track and be safe.

[EJ_3]

This would be your best bet on a road course IMO, you'll be more than capable...
1. Software
2. Suspension
3. Clutch
4. Bigger Brakes
5. Differential
6. Cooling (Intercooler, oil cooler, etc)
7. Wheels and tires (ditch the run flats and get lighter wheels)
If you're serious and this will be a dedicated track car....
8. Cage
9. Aero

[chsbmw]

Square setup, front brake pads, brake fluid. Good mods for your first track weekend.

[Outlaw 06]

Originally Posted by sksc1105

What modifies will you recommend? I want to be capable of play with m3 on track.

I track my E46 M3 (on Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 street tires) at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut and the car is great “as is” for occasional track duty a couple of times a year. IMO, there’s simply no safe and legal way to get familiar with the car’s limits other than participating in club-sponsored High Performance Drivers Education (HPDE) events.

The advice about "driver mods" is the best you've gotten IMO.

If you have some extra funds available, I highly recommend taking a course at a professional racing school.

I’ve also tracked my car with BMW CCA several times but I’m not overly impressed with the volunteer instruction I’ve received. That said, I still think the BMW CCA events have been good values for the money (4x20-minute track sessions at lime Rock for $310).

On the other hand, being instructed and coached by professionals was an extremely valuable experience for me. I'm a graduate of the Skip Barber MazdaSpeed (MX-5) 3-Day Racing School and the 2-Day Advanced Racing School. During those schools I quickly realized that I wasn’t nearly as good a driver as I thought I was (despite being a solo run group HPDE “veteran”). After many hours of professional coaching by my Skip Barber instructors and hundreds of miles of scrutinized lapping, I’m definitely a more competitive, faster, safer and MUCH better driver than I used to be.

I know that the high quality professional racing instruction I received at Skip Barber was well worth the (discounted) cost. These Skip Barber schools are so worthwhile that I plan to take the 2-Day Advanced Racing School and Advanced Car Control clinic at least once a year from now on.

I realize you're in Perth, but you can certainly find a local racing school that meets your needs.

[Track First]

I guess I have been lucky with the two times I have done BMW CCA with instructors, both being past race drivers. I think the CCA is a great way to start but as you progress you should look at other schools. I have also heard great reviews from skip barber and plan to do that one day.

Off topic: $310 for a day at Limerock! I used to live in New York and go to that track to watch racing and understand it is a 'classic' track but I don't see why it cost that much. Maybe it is due to having a track in Conneticut but I pay $160 for a day at Grattan or Gingerman which have about equal facilities from what I remember.

[CJ421]

Driver mods, for sure.

I did a two-day PCA event with my car and wow what an experience. I am nowhere close, as a driver, to outperforming any part of this vehicle. I am 100% stock brakes/suspension/cooling. One session with my instructor at the wheel showed me how far I have to go. Even he said the car was fine as-is.

Only real mod I have is non-RFT tires (Hankook V12 evo) - they held up well and gripped all day. RFTs get finicky on the track, especially when they heat up.

So driver education + non-RFT.

[Syndicategt]

All great advice...except for post #8. Drive with an instructor, have fun, and be safe....as the NASA guys will tell you, "Nothing you do today will increase the value of your car."

[jbass524]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

All great advice...except for post #8. Drive with an instructor, have fun, and be safe....as the NASA guys will tell you, "Nothing you do today will increase the value of your car."

+1. Post 8 should be disregarded not because they aren't all great mods but because the mods are just silly unless you're a really good driver already. The fact that a square, non runflat setup and cooling are 6 & 7 is nuts. They should be 2 & 3, right behind driver mods.

Not trying to hate on you manny. It's just the truth.