[smjracing]

Messed up and posted in the wrong thread reposting here. Still Working on pictures and videos:

I was looking for info before I took my x3 m40 to the track. I didn't find anything so I figured I will do write up to show what can be done and what can't be done. Also my first time starting a thread, so I am not too sure how well this will work how images and videos work. As well as some tips and tricks.

Car set up:
-michelin pilot sport all season 4
-HR lowering Springs
-Res and Muff Delete
-MHD OTS Stage 1 93 tune
-BMS Strut Bars
-Castrol SRF React Brake Fluid(You need this)
-Stock Brake pads
-Sport Plus Mode and traction control on.
-Purchased track Insurance from Haggerty


My "Track" Experience:
This was my first track day in a car. I have done a few track days with motorcycles (SV 650) at NJMP and NYST. First time also at Poconos. I'm also 300 pounds. (This matters later). The track was Pocono East and it was a mixed day with 1 session cars and 1 session bikes. I wanted to go to NJMP but NJMP is not SUV-friendly. Tried multiple times.

Quick Takeaways:
-She doesn't mind braking at 100mph to like 40-60. Where she doesn't do well is braking very hard from 60ish mph to around 20mph instantly then trying to throw it in a turn. It's a heavy car. It doesn't like slow corners. Constantly smells like burnt brakes after a hard session. But keep in mind you can't brake as hard as regular cars I knew that going in that I was going to have to brake sooner due to the heavy weight of the car.

-The body roll doesn't really go away. You can't change the fact the car has a lot of weight on top. People have told me it doesn't look like it has a lot of body when looking at it from the outside but you definitely feel it from the inside. Some good advice I got was lowering the seat all the way down. Turns out that lowering 300 pounds a few inches closer to the ground makes a big difference.

-Initial turn-in is bad. It did surprisingly well holding a long sweeping corner. The thing is you would want to make an L out of most of these turns to use the benefit of high horsepower straight-line speed, however, the brakes won't let you do that and the car's initial turn-in is not reassuring.

-Traction control You could turn it off honestly if you are pretty skilled and not going balls to the wall or you want to go balls to the wall lol. This was my first track day with a car so I left it on. I think it definitely saved me a bunch. But I feel it was letting me down on some exits out of turns really bad. If I was more skilled not just in track driving but in higher horsepower cars, I came from a hybrid kia niro before this car.

Intelligent Safety:
You need to turn this off. I forgot to turn it off and it kept interfering with me.

Tire Grip:
I'm sure if you had better tires you would have more grip but this is a testament to how good these tires can be. People were not only surprised at how fast I was taking the x3 around the track but also very surprised I was on All Seasons. I kept the tires on the recommended tire pressures and never touched them throughout the day. This track is mostly left turns. So my front right tire wore out extremely fast. I would start off pretty strong in a session and then feel it at the end of the session not gripping as well.

Predictability:
I think I can give it this. Once you do a few sessions you realize what it likes and what it doesn't like. It rarely ever surprised me to go into a corner or exit out. I was mostly frustrated because I just couldn't get the car where I wanted on the corner entry when I felt like it should have. But then I remembered it's close 4700 pounds with me in it. Can't really complain much.


Damage and wear:
Normal rubber hitting the car. (Will include Pictures) I'm sure I got rock chips as well on the front bumper. Definitely saw some significant wear to the pads and rotors I think they may need replacing soon. I definitely need to replace the two front tires. Its very slight I cant explain it I feel like I tweaked a suspension component. I don't know which one. Its a very slight feeling when turning in the street. It goes and comes idk. I will update if I find anything. Car did not burn any oil, unlike ever other car on the track. So have to give a shout-out to BMW for that.


Summary of Car Experience:
She is a big birtha gentleman. I know I am not fit but I'm telling you she definitely doesn't like moving on very slow speed corners. This track was slightly technical and short. Only got up to 100mph straight away. It was fun seeing what it can do and everyone coming up to you telling you that your fast not knowing it's mostly the car.

Summary of my personal experience:
I went to the trackday using Dafanz trackday. He runs alongside bikes so there really is no grouping the first three sessions he breaks it up into 2 sessions one for new drivers(only me and a prelude) and one for all other cars no grouping by advanced or intermediate. Then after lunch you new drivers are combined with everyone else if they are comfortable I guess.

I had the first session with dafan, following his line, learning the track, and getting used to the car. Normal Average session.

In the second session, I followed another instructor and I didn't really understand what was happening. If he was going to follow me or what.(Rember's first track day in a car). He was going at speed but not fast fast if you know what I mean. So In my mind, this would be a great chance to try some lines and different braking points. He wasn't happy with that. After the session, he came to me and told me I have to really work on my lines. That it was dangerous driving and the such. Again my fault didn't know what was happening. He was really disappointed and thought I couldn't drive. Honestly fair assumption.

I took the third session as an opportunity to see what I got as I had 2 warm-up sessions already. The session started with the instructor leading me around and I follow his line. I followed him pretty well and he gave me a point by. That's all it took. A few laps later he wasn't in my rearview mirror anymore.(It wasn't his car so I'm sure he wasn't pushing it hard-- 2017 bmw m4 I think ). He came up to me and asked me "what was that" "Are you a professional race car driver?!" He told me he couldn't believe that was my first track day. He asked me if my last name was Andretti. He genuinely couldn't believe it was my first track day and called me a liar lol. He was a very nice guy, I feel he may have been hyping me up a bit I don't think I'm that fast. It was a combination of the AWD and traction control and BMW just making a cool SUV that I went "fast".

The fourth session I went out with all the other cars. They were all seasoned track vets with years and years of track experience and really good cars. C8 Corvette, c7 corvette z06 ( 7 Speed Manual, Nice Guy), Porshe 911 turbo, and BMW 330ci FUll race build with slicks. So I was slightly nervous I was going to hold these guys up. But, We had fun, I got the point by from the c8 and c7. I gave the point by to the BMW 330ci. And the Porshe and I were pretty close. After the session talking to everyone, they enjoyed watching the x3 go around the track. Gave me a little boost of self-confidence and told me I'm fast and they were surprised to see that car hauling ass and all seasons on it as well.

Fifth and Sixth session:
I think the front right tire wore out a lot I couldn't get to turn in as well and hold a line. I also was extremely tired. Dafan gave me some advice on some lines which was good. But I was too shot to implement It plus brakes started smelling more. I kept up with the c7 a bit but he ultimately kept pushing more. Very fast guy. The porshe guy also was very fast now, couldn't keep up with him.

And that's it. Loaded the car up and went back to my airbnb and relaxed.

Will update thread with photos and videos when I can figure that out.

[ASAP]

Ha - moving my comment back here as well-

When I drive this car in its stock setting - 2 things become very apparent to me-

1) It's a big car and there is no hiding that... it feels heavy and big... and again it's an SUV... so cutting in the corners just doesn't feel right.

2) It's WAY too soft... going into any corner even on the stock runflats and in sport mode produces an absolute ton of lean... unless this car is modified with a very stiff suspension... I have no idea how one could track this. This is where the X3M excels because of just general rigidity and stiffness.

[jsh139]

Very cool. Sounds like you had a good time. Thank you for posting this!

[smjracing]

Attaching some photos from the event. Lmk if this is the best way to do it. Unfortunately, I don't think there was a track photographer to see any pics from outside. But I will upload my video soon.

[COM40]

How long (time/distance) were the sessions? Did a single track day pretty much cook your tires?

Edit: we posted at the same time but those tire pics answer my question

[smjracing]

Link to Youtube Video:

[2022X3]

Nice job - if it had rained that day you would have lapped everyone with those all-seasons!

[alex2364]

I think part of the reason why it smelled burnt brakes is because your traction and stability control. It would have been braking individual wheels each time powering out of turns. Do you have M Sport differential in your car and did you feel it working?

[smjracing]

Originally Posted by alex2364

I think part of the reason why it smelled burnt brakes is because your traction and stability control. It would have been braking individual wheels each time powering out of turns. Do you have M Sport differential in your car and did you feel it working?

Honestly never checked if I have M Sport Diff. IF there is an easy way to check I can let you know.

[alex2364]

Originally Posted by smjracing

Honestly never checked if I have M Sport Diff. IF there is an easy way to check I can let you know.

Enter your VIN at mdecoder.com and look for the line “S2T4 M Sport Differential” under “Wheels And Drive” section.

[smjracing]

Originally Posted by alex2364

Enter your VIN at mdecoder.com and look for the line “S2T4 M Sport Differential” under “Wheels And Drive” section.

Just checked. I guess no M Sport Diff. ):

[Rottweiler]

OP

That was a fun post to read…thank you for sharing

[dinan5m3]

[earlgsxbusa]

HI OP thanks for the post - Im looking to Track my X4 as well. I have done a few AutoCrosses and I was looking to do the Pocono Run. But I have heard that some tracks dont like SUV's on the track.

It would be cool to run with ya on a track.

Thanks,
E

[smjracing]

Originally Posted by earlgsxbusa

HI OP thanks for the post - Im looking to Track my X4 as well. I have done a few AutoCrosses and I was looking to do the Pocono Run. But I have heard that some tracks dont like SUV's on the track.

It would be cool to run with ya on a track.

Thanks,
E

Pocono’s was the only one that I found that didn’t care. Given NYST nature as well they probably wouldn’t care. NJMP is a big no no. I spoke to two trackday orgs extreme trackdays I think , and track night of America they all said its an NJMP thing. Jack Track from track night of America said lime rock and poconos shouldn’t be a problem.

I spoke to someone on facebook who autox , and tracks his x3 as well. He said bigger better tires are needed. As well as x3m sway bars. I’m think of holding off till next year might go to a track day with the x3 a couple more times. But I got another car for the track now.


Next time I go I will post it in the x3/x4 m40i performance group in facebook if you want to check it out.

[COM40]

Originally Posted by smjracing

But I got another car for the track now.

Miata?

[smjracing]

Originally Posted by COM40

Miata?

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer