Best three upgrades for suspension/handling

[bendrich]

I know it doesn't show the vehicle in the list. But it goes
1. C5Z
2. 2017 Sport 6 speed
3. 5.0 notchback
4 - however many cars. MMM. Every BMW M car ever and a Miata or two.

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[BarracksSi]

In other words, upgrade the nut behind the steering wheel first.

This ^^

Drive and get experience. Hell, find some nationally competitive autox guys at the event (if you have any) and have them drive your car. Just when you think you need to upgrade your car, you'll learn something about your own driving that you can improve on instead.

My first real experience in autocross was volunteering to help chase cones at an all-day, one-on-one session taught by the region's chief instructor.

Besides the occasional weekend schools (Level I, Level II, etc), they offer group sessions (get maybe a dozen people together and you all get a full day of instruction) and individualized one-on-one classes. The instructor sent a message to the email list asking for someone to help with an upcoming Monday individual class, and because I had the day off, I volunteered. Hey, free Subway for lunch!

Although the focus of the class was on the guy who paid for it, the instructor spent some time with me, too. He taught us all about walking a course, car prep, etc., and then I stood by to pick up cones while he and the student drove. Eventually, he gave the student a break, and we got into my EP3 for a bit.

I line it up and he goes, "Just drive as fast as you can, and we'll see what you do." Drove as hard as I could and got a time (I forget exactly, but let's say it was 0:58). Then we switched seats and he drove. BAM. 0:51.

Dammit. I had a lot to learn.

I only raced a couple seasons, but it was a blast. I spent more seat time in school sessions (Evolution, Level II) than I did during actual events, but I was happy enough to place in the upper half of my class at the big SCCA events. I was able to [mostly] scratch my itch for fast driving, and I got a hell of a lot more patient with street driving, too.

 

[exyia]

All that said though, it's depressing we still don't have any good coilover options yet. Just the junk from Taiwan. I haven't jumped in on a new platform since the 2000's, but this rate of aftermarket support feels really slow.

I'm getting bored of my Sport Touring hatch with nothing available and don't plan to autox it anymore until I can get more front camber. Not trying to brag, but as someone already with experience, I'm just chewing up tires if I keep going at it.

 

[BarracksSi]

^^^ I mostly stopped racing for two reasons:

1. I realized that I'd be sinking money into consumables, at the very least brakes and tires (and clutches, when I was doing drag racing). Plus entry fees, plus school sessions.

2. If I didn't do this a lot, I wouldn't get as good as I wanted to get. Many of my weekends were busy with work, though, and I couldn't get out there as often as I wanted.

There's a third reason: Inevitably, I'd want to get some time on a circuit. But that's even more money, and the consequences of going off-track at 90+ mph are a lot greater than spinning through some cones at 30.

At some point, I'll have the extra cash and time to dedicate to this hobby. It'll have to wait for a while.

 

[akirarex]

I can't believe no Koni Sport (Yellows) yet........or Ground Control/ Koni kits.

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