Originally Posted by JHM2K
It is regarding the fluid mixing. If you feel comfortable running DOT5 in a street car and have gone through the proper flushing, go for it.
I've definitely autocrossed before, just not in the Crossie. So I know the brake demand is higher... I simply don't enjoy the style of driving as much as a dedicated road course, where the speeds are higher and the turns have more banking. 0-60-0 parking lot cone-racing is hell on the car and I won't do it to my daily. A weekend toy? Sure. But not my daily that I buff with a diaper.
As for tracking my car, I don't plan on it.
Here's my pitch on track cars vs street cars... Everything that makes you comfy on the street, slows you down on the track. Everything that makes you faster on the track, makes your street car a bit more "unlivable" on the street. Each tenth of a second you gain on the course equals a new creak, rattle, groan, or bone-jarring impact. It's kinda like a phone can have a good camera, and a camera can make a phone-call.... but the iPhone will never replace a Nikon and vice-versa. Pick your path, and go steadfast. But you can't straddle the fence.
The Crossfire, while a nimble vehicle, is much more purpose-built to be a grand-tourer than a track ready sports car. I believe in amplifying the performance as much as possible, while still maintaining two things: my sanity, and practicality. Hence my justification for lighter components that perform daily tasks with more ease, all while utilizing all-season tires that won't be chewed up like the soft summer tires on my 60-mile round trip daily commute. And, until you've ridden on the DWS, don't knock 'em... they're not your mom's all-season tires.
FWIW, these were the tires I used on the Dragon, and they stuck like glue. And you know I'm not a timid driver. So my goal with this vehicle is not to be an M-killer on a tight, technical cone course. Instead, I want to simply enhance the permagrin factor for me, and the rubber-neck factor for the onlookers.
I can understand your desire, but I want it all LOL. Will I have to give up some 'practicality'? Sure, but its a sports car that I would like to get all I can out of. I am not trying to be an ***, but someone with all seasons saying you can't straddle the fence LOL you have one foot on each side
(and for the record, my mom has Pilot Sports on her crossie) I am sure the all season tires are great, but as with your reference about cameras and phones, they don't do anything amazingly well. They are not performance tires nor are they snow tires - personally I would rather have both, so I do. To each their own.
Is there anywhere around you that offers a proper road course that you get on regularly? We do not have anything like this in Indy, but we are not 'parking lot racers' either. Obviously, if Brock Yates One Lap of America used our regular facilities with 800+ hp vipers and GTRs, it can not be too bad, but still no road course. I would prefer this as well, but with higher speeds come more chance for a catastrophic failure or something worse.
Mine will not be a daily very much longer, the more and more one off parts I get on her. She is never going to be an interior stripped race car, because I care about aesthetics too much, but when I am complete (probably never) she will be able to win a show, drive across the country in style and relative comfort, and tear up a race track on the same week. We'll see if I ever get there LOL
And I like your comment about an M killer, apparently the M coupe came with progessive rate springs was originally terrible as an autoX car, but after a $6,000 ground control complete adjustable setup, it behaves a little better on the track. We also have a wide body miata that finished 2 seconds faster than any of the one lap guys on the same course, destroying vette's, S2000s, M3s, SCed Jags, etc.
Fun stuff, I love the discussion