AutoX

[5chn3ll]

Start looking for the really fast guys - and then start asking to ride along. It's amazing how much you can learn by riding with someone who REALLY knows what they're doing...

So last Sunday I took the Ricermobile to a local car club AutoX. First time for me and the car. The course is setup in a high school parking lot and much smaller/tighter than any of the SCCA course I've seen. BTW Lincoln hosts the Nationals for SCCA AutoX.

I started with a dismal time on the first lap, but improved my time on each of the following 7 laps except for one when I got lost which cost me 2 seconds!

I found out that driving a turbo car on a tight circuit is challenging to say the least. Mash the throttle coming out of a hairpin corner and "1,000 one-1,000 two-Holy CRAP!" I also discovered that the All Season tires I put on suck for AutoX. I did use them because the outer edge of the thread is now
"scuffed in". I may be bug bit because I've been on TireRack numerous times looking at 19" wheels and AA traction rated tires.

This club is a British Car Club most populated with older dudes who became tired of the SCCA drama, but they let any make of car under 3 liters compete if you join the club. After my first set of four laps a few of them wandered over asking questions about the car and expressing kind compliments.

Here's what they don't know and neither did I: I totally forgot to disable the VSA system. I think with sticky lower diameter tires and all the nannies turned off there is some more speed in this toy...

[32wildbilly]

Good point. The guy that had the second fastest time in the Westfield has kinda adopted me so I'm going to hit him up. However this past weekend we were in the same run group so that didn't happen.

Start looking for the really fast guys - and then start asking to ride along. It's amazing how much you can learn by riding with someone who REALLY knows what they're doing...

So last Sunday I took the Ricermobile to a local car club AutoX. First time for me and the car. The course is setup in a high school parking lot and much smaller/tighter than any of the SCCA course I've seen. BTW Lincoln hosts the Nationals for SCCA AutoX.

I started with a dismal time on the first lap, but improved my time on each of the following 7 laps except for one when I got lost which cost me 2 seconds!

I found out that driving a turbo car on a tight circuit is challenging to say the least. Mash the throttle coming out of a hairpin corner and "1,000 one-1,000 two-Holy CRAP!" I also discovered that the All Season tires I put on suck for AutoX. I did use them because the outer edge of the thread is now
"scuffed in". I may be bug bit because I've been on TireRack numerous times looking at 19" wheels and AA traction rated tires.

This club is a British Car Club most populated with older dudes who became tired of the SCCA drama, but they let any make of car under 3 liters compete if you join the club. After my first set of four laps a few of them wandered over asking questions about the car and expressing kind compliments.

Here's what they don't know and neither did I: I totally forgot to disable the VSA system. I think with sticky lower diameter tires and all the nannies turned off there is some more speed in this toy...

[32wildbilly]

I meant "rotating" as a good thing. Not body lean but the way the car turns into the corner. It did that well.

Wow! Is that you?

If that's you, you did well and it didn't even turn over. Actually that thing is rotating well.

That course is small particularly the runoff area after the finish! I would not be one of those folks standing at the end of the runoff!

That is me when it was about 3 months old. You are actually only seeing about half the course in that video, but it was tight with a lot of gates. That played well for me against the more powerful 911s in the field as they had trouble staying on power while I had all mine right off idle.

There is definitely a lot of roll which I expect the PDCC and air suspension would cut way down. Still it is damn impressive how controllable and undramatic it was.

[32wildbilly]

Ok so Sunday I ordered a set of Falken tires from TireRack that are stickier than my current all season Conti's(read bricks). They recommended the top rated tire installer in Lincoln so I had the tires shipped directly there. Along with transaction with TR you can schedule an appointment with the installer which I also did. I got several emails from the installer confirming the appointment blah-blah-blah. Today I drive to the installer at the appointment time. Once there a kid found my tires, but then a manager type dude walked in stating he would only put the tires on if I sign something that relieves him of any and all damages to my wheels! I politely said "WHAT"!? His explanation was he had to pay someone over $700 to get the customers wheels fixed after a tire change stating it was due to the low profile tires and painted rims. I asked if he had the plastic coated tooling for his tire machine which he said he did but "it can still damage the rims." Further he repeated his waiver request to which I replied "have the kid bring my tires out to the car because that isn't going to happen." I also asked if Tire Rack was aware of his issues to which he looked like I stabbed him.

Went to my normal tire place(who put the all seasons on originally and did not damage the wheels with the same profile tire). He said bring it in tomorrow no problem.

Here's my question: "Would you dump on Tire Rack concerning their top rated installer?"

[gnat]

Here's my question: "Would you dump on Tire Rack concerning their top rated installer?"

I would at least contact TR support about it. If you had something like 30" polished wheels where it is hard to find rigs setup to protect the finish or were doing some crazy stretch for an ultra low profile, sure. In this day and age, however, any competent shop should be able to handle as standard sized tire for a standard sized rim without fear of damage.

In my experience it is shops that have inexperienced teenagers doing the tire mounting for peanuts that do this. The kids aren't properly taught and usually don't care and the shop owner doesn't want to be responsible.

My Indy nicked up the lug wells on a wheel once and I noticed. He handed me the card of a wheel guy he uses and told me to go to them and have them send the bill directly to the shop or if I could just leave it he'd get it taken care of for me. Other than the wasted time of not having my car a few extra days the wheel looked good as new and it was no skin off my back. Accidents happen, it's how we deal with them that is important.

[32wildbilly]

20" stock rims. New tire 245/35/20. Original Contis are 245/30/20 which my tire guy had no problems removing. This TR shop has a super low TR negotiated price. I wonder if the manager didn't want to do the work for the low price.

Here's my question: "Would you dump on Tire Rack concerning their top rated installer?"

I would at least contact TR support about it. If you had something like 30" polished wheels where it is hard to find rigs setup to protect the finish or were doing some crazy stretch for an ultra low profile, sure. In this day and age, however, any competent shop should be able to handle as standard sized tire for a standard sized rim without fear of damage.

In my experience it is shops that have inexperienced teenagers doing the tire mounting for peanuts that do this. The kids aren't properly taught and usually don't care and the shop owner doesn't want to be responsible.

My Indy nicked up the lug wells on a wheel once and I noticed. He handed me the card of a wheel guy he uses and told me to go to them and have them send the bill directly to the shop or if I could just leave it he'd get it taken care of for me. Other than the wasted time of not having my car a few extra days the wheel looked good as new and it was no skin off my back. Accidents happen, it's how we deal with them that is important.

[theprf]

You should have gotten a spare set of wheels. You're on the slippery slope now.

[32wildbilly]

Now that's funny! I just spent the last 30 minutes looking at wheels. Wonder how deep this rabbit hole will get...

"It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

You should have gotten a spare set of wheels. You're on the slippery slope now.

[FRUNKenstein]

Definitely let Tire Rack know what happened. I've ordered many times from Tire Rack and never had an installer balk. I was told by one installer that they really don't make their profit off the tire - it's the services like alignment where the profit is. So, they are happy to install Tire Rack tires. So, if this shop manager has the mindset that he's losing money by installing the Tire Rack tires, then Tire Rack needs to dump them. There are plenty of other installers willing to do the work.

BTW, now that you're clearly headed down the slippery slope, I think there are special autox brake pads you can buy. And don't forget to buy your own helmet. You should get a portable air compressor to check your tire pressure after each run. You'll want a personalized magnetic number sticker for the side of your car - after all, who wants painter's tape on new paint or window chalk/grease pen you have to scrape off later.

[32wildbilly]

Got my own helmet and air compressor. Brake pads are in the future. I’ve got some driver learning to do before I go full AutoX boy. Not doing SCCA so don’t need mag numbers yet.

Definitely let Tire Rack know what happened. I've ordered many times from Tire Rack and never had an installer balk. I was told by one installer that they really don't make their profit off the tire - it's the services like alignment where the profit is. So, they are happy to install Tire Rack tires. So, if this shop manager has the mindset that he's losing money by installing the Tire Rack tires, then Tire Rack needs to dump them. There are plenty of other installers willing to do the work.

BTW, now that you're clearly headed down the slippery slope, I think there are special autox brake pads you can buy. And don't forget to buy your own helmet. You should get a portable air compressor to check your tire pressure after each run. You'll want a personalized magnetic number sticker for the side of your car - after all, who wants painter's tape on new paint or window chalk/grease pen you have to scrape off later.