2012 Auto-X Season Roll-call, Planning and Trash Talk.

[Stumanbmx]

So it had 85 hp then?

I forgot about the coilovers. Still though, my comment stands.

As long as you know you are probably not going to "win", it's tons of fun. Best rush I have had in years.

I know. That's why I threw the in there. I'm not saying I'm just saying.

[MechE30]

So it had 85 hp then?

I forgot about the coilovers. Still though, my comment stands.

As long as you know you are probably not going to "win", it's tons of fun. Best rush I have had in years.

Yup, I got my butt handed to me. I kept thinking, "seriously, it's a yaris..."

[SLK]

I keep wanting to do Autocross, but back when I had my GTI, there were some issues with it and by the time I got them fixed, the season was over and then a few months later it was totaled. I would have autocrossed the Passat but it's our only car and I don't want to chew up the all seasons on it.

That being said, once I get a car this spring, I am going to try my hardest to make it out to at least a few events this year. I will probably attend the novice school even if I still only have the Passat.

[Casper]

Amery and Hillclimb

[gerglmuff]

Novice here as well. My dad and I want to get into autoX this next summer, but dont have a car for it yet.

I could use my avant, but its too laggy for my liking with its big turbo setup.
I could use my coupe quattro, but it would need a TON of new parts to be any fun.

What should we pick up? Id like an older bmw or something that will be fun to drive the streets in as well.

Anyone know of something for sale locally?

last year there was a girl driving a saturn SL1, and another driving a hyundai full size. even a guy driving a mangumn R/T.

autocross is a bring what you own and drive the piss out of it type of event.

and the simple truth is, unless you have been doing it for a few years, most stock cars on half decent tires are substantially faster then you can drive them. i have only been autocrossing one season, but i know my porsche is WAY faster then i can drive it, and i have some serious seat time in it (test and tunes are the shit for getting seat time). and you want to complain about turbo lag, i have a 944 turbo, and there is another guy in MAC who runs an SVO mustang. worry about you skill, not your turbo lag.

skill > car

last year a guy in a plane jane mazda3 on street tires was stomping all over most folks.

but if your going to buy an autocross car, the only car to buy is a miata. dollar per dollar, you simply cannot beat a miata. period. you can get a decent one for 2500 bucks, and stock they are set up really quite well. put RS3s on it or star specs and drive the piss out of it.

[isonic]

autocross is a bring what you own and drive the piss out of it type of event.
skill > car

yup, last year when I drove there were two other diesel mk4's that showed up. Two farm kids with 250K+ miles on their jetta's. The thing that hurt their time the most (and mine on two runs) was the number of cones they hit and not the 90 hp their cars used to have.

[Die Frau]

The Neon ACR is also another decent bargain that does very well at Auto-X

[jkimmes]

My $.02
Don't spend a dollar on anything but tires, and entry fees.
If you must spend, get an agressive alignment, or do your own.
Talk to the fast guys - they will help you get quicker. Take the instructors with you and listen to their feedback.
Set your goal to improve 1 aspect of your drive at each event - braking, line, entry, exit, vision, positon - whatever - concentrate on 1 thing.
Get to the event early and walk the course a lot - figure out what you can ignore and where your markers are.
HAVE FUN and when someone SMOKES you in a pile - congratulate them and then ask what they are concentrating on and what they are ignoring.
I have never had a conversation with the fast guys that I didn't learn something.
Auto-x is a great place to find your tilt piont and them get better from there!

[JK9K]

Comments in this thread are pretty entertaining. Seems like those who have autocrossed, and those who make excuses so they don't have to ;-)

I autocrossed my stock 525i twice last year, and still managed to clean up on many, many modified sporty-type cars. Still had fun, even in a stock, stock, stock car. No reason to make excuses about the car not having the right parts, or ideal for autocross. If a car is safe to drive on the road it'll probably going to be just fine for autocross. If you simply don't with to be the rookie at an even, so be it...but the reason for not giving it a shot shouldn't/doesn't really have anything to do with he car not being set up.

I think some people are fearful that they might become embarrassed or something.

[TwoTone]

I am going to do as many events this summer as I possibly can! It will be a whole new experience from last year since I am doing the AWD conversion. For those that are concerned about LAG, don't let it be your deciding factor. I spool around 3300 RPM and really enjoyed driving my car this past summer. Novice school was a great intro for me this spring and I would suggest doing that for ANYONE thinking about getting out there this next year.

[gerglmuff]

I think some people are fearful that they might become embarrassed or something.

thats because autocrossing is a very humbling experience for the most part. most people think they are good drivers, esp car people, but for the most part, are pretty terrible performance drivers.

you have to go into it knowing your not gonna be that good.

[JK9K]

thats because autocrossing is a very humbling experience for the most part. most people think they are good drivers, esp car people, but for the most part, are pretty terrible performance drivers.

you have to go into it knowing your not gonna be that good.

Agreed, but if people would try it, they would see plenty of people in the exact same boat. Even well seasoned drivers are going to loop out, go in hot and take out cones, get lost on the course, etc. It just happens, it can be funny, but it's common enough that it really shouldn't be embarrassing. It is honestly much more fun going into it with a stock car and just doing what you can.

The only people I've ever been really been embarrassed for people are the folks who bring waaaay, waaaay, waaaay too much car for themselves combined with a cocky attitude. Aside from that, its just a bunch of people doing their best in whatever they have.

I just wish people would either give it a shot, or come off it and not make silly excuses.

[Champ]

Won't be making any MAC events, but hoping to get an Amery or Afton event in. We'll see!

[jkimmes]

As with most sports, the best people make it look easy. When you see the best go first, it set's one up to think they are going to be fast too. That leads to frustration and disapointment. Truth is, you can't buy Fastest Time of the Day, you must earn it, and that takes seat time, patience, and good instruction.
The best I ever saw was a person with no track time finish 3rd in their class after a whole season - 8 events. They hung out with the fast guys from day one and were always asking questions.
Ignore everyone else's times for your first 10 events - only try to get faster on each run of each day and learn all you can!

[turbofan]

never done auto-x before but it has always sounded fun. i would like to try the hill events seem like something i would like windy roads. when do the dates and stuff start coming out? and twotone are you doing the AWD conver on your jetta?