Tracking your V-Performance Ride = Big $$$

[Head Hunter]

Who did you tell to send you the parts??
Im in the same boat...

The dealer I purchased the car from

 

[Head Hunter]

Buy the parts yourself, then have the dealer install. You will get a better price than they will offer.
Maybe don't go to dealer at all. Brakes, fluids, these are all pretty basic maintenance items that any shop can take care of.


As I've learned, the general takeaway is - don't go to the dealer to do alignments.

A number of people have suggested buying the lifetime alignment service from Firestone Wheel Alignment Services | Firestone Complete Auto Care

It's significantly cheaper than even a single dealership alignment and, depending on the quality of your local shop..., better done as well.

One thing I'm toying with is taking my car to a Chevy dealership rather than Cadillac for any services I don't feel qualified to do myself. In the few times I've taken my car to the Cadillac dealership it's clear they are not accustomed to working on Blackwings, even stating that they were nervous to work on mine as they had messed up on others... So it's paying a premium and getting lower quality work done. Not great.

I chose not to use the dealer for anything and opted for a race shop to do the alignment and the brake fluids. I'll do the motor and rear diff myself. Once I'm done, the race shop will re do the alignment back to stock. Their price for both alignments was cheaper than the dealership wanted for one and their $250 for a rear diff fluid that will cost me $100 was an easy decision. I'll let them do the oil change at 5k miles since it's free, but after that I'll probably be doing all my own minor maintenance as long as I have the tools for it (no brakes though)

 

[strohw]

They said that they went the max and additional adjustments would require parts replacement -

Ok, that's what I figured. There are 2 bolts down near the steering knuckle that you have to loosen then rotate the knuckle towards the car. This gets you another -.5 degree or so.

I would make the suggestion that you find a shop in town that does alignments on sports cars or track cars. That dealership charged you $1100 to do 1 hour worth of work and if you take it back to them, I'd hate to see what they charge you again. The steering knuckle adjustment is 1 hour total for me and I'm using a floor jack. It's the same setup that the Camaro use so any decent shop should know how to make the adjustment.

I can elaborate more on the procedure if you need it.

 

[FrankRizzo]

For those keeping score on the "where are my brake cooling ducts" saga, I removed the three Torx T40 nuts and pulled the styrafoam tray and there is nothing beneath it....

 

[strohw]

For those keeping score on the "where are my brake cooling ducts" saga, I removed the three Torx T40 nuts and pulled the styrafoam tray and there is nothing beneath it....

Check to make sure they aren't installed if you haven't already. Some dealers installed them, both right and wrong, on the cars when they came in. If you have an air scoop hanging down from your control arm on the rear then they installed them. Also, our cars do have cooling ducts on the front. Take off your front wheel and you'll see the scoop and the channel that provides it air.

 

[travysh]

Check to make sure they aren't installed if you haven't already. Some dealers installed them, both right and wrong, on the cars when they came in. If you have an air scoop hanging down from your control arm on the rear then they installed them. Also, our cars do have cooling ducts on the front. Take off your front wheel and you'll see the scoop and the channel that provides it air.

The dealer managed to do it both right and wrong on mine
They didn't install the rear ducts, they left them in the trunk (right!)
They didn't install the air deflectors, they left them in the trunk (wrong!)

 

[bloominguez]

I do a track experience 5 days a week going down Central Expressway in Dallas......

Lucky! Here in Atlanta we just get zombies, on I-285 for instance. Never understand why people would watch "Walking Dead" when I see the "Driving Dead" any day I want to. Although there is a main road near me where there is a fair amount of road racing late on Friday and Saturday nights.

Do you guys feel like you’re getting enough enjoyment from tracking the car to justify these costs? I’ve never taken my 4BW to the track, but always thought I would at some point. Wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze.

Economic track days, hard to beat an SV650...

 

[strohw]

Economic track days, hard to beat an SV650...

I could tell it was a SV650 in your pic. I had a 2000 model that I use to take to the track.

 

[bloominguez]

I could tell it was a SV650 in your pic. I had a 2000 model that I use to take the track.

That picture, by the way, was taken up on the Cherohala Skyway.

Cherohala Skyway

www.google.com

 

[FrankRizzo]

Check to make sure they aren't installed if you haven't already. Some dealers installed them, both right and wrong, on the cars when they came in. If you have an air scoop hanging down from your control arm on the rear then they installed them. Also, our cars do have cooling ducts on the front. Take off your front wheel and you'll see the scoop and the channel that provides it air.

Thanks Mang. I looked under there but its hard to see. Maybe I'll pull a wheel this weekend...

.

 

[jodakid69]

Thanks for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just checked and there is only the inflator.
Cooling ducts in the front would really help during track days. I dont care if if I have to buy them!

Any kinda pic that shows what they look like???

This is where mine was. I stumbled onto it when I was looking for the lug nut lock.

These are the removed front plates:

These are the rear ducts that did not get put on.

 

[jodakid69]

It is simple to tell it they are installed. If the is a plastic duct leading to the back of the rotor then you are good. If you see the flat metal plates, then you do not have the brake ducts installed.

 

[Neveready]

I went from $650 no track no liability to $780 for VIR no liability to $880 and then $950 for $1m and $2m liability with then

Hagerty has track insurance as well, it wouldn't hurt to get a quote

 

[Head Hunter]

I am being told that CCB doesn’t get a track cooling kit, only the iron brakes

 

[Head Hunter]

Hagerty has track insurance as well, it wouldn't hurt to get a quote

$818 no liability, $12k deductible

 

[Matt27]

$818 no liability, $12k deductible

I insured mine through Hagerty for my loan payoff amount + 5k instead of 100% of replacement value/MSRP. Seems like overkill to me to max it out like that, but then again we all have different risk tolerances. Any SCCA events also include a 20% discount on the insurance premium.

I guess my formulation is slightly riskier, but I'm OK self-insuring for the remainder which in my case would just be a down payment on a new car.

 

[Carguyshu]

I chose not to use the dealer for anything and opted for a race shop to do the alignment and the brake fluids. I'll do the motor and rear diff myself. Once I'm done, the race shop will re do the alignment back to stock. Their price for both alignments was cheaper than the dealership wanted for one and their $250 for a rear diff fluid that will cost me $100 was an easy decision. I'll let them do the oil change at 5k miles since it's free, but after that I'll probably be doing all my own minor maintenance as long as I have the tools for it (no brakes though)

the brake pads are extremely easy to replace. it takes longer to get the car up in the air and the wheel on/off than it does to change the pads. it requires no special tools either.

 

[PL69]

the brake pads are extremely easy to replace. it takes longer to get the car up in the air and the wheel on/off than it does to change the pads. it requires no special tools either.

It's really the easiest caliper to replace the pads in existence, same design as the AP/Essex BBK I had on my M2.

On the new G80 M3 I need to carry wires and a battery to retract the rear parking brake

 

[ukcats12]

I'm going to be doing a very short track experience in my 6 speed 4BW at lime rock 2 weeks from now involving 45 minutes autocross and 45 minutes on the road course doing lead follow, just to dip my toes into tracking my own car after doing v academy last year. Should I be getting an alignment from the dealership and do any other maintenance prep beyond a new oil change? I have the brake ducts installed already.

Do you have any information on this, or similar experiences? I did the AMG Driving Academy there a few years ago and can never find any concrete information on if they have track days you can attend.

 

[Matt27]

Do you have any information on this, or similar experiences? I did the AMG Driving Academy there a few years ago and can never find any concrete information on if they have track days you can attend.

He's talking about the Track Tapas program I think, I did it earlier this year and it was fun.

Here's the full publicly available Lime Rock calendar: Lime Rock Park