Car: '93 e36 325i coupe, m50 engine
Mods/setup: Bog standard, 15" alloys
Braking: No problems, wasn't pushing too hard at all so no fade, etc.

Handling: First run with road pressures was fine but a little understeer.  Changed to 35/32 (FR) and that helped the balance.  Utterly predictable (contrast to e30 last year).  Very pleased!
Power: No real problems there, although its a little bit peaky, only coming to life on the track at about 3.5k rpm, changing between 5-5.5k.  I did find that the gearing didn't suit some corners, i.e. 2nd was a bit low (meaning having to change very soon out of corner) and 3rd was too high (meaning you were under 3k rpm and therefore too low on the torque curve for a swift exit).

For a bog standard setup I was more than pleased with the go and composure, even if not pushing it too hard!

Car: 1995 E36 328i Coupe

Mods/Setup: Factory fit LSD. 17x8" alloys with 215/45 Avon ZZ1s running 36PSI warmed up (16k on tyres and alot of abuse on them - rears just about non-legal going into Mondello, fronts another 3-4k left in them). AC Schnitzer Fast Road suspension setup.

Braking: DOT5.1 brake fluid. Pagid Fast Road pads all round. 328i has vented discs on rear as standard which aids cooling. No problems with brakes. ABS kicking in a little early when brakes are really hot, but not an issue overall. I'll upgrade to Zimmerman grooved discs over the winter.

Handling: Neutral. Tyres very, very hardwearing; this means a lack of ultimate grip but they were immune to all trackday antics, only showing a light feathering on the passenger front - amazing considering! Initial touch of understeer on turn-in and steady throttle (due to LSD and tyres). Once approaching apex, hit the power and adjust the line from there completely on the diff. Every bend is exited with a qtr turn of opp-lock and the rear really hooking up. Softly sprung but iron damping meant little roll (just enough to have an idea when it's loaded to the point of sliding). In summary incredible balance front to rear on track, and completely adjustable / exploitable thanks to LSD. I love it!! And it has transformed the car over the original setup. The difference is even more shocking on the road where corners that had the old setup skipping and jumping are taken level and approx 10mph quicker with the ACS kit. I would not drive another (non-M) BMW without putting ACS kit on it, period.

Power: Enough to exploit the handling of the car with it's current setup. However the top end (5,500rpm onward) is lacking if I'm being picky. It needs to breath better up there, and am considering the M50 manifold conversion to sort this - must pick Ludos brains as he's alot done to his 2.8. Plenty of torque to get the tail moving. Other than that, you don't feel hard done by the power in it (unless you've been taken .. again!... by IanH and his 330Ci ), and it can keep with most cars in Mondello as it ain't a big power circuit.

Car: 2003 E46 M3 coupe
Mods/setup: pretty much stock, 19" OEM alloys, Contisport Contact tyres... 
Braking: Excellent………although I don’t really have a reference point here [Paul maybe you could let me know how it was relative to the other paxlaps you did].  Certainly they were confidence inspiring, allowing me to go flat out where possible in the knowledge they could bleed away speed as necessary.

Handling: Despite the M3’s reputation as tail happy I found there was a tendancy to understeer, particularly on turn 1 (is it Honda?). Having said that, being as it was my first track day, I was probably carrying too much speed into some of the corners, and despite the urging of certain individuals I didn’t turn off the DSC all day.  I will wait until I am more sure of myself before doing so.  When I got my entry speeds right, it was beautiful, remaining taut and level, and very satisfying when I finally nailed the double apex bend.

Power: More than enough.  This engine revs and revs and you really can take it to the redline.  I barely got into 4^th all day (for example on the main straight if I nailed it out of Dunlop in 2^nd, was hitting 100-110 at the bridge just as I would change into 4^th but at that point you are just about to mash the brakes for turn 1).  Was surprised when Paul told me on the paxlaps that I was hitting 80-90 coming up to the 50 meter marker before Dunlop. 

Mick

Car: 1998 e39 520iM52 Saloon ECE

Mods:  Mechanics of the car are all still standard, but work in the last 2 weeks included 3 repalacement rollover coils, 2 new rear brake pipes, brake system flush, 17" ACS Type3 wheels with rear Falken 255/40/17ZE512 and front Falken 235/45/17ZE512 tyres, ACS sideskirts, ACS boot spoiler, ACS roof spoiler, Inspection 2, Oil service.

Power:  Could have done with more, and found flat spots coming out of Honda and Turn 3.  A bit of experimentation in the earlier sessions (with no-one else near me, of course!) found that if I dropped from 3rd to 2nd exiting the corner, the car kicked nicely into line for exiting the corner.  Exiting turn 3 in 3rd had no power; in 2nd it took a second to kick in.  3rd through the esses worked fine - 2nd didn't feel as secure on the track. 

Handling: Had a moment with 2 wheels in the grass coming out of Honda, but that was about all of the off road excursions this time out!  Don't know what under/oversteer is, but found it took the corners well, even if it did feel like a wallowing barge (as noted by Kin on my final outing!).  Tended to use the green  white kerbs a lot in the last 2 sessions!  After Killian showed me the lines, found myself a lot happier coming out of turn 3.

Brakes:  Very happy with them; put me exactly where I wanted to be every time.  Tyres may have had a bit to do with this, too.

Tyres:  Got very squelchy toward the end, but very happy with them.  Checked them last night, and no damage or flat spots on them, and not a lot of wear.  Rears at 35psi, fronts at 33psi.

Speed/MPG:  Using the trip computer, I got 12.5mpg over 5.8 miles, at an average speed of 53.7mph.  Only thought to check it on one session (2nd last one).

Overall:  Very happy with performance/handling.  Need to get spare wheels if I'm going to continue doing track days regularly.  Also maybe 20mm lowering (can't go any lower due to ramps/inclines at home), exhaust system and chipping to come.

Thanks to all my passengers for their commentaries, and Killian for showing me the lines.

@ llatsni: I've a tiny micky (and wallet!). So I feel compelled to compensate as much as I can on the track. What more can I say?

Joking aside (I've a massive massive schlong), the car is set up well and is easy to go quick in. Chatting to Brendan, and the two of us passengering in each others cars to compare, the E36s behaviour beyond its limits is alot more benign than the E30. It's a credit to those out in them who can keep it neat on the limit, as there is a far more noticable and sudden 'step' from grip to slip on the rear. It feels like it gets enough grip to hold it and to play with the tail afterward, but that initial leap of a foot or so needs a bit of courage to step up to. It may even be exxagerated on the 318is over the 325 as the nose is that bit lighter, and the whole car keener to turn in and keep the nose dialled in. The E30 M3s I've been in seem a little more like the E36 in behaviour. Don't know what mods the E30 M3 has over the normal trailing rear axle. On the E36 (1st showing of the 'Z' axle that minimises camber change) you can pick the angle down to a centimetre. Brendan and others in E30s will have more to add, but they were my impressions of the cars.

Wheelbase plays a part too - my old 525i was a great bus to chuck around and really forgiving.

Pity there where no official times for laps top see what was actually happening.

Never thought id see a rear wheel drive car understeer but it was happening. 

Driving styles varied amazingly, have to say being in with a good driver in a fast car like Ludos was a treat.

speed didnt mean much except on the straights, there were slower cars keeping up with e46 M3's! 

For exa,ple paul felt fast in his 316 as he was really chucking it about but then lost a lot of time in the corners having to brake so hard and late but he was still posting unofficial times ahead of kin in the big 5!

Would love to know what the grey 2002 was lapping in!

Car: 1989 320i

Mods/setup: spare wheel removed from boot. Tyres Goodyears on front, Kingstar Made in China on rear! Need to experiment more with tyre pressures
Braking: Needed to use right foot controlled ABS a lot. Especially when slotting in behind M3s at end of main straight. A few used to brake from about 125 meters. Are M3 brakes not better than this. 
Handling: Shocks weak especially rear, used to lift inside rear wheel like mad exiting corners! 
Power: Killian's dyno plot of a few years ago says 127bhp 
Dreams: 4 decent shocks, no lowered springs

Fantasy Limited Slip diff

I did take some times for my first session out just to get a datum against the old 525i. Taken from passing under bridge.

I noticed on one session when I was spectating you were getting some epic understeer through and out of Dunlop, llatsni. You were nearly running out of steering lock on one occasion! Dunno was it tyres or speed or just you messing about so am reluctant to comment . However for quickest lapping I'd slow the entry in a bit, and take it handy on the throttle till the nose is on the apex. Then you're powering through /out of the corner toward the outside rumble strip while winding off lock, eliminating understeer completely & getting alot more speed down the straight. (I always feel a bit of a fraud throwing my opinion out like that amongst a forum where there are alot of talented pilots- it's not like I'm Stirling Moss, like! But if it helps any track newbies out there then it's worthwhile.)

PS I LOVE those deep-dish rims! couldn't take my eyes off them all day.  they are like the E36 328i sports rims.

T.J. wrote: PS I LOVE those deep-dish rims! couldn't take my eyes off them all day.  they are like the E36 328i sports rims.

I had a similar wheel (replica) set on a Mk2 GTI years ago, lovely wheel.

Dunlop is a stones, and scary to boot as run off is tight and you always have a big audience!!

RE: rims: I'd love a set of em! It was something I was planning on getting this summer, but the 17"s mine came with had a nasty dent that blew out a new tyre last autumn, I couldn't get 1 replacement, so was stuck buying a new (different) set I didn't really want but couldn't refuse @ €400 brand new. twas like getting a girlfriend boxed that you never though about marrying before the strip turned blue... 

Just calculated my times.

First session (passenger Justin).

outlap 1:35, 1:35, 1:27, 1:29, 1:35: average (incl outlap) 1:32.2

Second Last session (passenger Mike)

1:19, 1:20: average 1:19.5 (session was red flagged)

Last session (passenger Kin)

outlap 1:22, 1:19, 1:17, 1:20: average (incl outlap) 1:19.5

Very happy with that improvement!  Still one of the slower cars on the track!!

Car: 1995 E31 840Ci 4.0 Auto

Mods:  Alpina 18" Alloys

Power:  Sufficient 

Handling: Much better than expected. Corners very flat, loads of grip and controllable on the limit. Didn't use ASC at all. Neutral handling.

Brakes:  Execllent, couldn't believe they didn't fade, ABS didn't cut in much at all.

Tyres:  F 245/45 18 46psi, R 285/35 18 46psi. Fronts were already worn 50%+, Rears are very new. Can't see much extra wear, just some beading which should disappear over next 100 miles.

Speed/MPG:  Have 8 laps timed from video, 5 @ 1-13, 2 @ 1-12, 1 @ 1-11. 6.8 mpg average for the day.

Overall:  Really didn't know what to expect from the car on the track but delighted with it. Already mentioned the problems with power steering - added an extra bit of excitement not knowing whether it was going to work or not each time you turned into a corner. It's working perfectly again on the road. I don't know if I'd take the car out too often on the track but at least now I know what it can do. I'd definitely be nervous in the rain!

On the 2 sessions where someone timed me using my phone. Amazing things these new fangled mobile phones! I was typically low 1:16s with one lap of 1:15.40

As I said before I need shocks and a LSD. The number of times I had to lift off to get the inside rear to grip, was frustrating.

 ah well; I tried! Those damn french just have a way with words..

And that silver E36 318is was playing a stormer alright. Getting some nice roll-induced slides out of it, good lines & really quick out of the bends. A pleasure to be behind.

Just looked under car

Add to shopping list Rear anti roll bar

Brendan what source? which model in scrapyard or new aftermarket