Autocross Question-Car Damage

Has anyone ever damaged their car doing autocross?

Will hitting cones scratch paint, screw up the alignment, suspension, etc.?

Also, how often do novice autocrossers hit cones (I'm a novice) and how often do experienced drivers hit cones?

I'm considering autocrossing with the Windy City BMW CCA chapter, but don't want to mess up my cars too bad...

1. Check out the motorsports/track forum (where this thread will undoubtedly be moved to). Lots of good track/autox talk there.

2. Hitting cones should not screw up alignment or suspension, unlesss hitting the cone is in conjunction with a curb, or something fixed... Paint is another story. Use some blue painter's tape on areas likely to be impacted to protect the surface somewhat.

3. I'm still a novice (half a season so far) - it seems that novices hit cones less, as they are being more cautious and slow. Experienced drivers push the corners and edges more, therefore they hit more cones.

4. Just go do it. You'll be hooked.

Originally Posted by alken

1. Check out the motorsports/track forum (where this thread will undoubtedly be moved to). Lots of good track/autox talk there.

2. Hitting cones should not screw up alignment or suspension, unlesss hitting the cone is in conjunction with a curb, or something fixed... Paint is another story. Use some blue painter's tape on areas likely to be impacted to protect the surface somewhat.

3. I'm still a novice (half a season so far) - it seems that novices hit cones less, as they are being more cautious and slow. Experienced drivers push the corners and edges more, therefore they hit more cones.

4. Just go do it. You'll be hooked.

5. The only damage I can think of is tire damage. Autocrossing chews up tires.

The only way a cone will do damage is if it is made of concrete and has a light pole on top of it.

The worst damage you will do to your paint when you hit an orange cone, in my opinoin, is tear off some layers of wax.

I have some autox cone damage. I ran over a few and one of them flipped on it's side and hit he side of my car. as a result there is a ding behind my door on the side skirt.

i see it as battle scar.

as for novice or experienced drivers hitting cones more... yeah they do everyone hits cones. i find that the super experienced guys hit cones on all their runs except the last run where they run super fast and clean.

novice like me hit cones on the last run, which usually ends up being the fastest (even with the cones :doh: )

Also, Autocrossing will prematurely wear out your brakes. But that is to be expected.

Depends on the cones.

Philadelphia region uses regular cones(large), which migh damage paint

S. Jersey uses tiny small cones which will not damage anything.

I hit large cones and no damage so far. Unless you plaw through them i dont think they will cause any damge

opportunity to shamelessly show off my custom helmet decal...

You shouldn't have any damage resulting from cones, but you will have a lot of rubber and tar marks on the front/sides of you car. The cones get covered with rubber and tar from the hot tires and that gets spread all over your car when you inevitably hit them.

It usually comes off when I wash the car, but you may need to use clay in certain spots. You should probably wax/zaino the front of your car more often if you AutoX. It helps in getting the rubber and tar marks off.

I have probably seen about 100,000 autocross runs over about 13 years and hundreds of events and I have witnessed about 6 car-object or car-car incidents. You are about as likely to crash on your way to or home from an autocross.

The only real cone damage I've seen was caused by cold weather. At low temps (<40 deg F), the rubber cones get very hard. If you run over one and it gets lodged in a wheel well, it may rip out some of the plastic crap that BMW likes to bolt in there.


Ed

Originally Posted by 330i and 325CiC

Has anyone ever damaged their car doing autocross?

Will hitting cones scratch paint, screw up the alignment, suspension, etc.?

Also, how often do novice autocrossers hit cones (I'm a novice) and how often do experienced drivers hit cones?

I'm considering autocrossing with the Windy City BMW CCA chapter, but don't want to mess up my cars too bad...

Be forewarned - it is extremely addicting:

no damage that a little polish and heavy duty wheel cleaner couldnt fix!! booyaaaa!

The only damage that I have is an outline of my racing number caused from the shoe polish. Its kinda cool how it is only visable in the rain, but next season I have magnetic numbers!

You tell me?!

Holy f*ck!
Never seen that happen (in all 3 autocrosses I've been to ).
Though I have seen a crash.

ooooh looks fun. i'll try doing that next time i autox ^^!

Well, I guess car damage is possible at autocrosses (must have hit a stone at speed):

Next time I'll wrap my lights in painters tape or stongard. $75 bucks at Pacific BMW!

Originally Posted by sfzBimmer2

Well, I guess car damage is possible at autocrosses (must have hit a stone at speed):

Next time I'll wrap my lights in painters tape or stongard. $75 bucks at Pacific BMW!

Buy some racers tape. Five bucks a roll.