To AutoCross or not to AutoCross....

*6SpeedTA95* · 10-29-2006, 03:48 PM

Hey guys, I went to the autox this weekend with some friends. Didn't run the max but I think perhaps next spring I might.

Are these cars durable enough for that type of abuse? Any common parts failures that I need to be aware of? My car is bone stock FYI.

*SoonerFan* · 10-29-2006, 03:51 PM

they are fine...none of the maximas i know have broken anything. its a lot easier if you have some suspension work done.
if you know what you are doing it isnt any worse on the car then daily driving.

irish

me

*6SpeedTA95* · 10-29-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soonerfan

they are fine...none of the maximas i know have broken anything. its a lot easier if you have some suspension work done.
if you know what you are doing it isnt any worse on the car then daily driving.

irish

me

I've done it before but its been about 5 or 6 years and this is a FWD as opposed to RWD. I forgot how fun it is though...once I get some other expenses taken care of I think I might start doing the autox again

*SoonerFan* · 10-29-2006, 03:55 PM

ive only done it with a FWD so i cant tell you how it will be diffirent and how you will need to change your driving style

*6SpeedTA95* · 10-29-2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soonerfan

ive only done it with a FWD so i cant tell you how it will be diffirent and how you will need to change your driving style

Yeah, I'm excited about it though even though it'll be 6 months or so before I can afford to do it.

*SoonerFan* · 10-29-2006, 03:57 PM

also,
check out the auto-x forum for more info http://forums.maxima.org/index.php#maintenance-tech-care

*SoonerFan* · 10-29-2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Yeah, I'm excited about it though even though it'll be 6 months or so before I can afford to do it.

i didnt realize how fun it was until i did it.

HotshotVQ35 · 10-29-2006, 04:20 PM

i autocrossed years ago. maybe the courses in other states are longer and faster, but in ny they suck. dont go over 40 mph, and the track is 45 seconds long. I have moved on to road racing, and yes more expensive, but road racing >autocross

*6SpeedTA95* · 10-29-2006, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotshotVQ35

i autocrossed years ago. maybe the courses in other states are longer and faster, but in ny they suck. dont go over 40 mph, and the track is 45 seconds long. I have moved on to road racing, and yes more expensive, but road racing >autocross

The one today you hit 55 to 60mph depending on the car. Buddy of mine was bumping the limiter in his STI which is at 58 or 59mph.

Road racing is great but you're talking about a minimum of 100 bucks a day and a LOT more wear on the vehicle.

**irish44j** · 10-29-2006, 04:24 PM

I don't know why anyone would want to autocross a big car like a maxima

**irish44j** · 10-29-2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soonerfan

they are fine...none of the maximas i know have broken anything. its a lot easier if you have some suspension work done.
if you know what you are doing it isnt any worse on the car then daily driving.

irish

me

Jason, your photo-hosting service SUCKS. About 50% of the time you get red x's and no photos. The other 50% you might get photos.

If you're going to link online to photos, use Photobucket. your site appears to have a "maximum viewing" limit, so once it's linked, it reaches that limit and the photos don't show.

*DrKlop* · 10-29-2006, 04:35 PM

Go for it man!! If you don't do anything stupid it doesn't put much more stress on the car than normal daily driving.

Since Maximas have a long wheelbase with a heavy front weight bias it will not turn in as easily as an "average" RWD car but you'll get used to it after a few events. I tested BMW 330 and Corvette C6 on an auto-x course and while those cars a more fun to race, it still worth doing it on a Maxima.

SuperStock03 · 10-29-2006, 04:45 PM

A friend of mine (BMW330ci) and I did an Auto X this previous spring and what a blast. We had no idea what we were doing but man did we have fun. Thankfully they couldn't figure out where to put me so they put me in with a civic, two mini's and a Camry. I was just lighting up some old tires the entire time and filling the cockpit up with smoke. I hope I can find it close to me in New Mexico when I move. We didn't place, but damn were we close.

*sciff5* · 10-29-2006, 04:58 PM

yeah auto X is pretty easy on the car compared to any other form of racing. It will wear your tires and brakes a little faster than normal but that really depends on how many times you autox remember that even though your pushing your car on an auto X course, your typical autox course it no more than 2 minutes or so.. to push your car for such a short period of time isnt going to make a big difference in the long term longevity of your car.

Also chances are your first time out you wont be running the car to its limits so you'll be ok.

I have a theory that if autox was introduced as part of Drivers Ed, the amount of driving accidents by new drivers would be cut down by at least a third if not half. I dont think I'll find auto X all that interesting myself but what I'm trying to say is that I deff think it teaches vehicle control, and thats the main reason I want to start attending auto X events asap.

HotshotVQ35 · 10-29-2006, 05:38 PM

cost me over 200 at pocono, lime rock or the glenn... a lot more wear and tear, maybe, i already have the brakes, susp and tires...its just the gas actually and the grin from ear to ear flogging you car at speeds of 100+ mph

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

The one today you hit 55 to 60mph depending on the car. Buddy of mine was bumping the limiter in his STI which is at 58 or 59mph.

Road racing is great but you're talking about a minimum of 100 bucks a day and a LOT more wear on the vehicle.

Succinct · 10-29-2006, 05:39 PM

In my autocross experience, the worst wear is on your brakes and tires. Mostly tires. Other than that, it isn't too hard on the car. Try it once - what could possibly happen?

**irish44j** · 10-29-2006, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperStock03

Thankfully they couldn't figure out where to put me so they put me in with a civic, two mini's and a Camry..

I'm not sure why you're thankful about that.

The maxima's stock class is G-stock, same as the Cooper. And Coopers DOMINATE that class. In my old class, D-Street Prepared, a 92 Civic hatchback domintated the class.

As to the Camry, well, that's a freebie. But don't mess with Civics and Minis on an autocross course. 95% of the time they'll whoop your butt, especially f they're modded.

Succinct · 10-29-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irish44j

But don't mess with Civics and Minis on an autocross course. 95% of the time they'll whoop your butt, especially f they're modded.

My beater 1991 Civic Si has an amazingly balanced and agile chassis for a front-wheel-drive car; and that's with 136K miles on the original suspension.

*6SpeedTA95* · 10-29-2006, 08:10 PM

The new CIVIC SI's are ridiculous. There was one out there today bone freakin' stock with just a new set of tires. Bastard was running 48s and 49s, it was ridiculous.

**irish44j** · 10-29-2006, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

The new CIVIC SI's are ridiculous. There was one out there today bone freakin' stock with just a new set of tires. Bastard was running 48s and 49s, it was ridiculous.

it's not the new ones I worry about. It's the early-90s ones with B15 swaps and r-comps....alot lighter, and alot quicker on course than the new SIs...

*sciff5* · 10-29-2006, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irish44j

it's not the new ones I worry about. It's the early-90s ones with B15 swaps and r-comps....alot lighter, and alot quicker on course than the new SIs...

As irish said.. its hard to compete around tight cones with a car that has a wheelbase as short as the old civics and a curb weight anywhere between 1900-2200lbs stock.

*chopstix2nrz* · 10-29-2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irish44j

it's not the new ones I worry about. It's the early-90s ones with B15 swaps and r-comps....alot lighter, and alot quicker on course than the new SIs...

Im shure you dont hafta worry about those civics in your tr6

my dad had one and he said that car handled like nothing else on the road

*6SpeedTA95* · 10-30-2006, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irish44j

it's not the new ones I worry about. It's the early-90s ones with B15 swaps and r-comps....alot lighter, and alot quicker on course than the new SIs...

Those are even quicker, a guy I met yesterday (who's a friend of a friend) had his civic imported from japan. Its a 90 civic hatch and that thing was amazingly sweet. Not ricey, just clean as hell, damn quick, 8000rpm redline