To all LGT owners

Before you spend money modifying your LGT, take your car to a driving school at a road course track.

 

Learn lots about driving well, learn lots about your LGT, and get props from others that don't know about it.

 

-B

Umm ... Ok.

 

I'll spend my money how I want, thank you.

You live too far from the ocean.

 

No but seriously... A couple of hundred at a track school to mod the driver before the car mods begin is a good idea. All I was trying to say.

 

-B

To Beanboy:

Build a road course track, get some instructors out here, open up a driving school and we will, Thanks. BTW,will you warranty my car and pay my insurance when i race it and they cancel my coverage?

Driving school is not racing. Not a timed event.

 

Many dealers don't look kindly to mods when it comes to warranty, especially engine ones.

 

Bah, just reminding everybody the often overlooked mod of improving the driver behind the wheel can make the car mods later on that much better and enjoyable, and from the I perspective it is often overlooked.

 

-B

My gf and I both want to attend a real driving school, like Skip Barber. We're just waiting for some funds to become available.

yeah, show me a track that's not 4 hours away and won't cost me an Accessport, and I'll do it.

Before you spend money racing your LGT, learn how to mod it.

 

It's not an appliance.

IMHO, I think Beanboy's point is valid, but I think the way he delivered his opinion could have been phrased a little better.

 

By understanding how the driver and the car handles under the extreme end of the driving scale – allows one to better understand and know their preference for the various aspects of the car – handling, engine and braking.

 

Of course, a better understanding of how your a stock car performs and how you as a driver perform under more extreme driving conditions, will open up a new view of your car and what you would want to change.

 

Advanced Driving Schools vs. just driving schools give a driver and opportunity to learn how to safely push themselves and their cars, and understand how certain driving situation effect their cars. It is not just about racing – and depending on the course – may not even involve racing.

 

I was fortunate to know Bob Bondurant when I was learning to drive, and picked up “heal-toe” driving and a good understanding what the “line” and “apex” of a turn are as well as many other very valuable driving techniques that not only saved my ass but allowed me to enjoy driving much more. Ah, the stories of racing Cobra’s in the 60’s…

 

Anyways, even with that experience and training, I (I am referring just to myself) would still take a performance driving class before I do any serious performance mods – simply because it is hard to really safely push yourself and your car with out a track and a controlled environment.

 

Yeah, it may cost you $500+, but you will learn a lot about yourself and your car (only the truly stupid know everything) and that will help you in picking your performance mods in a way that will make your car the best performer for you. IMHO.

iyamdman has it right, and thanks. Long couple of days and needed a reminder how inflection doesn't carry thru to posting on a forum.

bah! i already got mAd skiLLz, y0!

I think people with stock avatars arent allowed to have opinions

I went to the 3-day Skip Barber Racing School, and I have to say that although it was awesome and I learned a lot there aren't very many practical applications for the stuff you learn. Aside from heel-toe shifting, and basic racing dynamics I can't say that I use the stuff I learned on the street.

 

But, I would recommend going. Even if it's just for the experience it's well worth it.

Any other schools that don't cost 1000+? I would not mind going to one and I think Bean Boy is right on the money.

Look for your local club (SCCA etc) to hold an autocross/solo2 driving school. They're usually in the spring before the autocross season starts. They're usually fairly cheap (~$100) for a couple days of driving with an instructor. I think the driving you'll learn on an autocross track is much more likely to help you in a sticky situation on the street than high-speed track driving. Even if you can't find an instructor, just go attend an autocross and get a feel for how hard you can push your car.

 

Little worries about damage (maybe some cone smear on your car, but it'll buff right off ), and far from dangerous to you or the people around you.

The mods won't automatically improve my driving skills? Darn!

Ridiculous post.

 

So if I bought a STi or Corvette I should first take driving lessons?

 

I'm not interested in racing in the LeMans. Most of us just want to give our cars more pep.

I think people with stock avatars arent allowed to have opinions

 

Oh, um... Looks like I have to update my avatar...

 

And I would like to go driving school, just don't know of any in the Milwaukee/Chicago Area... Anyone know any?

Before you spend money modifying your LGT, take your car to a driving school at a road course track.

 

Learn lots about driving well, learn lots about your LGT, and get props from others that don't know about it.

 

-B

 

Right intentions, wrong approach; read what you write before posting.

 

<Notice how rude this sounds without a please or phrased as a suggestion?>

 

"get props from others that don't know about it"

 

Know about what? Get props for what? This makes no sense.

looks like an unwarranted flame fest on beanboy for what is a fairly innocuous suggestion. a suggestion that many of us "thickheads" could probably benefit from. i include myself. if i can't find a track i can try that thing called "reading", as there are many publications on it.

Wow, Beanboy is right on with his suggestions I'm suprised he got interpreted so negatively.

 

Modding the driver is the best bang for the buck for actually going fast, in my opinion.

 

Speaking of which, I think it is really funny when guys who weigh more then they should for their height take some 6oz piece of plastic out of their car for "Weight savings". Hit the gym, it'll improve your times

 

-Allen

I'm not a frequent poster here, but man, what has happened to this forum? A guy gets beat-up because he didn't go to the Emily Post School for Forum Posting. This stuff rarely happened here a year ago. Lighten-up fellas.

NASA has cheap events all the time. My last HPDE was $200. 4 25 minute sessions with an instructor plus booth instruction. Obviously improving the driver will get the car faster, but it doesn't take a genious to realize that the LGT has rediculous body roll, subpar at best brakes, and shitty tires. 3 cats and a tiny turbo don't help either.

I can't believe the responses here.

 

Yes, the behind the steering wheel mod is the best if you intend on racing or pushing your car a lot. I'm personally spending lots of time at Solo 2, and will likely hit up a driving school/track day or two this summer/fall. Maybe if I have some time, I'll get that RSB and some springs/coilovers. I don't plan on doing anything till I'm a better driver. I mean, I can buy all these cool toys and bits for my car, but what good are they if I don't know exactly what they are doing and why I need them (and then be able to flog the car around on an Auto-x course or track afterwards). Before I do anything, I want to find the limits of RE-92's safely, I want to learn how to control the body roll before reducing it, I want to find out where the stock brakes fade, when/where/how my car understeers, and how my car reacts when I upset the weight balance.

 

But then again, I'm lucky enough to be within a four hours (or less) of plenty of great tracks; Reno-Fernley, Thunderhill, Laguna Seca, Infineon, Buttonwillow, Parumph and not to mention also being in a great SCCA Solo region.

Ridiculous post.

 

So if I bought a STi or Corvette I should first take driving lessons?

 

I'm not interested in racing in the LeMans. Most of us just want to give our cars more pep.

 

Until you attend a HPDE (High Performance Driver Education) event you have no understanding of what it means to drive a car rather than to steer.

 

There is no question that HPDEs improve driver skill and car control in the real world. While you might not care about racing, knowledge of the basics of high performance driving at high-speed is applicable to low-traction driving at low-speed in the real world.

 

Anyone that disputes that has not been to a HPDE.