The 318iS @ Saturday's Autocross

[Jr ///M5]

Heaven help me, it's worse than I thought....Saturday morning awoke to the pitter patter of raindrops and big rain clouds filled the skies. With the garage door open and the 318iS sitting poised for performance, the last minute details still had to be tended to, as the skies opened up yet again, and the heavens poured down on the earth below.

Good day for an Autocross, at least this levels the playing field....was the thought that went through my now caffiened body. (Thanks to freshly ground Kona)

One stop at the neighborhood gas station for air, gatoraid, and gum, we were on our way despite the weather.

Upon arrival, I can see the track is set up and so is the booth for check-in. There is already several cars there and it's only 9:30...Hmmm, I see several 911's.....oh good, there's a couple of BMW's, now I won't feel like an intruder. Wait, what's that? It's a Ferrarri Mondial Type T....surely that thing isn't going to run the Autocross. Oh, there's a couple of Mitshubishi Lancer Evo's......aw gee, my 318 looks anemic compared to this turnout. Maybe they will classify us, yeah....that's it.

After tech and check in and a walk of the track, the sponsor of the Porsche club says, "We really didn't know how to break down the classifications, so there will be Porsches and "Others".....ah, that's great, I'll get my lunch handed to me either way.....

Of course the "others" (like myself, and the blazingly fast Evo's) line up to test the waters. The track is wet....just damp from the previous rainfall, and the impending skies still hold copious amounts of water, waiting for the precise moment when I line up, to unlease the gates.

However, the first run proves fatal as I duplicated the track run instead of exiting the carousel on the second pass to enter the final slalom to the finish. Aw what the hell, free track time, right?

The next two runs are under rainfall and produce excellent results for the 318iS, she did a beautiful 4 wheel drift around the carousel and posted a respectable 53.659 time.

With the P cars up next, the rain has subsided and the best post is somewhere around 49 seconds. So far the 318iS has held it's own against cars that have 3 times as much horse, and 50 times the cost. After the first heat, we are about middle of the pack across the board.

We break for lunch provided by the Porsche club and the rain subsides, the clouds break, and afterwards the sun starts to shine. The track has dried up nicely, so were off again.




The track is dry in most parts by now, but with the open 4.10 diff, there's simply no grip out of the carousel toward the finish, the Dunlop A-2's are loosing their grip around the carousel and sliding worse than they did in the rain. Maybe it's because I've shaved 6 seconds off of the first heat, bringing the time down to 47.659 for a semi dry track.

The Evo's and Porsches are starting to post some pretty impressive times by now since the track is dry and the rear engined cars have the oversteer problem cornered. Their times on this heat is in the 43's and 44's...

For the rest of the day, the 318iS only held it's ground while the Porsches and Evos continued to lop off seconds from their time.

Every run proved the fact that the 318iS could have done with a 4:10 posi. The stock 14" balloon tires weren't that much help either, although I will say, they had excellent grip in the rain, the Dunlop A2's got loose quick without warning in the dry conditions despite the factory M-tech suspension. The sport Recarro style seats did provide excellent body support and held me close no matter how tight the turn.

Final times showed the 318iS about 5 seconds slower than the twin turbo Porsche and the Mitshubishi Evo's... The Porsche's were able to run the course without getting out of 1st gear, the 318iS on the other hand, was running at 6800-7000 rpm with 2 shifts to second during the course. If not, it would bounce off the rev-limiter, especially after the carousel through the gate toward the finish slalom.


The only problem, it didn't want to go into second after coming through the gate toward the finish slalom...Instead of shifting smoothly like usual, it wouldn't go into 2nd gear without extra effort (spelled EXTRA) no problem going back into first, just at that one spot on the track. It would piss me off to no end....

Despite the shifting problem (probably driver input) the 318 ran great, the people were nice and most gracious. We had a safe day and had a variety of weather conditions to experience. But now I'm thinking about a limited slip, and maybe some bigger rims and maybe some M3 springs and maybe.....somebody stop me!!!!

Running the $1300, 318iS with 13 year technology with $80k Porsches was priceless......

[winfred]

it's been a few years since i crossed the 325, they always pick the most inconveinant times to hold em around here. i remember the most fun thing i learned was dropping from 2nd to 1st and popping the clutch under decelleration and sliding the assend around the cones on real tight turns, i won my class so i guess i didn't do too bad (my prize was a bottle/wheel brush and a sponge)

[Brian C.]

Now maybe we know why you've procrastinated in returning Bill B's book, huh?? Read it over a few times did ya? It sounds like you might have got the "itch". As long as you stay with the 318, you should be alright. Keep the M5 for the gawkers in the parking lot.

And don't be thinkin' about buying those racing booties!

Great photos!

Brian C.

[Geoff Hoad]

Jr,

Great report. Glad to see you having so much fun. Congratulations on the times. They ar very impressive condisering the competition. If it was a track day the difference between the you and them would have been a lot greater so you obviously used your skill to great effect on the tighter circuit.

Nows the time to start planning what to do to the car next. Go 15x7's for a start with some stickier rubber like Falkens or Yokohamas then condsider the LSD coupled to a 4.10 plus get the car chipped. That combination would be worth about 1 to 1.5 seconds off your current 0-60 times right now. If you really want to go further then shocks, springs and possibly a replacement set of cams.... That would make the Porsche boys blush when your times were the same as theirs!!!!

Fantastic to see your latest adventure. Of course next time you could always bring the M5.....

[Jr ///M5]

winfred, you should get back out there at least once in a while. I'll bet that 325iS would give those Evos and Subaru's a run for their money....=)

Brian, I'm gonna have to buy Bill a new book...=) Between Aubrey, myself and Dr.Roehm, it's helped a lot for the last two autocrosses. Hey, how did you know those P drivers wore Pilotis?? They were the Filot Mignot and I was a Hot Dog....=)

Geoff, I've spent (in my mind) money for the limited slip, lowered suspension, wheels and tires, and even a turbo....but it's still a 318iS. Now an E36 M3 would do nicely with a few mods, but here we go again....maybe I'll have to do something for this winters project. I can always blame Quentin...=)
Thanks for the kind words my friend..
Jr

[winfred]

i just missed one this weekend i didn't find out till yesterday that there was a cross in the area (dammit) i am kinda curious how bad id get screwed on classing with my headers, i use to be in b-stock, my 760 turbo volvo was c-stock

winfred, you should get back out there at least once in a while. I'll bet that 325iS would give those Evos and Subaru's a run for their money....=)

[Geoff Hoad]

Hey Jr,

A nicely sorted out 318is will put out over 160 hp and give 325i's a fright. Imagine what it could do to the P drivers!!! An M3 is of course better but costs accordingly. Whereas, you can come awfully close with an is. There are a number of guys tracking their E30 318is's and they fly. In fact they are so quick they have been competing and winning regularly in the next category up against the six cylinder models up to 2.5 litres. So go for it.

[Jason]

winfred, you should get back out there at least once in a while. I'll bet that 325iS would give those Evos and Subaru's a run for their money....=)

Brian, I'm gonna have to buy Bill a new book...=) Between Aubrey, myself and Dr.Roehm, it's helped a lot for the last two autocrosses. Hey, how did you know those P drivers wore Pilotis?? They were the Filot Mignot and I was a Hot Dog....=)

Geoff, I've spent (in my mind) money for the limited slip, lowered suspension, wheels and tires, and even a turbo....but it's still a 318iS. Now an E36 M3 would do nicely with a few mods, but here we go again....maybe I'll have to do something for this winters project. I can always blame Quentin...=)
Thanks for the kind words my friend..
Jr