Starting up Autocrossing
 

Hey guys, I've got a 2012 Civic Auto trans DX package sedan, aka I get to be the clown car at the autocross, but it's a small town's autocross and on their website it quotes "Everything from an ordinary Honda Civic to a supercar is welcome" . So, while I get to be the low-tier joke, I'm still welcome : P

I've been going rough country road track-running for a few months now and have decent control of my vehicle, though I worry about my tires and brakes. They haven't slipped but they are two years old with something like 40k miles on it. Brakes and tires haven't been updated at all in that time yet, which I know is bad, but money is tight (My father demanded I purchase a brand new car and was mostly controlling my finances at the time. Now I'm my own man but landed with the payments.)

There are a hundred upgrades to do, and I'm saving up for a racer to retire my civic into just my daily driver only, but do I need to be wholly concerned about anything in particular, or take it easy at certain parts to prevent damage to my car?

I saw in another thread someone mentioned they busted a control arm, and I have no experience in autocross whatsoever, this is my very first meet.

Any tips, maintenance-wise, driving-wise, or otherwise?

I'm realizing that this could be better placed in the autocross section of the forum but I'm particularly concerned for this model of vehicle doing it.... So sorry if it's in the wrong place?

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

As long as your brakes don't fade out and have good meat left I wouldn't worry about them. The tires on the other hand WILL break loose. If you make one upgrade it would be to buy another set of rims and have track dedicated tires. You aren't getting ANY real preparation by driving on the back roads - AutoX is a lot more like trying to race on inner city streets through traffic.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

You aren't going to break a control arm from doing autocross in your Civic. Just go have fun, you'll be fine. Go easy and practice learning the course - not hitting cones, etc, before worrying about going fast.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Thanks a ton for the advice!

And yeah I didn't think my backroads experience would help too much on auto x, but definitely has contributed to wear on my vehicle.
I'm excited since tracks are a bit expensive around here, (Not ACTUALLY so but 185 for a month, so it's cheap as a package but I can only go a few times a month, two or three times. ) Auto X is a much cheaper way to meet folks and have a good time.

I'll look into some tires, I have a local small business Toyo store and a Honda dealership nearby. I wouldn't mind buying a set of tires, my budget is about 300 right now for my first auto x, going up to 700 in about three months when the second local Auto X is happening. What would you recommend doing for tires for a 100% stock civic?

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

If you don't have a second set of wheels, I'd hold off buying anything too crazy for now since you likely drive it all the time. You don't need tires, brakes, etc for just getting started.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

I was thinking of buying some low tier performance tires, just an upgrade. Mine are getting relatively worn, I figured I'd get an upgrade as long as I'm spending money anyways.

But yeah, it's definitely my daily. I do a lot of 3 hour+ trips as well, so nothing nuts.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

I'd at least get some camber up front otherwise your gonna ruin the outside edge of the tires.

Pause.

There are tracks that sell packages BY THE MONTH?? For $185/month???!?!?!?!?!?!?


WHERE??!?!?!?!? I'll move there today!

Anyway, I would recommend taking the car there as close to stock as possible first. Remove your hubcaps or center caps. Make sure things are in good working order as they would have been from the factory.

I guess tires might not be a bad idea. If you have a 2nd set of wheels, you can buy some tires just to autocross on.

If you want only one set of tires, try something like a Kumho SPT, or Bridgestone RE760....unless you need to use them in snow. If you need to drive in snow with the same tires, I can't think of anything except maybe the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S or Continental DWS.

Brake pads may or may not be an issue. Brake fluid should be flushed and filled with something decent (Valvoline synthetic dot4 from an autoparts store would work just fine.)

If you end up needing brake pads and you want one pad for street and autocross that you can grow with, get something like stoptech street performance and pair them with a good BLANK rotor like Centric or something. Rockauto.com has great pricing on that stuff.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

http://www.harrishillroad.com/join-harris-hill-road.php

"Monthly dues of $200 allow members unlimited track access on member days all year long. That's it. No session fees." So 200. Went up a little since last time I saw.

I was thinking of buying a set and swapping em out when I go out, and back when I go back to daily driving. It's Texas so Ice is a rare occurance.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

That's ridiculously cheap for track time. Wow. I'm going to Road America for a Monday/Tuesday event (ITR expo), and I was super excited that it was "only" $410 for both days.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

"To become an H2R member, drivers pay a one-time $2500 non-refundable membership initiation fee."

$200 seems cheap but with the initiation fee, I would quickly find somewhere else to have fun at

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

....the local track here is Autobahn CC. IIRC....$30K initiation. $7k/yr. Is the fee.

Edit: $35k initiation and 4k/yr. Member guest passes are $300/day on the weekend. This is why I haven't been to Autobahn in 1 or 2 years lol.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

What's the point of spending $300 now + mounting/balancing if you're going to spend $700 later on? Waste of money. Assuming you have the stock 15" wheels with the car, TireRack is listing Potenza RE960AS as an "Ultra High Performance All Season" in your sizes which are $360 + shipping, then probably $100 or so for mounting/balancing. If you want a replacement tire and something that will perform okay at autocross these might be the best bet.

Some other stuff you could look into that would help would be things like upgrading to SI equipment - so install the Civic SI's sway bars that you could likely get used from someone that upgraded theirs. It'll be an improvement over stock but far cheaper than buying an aftermarket setup. Same goes for the suspension. I'm not an expert on these newer Civics but I imagine those are viable upgrades.

I bet you could get a decent set of used Civic SI suspension components (struts, springs, sways) for pretty cheap and see an improvement over the DX equipment.

For your first autocross? He'll be fine. This isn't a road-course, it's cones in a parking lot with several sub-3 minute runs at a time.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Yea I thought to myself after posting that he'll be a newb, so slow and still learning. By the time I got my Si I had been auto-xing for 3 years so I destroyed the oem tires after just a few events lol.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

You guys must not push your car very hard at the track. My first time at AutoX with my all stock Si I ahnilated my tires (JUNK Michelin Pilot Sports) after only 8 runs. AND no, I wasn't burning off the tires around corners either. First time or not, you should absolutely NOT be using your regular tires unless you are one of the 80 year old guys putting around in his Miata like it is a Sunday drive on the track. (Yes - we have some of those at our track days.)

But hey, do what you want... I guess it would suck to buy separate tires to find out you don't like it.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Sorry, I don't believe you.

You may have noticed they were worn down, but you did not wear your tires to oblivion in eight two to three minute sprints where you were going under 50mph - likely under 30mph depending on the course.

I have had noticeable wear on my Hankook RS3 tires on my S2000 which are far stickier and have far worse treadwear than your stock tires when I took it to an autocross.

And you're really suggesting he purchase brand new 15" tires, swap his existing ones out while still on completely stock suspension for his first time at an autocross in his DX automatic Civic?

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Honestly he's not really that far off point, with absolutely none, zip, zero camber in the front and the fact that there is no camber gain under compression it makes for some chewed up tires very easily.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

The course is near chip and seal asphalt. Call BS all day as I could care less. You are CLEARLY clueless. Have fun OP.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Yep, I've got no clue what I'm talking about. You caught me. I don't even have my driver's license let alone driven a car on a track. :whirly:

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Lol! Inb4muffinmanhackshim ;)

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Haha, I honestly don't care. I just don't believe someone can destroy decent tires within ~30 minutes of driving spirited. I also don't think the OP needs to buy anything to have a good time tracking the car :)

I've seen a dude take a bone stock minivan around an AutoX course and actually beat people because he was driving it well.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Part of my problem was driving on tires no worse then a falken rt215 since I first started driving so I was spoiled with grip and beat the oems up, hard. They start to chunk up real easy, that's all. Think my hankook rs3 ended up with about 6k miles before they were on the wear bars

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Hmmm. Pretty dang good advice so far, and range of opinions. I'll test it out and save my tires after a few runs if it seems like I'm really taxing them, and then drop the 700 later if I need to.

A new expense came up though, I need to purchase a Snell rated Helmet. So, ANEW I ask, any recommendations on these? I see they run from like 150-400 bucks, and I don't particular want to skimp so I can use my 300 now for that and then get the tires/sway bars when I get my tax refund essentially.

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Oh the novice coordinator emailed me back. He's like shut up stop worrying don't buy anything don't modify your car or else you get put in a higher bracket also I have a helmet for you.

So think I'm good to go!

Anyone care about my results, shall I post them after the 16th? So e'reyone can laugh!

Re: Starting up Autocrossing
 

Best advice anyone has given you. Certain mods, even "camber" mods might/will perhaps bump you up a class or two. Si suspension certainly will. Don't go overboard for autox until you find out it is something you want to do seriously. And at that point, you'd be better off looking for a different car.

And most places have loaner helmets. If you are ok with sharing helmets, then don't worry. Otherwise--it is just autox. Don't spend a ton on a helmet as you're probably never going to need the protection driving in a parking lot at speeds no more than 60mph.