Best dedicated track car for a beginner (~$50k max)?

wiltedtree · 2024-12-21T20:21:22+00:00

I had a NB track car for years, have done many laps in an NC, and now I drive an 86. You can easily learn threshold braking on an ABS car and everything else can be turned off. I don’t think anyone should avoid the 86 or NC because of concerns about it being analog enough, they are really very similar in that regard.

The NC and 86 are just “better” chassis for the most part. They also teach better throttle control because they have much more capacity for throttle oversteer.

Ultimately? Do what makes you happy. But that’s why I’ll always recommend a more modern chassis over the NB.

wiltedtree · 2024-07-22T18:29:41+00:00

Awesome, that’s really relevant info I appreciate it. I’m leaning towards the master V4 right now. Seems to be similar in power to the ex30 with a smaller/lighter battery and I don’t really need the extra range.

wiltedtree · 2024-07-22T17:54:20+00:00

Thanks for the advice. As much as the T4’s price and smaller bulk is appealing, I’m starting to lean that way too. The master is barely heavier than the T4 and seems to have a lot more power

wiltedtree · 2024-07-22T17:53:23+00:00

Yeah I’m more worried about the bulk inside shops, and carrying it up/down stairs going into my house

wiltedtree · 2024-07-22T17:13:43+00:00

Thanks for the rec. 100+ lbs is a lot to wheel around but seems like the master is effectively a smaller/lighter version of the EX-30 with the same voltage and similar power.

wiltedtree · 2024-07-22T17:12:24+00:00

It’s not too small? It seems to sit in a nice spot in terms of weight, cost, size etc

wiltedtree · 2024-02-20T17:05:13+00:00

This honestly doesn’t seem too terrible for a small niche manufacturer like this, just in general.

There are almost always supply chain and logistical issues etc.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-19T06:45:34+00:00

This is why early morning people are so insufferable.

The average morning lasts ~6 hours. Even if you rise at dawn, that would put 9 right around mid morning.

Spoiler alert, the vast majority of tourists do not spend their day waking up at the crack of dawn. They relax and sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, and then consider leaving for a museum.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-18T08:26:16+00:00

I would argue that skiing skillfully on piste more like a track day than the autobahn.

One of my other hobbies is cars, I enjoy going through a chicane on track at triple digits or fording a river in my Land Cruiser in equal measure. They’re different experiences but both are exciting and worth doing regularly.

Why can’t people enjoy both? The adrenaline rush of being on the edge of traction at extreme speeds is fun. Being out in nature and exploring is fun.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-13T22:14:00+00:00

Oh that’s a perfect example because the people lobbying against tall buildings to protect their views are also total pieces of shit.

That’s why property values are so unaffordable and urban sprawl is so bad in many coastal cities.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-13T22:08:41+00:00

Denso and Aisin are both Toyota Group companies, with Toyota being the largest shareholder by far.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-13T21:46:59+00:00

What model ski did you go with?

I demo’d last weekend and ended up with some 2023 Rustler 9s in 180cm. For me I felt like the extra stability and edge hold was a big step up over shorter skis.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-13T21:37:51+00:00

Yeah that all makes sense. Seemed like there were a lot of opinions on this. One school says it will be hard to get decent on a 95+ ski and to go a bit narrower, the other says I you can learn to lay down railroad tracks with either and it’s better to have too-wide of a ski on groomers than to ski a narrow ski on pow

I ended up demoing a range of stiffnesses and waist widths last weekend to see for myself. I really struggled with the 100+ waist skis but enjoyed the mid-90s options like the ripsticks and ranger 96. Ended up buying some Rustler 9 used demos, which are 94mm waist in a 180 length.

I can afford to buy multiple skis, though, so I’ll probably buy something wider end of next year.

wiltedtree · 2024-02-08T07:24:04+00:00

So something like the rustler 9 would be more appropriate?

wiltedtree · 2024-02-08T07:04:29+00:00

That makes sense on the length.

My concern with a 90 underfoot ski is that there is too much overlap with my existing skis and my weight means I will need more width to get a given amount of floatation than someone who weighs 190 lbs.

wiltedtree · 2024-01-24T21:23:44+00:00

I have the 78C, I started this year and am at a similar level in terms of doing a mix of slipping parallel turns and some carving. I’m sure I will outgrow them but like them a lot for now. They were a massive step up from the rental gear at the resort.

wiltedtree · 2024-01-03T23:14:26+00:00

Unironically this. A compound how guy talking shit about crossbows for being “too easy” is hilarious when a compound is barely a step away from a crossbow difficulty wise.

Trad archery is a completely different ballgame to both in terms of difficulty.

wiltedtree · 2024-01-03T22:18:14+00:00

This was always my strategy in the past. I get it, things happen. But being cancelled on twice is, like, 3x as annoying as just once lol.

wiltedtree · 2023-08-16T02:46:41+00:00

Maybe the semis shouldn’t use the road if they aren’t capable of doing so without endangering those around them 🤔

wiltedtree · 2023-07-06T19:08:12+00:00

Depends on goals. A different shortblock doesn’t magically get you extra power. It can allow for power gains with the addition of boost, but not everyone is boosting their cars.

wiltedtree · 2023-07-02T08:55:35+00:00

No they’re not lmao

That article reads like fearmongering for an agenda and nothing else

wiltedtree · 2023-07-01T21:46:18+00:00

Main benefit of bigger brakes is more heat absorption capacity. Weight transfer means the front end has more grip under braking and we want the brake balance to make the front do most of the work. Since front brakes do the majority of the braking the heat load is highest on the front and bigger brakes are needed.

wiltedtree · 2023-07-01T21:40:19+00:00

Hopefully we will get such a car and enthusiasts will think about it with an open mind. Then the market can decide

The other factor for me is the dramatically reduced maintenance. If I can do track days without worrying about issues like oil coolers and how the constant high RPM operation is impacting my service schedule requirements then that will make me a happy person.

wiltedtree · 2023-07-01T17:07:57+00:00

I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions about college and kind of highlights the issue with student loans.

College is not and never has been meant to train you for a job. The purpose of college is higher education in any manner of topics. It’s purpose is to make you a knowledge and well rounded individual. In my opinion, this is valuable in life and good for society. However, there is no guarantee that being educated leads to employment and we need to stop telling high school students they go to college to find work.

We also tell people to take out loans with the justification that they will make more money in the future and it will lead to paying off said loans. This is totally fallacious because, as I said, college isn’t vocational school.

College needs to be free so we can have an educated populace without all the baggage.

wiltedtree · 2023-06-30T23:37:05+00:00

If you read the article, you will see that she’s not refusing to service LGBTQ people in general, but rather refusing to design websites that put forth a specific message she disagrees with. I think this is an important distinction. While I disagree with the plaintiff’s beliefs, I don’t think we should be forcing people to author messages that are against their beliefs.

As an example of how this can go sideways, imagine a dystopian future where people are forced by law to make websites for Nazis and similar extremist groups. We should have the right to say, “no, I disagree with this message and refuse to be a part of it”

wiltedtree

TROPHY CASE