How were your times compared to others. I know you were in a class by yourself, but still. IMHO I think you could have push the car a lot harder, but I know its different when you're behind the wheel instead of a keyboard.

I'll be running for my second time ever, tomorrow. The first time I tried it I only did the novice course. Tomorrow I will be competing for the first time. Heres a video from my novice course. This was my last run of the day giving my girl a ride around the track. I had much better runs, where I didn't hit cones, but this was the only video I have.

@cavemancan: How was your experience with Carmax. I'm thinking this is the only way I can join the fun.

Yeah I know. It felt fast at the time but looking at the videos I could have gone a lot harder. Did my SCCA region's Solo school a couple weeks ago and definitely learned the limits of the car better. At the first event I was overly concerned about spinning the car, but after the school I that won't happen anymore. Next event Sunday, can't wait.:yum:

That answer is complicated...For the most part I had a good experience but I also knew the sales people and the apraisers. Then again who ever has a good experience with any dealership?

With that said the car had some issues but Carmax was eager to resolve the issues but since the car was still under the 36k factory warrantee I didn't have to deal with Carmax...I had to deal with Nissan and that was a nightmare. Let's put it this way...Nissan, after a month of fighting, replaced my transmission. Would you like to know what the issue really was? The shifter was making noises. All they had to do was replace the shifter assembly...THATS IT but I got a new tranny instead! LMAO!!! So After the tranny is replaced the noise is still there...They are now replacing the shifter. :shakes head:

Feedback on runs. Walk the course more as you were not sure where you were going at times from what I could see. You can carry more speed in turns than you were. Try not to coast so much. Goal should be on throttle or on brakes. On spinning. My rule is you don't spin at least once as a nwer driver you're not figuring limits of your car at a local ax event. Save the no spinning stuff for national competitions.

I stopped counting how many times I spun or went into a slide when I first started. I think only half of my runs even counted but that's the only way to learn plus in most autox courses, there is almost zero chance of hitting anything but a cone when you do spin, unless of course some random person drives a golf cart through the course ...

This is a great thread, read it all today not just parts.
I ran an AutoX last Sunday, and for the class did not do too bad. I was running with a local club that follows NASA rules, so I was in BS, which also had a 91 CRX, 99 Mazda Miata, 93 Honda Civic, which all did sub 50's. Those were pure autox cars based on mods. In the mostly stock cars I was in the hunt. I turned a 54.501 just behind a 2010 Camero SS that did a 54.343.

Any how, I ran tire pressures of 38 front / 35 rear, its 100% a stock car. My biggest question is understeer, Now I am not quite sure if was lack of grip, lead foot or what. The rear's stuck with the 35 pressure.

I use my left foot for braking, so I got it into 2nd and left there. I feather it through the turns via braking and throttle. It was fun.

So anyone has any suggestions as to what I my problem might be.

Is your car a base or sport package?

Car doesn't turn from the factory. It is worse when you have the OEM tires, there just isn't enough grip to turn the cow. You just need to back off and be patient. You can left foot brake in this car, but you can't ride the brake pedal while you are on the gas as there is a throttle override. Buy some autox tires and practice, that's all you can do.

I thought throttle cut on our cars as soon as brakes are engaged. did your year not have throttle cut when your on brakes? Left foot braking with throttle off is ...well braking

Car with stock tires and alignment will understeer. You need bigger front tires and some negative camber up front to control understeer.

If will give you about 10% throttle with the foot on the brake, but yeah not much. You can defeat that system by pulling the brake light fuse which is fine for auto-x.

Its the sports package

No I do not ride the brake while on the gas, I gas and brake through the wider turns.

What is throttle override?

Safety feature, it wont let you ride both pedal at the same time. You get 10 to 15% engine power while brakes are on

Thanks all for the input, this will give me food for thought, until the next time I get to autocross....

F***ing Toyota. If it wasn't for their sticking accelerator pedal this PITA feature probably wouldn't exist.

Umm no, it was in many cars prior to the fake cases. Ask Subaru owners

And Porsche and BMW. Even the GT3 RS has this feature.

At least it is easy to work around on the Z, probably not so easy on some other platforms.

I stand corrected.

Yeah go figure! It's been around for long time my 2006 Mazda had same programming. My new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee allows braking and throttle at same time. Guess you have to buy SUV to left foot brake in new car!

Just picked up a Z w/ sports package. Looking for tires for RTR class. Noticed people talk about Re11 in 285/35/19, but how about 275/30/19 size.

Cons are smaller contact patch, 84 bucks more for narrower tire (tire rack).

Pros include better rim fitment, lowers car more than half inch (1.3 inch diff) for more camber and better C.G., better gearing = better acceleration, 2 pounds lighter per corner.

Anyone tried the Koni yellows for autocross yet? Was thinking picking up a set and sending them to Lee Grimes for revalve and degassing. AST are nice but too much money.

I am all about saving money, but you have to pay to play. I think you will get tons more wheelspin and the bigger tire will not overheat quite as easily

Can you go down to 18's? I'd go there before going to different 19 setup.

In stock class no, not legally.

The smaller tire won't have any effect on camber. It will change the gearing slightly but I don't think this will really help. The 295 Hoosiers are 30 series and I end up on the limiter on a lot of national courses. At Blytheville the other week I was going into third for an entire section of the course.

18's and bigger. AutoX Z didn't mention how fun it was hitting 3rd. Most everyone hit third...I believe the gear reduction puts us on a more level playing field.

i'm new to the car but I thought our top of second gear was close to 70 on coupe/sports model

I think 66 or something, but everyone is different with different size tires

Mine is GPS confirmed 64 mph.

Heads up on a great deal http://www.the370z.com/tires-wheels/...8-shipped.html

Sports package size and offset with a little weight saving for stock class autocross.

370Z Auto cross GOPR0394.MP4 - YouTube

Had another blast at the Hutchinson Island Auto-X. After the first long right hander going into the crossover I kept on experiencing a slight miss or hesitation. It didn't really feel like fuel cut or clutch slippage but it kept happening at the same spot.

Other than that I probably could have picked up more speed after the slalom by not slowing down as much and taking a different line. :driving:

Minor fuel starvation most likely, although it usually progressively gets worse as the fuel level drops on each run.

Hmmm...

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/7...30903ef0_c.jpg

Cut down a hoosier on landing.

Wow.... Must have been fun