Track car questions and advice
 

I’ve finally bit the bullet after quite a few DE seasons and my e36 M3 is becoming a full time, non-street legal track car (full cage, 6-pts, Halo seats, fire, etc.). I just picked up a trailer this week (Featherlite 3110) and the car should be complete in a couple of weeks...hopefully in time for Zone 2 VIR. So, what am I missing? Any tips for a new owner of a full time track car? Boring question but what about insurance? I assume I will drop the M3 from my auto policy (no street driving) and use track insurance for DEs. What about coverage (theft, damage) for the other 98% of the time...sitting in the garage or on the trailer? Thoughts? I’ll drop the registration but what about Personal Property taxes (Virginia resident)? As far as I can tell, I’m still on the hook for PP tax as long as I own the car...unless someone knows otherwise. Again, what else am I missing?

Thanks for any advice!

I can't answer the first several questions, but yes, since it's already titled in your name here, you're still on the hook for VA personal property taxes. I was hoping to avoid those, too, when investigating permanent track status. But a thorough investigation deep into the guts of the regulations revealed that one owes taxes if it is a motor vehicle driven for pleasure even if not driven on the roads. Or some such nonsense.

Congrats on the commitment! I imagine taxes stay in place. Most DE ins has a 10-15% deductible, so plan accordingly..

Tips? prepare the car and keep after it. No fun getting to an event and realize you forgot to repair/replace something since the last event. Find a way to do shakedown runs without the cops noticing ;) Will the car live on the trailer as well, or will it be moved back and forth?

Death and taxes...what i thought. I've been thinking about shake down runs. Easy before the recent mods....at least tags are still in date for a couple of months! Might go unnoticed. Still debating about storing on the trailer. 993 lives in the garage but I'm fortunate that my drive has lots of room for trailer and car ~out of sight. Ideas of storing on or off trailer?

Taxes are owed in Virginia for street legal cars that have a registration. Anything else is just a collection of car parts. Drop your registration, transfer your title to West Virginia, and store your car at Summit Point (which is in West Virginia so the legal garaging location matches the title).

What's your source?

Below is the VA tax code. Only thing that matters according to it is if it is an automobile and can be classified as antique, taxicab, or used for handicap-- and where it is located. Wish I could find it but I can't; I actually found a source last year that stated something about used for pleasure even if not used on the street.

https://vacode.org/58.1-3503/
Antique exception in A8: https://vacode.org/58.1-3504/

Here's a previous Dorki thread on the subject, where the last poster indeed let his reg drop and continued to get tax bills.
https://dorkiphus.net/porsche/showthread.php?t=21858

Having several qualifying antiques I'll need to look into these exceptions!

As to what to bring to track:

• extra wheels and tyres are always nice - I would also recommend getting a set of "rains" and practice droving in rain during DEs. Few with mods like you describe don't at least try racing. Have some experience running in the rain give you a definite leg up on many.
• gas cans - gas is expensive at the track and sometimes not available. Having some in 5 gal. cans is a plus
• Winch - Shite happens
• Spare parts - fan belts, lug nuts/studs, brake pads, brake fluid and bleeder, oil
• Other spare parts - most who have done this for a while carry others spares (good rule is if something brakes, buy 2 and take the spare with you)
• Tools - nice set of wrenches, sockets, screw drivers, BFH(s), breaker bar (think what you use regularly - I've found having 2 each 13mm, 15mm, 17mm and 19mm wrenches if very use full.
• Usual hydraulic jack and stands

Search can be your friend as this topic has been cover
Attachment 54317

FTFY :p

PM me your email address and I'll send you my all-inclusive spreadsheet I use to plan each track weekend.

Don't be a jerk boy-o!! Just attach it to your next post so we can all benefit from you vast experience!