My instructor on track day broke off my front bumper :(
 

so i was at track day for the 2nd time this past saturday, and on the very first lap out (it was a wet day) the instructor driving my car spun the car out and ripped off my front bumper. a bumper is going to cost me about $300 shipped to TX, plus I'll have to pay another $200+ to get it painted. so I'm about about $500. the track offered to give me 2 free track days (a $300 value) which was nice of them I think... and they suggested that the instructor pay the difference.

should I hit up the instructor for the other $200? he was the one that wrecked the car. but at the same time, it was an accident, and I know that he doesn't get paid to be there (just free track time).

FWIW... i recently bought this car and had it shipped all the way from Cali to TX because it was a good clean shell with a new paint job. yeah, its a track car, but I do take care of it, and until this happened, the exterior was PERFECT.

advice?

First off, your a little bitch.
Second, if you think your so good that you wont go off track and cause the same thing, then tell me why you had an instructor driving your car?
And Third, the fact that the track is offering you 2 free events is enough of a prize for your dumb ass. my two local tracks are closing down drifting, and one of them is closing completely because drifters cant bring as much money as other forms of racing.

you suck

^^^ wtf?

Assuming it was the instructors fault, and not the cars malfucntion, I would ask for something.

But again, instructors are there to help learn....predicting control of a cars setup is the first thing I test out before going balls out. And even then..it's not my car...don't go balls out.

I think the two free track events was more than enough for the orginization. But at the same time...you aren't going to have a clean car if you are drifting...it's FACT.

I would say that you should ask the instructor to cover the remainig amount, its true he doesn't get paid to be there but none the less he know's the inherent risk associated with drifting somebody's car therefore he should be prepared to pay should an unfortunate incident like yours happens, at least that's what I would do if i were him.

just take the 2 days

it was on a track anyway. stuff happens

it wasn't even drifting, it was a road course. drifting i could understand. drifting is just asking to bang up your car. but on a road course... too predictable. in fact, the chief instructor said that's never happened (instructor wrecking car) in the 19 years he's been instructing.

evilpanama, i agree. but at the same time, i've been to several track days and NEVER see cars get wrecked because there's only passing allowed on passing zones, and the lead car has to give the ok to pass. there's really no reason for cars to get banged up physically during track days... other than someone just being careless.

i may just ask him to pay me $150 which is what it would have cost him to drive on track day (since he gets to drive free as an instructor). that way.. he pays the same amount as if he just went to track day like anyone else. seem fair? andy the other $300 track credit will just about pay for the bumper and paint all together. $450 will be pretty close to my cost to repair.

I like the instructor, he's a cool guy and he felt really bad.

I want to know where you can get a track day for $150???????? Everywhere up here is 275-400 for the day.

damn! thats expensive. seems like they are usually $100-200. on the zilvia home page i always see the advertised for like $100-115. this place here is only $150 and MotorSport Ranch is about the same (also a really nice track).

some of the companies o 2 day events that are closer to the $300-400 range but thats usually only four 2 day events.

Wow your a fucking dumb ass e-thug behind the computer. The first thing I was going to say was how the fuck you know he was drifting at all. Not every 240 fucking drifts.

I think instructor should pay fuck it. If i did it to someones car i would pay him cause i felt bad

ahhh...track day.


yeah, i've seen dudes go off course in someone elses car. But damn...you just don't go balls out right off the bat. fuck. yeah...track day...dude should pay for it. Tell him not to lock up the brakes next time rookie ;D

IDK. Track car, track day. Shit happens. You basically got $300 for it. I'd get the bumper and paint it and enjoy.

You live you learn, you don't need an newb instructor fucking your shit.

you let him drive your car, your fault, just like at track you crash your car there, you can't claim insurance either, going to track voids your insurance.
the people who hosted was nice enough to give you two track days.

i don't think the expectation of an INSTRUCTOR is that they will crash your car. after removing the bumper I went out there and did about 20 laps and I didn't crash. i didn't hire the instructor, not did I provide the instructor, nor did I request that the instructor drive my car... the track coordinator did.

but yes, i am grateful that they gave me 2 track days for free, because that is $300 that would have been spent by me one way or another.

i say take the bumper suck it up dont paint it its for off road anyways who u tryen to impress ahhahaha

yeah... but I bought the car from 1100 miles away and paid to have it shipped here because it was a good clean shell with fresh paint and a well fit body kit. its no beater. if the car was torn up already, then fuck it. but it wasnt. it IS a track day car, and just about the only time I drive it is to the track and on the track... but I still want it to look nice. just like all the guys out there in there $50,000+ vettes and $100,000+ porsches that keep there cars in good shape, I want mine in just as good of shape cosmetically. there's no reason that when I do drive my 240 around town, I should have to do so without a front bumper, or without a painted bumper.

i'm the kind of person that takes extremely good care of my shit. whenever i sell a camera, or lens, or computer, or whatever... my shit always looks new. i work hard for my shit, so i take care of it.

I actually had someone there to get photos of me on the track.. it would have been nice if these photos had a bumper in them.

to those of you that actually DO participate in track days, you know that damage to cars is pretty rare. if it was an actual race event, it would be different. but it wasn't.

this is before and after. i literally just took this first photo right before going to the track:

If the rules and regulations don't protect the instructors from any lyabiliity than he does have to pay but it's up to you if your going to make him. He can at least help u out wth some cash since those track days won't cost them anything.matching paint and a descent bumper are going to be pretty pricey

lol... the instructor was about 20 years younger than all the other instructors. most of the instructors were in the late 40s or 50s. this kid was probably in his late 20s... younger than me I'm sure.

i don't know how he could possibly have that much track time.

don't get me wrong, i like the guy and I like HOW he instructs... I just don't think he has a whole lot of experience, maybe not enough to be instructing.

thats also part of my complaint. the track charges me to go out there and drive on their track. i'm paying for 2 things; track usage and an instructor.

if the track is too cheap to pay instructors (maybe thats how it is every where) then they should be responsible for what their instructors do.

bllllahh shit give me 30 bucks ill fix it up real nice (zipties) lol jk jk i see ur point but if ur looking to track and try and keep it clean like the guys with the vettes. see theres ur prob they have the money for it and to not care. if u dont want it to get it faaaked up then dont put it on the track my 2 cents but as i can see u have gone this far with all other zilvia members just go ask the dude for the money u know its gonna end up like that. ur just gonna keep getting burned on here just saying

bumper plaus paint is around $500 if I'm lucky and get a bumper that doesn't need a load of work. the track is giving me $300 in track time so I'm only out about $200. if the instructor pays me $150 (what he would have had to pay for track time if he went as a non-instructor) then I'm at $450 and only out of pocket roughly $50-100.

seems fair to me.

also, knowing that the guy spent $20,000 rebuilding his porsche engine recently and lives in a swank part of town... I don't feel so bad hitting him up for $150.

that would be true if other cars were regularly wrecking and getting banged up. but that doesn't happen on track day. like i said, i've driven that track 2 different times, over 40 laps on it and not once have i so much as even scraped my bumper.

doesn't matter if you're in a miata, 240, lambo, vette, porsche... if you're careful enough and a good driver... you won't destroy your car on track day.

the idea that just because you're on a track, you will wreck, is wrong.

i've been to track day as a spectator MANY times and I don't think I've ever seen a car sustain damage like that. sure, it happens. but not all the time and not to everyone.

LOL at zilvians always assuming a S-Chassis at a track is drifting..

Take the two free days. thats it

Reading all your replies to others people's comments makes it seem like you already made up your mind on what you want to do.

well, imo, i wouldnt let anyone drive my car even though its an instructor at track, i'v also been reminded not to let any instructor drive your car since if they damage your car they can't be put liable for it insurance wise, thats why you let them drive their car and give you pointers on what lines to take etc. But crashes happen, cars get flipped pile ups etc, So hopefully you get everything settled.

for the most part, yes. but i'm open to suggestions. if the track would just give me 3 track days instead of 2, that would pretty much cover the bumper and paint. but they are pretty set on 2.

the instructor is offering to pay, its not that he doesn't want to, its that i feel bad asking him to because i'm sympathetic. but at the same time, i can't afford to fix it right away, and don't feel that i should have to out of my pocket.

if you feel bad then dont ask. its pretty cut and dry man. you let him drive your car, shit happens on the track. be glad it was just a bumper. the situation sucks yea but this is what you deal with being on the track.

either man up and ask for money from him. or be a cool guy and take the two free days that was awesome enough to be offered. a few tracks i know would have said fuck off and have a nice day.

ZIP TIE IT!!!!!!! take the free ones and call it a day

you can't zip tie it when its broken in to pieces

An ex racecar mechanic at my work told me if you track your car and something happens you are on your own, and he has seen fights and crying happen left and right because someone didnt expect to be hit. Its a track day shit happens take the $300 track time, fix it and dont let anyone drive your car.

THE TRACK MANDATES THAT AN INSTRUCTOR DRIVE YOUR CAR AROUND FOR THE FIRST 1-2 LAPS.

I already knew the track and asked if we could skip before we got started and just let me drive, but the track made him drive it.