Enable me: Slightly better version of the track car I already have. Chevy Malibu

Unless you are trying to get at the pointy end of a run group (and no one should care about that) the answer is no.  If you are having fun keep having fun with what you have.  From the vids you posed you definitely have the handling dialed in!!!  I assume that you are running a stock computer.  There ahs to be some one out there that can over ride/reprogram the stock ECU.  Even it is is $1,000 you would be way ahead. 

However if you are board with the car and or the car is holding back the driver then yes it may be time for a new car. At some point the platform reaches its max potential if you have reached that point and more importantly you are not having fun then it is time to start thinking of changing up the platform.  My only concern is that just going to the SS may not be enough of a upgrade for you in the long run.  With that said I am not sure what other choices there are out there for a 4 door sedan type car that would be a better choice.

dean1484 said:

With that said I am not sure what other choices there are out there for a 4 door sedan type car that would be a better choice.

 

G35, BMW.  Honda, if not for the auto requirement.  Maybe even Mazda?  The 6/fusion is DWB.

8th or 9th gen Civic Si maybe. Or Acura TSX.

Fr3AkAzOiD is probably reading these car suggestions and thinking, passed that, one of those held me up, keep leaving those in my dust 

Have you thought about doing a megasquirt computer system to replace the one in the car that you have to open up the tunning?

MY thoughts on this are to keep the car you have since you have been driving it and know it. Figure out a new computer system if nothing else might be the best bet. IT sounds like you have been tuneing this one to what you know and just needs some help to get faster and better to track the car.

The downside of something new is what is wrong with it and learning the new car and fixing things that might be wrong. Going with something fun and different is cool on those boards. The downside is dealing with the other car and all the time and parts you have put into it and getting some money back from the project. You already use the older car for fun and you know what might come up for things that need to be fixed. 

In reply to Fr3AkAzOiD :

My answer is keep driving what you have. 

You definitely get the most out of the car but after watching the full 32 minutes of the video you are not consistently getting the most out of the car. You still have some slight variations. Note this is nitpicking on my part but the nitpicking is probably worth .75 to 1.5 seconds a lap. I noticed that turns 5-7 leading into the esses under the Nissan bridge, that you don't always use the apex  kerb going into the double right handers. Also you carry mega-speed going into Oak Tree but the exit seems a bit compromised, whether that's from not always using all of the exit kerb or just scrubbing speed because you are trying so damn hard. Again this is total nit picking as you drive the car damn well.

It appears from the first video that you are on the speed limiter for maybe 6-8 seconds per lap. If it were me I'd work on  the other 2:10 of the lap. I'd either go with stickier tires or upgrade the dampers. 

The main reason why I saying keep driving what you have is it's working so well for you. Save your time and money, go enjoy events with your dad and keep driving the wheels off it.

In reply to Tom1200 :

To add to that, a set of tires would make a huge difference!

I just want to take a moment to appreciate the very existence of this thread, which begins with this supremely rare sentence:

I have been tracking my '05 Malibu LS V6 since 2013, mainly at VIR.

I love this place. My 2cents is if you're only doing 1 or 2 track days a year, don't bother upgrading. 

Running 225 width RE-71R so got good tires.

Transitioning from school line to more of a race line. Working on a couple corners at a time and Oak Tree is near the top of my list to get better at. 

I appreciate your input Tom and I just put fresh KYB dampers on as the ones I was using were about 5 years old and put slightly higher rated springs on. Have not had the chance to track it since then so will have to see in the spring.

In reply to Fr3AkAzOiD :

There were a couple of spots were the car seemed to want to pogo hence my mentioning dampers. 

I have to say I'd love to see the look on folks faces when your car passes them.

With the options you presented I'd say go for the SS.  That said:

I sincerely do not like being that guy who recommends the car that he owns and likes, but this is one of those "it fits" moments so....

mk5 or mk6 Volkswagen GTI or GLI with a DSG gearbox checks all of your boxes.  A GTI/GLI at that price would need a bit of elbow grease to make it sing on a track though, but it's all basic used car stuff like a couple of suspension bushings and struts, and none of it is particularly expensive or make the car unpleasant to be in for long trips.  The engines and transmissions are generally reliable and most jobs aren't particularly difficult to do.  A healthy, stock GTI/GLI is perfectly fun and capable on a track, and with even the mildest of upgrades it's even more fun.  If you're at all interested in this idea I'd be happy to lay out a short list of basic brake and suspension upgrades along with associated costs.

This thread is really making me want to build a 2000s Ford Taurus trackday car. It would be pretty hilarious.

Is that 8 seconds around VIR Grand going from the modified LS to a stock SS?
 

My $0.02, if you go with the SS, it is likely that no governor and 20% more power will expose limitations of the brakes and/or trans that need to be addressed.  So, factor that into your decision.

Plus, if it was me, I would look at what rwd cars I could get into for that 6-8k. Seems like an older Charger or G35/G37 would be doable. (no idea how well the auto versions would do for track duty).  But if you like the way your current car handles (not too much understeer, etc), the SS might be worth it just to get rid of the governor - that would drive me nuts!

Fwiw, I have kind of a similar situation with my race car.  The class I'm in is dying because 12A rotary parts are all but gone.  A few friends have created a new class with RX8 motors swapped into the first gen RX7 which takes the car from ~115rwhp to ~190rwhp.  But I've been kicking the can down the road for a few years because if I'm going to spend the money to upgrade, I'd like a more modern chassis too.  I may still wind up doing the swap (glances at Rx8 motor sitting in corner of garage).

Fr3AkAzOiD said:

Running 225 width RE-71R so got good tires.

Transitioning from school line to more of a race line.

I don't know why I didn't catch this sooner "school line". I disagree with teaching a different line because someone is new to the track for the same reason I start getting people to understand trail braking & throttle steering from day one; I see it as counter productive to teach something that is going to have to be unlearned later on.  This explains a couple of things I saw on the video.  

Regardless of what you call it (school or race) use the line that is the fastest for your car. Same goes for technique, use what works best for your current set up. The best thing you can do is be adaptable, you may find it faster to aggressively rotate the car via trail braking in one corner but in others it may be faster to be off the brakes and on the gas early (point and squirt). You mentioned you have data.............data is your friend. You're at a level that you're looking for tenths here and there, I think you can find another 1 - 1.5 seconds stringing all the bits together. If you can do that on every lap of every of a given session you'll be 12-18 seconds further up the road at the end of the session.

As instructor guy the first thing I would say to look at data wise is the braking zones; you are indeed the last of the late brakers but in some spots this seems to be compromising the lap (slightly wide at the apex and exits). You also seem to get really inspired when attempting to catch someone. Find a car that is ever so slightly faster than you are and go out right behind them, this will give you a good gauge of where you can pick up time.

Finally thanks for sharing the videos, it's great to see someone do so well with a run what you brung car.

What carbotech pads are you running? 

maschinenbau (I live here) said:

I just want to take a moment to appreciate the very existence of this thread, which begins with this supremely rare sentence:

I have been tracking my '05 Malibu LS V6 since 2013, mainly at VIR.

I love this place. My 2cents is if you're only doing 1 or 2 track days a year, don't bother upgrading. 

Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?

Lsxus said:

What carbotech pads are you running? 

XP8 in the rear, XP 10 up front. Ran a set of XP12 up front but didn't notice enough of a difference to continue and went back to XP10 after they wore out.

@ sevenracer

I would have a trans cooler as I have one now and if I hit the limits on my brakes there is a kit to use the Brembo brakes and rotars from the Cobalt SS but with the Malibu SS having fog lamps I would attempt brake ducting and higher level Carbotech pads first.

@tom1200

I understand if new to a track but experienced at track days you should have the "race line" shown.

I had the same instructor the first few times I ever went on track and all at VIR. It was an old guy so the idea of a "school line" and "race line" may have been something outdated that he continued to teach.

I have been watching Mike Skeen videos as well as other racers to compare lines and try out different things as I registered for the March open track with Trackdaze at VIR.

As for braking, I have been playing with different types for different corners. South Bend being a good "point and squirt" while the end of the back strait into Rollercoaster being good for late braking with heavy trailbraking.

I'm talking without personal experiance here but you might look at some newer Jaguar 4 door sedans.  They tend to depreciate like a rock and then stabilize for a very long time in that under $4000 range. Look at the 2 XKR's in the 2000 challenge. 
One other consideration is who buys them. Typically it's an older successful guy as his final reward  car. Then too often it sits in the garage getting fewer and fewer miles each year.  
      Typically well maintained, low mileage cheap price. If that doesn't scream bargain to you then we just have a different view.  
  The remarkable thing is how well they perform on the track.  

In reply to Fr3AkAzOiD :

Yes be all means watch other peoples videos........steal any advantage you can. I'm a big proponent of this.

Good luck with the family hauler to track it and find the little extra time you need on the track.