[dradernh]

Originally Posted by ggggbmw

On the other hand, I keep going through the same pricing exercises I'm sure you do. Even if you add in an external GPS and OBD module, these cheap/free tools are really appealing compared to the $400 and up for an AIM device (~$700 for the DL). And I'm sure for most of us HPDE guys the instructor feedback and just more track time is way more important than the occasional data loss.

I don't recall exactly what the Apex guy was calling the friction feature. It did go beyond the typical g-meter friction circle. Like many exotic tech things, it's in the realm of 'fancy magic', and the FM is the result of some algorithm that may or may not be real.

However, I haven't seen the AIM output and can't compare them directly. Maybe the AIM has similar FM output.

I think of data analysis as having two aspects or parts to it: 1 - The data acquisition hardware and the process involved in using it; and, 2 - The software used to analyze the data. I believe the latter is more important, and the greater its power and ease of use, the potentially speedier your development. It does take some study and/or instruction in how to get the most out of the data provided by these systems. In the case of AiM, there are quite a few online videos that can help with that.

Regarding speeding up a driver's development, the fastest way to do that is to hire a pro driver who coaches when he or she isn't racing. They're not inexpensive, of course, but if you share one with a few other drivers at an event, you'll get both sufficient seat time with them and also learn quite a bit during the debriefing sessions they conduct with each of the other drivers.

Speaking as an instructor who has instructed with a variety of clubs, I can tell you that as a group we're all over the map in terms of what we have to offer. We're volunteers who have a variety of experiences and exposure to the different aspects of this sport (e.g., track, autocross, rally, snow & ice, drifting, etc.). Pros who are in cars 250+ days each year are operating at an entirely different level, and you can learn a lot in a short period of time with one. If nothing else, they will help break any bad habits you may already have developed - the same way a golf pro or pro skiing instructor would. You'll get better faster and cheaper with professional instruction - at least that's been my experience. <end sales pitch>

The AiM software is reasonably powerful, even with the modest amount of data made available by the basic Solo unit.

It sounds like the rep may have been explaining G Sum, a data channel created by applying some simple math to the lateral and longitudinal g-forces captured by the data logger. G Sum shows how close to the limit the driver is driving the car, especially when transitioning between braking and lateral acceleration. This is a common place for drivers to lose a fair amount of time.