Board Thread:Game Discussion/@comment-2600:1004:B10D:AA60:DD1:6195:683B:A602-20180726143804/@comment-84.40.135.21-20180731231322

If you upgraded early, 1-5 WAS a breeze. All 3's is PR 84.5, which is way above rec'd PR for most of this SE, at least up to stage 6. The final upgrades put your car at PR 85.7, which is, again, above rec'd PR; and stage 8 was actually significantly easier than stage 7 (fewer rigid goals).

For comparison, I upgraded gradually until stage 5 with few issues, began stage 6 at 3332323 (PR 83.1), took a bit more time to do it, and then got bogged down in stage 7 @ 3332324 (PR 83.8). I eventually had to add a brake upgrade and skip 7.2, and in the end, I landed in Dubai @ PR 84.5, and promptly won the car.

I'm beginning to think your way of doing SEs makes the most sense. If you immediately upgrade the car to the PR you planned for, that means you're driving the same car throughout, while upgrading along the way means it's always a slightly different car. That way, it's easier to get used to the quirks of a C11, and you get a better feel for its grip and brakes.