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Not to be controversial, but....
I did and electronics apprenticeship with the MOD. I was taught in week one of my four years that an electrical joint should be sound, i.e. mechanically self supporting, before being soldered - the solder being simply for better electrical continuity and lower resistance.
The argument against soldered joints it completely invalid (if you follow this principal) because your car wouldn't run without solder. Why? well:
1) your ecu is FULL of soldered joints
2) if you don't run an ecu but run electronic ignition, IT will be full of soldered joints
3) your alternator has MANY soldered joints
4) if you run a copper rad, it is soldered
5) your electronic dash or other electrical instruments, laptimers - even your transponder - have many soldered joints in them.
You can be sure that there is no spacecraft or satelite that we have sent from this planet that doesn't depend and rely on soldered electrical joints. And I am told nothing vibrates like a Saturn 5! (Available from your local Anne Summers, should your missus ask!)
Solder does make the wire close to the joint more susceptible to fatigue, as tin is not as malleable as copper. However, if you ensure that the wiring/loom is correctly supported some distance from the connector, that connectors are not rigidly connected to the chassis, and that no wiring to connectors is ' banjo string' tight', then most of the vibrations from the chassis will never reach the connectors and the joints are very unlikely to fail because of being soldered.
When connecting to switches and other electrical items that are attached to dash panels or other parts of the car that will directly transmit chassis vibrations, soldered joints are best avoided. But screw terminals on switches can vibrate loose too, so treat them with the same caution. Faston (spade)connectors have served the automobile industry very well for several decades and, if you check electrical connections and wiring when you do a spanner check (which you should), and change any items that you think are suspect when you prep the car for a race, I think it unlikely that you will not finish a race because of a soldered joint or a multiway Faston connector has failed. Fastons connectors are available in different grades - but even buying the best is not expensive.
Finally, it should be remembered that wiring on aircraft and ships, whether commercial or military, does not get inspected before every flight or every sailing. This is for cost reasons, because it would be impossibly expensive to do. It would take several man-weeks to inspect the wiring on even the smallest plane and several man months on a ship. Knowing some civillian aircaft maintenance engineers, most parts on an aircraft don't get looked at until a failure is reported (enjoy your holiday!). As 'fit and forget' should never be a phrase in your preparation handbook, electrical failure of the wiring loom and connectors need never be a problem.
If you are doing 24 hour races, or your race headquarters cost more than the GDP of Brazil, or you just one the lottery and can't think what to spend it all on, then by all means spend your money on MIL spec wiring looms and connectors. Otherwise, I suggest you spend a sensible amount on quality wiring and spend the rest on entry fees, tyres, and a beer for you and your crew after the race. (And a Saturn 5 for the missus)
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