Track/road car under 3k to buy...
Discussion
OK - a bit of a Top Gear style stupid mission, but any ideas as to a road car that could be bought for under 3k, driven a couple of hundred miles to a track and driven back all being well......? Obviously, I'm not expecting this to turn out that well but...... it's a bit of fun with some mates. I'm struggling a bit. Had a look at a Fiesta ST150 but there were some issues with it. It seems that the cheap cars of a few years ago are not that easy to find.
Don't mind whether FWD or RWD, lighter weight rather than big power would be preferable but with this objective anything will do....
Thoughts welcome!! Thanks
Don't mind whether FWD or RWD, lighter weight rather than big power would be preferable but with this objective anything will do....
Thoughts welcome!! Thanks
Thanks for all the ideas guys. I have had my fair share of MX5s so was after something different although I admit my NC was a cracking car on track once it had some money spent on the suspension and a few other bits like manifold etc.
The Skoda idea is quite a good one.... I also have another Mazda plan now, which may or may not turn out to be a bad idea!
The Skoda idea is quite a good one.... I also have another Mazda plan now, which may or may not turn out to be a bad idea!
brillomaster said:
On a road, maybe, where breaking speed limits is an issue, driving a slow car 'fast' is more fun than having a fast car, but having to stick to speed limits/ other slower road users.
However, on a track there are no limits, and therefore, id rather drive a fast car fast.
If you did a trackday with only mx5s, then sure, itd be a hoot. But on a general open pitlane day, a standard mx5 will be the slowest thing there. Everyone else will see you as a rolling chicane, and you'll spend the entire day looking in you mirrors as even renault clios and ford fiestas are pestering you to get past.
I did mention I'd already had a few MX5s so was after something different. The idea of them being rolling chicanes is really not true at all - unless either the car is a nail or the driver can't pedal. For the price I'd favour something low-power, simple and lightweight. I will let you know how I get on with this silly mission! Still, even if I am a rolling chicane, I've never done Angelsey before and that will be enough of a break from weekend childcare :-)However, on a track there are no limits, and therefore, id rather drive a fast car fast.
If you did a trackday with only mx5s, then sure, itd be a hoot. But on a general open pitlane day, a standard mx5 will be the slowest thing there. Everyone else will see you as a rolling chicane, and you'll spend the entire day looking in you mirrors as even renault clios and ford fiestas are pestering you to get past.
Well, here it was in action at Anglesey. A full 102bhp of fun and for a charitable cause. Apart from a noisy front wheel bearing that will be sorted soon it was a great track car - consistently hitting just over 100mph before the rocket corners. 
Edited by DocSteve on Friday 1st April 12:48
Basically a standard 1.5 Mazda2 sport that had been owned by someone who’d done some inexpensive mods - coilovers at the front ?make and lowering springs at the back. Came in at £2.5k including new Nan Kang NS2R tyres. Swapped out some RX8 seats for originals as they weighed a lot and were bolted in for a very unusual driving style :-) A bit more weight reduction and some awesome work with the graphics by a local firm and that was it - 400mile round trip to the circuit and a day of learning both the car and circuit. Obviously not that quick in a straight line but its weight and the tyres gave it a lot of grip and ability to attack the tight corners. I was just getting it together by the end of the day really! I’m aiming to take it to Cadwell next….
MrC986 said:
It was a lot of (relatively slow) fun! I am actually a BMWCC member but glad this lowly Mazda was allowed. Even camped the night before with a mate - first time to Anglesey and couldn't have asked for better weather eh...
you looked like you were having some fun 
Agree with others that for cheap track day fun then light weight is key. I have tracked M cars and the brakes etc are just destroyed - and expensive to replace....
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