Track car circa £5k

[Craikeybaby]

If it is just being used as a track car, you'd get a lot of mk1 MX-5, or possibly an early mk3 2.0 sport? I may be biased, but a mk3 MR2 would be ideal lightweight & mid engined. You can pick up a good facelift one (pre-cat issues sorted) for £4k, they seem unloved due to the perceived lack of practicality, but that isn't important for a track car...

[T0MMY]

911p said:

E36 M3, or a turbo MX5 if running costs are a worry.

Turbo MX5 is a good call. I've still got mine alongside the kitcar and it's pretty much as entertaining, albeit slower. Mine cost me £1300 plus about £800 for the bits to turbo it so it's a good budget option and surprisingly rapid on track. Very light on tyres if you use proper track ones.

[TEKNOPUG]

E36 328i or cheap M3. Throw the rest at stripping, cage and the best suspensions, brakes and set-up you can afford.

You'd probably be better buying a car that has already been prepped - massive savings. Unless building the car is part of the attractiveness?

[git-r]

Mattpanks said:

Hi All,

Realise this is a re-occurring question, but looking to purchase my first track car. Have narrowed it down to:

- mk5 golf gti/R32
- ford focus ST
- Renault clio 200
- BMW 325 compact

Any thoughts or suggestions please

Mk5 golf gti/r32 - incredibly dull to drive at the limit
Focus - thirsty, heavy, fwd.
Clio- good but fwd
325 - ok but will cost a lot to make quick

My suggestion:

Nissan skyline r33 gts-t. Comes with straight 6 single turbo, rwd with LSD and probably one of the most reliable for track use AND lighter than most on your list.

Pick up car for 3.5k
Brembo brakes from GTR front and back £700
GTR seat - approx 150

You'd easily get one ready for track for your budget and it'd be cheap to get bits for and you could upgrade as you feel..

Engine/box good for 500 bhp but the standard stuff will see 300.

All for less than Clio money..

Cons?

Expensive on petrol but tyres/brakes no different tomost cars you've listed. Second hand parts are plentiful and cheap including masses of uprated stuff, suspension, cages, turbos... Everything you'd need really.

[TrackMegane]

Steve H said:

The golf and focus are too road biased for my taste if it's primarily going to be a (road legal) track car.

Clio and 3 series are good shouts (E30/36, anything newer is getting a bit heavy), Integra could be OK if you can find a good one but I wouldn't go S2000, not very forgiving on track. R26 is a great car but I'm not sure a cheap one is a good idea as a track toy.

Dont see the issue really mine cost me 5k 2years ago had 28k on the clock and now 75k with no major issues at all.

[git-r]

To give you a reference for how quick these cars can go:

The 2014 R35 does 53.9 at Brands Indy with a proper driver.
My R32 Skyline does 52.8 with a duff driver (full weight on road tyres)

The speed/lap time isn't so important but you'd have a lot more fun driving one than anything on your list

[git-r]

TEKNOPUG said:

E36 328i or cheap M3. Throw the rest at stripping, cage and the best suspensions, brakes and set-up you can afford.

You'd probably be better buying a car that has already been prepped - massive savings. Unless building the car is part of the attractiveness?

I agree with this but still think a skyline gts-t is better.. It's lighter, more reliable and is much cheaper to modify.

[TEKNOPUG]

git-r said:

I agree with this but still think a skyline gts-t is better.. It's lighter, more reliable and is much cheaper to modify.

Reliability v cost. You could thrash the tits off the M52 and replace it for a few hundred quid if it goes bang. Skyline will certainly be more power, with greater modding potential but an E36 is possibly a purer track experience. 50/50 weight distribution, RWD, linear power delivery etc. Also massive parts and support. Depends a lot on experience. If you've never really tracked before, an E36 might be an easy and cheaper proposition and then move onto something more powerful like a GTs once you've mastered/tired of the Beemer.

[git-r]

TEKNOPUG said:

Reliability v cost. You could thrash the tits off the M52 and replace it for a few hundred quid if it goes bang. Skyline will certainly be more power, with greater modding potential but an E36 is possibly a purer track experience. 50/50 weight distribution, RWD, linear power delivery etc. Also massive parts and support. Depends a lot on experience. If you've never really tracked before, an E36 might be an easy and cheaper proposition and then move onto something more powerful like a GTs once you've mastered/tired of the Beemer.

All of the same could be said for the skyline but you wouldn't have to move on when you get bored. Nice reliable and cheap 500bhp, you'd end up having no one to play with on track;) . I've both an e46 m3 and skyline (admittedly it's slightly different being the R32 GTR), both are ok on track but the skyline has much quicker steering and feels much sharper, but crucially is a lot more fun. It's more reliable too.. Electrics, bushes and susp more troublesome on the BMW.. Nothing like as over engineered as the Nissan IMHO..

[Steve H]

TrackMegane said:

Steve H said:

The golf and focus are too road biased for my taste if it's primarily going to be a (road legal) track car.

Clio and 3 series are good shouts (E30/36, anything newer is getting a bit heavy), Integra could be OK if you can find a good one but I wouldn't go S2000, not very forgiving on track. R26 is a great car but I'm not sure a cheap one is a good idea as a track toy.

Dont see the issue really mine cost me 5k 2years ago had 28k on the clock and now 75k with no major issues at all.

Assuming reliability based on your experience might be a bit hasty.

[T0MMY]

Much as I love Skylines (especially R32 GTRs), I still think you're better off with something very very light on track. Cars like M3s and skylines I see as being a good option if you want it to be quite usable on the road whilst also being excellent on track. If it's purely track use and you just have to drive it there I wouldn't consider anything heavier than an MX5.

Light cars are generally more fun to drive and massively cheaper on consumables. My MNR weighs about 1 tonne less than an M3...why lug a tonne around unnecessarily!!

Edited by T0MMY on Tuesday 22 July 21:41

[Maxf]

I'd go for a Clio 182 cup, then get rid of the back seats, put some decent race seats in the front and make sure the suspension and brakes are up to scratch and maybe add a half cage. It wont be the fastest thing out there in a straight line, but will be bags of fun and cheap to maintain. It should hold its value pretty well too, which is always nice.

[Dakkon]

T0MMY said:

Much as I love Skylines (especially R32 GTRs), I still think you're better off with something very very light on track. Cars like M3s and skylines I see as being a good option if you want it to be quite usable on the road whilst also being excellent on track. If it's purely track use and you just have to drive it there I wouldn't consider anything heavier than an MX5.

Light cars are generally more fun to drive and massively cheaper on consumables. My MNR weighs about 1 tonne less than an M3...why lug a tonne around unnecessarily!!

Edited by T0MMY on Tuesday 22 July 21:41

Completely agree, if you are only going to do an occasional trackday then car choice is less important, but if you plan on doing a fair few then lightness is vital.

RWD - MX5, turbo or supercharge if you want more power
FWD - Clio, 182 or something like that

The heavier the car the more it will cost you in petrol, tyres and brakes, and they soon add up.

For my MR2 Turbo trackcar:
Set of Kumho semi slicks £500 - 2 trackdays done on them, still have decent tread left.
Trackday £150
Petrol £100, maybe more
etc, etc

Edited by Dakkon on Wednesday 23 July 13:46

[Crowds]

if its a first track car id go for a civic type r, 182 with change for seats suspension and brakes!! I've a Ctr that I'm currently prepping a few bits for a track day in SPA in sept.

Cheers Paul.

[T0MMY]

I think the OP needs to narrow down the options a bit...FWD or RWD, more interested in being the fastest guy there or doing it all (relatively) cheaply, straightline hero or just want fun handling etc.

[mark.c]

Having just bought a 325Ti for everyday duties and having some experience in Trackdays I reckon the little Compact would be a hoot on track. Handles well, reliable engine that makes a good noise and rwd, cheap thrills as far as I can see, so much so Ive not driven my CSL all week! Granted its not going to win any races on the power front but for a laugh I think it would be hard to beat.

[g40steve]

mx5 mk3 2.0 sport, very entertaining.

[nickfrog]

Surprised no one comes up with DC2/DC5, although DC5s are not that cheap yet, are they ?

[KarlMac]

Focus ST will need some serious money spending on it to be a decent track car.

[crashrepairman]

Where are you in the UK? I am at Snetterton on Thursday in my Sierra that's for sale on Piston heads, come along ?