Real cost?

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Discussion

BEP

Original Poster:

346 posts

204 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
Ok I know this to a degree has been done to death but try and humour me...;)

I've been looking at e-bay lately (yes I know fatal mistake number one) and notice some great little cars at silly cheap prices which intrinsically look ready to go, maybe not competitive but get you out there....they're up at around the 2k mark, mainly fiesta xr2's and the like.

Now my background is rallying, so suit/boots/helmet etc I already have.

Licence costs i'm aware of, so how much would I be looking at to do maybe 2 or 3 races per year? Probably Oulton/Anglesey etc...

Cheers
Bryn

Graham

16,368 posts

283 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
all in in your own car, 500-1000 per day id say that assumes about an hours track time, and tyre costs could ramp that up.. then youd probably spend a bit on winter upgrades/ refresh

dont forget to throw in a test day or two.


our costs main costs are


Entry few circa £360 ( qually and 2 races 1 hr track time)
fuel min 60 litres optimax £85
tyre life £250 ( assuming 4 races out of a set of slicks)

if you doing 1 15 min race and a 15 min qually then half the entry fee and fuel and if running on a set of tyres that will last a year the tyre cost goes down, but if only doing a couple of races your still going to need a new set


then you need food and accommodation ( i stay at the circuit)
fuel to get there.

wear and tear budget

you'll also need to add any club and championship registration fees..










SmartVenom

462 posts

168 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
BEP said:
Ok I know this to a degree has been done to death but try and humour me...;)

I've been looking at e-bay lately (yes I know fatal mistake number one) and notice some great little cars at silly cheap prices which intrinsically look ready to go, maybe not competitive but get you out there....they're up at around the 2k mark, mainly fiesta xr2's and the like.

Now my background is rallying, so suit/boots/helmet etc I already have.

Licence costs i'm aware of, so how much would I be looking at to do maybe 2 or 3 races per year? Probably Oulton/Anglesey etc...

Cheers
Bryn
I'd say around £100~£150 to join a club and register for a series. £300-£350 for a race entry (assume double header 1x15 practice and 2x15 race)

Assuming you run a small car not a 500bhp monster then on top of the above you need to budget for fuel (say £70), transport (will you be transporting the car yourself?), storage (if you have nowhere to keep it), transponder (can be hired at the track for £30 but they may lecture you on buying one!). Accomodation (£75 for a hotel say obviously a saving if you camp).

You'll probably need tyres whatever you buy so say £400 for a set.

I guess each race will cost you a minimum of £500. I work on about £1K a race but hope for change!

Damage is a factor, be it self inflicted or inflicted by others. I'm sure someone will tell you that you'll never get hit, but I personally think thats only the case when the grid is tiny or very mismatched so no-one is near each other. On top of that things do break, hopefully only small things, but not always. Also its very easy to get caught up in spending a lot of money on the car.

Worth the money when things go well, when they don't...

BEP

Original Poster:

346 posts

204 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
Cheers all, yes i've my own storage,plus landrover to tow it behind etc....looks promising

andy97

4,691 posts

221 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
Of course it all depends on what £££ you want to throw at the car but my costs for CSCC 40 min races are something along these lines:

Club Membership £39 per year
Car Registration £99 per year
Entry fee (30 min practice and a 40 min race) £295 (Anglesey) to £365 (Donington and the MSVR tracks)
Race Fuel £35
Tow fuel £50 (average)
Tyres - 2 sets of List 1B tyres will last a season (£1200)
Oil, brake pads, consumables and odds and sods £50 a race (?)
Accom (if you need it) £50 a race
Engine/ Gearbox re-builds - I have done it in the past but these days I am running a cheap car in largely standard mechanical spec and don't intend to re-build the engine etc! If the engine goes then I'll pay a visit top PH Sportscars who have promised me an engine out of a scrapper for £350!

So, for your 3 races a year at Anglesey, Oulton and, say Donington, you can expect to pay out about circa £2K, once you have bought the car, if nothing goes wrong. If you share the car with a mate (ours are 1 or 2 driver races) then you have just halved that cost and they should even throw in a few quid on cost for a "hire" fee if you have bought the car/ tow car/ trailer etc and take the risk on the engine and gearbox.

Plenty of people will spend a lot more but those are realistic costs for me running a cheap 924.

We are racing at Donington on 30 August and Oulton on 20th Sept if you want to come along and chat in the Paddock.

Edited by andy97 on Monday 4th August 15:59

bozla

94 posts

150 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
I would defo say for us that the biggest cost for us is entry fees (325 quid). We can easily do a season on a set of tyres (400 quid), or a set and a half if including testing. Fuel is about 100 a meeting, but we drive the car to the track and back, so our car needs to be MOT'd, taxed and insured. It works out cheaper as we'd still have to get a tow car taxed and tested + buy a trailer, plus the car is quicker for having been regularly driven. Also gives you extra incentive not to crash! We probably go through 2 sets of brake pads a season (75 quidish a time).

If you're only going to do a few meetings a year and don't have the infrastructure in place (trailer etc.) hiring a car would probably be the way to go, but will cost you a lot more long term.


Altrezia

8,517 posts

210 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
I'm averaging about £1k a weekend so far this year, and I bought a cheap race car but spent £4k getting it ready to race - it was a death trap. Buying carefully would have saved me cash in the long run, but I rush into everything like an idiot!.

bromers2

1,867 posts

249 months

Tuesday 5th August 2014
quotequote all
andy97 said:
Of course it all depends on what £££ you want to throw at the car but my costs for CSCC 40 min races are something along these lines:

Club Membership £39 per year
Car Registration £99 per year
Entry fee (30 min practice and a 40 min race) £295 (Anglesey) to £365 (Donington and the MSVR tracks)
Race Fuel £35
Tow fuel £50 (average)
Tyres - 2 sets of List 1B tyres will last a season (£1200)
Oil, brake pads, consumables and odds and sods £50 a race (?)
Accom (if you need it) £50 a race
Engine/ Gearbox re-builds - I have done it in the past but these days I am running a cheap car in largely standard mechanical spec and don't intend to re-build the engine etc! If the engine goes then I'll pay a visit top PH Sportscars who have promised me an engine out of a scrapper for £350!

So, for your 3 races a year at Anglesey, Oulton and, say Donington, you can expect to pay out about circa £2K, once you have bought the car, if nothing goes wrong. If you share the car with a mate (ours are 1 or 2 driver races) then you have just halved that cost and they should even throw in a few quid on cost for a "hire" fee if you have bought the car/ tow car/ trailer etc and take the risk on the engine and gearbox.

Plenty of people will spend a lot more but those are realistic costs for me running a cheap 924.

We are racing at Donington on 30 August and Oulton on 20th Sept if you want to come along and chat in the Paddock.

Edited by andy97 on Monday 4th August 15:59
Just booked Oulton - see you there smile

Greensleeves

1,235 posts

202 months

Tuesday 5th August 2014
quotequote all
Cheap as possible.

Per weekend costs
300 entry fee
70 diesel in van (Most circuits are 3 hours, bonus if not)
45 Fuel for Race car (about 25 litres of Optimax)
You eat and drink anyway so I won't add that.
415 quid total.

Annual Expenses
Registration 100 quid
Tyres 400 quid buys you a set and if you were tight you could eek them out to a full season.
Brake Pads 150 a set. Should do a year of racing if you do nothing else.

Transponder, one off cost 300 quid

Oil, coolant and other consumables plus t-cut and Isopon as necessary.
Complete engine rebuild parts only about 500 quid. Has to be standard so you will struggle to spend more.

Optional or occasional extras are more tyres cos you need new ones to beat your mate, new suspension bushes, engine mounts, brake disks (mine have done 3 years, just swapped them) harnesses every 5 years, paint, panels, trip to rolling road, suspension setting up (do it myself), windscreen every year (130 quid last one) spare wheels, spare tyres, van full of spares, tools, trolley jack, porta power, spark plugs, dizzy cap, fire extinguisher service, paddle clutch (300 quid, does help) new radiator, hoses, hose clips, tie wraps, tank tape, maintenance of your van (which will include most of the above all over again), maintenance of your trailer (which will include some of the above).

And that's before you crash it!

BEP

Original Poster:

346 posts

204 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the heads up all much appreciated, going to have a nose at Anglesey this weekend...must say I was surprised at the cost of HSCC Gold Cup, 70's roadsports is £255 = 1 Qually and 1 x 20 minute race, coming from my rallying background that's hideously cheap in comparison....much thought in my household then wink

Edited by BEP on Wednesday 6th August 16:50

Graham

16,368 posts

283 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
If your at angelsey this weekend pop over and say hi at the tvr paddock.

I should be there, although without car as stuck waiting for some head gaskets !!! should be in a silver disco with roof tent

graham

andy97

4,691 posts

221 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
BEP said:
......must say I was surprised at the cost of HSCC Gold Cup, 70's roadsports is £255 = 1 Qually and 1 x 20 minute race, coming from my rallying background that's hideously cheap in comparison....much thought in my household then wink
And I think that's expensive for 35 mins of track time, but I suppose it is at one of the higher profile meetings.

shim

2,050 posts

207 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
bromers2 said:
Just booked Oulton - see you there smile
And me...and Donny.

Greensleeves

1,235 posts

202 months

Thursday 7th August 2014
quotequote all
BEP said:
Thanks for the heads up all much appreciated, going to have a nose at Anglesey this weekend...must say I was surprised at the cost of HSCC Gold Cup, 70's roadsports is £255 = 1 Qually and 1 x 20 minute race, coming from my rallying background that's hideously cheap in comparison....much thought in my household then wink

Edited by BEP on Wednesday 6th August 16:50
You will generally get a double header with quali amd two races (usually 15 or 20 minutes each) for around the 300 quid mark. I think it's comparable with a 45 mile stage event in the woods as you can take a mate with you to help with the costs on the rally. Must admit I'm really enjoying the change from rallying to track. It's much easier to do on your own, don't need an entourage to keep you going.

Pompeydave

47 posts

209 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
quotequote all
Sorry to hijack this one, I'm also keen to start racing so can anyone tell me what are the cheapest entry fees out there? Production BMW seems cheap but I can't find any hard figures anywhere. Even the 2cv 24 hour race seems to be 2k before you even start.

At the moment I'm looking at banger racing as being the only affordable option frown

juliann

400 posts

235 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
quotequote all
Production BMW costs are :

Club registration £100 p.a or £20/weekend. No other club memberships reqd.

Entry Fees £235 to £290 depending on circuit

Eg :
Cadwell : 15 qually , 2 x 15 races : £235
Brands Hatch GP : same format : £290 (This Sunday if you want to meet some drivers)
Snetterton 300 : same format £250
Rockingham : £260





Greensleeves

1,235 posts

202 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
quotequote all
Remember that the entry fee is only a small part of your overall budget so should play a small significance in the series you choose.

Pompeydave

47 posts

209 months

Sunday 17th August 2014
quotequote all
Ok, cheers for the replies. Not cheap is it?

spyderman8

1,748 posts

155 months

Monday 18th August 2014
quotequote all
They do say that one of the quickest ways to make £1M is to take £5M and enter motorsport.

andy97

4,691 posts

221 months

Monday 18th August 2014
quotequote all
Pompeydave said:
Ok, cheers for the replies. Not cheap is it?
No, its not, but if you take my cost break down from my 4 August reply its c£660 per race. Divide that by 2 because you share the car with some one and its £330. Charge your mate a "hire fee" of a couple of hundred quid because its your car and your capital that you have spent (and your risk if the engine blows) and then you are racing for £130!