Factory standard road car that's good on track?
Discussion
For around 5k what are my options?
I'd like something not too old or expensive to run that's great fun to drive, reliable and nice to sit in.
As much as I like Caterham/kit/modified cars (+ MX5), I'd like a road car, preferably not convertible (the 986 boxters seem tempting though!).
Suggestions?
I'd like something not too old or expensive to run that's great fun to drive, reliable and nice to sit in.
As much as I like Caterham/kit/modified cars (+ MX5), I'd like a road car, preferably not convertible (the 986 boxters seem tempting though!).
Suggestions?
All of the above sound good. I have personally owned a 968 and a Megane R26, the 968 needs to be on the 17" wheels but will work OK out of the box even on standard (non CS or M030) suspension and 16" wheels. The Megane R26 suspension is an amazing balance between track and road capable but the stock brake pads are garbage and will literally give up on a single hard stop let alone repeated hard use, no problem if you brake really early of course. I haven't timed the Meg but given it seems as quick round a track as my 944 S2 race car I feel it will murder a standard 968.
Huge thanks for the help
What a coincidence that the car mentioned the most has been the one that I was thinking of - the R26 megane! Lol the first reply!!
My heart wants a 986 but my head tells me it'll be more expensive to run on track.
Fingers crossed I'm going to take a look at an R26 today. Typically it's way over budget but it's only done 30k and looks very clean.
Thanks also for the other suggestions
Will keep you all posted...
What a coincidence that the car mentioned the most has been the one that I was thinking of - the R26 megane! Lol the first reply!!
My heart wants a 986 but my head tells me it'll be more expensive to run on track.
Fingers crossed I'm going to take a look at an R26 today. Typically it's way over budget but it's only done 30k and looks very clean.
Thanks also for the other suggestions
Will keep you all posted...
Edited by git-r on Friday 10th June 10:37
Yes 986 Boxter
Had a look at an R26 with lux pack today. Didn't drive it but sat inside and it seemed really nice. The reach on the wheel was good and although the seats did seem a little high the position was OK. I liked it a lot
The price was too much for the mileage and history, seemed a really solid car though.
Tempted to get one with ultra low mileage but would need to spend £7k.. Is that too much for an R26? - it's in my favourite colour too - black and with the lux pack.. just 30k miles!
I want, I want..!
Hmmm
Had a look at an R26 with lux pack today. Didn't drive it but sat inside and it seemed really nice. The reach on the wheel was good and although the seats did seem a little high the position was OK. I liked it a lot
The price was too much for the mileage and history, seemed a really solid car though.
Tempted to get one with ultra low mileage but would need to spend £7k.. Is that too much for an R26? - it's in my favourite colour too - black and with the lux pack.. just 30k miles!
I want, I want..!
Hmmm
Depends. Mine I bought from a friend who really babied it, never drove it in winter usually garaged etc. At 64k+ miles I have still ended up replacing all 4 shocks, top mounts, engine mounts and clutch kit. Somehow he managed to get the front disks and pads to last those 64k miles, those have been replaced as well. Its likely a 30k miles car has a lot of life left in those components (unless the owner only used the car for thrashing). Could turn out to be very good value assuming you keep all those components. You can try a track day on the standard pads with fresh fluid, I did in mine took it round Thruxton in bone stock state and she was fine except I ended up having to brake ludicrously early all the time after a couple of 'bail out' moments in the tracks 2 braking zones.
NJH said:
Depends. Mine I bought from a friend who really babied it, never drove it in winter usually garaged etc. At 64k+ miles I have still ended up replacing all 4 shocks, top mounts, engine mounts and clutch kit. Somehow he managed to get the front disks and pads to last those 64k miles, those have been replaced as well. Its likely a 30k miles car has a lot of life left in those components (unless the owner only used the car for thrashing). Could turn out to be very good value assuming you keep all those components. You can try a track day on the standard pads with fresh fluid, I did in mine took it round Thruxton in bone stock state and she was fine except I ended up having to brake ludicrously early all the time after a couple of 'bail out' moments in the tracks 2 braking zones.
Thanks mate - I was having similar thoughts The crazy thing is, I was already thinking about spending another nearly 1k on top for tyres and brakes!
5k budget goes to 8k
Still tempted...
I paid £4K for an early Honda S2000 a few years ago. Have done track days at Combe, Thruxton, Goodwood and Silverstone so far and it's been great. For a 16-yr old car, it's had oil changes, tyres and brakes, nothing else has fallen off (yet!)
Edit: just seen the convertible bit - you can get them with a hardtop if that's any help?
Edit: just seen the convertible bit - you can get them with a hardtop if that's any help?
upsidedownmark said:
986. Right wheel drive, great engine, very good value and in 'S' form at least (possibly even not), the brakes are more than capable, just drive.
That said, my stock standard 500 quid mx5 was 95% as much fun albeit at a reduced pace and cost pennies to run.
Tracking a £5k Boxster S will probobly lead to financial RUIN!!! That said, my stock standard 500 quid mx5 was 95% as much fun albeit at a reduced pace and cost pennies to run.
A DC2 Integra Type R makes a fine track car, and £5k should get you a tidy one. For a couple of thousand more a DC5 Integra Type R is a proper tool, but prices are rising and you may only get a ropey one for that.
A left field choice would be Mazda RX8 PZ ( the Prodrive tweaked one ) . Me and a friend share one doing sprints , hill climbs and Trackdays too, proper RWD and is quicker than ANY 2.0 n/a hatch bar maybe the DC5, which is probobly on a par. They handle amazing too, easy and safe . Only downside is road tax £500 , may need a £2k rebuild after 60,000 miles and 17mpg. But on track out of the box they are pretty damn good. £3k buys you an absolute minter with a rebuilt engine.
A left field choice would be Mazda RX8 PZ ( the Prodrive tweaked one ) . Me and a friend share one doing sprints , hill climbs and Trackdays too, proper RWD and is quicker than ANY 2.0 n/a hatch bar maybe the DC5, which is probobly on a par. They handle amazing too, easy and safe . Only downside is road tax £500 , may need a £2k rebuild after 60,000 miles and 17mpg. But on track out of the box they are pretty damn good. £3k buys you an absolute minter with a rebuilt engine.
I have a 986 Boxster S and have done a couple of track days with it. The only modifications were lower stiffer springs and better dampers, and replacing the 18" wheels with 17s. It's enormous fun to drive and of course extremely quick, but at the end of the day an MX-5 is much more fun and frankly, hardly any slower.
Every time I put my foot down I'm thinking, "I've got more money in this than every other car I've owned put together," whereas in the MX-5 I never gave it a thought. It's just cheap cheerful and chuckable.
I'm seriously considering going back to one.
Every time I put my foot down I'm thinking, "I've got more money in this than every other car I've owned put together," whereas in the MX-5 I never gave it a thought. It's just cheap cheerful and chuckable.
I'm seriously considering going back to one.
If the MX5 was hardly any slower, you were doing something very very wrong in the boxster 
I do agree that it's a heap of fun, and probably the best value for money going though.
(I tracked a 12k 986 S for 2 years, no financial ruin..)
ETA - not having actually driven one, I'd agree on the RX8, have considered that route myself.
I do agree that it's a heap of fun, and probably the best value for money going though.Furyblade_Lee said:
Tracking a £5k Boxster S will probobly lead to financial RUIN!!!
Care to back that up with some cold hard facts, or just 'cos you read somewhere on the internet once that the IMS might go pop?(I tracked a 12k 986 S for 2 years, no financial ruin..)
ETA - not having actually driven one, I'd agree on the RX8, have considered that route myself.
Edited by upsidedownmark on Tuesday 21st June 16:19
upsidedownmark said:
Care to back that up with some cold hard facts, or just 'cos you read somewhere on the internet once that the IMS might go pop?
(I tracked a 12k 986 S for 2 years, no financial ruin..)
ETA - not having actually driven one, I'd agree on the RX8, have considered that route myself.
Lee is a good mate of mine and he used to own a Boxster, so i guess he is in a position to comment. As for the RX8, thats my car and on track its great for the money if a little juicy....(I tracked a 12k 986 S for 2 years, no financial ruin..)
ETA - not having actually driven one, I'd agree on the RX8, have considered that route myself.
Edited by upsidedownmark on Tuesday 21st June 16:19
In that case, he should substantiate..
My take: It's not *cheap* on consumables, it'll drink some juice, eat some tyres and use up brakes. A *little* faster than some of the other choices, but that's hardly finincial ruin, and would equally apply to a much more expensive boxster (the inference being that there's something wrong intrinsically wrong with a 5k boxster). Most of the niggles (coffin arms, fork arms) are easy diy and not excessively expensive from somewhere like hartech. There's no evidence that engines are more inclined to go pop from hard use - last time I was looking the dreaded 'IMS' problem was anecdotally more likely in garage queens. IF you go uprating the suspension and tyres, or *very just* possibly if you're very fast and have the right sort of track you might want to worry about oil starvation. It's just a car like any other (albeit quite a good one). It has strengths and weaknesses.
Worst possible case, you're 5k down, which is hardly financial 'RUIN' if you have 5k to spend on a track car.
Of course if you're the sort of person that thinks anything with a porsche badge should only be ministered to by white coated technicians in operating theatres, then the dealerships are inded going to ruin you
Fact is that they can be had quite cheaply not because there's anything intrinsically wrong with them, but because there's very little market for older premium cars. For the uninitiated they're too costly and frightening to have looked after by someone else, for (most) with the money they would prefer to be seen in a 'new' car (helped by the pervasive myth that anything over 3 years old is about to have an expensive total failure), and those in the middle ground will probably buy a 'new' polo or some such crap (see previous)
What that does mean is there are some serious bargins if you're in the right position, and of the right mindset
My take: It's not *cheap* on consumables, it'll drink some juice, eat some tyres and use up brakes. A *little* faster than some of the other choices, but that's hardly finincial ruin, and would equally apply to a much more expensive boxster (the inference being that there's something wrong intrinsically wrong with a 5k boxster). Most of the niggles (coffin arms, fork arms) are easy diy and not excessively expensive from somewhere like hartech. There's no evidence that engines are more inclined to go pop from hard use - last time I was looking the dreaded 'IMS' problem was anecdotally more likely in garage queens. IF you go uprating the suspension and tyres, or *very just* possibly if you're very fast and have the right sort of track you might want to worry about oil starvation. It's just a car like any other (albeit quite a good one). It has strengths and weaknesses.
Worst possible case, you're 5k down, which is hardly financial 'RUIN' if you have 5k to spend on a track car.
Of course if you're the sort of person that thinks anything with a porsche badge should only be ministered to by white coated technicians in operating theatres, then the dealerships are inded going to ruin you
Fact is that they can be had quite cheaply not because there's anything intrinsically wrong with them, but because there's very little market for older premium cars. For the uninitiated they're too costly and frightening to have looked after by someone else, for (most) with the money they would prefer to be seen in a 'new' car (helped by the pervasive myth that anything over 3 years old is about to have an expensive total failure), and those in the middle ground will probably buy a 'new' polo or some such crap (see previous)
What that does mean is there are some serious bargins if you're in the right position, and of the right mindset
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