Ibiza TDI, Budget track car/daily?
Discussion
Originally put this in general gassing but probably better off in here.
Looking for some input really, from anyone who has run a TDI as a track car or knows somebody who has, I spend a lot of time over the summer at Castle combe as its very local to me, i rarely see people running diesels, more so than a few years back but still very limited compared to the BMW's/MX5's etc.
Basically i picked up a 52 plate Ibiza TDI Sport, the 130BHP PD Engine with the 6 speed box for £600 from a friend, has a few little niggles, not so good bodywork, a front suspension knock, the fuel gauge is temperamental but overall drives well and for that price is a bargain.
Im used to driving 80's cars or big comfy barges, not owned a little hatchback before, find it quite fun currently, feels nippy and fun to throw around.
What im tempted to do is do a few simple bits, seat, some sort of exhaust, possibly a cheap FMIC and a few other little bits and run it a budget track car
Currently it has adjustable suspension, allegedly remapped to around 170BHP (Not so sure i believe this but it does pull well, feels a lot quicker than my old Bora TDI but then again its a smaller car)
From what i can work out so far, Pro's:
-Torquey/Nippy enough as it is, feels fun to drive and chassis feels pretty good.
-Plenty of not too expensive upgrades available, Cupra bits etc and generally a common engine/shares parts with i believe the polo? So replacement bits arent going to cost a lot and they aren't the hardest thing in the world to work on.
-Generally known as a very reliable engine? Heard mixed reviews about the gearboxes/clutch but i dont intend on going anything above 200Bhp as that would negate the point of it being a budget car.
-Daily driving it at the same time will still return really good MPG
Downsides i can currently see:
-Limited to around 200BHP without spending a good amount on the engine from what I've read understand?, i have very limited track experience so this shouldn't matter too much as a learner track car but will i very quickly get bored of it?
-If i go as far as stripping the interior out etc it could be noisy/uncomfortable to use daily, although just for commuting i dont do a great deal of miles so i could probably live with it. And if it becomes a real track toy i can pick up a cheap daily runabout i suppose.
I guess really what im wondering is, it worth my time? I think ill get some enjoyment out of it and will be fun to throw around a track and with the car costing £600 if im careful buying second hand car parts overall the car could end up costing me very little, the only real money i can see myself needing to spend is on a decent set of tyres.
Cheers
Looking for some input really, from anyone who has run a TDI as a track car or knows somebody who has, I spend a lot of time over the summer at Castle combe as its very local to me, i rarely see people running diesels, more so than a few years back but still very limited compared to the BMW's/MX5's etc.
Basically i picked up a 52 plate Ibiza TDI Sport, the 130BHP PD Engine with the 6 speed box for £600 from a friend, has a few little niggles, not so good bodywork, a front suspension knock, the fuel gauge is temperamental but overall drives well and for that price is a bargain.
Im used to driving 80's cars or big comfy barges, not owned a little hatchback before, find it quite fun currently, feels nippy and fun to throw around.
What im tempted to do is do a few simple bits, seat, some sort of exhaust, possibly a cheap FMIC and a few other little bits and run it a budget track car
Currently it has adjustable suspension, allegedly remapped to around 170BHP (Not so sure i believe this but it does pull well, feels a lot quicker than my old Bora TDI but then again its a smaller car)
From what i can work out so far, Pro's:
-Torquey/Nippy enough as it is, feels fun to drive and chassis feels pretty good.
-Plenty of not too expensive upgrades available, Cupra bits etc and generally a common engine/shares parts with i believe the polo? So replacement bits arent going to cost a lot and they aren't the hardest thing in the world to work on.
-Generally known as a very reliable engine? Heard mixed reviews about the gearboxes/clutch but i dont intend on going anything above 200Bhp as that would negate the point of it being a budget car.
-Daily driving it at the same time will still return really good MPG
Downsides i can currently see:
-Limited to around 200BHP without spending a good amount on the engine from what I've read understand?, i have very limited track experience so this shouldn't matter too much as a learner track car but will i very quickly get bored of it?
-If i go as far as stripping the interior out etc it could be noisy/uncomfortable to use daily, although just for commuting i dont do a great deal of miles so i could probably live with it. And if it becomes a real track toy i can pick up a cheap daily runabout i suppose.
I guess really what im wondering is, it worth my time? I think ill get some enjoyment out of it and will be fun to throw around a track and with the car costing £600 if im careful buying second hand car parts overall the car could end up costing me very little, the only real money i can see myself needing to spend is on a decent set of tyres.
Cheers
Best thing you can do, in my opinion, is book yourself on a track day or evening ASAP with the car exactly as it is, no modifications, and see if it floats your boat. An evening will be enough actually.
Waste £20 on 20 minutes of instruction - worth every penny.
All the mods you are suggesting will improve the car, but they won't transform it, so see if it is capable of giving you fun on track first.
There is no need to be the fastest thing out there - you can have as much fun in a £600 shed on the limit of grip cornering at 70 mph as in a Porsche GT3 cornering at 140 mph on slicks. And your accidents will be less expensive too!
The only things I would do prior to going on track, if it were my car, would be to make sure all fluid levels are full, change the oil and brake fluid for fresh stuff, and change the front brake pads for something like Mintex 1144 or Ferodo DS2500. They are good non-fade track pads that still feel fine on the road, in case you are wondering. They also won't break the bank either. Ignore the rear brakes, as almost all of your stopping is done by the front brakes. Half worn tyres (about 4-5mm) are the best. You need some grip, so don't use totally knackered tyres, but new tyres have too much tread and can overheat and suffer.
That way the engine should survive being thrashed, you should still have working brakes by your third lap, and you will know if it is a possibility.
While you, the engine and the brakes are cooling between runs, go talk to other participants and see what they think you can do to get the best value for your money improving the car. Blag a passenger ride with them too.
Waste £20 on 20 minutes of instruction - worth every penny.
All the mods you are suggesting will improve the car, but they won't transform it, so see if it is capable of giving you fun on track first.
There is no need to be the fastest thing out there - you can have as much fun in a £600 shed on the limit of grip cornering at 70 mph as in a Porsche GT3 cornering at 140 mph on slicks. And your accidents will be less expensive too!
The only things I would do prior to going on track, if it were my car, would be to make sure all fluid levels are full, change the oil and brake fluid for fresh stuff, and change the front brake pads for something like Mintex 1144 or Ferodo DS2500. They are good non-fade track pads that still feel fine on the road, in case you are wondering. They also won't break the bank either. Ignore the rear brakes, as almost all of your stopping is done by the front brakes. Half worn tyres (about 4-5mm) are the best. You need some grip, so don't use totally knackered tyres, but new tyres have too much tread and can overheat and suffer.
That way the engine should survive being thrashed, you should still have working brakes by your third lap, and you will know if it is a possibility.
While you, the engine and the brakes are cooling between runs, go talk to other participants and see what they think you can do to get the best value for your money improving the car. Blag a passenger ride with them too.
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