1st track day car?

[M5GT]

Hi all, probably been asked a million times before.........I want to buy a track day car, I have a repairing garage of my own so have access to all equipment and man power. I want to be able to drive the vehicle to the tracks, mostly going to be brands as I am local. Not trying to be big headed just trying to give a big picture, I have owned driven fast cars all my life, I also ride bikes, looking for some fun with friends at the track don't want to go crazy as it will probably only be 5/6 times a year due to work commitments. Please advise........

[Zoobeef]

Budget?

But obvious ones are mx5/mr2, clio, elise/vx220

[M5GT]

Sorry that would have been a good idea, don't want to spend more than about 5k, including mods if I bought a standard vehicle.

[MG CHRIS]

mx5

[mikey P 500]

As said mx5, for budget may even get a tubo or super charged one, or a mk3. Or if you want something different a mk3 mr2, may be able to get a 2zz (190bhp converted one) for budget. Either will be good fun on track and fairly cheap to run.

[e36er]

Early 328i Sport (early cars had a LSD) - £1500
Used set of half decent coilovers - £1k
Used pair of seats & harnesses - £400
Good set of adjustable rear control arms - £300
Used 1b tyres - £300
Pads and fluid £400
Geo setup - £150

You could spend the rest on a cage, bushes, ARBs, poly windows etc, but it'd be pretty good fun and reliable with just the above.

Edited by e36er on Monday 12th January 23:00

[Chr1sch]

I went leftfield and have a 306 gti6, the car cost me £1100 with a few trick bits on it already, but easily spent another £1k on other bits already..

Budget for stuff you'd never think about e.g an oil cooler, discs, pads and tyres that will take a day of thrashing, braided hoses, better brake fluid etc

It's worth it but it's also addictive, I'm constantly lusting after cages, throttle bodies and lightweight flywheels!

[QBee]

Apart from MX5s and 3 series BMWs, the higher powered Clios seem very popular at track days, are often very quick and afford some protection in an accident. As already said, allow quite a bit of your budget for upgrading brakes, cooling etc and fitting a roll cage, harnesses etc, and a set of decent track/road tyres (Yoko AD08, Federal 595 RS-R, Nankang etc)

[M5GT]

Thanks for advice I was considering a,scooby but when taking into account upgrading I think a BMW might be,the better way to go. Ease of work and readily available parts.

[BobSaunders]

Have a look on ebay and gumtree plus other various brand associated forums for track day cars already setup which need a bit of tinkering.

Mx5 or clio 172/182 is the way forward imho.

[andyiley]

M5GT said:

Thanks for advice I was considering a,scooby but when taking into account upgrading I think a BMW might be,the better way to go. Ease of work and readily available parts.

100% why I chose the same route.

Personal advice having had both, the 325 route is much easier than the 328 route.

Get the latest lowest mileage one you can (e36 is lighter than e46) you could even try the compact for added lightness.

As you correctly say they are easy to work on & generally every bolt comes off & on without any added pain.

[Chr1sch]

It's entirely up to you but also think about what kind of driver you are...it rains in the UK a lot...unless you are a pretty skilled rear wheel drive driver the BM's are great but in the rain/damp less so

A good mate bought a full fat clio 182 with cup chasis for £2k ish, stripped it out, coilovers and buckets, still on road tyres it was epically quick in the rain...

[Robb F]

Chr1sch said:

It's entirely up to you but also think about what kind of driver you are...it rains in the UK a lot...unless you are a pretty skilled rear wheel drive driver the BM's are great but in the rain/damp less so

I've had a 182 and now track my E36 328i every month. The BMW is in another league of fun to the 182. Nothing more fun that a bit of oversteer.

Obviously personal preference but fwd hatch backs just don't measure up. (for me)

[Chr1sch]

Robb F said:

Chr1sch said:

It's entirely up to you but also think about what kind of driver you are...it rains in the UK a lot...unless you are a pretty skilled rear wheel drive driver the BM's are great but in the rain/damp less so

I've had a 182 and now track my E36 328i every month. The BMW is in another league of fun to the 182. Nothing more fun that a bit of oversteer.

Obviously personal preference but fwd hatch backs just don't measure up. (for me)

Thats absolutely fair enough, I'm a BMW lover, i've had 1's, 3's, 5's, X5 etc, but i cant shake the inherent nervousness that if I get it really really wrong at speed I cant stop it...

I think a lot of that comes from learning to drive in a FWD car, and then having them for 8 years straight whilst refining my skills. Unless plain stupid there isnt much an fwd car can do that i cant attempt to rescue. I understand the physics of them, their limitations and the sequences of what to do and not to do depending on the scenario.

I will always love the sensation of power oversteer, but always felt like i could easily balls it up, lack of skill i guess, especially in the rain. My 306 is reasonably well sorted for track and its simple epic fun come rain or shine - all for about £2k

[Robb F]

I think its important to mention you can't really get it wrong, track driving is fun, and you'll love whatever you get as long as it's not broken all the time.

[QBee]

Robb F said:

I think its important to mention you can't really get it wrong, track driving is fun, and you'll love whatever you get as long as it's not broken all the time.

He's right. You will never be the fastest car on track, I'm not either despite a fair amount spent on a five litre TVR. But I have huge fun driving my car to its limits, getting each corner right, taking them quicker, and enjoying the odd dice with similar speed cars. It's not a race, it's just (expensive) fun.

You are aware, aren't you,that once you have bought the car, sorted the brakes and got some track rubber, the average track day will cost you around £300+? That's on average 100 miles each way to the track, £100-150 track fee, £100-150 of fuel on track (my TVR does 8 mpg on track compared to just over 20mpg on the road - that's 90-120 litres on track - extrapolate for your own car), insurance and wear on the tyres and brakes.

It's huge fun, but not cheap, so book wisely and hope for good weather.

[Chr1sch]

QBee said:

Robb F said:

I think its important to mention you can't really get it wrong, track driving is fun, and you'll love whatever you get as long as it's not broken all the time.

He's right. You will never be the fastest car on track, I'm not either despite a fair amount spent on a five litre TVR. But I have huge fun driving my car to its limits, getting each corner right, taking them quicker, and enjoying the odd dice with similar speed cars. It's not a race, it's just (expensive) fun.

You are aware, aren't you,that once you have bought the car, sorted the brakes and got some track rubber, the average track day will cost you around £300+? That's on average 100 miles each way to the track, £100-150 track fee, £100-150 of fuel on track (my TVR does 8 mpg on track compared to just over 20mpg on the road - that's 90-120 litres on track - extrapolate for your own car), insurance and wear on the tyres and brakes.

It's huge fun, but not cheap, so book wisely and hope for good weather.

Agree with the above, but costs wise on track, it all depends on the organiser and location based on my experience (which isnt massive to be fair) Yes 300+ If its Silverstone or Spa, but if you start out with Bedford Autodrome, Olton Park, Anglesey, even Donnington can all be done for £80 - £150ish (i did Bedford in early october for £140, going again in mid-Feb for £79, Donnington will be £150 in late summer i believe)

My last one cost me: 2 tanks of fuel (£80), Bedford AD GT Circuit £140 (I did however cook the road tyres so +£300...)

[Joshsl]

Could you not go halves in witha friend?
Me and a mate brought a 106 that had no mot(£250)
paid to get it through its mot(£100)
ripped the interior out(free of charge)
found cheap bucket seats and harness's(£120)
set of R888's on wheels (£220)
Track day at donnington with two drivers (£124)
Fuel for the day (£50)

Its only a 1.6 8v engine with 100bhp at the most but its fun handles well and puts a grin on your face

[binnerboy]

mx5 with forced induction = approx £3k

tyres = £3-400

full service = £100

driver training = £500

trackdays = the rest

best mod is the driver training and seat time, get the max out of the car as is before spending money changing stuff.

[captainsl0w]

Having not done track days before, get something easier/more forgiving until you've got a few under your belt, get a FWD. Hot hatches are a decent bet, parts will be cheap for something like a Clio 172/182. They're very cheap, you can get a good one for not much, they'll be a good ebay/forum market for aftermarket bits.