Newbie to track days - What Car?
Discussion
Hey guys,
Me and a couple of mates want to get a relatively cheap car together and track it at weekends. We're looking for something around £2,500 for the car, with an open but not huge budget for getting it track-prepped and preferably want something that's as low on maintenance costs as possible.
We'd prefer RWD, so I've been looking at Mk 1 MX-5s. There are a few already track-prepped for decent money, but we're wondering whether it's best to avoid those and go for something that's not been tracked and prep it ourselves? Also looking for suggestions of other cars that might be suitable on a similar budget. We're not the most mechanically minded but want to use it as an opportunity to learn and have Dads handy with a spanner so will be doing most work on the car ourselves.
Me and a couple of mates want to get a relatively cheap car together and track it at weekends. We're looking for something around £2,500 for the car, with an open but not huge budget for getting it track-prepped and preferably want something that's as low on maintenance costs as possible.
We'd prefer RWD, so I've been looking at Mk 1 MX-5s. There are a few already track-prepped for decent money, but we're wondering whether it's best to avoid those and go for something that's not been tracked and prep it ourselves? Also looking for suggestions of other cars that might be suitable on a similar budget. We're not the most mechanically minded but want to use it as an opportunity to learn and have Dads handy with a spanner so will be doing most work on the car ourselves.
Do you want to spend time actually driving on a track day, or being on a driveway/garage with a couple of blokes trying to learn the mechanical side of things and cursing every rusted and seized bolt you encounter?
Save time and money - buy a track prepped car.
You can always tinker as you go along but if you don't get something you can use immediately, you might blow your track day budget on parts, and by the time you're ready to drive the car you have lost interest in it and then sell it at a big loss.
If you keep an eye on the track car classifieds here you will see cases of this - someone strips and preps a car and then they only do a couple of track days before selling it.
Save time and money - buy a track prepped car.
You can always tinker as you go along but if you don't get something you can use immediately, you might blow your track day budget on parts, and by the time you're ready to drive the car you have lost interest in it and then sell it at a big loss.
If you keep an eye on the track car classifieds here you will see cases of this - someone strips and preps a car and then they only do a couple of track days before selling it.braddo said:
Do you want to spend time actually driving on a track day, or being on a driveway/garage with a couple of blokes trying to learn the mechanical side of things and cursing every rusted and seized bolt you encounter?
Save time and money - buy a track prepped car.
You can always tinker as you go along but if you don't get something you can use immediately, you might blow your track day budget on parts, and by the time you're ready to drive the car you have lost interest in it and then sell it at a big loss. If you keep an eye on the track car classifieds here you will see cases of this - someone strips and preps a car and then they only do a couple of track days before selling it.
Cheers, yeah we don't really want to spend a sSave time and money - buy a track prepped car.
You can always tinker as you go along but if you don't get something you can use immediately, you might blow your track day budget on parts, and by the time you're ready to drive the car you have lost interest in it and then sell it at a big loss.
If you keep an eye on the track car classifieds here you will see cases of this - someone strips and preps a car and then they only do a couple of track days before selling it.
t load of time working on it and there doesn't seem to be much premium for buying one already prepped so will probably do that. Just means there's a lot less choice of car I would go for the mx5 im biased though I have a mx5 well 3 atm 2 for sale and a exocet kit car for track days which is also mx5 based.
Find a good clean but cheap example first. Then give it a full service replace the brakes if the discs are good just get something like mintex 1144 pads replace the brake fluid and get out on track. Then find out what your next area that needs to be replaced are and replace that and keep on going.
The 2nd hard market is full with upgraded parts from suspension/brakes/roll cages (would fit on a mx5) exhaust systems/ all the way to turbo/supercharger parts etc etc.
Yes you could buy a car all sorted but half the enjoyment for me is find out what needs doing next the old saying of built not bought is a good one.
Where are you located?
Find a good clean but cheap example first. Then give it a full service replace the brakes if the discs are good just get something like mintex 1144 pads replace the brake fluid and get out on track. Then find out what your next area that needs to be replaced are and replace that and keep on going.
The 2nd hard market is full with upgraded parts from suspension/brakes/roll cages (would fit on a mx5) exhaust systems/ all the way to turbo/supercharger parts etc etc.
Yes you could buy a car all sorted but half the enjoyment for me is find out what needs doing next the old saying of built not bought is a good one.
Where are you located?
BJG1 said:
My only slight concern with an MX-5 is that it's a bit slow and something with a bit more grunt, like an MR-2 Turbo, may be a bit more fun? I love my 205 GTI but do find it a bit dull accelerating through the gears in it
Will admit the mx5 does lack power compared to others but what it lacks in speed it more than makes up for it through the corners and in the wet you be surprised how much quicker you will be. Engine upgrades are pretty plentiful and cheap with turbo and super charger conversions. If your after a mx5 I got 2 but a bit of a journey to south wales.
BJG1 said:
Hey guys,
Me and a couple of mates want to get a relatively cheap car together and track it at weekends. We're looking for something around £2,500 for the car, with an open but not huge budget for getting it track-prepped and preferably want something that's as low on maintenance costs as possible.
We'd prefer RWD, so I've been looking at Mk 1 MX-5s. There are a few already track-prepped for decent money, but we're wondering whether it's best to avoid those and go for something that's not been tracked and prep it ourselves? Also looking for suggestions of other cars that might be suitable on a similar budget. We're not the most mechanically minded but want to use it as an opportunity to learn and have Dads handy with a spanner so will be doing most work on the car ourselves.
I'd buy something track prepped - will be a lot cheaper. Unless the fun is preping it yourself. Consider something wiht plentiful and cheap 2nd hand engines/gearboxes.Me and a couple of mates want to get a relatively cheap car together and track it at weekends. We're looking for something around £2,500 for the car, with an open but not huge budget for getting it track-prepped and preferably want something that's as low on maintenance costs as possible.
We'd prefer RWD, so I've been looking at Mk 1 MX-5s. There are a few already track-prepped for decent money, but we're wondering whether it's best to avoid those and go for something that's not been tracked and prep it ourselves? Also looking for suggestions of other cars that might be suitable on a similar budget. We're not the most mechanically minded but want to use it as an opportunity to learn and have Dads handy with a spanner so will be doing most work on the car ourselves.
OP, I know you said RWD but if I was in your position I would get a Clio 182. I am on owner of a mk1 mx5 1800 and have done approx 20 trackdays in it over the past 5 years. It's fun, but you need to be quite dedicated to the cause and prepared to be overtaken, a lot!
I will give you an example, I was at Snet last week, of the 40 cars or so present, I could overtake 4 of them. To me, that's fine, TD are not a race etc, but that's a lot of looking in your mirrors and getting over, some might find this tiresome.
Also, rust is an issue with 90% of mk1's now.
The 182 is the next step up in performance and might keep you all interested for longer, it's a newer car so will not have the rust issues and it's a popular choice for track cars so should be available.
I will give you an example, I was at Snet last week, of the 40 cars or so present, I could overtake 4 of them. To me, that's fine, TD are not a race etc, but that's a lot of looking in your mirrors and getting over, some might find this tiresome.
Also, rust is an issue with 90% of mk1's now.
The 182 is the next step up in performance and might keep you all interested for longer, it's a newer car so will not have the rust issues and it's a popular choice for track cars so should be available.
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