Where to go from MX5?

[TheLoraxxZeus]

I've been tracking my MX5 for going on 3 years now and it's getting to the point I want to move onto something with more power. I'm really not sure where to go from here, the MX5 has done me well becuase it's so damn cheap to run and no lap after lap it just keeps giving. I've had several 1-1 tutions and now heard for the second time (from a different instructor) that the only way I'm going to get noticable faster is by having more power.

I was considering finding a used MX5 that has already has a turbo kit on it and then move over my cage/seat/suspension because the cost of a brand new kit is £3k and that's not including the mods required to make it usable (better brakes for example).

My car is also a bit of a pit outside the stuff I have done to it. It has stock ARBs and bushings all round. I suspect getting this car to have more usable power is going to be a complete money pit.

Anyone got any ideas?

I need something that is:

• Small enough to fit in a garage that is 4.8m in length
• Cheap to fix, and I need to be able to fix it myself
• Cheap-ish to run, I don't want a 2,000KG saloon that is going to chew tires and brakes up every second track day
• RWD prefer
• Road legal
• Room to grow, so good aftermarket support and community

Am I still best just looking for another MX5? I've considered a Lotus Elise but they are approaching stupid money, 15k for an absolute shed is a rather bad joke. I've looked at Caterhams but again, you're looking at 10-15k for something that has spent the past 20 years of its life being absolutely hounded.

I'm hoping to spend sub £10k, closer to 6-7 area would be better.

Does what I'm after exist, or do I already have the right car?

[sanguinary]

£10k probably doesn’t get much these days. Adding more power may be the sensible option.

Rather than an Elise, how about a VX220? Can’t really lose money on them these days, for an added bonus.

I run supercharged version and can confirm the handling is exceptional.

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/19859036

Not mine, I hasten to add.

[TheLoraxxZeus]

sanguinary said:

£10k probably doesn t get much these days. Adding more power may be the sensible option.

Rather than an Elise, how about a VX220? Can t really lose money on them these days, for an added bonus.

I run supercharged version and can confirm the handling is exceptional.

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/19859036

Not mine, I hasten to add.

Has the same problem as the Elise, if I bin it and damage a panel badly a hammer isn't going to help me unfk it. Also like you said, you can't lose money on them because there aren't many of them but that means sourcing panels also won't be cheap?

Is yours purely a track car? I only need it to be road legal to get to and back from the track.

[Steve H]

As suggested, you don’t get far on £10k but I would suggest some flavour of 3 series is probably the best way to tick the boxes of pace, maintenance, parts availability, rwd.

But there’s not much that will get down to MX5 budget, modding your car for more power could be the way forward unless you actually fancy a change?

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Steve H said:

But there s not much that will get down to MX5 budget, modding your car for more power could be the way forward unless you actually fancy a change?

I'm perfectly happy with the platform, I was just wondering if there was an alternative that would suit that would be a better platform going forward.

[Crumpet]

Do you mind if I join in this thread?

I’ve caught the track day bug and have been using my 992.1 GTS, which is pretty fantastic but my ability to extract even 10% of its potential is limited by my lack of willingness to bend it and, maybe even more so, my lack of skill. On top of this the wear and tear is now showing a little and a day round Oulton Park recently has taken its toll on the tyres.

It sounds like I have similar requirements; rear wheel drive (don’t enjoy FWD), 200-300bhp, good brakes and somewhere between £10-20k.

I’ve browsed 370Zs, S2000s, MX5s and 987.2 Caymans. I did wonder about a GR Yaris and up the budget a bit or maybe an M2.

So I’m following this with interest.

[Steve H]

Crumpet said:

It sounds like I have similar requirements; rear wheel drive (don t enjoy FWD), 200-300bhp, good brakes and somewhere between £10-20k.

I ve browsed 370Zs, S2000s, MX5s and 987.2 Caymans. I did wonder about a GR Yaris and up the budget a bit or maybe an M2.

So I m following this with interest.

370 and S2k are a bit dubious on track in my experience, they can work but take a lot of work to make it happen.

Cayman is a great tool for the job but even a .2 987 is going to be 15 years old and a big engine bill can be most of the value of the car.

Yaris GRs are for people who don’t want to have to drive well on track. A brilliant A-B road car but on track they manage to be fast and yet rather unsatisfying IME.

M2 would work, or if you want to stay in budget then M3 would probably be a good option. 36/46/92 all still available for under £20k I think.

[itcaptainslow]

Not looked recently but is a GT86 available within that budget?

[Crumpet]

Steve H said:

370 and S2k are a bit dubious on track in my experience, they can work but take a lot of work to make it happen.

Cayman is a great tool for the job but even a .2 987 is going to be 15 years old and a big engine bill can be most of the value of the car.

Yaris GRs are for people who don t want to have to drive well on track. A brilliant A-B road car but on track they manage to be fast and yet rather unsatisfying IME.

M2 would work, or if you want to stay in budget then M3 would probably be a good option. 36/46/92 all still available for under £20k I think.

Yes, just quick research suggests, for example, that the 370 needs additional cooling and other mods to make it usable. I’m still at the point where I want to drive to the track in my car of choice, have fun and improve my driving, and then drive home in the same car. I don’t want to be carting a load of tools there and separate wheels and working on lap times - that’s another level. It needs to be fully road legal and fully usable.

Interesting what you say about the GR Yaris; I had a session with an instructor recently and he was fairly disparaging (disparaging is probably the wrong word) about the stuff that’s easy to drive fast. He was very much a fan of the rear driven, manual gearbox ‘drivers’ cars like my GTS.

Is an E92 a good track car?

[SAS Tom]

I think you need to work out what it is you’re looking for. Just doing a faster lap time won’t make it more fun.

One of the things I like about by MX5 is how playful it is. You can drive as fast as you can for as long as you want or you can slide around to your hearts content. I’ve considered making it grippier and faster round a lap but don’t want to make it too serious.

I also have a MK1 TT that will do faster laps almost anywhere but is nowhere near as fun.

[brillomaster]

An e85 or e86 z4. Early 3 litres can be picked up for under £4k, and have 230bhp. Later 3 litres or coupes up to £8k or so have 260bhp, from a lovely naturally aspirated straight six.

And since they share a lot of components with e46 3 series, theres loads of aftermarket support.

I picked up an early 3.0i for 3 grand a few years ago, all i changed to make it track ready were brake pads and tyres.

[brillomaster]

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20145237

This one would be just fine for some track work.

[sanguinary]

TheLoraxxZeus said:

Has the same problem as the Elise, if I bin it and damage a panel badly a hammer isn't going to help me unfk it. Also like you said, you can't lose money on them because there aren't many of them but that means sourcing panels also won't be cheap?

Is yours purely a track car? I only need it to be road legal to get to and back from the track.

The art is not to bin it. I say that in jest of course. I find, especially when driving to and from the cicuit, I attack the day to make sure I'm going home in one piece. Granted, other idiots may scupper that, but after 50+ trackdays over the years, I've only come close once and that was due to my inexperience.

However, you're correct. The VX220 isn't something you want to bin these days. The Elise may be more expensive, but body parts are more readily available. My car is primarily road use, but set up well enough for tracktime. Supercharged, light flywheel, uprated clutch, brakes, cams and suspension.

It is multipurpose though!



I started with MR2s, both Mk1 and Mk2 variants, so similar to the MX5. I think the poster above who said work out what you want from the day first and then match the car makes sense

[sanguinary]

brillomaster said:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20145237

This one would be just fine for some track work.

Always had a soft spot for these. I thought BMW got the design just right. Slightly ahead of its time, but grew into its looks.

[CABC]

get the 5 to just over 200hp and it'll still be playful and "quite quick". Can do that with a SC. 300 with a turbo.
Joining the power wars aint cheap. all track cars are money pits to one degree or another, the 5 on the lower end of the scale.
if you don't have the itch to change platform upgrading the 5 you have is the best option by some margin.

on a separate note, I really enjoyed the journey of developing my 5 step by step. chassis, suspension and power. each incremental mod an enlightening experience. Biggest change was bracing. cheap and very noticeable.

[brillomaster]

Oh also... a 987.1 boxster S. Had mine for 3 years now, all ive done to get it ready for trackdays is better brake pads.

280bhp, very strong brembo brakes, and its a porsche so you know its set up right. 2005 cars are too early for borescore issues, but late enough to have got on top of IMS issues. And the naturally aspirated flat 6 sounds glorious.

Something like this:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/19932868

[AB]

brillomaster said:

An e85 or e86 z4. Early 3 litres can be picked up for under £4k, and have 230bhp. Later 3 litres or coupes up to £8k or so have 260bhp, from a lovely naturally aspirated straight six.

And since they share a lot of components with e46 3 series, theres loads of aftermarket support.

I picked up an early 3.0i for 3 grand a few years ago, all i changed to make it track ready were brake pads and tyres.

I was thinking this as I was reading the thread.

Not a huge amount more to get into a Z4M.

[TheLoraxxZeus]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

SAS Tom said:

I think you need to work out what it is you re looking for. Just doing a faster lap time won t make it more fun.

One of the things I like about by MX5 is how playful it is. You can drive as fast as you can for as long as you want or you can slide around to your hearts content. I ve considered making it grippier and faster round a lap but don t want to make it too serious.

The overall faster lap time doesn't bother me that much, corner exit speed in the MX-5 is dire if it's tight or has an uphill section right after. It sucks the joy right out of it.

It's even worse on a long straight, if a very fast car is far back in your mirror you still have half the straight to go. So either you lift, losing the speed that takes you agest to build to or you have that car right up your arse, just for me to leave them in the dust after a corner or two and then they are right up my arse on the next straight again. Repeating this process all day is tiring, as it can result in me spending a lot of time letting cars past .

brillomaster said:

I picked up an early 3.0i for 3 grand a few years ago, all i changed to make it track ready were brake pads and tyres.

No suspension changes? There was a Z4 at track day other, not sure on age but looks similar. You also say fine for some track work, is this something I'll be able to hammer on say, 10+ track days per year?

sanguinary said:

The art is not to bin it. I say that in jest of course. I find, especially when driving to and from the cicuit, I attack the day to make sure I'm going home in one piece. Granted, other idiots may scupper that, but after 50+ trackdays over the years, I've only come close once and that was due to my inexperience.

I've yet to hit a barrier or "crash". I've had my fair share of gravel traps and visits to the grass. I think the weight of the car helps here, it loses momentum quickly and doesn't roll easily so...luck.

CABC said:

get the 5 to just over 200hp and it'll still be playful and "quite quick". Can do that with a SC. 300 with a turbo.
Joining the power wars aint cheap. all track cars are money pits to one degree or another, the 5 on the lower end of the scale.
if you don't have the itch to change platform upgrading the 5 you have is the best option by some margin.

on a separate note, I really enjoyed the journey of developing my 5 step by step. chassis, suspension and power. each incremental mod an enlightening experience. Biggest change was bracing. cheap and very noticeable.

I have considered this, and I have always planned to do it. Just the cost, the car isn't the best chassis. I've done a lot welding to the chassis legs, sills and 1 bit of the chassis rails. It's on original bushings, gearbox/engine mounts so the turbo path isn't as simple as slapping a turbo on it because all this stuff needs addressed (at least I think it does).

[Steve H]

Crumpet said:

Interesting what you say about the GR Yaris; I had a session with an instructor recently and he was fairly disparaging (disparaging is probably the wrong word) about the stuff that s easy to drive fast. He was very much a fan of the rear driven, manual gearbox drivers cars like my GTS.

Is an E92 a good track car?

That could have been me but if not it’s nice to know I’m not alone in that view.

E92 is a good thing, was once considered too heavy but not as much by current standards! Personally I prefer older/lighter but getting a nice clean 36 is harder than it used to be and they are very analog to drive compared to later stuff. Great fun and really pure but not familiar to everyone.

[Jonstar]

Spend a bit more and get a Caterham, epic fun on track. M3's and the like are too heavy and expensive to run, however they are much better built than Caterhams but the bar is low.