BEC Westfield type or Lotus Elise for track day fun?

[leemarkadams]

Hello, as title really....

Want to get a car to throw around a track and use for the occassional weekend blast, but also want reasonable running costs, so am thinking of an early Elise or an R1 powered Westfield type car.

I know the Elise has a bit more practicality, and is a bit slower, but what are other people's thoughts?

Many thanks

Lee

[matt frost]

Hard to answwer for someone else really;

A BEC will obviously be faster and more fun to drive, it just depends how much you want to use it really as obviously BEC's come with no doors, windscreen, windows etc and if you put them on then you have brought the wrong car.

Edited by matt frost on Wednesday 12th November 11:42

[leemarkadams]

Thanks, happy with that, I guess I am just seeing what options I have really.

Am quite taken with the idea of a BEC, BUT the wife is a bit reluctant, even though I would be the main/only user!

[matt frost]

What BEC are you mainly looking at?

Westfield/Mk/Tiger etc etc?

Westfield kits only work/come with Hayabusa and Fireblade engines, so you don't get many R1's in those. R1's are very popular in Mk's though.

Another factor which could sway you over a Lotus is whether you want to build or not.

But it basically summed it up in my first reply, the BEC's will be faster in a straight line and round track and more fun, but only worthwhile if you can get around the impracticality.

[Herman Toothrot]

Depends on if you'll want to use the car other than on a track. I had a passenger ride in a BEC Westfield and it was fantastic, but the owner said even driving it to events was a pain in the behind and if he had space he'd get a trailer.

[leemarkadams]

Herman Toothrot said:

Depends on if you'll want to use the car other than on a track. I had a passenger ride in a BEC Westfield and it was fantastic, but the owner said even driving it to events was a pain in the behind and if he had space he'd get a trailer.

That is my only concern, but hoping to get out in one very soon and see whether I could tolerate using one...

Between us, I fancy a bike, but the wife will not let me get one, and there is no room for manouvre there, as she is a nurse and will not even think about me getting one..............a BEC could be almost as good however?

[jleroux]

kit cars are unreliable. bike engined ones exponentially so. don't buy one unless you're an experienced and willing beard.

Jonny

[leemarkadams]

jleroux said:

kit cars are unreliable. bike engined ones exponentially so. don't buy one unless you're an experienced and willing beard.

Jonny

Fair point, but I am happy to wield a set of spanners (does that qualify me as a beard......really hope not!)

[stew-S160]

if it was purely for track purposes, then the car specifically designed for it would be best. get the westy.

i own an elise, but i'd probably swap in an instant for the right caterfield thingy.

[leemarkadams]

stew-S160 said:

if it was purely for track purposes, then the car specifically designed for it would be best. get the westy.

i own an elise, but i'd probably swap in an instant for the right caterfield thingy.

I know, but I would use it for the odd weekend blast on a nice day.......

[Jubal]

jleroux said:

kit cars are unreliable. bike engined ones exponentially so. don't buy one unless you're an experienced and willing beard.

Jonny

It's an opinion Jonny. But get the basics right and there's no reason a kit can't blat round all day as reliably as any other car. They aren't inherently unreliable just because they're kits. It's because someone built them badly.

[Ipelm]

I find driving without a screen or side screen really good fun (get good quality ear plugs.) as for driving to circuits the only real pain are speed bumps in garage forcourts, you know the ones, rubberised type, ground clearance wise.
The sound of the engine at high revs is really cool and puts a big smile on your face. big performance for little money. Make sure you use the clutch properly and its fitted with barnet springs.
Make sure whayever engine you chose has dry sump if its nec to get decent ground clearance. I have seen some Hyabusa BEC's without and dont know how that would work in the real world?

[RMac]

If you really like spanners and have loads of time on your hands then you won't beat the thrill of a bike engined caterham. If you have to go for some other kind of 7 then good luck.

If you just enjoy driving then I would start with an elise - massively capable car, easy to live with, have stereos, heaters and windscreen wipers. Obviously try to go for a well maintaned one.

[gixermark]

there are loads of us with BECs that are ex bikers... for numerous reasons.. and yes they are the next best thing.. an elise is good at what it is - but i f you want a frantic revvy track day toy that you can also take out for a blat on the roads a BEC seven will be hard to beat.

[jleroux]

Jubal said:

jleroux said:

kit cars are unreliable. bike engined ones exponentially so. don't buy one unless you're an experienced and willing beard.

Jonny

It's an opinion Jonny. But get the basics right and there's no reason a kit can't blat round all day as reliably as any other car. They aren't inherently unreliable just because they're kits. It's because someone built them badly.

I disagree (obviously!). A (quick) kit car will achieve it's performance by lightweight. In order to achieve lightness you will invariably have to sacrifice on many of the aspects of a cars design that make larger cars more robust.

I'm not "having a go" at the Kit Car manufacturers by any means - that's what they're all about. But you'd be incredibly naive to buy a BEC and expect the same level of reliability as you're average Lotus Elise let alone an Audi/BMW!

Worth adding though that my comments were meant to be relative, not absolute. I'm not saying that *all* kit cars are nails - just that on average you will spend significantly longer under the bonnet of the average kit car than you will the average Lotus Elise.

Jonny
BaT

[matt frost]

jleroux said:

Jubal said:

jleroux said:

kit cars are unreliable. bike engined ones exponentially so. don't buy one unless you're an experienced and willing beard.

Jonny

It's an opinion Jonny. But get the basics right and there's no reason a kit can't blat round all day as reliably as any other car. They aren't inherently unreliable just because they're kits. It's because someone built them badly.

I disagree (obviously!). A (quick) kit car will achieve it's performance by lightweight. In order to achieve lightness you will invariably have to sacrifice on many of the aspects of a cars design that make larger cars more robust.

I'm not "having a go" at the Kit Car manufacturers by any means - that's what they're all about. But you'd be incredibly naive to buy a BEC and expect the same level of reliability as you're average Lotus Elise let alone an Audi/BMW!

Worth adding though that my comments were meant to be relative, not absolute. I'm not saying that *all* kit cars are nails - just that on average you will spend significantly longer under the bonnet of the average kit car than you will the average Lotus Elise.

Jonny
BaT

I disagree - BEC's have very little in them and the less you have, the less that can go wrong. I have never had an Elise so can't compare to that, but the statement wasn't what was more reliable, but that kit cars are unreliable. But they aren't - It all comes down to how well they were built by the owner and how well they are maintained.

Never had a problem with the Westy Busa and many other owners would say the same.

[jleroux]

OK - rather than start WW3, how about I change my comments to say:-

Kit cars are less reliable than production cars. It will be easier and cheaper to run a kit car if you are able and willing to get your hands dirty.

I'm only going on personal experience but I see FAR more kit cars break down on our track days (as a percentage of those booked up) than I see production cars (including Elises).

Jonny
BaT

[Get Karter]

Is it possible fit a set of track wheels in an Elise? (pax seat area and 'boot')?

That might swing the decision......

[jleroux]

no, you can just about get 2 x rears in the PASSENGER seat but nothing in the boot.

[juansolo]

jleroux said:

kit cars are unreliable. bike engined ones exponentially so. don't buy one unless you're an experienced and willing beard.

My current one is magnificently reliable....