Track Day Car

[BRAVO_CT]

Hi,

After attending another RaceMaster experience at Brands Hatch this weekend, I've decided I want a track car, however I'm not sure on what car would be best for a novice? I'd ideally like something which can still be used on the road and is tuneable for when I want a bit more power. Would RWD be better than FWD? Budget will depend on whether it would be my main car or a weekend toy.

Thanks

Chris

[Munter]

Oh god. I fear the real answer may actually be MX5?

Cheap, light, good power upgrades available off the shelf....

Or a mk1 Mr2 but power upgrades are harder to find.

Obviously if you can go hardcare a 7 of some kind is a good choise...

[james28]

plenty of cars to choose from and i dont agree rear wheel drive is better for a novice.The car of choice for me would be a golf gti mk1 or 2 or a peugeot rallye for fwd
and for rwd it would be a 325i sport or a nice mx5

[Get Karter]

Go along to a trackday at the track you expect to be doing trackdays at, and see what cars are on track. Talk to the owners and get passenger rides. Then you'll get a feel for what you'd like to drive on track.
It could be a Seven; it could be a Saxo.

[TryingHard]

Take a browse around the motorsport section of the classifieds will give you some ideas. However, that is no substitute for having passenger rides etc. on track.

You mentioned modifying. My advice will be that if you plan to modify the car it is much much cheaper to get one that has already been done. The track bug is addictive and if you buy a standard car often you end up spending the same amount again on track bits.

Also upgrading power....easier just to get a more powerful car in the first place. Personally I would go RWD (but there are quick Golf GTI's, 205's etc. about).

Edited by TryingHard on Wednesday 18th February 10:15

[Simon Mason]

Another car that makes sense as a track day toy these days is the Renault Clio 172 and 182 Cup's. Plenty fast enough as they are with lots of scope to make faster. Arguably the last of the true GTi's before all the gizmo's like ABS, and ESP took over on everything.

[anonymous-user]

again i think a clio 172 is the ideal choice. you can pick them up for around £2K for a 2000-2002 car and its a great chassis which you can get into angles far more acquainted with rear wheel drive cars.

172 bhp should be more than enough for a few years whilst your driving skill improves and even then the obligatory upgraded filters and exhausts could get you a few more bhp. all said though, instruction, some good sticky tyres, uprated discs and pads and some stiffer springs will be cash better spent than more power... more power is the pikey solution to going faster, i was always from the Chapman school of engineering!!!

[Lost my mojo]

Surely the car also depends on what the budget is? Unless I missed that bit?

911 GT3RS has got to be up there? Although with my budget its not quite an option.

[anonymous-user]

Lost my mojo said:

Surely the car also depends on what the budget is? Unless I missed that bit?

911 GT3RS has got to be up there? Although with my budget its not quite an option.

or he could just get his cock enlarged and have done with it...

[Simon Mason]

pablo said:

Lost my mojo said:

Surely the car also depends on what the budget is? Unless I missed that bit?

911 GT3RS has got to be up there? Although with my budget its not quite an option.

or he could just get his cock enlarged and have done with it...

Having driven a 997 RS on track I can tell you, you would'nt care what people think, they are truely THE best road/track compromise car you can buy bar none IMO... But lets face it for the money it needs to be!!!

[anonymous-user]

Simon Mason said:

pablo said:

Lost my mojo said:

Surely the car also depends on what the budget is? Unless I missed that bit?

911 GT3RS has got to be up there? Although with my budget its not quite an option.

or he could just get his cock enlarged and have done with it...

Having driven a 997 RS on track I can tell you, you would'nt care what people think, they are truely THE best road/track compromise car you can buy bar none IMO... But lets face it for the money it needs to be!!!

i'm sure they are, and i trust your opinion... from experience though, the owners bought them because of that very fact, that it is the best rather than as a reflection of their own driving ability or a desire to sample the capability of the car. not that it really matters, no one should have to be able to drive well before you own a fast track car but standing around in the paddock and telling everyone its the best track car you can buy when you holding up traffic or whatever makes me chuckle.

[Claerbus]

However great/not great they may be, I hardly think that any 911/996/997 is a good place to start for a novice ? - It'd be RWD for me and either a 7 or mx5.

[Jubal]

Claerbus said:

However great/not great they may be, I hardly think that any 911/996/997 is a good place to start for a novice ? - It'd be RWD for me and either a 7 or mx5.

It's all budget dependent. A 7 and an MX5 can't really be considered alternatives for each other except in the most fundamental sense or where very loose criteria are involved. If I'd had the cash I'd have had a GT3 day one. However, I followed the classic path to track day ownership - drive "sporty" road car on track, realise road car is ste, upgrade road car, realise am spending far too much money, so buy prepped 205, learn to fix it/keep it running, get bored with FWD, buy 7, get used to 130bhp, upgrade to 170bhp, get fed up with open top motoring on cold days, sell 7, buy prepped MR2 Turbo. The saga is ongoing but a man needs a hobby!

[Jamz]

You can get quite a few decent cars during this current climate... i have just upgraded my old track car (mondeo st24) to a Subaru Impreza

[Bayliss V6]

I have a clio williams i use for trackdaying which is forsale at the moment, its had virtually every mod done to it (barring throttle bodies or turbo) and is good fun to drive handles really well. There are some videos on youtube if you want to see what its like on track also comes with a spare set of wheels with full racing slicks on (Ex clio cup tyres when they used to be 172/182's)

heres a Pic

[Lost my mojo]

Claerbus said:

However great/not great they may be, I hardly think that any 911/996/997 is a good place to start for a novice ? - It'd be RWD for me and either a 7 or mx5.

A 911 GT3 RS would be RWD?

Maybe a 911 Turbo would be safer being AWD :-)