2K track car?

[matt 2LT]

basically im looking to get a track car instead of tracking my road car.

basically it neads to be under £2K

rear wheel drive

good handling

reliable/ cheap to maintain

reasonably light

and a decent amount of power.


also i won't be keeping it on the road, it will be garaged, and trailered to the track. as i don't fancy taxing/mot/insuring a car that will only be used around 10 times a year.


right so does a car exist that comes under this?

my only thoughts so far are a e36 328 coupe.

but what else is there out there?

cheers,
matt

[Ralf Rockefeller]

Do a search on here, if it works, as there ae plenty of topics like this.

They usually end with MX5.

It will suit your needs.

[Herman Toothrot]

For that budget mx5 or mk2 mr2 (you'd need to strip the MR2 to the bone though as they are quite lardy, on your side is that the lighter, stiffer, better tin tops are cheaper to buy than the T bars).

[BlueSmoke]

I'd like to build a budget track car, and I do mean budget.

Thinking about having a look around for something myself soon. My girlfriend would go bananas but what the hell, she'd get over it

It'd be lucky to get £100 a month spent on it for the first 6 months but it costs nothing to strip a car out and do some DIY. The ultimate aim would be to return to the 'Ring for the first time since I went as a passenger a few years back, in about 18 months' time. So plenty of time to get in some practise and get a car sorted bit by bit.

I'd be looking at an E36 328i myself if possible mate.

Mine would have to be road legal though, and I don't know the best way of insuring such a car!

[System-G]

I run a MK1 MR2 and have done so for many years as a regular trackdayer on a budget. I do around 4000 miles a year on track now, plus another 2 or 3 thou getting there and back.

Inital cost of the cars have varied from £60 to £500. But then another £1k - £1.5k on suspension, seats, harnesses, brake refurbs etc...

In an average year I spend around £600 on tyres, £180 on brake pads (3 sets), £60 on brake fluid (change every other month), £100 on oil & filters (changed every 2k), £300 on engine work (re-gasketing/seals/replacement parts etc..) I forget about fuel, but 2.5 - 3 tanks a day. I have the added advantage of working for a TDO where I don't need to pay for trackdays which really helps on the budget.

So you need to think if your £2k is going to buy you a car that you can track "out the box" or if you'll need to spend more making it trackable.

Also remember most reputable TDO's require the car to either be road legal or scrutineered in a current race series - so assuming it's not raced, you'll need it to be road legal too which adds to the cost.

[Herman Toothrot]

System-G said:

I run a MK1 MR2 and have done so for many years as a regular trackdayer on a budget. I do around 4000 miles a year on track now, plus another 2 or 3 thou getting there and back.

Inital cost of the cars have varied from £60 to £500. But then another £1k - £1.5k on suspension, seats, harnesses, brake refurbs etc...

In an average year I spend around £600 on tyres, £180 on brake pads (3 sets), £60 on brake fluid (change every other month), £100 on oil & filters (changed every 2k), £300 on engine work (re-gasketing/seals/replacement parts etc..) I forget about fuel, but 2.5 - 3 tanks a day. I have the added advantage of working for a TDO where I don't need to pay for trackdays which really helps on the budget.

So you need to think if your £2k is going to buy you a car that you can track "out the box" or if you'll need to spend more making it trackable.

Also remember most reputable TDO's require the car to either be road legal or scrutineered in a current race series - so assuming it's not raced, you'll need it to be road legal too which adds to the cost.

I've never been asked if my track cars road legal, been with bookatrack, easytrack, javeline, mse. It is but I'm planning on not bothering with keeping it road legal next year to save all the associated costs and avoid the hassles mot, tax, insurance, road legal tyres, passing emmission tests is the biggest thing.

[T89 Callan]

Fully prepped E30 325i for £1500

Build thread here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Also have a look at Sniff Diesels Ring Shed thread for similar but with an E36.

ETA Linky http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by T89 Callan on Tuesday 22 September 20:11

[appleyard]

BMW E30 325I TOURING BLACK MANUAL TRACK OR DRIFT CAR
Item condition: --
Time left: 5h 35m 7s (23 Sep, 200914:33:03 BST)
Bid history: 2 bids[Refresh]
Current bid: £360.00



Seller info
brookejordan2009 ( 87 [Feedback score is 50 to 99] )
96.8%
Item number: 270458175133

Any use? Apparently it will start on the black box. Cheap but..........

Feedback?

[scottbm]

i bought a bmw 328i sport on N reg for 2k but you can get them for a lot less. £500 on bits and bobs to start with and you can have a fast track car.
Once you get the BUG you can just spend lots and lots

Go for a Bmw 328 for £1200 and spend some money on polybushes, strut braces and maybe coilovers - job done 2K fast car
All bits on ebay, forums etc pretty cheap

My mate bought a mx5 for 1k but was not to impressed with the speed

good luck

[Munter]

Herman Toothrot said:

System-G said:

I run a MK1 MR2 and have done so for many years as a regular trackdayer on a budget. I do around 4000 miles a year on track now, plus another 2 or 3 thou getting there and back.

Inital cost of the cars have varied from £60 to £500. But then another £1k - £1.5k on suspension, seats, harnesses, brake refurbs etc...

In an average year I spend around £600 on tyres, £180 on brake pads (3 sets), £60 on brake fluid (change every other month), £100 on oil & filters (changed every 2k), £300 on engine work (re-gasketing/seals/replacement parts etc..) I forget about fuel, but 2.5 - 3 tanks a day. I have the added advantage of working for a TDO where I don't need to pay for trackdays which really helps on the budget.

So you need to think if your £2k is going to buy you a car that you can track "out the box" or if you'll need to spend more making it trackable.

Also remember most reputable TDO's require the car to either be road legal or scrutineered in a current race series - so assuming it's not raced, you'll need it to be road legal too which adds to the cost.

I've never been asked if my track cars road legal, been with bookatrack, easytrack, javeline, mse. It is but I'm planning on not bothering with keeping it road legal next year to save all the associated costs and avoid the hassles mot, tax, insurance, road legal tyres, passing emmission tests is the biggest thing.

I suspect so long as it looks in road car nick they are happy. I know the guy at MSE had a look around all the cars while the safety breifing was going on. And it wouldn't surprise me if others do similar.

I also suspect that if you had an accident where someone else got hurt. Were your car found to not be fit for use on the road (e.g. couldn't pass an MOT) there may be some legal issues for you.

[Lost my mojo]

Munter said:

Herman Toothrot said:

System-G said:

I run a MK1 MR2 and have done so for many years as a regular trackdayer on a budget. I do around 4000 miles a year on track now, plus another 2 or 3 thou getting there and back.

Inital cost of the cars have varied from £60 to £500. But then another £1k - £1.5k on suspension, seats, harnesses, brake refurbs etc...

In an average year I spend around £600 on tyres, £180 on brake pads (3 sets), £60 on brake fluid (change every other month), £100 on oil & filters (changed every 2k), £300 on engine work (re-gasketing/seals/replacement parts etc..) I forget about fuel, but 2.5 - 3 tanks a day. I have the added advantage of working for a TDO where I don't need to pay for trackdays which really helps on the budget.

So you need to think if your £2k is going to buy you a car that you can track "out the box" or if you'll need to spend more making it trackable.

Also remember most reputable TDO's require the car to either be road legal or scrutineered in a current race series - so assuming it's not raced, you'll need it to be road legal too which adds to the cost.

I've never been asked if my track cars road legal, been with bookatrack, easytrack, javeline, mse. It is but I'm planning on not bothering with keeping it road legal next year to save all the associated costs and avoid the hassles mot, tax, insurance, road legal tyres, passing emmission tests is the biggest thing.

I suspect so long as it looks in road car nick they are happy. I know the guy at MSE had a look around all the cars while the safety breifing was going on. And it wouldn't surprise me if others do similar.

I also suspect that if you had an accident where someone else got hurt. Were your car found to not be fit for use on the road (e.g. couldn't pass an MOT) there may be some legal issues for you.

You have to sign a form that says anything that happens on track is done so at your own risk and you have no come back on anyone or the organiser.

[chris7676]

Don't think the 328 will be quite cheap to maintain as the MX5 or MR2 MK1s but otherwise good power and handling with adjustability on the limit.