How much did your track car cost?
Discussion
I've been wanting to buy a car to track for months now.. I'm not sure if it's something I want to get started at, because I just know it'll slowly start to eat all my money.
Is it possible to do it on the cheap? Around £1000 for something like a hot hatch.. I know if I bought something, i'd gradually start doing small things to it, that would eventually add up to an absolute fortune!
Would it be cheaper to buy a car, and strip it/prep it myself.. Or buy one that someone has already prepped. Not competition prepped, but things like stripped out, upgraded suspension, brakes, seat etc.
How much did you guys spend on your track cars? Did yous buy them stripped, or do it all yourselves?
Is it possible to do it on the cheap? Around £1000 for something like a hot hatch.. I know if I bought something, i'd gradually start doing small things to it, that would eventually add up to an absolute fortune!
Would it be cheaper to buy a car, and strip it/prep it myself.. Or buy one that someone has already prepped. Not competition prepped, but things like stripped out, upgraded suspension, brakes, seat etc.
How much did you guys spend on your track cars? Did yous buy them stripped, or do it all yourselves?
Cheap is fine, you just have to choose well. This being PH an MX5 would have to be on the list as would 106GTi/Saxo VTS, maybe old 16v Clio etc.
Most of your options are along the hot-hatch lines but you could look at E30 beemers (or the MX) if you wanted rwd.
Obviously the mods that may come later can add a lot to the end cost but many of these cars will be fine to intro you to trackdays on a budget.
Steve H
Most of your options are along the hot-hatch lines but you could look at E30 beemers (or the MX) if you wanted rwd.
Obviously the mods that may come later can add a lot to the end cost but many of these cars will be fine to intro you to trackdays on a budget.
Steve H
My 325 cost me £400. In the 4 years since, I've spent thousands on it. See the costs Here and weep with me! 
The trouble with buying a pre-prepped car is that there are a lot of jokers around with dreamy ideas about how much their cars are worth. Taking the carpet out and fitting a race seat does not add a grand to the value.
The trouble with buying a pre-prepped car is that there are a lot of jokers around with dreamy ideas about how much their cars are worth. Taking the carpet out and fitting a race seat does not add a grand to the value.
Edited by agent006 on Friday 2nd April 18:05
Cheers Steve. I've been looking around the net at the prices of the Saxo VTS, and also something like the Nissan Almera GTi.
What modifications are essential to take a road car out onto the track? Brakes? Or how would a stock road car fair on the road.
Another thing is actually getting to the track.. I'm 19, so it'll be hard to get covered on any sort of quick hot hatch; nevermind a modified one. Do many people drive their cars to the track, or do any trailer them?
What modifications are essential to take a road car out onto the track? Brakes? Or how would a stock road car fair on the road.
Another thing is actually getting to the track.. I'm 19, so it'll be hard to get covered on any sort of quick hot hatch; nevermind a modified one. Do many people drive their cars to the track, or do any trailer them?
agent006 said:
My 325 cost me £400. In the 4 years since, I've spent thousands on it. See the costs Here and weep with me!
The trouble with buying a pre-prepped car is that there are a lot of jokers around with dreamy ideas about how much their cars are worth. Taking the carpet out and fitting a race seat does not add a grand to the value.
That is pretty cringe worthy.. £500 turns into £12k..The trouble with buying a pre-prepped car is that there are a lot of jokers around with dreamy ideas about how much their cars are worth. Taking the carpet out and fitting a race seat does not add a grand to the value.
Edited by agent006 on Friday 2nd April 18:05
Mine was my daily driver but modifications over time turned it into a track only car it was £4K 4 years ago but by the time it hits the 1st trackday this year it'll stand at about three times that cost. However considering performance under about 100mph is well into the supercar league (350ish bhp/tonne hopefully) its still cheap.
There are always plenty of track cars for sale & it is much cheaper to buy one already built. I would have thought insurance would be your biggest problem though. I would look for something with decent suspension (not eBay coilovers) that has already proved reliable on the track.
My latest cost me less than 2k and is a road legal ex racer. 180 bhp and 950 kg makes it fairly quick.
You don't need big brakes but you do need reasonable pads - like mintex 1155s.
My latest cost me less than 2k and is a road legal ex racer. 180 bhp and 950 kg makes it fairly quick.
You don't need big brakes but you do need reasonable pads - like mintex 1155s.
Edited by edh on Friday 2nd April 22:07
Conor D said:
Cheers Steve. I've been looking around the net at the prices of the Saxo VTS, and also something like the Nissan Almera GTi.
What modifications are essential to take a road car out onto the track? Brakes? Or how would a stock road car fair on the road.
Another thing is actually getting to the track.. I'm 19, so it'll be hard to get covered on any sort of quick hot hatch; nevermind a modified one. Do many people drive their cars to the track, or do any trailer them?
I wouldn't go for the Almera TBH, unless I'm very wrong it is a sparkled road car rather than a potential track toy. What modifications are essential to take a road car out onto the track? Brakes? Or how would a stock road car fair on the road.
Another thing is actually getting to the track.. I'm 19, so it'll be hard to get covered on any sort of quick hot hatch; nevermind a modified one. Do many people drive their cars to the track, or do any trailer them?
You could run the Saxo straight onto the track so long as it's in decent nick, uprated brake pads and fresh fluid would be nice but the rest should be good to go. I'd avoid anything with modded suspension etc on it if you can, the one lady owner original car is the thing to look for (if you can find such a thing) as a lot of the mods make them work much worse unless you are cruising at Mac Ds
I'd guess that 3/4 of cars are driven to and from the circuit but it's not unusual to trailer so whatever works best for you is fine.
Conor D said:
Another thing is actually getting to the track.. I'm 19, so it'll be hard to get covered on any sort of quick hot hatch; nevermind a modified one. Do many people drive their cars to the track, or do any trailer them?
THe other thing on this is that as a car is modified to be more fun on track, it gets less fun on road. My BMW is pretty much too compromised for road use now due to its track mods. The suspension is a bit too hard, the brakes are a nightmare to keep warm and it's always in the wrong gear. Tax is up in July and it'll become just a track car from then and I'll trailer it around the place.The problem with being 19 is that your license isn't a care blanche to tow anything. You can fudge round the rules with a trailer that weighs in total less than the car you're towing with but it's a mindfield. VOSA are very hot on this at the moment and the penalty isn't your usual 3 points and £60 either. The easiest way is to get hold of your B+E license for a couple of hundred quid then you can tow up to 3.5 tonnes (obv within the limits of the tow car).
The other benefit of towing to track is that you've got more scope for taking tools and spares. My only problem is storing the trailer overnight on longer trips as they can be a bit of a pikey magnet. If possible I try and leave it at the track now, but if I have to park it at hotels etc then I always take the car off it (the trailer's rented, not mine) so they'll not have that away too.
...best part of 30k! (car & mods)
How about an Escort 1.8 like this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1479109.htm
Enough poke to have some fun, super reliable and most importantly dirt cheap to replace the suspension/steering/brake parts that you will inevitably wear out on track.
Also cheap to replace if you total it, just switch the good spares over.
Enough poke to have some fun, super reliable and most importantly dirt cheap to replace the suspension/steering/brake parts that you will inevitably wear out on track.
Also cheap to replace if you total it, just switch the good spares over.
Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff