Which track car for £2-3k

[Raw Cerb]

I am considering juggling my fleet and having an HDI as the main high mileage car, cerb for weekends+ and a second road/trackcar for fun, track plus around 3000 miles a year on the road. I would dearly like a rear wheel drive, though am open to advice, as I am a novice in this area (done around 4 track days in a 350z and one in a cerb).

Come guys, help me out.

(Actually I could stretch to 5000 max0

Edited by Raw Cerb on Thursday 27th May 10:58

[rb5230]

205/306 gti, 328i or a cheap impreza at the lower end of your budget.

or m3, impreza sti type-ra, evo, gt4, sapphire cosworth, skyline at the top end of the budget.

[joe_90]

I got a 325 (cheap, good balance, rwd) = 500 quid
Set of BBS split rims = 300
GAZ GHA Coilovers £648.80
GAZ Shortened Front Anti Roll Bar Drop Links for pre 09/92 cars (pair) £60
Powerflex Front arm bush set £39.95
Powerflex Rear trailing arm bush set £39.95
Ferodo DS2500 front pad set £115.17
Rose jointed Front camber/castor top mount pair £122.95
Rose jointed Rear top mount pair £99.95

Blagged a set of disks all round..

£2K - just need a seat, steering wheel and a cheapo cross brace for the front (will weld a bar in the back)

(and getting a cage made up, using a pipe bender and someone that will weld it in for £50)

I have not factored in changing the oil etc.. and a rear bearing for £20. oh and the matt black spray cans and stickers )

Already have tools, and fluid for brakes etc.




With another 1K I would get a set of Race Pro Dynamics 1.2 8J with R888's .. At the moment with another child on the way.. We cannot.

Edited by joe_90 on Thursday 27th May 11:53

[porka944s]

Get a 944 you know you want to.

[edh]

E36 328i - best value by far (read up on nikasil though )

- I was at the 'ring this weekend & a mate had his 177k miles 328i. Still standard engine / manifold, relatively cheap suapension - KW v1 & Eibach, V70a's, M3 brakes, semi stripped. It sounded lovely, felt very solid and neutral, and had huge amounts of grip.

He was filmed doing an 8.38 BTG apparently - and I know the car is quick because I followed it on a couple of laps

944S2 would be a similar pace, but will be more expensive to buy, prepare and run. 944 2.5 would just be slow.

[Cavey]

I can recommend this:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1747261.htm

but I do have a vested interest!

[spad78]

I agree that a 328i is the best choice for that. They are just so much fun and easy on the limit, plus if you come off hard, your biggest problem is getting home.

[T89 Callan]

I have a fully prepared 325i E30 BMW for sale for £2k, fresh from a rebuild

[Matt UK]

If RWD is a priority, you could do a lot worse than a Mk1 MX5.

Cheap, good balance, chuckable, mechanically strong, easy to upgrade.

Edited by Matt UK on Saturday 29th May 23:57

[Herman Toothrot]

mk3 MR2, MX5, MR2 turbo that sort of thing I'd look at.

[Raw Cerb]

Herman Toothrot said:

mk3 MR2, MX5, MR2 turbo that sort of thing I'd look at.

Thanks. Me like MR2s, Mx5 and M3 3.0. Time to start browsing

[Jubal]

They are all good choices, I've run some of them myself. But at the top of your budget my old track day car is up for sale by the current owner. This is a huge amount of car for the money (300+bhp/ton) with tiny running costs if you can live with the on-road compromise.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1752194.htm

[CDP]

You may well get a Locost or Westfield for that money. Quite a few second hand racers too.

Failing that MX5, MR2, MG TF, 328, or the Japanese stuff.

There's that MGB GT on Shed of The Week too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mazda-MX-5-Race-Car-Eunos-Ma...

[GravelBen]

Matt UK said:

If RWD is a priority, you could do a lot worse than a Mk1 MX5.

Cheap, good balance, chuckable, mechanically strong, easy to upgrade.

This.

[CDP]

Jubal said:

They are all good choices, I've run some of them myself. But at the top of your budget my old track day car is up for sale by the current owner. This is a huge amount of car for the money (300+bhp/ton) with tiny running costs if you can live with the on-road compromise.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1752194.htm

It's out of your budget but you could get a car engined example for a lot less.

The big advantage is low weight which means you don't destroy your brakes and tyres every outing. Also it's easy on the drive-train.

The MX5 beats the MR2 on ease of repairs; it's such a simple car. I never did any work on my '2 as it was too hard to reach anything. The TF's even worse. It doesn't matter too much on an everyday car which just takes servicing but a track car needs a lot more attention.

Of course few things are easier to fix than a seven.