What track car would you buy between these two ??
Discussion
Thinking about getting back into doing some track days and want a road legal track car, nothing too expensive just already prepared for the track, fun and RWD.
Everybody says an MX5 so heres one already prepared -
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2423456.htm
No doubt fun but maybe it will become frustrating as you get use to the power and want more quickly ?
Then theres this BMW saloon which appears to have been well prepared by a motorsport outfit -
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2383322.htm
Nice to have a bit more metal around you as well.
Everybody says an MX5 so heres one already prepared -
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2423456.htm
No doubt fun but maybe it will become frustrating as you get use to the power and want more quickly ?
Then theres this BMW saloon which appears to have been well prepared by a motorsport outfit -
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2383322.htm
Nice to have a bit more metal around you as well.
The Mx-5 looks great and has a small fortune in parts spent on it and it would be epic fun, in terms of power the Mx is fairly lightweight so nail the corner speeds right and you'll be keeping up with some expensive machinery, there are alot of mx5 specialists about and if you find yourself wanting more power there are alot of Throttle body, supercharger and turbo kits available.
The BM is the opposite to the Mx as it has more weight but more power so it's a swings and round abouts situation.
I'd say it's down to personal taste and what you'd feel most at home in on the road and track.
If it was me I'd go for the MX5 for cheap running costs , 1 of the best rear drive chassis ever made and if you break something parts are cheap.
it also has lots more upgrade potential for not masses of dosh.

The BM is the opposite to the Mx as it has more weight but more power so it's a swings and round abouts situation.
I'd say it's down to personal taste and what you'd feel most at home in on the road and track.
If it was me I'd go for the MX5 for cheap running costs , 1 of the best rear drive chassis ever made and if you break something parts are cheap.
it also has lots more upgrade potential for not masses of dosh.
swtmerce said:
I'd hardly call the quality of the rollcage welding on the BMW from a professional motorsport outfit.
"22 point FIA 'SPEC' Touring Car roll cage" note the word spec which implies it's probably not certificated nor certified, but I don't think you'll exactly be competing in the DTM so aslong as it's triangulated in the right places and has appropriate mounting points and proper Tig welded or powerful enough Gas mig welds etc it'll be fine. swtmerce said:
I'd hardly call the quality of the rollcage welding on the BMW from a professional motorsport outfit.
"22 point FIA 'SPEC' Touring Car roll cage" note the word spec which implies it's probably not certificated nor certified, but I don't think you'll exactly be competing in the DTM so aslong as it's triangulated in the right places and has appropriate mounting points and proper Tig welded or powerful enough Gas mig welds etc it'll be fine. harryowl said:
Get an mx5 but this one instead
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1995023.htm
Tried ringing this number several times as i was interested in buying the car but got no answer.http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1995023.htm
Ican vouch for the mx5 as a brilliant track car as i tracked mine dozens of times. Only thing it lacked was straight line speed hence my interest in the above car.roddo said:
Simon
before you dismiss the mx5 for its low power have you ever been on a track in one?
I will be @ Brands on the 31st jan feel free to come and have a go in mine.
I'm sure you will go and buy one if you take me up on my offer.......
Epic track car......
Paul
Hi there - can I take you up on your offer please Paul ? Weather doesn't look to bad and I can get the day off.before you dismiss the mx5 for its low power have you ever been on a track in one?
I will be @ Brands on the 31st jan feel free to come and have a go in mine.
I'm sure you will go and buy one if you take me up on my offer.......
Epic track car......
Paul
SimonV8ster said:
Thinking about getting back into doing some track days and want a road legal track car, nothing too expensive just already prepared for the track, fun and RWD.
I reckon I've got the perfect car for you well within budget, fully track prepped Porsche 924S- the 2.5 Porsche engined one.

Quick spec-
EMC motorsports engine to 944 spec 165bhp 4.5k road miles 3 track days £4k worth
Full cage- Safety Devices
Leda coilovers £1500 worth! fantastic adjustable race suspension not a cheap 'fast road' set up.
Buckets
Harnesses
Race pads
Race fluid
Various tyres road & slicks & wheels
etc etc
Is fair bit brisker pace wise than a non forced induction mx5, & I've got a track prepped supercharged mx5 also & the Porker has the edge on track, as its a far more focused track car that is soo easy to drive very hard.
924s & 944lux are cracking little track cars, rare to see them on track I can't work out why, classic insurance is pennies, they are light when stripped, tough & consuambles are peanuts- discs £30 odd, full race pads £60 for all round, engines if you were unlucky to pop one £150 ish for good used units.
SimonV8ster said:
roddo said:
Simon
before you dismiss the mx5 for its low power have you ever been on a track in one?
I will be @ Brands on the 31st jan feel free to come and have a go in mine.
I'm sure you will go and buy one if you take me up on my offer.......
Epic track car......
Paul
Hi there - can I take you up on your offer please Paul ? Weather doesn't look to bad and I can get the day off.before you dismiss the mx5 for its low power have you ever been on a track in one?
I will be @ Brands on the 31st jan feel free to come and have a go in mine.
I'm sure you will go and buy one if you take me up on my offer.......
Epic track car......
Paul
You are very welcome...
Almost anyone at brands will send you in my direction or lookout fot the two race cars.
Ps if you want to ring me my number is 07770 566599
Look forward to meeting you
Paul Roddison
SimonV8ster said:
roddo said:
Simon
before you dismiss the mx5 for its low power have you ever been on a track in one?
I will be @ Brands on the 31st jan feel free to come and have a go in mine.
I'm sure you will go and buy one if you take me up on my offer.......
Epic track car......
Paul
Hi there - can I take you up on your offer please Paul ? Weather doesn't look to bad and I can get the day off.before you dismiss the mx5 for its low power have you ever been on a track in one?
I will be @ Brands on the 31st jan feel free to come and have a go in mine.
I'm sure you will go and buy one if you take me up on my offer.......
Epic track car......
Paul
You are very welcome...
Almost anyone at brands will send you in my direction or lookout fot the two race cars.
Ps if you want to ring me my number is 07770 566599
Look forward to meeting you
Paul Roddison
I'm biased as I have an MX5 turbo but I would go with an MX5. Cheap and easy to work on especially if you leave it fairly standard. They are great if you are a beginner and even if you are experienced the low power and lower grip levels mean you really have to concentrate on your lines and momentum to get the most from it.
roddo said:
No problem at all........
You are very welcome...
Almost anyone at brands will send you in my direction or lookout fot the two race cars.
Look forward to meeting you
Paul Roddison
Thanks Paul - see you on Monday. I have taken a note of your number so you can edit it out from the above posts if you want - to stop any internet loonies phoning you !! You are very welcome...
Almost anyone at brands will send you in my direction or lookout fot the two race cars.
Look forward to meeting you
Paul Roddison

or for the best of both worlds, how about an MX5 with 276bhp - I'll bet it's a hoot round a track!
I see it's still for sale, although costs a bit more than the other cars you were looking at :
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6...
I see it's still for sale, although costs a bit more than the other cars you were looking at :
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6...
Don't think MX5s are slow just because they don't have a lot of power - their handling more than makes up for it.
I just did a quick look-up of lap times of the Ma5da Racing cars at Oulton (only as it's my local track) last year and the quickest MX5s were going around in 2:06+. I couldn't see any equivalent info on the Porsche 924 Championship website but it does say the 924 lap record is 2:05.355. Given that the 924s are on 888s (if I remember rightly) and the MX5s on Hankooks, they're pretty evenly matched I'd say.
I just did a quick look-up of lap times of the Ma5da Racing cars at Oulton (only as it's my local track) last year and the quickest MX5s were going around in 2:06+. I couldn't see any equivalent info on the Porsche 924 Championship website but it does say the 924 lap record is 2:05.355. Given that the 924s are on 888s (if I remember rightly) and the MX5s on Hankooks, they're pretty evenly matched I'd say.
The Mx5 in the first post is mine. Ive been innundated with interest in the car so havent been able to answer all calls. The car is now provisionally sold, subject to collection at the weekend.
As one of the earlier posters stated, i have spent a fortune on this car getting it to the specification it is now and am selling at a significant loss - such is life! The car mechanically wants for nothing and is ready out of the box for track work or fast road, its taken me 2 years to develop it to how it is now.
The Mx5 is great fun on track, only selling due to a new job with time constraints and having an ex race Caterham in the garage gathering dust!
Matt
Ps re the Martini graphics, just a bit of fun. Its a copy of the Lotus 1979 Type 79 F1 car driven by Andretti. it certainly stands out with the red wheels!
As one of the earlier posters stated, i have spent a fortune on this car getting it to the specification it is now and am selling at a significant loss - such is life! The car mechanically wants for nothing and is ready out of the box for track work or fast road, its taken me 2 years to develop it to how it is now.
The Mx5 is great fun on track, only selling due to a new job with time constraints and having an ex race Caterham in the garage gathering dust!
Matt
Ps re the Martini graphics, just a bit of fun. Its a copy of the Lotus 1979 Type 79 F1 car driven by Andretti. it certainly stands out with the red wheels!
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