Best M car for track day...

[lgomgf]

I need help from you guys.

Which M car is the best track day car... It will do nothing else other than go to the track and come back. Must be road legal because I am not in the mood to drag it on a trailer and also I would like to keep it on a budget, about 10k to buy it and I am willing to put another 5k to update/upgrade it.

[mmm-five]

It'd have to be an e36/e46 M3.

Buying an e36 will mean you have a fair bit more budget left over to spend on upgrades.

Edited by mmm-five on Thursday 10th May 14:54

[Paul_M3]

I disagree that an e36 would need more on upgrades.

Both would need suspension and brakes upgrading. The e46 stuff would probably be more expensive.

I'd choose an e36 for track use. No doubt. It's lighter, and just as quick in a straight line. (and obviously much cheaper to buy)

(I've tracked both by the way, although they were my everyday road cars as well as being a track toy)

[jontysafe]

you`d be better off spending 15 on a good Z4M Coupe

[mrmr96]

Paul_M3 said:

I disagree that an e36 would need more on upgrades.

I think he meant that the E36 would be cheaper, so therefore more money left over for upgrades.

[E30M3SE]

For track day fun what about a ZM Coupe?

{url]http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3824793.htm[/url]

[lgomgf]

E30M3SE said:

For track day fun what about a ZM Coupe?

I don't like the looks of the Z3 M Coupe, but what about the driving qualities? Anyone here that has one care to comment and if possible compare to other M cars?

[Butters]

I would have to say E36 M3 all day long. As mentioned it's cheaper to buy than an E46 M3, lighter and really does not require any additional upgrades over the E46. There are so many off the shelf parts available for both too making these cars very straight forward to turn into a serious track car.

For £15K you could actually build a great E46 M3 track car but I would seriously consider going for the E36 and keeping a fund for consumables and actually using the car on track.

There are plenty of E36 track cars currently being built with diaries on this forum in Reader's Rides and E36Coupe.com. The latter is a fantastic technical resource too.

I have created an E36 M3 Evo track car with 4 friends and we've all used it for the last two years in a syndicate. The car has performed flawlessly and there isn't much that get's past to be honest. Amazing what a well spec'd M3 can do on a track. It's been so good I have just left the syndicate to create my own car so that we're not sharing all the time and can enjoy getting on track together.

Build thread here if you're interested...

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

Keep us posted with what you decide and good luck on your search for the right car.

James.

[NickXX]

Z3M coupe would be an interesting track car, but would come with too much ballache w.r.t. obtaining Z3M parts - I.e. upgraded suspension parts, and body panels. They're also carrying a fair bit of scene tax these days too unfortunately.

e36 M3 would be my bet. Loads of cheap parts kicking about, and lots of e36s/e36 M3s are being broken these days which makes parts easy to get hold of. Lots of choice in terms of suspension/brake upgrades, off the shelf cages, fibreglass panels, perspex windows, etc. if you really want to get serious.

[BJT]

I would say E36 M3 all the way!
Here is my thread if interested: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[V8A*ndy]

An E36 with all that cash spent on track upgrades would be my choice.

Done right and you would probably get good money back on it too.

[gaz1234]

striped out and upgraded e36.

[shim]

CSL by far the best.

Take our £10k , add the £5k for mods work into it the £5k you will save on depreciation in two years and buy a 70-80k mile CSL with APs and away you go.

[Cheburator mk2]

shim said:

CSL by far the best.

Take our £10k , add the £5k for mods work into it the £5k you will save on depreciation in two years and buy a 70-80k mile CSL with APs and away you go.

And you think it will be quicker than the decent £5k E36 with £10k worth of suspension, brakes and rubber thrown at it? You are joking, right? Oh yeah, the 80k mile CSL with a knackered diff, knackered suspension and a few other bits and bobs which will need doing sooner than later. Damn, I still remember the old Gus Bus destroying 2/3 of the field at Brands in the CSL Cup. That E36 must have had NO2 or something, innit? Your man maths does not add up...

A low mileage CSL makes sense, but it would not be at £20k, will it, Shim?

[BJT]

shim said:

CSL by far the best.

Take our £10k , add the £5k for mods work into it the £5k you will save on depreciation in two years and buy a 70-80k mile CSL with APs and away you go.

As in the E46 M3 CSL?
That would be about £25k upwards wouldn't it?

[shim]

Cheburator mk2 said:

And you think it will be quicker than the decent £5k E36 with £10k worth of suspension, brakes and rubber thrown at it? You are joking, right? Oh yeah, the 80k mile CSL with a knackered diff, knackered suspension and a few other bits and bobs which will need doing sooner than later. Damn, I still remember the old Gus Bus destroying 2/3 of the field at Brands in the CSL Cup. That E36 must have had NO2 or something, innit? Your man maths does not add up...

A low mileage CSL makes sense, but it would not be at £20k, will it, Shim?

a few things......70-80k mile CSL will cost you about £20k with AP anf fbmsh and bmw warranty ,so no need to worry about engine, diff, gearbox etc.

the OP wants a reliable non trailered car to drive to (and more importantly from) trackdays. he dont want a beat up old race car that would be lucky to make it to the pit exit without popping a pipe ir two, he doesnt want a car where you cant hear yourself tihink, he dirsnt want a car running obscure camber for slicks and probably he doesnt want one that has been used ad a public toilet

for a low cost track car, driven and not trailered why wouldnt you get a CSL ?

[lgomgf]

the CSL sounds good... because I've seen a couple of M3 but I dont need sat nav and leather seats....

On the other hand I dont mind not hearing my thoughts while I am at the track

[BJT]

I would love a CSL and would track it if I had one.
I do have to admit however that when I'm driving my £5k E36 I feel more comfortable in the knowledge that a bad slip won't cost me £20k.
I suppose it comes down to how much money you want to invest and if you are going to insure it etc. Loads of fun to be had in all types of cars.

[CooperS]

BJT said:

I would love a CSL and would track it if I had one.
I do have to admit however that when I'm driving my £5k E36 I feel more comfortable in the knowledge that a bad slip won't cost me £20k.
I suppose it comes down to how much money you want to invest and if you
are going to insure it etc. Loads of fun to be had in all types of cars.

For me it's this, a E46 for 8k with a refresh in parts would be a good shout (so all in for 10k) but at 20k for a CSL you gotta have a mindset which allows you not to throttle your experience through fear of binning it! Hence why I don't ever think my coupe will see a track in my ownership.

[Cheburator mk2]

shim said:

a few things......70-80k mile CSL will cost you about £20k with AP anf fbmsh and bmw warranty ,so no need to worry about engine, diff, gearbox etc.

the OP wants a reliable non trailered car to drive to (and more importantly from) trackdays. he dont want a beat up old race car that would be lucky to make it to the pit exit without popping a pipe ir two, he doesnt want a car where you cant hear yourself tihink, he dirsnt want a car running obscure camber for slicks and probably he doesnt want one that has been used ad a public toilet

for a low cost track car, driven and not trailered why wouldnt you get a CSL ?

Shim,

You and I know you are talking rubbish... If I am to go by the experience of a certain Matt Harvey or Steve Gill, then CSLs do have a penchant for eating the above mentioned parts. The fact that it would have FBMWSH and BMW Warranty means absolutely fk all. Oh, we seem to forget that once it goes over 60k miles, keeping the warranty on the car doubles to £2k per year, unless it was on a monthly before the crossover point, which makes finding such car more difficult than a needle in a haystack...

I also seem to remember a humble Dakar 3.0ltr with some choice mods, driven by one of the Jaguar bods at the Ring dishing out punishment to you boys left, right and centre. His car was far from being a toilet and before he spazzed the engine while changing the headgasket, was available to buy for £10k. He has now bought a CSL, btw and is part of your playgroup. Ask him to show you some videos from inside the "toilet" E36...

The CSL is a stunning car, but it is for people on a different budget and is definitely not the best bang for buck car...