Better 2k fun/track car than MX5?

[evenflow]

I'm after a bit of cheap trackday fun for about a 2k budget.

Mk1 or 2 MX5 (of course!) seems to be the way to go - simple, cheap, light, rear wheel drive.

Am I missing anything obvious?

[vrooom]

MR2 roadster. quicker and better handling than mx5.

[GrumpyTwig]

A clio? Unless it has to be rwd, though a properly set up fwd car is just as fun.

[GravelBen]

vrooom said:

MR2 roadster. quicker and better handling than mx5.

I haven't driven a Mk3, but drove a Mk1 before deciding on an MX5 and preferred the MX5 handling.

Its more about preference than one really being better than the other though - whether you prefer a front engine or mid engine feel/balance.

[brillomaster]

Mk3 mr2 roadster. my mate has one and all hes done is brake pads (yellowstuffs) and tyres (toyo T1-Rs) and it brakes and corners with such vigour it hurts. brilliant little car, and the engine absolutely loves to rev.

[Jonstar]

To answer the question, probably not. MR2 is a good shout but the engines aren't as willing to take abuse as the mx5's, particularly pre facelift cars. The engines don't rev as willingly either.

[3ananaPie]

I reckon a little over 2k can get you an RX8 with a bad engine and a rebuild. Should be pretty good and cheap, right?

Planning to do that myself.

[evenflow]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Anyone done similar? Tips and tricks, things to look out for?

What might be the first things to look at changing on the car to get it a bit more track focused? Coilovers, bigger brakes etc?

[GravelBen]

Even as standard MX5s are great fun on track so just get out there and drive it, decide later if you want to change anything. Get the alignment/suspension geo sorted by someone who knows MX5s, the official factory settings are very conservative.

Standard brakes will take abuse all day with no fade, at least with standard/ish power levels and road tyres. Worth giving them fresh fluid and making sure the pads have plenty of meat on them though.

Lower suspension braces help tighten the chassis up, as does a rollbar in the back (4-point job, not just a style bar that sits on the seatbelt mounts).

A bucket seat will help you avoid getting a sore knee from bracing it against the door in fast corners

[kazman]

Mine is standard except for Federal RSR's (not really a mod granted), Rodders pads (again, not really a mod) a foamectomy on the seat, a CG lock and fast road geometry. Its great fun but it is slow.

I don't know whether I should go for some good Meister R coilovers next or just look at a faster base car.

[willmagrath]

i'd second the mr2 idea, my mate also has one, paid £1900 for a pristine mark2 T-top with 55,000 miles on it!

[McSam]

Well, I quite like touring cars so I went a different route. You might say it's heavier and less direct than an MX-5, but I'll say it looks great, sounds great, and is quicker than you might think!



I bought my 328i for £900, and it now stands around £1600 with some serious adjustable coilovers, uprated brake pads and lines and twelve (yep) spare wheels. It's pretty mega!

I have played with MX-5s on track and can't argue with how great a well-sorted one feels, but it seems you can end up paying a bit more and then chasing rust around all the time. The E36 is pretty bulletproof - this example is on 177,000 miles, and I just rock up, give it death all day long, then go home! It hasn't been hard on tyres so far either.

Here's my thread on it: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...