Cheap track car - not 4 cylinder!

Cheap track car - not 4 cylinder!

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Discussion

mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
I recently did a trackday in my C63 507. While it was a fantastic experience, the C63 is not the ideal track car and I had a £2000 post day service bill due to new discs pads and tyres all round!

Got me looking at cheap more suitable cars I could be looking at.

Bear in mind, I REALLY dislike the sound of 4 cylinder engined cars (my wife has a MK7 golf GTI which I cant even be bothered to drive fast, so little aural gratification!) and would rather have a track car that is slower, but makes a satisfying noise! The noise is at least 50% of the motorsport experience IMO.

With that said, I've seen older Z4 3.0 cars going for not much money at all. I had an E46 330i and loved that engine. I even preferred the sound to the somewhat raspy E46 M3. Not sure if it would make a good track car - but it's very appealing. The default E36 M3 seems to have jumped up in price recently, so that kind of rules that out.

I think a realistic budget of £5K wouldn't be too far from the mark. Overall running cost needs to be factored, but I'm realistic it will cost more to run and be heavier than an equivalent 4cyl option. Id happily strip it out, probably adding roll-cage and buckets etc.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks



mmm-five

11,227 posts

283 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
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baronbennyt

900 posts

95 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
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If not a BMW then a Nissan 350Z V6 could be an option.

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
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MG ZS 180? FWD but handles fantastically with a very fruity sounding V6. Your budget would allow for the car, cage, fresh coilovers, track wheels & tyres, an induction kit & exhaust, with money still likely left over.


baronbennyt

900 posts

95 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
EVO Magazine converted a 350Z to a race car:
http://www.evo.co.uk/nissan/350z/8500/nissan-350z-...


mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the suggestions - all good thanks!

Mmmm....350z...forgot about that one. Interesting


baronbennyt

900 posts

95 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
mark4 said:
Thanks for the suggestions - all good thanks!

Mmmm....350z...forgot about that one. Interesting
Did you happen to be at the Bell & Colvill track day at Castle Combe in your 507?

mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
quotequote all
No, not me (unfortunately)

I was at Silverstone in May.

Steve H

5,224 posts

194 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
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E36 328 is surely the right answer. Cheap enough, lots of parts available and with a few basic mods a quick enough car that's great fun to drive.

loggyboy

279 posts

177 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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I have cheap Clio for sale, only firing on 3 cylinders if that counts?

mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Hehe - does it sound like a smart brabus, or better yet a triumph rocket 3?

shakotan

10,679 posts

195 months

Harrison-91xcg

291 posts

100 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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+1 MG ZS 180

Or

Buy track pads, and a set of replacement lightweight alloys with sticky tyres on the C63!

Munter

31,319 posts

240 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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RX8s are cheap, modernish, RWD and not a 4cyl...

addz86

1,439 posts

185 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Not all 4cyl sound crap, R53 cooper S's make a good noise with the supercharger whining and they pop and bang quite a bit.

Escy

3,906 posts

148 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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MR2 Roadster with a V6 engine swap

mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
addz86 said:
Not all 4cyl sound crap, R53 cooper S's make a good noise with the supercharger whining and they pop and bang quite a bit.
Engine sounds are a bit like music - one mans music is another mans noise.

Guy opposite has R53 cooper S. Doesn't do anything for me sound wise I'm afraid.

I liked the Scooby 4-pot boxer - but that doesn't really count as it doesn't sound like a 4 banger.

CubanPete

3,630 posts

187 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Strange reason not to enjoy driving a car fast is that it doesn't sound good. What about feedback or the reward from getting a line just right? I think its the fact it's a golf, not the number of cylinders.

Some of the modern three cylinder cars sounds awesome - not sure they are ideal track day cars though...

T5-R?

The obvious route would be to look at an existing hot hatch / MX5


mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Munter said:
RX8s are cheap, modernish, RWD and not a 4cyl...
I like the RX8, and if by coincidence a fried of mine has just put his beloved 231PS one for sale for a little over 2 Grand.

Cant pretend I wouldn't worry about fatal wankel engine wear, but I can see them being fun on the track.

Just over 1000kg stripped out is very interesting

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-25/rx-8-race-w...




mark4

Original Poster:

25 posts

142 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
CubanPete said:
Strange reason not to enjoy driving a car fast is that it doesn't sound good. What about feedback or the reward from getting a line just right? I think its the fact it's a golf, not the number of cylinders.

Some of the modern three cylinder cars sounds awesome - not sure they are ideal track day cars though...

T5-R?

The obvious route would be to look at an existing hot hatch / MX5
Is it that strange? It's why I lost all the love for formula 1.

Trust me its definitely the golfs cylinder count / arrangement that does the opposite of get me going. Had an R32 mark4 - Wonderful car/noise. Also had a C70 T5 - again lovely noise and fond (straight line!) memories.

If I only wanted a great track car, I would just be looking at a Caterham - but my unchangeable pre-requisite is A GREAT NOISE!