MX3 Track toy??

[Z4MCSL]

So I STILL havent done a track day but I am looking at Car Limits in Essex as sounds fantastic.

I have a banged up c70 t5 which has been part stripped and is off the road which I am going to see if I can get through the MOT and take that up but whether it gets through the MOT or not at somepoint I want to swap to something smaller and lighter.

now EVERYONE is telling me to get an MX5 due to RWD, cheap, massive following etc, and I do want one BUT I just cant fall in love with it right now and think perhaps it will be something I would appreciate more once I have actually learned to drive a track a little.

I sort ofwant something quirky and different that has a bit of character. I am more than happy for it to have lots of flaws and not be the perfect toy (i.e FWD is obviously not ideal) so I ended up finding out about the MX3s?

I would obviously love one with a 2.5 V6 conversion but due to budget and also just as I want to walk before I can run I am looking at a 1.8 V6

What are people's thoughts on this as a very budget track toy...loooks like you can pick them up for £500!!!#

Cheers

[CrashBang]

You either spend now, or spend later.

If you buy a car for £500 you will end up pouring several times times that into it to make it suitable and reliable enough for regular track use.

I can not comment on the MX3, nor have I ever seen one on a trackday, however If your happy with FWD I would up the budget a little and look at a 172 Clio, appreciate its easy for me to spend your money, a quick ebay search shows the bottom of the market is circa £1k and lots of these come with track friendly modifications, every trackday I attend there is always a 172/182 Clio, so while not unique, they are fit for purpose.

[kaveney]

This is correct as I got my MR2 Roadster for £ 2000 and have spent way over double that on upgrades for track from suspension to baffled sumps etc .

Cars I see on track most are Clio sports , BMW 3 series , MX5 CTR etc .

CrashBang said:

You either spend now, or spend later.

If you buy a car for £500 you will end up pouring several times times that into it to make it suitable and reliable enough for regular track use.

I can not comment on the MX3, nor have I ever seen one on a trackday, however If your happy with FWD I would up the budget a little and look at a 172 Clio, appreciate its easy for me to spend your money, a quick ebay search shows the bottom of the market is circa £1k and lots of these come with track friendly modifications, every trackday I attend there is always a 172/182 Clio, so while not unique, they are fit for purpose.

[Z4MCSL]

Yeah I do appreciate it will be more expensive over the longer term but I would rather spend less money now to test the idea - as well as cash flow being king etc

[rallycross]

You will see some cheap track cars on eBay and here in the Ph classified the key thing is buy something that has already been used and prepared for track use .

you can take an old tired £500 and make it into a good track car but it will 100% need some money spent first - and no point having something that breaks down on track that’s a big waste of time and money.

[C70R]

Z4MCSL said:

Yeah I do appreciate it will be more expensive over the longer term but I would rather spend less money now to test the idea - as well as cash flow being king etc

Honestly, driving a knackered old car that keeps breaking down on track is no fun.

[Steve H]

My Mrs had a V6 MX3, she got rid after a few weeks because "it hasn't got an engine".

People recommend MX5s for a reason.

[CABC]

Steve H said:

My Mrs had a V6 MX3, she got rid after a few weeks because "it hasn't got an engine".

People recommend MX5s for a reason.

my wife had the same view, when "V6" became a thing in the 90s they were normally 2.5L, so the mx3 had the right badge but...
it was also an understeering pig. not a track car.

OP, i see your logic of start out somehow and move on later. the advice above is mostly sound though.
so, i suggest you buy a cheap shed, do a few track days and then move on with the wisdom gained. it is true that most simple track cars end up costing 2-5 times the purchase price, and that's not a bad thing btw. a well sorted s***box old mx5 will annihilate most things in the twisties, esp BMWs

[T0MMY]

Never driven an MX3 so can't comment on their qualities other than to say I've never heard them mentioned as a hidden gem of a track car. The bigger problem with picking something as unusual as that as your base is the total lack of support behind it, not just in terms of availability of go-faster bits but also just in advice and experience. Popular track cars have a wealth of info out there about the best mods, the mechanical weaknesses, good geo settings etc. etc.

[Humour]

C70R said:

Z4MCSL said:

Yeah I do appreciate it will be more expensive over the longer term but I would rather spend less money now to test the idea - as well as cash flow being king etc

Honestly, driving a knackered old car that keeps breaking down on track is no fun.

Least of all for all the other folks who have paid good money to be there too, and have to watch from the pits whilst that broken dog of a car is eating into their limited track time!!! Breaking down on track is arguably the no.1 sin as it affects everyone, not just you.

Want to start cheap? Double your budget and buy a track ready prepped Clio as others have suggested, then do the neccesary checks/servicing and go drive it. If at the end its not for you, sell it and recoup 80% of what you put in. Thats a win win over your proposed strategy!

[T0MMY]

Steve H said:

People recommend MX5s for a reason.

Actually can we all stop recommending MX5s to everyone please. They're starting to get a bit expensive.

[Humour]

T0MMY said:

Actually can we all stop recommending MX5s to everyone please. They're starting to get a bit expensive.

[James76G]

2 years ago I wanted to get back to doing track days after a time away. Like the OP I didn't want to spend much as I wasn't sure I'd still enjoy it so I bought an MG ZR160 for £575.

I then did 6 track days and it was faultless. Over time I added some better pads (£80) and bought a 2nd set of wheels and track tyres (£300) and polybushed the ARB brackets.

I also wrote a Carpool article about it:
https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-carpool/mg...

I can't speak for now but when I was looking the majority of £1k Clio 172s seemed to be often in need of some significant work. I didn't fancy spending the money and then immediately needing to replace the dephaser/timing belt/engine mounts.

I sold the MG after a year as I fancied something else, and ended up with a first gen Mini Cooper S for £2k. It's a bit quicker, but I still think the MG was a nicer car to drive. After 8 months I am now ready to sell as it's just not struck a chord with me like the MG did.

[T0MMY]

James76G said:

2 years ago I wanted to get back to doing track days after a time away. Like the OP I didn't want to spend much as I wasn't sure I'd still enjoy it so I bought an MG ZR160 for £575.

I then did 6 track days and it was faultless. Over time I added some better pads (£80) and bought a 2nd set of wheels and track tyres (£300) and polybushed the ARB brackets.

I also wrote a Carpool article about it:
https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-carpool/mg...

I can't speak for now but when I was looking the majority of £1k Clio 172s seemed to be often in need of some significant work. I didn't fancy spending the money and then immediately needing to replace the dephaser/timing belt/engine mounts.

I sold the MG after a year as I fancied something else, and ended up with a first gen Mini Cooper S for £2k. It's a bit quicker, but I still think the MG was a nicer car to drive. After 8 months I am now ready to sell as it's just not struck a chord with me like the MG did.

Nice engines in them I've always thought. I haven't actually driven the 160bhp version but I had a go in an old 200vi once with, I believe, the same vvc engine (143bhp I seem to recall?). I wouldn't mind putting one in a kitcar.