PH Trackdayers, would you rather have...
Discussion
...Car A or Car B?
Car A...
Is a dedicated track car, very hardcore, absolutely sublime on track. Very light, very quick, intense and exciting. However, it is un-useable on road (meaning you must drive a dull A4 diesel as a daily). It also requires a lot of tinkering to keep it running sweet which is often stressful and must be trailered to track. It cannot go on a Nurburgring TF session, only on a Ring trackday.
Car B...
Is a capable track car, it's newer and more reliable than car A and is mostly factory standard. It's plenty comfortable enough to daily and only requires normal servicing / wear and tear items. It can be driven to and used on the Ring. It has working aircon. It's 90% as quick and 70% as rewarding as car A. It does the job very well but doesn't quite thrill your tits off.
You currently own car A. You could break it, the funds from which would purchase car B.
Car A...
Is a dedicated track car, very hardcore, absolutely sublime on track. Very light, very quick, intense and exciting. However, it is un-useable on road (meaning you must drive a dull A4 diesel as a daily). It also requires a lot of tinkering to keep it running sweet which is often stressful and must be trailered to track. It cannot go on a Nurburgring TF session, only on a Ring trackday.
Car B...
Is a capable track car, it's newer and more reliable than car A and is mostly factory standard. It's plenty comfortable enough to daily and only requires normal servicing / wear and tear items. It can be driven to and used on the Ring. It has working aircon. It's 90% as quick and 70% as rewarding as car A. It does the job very well but doesn't quite thrill your tits off.
You currently own car A. You could break it, the funds from which would purchase car B.
.
i went B, wish i went for a road-legal A and a 2nd car for daily use.
I've got to the point with option B where i'm just fighting and conflicted between specing it up to reliable track use but also keeping it road legal, usable & reliable and comfy enough for daily use, and not have it off the road too long as it is my only car.
I've got to the point with option B where i'm just fighting and conflicted between specing it up to reliable track use but also keeping it road legal, usable & reliable and comfy enough for daily use, and not have it off the road too long as it is my only car.
Partyvan said:
Perhaps the sweet spot is something as track hardcore as possible, whilst still being just about tolerable for the road.
Something with carpets, air conditioning, non-winged buckets, rear cage and suspension that isn't rosejointed or otherwise intolerable.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong. Option B to me means hooning about all day in a fast car with impunity. And there are some very fast road cars for not very much money.Something with carpets, air conditioning, non-winged buckets, rear cage and suspension that isn't rosejointed or otherwise intolerable.
Partyvan said:
Perhaps the sweet spot is something as track hardcore as possible, whilst still being just about tolerable for the road.
Something with carpets, air conditioning, non-winged buckets, rear cage and suspension that isn't rosejointed or otherwise intolerable.
Something with carpets, air conditioning, non-winged buckets, rear cage and suspension that isn't rosejointed or otherwise intolerable.
Track days for me are not about trailers, lying in the pits changing tyres and brakes. Needs to be a car that doesn't leak or steam up too much, reliable, and usable as occasional road car. For me I always enjoyed driving home from a summer track day with the sun setting, the sound of stones picked up by hot tyres..'B' for me too.
I think the perfect answer to the question is a Lotus Exige.
It has a proper roof. It can live outside. It doesn't leak. It has air conditioning. It is surprisingly not uncomfortable on long journeys. You can fit a weekends worth of clothes in the boot along with your trackday stuff.
Once you get to the track you can blast around all day, have relatively little tyre and brake wear due to the weight, be quick, be involved, and then just drive straight home at the end of the day.
I think the perfect answer to the question is a Lotus Exige.
It has a proper roof. It can live outside. It doesn't leak. It has air conditioning. It is surprisingly not uncomfortable on long journeys. You can fit a weekends worth of clothes in the boot along with your trackday stuff.
Once you get to the track you can blast around all day, have relatively little tyre and brake wear due to the weight, be quick, be involved, and then just drive straight home at the end of the day.
i'd never daily my track car - they do completely different things for me.
when i had a 2 car garage they were polar opposites of each other - manual vs auto, 2 seater sportscar vs saloon, petrol vs diesel. loud and firm vs quiet and comfortable.
So i would err towards option A. though, my option A car would still be road legal, and still just about tolerable on the road, so i can drive it to trackdays. it would also have to be reliable, since i hate fettling cars!
when i had a 2 car garage they were polar opposites of each other - manual vs auto, 2 seater sportscar vs saloon, petrol vs diesel. loud and firm vs quiet and comfortable.
So i would err towards option A. though, my option A car would still be road legal, and still just about tolerable on the road, so i can drive it to trackdays. it would also have to be reliable, since i hate fettling cars!
A few years ago I ran an Audi A3 as a daily and a VX220 as my weekend track toy. The VX wanted for nothing, was easy on tyres and brakes on track and was a hoot. You can pick VX's anywhere from £8.5k onwards and the prices are only going up currently.
Since I returned to the UK I had intended to have a C Class (350 CDi) as a daily and bought an MR2 Turbo to track prep, however the MR2 caused no end of hassle (legal hassle with the seller) and I fell out of love with it. I decided to sell it, and then PX my Merc for a Cayman, this will play the role of daily and track car, though I only do about 5 track days a year.
I love the Cayman, it's a great car on the road. I have my first track day in it at Goodwood in a couple of weeks, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it does, being a bit heavier than the VX (by about 400kg) I'm keen to see how the tyres and brakes cope.
Since I returned to the UK I had intended to have a C Class (350 CDi) as a daily and bought an MR2 Turbo to track prep, however the MR2 caused no end of hassle (legal hassle with the seller) and I fell out of love with it. I decided to sell it, and then PX my Merc for a Cayman, this will play the role of daily and track car, though I only do about 5 track days a year.
I love the Cayman, it's a great car on the road. I have my first track day in it at Goodwood in a couple of weeks, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it does, being a bit heavier than the VX (by about 400kg) I'm keen to see how the tyres and brakes cope.
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