Track day car 1-3k
Discussion
MX5s have one big advantage.
To me half the fun of a track day is either going with a few friends (You will occasionally see up to 10 TVRs at a track day, that's us), or making friends if you are on your own at a TD.
If I am on my own I usually park in the middle of a row of MX5s and say hello. There's always a few, and they are a friendly crowd.
Add to that the wealth of parts and performance mods available, plus they cars are cheap and relatively reliable, and you have a winning formula.
Finally, they handle well and are fun little cars.
Here's one handling well at Cadwell Park - we chased each other all day and also gave each other passenger rides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAZCOXpZCWY
To me half the fun of a track day is either going with a few friends (You will occasionally see up to 10 TVRs at a track day, that's us), or making friends if you are on your own at a TD.
If I am on my own I usually park in the middle of a row of MX5s and say hello. There's always a few, and they are a friendly crowd.
Add to that the wealth of parts and performance mods available, plus they cars are cheap and relatively reliable, and you have a winning formula.
Finally, they handle well and are fun little cars.
Here's one handling well at Cadwell Park - we chased each other all day and also gave each other passenger rides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAZCOXpZCWY
MX5 will be the lightest on consumables, discs, pads, tyres etc, it’s great straight out of the box and doesn’t need mods etc to make it better on track...... but there are loads available. Sure it’s slow but that’s good because it means everything happens at a pace you can control/rectify easily enough, it also means overtaking things is a real bonus! They are super easy to work on too with all the important bits being easily accessible.
The others are a bit heavy and probably not as involving, and will cost more to run and maintain.
I wouldn’t dismiss a late MG TF either, not the first choice for a track car but the 160bhp ones are quick and they were well balanced cars.
The others are a bit heavy and probably not as involving, and will cost more to run and maintain.
I wouldn’t dismiss a late MG TF either, not the first choice for a track car but the 160bhp ones are quick and they were well balanced cars.
For that money, an MX5.
I'm on my 3rd trackday MX5. I keep going back to them between caterhams as they offer 80% of the feeling for 20% of the cost. Maybe need a roll bar, some decent pads and fluid, a seat and harness, possibly some coilovers. But really they're great fun out of the box.
Here's mine at cadwell last year
https://youtu.be/rDUkcMxf6oM
They're really at home at a circuit like that. At somewhere like donington or silverstone they're lacking in power and brakes, so maybe need to decide which circuits you'll be visiting first.
BTW i will prob be selling my MX5 in the summer - NB with TR Lane roll bar and harness bar, sparco seat, luke harness, coilovers, spare wheels with NS2Rs, and almost rust free!
I have bought a clio 200, which has much more power and much better brakes, but lacks the fun of an MX5.
I'm on my 3rd trackday MX5. I keep going back to them between caterhams as they offer 80% of the feeling for 20% of the cost. Maybe need a roll bar, some decent pads and fluid, a seat and harness, possibly some coilovers. But really they're great fun out of the box.
Here's mine at cadwell last year
https://youtu.be/rDUkcMxf6oM
They're really at home at a circuit like that. At somewhere like donington or silverstone they're lacking in power and brakes, so maybe need to decide which circuits you'll be visiting first.
BTW i will prob be selling my MX5 in the summer - NB with TR Lane roll bar and harness bar, sparco seat, luke harness, coilovers, spare wheels with NS2Rs, and almost rust free!
I have bought a clio 200, which has much more power and much better brakes, but lacks the fun of an MX5.
I’ve run a TT for 4-5 years, it’s a great platform and you can shave a good 350kg out of the platform with some knowledge, it’s bombproof and sturdy, as well as fast. Tuning is relatively easy and there’s tons of knowledge in our MK1 TT track car group on Facebook.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/334506553567722/?ref...
I’m quite a bit over your spend, but that’s my choice, there’s quite a few people successfully running these on a budget, but the sky is the limit, one of the guys on the group is just shy of 700bhp and 1080kg.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/334506553567722/?ref...
I’m quite a bit over your spend, but that’s my choice, there’s quite a few people successfully running these on a budget, but the sky is the limit, one of the guys on the group is just shy of 700bhp and 1080kg.
Edited by 1781cc on Saturday 13th February 09:03
I went halves with a friend on 325ti Sport (Compact) manual in October 2018 & paid under £1k off Autotrader - we spent £650 on a nearly new set of coilovers (fitted), serviced it fully with new brakes, slapped some decent track biased tyres on & swapped the seats out for buckets for under £2.5k - they do come on to the market occasionally (one was on ebay about 2 weeks ago - a 325ti SE) but they're getting rare.
Alternatively something like a mk3 MR2 is another good option although if you're tall it might be restrictive on interior height with a helmet on).
Alternatively something like a mk3 MR2 is another good option although if you're tall it might be restrictive on interior height with a helmet on).
Another vote for the Mk3 MR2 here but it depends on what you're after. Do you just want to have fun or do want to improve your technique?
The MX5 will be easier to get the most out of and more fun if you like hanging the tail out. I find the MR2 leads you to be more precise and less of a hooligan, there's much more traction with the MR layout than in the MX5 so if you want to slide it around you need to get it moving on turn-in and work it from there.
There's also the rust issue... most MR2s are pretty solid underneath, though some have suffered. If they do rot the rear subframe is the first place to go and replacements can be bought new for £300. Sills, floors, arches etc. are all pretty sound. Plus all the body panels are bolt-on and readily available. Get the pre-cats gutted or chuck a £100 stainless manifold on to remove the risk of them disintegrating and ruining the engine. Late '05>'06 had the fully revised pistons, you should be able to pick up a late model for £3k.
The above isn't MX5 bashing BTW, I had one and loved it! Comparing to the MR2, they both have pros and cons. Finding a solid MX5, especially up North, within budget is difficult which was quite a big con for me.
The MX5 will be easier to get the most out of and more fun if you like hanging the tail out. I find the MR2 leads you to be more precise and less of a hooligan, there's much more traction with the MR layout than in the MX5 so if you want to slide it around you need to get it moving on turn-in and work it from there.
There's also the rust issue... most MR2s are pretty solid underneath, though some have suffered. If they do rot the rear subframe is the first place to go and replacements can be bought new for £300. Sills, floors, arches etc. are all pretty sound. Plus all the body panels are bolt-on and readily available. Get the pre-cats gutted or chuck a £100 stainless manifold on to remove the risk of them disintegrating and ruining the engine. Late '05>'06 had the fully revised pistons, you should be able to pick up a late model for £3k.
The above isn't MX5 bashing BTW, I had one and loved it! Comparing to the MR2, they both have pros and cons. Finding a solid MX5, especially up North, within budget is difficult which was quite a big con for me.
Yep.
Either an MR-2 Roadster, or an MX-5.
However not a Mk1 or Mk2 MX-5, but a Mk3 - stronger shell, much, much stiffer, more advanced suspension, and just as cheap for parts/mods etc. Slightly more expensive tyres (16 or 17). I'vw owned all of them - The older MX-5s are brilliant neo-classics and great fun to own and drive but the Mk3 is quantifiably 'better' all round in the things that matter to making a good track car.
Either an MR-2 Roadster, or an MX-5.
However not a Mk1 or Mk2 MX-5, but a Mk3 - stronger shell, much, much stiffer, more advanced suspension, and just as cheap for parts/mods etc. Slightly more expensive tyres (16 or 17). I'vw owned all of them - The older MX-5s are brilliant neo-classics and great fun to own and drive but the Mk3 is quantifiably 'better' all round in the things that matter to making a good track car.
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