Track/road car under 3k to buy...
Discussion
brillomaster said:
For 5k id have an early z4 3.0, with £400 track tyres and £400 track brakes.
For 3k id have a ropey e46 330ci, again with the same track tyres and brakes.
230bhp, rwd and a naturally aspirated straight six is a great combo for a track car.
Having done that with a Z4, I'm now in an MX5 NC and wouldn't go back, the MX5 is much more fun on track. The Z4/330 are more powerful but the additional weight means they're not much quicker on the straights and not as good round corners and come with much higher consumable costs. I don't fancy taking the MX5 to a fast circuit like Spa but around a tight circuit like Cadwell, it's great fun! I'd vote for the NC or a Clio 182/197.For 3k id have a ropey e46 330ci, again with the same track tyres and brakes.
230bhp, rwd and a naturally aspirated straight six is a great combo for a track car.
I have an R26 as a train station car and backup track car, but their prices have gone up lately.
My pick would be a 225 Megane, which shares a number of the key parts and has an identical engine to the R26.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-56-Renault-Renault...
Big Brembos and 225/40/18 tyres as standard which are one of the cheapest sizes. Renault are currently selling off their spares cheap at the moment so brand new cup shocks can be had for £260 the set and as time goes up you can add the missing items like the LSD box which being a factory part are readily available, and once stripped out, these cars are very good.
Most track days you will see a Megane, for good reason.
My pick would be a 225 Megane, which shares a number of the key parts and has an identical engine to the R26.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-56-Renault-Renault...
Big Brembos and 225/40/18 tyres as standard which are one of the cheapest sizes. Renault are currently selling off their spares cheap at the moment so brand new cup shocks can be had for £260 the set and as time goes up you can add the missing items like the LSD box which being a factory part are readily available, and once stripped out, these cars are very good.
Most track days you will see a Megane, for good reason.
JP__FOX said:
Having done that with a Z4, I'm now in an MX5 NC and wouldn't go back, the MX5 is much more fun on track. The Z4/330 are more powerful but the additional weight means they're not much quicker on the straights and not as good round corners and come with much higher consumable costs. I don't fancy taking the MX5 to a fast circuit like Spa but around a tight circuit like Cadwell, it's great fun! I'd vote for the NC or a Clio 182/197.
Nice. What have you done to the MX5?Agreed on the BMWs - a 'ropey 330i' is going to need quite a bit of time/cost to make it actual fun and to handle and stop properly (to even just keep up with MX5s over the course of a day!)
braddo said:
Nice. What have you done to the MX5?
Agreed on the BMWs - a 'ropey 330i' is going to need quite a bit of time/cost to make it actual fun and to handle and stop properly (to even just keep up with MX5s over the course of a day!)
The MX5 is standard power, just a backbox for a bit of noise and running MeisterR coilovers along with ARB's and front brakes from an RX8. It's the 6 speed but I've put the 5 speed LSD in for a shorter ratio to help with acceleration and a roll bar to protect my head just in case. It's hilarious fun and I enjoy the look on peoples faces when telling them it's not turbocharged Agreed on the BMWs - a 'ropey 330i' is going to need quite a bit of time/cost to make it actual fun and to handle and stop properly (to even just keep up with MX5s over the course of a day!)
Any of the VAG 1.8T engine cars. If you like front wheel drive there is a lot of choice of reasonably priced machinery out there, loads of cheap Tuning parts and they are not slow. They can be made to handle very well with a few tweaks and especially if you’re going to spend a little extra on an LSD as I have.n
My Skoda throws out 2453HP and as far as speed is concerned will just about squeeze 130 down the back straight at Bedford.
You have a choice of Golf GTI, Octávia vRS, Seat Cupra and Audi TT.
My Skoda throws out 2453HP and as far as speed is concerned will just about squeeze 130 down the back straight at Bedford.
You have a choice of Golf GTI, Octávia vRS, Seat Cupra and Audi TT.
Kellerman said:
Problem with MX5's is whilst they are fun, 95% of them are unbelievably slow. They act as mobile chicanes on track days, far more than any other car in my experience.
And so many cars overtakes MX5s on the straights, before becoming a chicane as soon as the track turns... MX5 are made for turns, not straightsKellerman said:
Problem with MX5's is whilst they are fun, 95% of them are unbelievably slow. They act as mobile chicanes on track days, far more than any other car in my experience.
The good news there is that the majority of tracks in the UK are more turns than straights. I don't think an MX5 would be great at Spa, but I struggled to lose one that was almost 100bhp down on me when I was at Cadwell. The commitment he could take the corners with more than made up for me squirting away down the straights.phazed said:
Any of the VAG 1.8T engine cars. If you like front wheel drive there is a lot of choice of reasonably priced machinery out there, loads of cheap Tuning parts and they are not slow. They can be made to handle very well with a few tweaks and especially if you’re going to spend a little extra on an LSD as I have.n
My Skoda throws out 2453HP and as far as speed is concerned will just about squeeze 130 down the back straight at Bedford.
You have a choice of Golf GTI, Octávia vRS, Seat Cupra and Audi TT.
Your issue with a tuned, turbo FWD car is that progress/fun is sorely limited without an LSD. You end up spending most of your day waiting to get on the power out of the bends. That's a grand down the pan, so not really compatible with a 'budget' car.My Skoda throws out 2453HP and as far as speed is concerned will just about squeeze 130 down the back straight at Bedford.
You have a choice of Golf GTI, Octávia vRS, Seat Cupra and Audi TT.
C70R said:
Having had a couple of E46 330s, I couldn't think of a car less well-suited to trackdays.
Chrysler PT Cruiser? (probably anything with a Chrysler badge tbf)C70R said:
They are heavy, overdamped and understeery as hell.
Right, because no one would ever strip a full interior/fit coilovers and anti rollbars to a track car... Jesus Christ - the fact you didn't bemoan the brakes, something you could have fairly criticised, sort of says more about your "trackdays" than words ever could.Chunkychucky said:
C70R said:
Having had a couple of E46 330s, I couldn't think of a car less well-suited to trackdays.
Chrysler PT Cruiser? (probably anything with a Chrysler badge tbf)C70R said:
They are heavy, overdamped and understeery as hell.
Right, because no one would ever strip a full interior/fit coilovers and anti rollbars to a track car... Jesus Christ - the fact you didn't bemoan the brakes, something you could have fairly criticised, sort of says more about your "trackdays" than words ever could.He's got a three grand budget.
Then get back in your box.
Why do people get so defensive about their cars?
there really is only one answer unless you'd be happy with a very high maintenance and upgrade budget.
the mx5 is great out the box and teaches real car control. then you can upgrade for reasonable cost later. at least after upgrades you'll have a 200hp balanced track weapon, if you wanted.
there's a troll above saying mx5s are mobile chicanes. clearly not a track day regular. it's normally heavy German stuff rolling through the corners holding people up. most 5's are driven pretty well and pull to right along the straights to let the squirt heroes by.
the mx5 is great out the box and teaches real car control. then you can upgrade for reasonable cost later. at least after upgrades you'll have a 200hp balanced track weapon, if you wanted.
there's a troll above saying mx5s are mobile chicanes. clearly not a track day regular. it's normally heavy German stuff rolling through the corners holding people up. most 5's are driven pretty well and pull to right along the straights to let the squirt heroes by.
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