15k daily/track car...stuck!

[Jazz 0230]

Hi guys, I'm bit a stuck with what car I should look at so after some advice...

I've currently got a M135i with a few mods, and while I do like the car (lots!) it doesn't really feel at home on track and is a bit too refined. I'm looking to replace it with something probably slower, manual, more fun on the track (i.e. - raw/more feel blah blah blah) but still a sensible daily.

I don't want to spend anymore money ideally as I've got a house purchase looming, but I'm after a car that will be nearly as good to daily (reasonable comfort, 25mpg etc) but is more at home on the track. I realise that there is a trade-off here and I can't have my cake and eat it too, so I'm willing to sacrifice some comfort and mpg, but I can't find anything to tick my boxes. The one compromise I'm struggling to accept is mpg, as I do 22k a year roughly and I'm getting 31mpg atm. That will go down, but I can't justify something averaging teens/low twenties.

I initially thought this would be easy, E46 M3 with coilovers/poly bushes, job done. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find a manual coupe with at least one of the 3 big jobs tackled. Also, these are quite a bit pricier than I thought so I'm not really going to pocket any cash from selling the M135i which I had wanted to keep as a buffer should anything go wrong.

Other cars on my list are/were:
BMW e92 335i - maintenance worries and too big/heavy to track?
BMW e92 m3 - mpg/brave pills required, as above
Porsche cayman - not sure on looks
Renault Megane RS - don't really want FWD or 4 pot
Toyota GT86 - Gutless and are they that good on track?

I've not dismissed any of the above, but equally I'm not particularly drawn to any one of them either.

So PH wizards, are there any options I've missed, or do I wait and accept that the E46 M3 is the best choice?

[vtecyo]

I was / am in the same position. Putting a deposit down on a Megane 265 this week. Fantastic bit of kit and running costs are very very reasonable.

[Aftershox]

Mini GP2. At home on-track and will keep you entertained at all speeds.

[designforlife]

For an out of the box track toy, thats still practical, I'd say an Integra DC5 would be pretty hard to beat...they're increasing in value too.

£9k will buy a pretty immaculate pre facelift, so you'll have plenty of change left for spares/upgrades.

(i know it's FWD, but they're pretty special to drive)

[james_gt3rs]

GT86 would be great on track I think, so forgiving you can play all day.

[Herbs]

budget?

[vtecyo]

Herbs said:

budget?

Title.

[mrtwisty]

Does it have to have 4 seats?

If not, I would say S2000.

[300bhp/ton]

Elise or VX220 maybe.

MX-5 if not. Maybe with a few mods.

Or £5k on a Caterfield clone and £10k on a daily.

[HorneyMX5]

Two cars is always the answer to this question. Making one car good at both daily and track becomes impossible the more you get into trackdays. Well unless you can afford a GT3RS.

[300bhp/ton]

HorneyMX5 said:

Two cars is always the answer to this question. Making one car good at both daily and track becomes impossible the more you get into trackdays. Well unless you can afford a GT3RS.

I'd extend your last statement. Unless you can afford to stuff a GT3RS on track for a total write off.

[Herbs]

vtecyo said:

Herbs said:

budget?

Title.

whoosh... oops!

A Z4M would give you the fun element back whilst retaining some comfort if you only need 2 seats.

[Jazz 0230]

HorneyMX5 said:

Two cars is always the answer to this question. Making one car good at both daily and track becomes impossible the more you get into trackdays. Well unless you can afford a GT3RS.

Whilst I agree, I'm not that good on the track that I could, for example, drive an M3/911/Elise and push it to a point where I notice flaws that need addressing at the expense of its road manners. I've not even really reached that point in the M135i, but I know I'd prefer to go a bit slower and enjoy the process more.

To answer some of the suggestions...

GP2 - good shout, I'd discounted them as my sister had a R56 JCW and it had timing chain issues which put me off. Not sure how common that is.
S2000/VX220/Elise - I do need 4 seats, and as mentioned in the very long OP, I need to be able to commute approx 50 miles a day, so they won't fit the bill...
Z4M - Have you seen the prices?! There are very few for sale, and they would all require me adding money to the pot, which isn't sensible atm. Also in my head they can't be twice as good as the M3 so can't justify paying double for a 2 seater M3. Maybe I'm being unfair...

I'm basically thinking of a reason to discount the E46 M3 (if you can't tell!) and so far I don't think it can be beaten.

Thanks all so far, suggestions are much appreciated!

[vtecyo]

Jazz 0230 said:

I'm basically thinking of a reason to discount the E46 M3 (if you can't tell!) and so far I don't think it can be beaten.

Because the internet says the subframes fall off and they'll cost you a million pounds to replace.

[Herbs]

Jazz 0230 said:

HorneyMX5 said:

Two cars is always the answer to this question. Making one car good at both daily and track becomes impossible the more you get into trackdays. Well unless you can afford a GT3RS.

Whilst I agree, I'm not that good on the track that I could, for example, drive an M3/911/Elise and push it to a point where I notice flaws that need addressing at the expense of its road manners. I've not even really reached that point in the M135i, but I know I'd prefer to go a bit slower and enjoy the process more.

To answer some of the suggestions...

GP2 - good shout, I'd discounted them as my sister had a R56 JCW and it had timing chain issues which put me off. Not sure how common that is.
S2000/VX220/Elise - I do need 4 seats, and as mentioned in the very long OP, I need to be able to commute approx 50 miles a day, so they won't fit the bill...
Z4M - Have you seen the prices?! There are very few for sale, and they would all require me adding money to the pot, which isn't sensible atm. Also in my head they can't be twice as good as the M3 so can't justify paying double for a 2 seater M3. Maybe I'm being unfair...

I'm basically thinking of a reason to discount the E46 M3 (if you can't tell!) and so far I don't think it can be beaten.

Thanks all so far, suggestions are much appreciated!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Thanks can be in the form of beer tokens

Prices are only going one way for these.

[300bhp/ton]

vtecyo said:

Jazz 0230 said:

I'm basically thinking of a reason to discount the E46 M3 (if you can't tell!) and so far I don't think it can be beaten.

Because the internet says the subframes fall off and they'll cost you a million pounds to replace.

How big a leap in track ability is the M3 over their current car? I'd say probably marginal. And certainly only some suspension mods difference.

Both great cars IMO. But if you want track focused. Then buying a relatively expensive BMW is probably not the route I'd go. And the financial risk should you stack it or be driven into must be quite a potential hazard if you are then relying on the car to get to work the next day.

[HorneyMX5]

MINI GP2 would be no good, only 2 seats.

Get a late JCW Works if you want a 4 seater Mini for track work.

I still think 2 cars is the correct answer. Track work is hard on a car and you don't want your daily out of action because you've broken something.

You can pick up all sorts of great track cars for under £5k that would run rings round something that doubles up as a daily. You'd then have £10k left for a nice comfortable wafter.

[CABC]

Any 3 series will be too heavy (and costly) on track if left in daily trim.
2 cars.
Else GP2, 86 or Renault

For 22k/pa it's still 2 cars though.

[300bhp/ton]

HorneyMX5 said:

MINI GP2 would be no good, only 2 seats.

Get a late JCW Works if you want a 4 seater Mini for track work.

I still think 2 cars is the correct answer. Track work is hard on a car and you don't want your daily out of action because you've broken something.

You can pick up all sorts of great track cars for under £5k that would run rings round something that doubles up as a daily. You'd then have £10k left for a nice comfortable wafter.

+1

MR2 Mk2 or 3
Mazda RX-8
Even an MGF

Could make good track cars.

Plus loads of kit cars if you up th budget a bit. Or even a fully fledged race car with all the bits on it already.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say go & test drive a Megane RS265 you might find yourself surprised, if you're buying a house a 4 pot fwd fun car whilst most of your money is freed then you can get something else later.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...