Would you buy a road car that’s been tracked?
Discussion
Hi all
I’m looking at a civic type r (fk2) seems clean, and a fair price I believe. I’ve dug up a bit of history about it and one of the previous owners owned it for year and took it to the ring and spa in that time! Now I’m not sure is this is too detrimental, but it’s a lot of money to me (18k) and not sure if it would be a mistake! What do you guys think?
I’m looking at a civic type r (fk2) seems clean, and a fair price I believe. I’ve dug up a bit of history about it and one of the previous owners owned it for year and took it to the ring and spa in that time! Now I’m not sure is this is too detrimental, but it’s a lot of money to me (18k) and not sure if it would be a mistake! What do you guys think?
Cars are made to be driven hard. Unless it's done 100,000 nurburgring miles I wouldn't care.
When you take a sportsbike to the track, once you've finished your trackday it feels better. The engine feels more willing, the brakes feel sharper and it turns a touch better. Why? Because you're using it like you're meant to. I have taken cars to the track and often they don't feel that way afterwards, but the odd trip to a track is not going to do any permanent harm. Especially a rev happy car like a Honda. As long as the discs and pads have been replaced when required, and the shocks etc are in good condition, what's the worry?
There is also the flipside to your argument which is that if someone is an enthusiast, and keen enough to take a car on track, they are probably an enthusiast enough to maintain and upgrade the car where required, unlike someone who just drives it to work for 50,000 miles and never even gets the oil changed. I personally don't see the issue, and I think it's a bit of an overreaction unless the car has a full cage and has done (as I said) 100,000 Nurburgring miles or something.
When you take a sportsbike to the track, once you've finished your trackday it feels better. The engine feels more willing, the brakes feel sharper and it turns a touch better. Why? Because you're using it like you're meant to. I have taken cars to the track and often they don't feel that way afterwards, but the odd trip to a track is not going to do any permanent harm. Especially a rev happy car like a Honda. As long as the discs and pads have been replaced when required, and the shocks etc are in good condition, what's the worry?
There is also the flipside to your argument which is that if someone is an enthusiast, and keen enough to take a car on track, they are probably an enthusiast enough to maintain and upgrade the car where required, unlike someone who just drives it to work for 50,000 miles and never even gets the oil changed. I personally don't see the issue, and I think it's a bit of an overreaction unless the car has a full cage and has done (as I said) 100,000 Nurburgring miles or something.
Buying a used car is very much like marrying a partner who wasn’t your childhood sweetheart...
A version of events will be presented to you with which to make your decision.
In all honestly you’ll never know the full history in detail, you’d probably not like it if you did and hence blissful ignorance is probably for the best
A version of events will be presented to you with which to make your decision.
In all honestly you’ll never know the full history in detail, you’d probably not like it if you did and hence blissful ignorance is probably for the best
MarJay said:
Cars are made to be driven hard. Unless it's done 100,000 nurburgring miles I wouldn't care.
When you take a sportsbike to the track, once you've finished your trackday it feels better. The engine feels more willing, the brakes feel sharper and it turns a touch better. Why? Because you're using it like you're meant to. I have taken cars to the track and often they don't feel that way afterwards, but the odd trip to a track is not going to do any permanent harm. Especially a rev happy car like a Honda. As long as the discs and pads have been replaced when required, and the shocks etc are in good condition, what's the worry?
There is also the flipside to your argument which is that if someone is an enthusiast, and keen enough to take a car on track, they are probably an enthusiast enough to maintain and upgrade the car where required, unlike someone who just drives it to work for 50,000 miles and never even gets the oil changed. I personally don't see the issue, and I think it's a bit of an overreaction unless the car has a full cage and has done (as I said) 100,000 Nurburgring miles or something.
This!When you take a sportsbike to the track, once you've finished your trackday it feels better. The engine feels more willing, the brakes feel sharper and it turns a touch better. Why? Because you're using it like you're meant to. I have taken cars to the track and often they don't feel that way afterwards, but the odd trip to a track is not going to do any permanent harm. Especially a rev happy car like a Honda. As long as the discs and pads have been replaced when required, and the shocks etc are in good condition, what's the worry?
There is also the flipside to your argument which is that if someone is an enthusiast, and keen enough to take a car on track, they are probably an enthusiast enough to maintain and upgrade the car where required, unlike someone who just drives it to work for 50,000 miles and never even gets the oil changed. I personally don't see the issue, and I think it's a bit of an overreaction unless the car has a full cage and has done (as I said) 100,000 Nurburgring miles or something.
The spinner of plates said:
Buying a used car is very much like marrying a partner who wasn’t your childhood sweetheart...
A version of events will be presented to you with which to make your decision.
In all honestly you’ll never know the full history in detail, you’d probably not like it if you did and hence blissful ignorance is probably for the best
What if your childhood sweetheart was, I don't know... Jenna Jameson? Or Ron Jeremy? A version of events will be presented to you with which to make your decision.
In all honestly you’ll never know the full history in detail, you’d probably not like it if you did and hence blissful ignorance is probably for the best
Yup, I have been looking at it from both ways tbh! As stated, most likely a enthusiast so you’d like to think he’s made regular oil changes etc.
I do actually race bikes, and obviously wouldn’t even think about buying a bike that’s been thrashed about for a few years, just feel different with cars as they aren’t truly made for racing.
A car never taken to a track could be treated much worse than one that had, not warmed up properly etc. I’ll probably try and get over to see it for myself soon
I do actually race bikes, and obviously wouldn’t even think about buying a bike that’s been thrashed about for a few years, just feel different with cars as they aren’t truly made for racing.
A car never taken to a track could be treated much worse than one that had, not warmed up properly etc. I’ll probably try and get over to see it for myself soon
My track car, a Lotus Exige EX460, and my road cars, get used and, where appropriate, used hard.
But then they get cosseted. Whatever they need they get immediately, they're stored in climate controlled garages, looked after by main dealers/the best specialists are professionally detailed when needed and most are fully covered in PPF.
I have a couple of cars that have done quite a lot of miles relative to what is generally expected in the models of car in question (bugger all in reality but people are strange) but every time they go to the dealer for a service they tell me they're in better condition than most of the garage queens they see. I also tend to hold onto cars (longest I own I bought new in 2008).
The moral of the story is that it isn't what a car has been used for, nor how many miles it has done that matters but who has owned it and how it has been cared for.
But then they get cosseted. Whatever they need they get immediately, they're stored in climate controlled garages, looked after by main dealers/the best specialists are professionally detailed when needed and most are fully covered in PPF.
I have a couple of cars that have done quite a lot of miles relative to what is generally expected in the models of car in question (bugger all in reality but people are strange) but every time they go to the dealer for a service they tell me they're in better condition than most of the garage queens they see. I also tend to hold onto cars (longest I own I bought new in 2008).
The moral of the story is that it isn't what a car has been used for, nor how many miles it has done that matters but who has owned it and how it has been cared for.
There isn't much to worry about. The same engine / drivetrain combo is in use on the FK8 and Americans have them on track constantly with tunes and high temperatures without engines blowing up.
As others have said, Spa and Nurburgring aren't exactly "Ragged the s
t out of it in the local shopping center carpark from cold showing my mates the pops and bangs" venues - I'd expect most people taking (Especially newer cars) would be taking care of brakes, oil etc. before and after.
Go on the condition I'd say.
As others have said, Spa and Nurburgring aren't exactly "Ragged the s
t out of it in the local shopping center carpark from cold showing my mates the pops and bangs" venues - I'd expect most people taking (Especially newer cars) would be taking care of brakes, oil etc. before and after.Go on the condition I'd say.
The spinner of plates said:
Buying a used car is very much like marrying a partner who wasn’t your childhood sweetheart...
A version of events will be presented to you with which to make your decision.
In all honestly you’ll never know the full history in detail, you’d probably not like it if you did and hence blissful ignorance is probably for the best
That is an awesome analogy. A version of events will be presented to you with which to make your decision.
In all honestly you’ll never know the full history in detail, you’d probably not like it if you did and hence blissful ignorance is probably for the best
The spinner of plates said:
Buying a used car is very much like marrying a partner who wasn’t your childhood sweetheart...
Sometimes the childhood sweethearts can be worst....! As they get older they fancy trying something more powerful.. or a dirty off road weekend away.. even trying something totally different to compare back to back..! Bemmer said:
The spinner of plates said:
Buying a used car is very much like marrying a partner who wasn’t your childhood sweetheart...
Sometimes the childhood sweethearts can be worst....! As they get older they fancy trying something more powerful.. or a dirty off road weekend away.. even trying something totally different to compare back to back..! 
The fact they mention it's been used on the track would suggest they're an enthusiast and thus has higher chance to be better cared for.
Would you rather than than some score who uses his local estate as a race track and only does any maintenance when it fails and MOT.
As other have said, as long as everything is in order then why not?
Would you rather than than some score who uses his local estate as a race track and only does any maintenance when it fails and MOT.
As other have said, as long as everything is in order then why not?
If they have told you it has been tracked then they are being honest, and there is a strong chance they have looked after the car, as otherwise they would have hid that fact to prevent someone checking the car over in minute detail.
Frankly performance cars are designed to be driven hard and after an Italian Tune up they do feel better, sharper engine and brakes etc... And let's face it. there are a number of idiots out there who will thrash a car from cold etc and you would never know...
Frankly performance cars are designed to be driven hard and after an Italian Tune up they do feel better, sharper engine and brakes etc... And let's face it. there are a number of idiots out there who will thrash a car from cold etc and you would never know...
After seeing the way some people drive on the road and then also dont even maintain their cars, then i wouldnt worry about it. If you're buying a car second hand that may attract fast driving owners then i think its just one of those things.
One of the golfs i bought had done ring trips when i did some pre buy digging and i'd seen him make a comment that he'd cooked the brakes, then duly noted he had upgraded the discs and pads upon his return. Similar story with the tyres, having being fitted with Michelin PS4's.
One of the golfs i bought had done ring trips when i did some pre buy digging and i'd seen him make a comment that he'd cooked the brakes, then duly noted he had upgraded the discs and pads upon his return. Similar story with the tyres, having being fitted with Michelin PS4's.
If you're buying anything remotely performance orientated, it could well have been thrashed on the road. Track use means more wear on things like tyres and brakes but you'd check those anyway. Suspension bushes and links can also take a hammering but they can also take a battering over rutted roads and potholes... Someone on track could be more likely to notice and therefore refresh those parts too?
Honesty is a big thing for me, I once went to look at a lovely kitcar, it was immaculate. I'd seen beforehand with some internet research that it'd been crashed but I'd also seen that it'd been rebuilt to better than new standard by the guy who owned the car so I wasn't bothered by that. He hadn't mentioned the crash in the advert but I went to see the car, he took me out for a spin and got it a bit sideways, I asked if it had ever caught him out and he said no. I thought I'd give him another chance so asked if it had ever been repaired and he said no. I then said I'd seen a few pictures of what looked like this car in a ditch on a particular forum and he admitted it had been but I was no longer interested in the car, I'm not interested in buying a car from a seller that's lying about it.
Honesty is a big thing for me, I once went to look at a lovely kitcar, it was immaculate. I'd seen beforehand with some internet research that it'd been crashed but I'd also seen that it'd been rebuilt to better than new standard by the guy who owned the car so I wasn't bothered by that. He hadn't mentioned the crash in the advert but I went to see the car, he took me out for a spin and got it a bit sideways, I asked if it had ever caught him out and he said no. I thought I'd give him another chance so asked if it had ever been repaired and he said no. I then said I'd seen a few pictures of what looked like this car in a ditch on a particular forum and he admitted it had been but I was no longer interested in the car, I'm not interested in buying a car from a seller that's lying about it.
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