Track Current Road Car or Buy Something Else?

[Olivera]

I've just enjoyed a Palmersport GT event today and have once more got the track bug! However my current road cars aren't really track prepared. So the question is, do I turn one of my existing cars into a track car (Leon Cupra R & Sierra Cosworth), or just buy something more suitable. Options are:

Leon Cupra R: Already remapped with a few other upgrades that would be useful for the track. Could probably get away with stripping it, adding a set of coilovers and maybe a limited slip diff to the front.

Sierra Cosworth: Could be lots of RWD fun on track, but potentially needs too much work and money thrown at it. Would need rebushed, coilovers, a roll-cage, some engine work, a brake upgrade etc etc

Buy something else entirely such as a Caterfield/Clio/E36 M3/MX5/Elise/Other. Ideally I'm looking for something with a reasonable turn of pace that can mix it up with others on track, is fun to drive, preferably RWD, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg to run. Budget would depend on car resale value - I wouldn't spend 12k on a track car that would be impossible to shift on, but conversley I might spend that on a caterham.

Advice welcome!
Cheers!

[juansolo]

Cossie would be a giggle but expensive. If there's a Caterfield in the list of alternatives, go for that. Pretty much the perfect all-round track car. Unless you don't want to trailer, in which case get an Elise.

Edited by juansolo on Sunday 31st October 07:55

[Steve H]

Totally agree with Juan. Running costs on a Caterham or Westfield are very low compared to your current cars or pretty well anything else!

For a £12k budget you would get a very suitable Westfield but may struggle to get a quick Caterham as they are mostly low bhp and pretty standard road kit around that kind of money.

HTH

Steve H

[Rob_F]

I did my first track day last week in a bog standard MG ZT (yes, a Rover 75 in training shoes!).

It wasn't a novice day yet we were quite far from being the slowest thing on track. I had huge fun and was mixing it with a few Porsches and other much faster cars. To be honest I think i'd be really frustrated in a fast car constantly overtaking everything and not being able to get some good clean laps in.

The only thing i intend to do for next time is take the boot carpet mat out and lowering the rear arm rest to improve the centre of gravity. My mate Tom is convinced it's worth doing.

Cheers,
Rob

[g40steve]

MX5, learning more in a couple of months than i did in yrs of FWD

[haircutmike]

How about a Chimaera, right budget, fast, handles well if prepped with a few suspension components and shouldn't devalue at all, (unless you bin it!).

Also a brilliant summer toy, I love mine!

[HVAC MATT]

what tracks are you looking at doing? I found my elise to be to slow at snet but was eating up the track at brands. 12K would get you a elise and it would be easy to sell on as not much work is need to make it a track car and it not a bad car for normal day to day driving

seems to be alot of E36 BMW and golf GTI being used at track day cars now.

[minerva]

I had the same conundrum. I decided to track the 997 c2s. Regretting it now, though. Elvington has big run-offs so didnt crash but a very abrasive concrete surface. Tires £283 each! An e36 M3 should be great but concerned that running costs will still be high. A caterham is a very good idea, I think, maybe Westfield but have heard some varied reviews. Tigers (r6 or Avon) seem to be popular.

Decisions!

[fwaggie]

Save your money and put off the idea of upgrading either of your current cars or buying another dedicated track car.

Grab a second set of wheels, chuck Toyos or something on, and have fun for 12 months.

I made the mistake of buying a car I was going to use as a track car, used it a couple of times, knew it didn't handle as well as my main car and have realised I should have just bought a set of wheels and had fun! (which I'm in the (very slow cause I can't find a decent cheap set of wheels!) process of doing).

If in a year or two I find I'm doing loads of track days I'll sort something out then, but for now I'm having too much fun!

[Yazza54]

You could copy me

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Steve H]

Nice toy Yazza, when's it's first track outing?

Minerva, all the se7ens vary hugely as to how capable they are, including Westfields and Caterhams. You'll find all kinds of original build specs, ongoing mods and quality standards, there are some really good cars out there and some sheds! If you were looking for one then a track proven car from a respected source (go on the club websites for help) is the best move and could save a lot of money later as you hopefully wouldn't have too much to do to it.

Personally I'd be a bit hesitant to get any of the "lesser" makes of se7en as to get them up to a decent pace they will often end up costing as much as a nice westie would have done anyway.

Also worth considering the safety issues, unless you are very stupid you will feel extremely exposed when driving a car like that so it's worth making sure the basic car is one of the safer ones and then get a big solid cage fitted .

My Westfield came with a braced RAC bar -




but I'm now much happier with a full cage with side protection on it -



Get one of these things right and they are the best fun to drive on track, cheap to run and even with pretty ordinary power they will stay with almost anything on a trackday.

[worldwidewebs]

I had a Westfield and it really was brilliant on the track. I also agree about the side impact protection. However, one of the reasons I sold it was it seemed almost every trackday was raining and I got fed up with getting soaked. Visibility in the wet was poor too. Great cars, just be aware of the compromises

[Steve H]

That's a fair point, I've got another car that I tend to take along if it's wet although I haven't used it since March and I've probably done 7-8 trackdays since then...............

[haircutmike]

worldwidewebs said:

I had a Westfield and it really was brilliant on the track. I also agree about the side impact protection. However, one of the reasons I sold it was it seemed almost every trackday was raining and I got fed up with getting soaked. Visibility in the wet was poor too. Great cars, just be aware of the compromises

I fancied a "7" of some kind but the weather issues do put me off.

With the chim you can track with the roof of for most of the year.

Always looks a bit depressing when it's cold and wet for the guys in 7's in their waterproofs but great fun in the dry!

[Yazza54]

haircutmike said:

worldwidewebs said:

I had a Westfield and it really was brilliant on the track. I also agree about the side impact protection. However, one of the reasons I sold it was it seemed almost every trackday was raining and I got fed up with getting soaked. Visibility in the wet was poor too. Great cars, just be aware of the compromises

I fancied a "7" of some kind but the weather issues do put me off.

With the chim you can track with the roof of for most of the year.

Always looks a bit depressing when it's cold and wet for the guys in 7's in their waterproofs but great fun in the dry!

Chim isn't a balls out track car though. People who buy that sort of car accept the downfall in practicality for the gains in raw performance. Stop being a big girl with your roof and fancy interior

Edited by Yazza54 on Sunday 7th November 15:39

[haircutmike]

Nothing wrong with big girls .

[Yazza54]

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of 7 style cars. Although they are growing on me, I will say that they aren't very aerodynamic which doesn't lend to tracking. If I was to have one it'd have to be bike engined too like my Fury.

[TuxMan]

i know where there is a very nice well sorted ,track prepped 968 .

[worldwidewebs]

Yazza54 said:

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of 7 style cars. Although they are growing on me, I will say that they aren't very aerodynamic which doesn't lend to tracking. If I was to have one it'd have to be bike engined too like my Fury.

To be honest, bike engines just sound faster than they actually are.

My Westfield had over 200bhp and was 550kg wet. Aside from the very fast circuits, aero didn't really come into it and mine wasn't particularly powerful. Stuff like quick Elises etc really are just mobile chicanes (and I now have an Elise!)

[Yazza54]

worldwidewebs said:

Yazza54 said:

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of 7 style cars. Although they are growing on me, I will say that they aren't very aerodynamic which doesn't lend to tracking. If I was to have one it'd have to be bike engined too like my Fury.

To be honest, bike engines just sound faster than they actually are.

My Westfield had over 200bhp and was 550kg wet. Aside from the very fast circuits, aero didn't really come into it and mine wasn't particularly powerful. Stuff like quick Elises etc really are just mobile chicanes (and I now have an Elise!)

I don't know how you come to the conclusion that bike engines sound faster than they are. They're powerful, they allow for instant gearchanges and they allow you to shred a hell of a lot of weight from the car. I've had a 'do' with tuscans, 355s, elises and a caterham in my fury an found it completely effortless to stay with them. I find that my car has plenty of pull low down too and I have 6 useable gears instead of one ridiculously short 1st and 4 others. I really can't fault it. Does sound the nuts though, but it goes too. I think sub 4 secs to 60 with a STD engine speaks for itself.

Edited by Yazza54 on Sunday 7th November 19:31