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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » When is that answer not miata? Track day car content

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March 11, 2011 4:30 p.m. AugustusGloop None

I am interested in any personal experience/stories you may lend to my decision making. Looking to pull the trigger on a track day car with occasional street use with a primary focus on cheap, handling and fun factor. I see the answer is almost always miata, although I am having some doubts.

Will I get bored of it soon? I have driven on track for fun and in anger against others, and have some experience with more powerful cars and the siren song of powerrr seduces me (think M3, corvette, cayman) although really don't want to spend that much for a toy which could/may/will break, as well as the higher consumable costs. My big question is, is the Miata frugal and fun enough to offset the lack of power of the bigger boys on the playground? Any ex Miata owners here who were not happy? Any previous higher end car owners that gave up their ride for the call of the Miata? Ideally would like ideas for suitable 4 seaters as well.

Help my undecided little pea brain make a decision. Track season is approaching soon up here.
March 11, 2011 4:35 p.m. killerkane New Reader

I'm may catch some flack for saying this but e36 M3 (and all e36) prices are way down right now. I would much rather drive a 3 series over a Miata on track, especially if you want a 4 seater...
March 11, 2011 4:47 p.m. EvanB Dork

I second the E36 M3 option, prices around 6-9k.
March 11, 2011 4:50 p.m. peter Reader

OK, yeah, the straights can get boring in a Miata. And passing takes perfection - you've got to hit the four corners before the straight just right to get the pass on the car in front of you. But damn, these things can corner.

I guess that's the question: are you more interested in hitting your turn in, apex, track out exactly right, every single damn time, or are you happy with jumping on the gas after a botched corner and making it all up on the straight?

The most frustrating thing about tracking the Miata is bad drivers* in powerful cars. You get stuck behind them in the corners, then instead of pointing you by, they run away from you on the straights. You learn to just come into the pits and ask for some room. Can your ego deal with that?

*the drivers in powerful cars that point you by, or never hold you up are just fine in my book
March 11, 2011 4:59 p.m. killerkane New Reader

EvanB wrote:

I second the E36 M3 option, prices around 6-9k.

Thank you

M3's are a perfect ballance of handling and power. I know a guy with a CSL and he regularily passes Cup cars, and supercars, the only cars that keep up with him are fully modded Z06's and Viper's. (To be fair BMW sponsored him in a CSL for the 1 Lap and won it, so he is a better than average driver).
March 11, 2011 5:11 p.m. iceracer Dork

I ran my 2000 ZX2SR as a track day car and a DD. Just put a bigger rear sway bar, Hoosier tires and more camber and caster in the front. Told several times it shouldn't be that fast.
March 11, 2011 5:20 p.m. Greg Voth HalfDork

The stock power level is a little uninspiring. I got bored after about 15 - 20 minutes but mainly because I was on track by myself.

I am used to my 1st gen RX-7 which probably doesnt handle as well but at least the rotary liked to be rev'd out. I had a nagging feeling that I was hurting the 1.6 taking it to redline.

I must admit I was a powerful car driver at the PBIR Lemons race. We had no brakes and were running old 13 inch tires but had 250 ish HP V8 in an 83 RX-7. Slow in the braking zones and through the turns but hold on for the straights.

It was a lot of fun outrunning the Eyesore Racing Turbo Miata and everyone else on the back straight. Even with higher exit speeds we could still reel people in about halfway down the back straight. It would not have been half as much fun with the stock motor. I felt bad for the well driven Paseo caught me about 6 laps in a row. I would let him pass only to blow by him on the straights. Eventually he got caught in traffic and fell behind. That would annoy the hell out of me.

In summary having power is not a bad thing.

You could always buy our V8 Miata and have the best of both worlds. Low consumables cost plus power to pass. Throw on some aluminum heads and you it probably wouldn't weigh much more than a fully optioned stocker. Weights 2480 as it sits with iron heads, PS, and a full cage. Most of the interior is still there minus the radio, HVAC, windows and top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic81M-TmQV4&feature=channel_video_title

http://www.youtube.com/user/lastminuteracing1#p/u/21/dDpfHx0Kt44
March 11, 2011 5:49 p.m. oldeskewltoy Reader

I know... I know... I'm always pushing the rwd Corollas...

but they are fun, and with just a few mods - most are VERY easy, and moderately priced ESPECIALLY for someone who wants me to think M3, corvette, cayman.

a well sorted AE86 can have 170 emissions compliant, n/a hp, and a mass around 980 kilos. It can take you and friends to the track, or you, a set of track tires, tools, jackstands, and a cooler.

I'll admit it will take some doing to get an AE86 handling like a Miata... but there isn't an n/a Miata powerplant that has the melody of a 4AG @8000 rpm

- Formula Atlantic engines plant 240+ or - hp @ about 11,000 rpm
March 11, 2011 5:50 p.m. SVTF Reader

I would suggest you decide the convertible issue first. I had a supercharged Miata and it was fun.....way more fun than a NA Miata. But I hated having a vert in bad weather. At the track, it's worse. You could get a hardtop but some clubs still won't let you run a vert - period.

So if you want/like a vert, a turbo Miata is a poor man's Lotus Elise. But without forced induction, the long straights (like 1-2, 6-7, 7-10 @ Road Atlanta) are terribly boring and all those lousey drivers you pushed thru the turns will pull away - until the next corner, where you'll stay behind them all over again.
March 11, 2011 6:01 p.m. Teqnyck Reader

I know that there is a certain amount of hassle with this, but if you want more power, just boost the Miata. You'll still have the excellent handling plus power on tap. Both the B6 and the BP engines are meant to be turbo'd anyways, so you'd have to run relatively high boost to have to worry much about them.

I wanna use my last Protege LX as an example. I bought a Miata ebay manifold, a 50 dollar 2nd gen DSM turbo, made my own adapter plate and modded a DSM downpipe, Apexi SAFC from Craigslist for 100 bucks, Rx7 injectors from a drifter who wanted more power, so on and so forth. I ended up putting less than 1k into a turbo set up and I put 220whp down.

In a Miata, 220 is plenty to get you around the track faster than most other people.
March 11, 2011 6:26 p.m. Javelin SuperDork

I don't know about all clubs/tracks, but I do know that in order to run at any of my local HPDE's my Miata needed to have BOTH an approved (SCCA/NASA) rollbar AND a hardtop. That's my #1 reason for disliking the Miata for track duty, I would much rather have a "natural hardtop" car to avoid those restrictions.

Just my 2 cents.
March 12, 2011 7:43 p.m. fornetti14 HalfDork

I say E36 M3.
March 12, 2011 8:53 p.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

I have nothing to add other than I dig the fact your screen name is Agustus Gloop.
Forever to be know as the first to find a golden ticket.
March 12, 2011 9:09 p.m. Raze Dork

Mustang?
March 12, 2011 10:04 p.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork

Caterham or some sort of 7 replica. I have got to ride in a Caterham R500 around a track. Holy E36 M3! Nothing like leaving Porsches and BMWs for dead.
March 12, 2011 11:14 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

The Miata is a great handling and fun car. I gave up the call of my M Coupe for a Miata (rather, relegated it to street and Auto-X duty only). My primary reason for that was money. I figured repairing body work on a nice BMW would cost more than replacing a Miata. The Miata was more fun on track.

I'm incredibly happy I learned performance driving in a Miata. Yes, it could be a bit frustrating being lower on power; but it also made going fast a challenge and more rewarding. It feels really good to pass Evo's in a cheap Miata.

That said, power would be fun too, and an E36 M3 would be great. Now, E36 M3s are cheap enough to be used as a total track rat.

The Miata will be easier and cheaper to get parts for.
March 12, 2011 11:21 p.m. 92dxman HalfDork

In reply to Teqnyck:

Do you have any pictures of this? I had a Protege lx a few years ago and that thing was a ball on the street bone stock. I can't imagine how much fun it was with a little boost..
March 13, 2011 1:52 a.m. chaparral Reader

Wrench in the works - you can get a C5 Corvette for around $12,000 now. That'll be a different world of speed - it's a momentum car that likes to accumulate a lot of momentum.
March 13, 2011 9:45 a.m. AugustusGloop New Reader

Interesting to see all the support for the E36 M3. That car was actually my top consideration, but thought I would at least explore the miata a bit more, primarily drawn by the low costs, ample aftermarket support, and popularity as a track car.

I am really not a convertible guy, just not my thing really. If I did get a Miata, a hardtop would installed.

I'm thinking $2-3k for a decent miata around here, $800ish for a hardtop, $800ish for roll bar puts me up into the $4-5k range before any upgrades, or maintanence. M3 would be around $6-8k. Leaning toward sticking with my original plan of finding an E36.

Really don't want to go any higher $$.
March 13, 2011 10:16 a.m. dyintorace SuperDork

I've owned both Miatas and 2 different e36 M3s. I've tracked both, though not extensively. I'd prefer the M3. The Miata is a wonderful car, but the M3 feels more put together to me.

Don't know if you have perused bimmerforums.com, but there a lots of inexpensive M3s for sale there right now.
March 13, 2011 10:33 a.m. killerkane New Reader

dyintorace wrote:

I've owned both Miatas and 2 different e36 M3s. I've tracked both, though not extensively. I'd prefer the M3. The Miata is a wonderful car, but the M3 feels more put together to me.

Don't know if you have perused bimmerforums.com, but there a lots of inexpensive M3s for sale there right now.

Mine is
March 13, 2011 11:14 a.m. ZOO SuperDork

I track both my M3 and my Miata. I enjoy both -- and never regret bringing either to a day at the track. Having said that, the extra oomph of the M3 is a definite plus on long straights.
March 13, 2011 1:55 p.m. jonny330 New Reader

i am currently looking for a track day car and I am leaning towards an e36, they are pretty cheap right now and are great cars. I haven't found the right one yet but there are a lot out there so plenty to chose from.
March 13, 2011 2:07 p.m. thunderzy New Reader

to the OP. I'm in the same boat. Looking for a non miata track car. I chose to look at the other spec series automobiles as they are proven machines, and have incredible parts and information support. I'm speaking of the E30, mustang fox body, and porsche 944. There is nothing you can do to these cars that hasn't already been done. I considered an e36 m3. But the parts are little too expensive, and its a bit heavy. I finally decided on the Porsche 944. They are cheap, have a spec league, and relatively easy to maintain. Out the box they are good all around performers. just my .02.
March 13, 2011 2:41 p.m. Russ Wheeler SuperDork

I beat the ever-lovin' snot out of an E36 M3 for years.

It is a phenomenal track car that is fast in the hands of the ham fisted and damn fast in the hands of somebody who drives it like it was a Miata.

If you are a novice - the Miata will save you on tires and brakes over the BMW and give you a great platform to build skills on. If you run with clubs that have a strong Miata following to play with then you won't get bored even as you get faster... if not... get the M3. It will be several seconds a lap faster that a well driven Miata and you can harass even the experienced guys in Z-06s, 911s and so on at tracks with more turns than straights.

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