I really like them and test drove one at the beginning of the summer. It was auto but I always keep an eye out for another one but a 6 speed. I think it would be a fun autox/lapping car. We had a TL out at one of the regional autocrosses and it ran really well.
I think one of the keys with this car would be that you'd never have to seek out more power, just figure out how to use what it comes with. It would be all about suspension, adding lightness and getting the power to the ground.
mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Jaynen: It is, but most of the cars on the ground are turning into old crap boxes that need a metric ton of basic maintenance to get to the "nice reliable dual purpose track car" state.
Is that a regional thing or more in general? I guess out here in Socal I see good deals on great base cars all the time for a E36 Trackmobile. Not that I dislike the Honda idea I actually really like the V6 in our Odyssey but I just was thinking the E36 feels like more of a straight up proven idea in this capacity.
If you DO want to look at E36 M3's a local independent mechanic here I know is specialists in them are a great bunch of guys and usually have a line on some local cars (San Diego)
I'd say do it! I sat in one at a dealer a few months ago. Very cool cars. I'd go v6 pony car over one, but that's just my preference
Is it possible to get the manual in a 4door?
I don't think it's a bad idea at all. Honda makes a great V6, and they're reasonably fun even in stock form.
Given the weight, I think that brakes might be a problem area. I'm not sure how the Accord's compares with other Honda models, but I know that many people with Odysseys are upgrading to Pilot front calipers and rotors. Something similar might work on the Accord if the stock setup is lacking for track work. I'd try track pads first and see how they do.
http://globaltimeattack.com/project-import/
Think I saw a video on this guy as well about the coverage of last years final Global Attack stuff
Edit found it: https://youtu.be/hZPnqVNfKcA?t=5m32s
The '08 has double wishbones still (up front, where it matters).
>26" tires means going to a 25" "standard" sports car tire size gets you cheaper, better gearing, lower 255/40-17s. Could probably get 17x9s in there with zero issues, maybe bigger.
That + coilovers + intake/exhaust + addressing any potential oil issues or brake issues = probably a pretty respectable fun track day vehicle.
Yeah, the Honda v6s aren't known for oil starvation and subsequent blowup that the Toyotas are. I'm with DJ, in that you're going to be working the front brakes way harder than they've ever been worked before, so a good set of pads and rotors are in order.
Should be fun with some lightening and suspension. I'd do it.
Just don't forget about Palmer. I just did two days up there with the NEQ audi club and it was a blast :)
Another good option for a drive-to-the-track car is an rx8 :) I might be a bit biased, but my 100% stock, 8 year old rx8 was being slowed down by the Corvettes, 911s and RS4s in the intermediate group. I was getting into the 2:02s with a head cold and broken foot.
As a track only car you dont care as much about the fuel economy they all suck on track, and if you run the 2stroke oil in the gas I think the rotaries do alot better on the seals?
Same concept, different brand would be an Altima coupe with the V6 and a 6 speed. Find whichever one is cheaper. I guess they don't have the double wishbones, but it would still be a similar recipe. I think the Accord is a great idea, though. (Says the guy taking a Maxima to the Challenge) 
I had an ex girlfriend who owned a clean low mileage stock V6 speed coupe. I drove the car a lot. Bone stock it is a quick car.
I upgraded the brakes using performance friction pads all the way around. KnN filter and royal purple. I am sure it would have been a blast around a road course.
I drove the car hard on many different Pacific NW back roads. It handled well and was comfortable.
It was a little tail happy in situations where I pushed the car to it's very limit. I like that in a car especially with FWD. it was very predictable and fun. I drove it through blizzards and the ABS worked very well
The lack of an LSD is not too bad,because the power comes in so high in the power band. With the traction control off, It will torque steer in 1st and going into second. It takes a little getting used to.
The V6 motor was awesome and it sounded great at high rpms even With the stock exhaust. Good transmission with Great stock shifter feel. Install good rubber on the Stock 17s, upgrade brake pads and go. Imo it is a very fun under rated car.
Very interested in this conversation. Not to side track it too much, but the newer Accord V6 6spd coupe is on my shopping list. Don't think I'd track it, but I'm looking for a new daily driver that meets the following criteria: Fun to drive, fast, good (doesn't have to be "awesome") handling, reliable as gravity, not a maintenance diva, at least respectable fuel economy, comfortable, some luxury touches, nice place to spend 3 hours and 120 miles in every day. I prefer wagons or hatches, and I love the MS3, but have concerns with the maintenance needs of the turbo motor and it's thirst for premium fuel. So in looking at sporty coupe body styles, the Accord comes to mind right away.
I have a friend who autocrossed an 08 V-6 Accord Coupe 6sp. and he declared it undrivable on the stock Michelin no-seasons. Constant wheelspin.
well an acura tl ran at smf, I assume the accord is a similar platform as this... http://www.scca.com/photo_albums/1971560/photos
Mmadness wrote: I have a friend who autocrossed an 08 V-6 Accord Coupe 6sp. and he declared it undrivable on the stock Michelin no-seasons. Constant wheelspin.
Those Michelins last 80k miles. I would expect them to be terrible on an autocross course.
Still tracking my V6 Malibu (200hp, 3200 lbs including driver).
It can be a slippery slope but tires are the clear line between cheap appliance track car and "what am i going to break this weekend".
If keeping cheap, finding 300+ treadwear tires and either running 80% the whole session or running 95% for 2 laps (VIR) then 1 lap at 70% to cool down before doing another 2 hot laps should be fine.
I undersized my tires to get better gearing and less sidewall to flex.
3.0 degrees camber up front, was needed to keep the tires from rolling onto their sidewall and chunking to death over one weekend with stock suspension. But to do that I needed camber bolts, slotting of the front camber adjustment plates, wheel spacers to keep the top of the wheel from hitting the suspensions bits, and longer studs so i could get enough threads through my wheel nuts. 1.6 - 1.8 degrees was fine in the rear and only needed camber bolts to do so.
Carbotech xp-10 up front and xp-8 in the rear have been great brakes, lots of dust and a bit noisy on the street but not to the point of horrable embarrassment.
Corbeau adjustable back seat (did need custom mounts made up to keep the seat as a slider) with a cg lock and a G-Force autocross torso harness to keep me from sliding around.
Ran a half quart more oil above the full line and had no problems with this setup for 13 days at VIR and 3 at NJMP.
What cost me money was going to stickier tires and starting to break stuff and having to worry about a trans cooler and oil starvation or ignoring the signs that my tires were starting to overheat and pushing 5+ laps at 95% chasing some other car and chunking a set of tires to death in 3 days at the track.
For me front brakes last 5 or 6 days on track and 6 - 8 days on a set of tires when i am behaving.
http://youtu.be/z-dcKjFXzNc
In reply to Fr3AkAzOiD:
^Good info there. Thanks.
Woody, You're highly experience in Accords. Thoughts on the V6 6spd coupe as a "sporty" DD? I'm talking EX-L trim level.
HiTempguy wrote: Lol, "track day" car, owns a Porsche and a Miata. Man, you guys must witness a lot of accidents at tracks to be so paranoid about something happening to your car.. or dont trust yourselves driving.
I have been to 10 track days in the last 6 years. I have seen cars totaled or significantly damaged at 4. That's 40%. As far as my driving, I am pretty good. That doesn't mean nothing is ever going to happen to me.
The one I saw at the track was GUTTED. Probably 500+ lbs lighter than stock. Zero interior, no dash, ac. One aluminum race seat and a harness bar. I don't remember but it may have had plastic windows.
It was an 03-07, which Wikipedia says the sedan is 3200lb. 250hp and < 2600lb is pretty good. I'm a competent driver, it smoked me in a stock 99 sport Miata with star specs.
Tires being equal i keep up with or pass the frs, brz, miata i run with in intermediate.
Assuming no turbo or sc.
mazdeuce wrote: There's a lot to be said for a car that will drive comfortably to the track, do a bunch of laps at 85-90% at speeds that are fast enough to be fun and keep up with some of your friends, and not cost an arm and a leg.
I think you just described the single largest success factor of the BMWCCA.
Type Q wrote:HiTempguy wrote: Lol, "track day" car, owns a Porsche and a Miata. Man, you guys must witness a lot of accidents at tracks to be so paranoid about something happening to your car.. or dont trust yourselves driving.I have been to 10 track days in the last 6 years. I have seen cars totaled or significantly damaged at 4. That's 40%. As far as my driving, I am pretty good. That doesn't mean nothing is ever going to happen to me.
I don't disagree with your overall point, but that is a slightly ambiguous statistic. In the effort of clarity - You have seen significant crashes at 40% of your track days, but the number of cars damaged (assuming 50 cars per track day) is more like 1%.
I'd get a 4 banger accord and spend the leftovers on an e36 track rat.
Woody wrote: ...I can throw away four or five Accords for the price of one of the Porsches.
Maybe you have a wholesale source or plan on buying from someplace like Copart, but a quick CL search shows 08+ Accord Coupes to still be $10-12k cars in my area. That and the V6/manual combo seems to be something of a unicorn.
I looked at V6 Accord Coupes from one generation earlier when I bought my most recent DD, and found the same things, priced too high and manuals impossible to find.
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