Now that I have a couple of months under my belt at my current job, I've been seriously considering going back out racing. I think my Subaru would be better as a rallycrosser than an autocrosser. However, it's my daily driver that logs a lot of highway miles, and I'm hesitant to rallycross my daily driver since I'm not sure how abusive rallycrossing is on a car. I can't be without my Subaru for too long; I have no backup. Does anyone else here rallycross their daily driver?
Not yet, but about to. 
(Mazda 323 GTX)
I think it varys depending on the courses/locations that your local rallycross group sets up. You might want to check out the local courses and talk with people there to decide that for yourself.
well damage to the underside can get bad, especially in the later runs, ruts get deeper, and that puts all that nice delicate stuff closer to the ground. but if the ground is packed nice and hard at the event it should be ok, plus say you were forced off road by a cell phone talking driver, that should satisfy an insurance claim lol. but seriously I've seen exhausts ripped right off of cars, though my WRX suffered no damage at all at an event in texas where there were base ball to softball sized rocks on the course. So it's luck really, oh yeah protect that diff the skid plates are worth it!
If you had the primative racing skidplates, would there be anything to worry about?
Now you're thinking ^^^. If the rally-x oganizer is any good at its job, the course should be designed for daily drivers to be taken on it. I have never once broke a car at a rally-x, and I've done some fairly rough ones (one actually had a small jump)! And I ain't slow either
HiTempguy wrote: Now you're thinking ^^^. If the rally-x oganizer is any good at its job, the course should be designed for daily drivers to be taken on it. I have never once broke a car at a rally-x, and I've done some fairly rough ones (one actually had a small jump)! And I ain't slow either
Yes that's true but you do sign a waiver when you get there usually leaving the organizers not liable for damage, or injuries you may sustain. Just food for thought, rental cars rule at rally-x anyway lol.
R to the X to the 7.
I suggest you spend $1~1500 and get a dedicated rallyx beater. Escort GT, MR2, RX7, Neon, etc.
Then you can drive without worrying about missing that exposed rock or staying out of the ruts.
I rallycrossed my crown vic, but being that old and having that many miles, it didn't really like the stresses of full throttle and full brakes. it still works, just things break more often.
I also recommend a rally beater.
No problems here. 414,000 miles.
The NER SCCA is holding a rallycross in a couple of weeks. I'm posting a message on their message boards to see if I can be the second driver of one of the other participants' cars. If it turns out I like rallycross, I may use the Subaru (with skidplates) as a winter and rallycross beater, then get a RWD car as my good-weather daily driver.
In my experience:
you WILL like rallycross! I had a massive E36 M3 eating grin on my face after my first run.
you most likely will not need skidplates. most of our events are run on very smooth tracks that tend to not rut in very much. Unless you are racing on virgin dirt, or it has rained recently, the ruts shouldn't be higher than 3-4 inches.
I used to, but I won't anymore ever since I blew my motor at an event ~3 hours from home. I did it out of "necessity", but I can think of many, many reasons not to rally your DD, and only one reason to do it ($).
Tyler H wrote: I suggest you spend $1~1500 and get a dedicated rallyx beater. Escort GT, MR2, RX7, Neon, etc. Then you can drive without worrying about missing that exposed rock or staying out of the ruts.
Daily drive your beater. Spend lots money on tires and suspension and stuff for the rallycross car.
After all, you can always drive the rallycross car if you have to, but rallycrossing a beater sucks mightily.
Buy another Subaru.
That way if one breaks you can rob parts off the running one.
Our Impreza rallycross beater is also a LeMons car during the holidays...it's darn near free after selling some of the non-essentials off and putting a cage in it (for LeMons) and we've had a hoot learning rallycross. I find rallycrossing a beater to be way, way more fun than autocrossing anything (beater or prepared car)...but I wouldn't rallycross the daily driver, that would spoil the fun. Buy a POS for cheap and use it as a beater/rallycrosser, you won't regret it.
Bryce
I've been doing it for about 10 years without any major mechanical problems...worst I've had so far is some wiring wiggling loose. Granted, if my car breaks I can ride my bike or take the bus, so I do have an out, and a well-maintained 80's Toyota might be more reliable and stout than some, but I still think it is generally fairly easy on the car. Drop by a local event or two and check out the local conditions for a better idea.
YEs, When I was in college we rented a then new Rabbit GTI and it became out "Identi-Car" so that all the drivers autocrossed it so we could see who the best driver was. I think it got about 20 Runs. We had to switch the wheels around on the rims to hide the scrubbed tires and then we drove it back and sat across the street until minutes before closing so when we dorve in the guy was in a hurry and they did a qyuick once over and signed off on it. Apart from squishy brakes and no tires it was fine.
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