I would choose any normally aspirated rear wheel drive car with good aftermarket support for racing that falls into your price range.
The answer is Miata unless you need a back seat... then its BMW 3 series but Nissan 240, RX-7, MR2... all work too.
I would choose any normally aspirated rear wheel drive car with good aftermarket support for racing that falls into your price range.
The answer is Miata unless you need a back seat... then its BMW 3 series but Nissan 240, RX-7, MR2... all work too.
Budget?
If it's decent and you must have FWD, those choices are good. Mini S. RSX.
If it's lower, CRX, EGT?
If you can deal with the snow days and RWD, Miata is always the answer.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I would choose any normally aspirated rear wheel drive car with good aftermarket support for racing that falls into your price range. The answer is Miata unless you need a back seat... then its BMW 3 series but Nissan 240, RX-7, MR2... all work too.
This^^ - But I'm biased toward German hardware (coming from a guy with two old brit cars in the garage).
It's really hard to beat a used WRX for value, especially when you are talking DD + HPDE + Snow.
The wagon's are cheaper and just as fast, plus lower insurance.
Klayfish wrote: Budget? If it's decent and you must have FWD, those choices are good. Mini S. RSX. If it's lower, CRX, EGT? If you can deal with the snow days and RWD, Miata is always the answer.
That.
And don't discount the Honda you ran. They are QUITE quick autocrossing, so I would expect them to be pretty fun on the track.
On the other end, people seem to think BMW's are good cars. I don't, but YMMV. There's a wide spectrum of choices for multi purpose cars.
Budget is decent. For now this will be my only car so I was considering a new WRX/GTI as the high end. Reliability is also a factor since I do have to get to work most days.
I can deal with snow days and RWD but it will be harder to find a place to store snow tires/wheels (especially if I also end up with race tires/wheels at some point).
Miata is a great suggestion, I just need to critically examine whether or not I need a back seat. I'm also finding $15,000 Boxsters on a regular basis... again, the back seat thing.
Thanks!
And don't discount the Honda you ran. They are QUITE quick autocrossing, so I would expect them to be pretty fun on the track. On the other end, people seem to think BMW's are good cars. I don't, but YMMV. There's a wide spectrum of choices for multi purpose cars.
That poor Honda. I loved it. But then a tree fell on it, and my insurance co decided it wasn't worth fixing (TBH, the roof was pretty much collapsed, so I understand). That said, an used Si might fit the bill...
WRX wagons are cheaper to insure, I did not know that. Does that also apply to the newer hatchback style ("5 door option")?
If this is something you want to do regularly I would strongly suggest getting a dedicated track rat. The appeal of a do-it all car wears off pretty quickly when your daily four door sedan gets a rollbar (can only seat 2) and you have to buckle up the 6 point every day, your aggressive pads squeal...etc
There are plenty of turnkey racecars out there (H4 Civic/CRX, older GTI...etc) that can be had for 3k or even less. You will have more fun, and you will enjoy your daily more as well. Not to mention worst case you at least can still drive home in your daily.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, the advantages of having a dedicated racer (if possible) are a magnitude of difference.
Not to mention, approached at a gas station: "Oh? Yea... sorry thats my race car. Im a racecar driver...can I buy you a drink?"
I'd get a ratty daily driver, and a somewhat nice track car. 
There's a pretty nicely prepped MR-S here at a local dealer i was looking at but passed on for $9k. Already has a nice suspension, exhaust, intake, motor mounts, tow hooks, and a short shifter. Runs and drives great? 
I daily drove my track car for years. I sold my E46 M3 about 18 months ago so I could get a dedicated track rat instead. Damn, do I ever miss the M3, but I'm in a much better position now.
My track car has a welded, structural rollbar, proper seats, 6 point harnesses and is something that I can walk away from financially if it gets wrecked.
If the track car is broken, I still can get to work as I have a seperate daily driver.
If you can afford a new GTI/WRX, instead look into splitting that budget and buying two $10k cars. One daily driver, one track rat.
Try to find a track rat in the $8k range, that will leave you a few $$$ to fix the inevitable things wrong with it.
In that price range I like the BMW E36 M3's a lot. Fun cars, durable, huge aftermarket, RWD..
I know you're not talking about tracking often, but there's the thought of whatever you take to the track, be prepared for it to be wadded up. It can and does happen.
I'd go with spending $15k-ish on a nice, fun daily driver.
And $5k on sorted out E30/Miata for the track.
Buy going with a cheaper DD, could you justify storage for the track rat since you only have one parking spot?
Another option would be something like an AWD DSM if you can find one that hasn't been modded out the wazoo by people who haven't got the foggiest idea as to what they're doing.
I'd also vote for 2 cars, but if you can only have the 1, I wouldn't spend the full 15 large. Others have mentioned the very real risk of wrecking, and on top of that, just the fear of wrecking can take a lot of fun out of it when you find yourself backing off the limit too soon. I'd also go for something as light and nimble as you can tolerate in a DD -- something like an SVT Focus, or a late 90s Civic/Teg. Something naturally aspirated that can take cheap tires, because you're going to want a second set for track days with some good rubber.
Any double wishbone suspension Honda.... Pretty much any 90s Civic, CRX or an Integra. Solid reliablity, cheap parts, fast, good tire wear, etc.
Here's what I was sort of thinking:
Buy something fun now, track it a couple times a year etc. Save money to buy house with a large structure on the property for garage (ie, a barn or garage building... there are a number of these in an unincorporated area near where I live now), and then buy dedicated track car. I think my mom wants my dad's Mustang out of their garage also, so I would probably need room for that.
I was hoping to be in a house by now, but the real estate market just isn't good at all here.
Obviously I hope I wouldn't wreck but I definitely know I could. It's all part of the risk I think.
Looks like covered parking in my area is $175-$200/month. Do those places allow you to work on cars while they are stored there?
Anyway, lots to consider here...
just the fear of wrecking can take a lot of fun out of it when you find yourself backing off the limit too soon.
I agree but if your fear of wrecking is mostly financial you have some sort of disassociative disorder. Still, i would make the track car the cheaper of the two by far.
MS3 is a great choice for an all around
(Don't mind the people who bitch about the torque steer it is not that bad)
I also say two cars is the best way to go if possible. I did.
Those saying "don't track a nice car" are 100% right. I seriously held back tracking my nice M Coupe on track. I got a beater Miata and didn't worry about injuring it. It allowed me to take risks.
I would suggest E36 M3. Great all-around car with a back seat and trunk. Seem to be going for pretty inexpensively too. Or Miata. My Miata has been great. It might be a bit small for an only car.
I don't know about the WRX, but if you are serious about tracking the car I recommend against the STi or Evo. Problem is, those cars have so much power and are so forgiving that people who learn to track in one train themselves to have bad habits. The more basic cars probably won't be as bad just by virtue of lacking the grunt to compensate for poor lines.
328i
slowride wrote: I was hoping to be in a house by now, but the real estate market just isn't good at all here.
How does that make it a bad option to get in right now? Buy low! The 15-20K you would spend on a car would be better on a house. Even a small house with no really big garage can have a trackrat sitting around, and if the buick is big enough it could even probably tow-dolly a track rat around. My rule is nothing goes on the track that I can't afford to push off a cliff.. and right now that's not a lot for me.. but I own my house!
One thing that nobody mentions; power.
I've done quite a bit of racing for my young age... nothing beats power still. I love a good handling car, but there is nothing quite like exiting a corner and wailing on the loud peddle (especially for track days where it isn't wheel to wheel).
nocones wrote:slowride wrote: I was hoping to be in a house by now, but the real estate market just isn't good at all here.How does that make it a bad option to get in right now? Buy low! The 15-20K you would spend on a car would be better on a house. Even a small house with no really big garage can have a trackrat sitting around, and if the buick is big enough it could even probably tow-dolly a track rat around. My rule is nothing goes on the track that I can't afford to push off a cliff.. and right now that's not a lot for me.. but I own my house!
This, never a better time to buy a foreclosure
JtspellS wrote: MS3 is a great choice for an all around (Don't mind the people who bitch about the torque steer it is not that bad)
If you are on anything other than perfectly smooth pavement, yes it is. The first thing I do when I put the key in is turn off the DSC, and even with the reduced power level in the 1-3 gears, there is substantial torque steer.
However, a benefit would be plenty of room for a second set of tires, tools, canopy, cooler.
If the MS3 was RWD, it would be damn near perfect.
*I own a 2010 MS3.
Nobody has mentioned a Quattro product as a good DD in the snow & still be able to use it as a track car. I do it with mine until I find another miata. Change out the brake pads when going to the track, get a small trailer and a extra set of wheels with sticky rubber & you're set
Oh you said reliable too.......nevermind, forget everything I just said....carry on
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