What autocross car do I want?

Edited for clarity:

It's been way too long since I was serious about autocross, and I hope to change that(probably by next season, not this one). There are two distinctly different ideas I've thought about, discussed separately below.

Idea #1

I'm considering some type of Modified class car for a few reasons:

1.) I could fit it & 2 other vehicles in our garage comfortably.

2.) Lower consumables cost(???).

3.) Small/light enough to tow behind the minivan.

4.) More stable classing(???).

Unfortunately, I know very little(and nothing current)about the mod classes, beyond what I've read about JG's exploits. Also, I've not been to a single event along the coast yet, but I know there's zero chance I'd want to run something like a kart or F500 at our site in IL...it's WAY too rough for my old body to want to deal with that kind of punishment.

So what are my options for being competitive, as cheaply as possible, in something small enough to fit in the garage with 2 other vehicles - say 12'-15' max length...Fmod? Locost?? Something else???

Idea #2

Is a DSG GTI the cheapest competitive flappy-paddle autocross car? I do not want to buy a 3rd actual car to autocross because I do not have room to park it without blocking another vehicle in. SWMBO isn't comfortable driving a stick(and has no desire to become more comfortable), and I don't want us to only have one vehicle she can drive.

You can build a Miata with an automatic to be competitive. Likely STR in an NC.

The 6-speed auto in the NC and ND are great. Shift quickly and downshift properly (blips the throttle on downshift with the steering buttons.

The earlier Miatas had much more basic automatics and aren't quite as much fun without a bunch more power added to provide a broad torque band.

What if you try you hand with a kart? I knew an older dude who ran a 2stroke gocart, basically shifter cart motor but was straight greared so wifey is happy. Would fit in the back of the mini van probably. I hear the harbor freight 6.5hp "predator" is also a hot ticket (like still push a grown man 80mph and pull well over a G in the turns.)

That's if your local region allows carts or if you even have any competition. All what ifs and buts but it's easy, fast, and you both can drive...if you and her are willing to have your butts an inch off the ground haha

First in with the dedicated autocross cart idea.

Do the automatic Miatas require an LSD to be competitive, or do they work fine without them?

Unfortunately a Miata won't fit in the garage with anything else, and SWMBO has zero interest in autocross anyway. That's why I'm looking for input on smaller options.

If I were to replace a current vehicle with something else that car would need to be an automatic. Honestly I'm not interested in that presently, as our two vehicles fit our needs pretty well.

I actually had a kart a year ago, but never even fired it up. I have no desire to drive anything without a suspension at my age, and really don't want to deal with a driver's suit just to autocross. My(albeit, somewhat limited) exposure to them has been that they all seem a bit finicky - not running right, stalling out & needing someone to push start you, etc.

I'm looking to hop in & drive, change the oil a couple times per year, and buy a new set of(relatively cheap) tires at the start of each season. The rest of the time it'll be put up out of the way in the garage & largely forgotten.

Is that a realistic option?

It's starting to seem like a tall order, unless you can get something the size of a Ford Anglia to use in autocross.

In reply to petegossett:

Then just hot rod a 212 Predator or a Animal engine. You can keep the pull start on them too.

Build or buy a B Mod car?

FWIW, I've never personally seen a mod car that wasn't a bit temperamental, at least as much as a kart. I'm sure they exist.

Legends car?

I would personally buy someone's Modified car that they want to get rid of, so you can tune instead of build it. I would think that a locust is a little too big for your needs, but I'm not sure. One of my friends manufacturers Locust replicas with Miata parts, and his isn't as competitive as it should be, but, of course, YMMV.

Exocet? You're painting us into a corner with the automatic and tiny requirement. You can have one or the other it seems.

Or just get a real car that can be used for real car stuff (and the wife can drive) and run in H-street. PAX is there for e reason, you aren't going to FTD your group in something that doesn't punish you a fair amount to get there.

Would an automatic Mazda 2 be competitive in STF?

An automatic is not required....sorry everyone - I didn't mean to confuse everyone with my first post!

I'll go back & edit it to be more clear.

you might also want to clarify the space thing. You said 12-15 feet, but I'm pretty sure a Miata is 13' long. Why won't that work? I can't imagine a that a mod is much narrower.

FMod would be either an F500 or a solo vee. From past experience with an F500 car, they don't really lend themselves well to occasional use. Both in terms of maintenance/reliability, and driver proficiency.

If you're thinking that way, I'd say go for something small and street legal, so you can get more use out of it than just a few minutes a year on course.

Fun, inexpensive things with small footprints that I can think of off the top of my head: The Answer, Spridget, Mini, Mk1 Golf, Fiat/Yugo?, Locost if you could find a built one, plus others I can't think of right now.

In reply to icaneat50eggs:

That's a pretty variable number. The garage is 30' long on that side. SWMBO's Fit is ~13.5' long. However the present plan is to put my workbench along that back wall, which would leave me a realistic 10' of length. I potentially could put the workbench someplace else, but the garage is only 22' wide. So that doesn't leave any working space if I put it along the side wall.

Of course the Fit will likely be replaced in another year or so, and although it will likely be something similarly small filling its place, it could be another foot longer.

Also, my last autox car was a Miata - quite frankly it was a fun car on the street, but I never enjoyed autocrossing it. I just never clicked with the car.

pete, what suspension did your Miata have? I liked the Miata on the road but just ok on autocross till I got a good suspension kit thrown on it. Not trying to convince you to get a Miata, just wondering what you didn't like about it.

In reply to icaneat50eggs:

I went fro E-stock on the bone stock(58kmi) suspension -> KYB AGX and an FM front bar -> Racing Beat springs & rear bar -> Koni yellows on GC coilovers with Fat Cat mounts and 225 Rivals, with the suggested alignment settings.

I found the car unpredictable at the limit. I never knew where, or how bad, the back end was going to step out. As a result, I spent most of my time on course being more concerned with keeping a clean run, rather than being able to focus on improvement.

Since you mention the Fit, aren't they a decent autocrosser in their own right? I kind of remember a thread a few weeks back, about someone getting one for solo use. Or the current reigning do it all car according so some rag, the Focus SVT.

In reply to XLR99:

We love the Fit. It's an '09 we've owned since new, that now has 175k on it. It's also an automatic, and has zero chance of being competitive...well, in anything other than a 1-car class.

petegossett wrote: In reply to icaneat50eggs: I went fro E-stock on the bone stock(58kmi) suspension -> KYB AGX and an FM front bar -> Racing Beat springs & rear bar -> Koni yellows on GC coilovers with Fat Cat mounts and 225 Rivals, with the suggested alignment settings. I found the car unpredictable at the limit. I never knew where, or how bad, the back end was going to step out. As a result, I spent most of my time on course being more concerned with keeping a clean run, rather than being able to focus on improvement.

Sounds like you had too much rear sway bar and perhaps some toe change going on. Bad bushings, maybe?

The autotragic transmission is what's killing you here...teach SWMBO to drive a slick-shifting 6-speed. The FiST is the easy button for HS: keep it 100% stock, drive it to the course, win HS, drive home. Commute to work all week with a HUGE grin on your face, then repeat the win in HS the next weekend.

You can even swap on some lighter wheels and sticky tires, and chase fastest PAX time of the day. Or build it to your heart's content.

Are you just looking for something fast and exciting, or does it need to be built to (the limit of) a particular rule set for maximum competitiveness? Is there any chance that you would also want to use this to do track days, time trials, or wheel-to-wheel racing?