Help me find/buy a track car....

[AngelGrinder]

Basically, I have about 1.5k to spend, could stretch to 2k if I REALLY felt like it.

I want a car thats still road legal, preferably RWD, preferably over 2.0, and definately NOT a BMW (sorry - just don't like them!), and I like my cars fairly big...so no hot hatch type cars....

Not bothered by age, or trim etc...If it's stripped, roll caged etc...this could be a bonus!

I'm located north of London, but am willing to travel! Any ideas, suggestions, or actual cars? I don't mind modding a standard car, but it would have to be cheap to start!

I've been trying to get hold of a MV6 3.0 Omega for a week or two, and am having very little luck!
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[Nexus Icon]

Nissan 200SX should drop into your budget. Turbocharged, RWD, Japanese. What more could you want?

[blurredman]

SEAT Marbella with a few addons
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 52k.

[tvchimp]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ford-Sierra-XR4x4-2-9-V6-track-day-car-full-cage-/260674000645?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cb1619705#ht_722wt_1141


That will do...


[edit] this also, sadly the guy cannot spell.

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/200sx-/260676763027?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cb18bbd93#ht_596wt_1141
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Bike: Currently Bikeless... Gahh

[Paxovasa]

BMW
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[MarJay]

[AngelGrinder]

200SX sadly my insurers won't let me....which is annoying as my brother is selling his very cheaply!

And Marjay...tempting, but no thanks.

https://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2146020.htm

This tempting me somewhat, might give him a ring...anyone had any experience with these?
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[Nexus Icon]

I had the shape before that. It got written off by a badger.

[SlimRick]

MX5......doooooooo eeeeeeettttt!

[Dex]

Have you ever done a trackday before, and have you got any/much experience of driving RWD cars on the limit?


Big cars tend to be bad news on trackdays - the heavier a car is the more power you need to even move the thing on track, you'll also work the brakes, tyres, suspension much harder.


The most fun car I've ever driven on track was a std 1.8 MX-5 (first model) they have fantastic balance, light weight, and you can steer them on the throttle mid corner.

the most rewarding one to drive was my old vectra estate - purely because no-one expected it to go as well as it did....

I've had a part share in a Prelude 2.2 VTEC for several years. It's only very lightly tweaked, has done 180k miles and is completely reliable. We hammer it on track (average of 150-200 track miles per open pit lane day) and nothing breaks. In the dry it's under-powered, overweight, and there's a lot slaughters us on the straights. In the wet it's an absolute weapon.

The most fun (IMO) from trackdays comes from the way you take the corners rather than absolute lap times. Having said that you do need a certain amount of power to weight if you're going to want to get the car up to a half decent speed.

[Nexus Icon]

[MarJay]

[SlimRick]

[SlimRick]

Scooby?

https://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1840429.htm

Maestro? - Ready to go, looks sweet and a bloody good price!!!

https://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2161931.htm

Evo?

https://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1949587.htm

[MarJay]

[AngelGrinder]

Not keen on the scoobs....don't think my insurance is either!

Might be going to see this tomorrow -

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180572350474&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Anyone got any experience with them?
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[owl10]

I know its not RWD, but maybe fitting some of your other requirements, and being cheap to insure, have you considered a fiat coupe 20vt?

Quickest fwd car when released, 2.0, 5 cylinder engine (often mistaken for 4 cyl. 5 valves per cyl. similar to VAG) 220bhp in standard trim and easily tuned to 300, brembo four pots as standard, cheap parts available, galavnised shell so no rust issues (weird for a fiat!) and can be picked up for about £800 -1k giving you cash left over to play, apart from off the line it'd be quicker from 20mph upwards and easily at least as reliable as any scooby you'd pick up for that price.

A fiat coupe with only £500 spent on handling mods won the handling FWD class at ten of the best recently (i.e a couple of years ago), and the same car came second and third in other years with the same parts (many other cars in that class spent £'000's on custom suspension setups)

been away carp fishing for a weekend with a mate and all our gear, rods, bivvy etc in one as well so quite big!

Just a thought.

[Codemonkey]

How about a Capri ? Saw a guy doing a track day in one at Donington a few years ago and he looked like he was having more fun than just about everyone else on 4 wheels as he drifted sideways through just about every corner!

[D O G]

[SlimRick]

Agreed - The 2.0 4cyl engine will struggle to drag that round the track at any sort of pace, and even an Audi engine with that sort of mileage will start to get a bit tired soon.

[AngelGrinder]

Yeah, for some reason I thought it was a quattro...won't be bothering!

I may have to look at changing insurers as anything half decent they aren't interested in...will loose 7months of NCB though.
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[AngelGrinder]

[Misc]

Toyota MR2, Celica? Not sure about the n/a Celica but the MR2 is a great little car. In turbo form it pulls like a train, think the 0-60 time is under 6s. Quite cheap now, see a lot of early turbo's about. Strangely, never seen a turbo on the road apart from what i went in.

Superb handling & driving position in the MR2 too.

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