Track day's ??
- Thread starter Mr. May
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Soldato
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I'd go with a clio as it seems the most well rounded 'out of the box' track car for a grand.
As you don't have to change supension etc unless you get really into it.
Dont take this the wrong way but you seem to be over thinking it all, just get a cheap clio 172 and rock up to a track day and hoon it around. Just make sure there's some tread of the tyres, oil in the engine and life in the brake pads and you'll have a complete wail of a time! Oh and get a cheap bike helmet so you dont catch chav from a rented one from the circuit
As you don't have to change supension etc unless you get really into it.
Dont take this the wrong way but you seem to be over thinking it all, just get a cheap clio 172 and rock up to a track day and hoon it around. Just make sure there's some tread of the tyres, oil in the engine and life in the brake pads and you'll have a complete wail of a time! Oh and get a cheap bike helmet so you dont catch chav from a rented one from the circuit
Soldato
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Normally you'll pay and for an extra fee can add a 2nd driver, say it was 150 for the day and might be an extra 30 for the 2nd driver.
I'd go with a clio as it seems the most well rounded 'out of the box' track car for a grand.
As you don't have to change supension etc unless you get really into it.
Dont take this the wrong way but you seem to be over thinking it all, just get a cheap clio 172 and rock up to a track day and hoon it around. Just make sure there's some tread of the tyres, oil in the engine and life in the brake pads and you'll have a complete wail of a time! Oh and get a cheap bike helmet so you dont catch chav from a rented one from the circuit
No offence taken mate. iam like it with most things. Just want to get the best time i can for my money
The cost of track days vary depending on who's running them. Most will charge for 1 driver and car, and then additional for extra drivers. But some differ.
Phase 1 172 with belts done and your rocking. 15" wheels too, so super cheap tyres.
Phase 1 172 with belts done and your rocking. 15" wheels too, so super cheap tyres.
328 are mint, get one. They are heavy as a house so be sure to totally gut it, makes a huge difference. Fit an M3 diff as the 2.93 ratio sucks and if it's open then god help it.
Engine wise M50 manifold+BBTB will see you 220-230 and open up the high rpm range, a must for a track car.
Suspension fit e30 wishbones and powerflex all the bushes, HSD coilovers or JOM if keeping the cost down.
MX5 is too slow and Clio is too FWD. Benefit of the open top MX5 is if you don't have to suffer the idiots in charge at Blyton who say it's dangerous to open the window on your tintop car but is ok to have the top down on your 'vert.
Engine wise M50 manifold+BBTB will see you 220-230 and open up the high rpm range, a must for a track car.
Suspension fit e30 wishbones and powerflex all the bushes, HSD coilovers or JOM if keeping the cost down.
MX5 is too slow and Clio is too FWD. Benefit of the open top MX5 is if you don't have to suffer the idiots in charge at Blyton who say it's dangerous to open the window on your tintop car but is ok to have the top down on your 'vert.
Never really understood that rule... Windows cant be down at all on a tintop, but its totally fine to have a convertable?!
Clio will be the easiest to be the fastest in, but as you gain experience the BMW will win hands down. Id start with the clio and leave it standard except new pads/discs/fluid. Get some experience then decide where to go from there.
Clio will be the easiest to be the fastest in, but as you gain experience the BMW will win hands down. Id start with the clio and leave it standard except new pads/discs/fluid. Get some experience then decide where to go from there.
![[TW]Taggart](/styles/overclockers/avatars/4.png){kind=avatar}
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mx5 track-day driver here!
No reason you cant spend a grand on a car and get decent track time with it being standard as said before. That's what I did, altho my car was more than a grand. I've since upgraded and got more out of the car as my experience has grown. I also use my car as a daily to keep insurance costs down. I'm with Competition car Insurance who include 5 track-days in my sports car policy.
Make sure you get instruction too, their is a massive difference driving fast on track to the road.
Be warned though, trackdaying is very addictive!
www.Mx5nutz.com is a good place to go for more 5 action
edit My mx5 and skeeters 172 are pretty much neck and neck speed wise. I have him on the corners but he gets me back on the straights
No reason you cant spend a grand on a car and get decent track time with it being standard as said before. That's what I did, altho my car was more than a grand. I've since upgraded and got more out of the car as my experience has grown. I also use my car as a daily to keep insurance costs down. I'm with Competition car Insurance who include 5 track-days in my sports car policy.
Make sure you get instruction too, their is a massive difference driving fast on track to the road.
Be warned though, trackdaying is very addictive!
www.Mx5nutz.com is a good place to go for more 5 action
edit My mx5 and skeeters 172 are pretty much neck and neck speed wise. I have him on the corners but he gets me back on the straights
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Can't add much on the choice of cars, but as mentioned above, don't over think it. Just take a decent stock car on & see how it goes.. then upgrade parts as you go. There is a lot to learn on track, so don't turn up with all the gear and no idea, as they say.
[TW]Taggart;22556100 said:My mx5 and skeeters 172 are pretty much neck and neck speed wise. I have him on the corners but he gets me back on the straights
We weren't racing, Mr Marshall, honest
It sounds like a 328 would require a lot of work to make it any good on track, while you could just buy an MX5 or a Clio and jump straight on.
Soldato
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I turned up on to track the first time in a totally stock car, i've upgraded each part as i go on and find its limit/weakness. So far i've done coilovers, braided lines, better disks and pads and 2nd set of alloys with better tyres.
But to be honest i don't want to do much more as you tend to just end up going faster and not actually having any more fun.
But to be honest i don't want to do much more as you tend to just end up going faster and not actually having any more fun.
I know this doesn't really answer the OP, but have you instead considered getting a kart?
Unless you have your heart set on building up a road car, there are a lot of advantages of going down the kart route instead.
You can pick up something like a complete TKM package for as little as £500. These are very quick machines (nothing like any rental kart you will have driven). Because of the relative scale of a kart circuit, the acceleration and responsiveness - the kart will feel quicker than any of the cars you mentioned above on a track.
It's way cheaper to go testing for a day than it costs to do a track day. £40circuit fee + £15 of fuel can have you lapping a circuit all day until you physically can't do any more!.
If you crash, parts cost £s not £100s and you don't have to worry about how you'll get it home if you do crash!
There's no need for a big tow car - a kart will happily go on a roof rack of a clio ... or can be towed on a £100 trailer.
You'll still be able to get your hands dirty - even rebuilding engines is easy enough to DIY. No need for £100s of specialist tools either.
Once you're up to speed - you then even have the option to go racing with the same kit!
Good luck whatever you decide to go with
Unless you have your heart set on building up a road car, there are a lot of advantages of going down the kart route instead.
You can pick up something like a complete TKM package for as little as £500. These are very quick machines (nothing like any rental kart you will have driven). Because of the relative scale of a kart circuit, the acceleration and responsiveness - the kart will feel quicker than any of the cars you mentioned above on a track.
It's way cheaper to go testing for a day than it costs to do a track day. £40circuit fee + £15 of fuel can have you lapping a circuit all day until you physically can't do any more!.
If you crash, parts cost £s not £100s and you don't have to worry about how you'll get it home if you do crash!
There's no need for a big tow car - a kart will happily go on a roof rack of a clio ... or can be towed on a £100 trailer.
You'll still be able to get your hands dirty - even rebuilding engines is easy enough to DIY. No need for £100s of specialist tools either.
Once you're up to speed - you then even have the option to go racing with the same kit!
Good luck whatever you decide to go with
We weren't racing, Mr Marshall, honest
It sounds like a 328 would require a lot of work to make it any good on track, while you could just buy an MX5 or a Clio and jump straight on.
Nah that's not true. I couldn't tell you about a Clio but an MX5 is hilareously soft compared with a 328 Sport with Avus pack.
True, but while soft, the MX5 still handles great, and as Fox the walking BMW encyclopedia has explained, getting a good quality 328 Sport for £1000 isn't going to happen.
If you're just looking for some fun on the track, of the 3 cars you mention, I'd go with the Clio personally. Cheap to keep going and many good 2nd hand parts available. They go very well when track prep'd too.
If you're looking to take it further in the future i.e. racing, I'd go with an MX5. Awesome cars to get a good basic understanding of car control and how to handle rear wheel drive in racing conditions.
As much as I like them as road going cars, I wouldn't go for the 328 personally.
If you're looking to take it further in the future i.e. racing, I'd go with an MX5. Awesome cars to get a good basic understanding of car control and how to handle rear wheel drive in racing conditions.
As much as I like them as road going cars, I wouldn't go for the 328 personally.
How come? I've had nothing but pleasure from mine
Did you manage to buy it and track prep it for under £1000?