RWD track car recommendations?

As some of you will know, I've sold my 20vt to move onto something RWD. But, still lurking here!

Other than buying a Clio 182 for a backup, I've spent a bit of time today in the company of a car nut friend discussing options (over the interruptions of my 5 weeks early newborn son!). Yep, it's these times when you make decisions!

I'm a relative novice in RWD terms, I have driven an MX-5 on a couple of trackdays and thought this might be a good place to start, but I suspect I'll be a little underwhelmed in no time.

Budget £5k.

Have been offered an early 1999 Boxster S 3.2. Tempted but might be jumping in at the deep end.

Thoughts appreciated of the many who've taken this route still here!

I'd have thought an MX-5 would be ideal - especially if you put a bit on money into perking it up. Very few road cars, for instance, can live with much track braking (my Abarth 595 with drilled, vented, discs and Brembos) was done after just one lap of Blyton at race pace braking.

Slightly more exotic but also more capable would be a Honda S2000 though I'm not sure what your budget would buy you.

Then there's no end of BMWs.

Or, more left field, something like an Alfa 75

Your budget would probably buy you something with an AMG badge if you just want to be a hooligan.

But, returning to the MX-5, I drove the last version on a training day with Mark Hales and was very impressed. On my first training session with him I learned that a well-driven Passat 1.9tdi is more than a match for Wannabes in EVOs through the twisty stuff. If you really want to hone your skills and embarrass some more expensive metal as you do it, the MX-5 would be a good place to start.

Boxter sounds ok Dan,but when driven hard I'm not sure how it would hold up and you could be back to high cost consumables.

In the ideal world a high powered coupe for the big circuits and a lotus for small ones might float your boat.

So what's in Between?

The Renault,but it would need some high end tuning and handling to satisfy you I expect.
But they are fun in standard spec due handling so well.

You may have enough dosh to find a cheap 3 litre z4. But will need some more money spent on it.

Westfield?

Civic?

If it was my five grand I would make do with the Renault and save some more.
M3.

An interesting proposition and one I've been thinking about too.

Anyway one of my neighbours has got a BMW 3 series compact, with the 2.5 straight 6 with 190bhp.

He's lowered the suspension and stripped the interior and fitted a racing seat.

Plenty of power and quite a light car.

The best thing is that they are very cheap.

Thanks MRS, Joe and Gripped.

Joe, I want to go RWD so the Clio, whilst fun, is a backup or rainy day option.

I am still seriously considering a mk1 1.8 MX-5. I think for several reasons - good to cut the RWD teeth on, cheap consumables, lose some weight from it and away I go.

Also, a straight 6 BMW variant is an option - plenty about, cheap as chips to buy, if a bit heavy to be thrown round twisties at the same rate as an MX-5.

Not wanting a kitcar. Yet.

I think I'd go in at bmw straight 6. Cheap as hell. Lots about. Pick up a cheap 330 and strip it out..plenty of space. I recently thought about doing it to a tourer.. Plenty of space for track tyres aswell.

I think it's important to get clear on what you want to achieve and, to a lesser extent, what tracks you're likely to drive. It ought to be possible to make a 1.8 Maxda as fast as my Alfa without too much trouble - I only have 180bhp. I've never yet thought driving it is boring. I have a belief that power flatters to deceive: anybody can drive fast in a straight line - it's the braking and cornering that requires the skill. Get really fast in an MX-5 and, in my experience, you'll be showing some much more capable machinery the way. If you then want to get something really fast, then that's fine - but I also think you'll find you're frustrated by the slow drivers in fast cars.

If you lurk around, you might start to see ex-racers coming on the market where the work has been done - by mid-September, my race season will be over for the year.

This.

We really enjoyed my wifes Boxster S, put over 40k road and track miles on it (took it north of 80k) and sold it for about a £300 loss! The standard brakes are brilliant with no need to upgrade them, ours was reliable and really hard to fault. For me I'd have liked a LSD, other than that if I have to sell the Z4M as house deposit it would be top of my list.

I owned an MX5 mk2 sport back when I had the Blue 20VT (more than 12 years ago!) and enjoyed it, but as others have mentioned they are not quick nor do they sound exciting, many have structural rust issue too. I tracked my assistants mk2 MX5 at Oulton earlier in the year and loved it, but having been spoilt by other cars I wouldn't buy one again unless on a real budget. Despite helping her choose her MX5 it has just failed its MOT on structural rust on the sills (well hidden) and this was the best example we saw!

I have a 325ti as my winter car and it's lovely, but would need some work losing weight and uprating the soft suspension (and mines a sport). New race series for these which I keep an eye on. Have you thought about progressing to racing Dan?

An BMW E36 or a Nissan 200. Cheap for parts as it is a track car. Once the little chap starts walking and wanting to do stuff the saved cash and 4 seats+boot will be a godsend. You will find time an issue and your priorities will change.

In a recent evo mag(I am not a fan boy just trying 6 issues for £6) a very skilled driver said there was as much fun to be had from a 100,000 mile 328i as a GT4 on track or something similar!

Thanks all, some very salient points. It is helping my thinking!



Indeed. I've driven most UK circuits, the track most local to me is Castle Combe, and I've driven that many times so know it like the back of my hand. I will probably still use Combe the most, but, will drive others. What I want to achieve, I think you've erred on in your next sentence!



I'm nodding very hard at this. Learning to properly drive a lightweight RWD hard and at it's limits will be rewarding, and, like you say, I'll doubtless get frustrated with slow drivers of fast cars too.



Yep, was thinking this. Hence the Clio as a stopgap or wet weather car. I can bide my time.



Yes, the tin worm issues on the Mk1 1.8 MX-5's I'm potentially looking at are very common, and often covered over with lots of underseal and not immediately visible! If I can find a track converted car / ex race car end of season that's had such faults sorted, that could avoid buying a rotter. What would you suggest as an alternative Dave?



Would absolutely love to. But, finances and time will count against me. When I looked into doing something previously, the often easily obtainable corporate sponsorships were just starting to tail off, and now (despite my contacts) are simply not there. How to manage this and juggle family time? Hmmmm!



I have considered these after our last curry Reubs. But, they're quick in a straight line, but just a bit heavy through the twisties, and that's where I want to be fastest!



I've always said and believed this. And MRS insinuated this earlier.



This new little chap is my 3rd so you're preaching to the already initiated. And I'll always make the time for track days, been doing them for so long and so many they're part of my DNA And I'm in the car trade so always enough metal at my disposal for transporting the tribe. The track cars will be dedicated to track use only!