Noob needs some advice...

Hi all,

I just found this forum and as someone looking to get involved in amateur motorsports, this is great.

I'm currently looking for a car to take on some long road trips and then gradually turn into a good track car. So it'll need to be somewhat reliable for taking trips in. But it should also adapt well when being turned into a track car.

So the basic requirements:

• 2 door
• RWD or AWD
• hard top - not convertible
• relatively reliable
• something with a good fun factor
• $5000 - 15000 Canadian dollars (4,000 - 12,000 USD)

Below are some I've been considering:

1988 Porsche 944 Turbo -seems to be a decent track car - size, weight, power seem decent -cars with turbos seem easily modified for more power -good fun factor -probably relatively comfy for road trips -likely not very cheap to repair

1992 Mazda RX-7 -seems pretty ideal for a track car in terms of size, weight and power -maybe a bit cramped for the road trips - I can probably deal with that -hopefully more reliable and cheaper to repair than German cars -decent fun factor

1988 Mazda RX-7 -not sure how this stacks up as a track car? -perhaps this is getting a bit old to be all that reliable? -ok in terms of fun factor -good purchase price

2001 Audi TT -always been an Audi guy so the fun factor is there -again, with the turbo, easy to mod for more power -given the weight and the AWD system, maybe not a great track car

Some I haven't considered:

Miata: They sound like ideal track cars and people seem to swear by them, but they're just not for me E36 BMW M3: They're great drivers, but living in Toronto I'm so sick of BMWs

So if anyone has thoughts on these cars they could share I'd really appreciate it. Also, any suggestions for cars that match my criteria which I haven't thought of would also be helpful. Basically, any input is appreciated.

Thanks

Mustang GT, Corvette C4, MB C-Class Hatchback (Dont know much about them), Camaro/Trans Am. You might be able to find a first year GTO or RX-8. Grand National?

Acura integra, good forgiving beginner track vehicle, giant hatch. Yes it is FWD, but tons of aftermarket.

Baring that: there is the E30 BMW, but I guess with all of these cars, watch out for the rust.

You have a bunch of choices in that price range. You can add a WRX to that list. When you say track car-what exactly do you mean?

Thanks to each of you for the quick replies...

RossD - I had mistaken the C4 with the C5 so I thought it was out of my price range. Now that I know, I will have to consider it.

MrJoshua - For the track I'm just looking to ease my way in... maybe do a basic engine mod for some extra power and get a stiffer suspension... do some non-competetive track days just for some basic fun and excitement, and then maybe I'll want to take it further from there.

$4,000 buys a very nice E30. $12,000 buys a mint one that has been modified.

How much are you wanting to modify the car?

A Mustang or Camaro won't be that hot out of the box handling wise, but they've got GOBS of aftermarket that will allow you to do whatever you could desire with one. Being a GT car rather than a sports car, they'll do better on longer trips, though admittedly both are a little thirsty for fuel (though I have seen 24-26mpg from the Cobra). If you do go this route, for the love of all that's holy, don't get con'd into buying a V6 Mustang! The gas mileage is marginally better around town, and WORSE on the highway than a comparable V8 car. I'd also avoid the '96-'98 Mustang GTs, as these have the first iteration of the 4.6L, and are down on power.

I think I'll ease into the modding but I'll want to use it less on the road and more on the track over time, so lots of aftermarket options is a good thing.

Good point about the fuel economy - I have a 2004 S4 as my daily driver so I know what it's like to watch the fuel drop as you drive each block. Helpful advice in general on the Mustangs, thanks.

• Mustang GT/Bullitt/Mach 1/Cobra (99-04)
• Camaro Z28/SS Firebird Formula/Trans Am (94-02)
• Subaru WRX (03-04)
• Mazda RX-8 (at least down here in the US)

E36 M3

Canada.
Doesn't Canada have some lenient law about importing specialty cars that are 20 years old or something similar?

Nissan Skyline?
Peugeot 205 GTI?

jrw1621 wrote: Canada. Doesn't Canada have some lenient law about importing specialty cars that are 20 years old or something similar? Nissan Skyline? Peugeot 205 GTI?

Skyline FTW!

If you can do this, you should. You'll be the envy of a bajillion US fanbois. If that's your thing.

Good luck buying and importing a Skyline for $5000.00

Get a good 3rd or 4th gen Camaro/Firebird, throw the parts catalogue at it and go racing.

There's very few cars cheaper to run than the F-body and other people actually want to buy it once it's used up and you want something else.

Shawn

240SX. Cheap. Tons of parts. The Civics of the RWD world. Stance makes the best off-the-shelf Coilover kit, but aside from Koni there seems to be a lack of really nice and well sorted suspension research.

I'd say a Skyline though....not just because they are Skyline but because they are very popular chassis with tons of aftermarket and from what I understand a very well balanced car...oh...and they've got lots of power and AWD.

On the Mustang route...you can do exhaust and a relatively mild suspension upgrade and have a car that not only moves, but is generally just fun to cruise in. Oh, the 88-91 Fox Body Mustangs got damn good gas mileage (a friend recorded 29mpg highway).

http://www.tyeeimports.com/results2.asp

You are in canada.. so..

Silvias, skylines, JDM RX7's.. GT4 Celicas..

Yeah there are quite a few Skylines available here and within the price range but I didn't have them on my list due to the right hand drive thing. I'm not sure I could deal with that. Maybe I should keep a more open mind.

As for other imports, the RX-7 is on my list but the Supra is not as people want an arm and a leg for them - great cars though.

And yes the 240SX should have been on my list, at the moment there aren't any around here that looked like good value, but I should keep it on the list and keep my eyes open.

This is all good advice, thanks guys I'm appreciating it.

E30 + Ground Control coilovers + upgraded sways, fresh pads and rotors and call it a day.

Then once you are fast with that amount of power, step up to an S52, or since you're up north you may be able to find the venerable S50B32!

Lighter weight will save you money on consumables. Big heavy V8 powered cars will make you think your penis is bigger but it really isn't.

Go light weight at least. In that way you can save on tires, brakes, gas, etc.

What's lightweight? RWD? Practically maintenance free at the track? Parts are everywhere? You can source brake components for under $30 a piece? Also has a competitive yet low cost W2W series already wildly popular?

MIATA?!?

Oh wait. It's not for you because you think it's a chick car. Be confident in your sexuality and bow to 1/3 of the holy trinity of cheap motorsports.

I'd look into E30's as well. For a lot of the same reasons.

C5 corvettes are not out of your price range. I have seen C5's with 70,000 miles go for less than 10K....if you look around, you will find that which you seek.

Yeah my DD is a bit of a tank so my list was more focused on lighter cars. It is appealing to wear the brakes and tires less.

When I was younger I definitely thought the Miata was a girls' car.... I'm older and wiser now. But Miatas (convertibles in general) are still not for me.

iano wrote: When I was younger I definitely thought the Miata was a girls' car.... I'm older and wiser now. But Miatas (convertibles in general) are still not for me.

I hear ya chief. Replacing a top every 5 years is not fun. You could try for the hard top. I've seen some reasonably priced. That should take care of a lot of the 'vert issues.

Light weight and RWD?

I'm still thinking E30. Cheap to run and easy to maintain.

Second choice?

1st Gen Rx-7. I had one of those and sold it because the steering felt too loose for me. Then I realized the Miata is essentially a 1st Gen Rx-7 with all the fixes I would've done myself.

If the only beef with the Miata is that it's a convertible, put a hardtop on it and be done.

MR2 or whatever they called the newer one. There is the Lexus IS250/300 or the SC300/400

I will second the Lexus SC

MR2, Lexus SC (AWESOME!!!), Lexus is300 (make mine a stick, please!), E36 M3