What car to replace E46 for HPDEs on a fast track?

The writing on the wall says that bad things are coming at work, so I may be selling the E46 to fill up the savings account while leaving me with $4-5k to find a replacement. Since buying the E46 I've located a decent beater for winter so my goals in a replacement have changed somewhat. I am mainly looking for a weekend/nice day driver and a DE car, back seats, storage etc are not too huge of a concern.

The one point worth nothing is that my home track is Road America. It's a pretty fast track that is hard on brakes and a car with some grunt is really nice on the straights.

I've still never had a Miata; I would love one, and nice NAs and NBs are common in the ~$4k price range, but it'd be tough to prep one for the track with only $1000. Also, I don't want to be the guy holding up traffic all day at RA. BMW E36 seems like it might be the winner; a $2k car would leave $3k for suspension, brakes, etc, and they have more power than the Miata. Celica GT-S has crossed my mind but that means planning for a Moroso sump right off the bat and, like the Miata, not a terribly powerful car. SN95 Mustang has crossed my mind too; upgrading the suspension seems to be a bit pricey but the cheap power bolt-ons and new MSPNP make it an appealing option. Not sure where else to look...MR2 turbos are usually beat under $5k. I hate F-bodies. Subaru 2.5RS is nice, but slow for what they cost. I suppose I could just sell the E46, wait until winter when the Miata tax drops, and build the car then...but then I'm missing out on the rest of this season's events.

What would you guys do for a $5k fast track car?

If you're already thinking E36, find a beater E36 M3 and keep it pretty stock. Ticks your boxes.

I read your other thread. Now isn't the time to be thinking about track days. Sell the BMW, use the beater for awhile.

If I'm going E36, I really want a sedan. My one and only gripe with the E46 I have now (which the E36 shares) is that the A-pillar feels like it terminates 2" from my face...which probably has something to do with my 6'3" height. The more upright sedan windshield helps a lot.

Unfortunately manual M3 sedans seem to fetch a premium...can't give the autos away though.

Also, I'm already on the hook for a few events this summer and can't back out without giving up half my entry fees...so I at least need something DE-able through July.

It just sucks because I've aspired so long to be able to regularly run events in a decent car, then I finally get all my ducks in a row, buy a helmet, and...this happens. I feel like I'm cheating myself if I don't go out and run the rest of this year at least.

In reply to SlickDizzy:

Sedans hold a premium due to being rarer. ;) I was also under the impression the E36 windshields were all the same.

Osterkraut wrote: I read your other thread. Now isn't the time to be thinking about track days. Sell the BMW, use the beater for awhile.

This.

yamaha wrote: I was also under the impression the E36 windshields were all the same.

Nope, they are different, as is the angle of mounting.

Gah, what is up with all you guys and this "sensible advice"....

If you can find one in good condition SVT Contour. Stunningly good and underrated cars. C&D used to call them the M2.5. Your budget should get you the best one available. Internet 'truths' are BS on how hard they are to work on.

z31maniac wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: I read your other thread. Now isn't the time to be thinking about track days. Sell the BMW, use the beater for awhile.

This.

Agreed as well. My other half was literally laid off last night. Needless to say, priorities have just dramatically shifted and toys/track days/etc are sadly at the bottom of the list.

SlickDizzy wrote:

yamaha wrote: I was also under the impression the E36 windshields were all the same.

Nope, they are different, as is the angle of mounting. Gah, what is up with all you guys and this "sensible advice"....

Check my response in your other thread.

Well, the other issue is that my beater is the project XT turbo...which isn't costing me a whole lot at $300...but it also doesn't run. So I do need to buy something that drives, unless I can have this XT figured by the time my events are done with (July 13th-14th).

z31maniac wrote:

SlickDizzy wrote:

yamaha wrote: I was also under the impression the E36 windshields were all the same.

Nope, they are different, as is the angle of mounting. Gah, what is up with all you guys and this "sensible advice"....

Check my response in your other thread.

And see my reply...I have been working full time while schooling full time for the past two years...it has been a miserable life and I have done nothing fun for myself in that time. That's why I'm so sad about walking away from HPDEs because I was so happy to finally be 'doing it.'

I dunno...do you really need to have a high horsepower car? I'm in my second season of LeMons, driving seriously underpowered cars. Our '91 Civic Wagovan is something like 120hp, give or take...at the crank. It's also AWD, so it loses more power through the driveline. I have more fun in that car, dicing it up with cars that have twice the power. I can keep up with pretty much all of them in the turns, and even gain ground on most of them. Sure, it's frustrating at times when they walk me down the straights. But it's a real kick when I can crawl right back up their tailpipe in the next corner...or even pass them again. I ran this past weekend. I had some great battles with cars that had a bunch more power than me.

I haven't driven Road America, but perhaps you could get serious kicks with a car that's not high hp. Momentum cars are more fun than you think.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but is it wise to sell it in anticipation of lost income, then turn around and buy another car? Unless there is some deferred maintence the E46 needs, or you have no emergency savings, I'd suggest holding onto it for now, getting the XT running, then if worst comes to worst, selling the E46 if you get laid off or quit. That way, in theory, you've got the car for the rest of this year for HPDE, then can switch over to the XT for the winter.

If you buy another car, it could end up a bit of a money pit getting it ready for the track, so even if your planned budget is 4-5K, it could grow.

The only other reason I can see to get rid of the E46 now, is if they tend to have "seasonal" prices like a motorcycle, where they are worth more to buyers when the weather is nicer.

The main idea of selling the E46 soon/immediately after my events is that I can wait and command the price I want instead of being forced to give it away if I'm suddenly out of work. It's hard to be a firm negotiator when you know there's no paycheck coming indefinitely. I have some emergency savings and an investment portfolio I can lean back on but the savings are only good for about two months out of work and I always feel super guilty when I have to play with the investments (I guess my financial planner is doing his job well).

I don't think E46 values necessarily fall in the winter or anything like that, I just don't want to be put in a position where I have no choice but to give it away. It is lightly DE-prepped though so the market is probably stronger while the weather is nice, though I do have a set of winter wheels & tires too.

More than anything the idea of selling is to immediately triple my emergency savings and leave me with enough money to get something else, giving me what I want: extra "just in case" savings and a way to keep running DEs. I love the E46 but I am recognizing that there are better DE cars, so it's sort of a "two birds, one stone" proposition.

In reply to SlickDizzy:

That makes sense to me then, its somewhat of an emergency savings proposition.

In that case, I'd agree with E36. See if you can find a 325 sedan somewhere thats not completely trashed, and prep if for the rigors of track duty. Alternatively, keep an eye out at the next event, and see if anybody is selling an already prepped car.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: If you can find one in good condition SVT Contour. Stunningly good and underrated cars. C&D used to call them the M2.5. Your budget should get you the best one available. Internet 'truths' are BS on how hard they are to work on.

And you have a faster car than a stock M3 by just putting a taurus long block and a tune in them.....

Mustang - You can set one up for the track cheaper than you might think. Camber plates, springs, shocks.. (pads and fluid go without saying), the place the Mustang will kill you is gas pump and consumables. Tires for mine are about 2x what my miata stuff costs, and brake parts cost a lot more than the miata.

Miata, add rollbar and whats to prep (brake pads / fluid aside)? Cheap consumables. Yeah, the bar costs some coin, but aside from that tire replacements are cheap, brake parts cost next to nothing. I have seen some cosmetically needy ones with a rollbar already in it for under $4k (bought mine for too much money, full disclosure). Bide you time and travel a bit for a deal.

E36, no experience, but you know how some BMW parts can cost.

Klayfish wrote: I haven't driven Road America, but perhaps you could get serious kicks with a car that's not high hp. Momentum cars are more fun than you think.

Road America has plenty of LONG straightaways and not many of the bunched up corners that the low-powered corner carvers need to catch the straight-line gunners.

In fact, on that note I'm gonna say the best bang for the buck on this track would be to start with something cheap that's quick in a straight line and then work on improving the cornering. Maybe a Mk3 Supra?

GameboyRMH wrote:

Klayfish wrote: I haven't driven Road America, but perhaps you could get serious kicks with a car that's not high hp. Momentum cars are more fun than you think.

Road America has plenty of LONG straightaways and not many of the bunched up corners that the low-powered corner carvers need to catch the straight-line gunners. In fact, on that note I'm gonna say the best bang for the buck on this track would be to start with something cheap that's quick in a straight line and then work on improving the cornering. Maybe a Mk3 Supra?

^^^ this. Road America is a FAST track, most of the cars I run with are 911 GT3s, Vettes, well-prepped Mustangs and BMWs, etc. The only Miatas I have seen run are Spec Miatas and they just get nailed on the straights, like an exercise in being lapped all day long.

Option 1: Buy Miata. Swtich Home track to Blackhawk Farms. Enjoy Low power motoring and lower event entry fees.

Option 2: $1800 R6, 1500 in gear run Motorcycle Track days at Road America

Option 3: Buy Kart. Run entire WKA season for the price of 2-3 track days.

I really cannot think of any car that would be "fast" at RA that will have low operating costs. Even an E36 isn't going to be "Fast".

Why worry about a track car?

a) you have other things to worry about right now, I've just posted in your other thread with my $0.02
b) You have the Subaru, that sounds like the perfect long term track car once built and then you don't have to worry about tracking your DD.

If you don't need to worry about track duty then that opens up a world of oportunities for a DD/street car. What floats you boat?

Also, from your other thread it sounds like even if the worst happens you are in good financial shape, so I don't see a loss of job as meaning you'd have to sell the E46 ASAP.

Klayfish wrote: I haven't driven Road America, but perhaps you could get serious kicks with a car that's not high hp. Momentum cars are more fun than you think.

RA is terrifying getting passed before turn 1 by a car going at least 50mph faster than you.......

nocones wrote: I really cannot think of any car that would be "fast" at RA that will have low operating costs. Even an E36 isn't going to be "Fast".

Not looking for "fast" as much as, well, somewhat comparable to the E46. The ~230HP I have is enough at RA to not feel like a tortoise crossing the freeway.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: b) You have the Subaru, that sounds like the perfect long term track car once built and then you don't have to worry about tracking your DD.

Sadly I don't think the XT will ever be a track car...it is rusty underneath (I don't think it will pass tech without major work) and the suspension has virtually no upgrade path. It is a very novel beater, basically.

Since you've always wanted a Miata--- buy one!

Once your life has stabilized a bit, you can always call Keith and turbocharge it, or go the LS route. My FM turbo 1.8 makes 236 rwhp and would be a RIOT at R/A!

An unmodified Miata will keep you happy during the 99 days out of 100 that you aren't on track. Yes it will feel very slow at R/A, but you can always add more powah!

Find a nice clean (unmolested) Miata for $3,500 or so, and start saving. If you decide to modify it, for under $10K you could have a real track weapon. I don't see the other choices here offering as much bang for the buck.