delcbr

after a couple of close ones recently ive realised its not worth the risk on public roads and iam thinking of a track day car for knockhill for going fast.
the roads are too congested in daytime and full of people sitting in the overtaking lane on an empty dual carriageway at night unable to see me behind them with my xenons so got me thinking to get a trackdaycar but useable for everyday if need be.

what cars would you suggest iam not looking for 205's or e30 325i looking for newer but not too expensive.

currently thinking clio 172 as cheap but not ancient.

whats the likleyhood of my trackday car being damaged from other track users?
as i heard they were some folk running bangers round the track and not giving a dam who got in their road any experiences?

HankScorpio

I've been to nearly 50 trackdays and I'm only aware of 1 car hitting another and that was extremely bad luck.
They are all very well run and poor driving won't be tolerated. I have seen several people sent home for what was considered inappropriate driving.

Several of the days were Clio days and tbh everyone seemed to have a really good time, probably more so than most of the others.

Check out
ClioSport
and
ClioTrophy.co.uk • Index page

Nice people at both.

matscooby

iTrader: (3)

As for decent cars, it all depends on the budget. If your looking at Clio 172's, that a hell of a good car to start with.

I personally started with a Ex-rally 205gti which for running costs and for the fun factor this was an excellent car, though I've now moved upto a V2 Impreza STI RA now.

Likelyhood of accidents on track will always be there, it depends if you enter Open Pit or Sessions, if you go for sessions then most tracks operate different sessions by experience.

You just have to be aware of whats around you when on the track.

Hoppy

I shouldn't worry about other drivers on a track day, but the danger of damanging the car yourself, well, that's up to you, but if you never put a wheel on the grass then you're not trying

I've always had great fun in my Scoob, but even the best road cars are massively compromised on track. It's surprising how really wobbly they often are and if you spec them up for track use, at no small expense, then they are not much fun for everyday driving.

For cheap track days, something like a Clio is great, but with fun in mind I think I'd go for rear wheel drive. 3-series Beemer would be sweet, but I've always thought that a Nissan 200SX might be a good/cheap/quick/fun choice. Go for good handling over power - much more satisfying

The Chief

Clio's are a fantastic track car and with a few subtle suspension mods make them a formidable track weapon, someone i know used to own a proper Clio Cup race car and around Oulton it pretty much blew everything away including Scoobies and Evo's, Coming from a Scoob this was a surprise.

What i learnt is light weight and handling is everything.

xtreme1

Honda Integra

Cheap, awesome handling, bulletproof, quick and power easily upgradable if you want to

With suspension / brake mods they are one of the best handling cheap track cars out there.

Search on youtube for knockhill xtreme for some video footage of ours!

Fantom

I just booked a brands hatch evening trackday on the 22nd in my Clio 172. I can't wait!
First time on track with the Clio but on the road its really fun to drive. I'm sure it will be great on the track.

RobEvo5

iTrader: (9)

306 GTI-6 167bhp out of the box. Sweeeeet engine and great handling. Can be bought for £1000-£1500 or possibly less.

Dream Weaver

Old shape Focus would be my choice if I was to do another track car, the handling on them is ace.

306 gti as Rob says is nice as well.

I think delcbr is referring to some Knockhill trackdays a few years back when a club of some sort were buying bangers (Cavaliers etc) and racing them round dangerously. There are some terrible videos of them doing it on Youtube, and for some reason nothing was done about them at the time.

Not sure if its still the case, but it was dangerous from what I saw.

Steve vRS

I've tracked a Puma 1.7, MY01 WRX, an STi V5 Type R, a 230bhp Skoda Octavia mk1 vRS, a Clio 182 Cup and an mx5.

The best were the Puma and Clio but the winner by a country mile was the mx5.

The Imprezas were by far the fastest though....

Steve

delcbr

i wonder what the s2000 would be like my 18 yr old mx5 is more involving and fun to drive then my current porsche boxster!!!!. so iknow where you coming from!!

SVVG

iTrader: (1)

Lotus Elise can be had for less than £6k now - and are awesome little things round the track...

njkmrs

If it was mainly for track you cant go wrong with a bike engined little MK or Westfield type car .

Couple of mates just done a day at Anglesey and had major fun all day .You can really nail them bike engines all day long without a murmer .!!

And keeps up with most Supercars .

Fairly cheap as well .

RRH

Oooh I think I remember something about that one

MX5- and anyone who takes the pish doesn't have a clue what they're talking about.

Costs-

1990 MX5 - £800
Brakes (disks and pads all round) £220
Cage (even if you have to buy a hard dog - £450
Coilovers - ebay £200
Harnesses - ebay - £200
Running costs - fuel and 1/3 of a set of brake pads per trackday
Ex max5 colway intermediates (last about 3 trackdays) £3 each.

The smile when going round the outside of 'scoobies' that think their cars 'handle' - PRICELESS.

I'll get me coat.... (but stand by what I say) They're ACE. Anyone that doubts that- come down to the Anglesey circuit this Friday (10th April) and I'll take you out (on track in the race car, not to a bar or anything like that)

RobinSherwood

Whatever car you get put a contingency in your budget for some decent track day tuition as that will add no end to your enjoyment and safety on track days.

delcbr

i had the 1991 j plate 1.6i mx5 brilliant handling car and loads of fun to drive really flimsy though going over rough roads you could feel the car flexing around you i was thinking about buying the 1.8 mk1 and strengthining the bodywork by stitch welding and bracing bars and once the pound recovers buy a turbo kit lol
i found the brakes terrible rest of car was brilliant.

http://www.jdm-option.com/eng/feature/05_10/bodyup.html

http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?dept=15

RRH

The Max5 race cars don't need have any strengthening, but then again race tracks are usually smooth The shell does flex- it is what it is at the end of the day; if you put your hand between the cage and the A pillar while cornering it can crush it quite badly.

Never had any issues with the brakes though; the race cars are running standard disks with Mintex 1144 pads this year- as are we on trackdays- and provided you're using decent fluid, and braided hoses, there's never any fade whatsoever, no matter how hard or long you push.

They really are quite outstanding little cars

delcbr

max 5 race cars have you got a link to what thats about?
what roll cages can you put in these?

Steve vRS

MX-5 performance parts, suspension, shocks, superchargers, turbochargers, exhausts, brakes and servicing - Performance 5

There you go!!

Steve

RRH

Thats not it steve, MaX5 Racing - Race It To The MaX is what you want

The cages are supplied by safety devices and include doorbars that extend right out to the door skin.

tee120

iTrader: (2)

My votes on the integra type r's. They are quite cheap now days, reliable, good handling and sound great when they are bombing past above 6000 rpms

Steve vRS

Sorry Simon P5 was where I bought a few bits from!

Steve

delcbr

how much is a roll cage?

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

306 GTi-6 as already recommended and i have one for sale

Tony

delcbr

just picked up the track car today its a mk1 1.8 1997 mx5.
Mazda : 1997 P Red MX5 Mk1 Great Condition
found out it was a cat d as my friend done a vehichle check on the reg number when i got there.got it for 1500 notes.as its being used on the track it dont matter.

RobEvo5

iTrader: (9)

Enjoy as I'm sure you will, have about 4 MX5's now. Cracking cars, but I did find that the 2 that I had that didn't have forced induction were a little lack lusting in the power department unlike the GTI-6. But the MX5 is an absolute hoot to drive and really handles well and the RWD and short gearing just adds to the pleasure.

Phil at performance 5 is your man if you ever want to think about forced induction. Plenty of turbo and supercharger kits available for sensible money and can be fitted yourself with relative ease..

bpm1588

what about the ae86 corolla.i know they are hard to find now,but the ae86 corolla is a very good track day car.
one of the most fun cars i ever owned

Mark1983

iTrader: (2)

FWD - Integra Type R (DC2), early, high mileage Civic Type R (EP3) or Clio 172 Cup

RWD - S1 Elise or MX5.

RRH

The full safety devices cage for use in the race series is about a grand. There are usually some odds and sods on ebay, but beware of 'style bars' if you actually want it to give any rollover protection.

Hard Dog do good rool bars, they bolt through the rear shelf to the chassis, and to the bulkhead behind the driver; these typically offer more seat movement than the safety 21 and cusco jap bars. The hard dogs are circa 350-450, the jap stuff from about £150.

330dan

I just got a bike engined kit car last week! Loving it. Has anyone here got any experience of them on track? Im wanting to go to cadwell park soon - looks like a really nice looking circuit.