My two fun cars are a 911S cab and a C63. I got both of them new in the past year, and both are leased, so I don't think they're suitable for track use, at least while I'm still developing my skills on the track. I don't want to worry about damaging expensive new cars and not having insurance protection, running into warranty problems, or having to pay a big penalty at the end of the lease.

I'm now thinking that I should get a used car mainly for track use which I can thrash around without worry, so I'd like to keep the cost under about $40K, preferably well below that. Since I like Porsches and prefer a mid or rear engine layout, two options which come to mind are a 996 or Cayman. The 944 also seems like a possibility, though I'm not sure I want to get a car that old.

Any suggestions?

 

Spec miata

 

I thought about the Miata, but it has to be a hardtop, since some tracks require that. Also, I wonder how durable the Miata would be with heavy track use. Seems like Porsches are best in that regard.

 

spec boxster. get a dedicated track car and the best value is a car that someone else already built. look for one that is in very nice shape and get it checked out first. Are you considering a tow vehicle and trailer? It's a slippery slope...

 

The durability of the Spec Miata doesn't matter. You can buy a race ready Spec for about $8K to $10K (inc. hard top and roll bar and probably sports seats). If you crash it you take a hammer and bang out the dent, if you blow the engine you can buy a new one for $1.5K to $2K. Any major damage can be easily fixed and, if you can't do it yourself, there are plenty of Indy's that can do the job. Plus, there are plenty of used ones on the market so you can basically buy a junk spare Miata for parts. They are a blast to drive and the cost of entry is a lot less than a Boxster or Cayman (but not as cool looking as the Porsche's). And finally, you can get your SCCA license and race the thing for real (and not worry too much about damage to a $40K track car) - and a lot of the guys who do race them are fast.

 

+1

What is everybody's opinion about tracking a Boxster? To high of maintenance?

 

Very unlikely that I'd get a trailer and tow vehicle. I just want a "practice" track car so that I can develop driving skills without messing up the new cars.

 

Thanks, this does sound like an option to look into further. Any suggestions on how to find a Spec Miata? I did a quick search on Cars.com and didn't spot any, but maybe I don't know what I'm looking for.

 

How long have you been tracking cars in general?

 

S2000

 

Lotus Elise or Exige. Built for tracking but streetable and cheap consumables

 

I've just had one day of the AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock, and had a blast. Other than that, I've done some reading on performance driving and tried to apply what I've learned on public roads, but of course getting close the limits isn't realistic on public roads.

 

buy a C5 ZO6. You can fiind a nice low mileage example in the mid twenties. At this price, they are an incredible value...

I am a porsche guy but I still believe a C5 ZO6 would be the best bang for your buck. Plus, it is a chevy, you can fix it in your garage with a hammer.

 

Spec Boxster.

 

I dont understand your reluctance to track your car.

At your experience level I think its best to drive your 997 in PCA events DE events in the green run group. You will need to get a removable roll bar installed.

Very little chance something will happen and instead of spending coin on a third car spend the money on track insurance. Who cares if the 1 in 10000 chance comes out and you sustain some damage. The car is leased. You will get it fixed and move on.

If not then go for an evo or wrx subie.