A friend and I am looking at getting a track car. We both know very little about what a good entry level car would be. We are looking to spend under 20,000 and would like something that we could learn to work on and fix ourselves. Any thoughts on a good starter track car?

 

spec miata
e30 bmw
e36 bmw

 

E30 M3

 

if you buy an E30M3 for 20k, it will need motor work shortly. the motor is EXTREMELY expensive to rebuilt, 20k is barely enough for the good teardown and rebuilt with some strengthening.

 

mooty,

That's good to know. I have seen them priced in the teens but didn't know about all the expensive engine re-build cost.

 

it's one of the BEST bimmer ever made, but it cost a lot of money to keep it up.

 

I second these, but if you're wanting to work on them yourself, they're not the best options [though I'd still go with a first or second gen miata].

Personally I track an RX-8. I don't have to work on it myself because it's warrantied through 60k miles.

You can pick one up used but under warranty, EASILY, under 20k.

Buy one without a sunroof, though, as I'm 6'1" and can't fit comfortably with a helmet on. The lightest [but ugliest] 6MT is the base 6mt, which will be cheaper, without sunroof/leather/appearance package, but the same HP/Wheels [18x8]/etc where it counts.

If you want more details, or how I've got mine setup, PM me.

I still say Miata though

 

944 S2

 

944s2

 

944S2 or the Turbo -> for when you get REAlly good & wanna go Fast!

 

Track-prepped Lotus Elise with light clamshell damage (you're gonna do that anyway!), $27.5K:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/car/515170281.html

Happy tracking!

 

A Mazda Rx-7. But hey I wouldnt take advice from myself I may be wrong with what you actually want.
http://www.terra2imports.ca/mazda/rx7/

 

dont know much about 944 s2, but 944 T... yes, it's very fast, and it is also VERY expensive to keep it going.

had elise and exige. great track cars. but if you damage the clam shells, it's not any cheaper to fix than a cup car... ask how i know.

 

a 914-6 would be a Great way to get into track days also.

 

914/6 would be great but have you seen what they are asking presently? Don't know selling price, only asking.

David H,

I had a long conversation with a person who won a NASA class championship this season past with a Porsche and he said if he had to do it over again, he would never start out with a Porsche. Replacement parts too expensive