Road course racing car for a beginner. Also daily drivable?

[neanderthal]

I'll add this to what has already been said; what car you actually drive makes little difference, in terms of preference.

With your driving experience certainly some cars lend themselves well. If you want to take it to the track, learn from those who have gone before you, stick with the tried and true. Those cars are popular for a reason. Parts and knowledge base are plenty available. If you are the only person at a track event with a Alfa GTV, you likely won't get much help if you need some knowledge. If, OTOH everyone has a Miata, and so do you, parts and knowledge will be all around you.

Don't be so quick to dismiss popular cars despite the reputation.

 

[///M-Spec]

• I'm willing to spend on upgrades as much as I can afford at that moment. I'm going to start looking for a job around in May(I'm 15 atm) when I'm sixteen, and I can guarantee most of the money earned will go towards the car.
  
• About upgrades: the first thing I will likely do to the car is change stuff in the suspension system like shocks, etc. I hear changing the suspension on a car is something that can make a whole lot of difference. Then probably exhaust, then intake.

Don't "upgrade" anything. I repeat: DO. NOT. MOD. THE. CAR. Except to make it safe and roadworthy.

You are just learning how to drive. Any car you purchase will have vastly more performance potential than your ability to extract it. You will be the weak link in the equation. Therefore, throwing money at your car to make it faster isn't going to help you.

Don't be one of those clowns that show up with megabuck infinity way adjustable coilovers and eleventy thousand whp, then get owned by a guy driving a bone stock, 20 year old Subaru wagon with all season tires. I've seen it happen.

Accept that in the beginning, you are going to be slow. Like, slower than Christmas. Leave your ego at home. Learn as much as you can.

Then hopefully one day, you will realize at last that it's the car that is holding you back from getting faster. THEN it will be time to decide how to improve the car.

The only exception to this is safety related parts/equipment. Get your brakes squared away. Make sure the fluid's been flushed, the lines are clean and healthy, and there's nothing leaking. Then get some good pads on 'em. Check all the bushings, CV joints, mounts and your tie rod ends; make sure there's isn't anything that's worn or has too much play. Replace the shocks (with stock ones) if you need to. Ditto with the tires. Make sure the battery is tied down. Any good mechanic can do this for you. That is pretty much all the "mods" a beginner will need.

Remember: The best mod is the driver mod. And you get to keep it when you sell your car.


M

 

[nightkid86]

I have a 240sx that I use as a DD and take to autocross events (and once to a track event). Does great as a DD and decent on the track too. I've always wanted a miata and have driven one of my friend's that's set up for spec-races - it feel like a little go kart!

 

[TsukubaTrueno]

So I have to stick with the car and know it like the back of my hand before I do anything to it. Of course I will, it's not like I'm going to mod it right after I get it. Probably a couple of months before I do. I need to get to know the car first before I try anything outrageous. I guarantee that when I get the car, replacing the brake pads, etc., is something I'll do off the bat. Just generally check and perfect the braking system.

 

[chepu]

So I have to stick with the car and know it like the back of my hand before I do anything to it. Of course I will, it's not like I'm going to mod it right after I get it. Probably a couple of months before I do. I need to get to know the car first before I try anything outrageous. I guarantee that when I get the car, replacing the brake pads, etc. Just generally check and perfect the braking system.

Also I believe its not a bad idea changing spark plugs, wires, check the fuel system, brakes, everything to make it Run as smooth as possible 👍

 

[Perfect Balance]

Keef will be your go-to guy for most anything Honda.

Anyway, go find a Miata or a Civic. Preferably Miata, they don't take as much work to actually take hard driving for more than 5 min without overheating the pads and stuff.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Don't mod the car?

Whoops, the car in the driveway spent less than 24 hours in our posession stock.

Edit: Although that's because what got done was a free mod I've done before...

 

[Jetboy.]

Anyway, go find a Miata or a Civic. Preferably Miata, they don't take as much work to actually take hard driving for more than 5 min without overheating the pads and stuff.

Oh ****, sorry man, forgot you as well.


Cheers
Jetboy

 

[Perfect Balance]

Oh ****, sorry man, forgot you as well.


Cheers
Jetboy

That's not what I meant, there's just more knowledgeable Honda people on here. Like Fred.

 

[YSSMAN]

Well, if we're going to talk Fox Bodies...

May as well go with a Mustang LX 5.0. Slightly less capable than the GT, definitely doesn't look as nice, but much cheaper in insurance and in price. Swap out the wheels and tires, and you've got a fairly capable car to learn with --> Furthermore, something that works as a solid platform to grow upon.


** Mind you, this is coming from a GM fan **

 

[Rotary Junkie]

IIRC the LX 5.0 and GT have the same exact suspension.

The GT got 16" wheels and better tires though.

Edit: Also, LXs are more in demand than GTs for most people as they're lighter thanks to the lack of a bodykit. Notchback LXs are wanted even moreso.

 

[homeforsummer]

A BMW 318i E30 sounds pretty cool too. I love the car's looks and I hear it's a pretty good track car too.

This 1989 E30 is from a seller in the UK. He's asking around $2400 when converted to US dollar. Just using this one as an example as I could not find good ones under $6000 located in the U.S when I Googled.

Here's the thing: You're only going to get your hopes up and have them dashed again looking for cars like that in the UK and then expecting to find them for the same sort of prices in the States. In the UK you can get BMWs like that for £500, Miatas for £800 and AW11/SW20 MR2s for less than a grand too. Used cars over here are worth sod all, which is great for people like me who pick up MX-5s for a grand...

Don't "upgrade" anything. I repeat: DO. NOT. MOD. THE. CAR. Except to make it safe and roadworthy.

^ This times eleventy-million. If you're going to do anything to cars of that price, at least at first, the best things you can do are give it new tyres, a full alignment, an engine service, and if necessary, new brakes and shocks as they'll likely be a bit tired. After all of that anything you buy will probably feel factory-fresh anyway and be much more pleasant to drive.

 

[///M-Spec]

Of course I will, it's not like I'm going to mod it right after I get it. Probably a couple of months before I do.

I would wait longer than that. What's the hurry? It's not like 3-4 whp here and there is going to make much of a difference in your first year. Mods are a crutch. They make you feel good, but in the end you're still going to need to learn how to drive.

Think of it this way: you can spend $400 on a nice cat-back exhaust for a Miata or you can do 2 track days or 10-12 autocrosses. Which is going to make you go faster? The track days and autocrosses, no question.


M

 

[Keef]

Yeah. Some of us choose not to follow the rule, but it is the rule.

 

[Omnis]

Dang, I didn't know you were that young. Now I feel dumb for getting pwned at CoD by someone your age.

I'll sell you my Accent if you want it. Only 70k miles. It's no good for overtaking people on the highway but it's pretty thrilling for whipping around. You could track it but it runs out of steam at 75mph. It stops accelerating altogether at around 80 because the OEM tires were only rated for 85. And there's nothing more awesome than beating someone's time with a Hyundai. Perfect first car... really taught me respect and patience.

 

[Paulie]

Money prevented me from doing mods straight away, but there are upsides to it for your daily driver, my Ute has dropped more than a litre per 100km of fuel useage with my mods, whilst increasing vehicle satisfaction slightly. That's a saving in the vicinity of $5/week for me, good stuff. There are numerous performance driving courses and various experiences I'd like to get to as well.