Track day?

1.8 I4 20v turbo - 207bhp
1.8 I4 20v turbo - 222bhp
chris_m
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Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:25 am

Hi guys.

Any of you take your s3 on track? I currently have a b7 RS4 and was thinking about putting it on track. The price of a set of wheels and decent track tires would almost get me a s3 so was thinking of picking one up for maybe 3k, doing a few mods and using this. I come from a ford RS background and like the whole mods and tinkering side and I have absolutely no chance with the RS4. I leave that to the pro's. There isnt much you can do other that supercharge the thing for any real gains so that is out of the window. Plus, I dont want to wreck the thing, may use it once in a while.

Any input would be appreciated. For what is out there on a bit of a budget, the s3 seems in for a good shout. What I have thought about is the following,

The s3 of course and reason being, pretty powerful, reliable, cheap for what they are, fun on road and plenty mods to do.

Subaru wrx, again reasonably cheap, powerful, mods are there but the cons, I know nothing aboht them and dont really like them. I imagine hard to work on.

BMW330i, cheap, reliable, RWD fun, cons, cant really mod, fuel is quite heavy and is not the best to work on.

MR2 turbo, cheap, small and light, RWD, loads of mods, reliable. Cons, hairdresser...

Ford rs turbo, light, mods, very easy to maintain, cons, fwd, expensive for what they are now, not that practical.

Evo 4 and on, probably the better choice of all but expensive and will likely cost a fortune to maintain.

Off the top my my head mind, I have thought more about it but kept it relatively short. After all, all I am after is a reasonable good car I can have fun in on track that aint just a stripped out for fiesta.

Cheers.
2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

marc1
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Re: Track day?

Post by marc1 » Sat Oct 18, 2014 12:42 pm

E36 BMW mate in either 328i, M3 3.0, M3 3.2 guise. Cheap, reliable, good handle RWD chassis, lots of mods (to make more track focused), quick on track. There's a few good reasons there are so many at the Ring. Have a look at what Dale on PH did with his saloon whilst writing a good few articles for PH.

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Re: Track day?

Post by HYFR » Sat Oct 18, 2014 1:40 pm

S3 would be terrible on track
You may as we'll sit in the pit garages and eat cardboard

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Re: Track day?

Post by J130YCE » Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:03 pm

marc1 wrote:E36 BMW mate in either 328i, M3 3.0, M3 3.2 guise. Cheap, reliable, good handle RWD chassis, lots of mods (to make more track focused), quick on track. There's a few good reasons there are so many at the Ring. Have a look at what Dale on PH did with his saloon whilst writing a good few articles for PH.
This is where I would put my money. +1
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Current T5 180 bi-turbo - modified, Reimo pop top, ABT kit, Caravelle 7 seats, going on 'air' this summer
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Shinobi675
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Re: Track day?

Post by Shinobi675 » Sat Oct 18, 2014 3:03 pm

I had an e36 m3 Evo. Awesome car. Set of eibach pro street s, or if you're feeling flush pss9 and then it'll basically out corner and brake pretty much anything!

I bought mine about 5 years ago and wish I'd never sold it! There's some real bargains, mine was £4k off eBay! Looked like it was going to be a real fixer upper! It wasn't at all, it was very solid.
996 C4S, B8 RS4, CBR600RR & a little ZXR400

chris_m
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Re: Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:19 pm

Thanks for the replies. To be honest, I don't know why I never mentioned the m3 in my description as it was one of the cars I had looked at and considered. My only issue with the m3 was the fact that I thought they may be a bit tired now? Of course you will get the good ones but I didn't really want to pay good money for a good motor that all I wanted to do with was put on track. I may end up doing just that though. Out of curiosity, why not the e46 m3? Is the older one a better car? I had a e46 328i auto and thought it was a great car for the £900 I paid for it.
I presume a good e36 m3 will be about the 6 or 7k mark or am I way off?

Thanks again :beerchug:
2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

chris_m
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Re: Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:41 pm

http://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/e36-m3/1085234427

Looks tatty but my mate has a body shop so that ain't an issue. Mileage is relatively low unless it's been clocked. I guess I will have to go and look at a few. There are never guarantees with old used cars.
2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

chris_m
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Re: Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:47 pm

2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

marc1
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Re: Track day?

Post by marc1 » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:07 pm

Sure an E46 M3 would be an absolute weapon on track, even more so a CSL. However you're upping the game each time in terms of purchase price and maintenance, plus if anything unfortunate happens outside of wear and tear.

E36's are lighter to begin with and older and due to the latter, cheaper. Although they all have their fair share of maintenance issues. The M3 3.2 Evo is the highest power output, but also double vanos (like the E46) and less reliable, M3 3.0 is single vanos and more reliable but the 328i is pretty bulletproof with no vanos.

It's all relative, so really depends on how much you want to spend initially to get the car where you want it to be. For me the cosmetics are not important as it will get a few battle scars along the way plus you'd want to rip out most of the interior (or all depending on how much comfort you want) to make it lighter.

For me you have to look at costs to replace parts, incl shell or full car if the worst happens. Getting engine trouble on a 328i is no big deal really as there are plenty of engines kicking about for little money, the price goes up for each variant of M3. Then here is maintenance costs to keep it on the road/track. Then the more fun end - mods budget. On all of them I would focus on lightening the car and enhancing the handling, rather than upping the power. You will be quicker on track in a well sorted car with less power than a boat with more power. An M3 3.0 would be ideal really. That said a 328i comes with limited power from the factory due to keeping emissions (IIRC) down, this is done with a restrictive inlet manifold. Swap the inlet manifold for one from a 325i (with a few tweaks to make it fit) and you instantly increase the power. They are great cars and handle well once set up properly. Early cars come with LSD's, later ones don't but you add one from the 3.0 M3 and jobs a good un! Coilovers, brakes, tyres, seats and harness' and you are done pretty much (a few other bits and pieces here and there but they are really the main things) all on a budget. Of course you could go so much further dependant on budget, etc. cages, turbos or superchargers, etc. :biggrin3:

marc1
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Re: Track day?

Post by marc1 » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:12 pm

This one is done for you, would depend on whether you wanted a project or a car ready to go.

http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=108303

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Re: Track day?

Post by marc1 » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:20 pm

Lifted from that for sale thread, but posted as it features Dale from PH's 328i too, so gives you an idea of what both are like on track.

http://youtu.be/Qa_tpB49u90

chris_m
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Re: Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:36 pm

Thanks for that mate. I am so so tempted by that link you just added. I am really going to think about it over the weekend. Looks perfect.
2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

marc1
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Re: Track day?

Post by marc1 » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:42 pm

It was the first one I saw, but it does look a good car from what you can see in the description and by the videos. A lot of work has gone into it so maybe worth a look. Have a look about on that drum and on PH in both the E36 section as well as the track day car section and see what's out there. :thumbs:

chris_m
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Re: Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:45 pm

I will do mate thanks. I have to restrain myself, I tend to be spontaneous. I should have a good scour but I think I could be made up on a 3.0 m3.
2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

chris_m
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Posts: 507
Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 11:27 am
Location: Tyne & Wear

Re: Track day?

Post by chris_m » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:47 pm

I would like to do one myself from scratch but at the same time, you save a small fortune if they are already done.
2006 B7 RS4 Mrc stage 2
2000 evo VI tommi makinen red
1999 Evo V 370bhp white
1995 e36 m3 3.0 green
1988 Saff cosworth 2wd white

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