Should I go racing?
Discussion
Should I go racing?
I moved back to Ireland in March this year for good. As we all know buying, maintaining, taxing and insuring any sort of road performance car is very expensive here. Also the imminent introduction of lots of speed scameras all around the country puts me off getting a quick car.
I’m seriously considering going circuit racing/hillclimbing/sprinting etc. I know one of the guys in the Stryker championship which looks to be good value for money (10k euro for a 1.8 zetec car). Anybody got any helpful advice on which championship to go for or should I just get a cheap trackday car (such as a 205gti etc) and do that for a while?
(I’ve done 2 palmersport days at the Bedford Autodrome which really got me thinking I should stop wasting money on road cars and get out there on track!)
Cheers for any replies
Simon
I moved back to Ireland in March this year for good. As we all know buying, maintaining, taxing and insuring any sort of road performance car is very expensive here. Also the imminent introduction of lots of speed scameras all around the country puts me off getting a quick car.
I’m seriously considering going circuit racing/hillclimbing/sprinting etc. I know one of the guys in the Stryker championship which looks to be good value for money (10k euro for a 1.8 zetec car). Anybody got any helpful advice on which championship to go for or should I just get a cheap trackday car (such as a 205gti etc) and do that for a while?
(I’ve done 2 palmersport days at the Bedford Autodrome which really got me thinking I should stop wasting money on road cars and get out there on track!)
Cheers for any replies
Simon
Simon E said:
Should I go racing?
I moved back to Ireland in March this year for good. As we all know buying, maintaining, taxing and insuring any sort of road performance car is very expensive here. Also the imminent introduction of lots of speed scameras all around the country puts me off getting a quick car.
I’m seriously considering going circuit racing/hillclimbing/sprinting etc. I know one of the guys in the Stryker championship which looks to be good value for money (10k euro for a 1.8 zetec car). Anybody got any helpful advice on which championship to go for or should I just get a cheap trackday car (such as a 205gti etc) and do that for a while?
(I’ve done 2 palmersport days at the Bedford Autodrome which really got me thinking I should stop wasting money on road cars and get out there on track!)
Cheers for any replies
Simon
How did you find the Palmer days? I am thinking of tracking my MX5I moved back to Ireland in March this year for good. As we all know buying, maintaining, taxing and insuring any sort of road performance car is very expensive here. Also the imminent introduction of lots of speed scameras all around the country puts me off getting a quick car.
I’m seriously considering going circuit racing/hillclimbing/sprinting etc. I know one of the guys in the Stryker championship which looks to be good value for money (10k euro for a 1.8 zetec car). Anybody got any helpful advice on which championship to go for or should I just get a cheap trackday car (such as a 205gti etc) and do that for a while?
(I’ve done 2 palmersport days at the Bedford Autodrome which really got me thinking I should stop wasting money on road cars and get out there on track!)
Cheers for any replies
Simon
A
The Palmersport days were amazing!
Luckily I went through work so didn't have to pay, otherwise you are looking at 600 to 800stg depending on number of people in your group!. It was so good I would actually consider going again and spending my own money just for a days driving.
The entire set up is very professional, the instructors are all nutters who just keep on shouting in the intercom "power, power, power, don't brake"! There is so much run off space at Bedford that most of time it is quite safe to loose a car and spin off. I spun 4 times this year in the Caterham, 911, JP1. AFter one of the spins (4th gear in the JP1) the instructor just said "good, we've found the limit now lets go and set a fast time".
Amazing day
Luckily I went through work so didn't have to pay, otherwise you are looking at 600 to 800stg depending on number of people in your group!. It was so good I would actually consider going again and spending my own money just for a days driving.
The entire set up is very professional, the instructors are all nutters who just keep on shouting in the intercom "power, power, power, don't brake"! There is so much run off space at Bedford that most of time it is quite safe to loose a car and spin off. I spun 4 times this year in the Caterham, 911, JP1. AFter one of the spins (4th gear in the JP1) the instructor just said "good, we've found the limit now lets go and set a fast time".
Amazing day
Simon E said:
Definitely going to the Park races. Most classes will be out racing, I'm kinda keen on seeing the old 911's in the historic classes as well as more modern stuff like the Strykers and Global lights. Decisions, decisions!
Caterham or MX-5 for track fun I think. Get a track slag with an NCT and drive to every trackday going!I'm sure you've already thought of this but just in case. . .
If your move back is more than six months away any car you buy now will (please check exact rules!!) be VRT exempt as long as you keep it for a year after returning. Consider buying the most expensive (but residually strong and saleable in Ireland) car you can afford to keep for 6 months in the UK and 12 in Ireland.
Buy right and you'll have a very decent car compared to what you could buy in Ireland. And it should be standing you less than its value in Ireland if you want to make a slow (but easy) buck.
I had a company car, a fairly vague long term plan to move home and ended up having just one month's notice - so I never got the chance to cash in on the loophole.
Irish's MX-5 suggestion is good. My insurance and tax are fairly cheap. So is VRT - but the cars themselves are overpriced here. Caterham is probably a non-starter as a road car - I was chatting to an owner who's ended up keeping his "in the UK" as no Irish insurance company would quote him.
If you want to go racing, you probably should but not to save money!
Sorry. Did I ramble a bit??
If your move back is more than six months away any car you buy now will (please check exact rules!!) be VRT exempt as long as you keep it for a year after returning. Consider buying the most expensive (but residually strong and saleable in Ireland) car you can afford to keep for 6 months in the UK and 12 in Ireland.
Buy right and you'll have a very decent car compared to what you could buy in Ireland. And it should be standing you less than its value in Ireland if you want to make a slow (but easy) buck.
I had a company car, a fairly vague long term plan to move home and ended up having just one month's notice - so I never got the chance to cash in on the loophole.
Irish's MX-5 suggestion is good. My insurance and tax are fairly cheap. So is VRT - but the cars themselves are overpriced here. Caterham is probably a non-starter as a road car - I was chatting to an owner who's ended up keeping his "in the UK" as no Irish insurance company would quote him.
If you want to go racing, you probably should but not to save money!
Sorry. Did I ramble a bit??
Hi JPW,
I'm already back in Ireland, for over 4 months now so no chance of beating the VRT system!
I'll be going to the Park races this weekend to try and decide what the hell to do.....A friend suggested a Lotus Elise S1 for fun on the road and Mondello trackdays (and less than 15k euro now in Ireland). I don't know what to do, agh!!!
I'm already back in Ireland, for over 4 months now so no chance of beating the VRT system!
I'll be going to the Park races this weekend to try and decide what the hell to do.....A friend suggested a Lotus Elise S1 for fun on the road and Mondello trackdays (and less than 15k euro now in Ireland). I don't know what to do, agh!!!
have si elise possibly for sale,details are
97,silver,clean not mint but not scruffy.
tuned by vegantune including 1. 4 branch manifold
2. cat bypass
3. rear silencer
4. carbon airbox
5. throtle bodies
6. cams
7. verniers
8. programable stand alone ecu
9. completely rebushed polyuretane bushes (elise parts)
10.new s2 bilstein shocks
11.new throtle linkage
12.short shift
the list goes on have spent about 7k in last few months puting everything right on car.
i had a nem s2 exige last year and this car doesn't feel much slower in a straight line,but feels much more nimble due to weight 721kg with 20litres fuel and 5 l oil 2l coolant!
give me a shout if interested.
97,silver,clean not mint but not scruffy.
tuned by vegantune including 1. 4 branch manifold
2. cat bypass
3. rear silencer
4. carbon airbox
5. throtle bodies
6. cams
7. verniers
8. programable stand alone ecu
9. completely rebushed polyuretane bushes (elise parts)
10.new s2 bilstein shocks
11.new throtle linkage
12.short shift
the list goes on have spent about 7k in last few months puting everything right on car.
i had a nem s2 exige last year and this car doesn't feel much slower in a straight line,but feels much more nimble due to weight 721kg with 20litres fuel and 5 l oil 2l coolant!
give me a shout if interested.
Gassing Station | Ireland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff