Cheap track day experience
Discussion
My other half is a bit of a petrolhead. She's driven some exotica on those very short 'experience' type things, including an Ariel Atom, and loved it.
What she wants is to get into this a bit more seriously. We are looking at a potential car to use for track days for her 50th birthday on a couple of years (she's previously had a Mk 1 MX5, and would lke another).
She'd like to experience some track time in a lower powered car (such as the MX5 or similar) and more than just a few laps. I've found a few places that will hire a suitable car, but they tend to be for the whole day, and cost a lot more than our budget.
Any ideas for where we can hire a suitable car for a couple of hours track time? We're in the SE.
Many thanks!
What she wants is to get into this a bit more seriously. We are looking at a potential car to use for track days for her 50th birthday on a couple of years (she's previously had a Mk 1 MX5, and would lke another).
She'd like to experience some track time in a lower powered car (such as the MX5 or similar) and more than just a few laps. I've found a few places that will hire a suitable car, but they tend to be for the whole day, and cost a lot more than our budget.
Any ideas for where we can hire a suitable car for a couple of hours track time? We're in the SE.
Many thanks!
320d is all you need said:
It's almost certainly cheaper to buy an MX5
Take it on a Trackday
And then sell it
Than it would be to rent a car.
Also, most track day experiences are really poor.
You get told to change gear at 3000 RPM type thing.
I'm starting to think this is right! Take it on a Trackday
And then sell it
Than it would be to rent a car.
Also, most track day experiences are really poor.
You get told to change gear at 3000 RPM type thing.
We have a budget of £2k for the car, so £1500 to buy an MX5, and another £500 to service etc? Won't make any changes to suspension etc, but might change the brake pads. Any thoughts welcome...
If buying an mx5, if you can get one that doesn't have rust for 1500 quid you'll get your money back all day long - because they rust. Once the rust is visible it's not cheap to fix nicely, and prices are well on the up for clean rust free / repaired cars, and low to middling for ones with rust coming through / nearing their end of life or facing restoration type costs to sort.
My biggest concern would be paying 1500 quid for one that's been tarted up, and then finding when it comes to sell that it's starting to look tatty round the rear arches and rear of sills (and for a Mk2 / NB check the front chassis rails VERY carefully) and is suddenly worth a few hundred quid.
Personally I'd avoid a mk2 because of the internal chassis rot issue, because they can look fine and then suddenly need a grand of welding to get through the next mot, and buyers know this.
If you dodge those mines, all you really need to trackday an MX5 are
- oil and filter change
- new brake fluid - for the extra cost of something decent like RBF600 just use that, it's an extra fiver a bottle (risk: sheared brake caliper nipple)
- set of front pads - Roddisons pads get good reviews, higher grade Yellow / Bluestuff EBC are ok, you can spend more of course; make sure the discs are in decent nick on the inside faces as well as the outsides
- wheel alignment if you're keeping it a while, don't bother if you're only tracking it once or twice / the OH is starting from scratch - standard geo will do to begin with
Don't think that lot would come to 500 quid especially without a 4-wheel full alignment.
If it's on ditchfinders, then at this time of year you might want some half decent tyres as a good tyre tends to show most of its benefit vs cheapies in the wet, where they'll retain a level of grip and feel whereas crappy budget tyres will leave you understeering everywhere. But even a new set of middling fast road tyres like uniroyal or kumho won't cost that much in 14" or 15" if the car's on its standard rims.
Don't go modifying - an mx5 on track isn't the fastest thing but they're hilarious and perfectly capable / balanced without uprating everything in sight.
Bear in mind that trackdays start around 120-200 quid (by booking well in advance you can snag one at the less popular / remote / airfield tracks for 100) and you need to consider your fuel to get there, and petrol to thrash the car round, and a helmet for each occupant (organisers aren't offering helmet hire at the moment cos Covid).
You can get a track evening for well under 100 quid, but not at this time of year - dusk stops play.
My biggest concern would be paying 1500 quid for one that's been tarted up, and then finding when it comes to sell that it's starting to look tatty round the rear arches and rear of sills (and for a Mk2 / NB check the front chassis rails VERY carefully) and is suddenly worth a few hundred quid.
Personally I'd avoid a mk2 because of the internal chassis rot issue, because they can look fine and then suddenly need a grand of welding to get through the next mot, and buyers know this.
If you dodge those mines, all you really need to trackday an MX5 are
- oil and filter change
- new brake fluid - for the extra cost of something decent like RBF600 just use that, it's an extra fiver a bottle (risk: sheared brake caliper nipple)
- set of front pads - Roddisons pads get good reviews, higher grade Yellow / Bluestuff EBC are ok, you can spend more of course; make sure the discs are in decent nick on the inside faces as well as the outsides
- wheel alignment if you're keeping it a while, don't bother if you're only tracking it once or twice / the OH is starting from scratch - standard geo will do to begin with
Don't think that lot would come to 500 quid especially without a 4-wheel full alignment.
If it's on ditchfinders, then at this time of year you might want some half decent tyres as a good tyre tends to show most of its benefit vs cheapies in the wet, where they'll retain a level of grip and feel whereas crappy budget tyres will leave you understeering everywhere. But even a new set of middling fast road tyres like uniroyal or kumho won't cost that much in 14" or 15" if the car's on its standard rims.
Don't go modifying - an mx5 on track isn't the fastest thing but they're hilarious and perfectly capable / balanced without uprating everything in sight.
Bear in mind that trackdays start around 120-200 quid (by booking well in advance you can snag one at the less popular / remote / airfield tracks for 100) and you need to consider your fuel to get there, and petrol to thrash the car round, and a helmet for each occupant (organisers aren't offering helmet hire at the moment cos Covid).
You can get a track evening for well under 100 quid, but not at this time of year - dusk stops play.
Go Karts?
Otherwise I'm not sure it's possible on that budget.
I did this a few years ago and got a reasonable amount of track time. Would recommend it.
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/racing-ca...
Otherwise I'm not sure it's possible on that budget.
I did this a few years ago and got a reasonable amount of track time. Would recommend it.
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/racing-ca...
Chainsaw Rebuild said:
What car does she currently have? Perhaps it could be used for the first track day to see if she likes it etc.
Is a good point. A set of decent tyres and new brake fluid / pads on an existing car is potentially a lot cheaper than buying and selling another car that you need to tax and insure, and make sure you're not buying someone else's problem.I'm sure Pete and Mel at the Motorsport School would be able to help sort something
https://www.facebook.com/1508498369436612/posts/29...
https://www.facebook.com/1508498369436612/posts/29...
Thanks all for your input, really helpful.
Looks like the Motorsport School has just what we need- 8 laps of Mallory Park in a Clio Sport for £140 (ladies only).
Mallory is a trek, but worth it, I think.
As for current vehicles, we have two: 2014 Toyota Auris hybird estate. Reasonably quick off the line, and turns in nicely, but not quite the thing... Second is a 2011 Brazilian T-2 VW camper, with an 80bhp water-cooled Polo engine and soft suspension. Not good for a race-track...
Thanks again!
Looks like the Motorsport School has just what we need- 8 laps of Mallory Park in a Clio Sport for £140 (ladies only).
Mallory is a trek, but worth it, I think.
As for current vehicles, we have two: 2014 Toyota Auris hybird estate. Reasonably quick off the line, and turns in nicely, but not quite the thing... Second is a 2011 Brazilian T-2 VW camper, with an 80bhp water-cooled Polo engine and soft suspension. Not good for a race-track...
Thanks again!
I also highly recommend the motorsport school and know them well.
https://www.themotorsportsschool.co.uk/
Give them a ring and have a chat through your requirements.
it may be that for just a few more £ you can get extra laps.
I know that they also have an MX5 (Mk3) on their fleet - depends on whether you want FWD or RWD?
If thinking about buying your own MX5 then the health warning about rust above is well worth taking note of!
Maybe there are other alternatives for your budget that may be less prone to the tin worm yet still good fun on a track day - BMW Mini, BMW 1 Series, Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Renault Clio, Renault Megane, even a 3 litre BMW Z4!!
My final suggestion is that even when you have a session with the motorsport school, please have instruction sessions when you go on subsequent track days as it will be of benefit and help you enjoy it more. Most track day organisers will have instructors available to hire for one or two short sessions.
https://www.themotorsportsschool.co.uk/
Give them a ring and have a chat through your requirements.
it may be that for just a few more £ you can get extra laps.
I know that they also have an MX5 (Mk3) on their fleet - depends on whether you want FWD or RWD?
If thinking about buying your own MX5 then the health warning about rust above is well worth taking note of!
Maybe there are other alternatives for your budget that may be less prone to the tin worm yet still good fun on a track day - BMW Mini, BMW 1 Series, Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Renault Clio, Renault Megane, even a 3 litre BMW Z4!!
My final suggestion is that even when you have a session with the motorsport school, please have instruction sessions when you go on subsequent track days as it will be of benefit and help you enjoy it more. Most track day organisers will have instructors available to hire for one or two short sessions.
Edited by andy97 on Wednesday 18th November 21:34
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