Best car for a trip to the 'Ring?

[Pierscoe1]

a new theory on the "what car to buy" thread...

imagine you're doing a trip to the 'ring soon, and you're also going to buy a car.. what's the best car for the trip..

bear in mind it must:

# not break down on the way (or whilst being caned for several laps!)

# carry two people with their luggage for a long weekend (in relative comfort.. no 7's)

# be able to get on/off the ferry (no Radical!)

# be a hoot round the 'ring

# be easy to drive for hours on end to get there

# cost LESS than £15k

# be able to do this trip a few times a year (no one-hit-wonders that'll blow up on the way home)

answers on a 'ring ticket-stub please.... :D

[Bodo]

Pierscoe1 said:

# cost LESS than £15k

it's easier without that one

[agent006]

BMW M3
BMW Z3m
Porsche 968CS
Porsche 944 turbo and £10k change?

[Rob_F]

Porsche 968CS in left hand drive, as found in PH Classifieds for 10.5k.

Cheers,
Rob.

[Pierscoe1]

Bodo said:

Pierscoe1 said: # cost LESS than £15k it's easier without that one

well if life was always easy.. it wouldn't be fun..
whoever said that load of rubbish anyway?

[BMGM3]

ZM3 coupe would be day-to-day practical and tail happy fun at the Ring. A 7K BMW E30 M3 would be nice , but then as my profile pic shows, I'm biased
968CS is like the M3, but with a bit more poke.

[chaparral]

Any old 911 will do. Legends of the 'Ring come no finer...

It's that or an Elise.

[craigw]

audi rs2 ?

[Pierscoe1]

chaparral said:

Any old 911 will do. Legends of the 'Ring come no finer...

hmm.. but 911 running costs are preserve of the rich I think.
wouldn't want anything older than a 964, which can be had for the right money.. but would be a bit scarey should something break...

chaparral said:

It's that or an Elise.

have actually been looking very hard at VX's, and they're a definate contender.

[pikey]

Why oh why oh why (sorry, "Points of View" mode on ) do people keep forgetting the obvious - Honda S2000.

Won't break down
good for luggage and people
GREAT on the Ring
Fast
Looks good
Convertible

These things can now be had in good condition for £15k.

There is NO alternative that meets and exceeds all your requirements.

Do it

[wilbo]

BMW M3 E36 with loads of change for mods, fuel and beer left over.

[Mr E]

MR2 Turbo?
R33 Skyline?
My car and lots of petrol money.


But I suspect a E36 M3 is the answer.

[Revokev]

968CS or E36 M3 I'd say..

..plenty of fun to be had in both!

[Darbo]

I would go in a R32GTR

more of a drivers car
£15k would get you 500 usable hp
big brakes
and they are awsum
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v430/Darbo_wrx/DSCF0003.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v430/Darbo_wrx/DSCF0004.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v430/Darbo_wrx/DSCF0002.jpg[/IMG]

mind you my judgment is biased

[Mach]

If you buy the right 911 there is no need to fear the running costs. My 18 year old 3.2 Targa Supersport did Spa one weekend followed by Le Mans the next. Apart from the really twisty stuff it more than held its own against the Elises I was travelling with. Sounds fantastic with the right exhaust and it never missed a beat in 2000+ miles of thrashing. I was also carrying the luggage that wouldn't fit in the Elises!

[graemep]

Piersco - sounds like you are a man after my own heart - want a good, fun, well built and spirited car, that is not going to let you down, and not going to cost a bomb when it does!! Personally I would not want a 911 that cost £15k as that is a fair chunk of money to me, and the car would be pretty old for the price.

For a couple k more it would be an E39 M5 for me

At that price, it would have to be either:

MZ3 Roadster - Closest to a reliable TVR for the money, or 3 litre Z3 if you don't want M
Boxter S - if they drop to that price range
VX220 T - see above
Honda Accord Type R - Awesome fun, change for a VX powered Westfield!

[flemke]

pikey said:

Why oh why oh why (sorry, "Points of View" mode on ) do people keep forgetting the obvious - Honda S2000. Won't break down good for luggage and people GREAT on the Ring Fast Looks good Convertible

All true, but I'm not sure how wise it would be to do one's first few laps (or any laps, for that matter) at the 'Ring in a convertible. Every year during the public lapping a number of cars roll over. If you've got a lot of self-control, fine. If you don't, stay in tin-tops.
Come to think of it, if you don't have a lot of self-control, best to stay home.

[chilled]

I had my first trip to the ring at the weekend in an S2000 (only had it 5 months) and managed a 9:02 BTG. It was comfortable, really quick, progressive in the dry.

I know what you mean about lack of roof, but to be perfectly honest, you have to drive within your limits whatever you drive. If it's your day to die, it's your day to die. Slightly fatalistic, but you have to remember than any motorsport is dangerous.

And one final comment, make sure you learn the 'ring on something like GT4 for the PS2. it helped me immeasurably. It's different to the real thing, but I reckon it probably gives you a 20 lap head start on learning the track (I've heard people quote 50 laps to learn the ring)

flemke said:

pikey said: Why oh why oh why (sorry, "Points of View" mode on ) do people keep forgetting the obvious - Honda S2000. Won't break down good for luggage and people GREAT on the Ring Fast Looks good Convertible All true, but I'm not sure how wise it would be to do one's first few laps (or any laps, for that matter) at the 'Ring in a convertible. Every year during the public lapping a number of cars roll over. If you've got a lot of self-control, fine. If you don't, stay in tin-tops. Come to think of it, if you don't have a lot of self-control, best to stay home.

[Podie]

Old M3 or M5...

[bad_roo]

Something with stability control.