Which Radical and why?
Discussion
As a keen trackday goer I am currently hypothesising about replacing my much loved 964RS with a Radical. So looking for advice and guidance!
What I like about the RS is the fact I can drive to the circuit, drive around it fairly quickly, and drive home again. I've had some lovely trips to the 'ring and Spa in my RS.
A Radical would be a serious upgrade in speed terms, but, realistically, you'll be trailering it to circuits.
So I'm sort of undecided. Very tempted having been overtaken on several occasions!
My (probably extremely newbie) questions are:
1. Secondhand Radicals do appear every now and again. What are the drawbacks of not buying new? There's no mileometer to gauge how shagged the engine is likely to be. Also I downloaded the SR3 owner's manual and the running-in instructions looked rather frightening! How do I know it's been run in correctly?
2. How reliable are they? I'm accustomed to rock solid reliability despite the abuse I give the RS.
3. Why buy SR3? The Introsports look quick enough to me! I want to save money... in fact I *have* to save money. It's a touch difficult to differentiate between them AFAICT.
4. Apart from engine power, how do you get a quicker, or better, or more fun Radical for your money - if you tickle the options list with an itchy tick-finger, you'll soon be well out of pocket! So what're the best or essential options and why?
5. I guess there's no such thing as a test drive?
6. How safe are they? I have a full cage in the RS and feel pretty secure. Outside single-seaterdom is a concern when there's just (apparently) a roll hoop and the car will be travelling that much quicker when I hit something.
7. How easy to maintain? I am a buffoon in the garage. Do they have to go back to Radical themselves for a rebuild every few track days?
8. How easy to track? By which I mean, do certain tracks disallow anything that isn't SVA'd like an SR3? I'm thinkin specifically of the public days at the 'ring here - no sense in trailering the beast all the way over only to be turned away.
9. How noisy?
10. How expensive to run?
This is just a starter for 10 of course!
thanks
What I like about the RS is the fact I can drive to the circuit, drive around it fairly quickly, and drive home again. I've had some lovely trips to the 'ring and Spa in my RS.
A Radical would be a serious upgrade in speed terms, but, realistically, you'll be trailering it to circuits.
So I'm sort of undecided. Very tempted having been overtaken on several occasions!
My (probably extremely newbie) questions are:
1. Secondhand Radicals do appear every now and again. What are the drawbacks of not buying new? There's no mileometer to gauge how shagged the engine is likely to be. Also I downloaded the SR3 owner's manual and the running-in instructions looked rather frightening! How do I know it's been run in correctly?
2. How reliable are they? I'm accustomed to rock solid reliability despite the abuse I give the RS.
3. Why buy SR3? The Introsports look quick enough to me! I want to save money... in fact I *have* to save money. It's a touch difficult to differentiate between them AFAICT.
4. Apart from engine power, how do you get a quicker, or better, or more fun Radical for your money - if you tickle the options list with an itchy tick-finger, you'll soon be well out of pocket! So what're the best or essential options and why?
5. I guess there's no such thing as a test drive?
6. How safe are they? I have a full cage in the RS and feel pretty secure. Outside single-seaterdom is a concern when there's just (apparently) a roll hoop and the car will be travelling that much quicker when I hit something.
7. How easy to maintain? I am a buffoon in the garage. Do they have to go back to Radical themselves for a rebuild every few track days?
8. How easy to track? By which I mean, do certain tracks disallow anything that isn't SVA'd like an SR3? I'm thinkin specifically of the public days at the 'ring here - no sense in trailering the beast all the way over only to be turned away.
9. How noisy?
10. How expensive to run?
This is just a starter for 10 of course!
thanks
All these posts and I am still unsure.
Primary worries are:
1. Cost
2. Hassle
Tim makes some excellent points about arrive and drive. This is a real forte of the RS; no hanging aruond on the autoroute, "plenty" of boot space for squashy bags and stuff, I can use it on the road and yet it's still very fast and good to drive on track.
Also the 964RS will hold its' value and the SR3 may not; more correctly, it doesn't have a history I can refer to to convince myself I'll get back a fair bit of what I pay for one!
Despite all these negatives the sheer speed and driving experience of the SR3 is definitely tempting me.
Any other insights would help me make a decision
Primary worries are:
1. Cost
2. Hassle
Tim makes some excellent points about arrive and drive. This is a real forte of the RS; no hanging aruond on the autoroute, "plenty" of boot space for squashy bags and stuff, I can use it on the road and yet it's still very fast and good to drive on track.
Also the 964RS will hold its' value and the SR3 may not; more correctly, it doesn't have a history I can refer to to convince myself I'll get back a fair bit of what I pay for one!
Despite all these negatives the sheer speed and driving experience of the SR3 is definitely tempting me.
Any other insights would help me make a decision
I've deliberated and cogitated and decided to keep the RS for another year. Might get a Radical next year, perhaps there'll be a few more secondhand, a bit more info on depreciation and ownership worries, etc. I also just don't have the time to go through the purchasing process at the moment!
But thanks for all the replies.
But thanks for all the replies.
Ah, well, the ideal would be to have both as you do, but then you'll be constantly arguing with yourself over which car to take to your next track day.
I eventually compromised on keeping the RS and tuning it. First outing in two weeks time at the 'ring and Spa. Watch this space... no doubt other Radical owners will be driving rings around me, but will I be having more or less fun than them...? And, of course, I get to drive there and back and round the circuits in the same car.
What colour did you get?
I eventually compromised on keeping the RS and tuning it. First outing in two weeks time at the 'ring and Spa. Watch this space... no doubt other Radical owners will be driving rings around me, but will I be having more or less fun than them...? And, of course, I get to drive there and back and round the circuits in the same car.
What colour did you get?
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