KuHL 951

But at the end of the day the Miata is still running well, the brakes still work, and it gets you home with the AC on. It might be a Mazda, but it's the best Mazda they ever built. My 95 was bulletproof no matter what you threw at it. The only knock I would give mine was high speed stability (90mph+) and cowl shake on uneven road surfaces and that's easily solved by a triangulated strut brace. Face it, for autocross I don't think any 2.5L NA is going to easily overcome the Miatas weight and handling advantage on tight circuits. Mine was a daily driver and never once broke down on me; I can't say that for either of my 944 models.

joseph mitro

go with a miata, then you'll be more competitive as your skills progress

GlenL

What is your budget for the car(s)?

OK, I don't like Miatas. Looks like a carp. Might be cheap, and new, compared to 944s, but still a Mazda. Lots of them are being autocrossed and run in spec series.

Take a look at the classes. Most sanctioning bodies have near two dozen or more. The idea is to be competitive with the car you choose to drive. At the few autocrosses I've done, it's the highly modified cars that have the best times. VW Corrado and Opel GT come to mind.

If you ever decide to try a road course with your car you'll be much happier in a 951 or a 944S2 or a 968. These cars were designed to corner at 120+ mph. And it's a lot more fun than autocross, IMHO!

hderr

Whatever the wife says I can spend?

I'm looking at an 87, 951 with 94K miles, newer belts, clutch,... all done at a Porsche shop for $7,500. Then maybe after the dust settles, 2 or 3 K for an older 91-93 or so Miata that needs some work. If I can do it all for under ten, that would be good.

KuHL 951

If you do get a Miata I feel the 94-95 year run is your best bet unless you plan to turbo it, then the older 1600cc (89-93) is much cheaper and will run like a Banshee with FI. You can still find nice 94-95 Miatas for less than $4500, especially this time of the year. Try and get the leather package, the 'R' is too expensive, if it's a 94-95, the LP comes with the Torsen LSD and makes a huge difference in autocross or track use.

hderr

Thanks, I'll keep this in mind.

xsboost90

what i meant by mazda-i think they make a heck of a car- is that they still wont hold the value(in the long run) of the porsche because of the name. I wouldnt mind having a miata but they are just so freaking small! I think the miata will whoop up on the 44 all day but i like the character of the porsche better.

KuHL 951

Personally I never worry too much about the holding value of any car. Nothing is worse than paying a premium price for a car past it's prime and requiring mucho bucks to make it great only to find out you can't get close your investment back. Take a look at some of the 951's for sale here lately and you will see my point on diminishing returns concerning upgrades. You can prep a track ready or street killer Miata for a 1/3 of the cost of a 944 and the motors will last. Miata's get bagged on here quite a bit but there is some great aftermarket support in companies like Flying Miata. Where else can you get a sub 5 second 0-60 upgrade and still be able to drive around town? I can buy 83-87 NA's in my area any time for under $4.5K, Turbo's can be had less than $6K. It's what you spend on the 944 upgrades that kill you trying to eek out that final 25HP only to find you need a new clutch, R and P, motor mounts, axles, etc. The Miata will handle a lot of highpower upgrades before you need to start beefing up the drivetrain. The block is girdled with piston squirters, the Torsen is good to 300hp, the clutch is so-so and needs to be beefed up, but the freakin car still weighs in at 2300 lbs...you do the math.

Just to set the record straight, I prefer both the 944 NA and Turbo just for it's style and rarity, not because I think I'm going to make any money on them...I'm not delusional quite yet. You don't buy a 944 and upgrade thinking you will come out ahead. Actually I sold the Miata beacuse I got tired of men winking at me.

joseph mitro

$10K for two cars? better multiply that by 2 for operating expenses.

GlenL

Hey! That's exactly my budget!

With $10k I'd spend it all on a sweet 968 and then go back to the well for the fix-up money. SOP for me!

xsboost90

i guess its all a matter of what you like.

Mighty Shilling

On the track, yes... the car feels a lot nimbler and lighter.

Mighty Shilling

Yes, I would. However, I'd like to wait until mayish...after college, then I'd have more time... it wouldn't all be consumbed by homework and shiz...

dustobub

I have the perfect solution for you. I am actualy looking to get out of my 94 Supercharged Miata for a 951. I really love my car, but it is time to own a hardtop. Take a look at my car and let me know.

http://www.miata.net/cgi-bin/isc/cla...evaction=today

Dustin

inactiveuser92616

keep in mind that the base 944 in SCCA auto cross is classified in E stock, while the 944S, S2, Turbo, And 968 are in B stock.