Bought a bmw z3 track car. Caged, 1.9 liter motor, 140hp on a great day, gutted, no headlights, has sponsor stickers on it, etc. Kind of a Miata alternative. Bought it as it wasn't particularly expensive, and cage is beautifully done. Supposedly a caged car from birth, from 1996. Wanted a hpde car to have my kids learn on, and something for me to putz with while the 930 motor is being refreshed. High powered expensive cars were out.

my kids are pretty tall, spent several weeks lowering the seats, etc.

Plan on having the kids try autocross with it in a couple weeks. Problem is, I have never driven it. Bought in Chicago in the middle of an ice storm. Car was previously used by a track school for teaching and as a rental. I am sure it has been used heavily, but looks well maintained. Has some dents, dings, etc. a garage queen it isn't. Plan to fix the body and do a respray, but want to make sure it works first.

i would really like to at least drive it 20 minutes before trailering it to a track. If something major is off, better to find out at home. On visual inspection all looks good... Pads look new, rotors new, brake lines look new, tires 2 years old or so.

any idea where this can be accomplished? Legally? Maybe?

was thinking possibly a shopping center late at night?

highschool parking lot?

i don't need to go over 20 mph. Just want to do a quick spin somewhere... Make sure the gearbox works, not pulling to either side, brakes ok, etc.

any ideas?

or just take it to the autocross and grab my tools?

i am located near Kenosha/Milwaukee if that makes a difference....

Not trying to upset the apple cart. Sincerely figured someone may have a reasonable idea I didn't think of that was practical...

Also if you have a shop with a dyno, that is a safe legal way to test a bunch of the car.

Legally? Definitely not on a public road or somebody else's private property. Trailer it to a track day.

If you’re just going to be putzing around at low speeds verifying basic things like the power steering isn’t shot and the transmission isn’t in shambles you might be able to find a M-F business complex or industrial/manufacturing area with a huge parking lot and go there on a weekend. Since it’s a public area any street car can do it legally you would be able to as well. Just happens that you can’t exit the lot directly onto the public street.

An autocross sounds like it would be a better test, and of course a test day too if one is scheduled.

Personally for what you’re describing I’d probably just drive up and down my own street a few times since you’re only thinking to go at 15-20mph. Folks will sometimes do that with go-karts, dirt bikes, ATVs, and the like, not too different in my mind. (I suppose if it doesn’t have a muffler that might change things.)