boqueron

I am presently tracking my 996TT . It gives me all the pleasure I need but I am concerned about tracking such an expensive car. It's clear to me that one day or the other I will dammage it ( hope not my self ). The cost of a medium repair could surely buy a second car !

I am considering a car solely for track days, not for racingand keep my TT for travelling and special track occasioins.

Which do you think would be the Porsche that would require less maintenance costs, and carry a low (if this exists) repair cost ?

38D

In generally, the slower the car, the less costly it is. So a stock-ish 914 is about the cheapest Pcar you can track. I've attached a cost to track spreadsheet that some friends & I have been using that might help in your decision.

smokey

Pesky, unless I missed something, you missed the most cost-effective track car of all - the 944 Turbo. You get 996 performance for 25% of the intial cost.

38D

The spreadsheet only has the car types we were considering at that time. And technically it's not the most cost effective, but it certainly is good bang for the buck. A 1.7L 914 would be the most cost effective, as it is the slowest. The faster you want to go, the more it costs. I'm also not sure I buy that a 951 is as fast as a 996, at least not without engine mods.

Larry Herman

Yeah, and I can promise you that the maintenance costs are quite high on a 951; we have one. Looks like you have a lot of time on your hands, Colin. Great job with the spreadsheet. BTW my vote is for a stock 3.2 Carrera, with the G50 trans. They run forever, rarely need anything more than routine maintenance, and except for an appetite for brake pads (which are cheap) give you a lot of fun for your buck. But you can't beat a 914 for cheap. I tracked my 2 liter for 6 years, and once I went to 911S brakes, only had to change the brakes and tires at the beginning of each season.

38D

I can't claim full credit for the spreadsheet. It was a collaborative effort with DrJupeman back when he was first looking for his 3.6T.


Great suggestion. Can be fast with a good suspension & driver, and is very reliable.


I tracked a 2.0 914 that had Carerra brakes and I'm pretty sure the current owner is still using the same rotors that I put on 1999...now that's rotor life!

924RACR

I'll match your 2.0L and raise you 500lbs - the 924 is even cheaper yet! All that great VW technology is great for keeping costs down... and it's just as much fun on track!

Z-man

I believe the 944 8-valve non-turbo is perhaps the most cost-effective Porsche to track. As long as you keep up with regular maintenance, the engine is bulletproof, and the handling is very balanced.

You may not have the hp of the more modern Porsches (or the 944 turbo), but that's what the corners are for!

944 vs. 914: A BIG difference between these two is that the 914 was pre-galvanized steel, and the 944 was post. Rust is no issue on the 944, but can be a major issue with the 914.

These days, a decent 944 n/a can be had for less than $5000.00. They can run in stock form, but for another $3k, you can have a turbo cup suspension installed, which may be a little overkill.

And the real beauty of the 944 is that if you do shunt it into a wall, with the price you pay, it doesn't hurt the wallet so bad! They are considered to be the 'disposable' track car.

Just my $0.42,
-Z-man.

James Achard

I will second the 3.2 Carrera with G50. All I have done as far as maintenance is oil changes and alignments for the past two years of Club Racing, no DNF's, plus 1k incured in damage from spinning in someone's oil. With 80k on the clock the motor has never been opened and still puts 219hp out to the wheels. Fantastic car!! The doors still shut like it was made to go into space.

Cheers, James

Matt Marks

A fully set up 944 race car with cage, suspension, A-Arms, etc. can be had in the area of $7-9k. The only maintenance it will need is a timing belt and a water pump every couple of years. The cars are readily available.

Better yet, if anything major happens, motors can be had for less than a grand, and transmissions for $500.

They might be slower in a straight line, but they are on a rail through the corners

Rich Sandor

I beg to differ!

Mark in Denver

I wish I could differ with Larry, but unfortunately I have to agree. After a few years of track use, a typical (18 year old) 951 will need some serious and expensive attention. Ask me how I know.

Mark

Glenn from Denver

How do you know?

Z-man

As a 944S2 owner who tracks his car and maintains it religiously, I too know the cost of tracking a non- 8 valve n/a 944.

They say the maintenance costs of a 944S2 are similar to the costs of a 951. (16 valve head vs. turbo).

Last fall, I spent $5500.00 on replacing my cracked head and getting everything in proper working order. That's back to square one - no performance mods, no extra power, no agressive cams - NOTHING. The car pulls just as strong as it did before the crack.

On a good day, my car's worth about $8000.00. For $5500.00, I could have gotten a decent 944 8-valver.

That's why I know....
-Z-man.

38D

While it's true that finding a rust free 914 is hard, it can be done. Decent stock 914s can be had in the $3-4k range. One set of tires per year (15" 205s ~$600 for 4) , one set of brake pads & rotors per year (~$225 for pad and rotors) and you're all set. If the engine dies, buy a used one for $500. If the trans dies, it's about $250. Oh, and you can use a VW mechanic who'll be charging you $50/hour instead of $85+. With a top speed of around 90mph, they just don't use up comsumables very fast. When you have to buy parts, you'l be shocked at how cheap they are.

Bang for the buck, the 924/944/951 and Carerra are all great, but a stock 914 is absurdly cheap.