mater

E30 bmw is the best to learn in {A real drivers car IMO} plus if you continue in racing>> Spec e30 is one the best classes to run in,plenty of cars and less expensive to operate than modified classes.

Blondurant

Porsche GT3 and absolutely nothing else. There really is no substitute. BTW, mine's for sale.

smlporsche

+1
a tracked prep 944 can be had for 7k or so....an S2 for 16 to 20K so you can get into it for cheap if you want to...

blake

Most spent $15K for the car, then put in $5-10K in mods... But that was 2007/2008 dollars! Sounds like $15K "all in" is more like it....

-Blake

mark kibort

A porsche 928 race car can be made for under $18k and run with most any e36 M3 (euro version). I think it costs considerably more to make a e36 as fast. But, the 928 has its disadvantages as well, as do all platforms. there are trade offs. Its limited to SCCA ITE and GTS challenge, realistically, unless you dump a lot of money into it to get it to superrace car status. (pca rules only really address rated factory HP/weight and not weight of the cars for fair classing. In otherwords, 2000lb 911s can compete in PCA with 3000lb 928s and have the same hp/weight as 911s, but 1000lb weight differences.)

The real point is that if you are going racing,what are the goals? beat others in the same class or car?
porsche 911s can be good, but expensive to max out the rules in any class PCA-PRC has (just look at the spec 911s run with PRC-NASA as they go for about $70k in top form from a local race shop) BMWs need to have certain things changed out and strengthened or they will break but they are cheaper than a 911 to build into a race car. 928s only need a bolt-on suspension and a set of headers. (all will need rims and tires) If you goal is to race others in the same class and dont have unlimited funds, there is no question, the BMW provides the best platform. e30s e36s running in Cmod, Dmod or Prepared class have a ton of very equal competition. Personally, I prefer equal , wheel to wheel action running in different types/Manf. of cars and I like the high reving V8 sound better.

Many race cars pre-built will want their money out of them, but these days, the market is soft.

Let us know which way you are planning to go.

I have a friend selling an M3 e36euro race car. we were pretty close in competition, and he wants $35k . He would normally run Cmod, but could get back to a prep level with some detuning and weight.
I think that kind of car would cost easily that much to make yourself.

Its a tough call. Lots of fun cars out there , but all have their best fit for the racing you want and aspire to do.

Chads996

+2 (S2 )

total cost to build my toy (so far) is around $16K or so.

C.

BostonDMD

Thanks for the inputs so far guys and gals........

Personally I went with a 911 because, like Larry stated, it is a different feel to have the engine behind you.....I was always mesmorized with rear engine cars since I first drove in Italy a 1972 Fiat 500 (eons ago)....

Probably not the easiest cars to master, but I have been told that if can drive an older 911 well you can pretty much drive anything else with ease.......

In the NorthEast, it seems like there are way more DE events than BMW, so that would be another factor for me to keep in consideration while deciding.....

Please keep your thoughts coming, thanks......

VaSteve

This is one of those TD In DC type questions. If your friend doens't care what club her runs in, select the car you like. I have a 911, a Targa. I drove it 3 times on the track before deciding that if I was going to stick with this, I wanted a car I could mod up and/or wad up and not feel bad about it. I wanted to keep my 911 as well. I bought a $3000 ratty 944 and did just that. I took a lot of hell from my friends in the PCA because they drive 911s. But I was used to taking hell since it was a Targa anyhow. Other Targa owners gave me a hard time since mine's brown. So no winning.

In my region, until the bottom fell out of the economy, you couldn't drive anything other than a Porsche even if you were a club member. So, given my budget I was limited to what I could drive. I also factored consumables, etc in the price.

The better option would have been a miata (look I have a 944, so I can take the ribbing!) or some 3 series variant since the parts are cheaper and presumably more reliable. I have a BMW as daily driver.

I sold the 944 and bought a 944 S2 when a friend was selling it at a good price, sorta track prepped. So in my case, I would say the cars chose me if I wanted to run with my friends. I suppose I could have found new friends with a different marque for my track car. I bought a 911 because I liked it, I didn't even know this nonsense existed at the time.

Advice for your friend: buy what you like within budget, factoring in consumables, DIY ability (or checkbook depth) and what club you want to run with (or friends you already have).

Bryan Watts

Whatever you say Mark.

To the OP: both make great track cars. BMW's are likely easier to get into on the cheap side. If your buddy wants a Porsche, get an older 911. If he wants a BMW, get an E30. Both are "drivers" cars and will teach a lot even if they aren't the fastest cars on track. The BMW has the advantage of having a great spec class in NASA if he ever wants to go racing.

Peter Carroll/Toronto

I found it best to choose both. The Porsche works well for BMW events. While the M3 is great at hunting down Turbos. If you're not rubbing someone's nose it, it it's just not fun.

More importantly, figure out which club you want to run with and make sure you qualify. At the end of the day, they're both an excellent choice.

FredC

Paolo, you should advise your friend to seriously look at Chrisp's 911SC. The build of his car is truly impressive (I think you now know the cost of a suspension like he has in his car)....

ajcjr

Paolo from research i have done there seems to be way more racing and events for a porsche than with the bmw club (but i could be looking in the wrong place).

BostonDMD

Fred, I will point out ChrisP's 911 to him..... but did you have to remind me of the cost of a new suspension?.........

ajcjr, that is what I meant to say.....in NE many more Porsche events available than BMW......

Bryan Watts

PCA Club Racing vs. BMW CCA Club Racing...27 races in 2009 vs 31 races for 2009. Plus BMW CCA has 9 Club Racing schools on the schedule for 2009.

Noted, there are definitely less competitors at a BMW race than a PCA race.

As for the number of DE's, they seem to run a similar amount around here, but there are 100's of DE options outside of the marque clubs, so that shouldn't matter much. Surely you don't ONLY run PCA DE's because you own a Porsche?

Both cars can be raced in NASA GTS, PBOC, and other multi-marque racing series.

ajcjr

Bryan my statement was based off the events here in the northeast, not sure if traveling was a concern.