trumperZ06

From your post... looks like he's a newbe.

If so... he will spend a year or TWO learning how to drive on the track.

Best bet would be a spec Miata... cheap to buy & run and he's likely to get most of his money back on resale.

Next best is probably a C5 Z06.... either a well maintained used T1 or a garage queen. These cars are very fast and only need a few mods.... brake rotors, alignment & corner balance. Parts are easily available and economical compared to either Porsche or BMW.

There's a reason many of us instructors drive Z06's and cost is a major factor.

Good Luck with your new Hobby.

Gary R.

Does he have a tow vehicle? How much does he want to spend? Does he aspire to someday race? You already know the drill, he may as well take whatever $$ he has for a MAX budget and go from there looking for a car/trailer/(tow rig?) that works. I think PCA has the finest setup for maximum events, track time, best organized, best instructed driver's education events out there. As some regions only allow Porsche's to run I would look at that Marque first. If he is set on BMW then he should look at the # of BMWCCA events run "local" to him and what PCA regions would allow him to run a BMW (assume he isn't in PCA either?). I would say if he is looking in the $10-15K area get a fully prepped 944 with a trailer and jump in. If closer to $20-25K then an SC that has a solid drivetrain, a trailer, and build it up as he learns. If $30K+ buy Chris's D car and trailer!

BostonDMD

Great advice Gary.....

I listened to you 2 years ago when I was in the same exact situation as my friend.......

and look at me now.......happy as a clam......

Gary R.

Broke as one too!
:

Jon Moeller

IMO, the M3 is a great starting point. I'm selling my e36 M3, now, for a 996. The M3 is a great car on the track with minimal modifications. It's forgiving enough that you can learn the limits very easily, and get up to speed relatively quickly in it. I moved into the M3 from a Miata, and I feel like the M3 offered similar balance with more power.

A lot of beginners don't like to hear this, but if your friend is looking to learn quickly, he should seriously consider a lower hp car. An e30 or Miata is an ideal starting point, and when you get to the point that you can really wring everything out of a car like that, you'll come up to speed a lot faster in a faster car.

It's scary, but these days, even the e36 M3 is relatively low on the hp scale.

-Jon

amaist

It all depends (yeah, a BS answer)

Does your friend have track addicted friends? What car do they drive? Is he/she planning to attend events with them? Maybe a good idea to get a similar car. There is no need to repeat all the mistakes they have already made and the transfer of experience and knowledge is much more important than a car brand.

Another factor is availability of qualified mechanical support. Using a car on the track even if it is just for DE requires special knowledge on the part of the mechanic. Not much at first but depending on the progress of the driver the car will need to be adjusted for track driving and the driver. Is there a very good BMW or a Porsche shop that will help?

Local availability of events is also a factor. I know that many PCA chapters will welcome other brands of cars but their instructor core is still Porsche oriented. Same goes for BMW clubs. So if one or the other are within easy reach it may sway the decision. If your friend has the time and resources to travel further to events then it's not really much of a factor.

And I agree with others that a lower hp car will be more helpful when starting out. I didn't start that way but I didn't know what I was doing at first. I am not sure an older 911 is the best way to start with but it will certainly teach the driver the correct instincts very quickly. Or it will be very quickly written off
BMW are good starter cars. I would recommend something like an E36 325. Reasonably cheap to get, lots of track oriented parts available, huge amount of knowledge out there, and they are not yet rustbuckets. Depending where you are E30s are great but many of them are starting to show their age and finding a solid one is getting more difficult compared to the E36. Anything BMW that says ///M on it makes parts at least twice as expensive as a normal one, although the E36 M3 is probably the most affordable to run compared to the E30, E46, E92(forget about that one).

Zinhead

Tell your friend to get a Lotus. 2005/06 Elises are available in the mid-$20's. Some advantages:

• Its a modern car that is very reliable compared to the 10 or 20 year old cars suggested.
• With only 2,000 lbs to push around, consumables are cheap, especially compared to a high horsespower car like a Corvette. A set of R888 will lasts 12 to 16 track days, brake pades last 4 to 6 track days and rotors will last several seasons.
• The performance envelope is considerably larger than some of the cars mentioned. Although user friendly, it is the kind of car a novice can start out with and advance in terms of driving skills without getting bored.
• A stock Lotus is pretty much ready for the track. Throw on some fresh brake pads and fluids, a harness and an engine sump, and you are good to go. No long list of expensive modifications are needed to make it track worthy.
• If you want to step up in terms of performance, upgrades to the car are readily available that can turn it into a GT3 competitor relatively inexpensively.
• Off the track, the Lotus is a better street driver than a hybrid street/track BMW or Porsche.

blake

+1 - unless he is over 6 feet tall with a long torso. At 6'3", I can't fit in one with a helmet as the seats can't get low enough - or I'd own an Exige...

-B

BostonDMD

Exige/Elise make a great track car, I am sure...... but......

here in NE where would you track it/ race it?....

Just curious, because it sounds like an awesome car......

JClark

This is kind of a Porsche/PCA phenomena but you dont have to have a marque specific club to track the car. There are plenty of venues out there to drive any car. I was on track with a Ford Lightning a few months ago.

Peter Carroll/Toronto

Good idea. I went out with a student at Calabogie in his new Lotus Elise (Jim Clark Edition).

His was a 1.8 supercharged with 225hp I think. It blew my mind! I expected it to be excellent but even then it blew my expectations out of the water! I've never been in a car that handles that well.

I used to think they were funny looking but his was British racing green with a big yellow stripe. It's gorgeous.

The workmanship also took my breath away. There's not a bit of plastic in the whole cockpit. Everything is anodized CNC'd or extruded aluminum.

It is the perfect track car!

Peter Carroll/Toronto

Many Porsche Clubs do not care what you drive either. Northeast Region and Northern New Jersey often have non-Porsches in them. The BMW Club welcomes everyone.

BostonDMD

Peter you have a point......

I have only sat in an Elise, and it felt awesome......

.........but what happens when the economy gets better, or my friend decides to go racing?

He might end up with restricted avenues........

Peter Carroll/Toronto

When he feels the need to go racing he can take all that money he saved on consumables and build a BMW or Porsche race car. Then sell the Elise to the next lucky owner.

My 2200lb M3 race car more resembles the handling of the Elise than my wife's 3400lb E46 M3 anyway.

In the mean while he will progress in his training at 2-3 times the pace of the other students. The car is just that good! The only better training vehicle would be an F2000.

LDadrenaline

greatest thing I have seen posted to date.



Have only done a small road course with my truck, would love to do a full course.