Another great track car to consider in your price range is an e36 M3. They are actually very reliable and competent track cars in stock form, and can be found for under $10k easily. They are also really easy to work on. I have an e46 and I've helped a friend do lots of stuff on his e36 over the years.

 

not going to read through 4 pages, so if I repeat something then sorry

I am partial to miatas because that's what I have.... however, if it is just a DE car then I don't think you will be happy with it. Unless you do an engine swap, turbo, multi-thousand dollar build on the motor, etc then it will always be too slow to have fun. It is a great race car, but as a DE car I think you will start to get discouraged with how woefully underpowered it is.

I do have to go with the E36 M3 though. They are an extremely well balanced car and you don't have to do much to run quickly. I actually bought one myself that is about 90% prepped for the track because I drove one and it was one of the best cars I have ever driven on a track. Unfortunately now racing is taking precedence and I have to sell it. They are great cars though.

 

^1+

Comming from a drover in a 180hp car.... neither is good for DE car. both are too slow in a limited passing environment.... Today.

OTOH, you can find midpack SM's in the 10k range...

or, save up a little more for a early boxter S.


How about a older ITS car? 280z, bmw, rx7, integra? but then you have the get it to the track issues.
(although, some don't think driving a full cage car on the street is smart)

 

i have driven my share of race cars, dual purpose cars.... inc miata and box.
both are neutral and great to DE/race.
however, depending on where you are on the DE ladder, a miata may be too slow to have fun (now racing with other miata is different story). that's why i gave up on the miatas. i only had fun when racing other miatas.

in the boxster, i have more target to chase down.

i do have a BSR for sale, but i dont think that's what you looking for as it's not really a dual purpose car but a track only racer now.

 

From looking at the SCCA results, it appears that well driven Miatas should be able to hold their own in a DE environment. You'll have to make sure to keep up momentum and if you catch people in the middle of a corner, you'll probably have a miserable time. So... don't do that! Time your passes so that you catch them on the following straight.

 

944 with either Cup or Spec bit's

 

I'm surprised no one's pointed the original poster to the SpecMiata.com classifieds: http://classifieds.specmiata.com/index.php?catid=14

Having said that -- Spec Miatas are great race cars in all-Miata run groups, but I agree with others that they'd be tedious for DEs. You'd end up being held up by more powerful cars in corners then being dropped on the straights. Since no one ever points by a car that's faster in corners but slower in straights, DE-ing a Miata in traffic would be an exercise in frustration. I wouldn't want to show up for a DE in anything with less than 200 hp.

 

I have to say, I don't get the comments that Miatas are not powerful enough or not fast enough for DE's. I'm not even what I would consider a fast driver compared to guys like Viking, but I have a blast in my Miata in the White (most advanced non-instructor) run group. And I have no problem passing my share of cars. Where are these slow miatas that you guys are referring to? To hear that you may not have fun at a DE with anything less than 200 horsepower is nonsense to me. And I drove a 275 hp RS America on the track before I switched to the miata. I love my RSA (still own it), but I've had twice the fun on the track in my miata. No exaggeration. But there is one thing I can't do with my miata that I used to be able to do in my RSA... Cover my mistakes with the accelerator pedal.

 

a well driven (SCCA results) spec miata can have fun in DE (most DE drivers are not all that proficient). but assuming equal drivers, SM will have a hard time. assuming lousy DE drivers, the miata will be screwed. you will not get a point by until 1/2 way down the straight, by then you have zero momentum left and the guy in front is wondering why you dont pass him.....

 

open passing group?
if not you are toast. you can't pass me (say in a GT3) in corners. once we straighten out, i just put the foot down, you will disappear from my mirror. i am macho..i dont point anyone by, certainly not little miatas.... you catch me and ride my bumper the next turn, i dont point you by, then mash the gas pedal on straights..... this happens very often in DE's.

now, if you are in advanced group with open passing, then yes, SM can be a lot of fun. i know as i have DE'd my SM as well as GT3 and lots of cars in b/n.

what group you drive with and what your driving experience are will greatly affect your track car choice. when i see norcal SM champ behind me, i would pull my GT3 out of his way when he's 2 turns away. why slow him down when i know he can drive into my cabin in the turns! but not all GT3 drivers will think that way.

 

No argument here. But I guess I've been pretty fortunate in the group I run with. It is pretty rare that I get held up too long by a slower driven, but more powerful car. Most of the guys I run with are pretty good about giving a pass and even lifting to get you by. But you are right, it does happen sometimes. You just stay glued to their tail in the turns and hope they eventually get the message.

 

I agree. I have no problem passing in my 217hp 986 (beside the occasional dick with a turbo and a big ego). Most drivers will give you a point (even in the high HP cars) if you catch them in a few consecutive corners.

 

there is a massive difference between 130hp and 200hp. A miata with 200hp would flyyyyy around a track, but something like a spec miata is not that fast. I know around sebring (as an example because it is my home track) your average good SM driver runs a 2:45. Most of the drivers in the solo/instructor groups are running 2:45-2:25. I may pass a few cars per day but it's nothing like when I drive Vortex Motorsport's rental E36 M3. That car is still on street tires and it is a night/day difference driving the two. I bought the SM to go racing so I don't really care about the DE stuff as much anymore, but if I ONLY did DEs (like the OP said he wanted to do), then it would for sure not be my car of choice.

 

There is also a massive difference between a 2,200 lb car and a 2,800 car.

The point is that a skilled driver in 986 or an MX-5 can have a ton of fun (and pass plenty of cars) at a DE.

 

Most of the argument is academic unless money is not an issue. It takes a lot of money to buy horsepower and to keep the horses running. I don't have that kind of money.

What I really enjoy about driving is mastery of technique and discipline. Yeah, I'm as competitive as they come, so chasing down and passing is a thrill. But if the GT3 driver's ego is as oversized as his engine, then I have no option but to let him fool himself into believing he's a great driver just because he can "go fast."

I just bought a 96 Miata, not quite Spec, but heavily track prepped.

I'll let you know how slow I go.