mhm993

Miata? Yes & no.
Yes: Cheap, easy to drive, fun, and you really learn to drive. Doug007 has it regarding safety in that a well done cage in an SM makes it as safe as any other car esp. in a DE. Even if you are not racing, try to get a car w/a log book. It will have been inspected each year it has tracked. Miatae are cheap and easy to fix -- Marc services everything outside of the motor on mine.
No: Who are you going to run with? Other Miatae or 911's? Among Miatae there is no better racing, except perhaps SRF-land. In a field of GT3's (in the NE = any novice group) the Miata driver is small, low and slow. Get over the fact that your hand is out the window on every straight and enjoy catching all the other cars at each corner. The 911GT3RS in your rear view mirror looks like a Denali and they just appear with no warning. Can everyone deal with this?

I am a fan of E30's but friends who drive them tell me that they are somewhat unreliable. Are 944NA's reliable? I really don't know but they are cheap to buy. A nice lower-powered air-cooled 911 is a great car to learn on and some models are bullet-proof (love 993's) as long as you keep up with the maintenance.

If you are running with the PCA I would strongly suggest a Boxster. Get a 986 w/the intermediate shaft fix already done. Buy an S if you can. You can safely track a Box with almost no modifications and they make terrific street cars. People of all sizes fit comfortably and instructors like Boxsters.

-- Mindy

Simon Tibbett

I wouldn't say an E30 is unreliable, it's as reliable as you make it. A properly maintained E30 will last well over 500,000 miles, ask me how I know. :P

I'd choose a Miata over an E30 though, you just can't beat the reliability and ease of working on a Miata. A well setup Miata is a pretty quick car, the ITA record at Road Atlanta is a 1:40 set by a Miata, that's pretty quick for being an IT car.

Potomac-Greg

For DE usage, the Miata will be passing more cars than pass it. And it's no slower than a 944 n/a or E30. Most DEs are a mix of cars, with a general tendency to have higher HP cars in higher run groups. I ran a 944 n/a in the higher DE groups and while I gave my share of point-bys on the straights, I also got my share.

M758

This going to happen with any low powered car in field of GT3's. Heck 250 hp is not enough to keep a 400 hp GT3RS from coming up on you fast.

Mike S.

ABSOLUTELY...THANKS TO YOU ALL . I feel like I am now fishing in the right pond.

Live in the Buffalo, NY area. The Glen is closest and where I did all my DE's. Mosport is next closest. So my interest is high...hooked is a good word...first DE in 2002 or so. As for my girls...hard to say if they actually enjoy it until they do it, but there reaction to the opportunity is "that would be really cool"


Exactly my perspective...what you wrote is spot on. All my DE's were PCA...nice group and an event tone and approach that works for me (middle aged guy, likes sports cars, loves driving on the track, likes people...ok with not being and won't be the hot shoe...but enjoy watching and admiring those who are.)

Mike

Mike S.

Thanks Mindy. I see us doing PCA or PCA like DE's. I can relate to the situation you described and have been there many times...early on my left arm was always sunburned after a DE. As I got better, it really wasn't much of an issue. As a pretty courteous fella with solid track awareness, I really didn't get spooked and other faster folks never got frustrated. Actually, this is the type of thing (driving awareness) I want my girls to learn well and would be a pleasent bene of us having fun together. But I'm not sure how my girls will react at first to the situation you have described.... your point is well made. Having them do a Ladies day DE event could be a great option. What do you think?

Had an SC...fabulous car and fun to me. To much power and too many $$$ at risk with my girls. The situation I'm trying to create should a severe mechanical or cosmetic issue occur is..."Are you ok..is everyone ok...we can get this fixed?" vs. "what the hell did you/I do...do you know how much this is going to cost me!".

Mike

Sterling Doc

In this circle, the 944 is the right car for you. If you want more power, and are not looking toward racing in a Spec Series, a 944 S2, or 968 could fit the bill, though at much more cost. You should be able to get a very well done 944 Spec or Cup car in the $10K range, and you can build one yourself for about the same. Having someone else do the build from scratch would add 50-100% to that cost. There are several well-done build threads on 944Spec.org, or in the archives here. Search for "budget build 944" to see threads on my builds.

Make sure you build the motor right:
1. Cross drill the rod journals
2. Put in a an oil pan baffle - like the Lindsey Racing one.
3. Get a good oil cooler, like a Setrab, and keep the motor topped up with a good racing oil.
4. New belts and waterpump.
5. Find a good fussy engine builder.

I've won endurance championships in the same class the Miata hordes run in, so they can be reliable if you don't cut corners, and maintain them well.

M758

I have been tracking and racing my 944 for over 11 years. In that time I have had a couple bumps here and there. Nothing some hammers and bondo could not fix. The only non original body panel is the passenger door. I could have fixed that dent, but found it easier to just swap the door from a parts car.

Latest incident was nosing the car into a tire wall. I DNF'ed that race, but I was able to hammer out all damage and did not even need to repaint the metal. I did repaint the front spoiler, but did that with a rattle can since it took it off to do some repairs on it. Point is the car is very robust to minor bumps and bruises and big off is proabably best to retub the car. I know a guy who was sent backward into a safer barrier at 95 mph. Car was about 18" shorter, but the driver was fine. No fuel leak and motor and gearbox were ok too. Lots of valuable parts even after the incident.

Mike S.

Classic thinking of a real racer wrenching his own car! I love it!

M758

Back in 2003 I was on my 2nd hot lap in qualfying at Willow Springs. I went off at turn 9 at maybe 100 mph. Back end stepped out and I caught it, but the car went straight into the dirt. I figured it was no big deal due to all the run off and going straight would not roll car. However about 200 yards off track was dirt birm. Well the car did not stop too well on dirt so I ended up running up the birm. I had to get towed back in and had bent the left front control arm and tore up the spoiler.

So ripped off the broken part of the spoiler grabbed a spare $25 control arm and used a hammer to bent the tie rod back straight enough. Replaced the arm and did a quicky aligment. I started the race from class pole, as my 1 hot lap was good enough, and won my class a mere 3 hrs after getting pulled back on the hook.

The best part of wrenching on your own car is that if something happens you have skills to fix it at the track (tools and parts permitting). This saves money and time.

I did an event about 4hrs from home last October. I drove down and for Friday test day and Sat/Sun race weekend. Well turned out that in my first 20 minutes on track I had number 2 piston explode. Needless to say the motor was trashed. I have spare gearbox on the trailer and well as many other spares. Except a spare motor. Had I had one I would have spend the rest of the day swapping it out and would have been running saturday morning. Very discouraging to drive back that afternoon. Worst part was I had a spare block and home and my spare head was getting cleaned up at my head shop. So I was close to having all the parts I need. Point is that in 11 years of track time and well over 100 races that was the only time I packed up went home early. Some of that is due to luck and alot to the reliability of the car, but even more so due my being able to wrench on the car myself. I carry enough tools in my trailer to do just about anything. I don't carry a engine hoist or spare motor though... I am pretty sure I can come up with solution for the hoist though...

g-50cab

I have not had good luck with BMW's. Yep cheaper to buy - but same german mechanics

I like the Boxster suggestion - well balanced - seem to take well to getting beaten on - and this car is for the girls, right?

another car I would consider would be the Honda 2000's. The also seem to take a beating - have high redlines - low torque - again, well balanced, so you really have to wind them out to get any power.

both could function as a 2 or 3rd car.

dbryant61

My 1980 911SC. Other than what I have broken, it has been perfectly dependable for 8 seasons. Great fun and perfect car to learn car control in, in my opinion.

CCA

Have you learned that yet??

dbryant61

Shhhhh! I still am.

Mike S.

Thanks G-50cab....anybody else with an opinion on this choice for a track car?