I started this as a reply to octavious' thread but realized after all this text that my needs are different enough that I decided to start my own thread on it so I don't threadjack that one!
I just sold my E93 M3. I never bonded with it. I never really got to love it. I never thought it was super fun. It never became more than a transportation machine to me. I know the convertible is 500lbs or so heavier than a coupe or sedan, but it was also big and complicated and expensive and finicky. It was high-revving and not terribly fast down low and in order to get to where you're high enough in the powerband for it to really start screaming you're already in illegal speeds.
I also sold my Camaro. It was an '18 SS 1LE, which I loved aside from its bulk and visibility impacting its ability as a DD (try going through a tight and twisty drivethrough without scraping the splitter when you can't see any of the curbs!). It was also WAY too fast to be any fun. The only time I ever got to use full throttle is when I was already in 6th and was too lazy to downshift when I passed someone. On the track, it was also too fast to be fun. I'm at my best on the track when I'm dicing it up with someone and finding another car that fast with a driver at my level, you're playing in a space where the margin of error is sooooooo thin that it's stressful and uncomfortable. That being said, it was an absolute monster on the track. GM warrantied track stuff (I actually never had to use it, but they would) and it was 100% reliable. It never overheated or gave me any spot of trouble once I had my brake pad/fluid combo worked out.
So now I'm working on what do to next. All I have left right now are my Land Rover Discovery 2 and my little '01 2.7L Boxster. I bought the Boxster because I absolutely love them and I love playing with my local PCA. I'm doing autocross, concours, and rallye with this car and I'm enjoying it a whole lot. But I do not trust this car for track use. Like, not at all. I already blew up an M96 on track, spinning a rod bearing at Blackhawk. I've never had an IMS problem, and I think that problem is totally overblown. Most "IMS" issues that come up have a local shop just say, "Oh, it was your IMS and it's a boat anchor now," but don't tear it down to verify that that's actually what it was. These engines are pretty well-known for having oiling issues. They only have two oil pickups, one on each side, the baffles and sump aren't especially good for motorsport use... On my Carrera that I blew the motor up in, I had the 2qt LN Engineering baffled deep sump and pickup extension and the Porsche Motorsports air/oil separator... I still spun a rod bearing in it. I don't especially trust these motors and they are so expensive to replace that I really don't feel super comfortable tracking it. I thought about spending this car money on the Boxster and putting the oiling mods on this car plus an Accusump, maybe. I see some people do a billion track days in their Boxsters, and then some (including me) have destroyed motors doing them.
So, that leads me to my next decision. What do I get that I can beat on pretty regularly at the track all summer long, drive to work when I feel like it, and be able to trust it not to break or fall apart? During a decent year, I'll probably do 15-20 track days. I don't want anything too too powerful and I also don't want anything too too slow. I thought my 997 was right at the perfect power level at about 3100lbs and 325hp. I'm fine going a bit slower, but I don't want to go significantly faster. It's stressful and there aren't enough people to play with.
I don't fit very well in an NA or NB Miata with a helmet on. I haven't tried an NC with a helmet but at 5k they are real hard to find in decent shape. I also didn't super enjoy my last one. I just sold my last '96 Miata last year and I'm happy to be rid of it and not back in an early Miata.
With my mediocre experience with this last M3, I'm kinda off BMWs for a while. I've had a bunch of other M3s and they are always fairly competent but they don't bring out the love for me. I always get rid of them for something else.
I was thinking maybe a Mk4 or Mk5 GTI, an 8th gen Civic Si (sedan probably, I am in the roof of a coupe with a helmet on), maybe a cheapo NC Miata...
I thought about a Sentra SE-R Spec V but I keep hearing that they're unreliable and I can't have that.
I thought about an SRT4 Neon but I hear the same kinds of things about those. They eat hubs. They don't get enough negative camber to prevent them from devouring tires, that kind of thing.
Maybe an R53 MINI Cooper S.
I loved my 500 Abarth, but they're too expensive.
I thought about an RSX Type S but people constantly complain about the rear suspension on those.
Porsche 944. It's old and slow. The slow isn't a concern, really, they are a whole lot of fun to drive, but they are old. I don't want to spend a ton of time and money restoring a car into trackable condition and then worry about the next thing breaking. I want something solid and reliable that is happy to go every time.
C4 Corvette. It's possible, but difficult, to find a manual coupe for around 5k. They're fast enough, for sure, but also getting old. Not fragile, though, and decent parts availability. They seem fairly robust on the track.
Is there anything I'm missing or forgetting about?
