First off, notice that this is not one of those "vs." threads.
A friend has a question: If you have about $3000 to spend on initial buy-in, do you pick up an E30 BMW 325i or a Porsche 944 for a low-buck, street-legal track car? Or is P71 or Miata the real answer here?
Discuss.
I would think the E30 would be cheaper in consumables and wear items, but I may be mistaken.
Showing off my $115 set of wheels.
E36 325i/328i. I expect I've spent around that much total on mine. The others you mention would certainly be more expensive.
e_pie wrote: I would think the E30 would be cheaper in consumables and wear items, but I may be mistaken.
I concur. Faster in a straight line, too. And I'd rather replace a clutch on an E30 than a 944. But the 944 looks much, much cooler.
I'm going to say the E30 just because there's so damn many around to get boneyard hopups and fixit parts from and for a reasonable amount. Any time you plaster Stuttgart on the part you will get raped.
By "track car" and the fact that you are asking about two cars with Spec series, I'm assuming that you mean an actual race car for door-to-door action and not an HPDE car. In that case, I'm going with 944. 83-85 only. Run Spec 944, IT, PCA, POC, etc. Stupid cheap suspension, easy to work on, actually looks like a racecar.
Just to clarify, we're talking about a track/DE car, not a wheel-to-wheel race car.
Keep those cards and letters coming!
E30 all the way if consumable cost, ease of repair and space to transport stuff to/from the track are primary considerations.
Miata if you answer yes to only the first two.
I would say E30 or Miata. Cheap consumables, easy to fix and depending on where you friend lives one might be easier to find than the other.
they need a spec e36. There is a Spec Compact series in the UK (318ti)
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/spec-e36/
I've never owned either, but I'd like to own both. I love, love, love, 944s, but I think I'd go with the E30.
e30 for sure. Junkyard parts are plentiful. Out of the box it's a relatively capable car, and it'd be a hair faster than the 944.
If you upgrade to e36, the running costs are more (bigger tires, brakes, etc), but it'd also be a couple of seconds faster around most tracks.
I'd go Miata. Then, once you got bored like I did, I'd go E30. I'm not saying the Miata is a boring car. I just think that life is too short to be stuck with one thing forever. Women are the exception as once you get a good one there's no reason to go trading around.
laz wrote: e30 for sure. Junkyard parts are plentiful. Out of the box it's a relatively capable car, and it'd be a hair faster than the 944. If you upgrade to e36, the running costs are more (bigger tires, brakes, etc), but it'd also be a couple of seconds faster around most tracks.
But won't the cost of E36 maintenance make the equation favor the E30? The first thing I think about when talking about an E36 is the fact that you have to replace the cooling system every 60k miles or so. That can't be cheap.
HPDE car? That's a very different answer. E30 then, for sure.
I'm gonna go with the one that doesn't need Porsche parts.
BLUF: E30's are getting expensive north of the Mason-Dixon, and $3k won't get you a nice one.
Depends, good E30's in the road salt regions of the country are getting spendy, but the 944 is galvanized and most I see are in good shape rust-wise (even the ones that have clearly been abused otherwise).
So, in Ohio, I bet you'd get a noticeably better naturally aspirated 944 for your $3k.
If you throw the E36 into that equation (as others have above), I think you might end up with a BMW. The E36 seems to be standing up to rust a little better, and they don't seem to have the cachet the E30 now has. Hell, I've seen decent E36 M3's go for $4-5k around here.
Of course, this probably only applies if your friend lives in a part of the country that has seasons.
just going to leave this here:
Example:
http://chillicothe.craigslist.org/cto/2984381033.html
http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/2949259854.html
Those are the only two E30's on Columbus craigslist, and this is not a small town.
In contrast, I get 14 hits for when I search "944"
Out West E30s are also getting harder to find. I wouldn't discount an E36 either. IIRC the 2-door has pretty much perfect 50/50 weight distribution, too.
BoxheadTim wrote: Out West E30s are also getting harder to find. I wouldn't discount an E36 either. IIRC the 2-door has pretty much perfect 50/50 weight distribution, too.
For a track car, you need to fall out of love with a particular model or brand and do what makes sense. Track cars are much more fun when they're fast, cheap and expendable.
I never liked E36s, but they make sense for a track car.
I'd look for a non-sunroof, non-folding rear seat 1997 or 1998 328i. There are slight performance benefits to a coupe, but the sedans are both cheaper and have a bit more headroom. All the earlier cars came with sunroofs and all the coupes came with the folding rear seats. The E36 is not the sturdiest chassis so not having those holes is quite beneficial. Not being hampered by rules makes various 325i parts cheap upgrades like the lower ratio, LSD-equipped rear end from a winter package equipped 325i/is.
The mass/front wheel is equal between a E30 and E36 325i/is, so tire budget should be considered a draw. 944s are just a bit more balanced and lighter and should be easier on tires. It might be possible to find a decent 1988 924S fairly cheaply, but the 3.0L torque of a 944 S2 or 968 is very attractive. No, go with a 328i.
mad_machine wrote: just going to leave this here: BMW compact Cup
Except they only sold about 3 1/2 of them this side of the pond.
Xceler8x wrote: I'd go Miata. Then, once you got bored like I did, I'd go E30. I'm not saying the Miata is a boring car. I just think that life is too short to be stuck with one thing forever. Women are the exception as once you get a good one there's no reason to go trading around.
Hear, hear! This could be the manifesto of the ADD-afflicted among us.
<Bored with his M3
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