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Track Car Suggestions

Looking at this 2004 BMW 325ti today. She's got 120k miles but that doesn't worry us. Service record is good too. The 17" Alpina replica rims are a bonus for track us too.

Asking £1800...could be great buy with a wee tickle off the price.

We'd strip that interior and sell it for buckets.


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That looks fun :)

Unless you're not going to fit full race-harnesses, personally I'd stick with those Recaro type seats. They'll give you all of the lateral support you need (for anything this side of a slick-shod Ultima). Would also leave you with the flexibility to change the seat position easily to suit different sizes and shapes of drivers.

Worth a few bob down the line if you do/did ever decide to part out the car though.
 
Drove the 325ti and just felt a bit sluggish down low. Seller won't budge on price so I'll let it sit for now.

Steering felt a bit light and vague for my liking ...Maybe they're all like that?
 
Your expectations have risen since you got the Cayman possibly .. a case of the New Normal perhaps ? :)
 
Have to say the engine was great up high considering it's got 120k miles on it. Lovely seating position etc. The steering rack was probably worn as it felt more like a electric rack than hydraulic!
Just didn't have that instant NA throttle response I was expecting. Maybe something was wrong with it although it really purred at idle etc.

Maybe I need to drive one with 150kg stripped out as it just felt a bit Mondeo soft!

We offered £1500 and we've left it at that.

It's been listed for 8 days and if it was worth £1800 it wouldn't still be there by now.
 
ack cars...RX8 is coming high on the list. I know, I know about all the rotary 'stuff' - the are thirsty, high road tax and don't like big miles.

So those issues keep values in the toilet and yet make them just fine for a dedicated track car if torque and absolute speed aren't your thing.

I have found out the local Nth Ireland rotary guru is only 25mins away from me. I was at his garage yesterday and he's put me on the scent of this tracked prep'd one. He rebuilt the engine 5000 miles ago so nicely run in as hasn't actually been on track yet.

It's owned by a 74yo guy who's had her built up with stripped interior, roll cage, SS exhaust, buckets, lowered, plexi, two sets of rims - both refinished, etc. Just needs the Bilsteins shocks from the RX8 Prodrive PZ model to complete it really. The guys daughters have forbidden him from taking it on track (seriously).

Thing is you need the ear of a good rotary specialist (turns out I know this guys son). A rebuild costs £1500 which is cheap compared to any modern car...

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That looks pretty cool. Obviously had plenty of cash flung at it.

I think rotor tip wear is a bit overblown on these engines and, as you say, a rebuild is within reason.

Might be hard to pry it from the owner's hands after all that set-up work.
 
^^^ Best thing is seller is asking £3,500 but guy that rebuilt the engine knows he'll take closer to £2,700.

You never get your investment back on track cars and this one hasn't even seen the track yet.

Engine rebuilder had a lovely white later generation RX8 R3 as his 'own car which he paid £5k for (also had a mad triple rotor 400hp naturally aspirated RX8 track car). If you wanted to form a collection of cheap interesting cars, the RX8 R3 version would be on my list. Heavy on fuel and tax is £580 but for a fun second car you only tax 6 months of the year I think that model will get it's place in the history of car engineering one day. Lovely standard Recaro seats and the gear change on the RX8 is as good as an MX5 and nearly as good as the S2000 Jap 'benchmark'.

I think the RX8 has double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. Cast suspension arms too (not stamped like MX5) and I wasn't expecting that.

Here's a photo of his and a stock one of the interior - seats feel like they are worth a few grand alone... They need 20mm lowering and 20mm wheels spacers to fill those flared wheel arches

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I've had my RX-8 R3 since 2009 - it's been on track, all over Europe, down to Le Mans many times and it has never, ever let me down. The most reliable car I've ever had.

Find a good 'un and there's nothing to touch it for the money
 
I've had my RX-8 R3 since 2009 - it's been on track, all over Europe, down to Le Mans many times and it has never, ever let me down. The most reliable car I've ever had.

Find a good 'un and there's nothing to touch it for the money

Yes, I was actually shocked how nice it was in every way. Any car that has a dash with the tacho this dominant is fine by me...

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What I don't get about the RX8 is Mazda flared the arches and many people laughed but then Audi do it on the TT they don's??

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Wouldn't it be great to have that just to sit in it and smell it etc every few days. How would the aero work with that smaller engine etc...not sure how modified the thing is. I can just imagine the owner pottering around some track in it. Just don't put it into a wall as there's alot more the go wrong than just the drive-train!

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I've driven an Arrows FA14 (1994) with 'only' a Judd F3000 engine. Trust me, it was amazingly fast, even with a full Monaco aero pack. Out on the main straight, full throttle in 3'dh, 4'th, 5'th, it was the same acceleration. In 6'th it started to feel a bit slower and then it was time to brake. It's the best car I ever driven, it did just what it should, not just acceleration, brakes was fantastic and when you wanted to turn it went excactly where you wanted it to go.

If you have the money, go for it, nothing will beat it on a track day.
 


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