Where to buy track day (not race) car?

[brgbrm]

Unfortunately I can't have a track-only car as I don't have space, and actually I just wouldn't want to get into trailering, or as you say driving something that has become a fish out of water on the M-way. It was great today, about 2.5hrs from Brighton to the Bedford venue, driving a normal, comfortable car.

It's also challenging trying to see how I can get my timesup. Also, not least, is the very reasonable cost of the MR2. I'm running on £250 of Kumho and Nexens. There was one car today, running on £2k worth of tyres!

from experience id say if youve got any intention of using slightly more than sparingly on the road then its best to get a seperate car, by the time youve fitted bucket seats, harnesses, stripped the stereo, sound proofing, heat shielding, big brakes, firm suspension, fiesty clutch, loud exhaust, induction and engine work an mr2 becomes a very hot, noisy uncomfortable place to be for long journeys, that said mines still a hoot to drive and can embarress cars worth 10 times as much on track, but after over 4 years together its only an mot away from the classifieds

[dan4]

I wouldn't bother stripping mine nor putting my bucket seats in, losing only a few kg of plastic and changing seats that are amaziingly supportive would not make enough of a difference to warrant it

I'm up to circa 500quid now with new brake setup, 15's with ad08's and lowering springs. We'll see what difference it makes in a few weeks compared to a stock rev1

[brgbrm]

Yes, I think those wre the kind of changes I'd make. I'm happy with my tyres, the car slides around a bit on the limit, but it wasn't until I did something grossly wrong at Bedford (getting distracted listening to my instrcutor and going in thewrong direction too quickly) that I span. I'd like harnesses but I assume they'd have to be parmanently mounted, not something that could be clipped in and out?

On the subject of an earlier message of yours, about overtaking anywhere and everywhere, I've been to maybe 15 track day type activities now, and not one has ever had a briefing saying 'overtake anywhere you like, as madly as you like'. If I overtook in bends and smashed up someone's car, what would I say to them 'my bad' and walk off?

[Lauren]

All harnesses clip in and out. Takes seconds to remove them. You can also keep the stock seat belt as well.

Just make sure you moun the harnesses correctly, particularly with regard to the rear passenger bulkhead.

In regard to insurance, it's not really going to be worth it on a low value car.

Marc, if you hit someone on track then they have no recourse really. To be fair though car to car collisions are extremely rare, so not really worth worrying about.

I think I would also add, that just because you take your car on track does not mean you have to strip the car out. Once you strip a car out to save a couple of kgs it makes the car pretty poor for road use. Don't worry about extra weight, worry about tecnique. 80% driver 20% car IMO.

I ran track cars for years that were my daily drivers. I did have one stripped out SC in the end, but then I went back to a car with full interior that I just took out on track occasionally.

Unless you track your car a hell of a lot, it's not worth compromising on road comfort.

[dan4]

You misunderstood buddy, you are briefed to only overtake when someone indicates or on a specified section of straight. It's an utter waste of tracktime and money sitting behind slower people. What i meant was I wouldnt be bothered poking it up the inside or going around the outside if need be, without trying to cause any situations of course

[CM1GT]

All harnesses clip in and out. Takes seconds to remove them. You can also keep the stock seat belt as well.

Just make sure you moun the harnesses correctly, particularly with regard to the rear passenger bulkhead.

In regard to insurance, it's not really going to be worth it on a low value car.

Marc, if you hit someone on track then they have no recourse really. To be fair though car to car collisions are extremely rare, so not really worth worrying about.

I think I would also add, that just because you take your car on track does not mean you have to strip the car out. Once you strip a car out to save a couple of kgs it makes the car pretty poor for road use. Don't worry about extra weight, worry about tecnique. 80% driver 20% car IMO.

I ran track cars for years that were my daily drivers. I did have one stripped out SC in the end, but then I went back to a car with full interior that I just took out on track occasionally.

Unless you track your car a hell of a lot, it's not worth compromising on road comfort.

my 2 was never a daily, when i got it it was car no.3 bought purely for track use, hence i went whole hog, from the other side its also worth remembering things can and will break on track, so using your daily as a track tool isnt always the best idea, clip in harnessess ftw

[Lauren]

True that things can break. Though a well maintained car should do trackdays with no problem.

Think I've done more trackdays than I could count, nearly always in my daily car (the white SC was a road legal track car) and to be fair I've always been able to drive home.

[CM1GT]

it was actually driving my daily accord back from snetterton with no brake pad material left on the front that lead me to buy the mr2, since then ive come home once with bald tires, once with half my exhaust missing and once with my undertrays hanging off

you never know your limits 'til you've passed them