what car to buy?

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Nov 16, 2004 9:49 pm

If you are looking for a 325 you may be in luck. A girl across the street from me is selling her old boyfriend's '89 325 for $2500 ish with a racing seat, springs (I forgot what type), and a Supersport cat-back. The car's really clean but it's been sitting a while. Let me know if you want her telephone number.

Kevin Hoff · **Posted:** Tue Nov 16, 2004 10:11 pm

Karl Shultz wrote:

Thing I don't like about a 944 is how horrendously expensive they can be to service. Things like clutch jobs are four figures if you pay someone else to do it.

Quite. I wouldn't recommend a 944 to anyone who expects to pay someone else for labor. I also wouldn't EVER dream of buying one that didn't have every record and receipt since near new with all the trouble items addressed at the proper frequency.

That said, the one I had (now in Michigan! 3 owners in 1 year after going 20 on 1.) is a great example of the kind of deal that can sometimes be found on a 944 -- it was a two-owner car and had everything done early. If another like it came across my path at a similar price I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up. The handling is truly wonderful, even with old shocks.

--Kevin H.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:08 pm

[quote="steve remchak"]
my concern is investing in a car which will reach a point of limitation in competition. whether by limiting the types of events i would be able to compete in, or by being a vehicle which can only be improved upon to a small degree. quote]

Steve,

Now that you have lots of good suggestions about what specific cars to buy

If you want to progress as a driver you also need to be able to keep the car you choose shod with competitive tires. Otherwise you won't know whether you lost because of lack of grip or because of lack of talent. It also needs to be one you can afford to run a lot . . . seat time is critical to learning. It also seems to really help if you use a car that you can work on yourself, even if your current mechanical and setup skills are minimal. As far as I know a very large percentage of competitive autocross drivers also do (or can do) their own work. Many of us learned how to do this work as a result of getting interested in autocrossing.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Kevin Hoff wrote:

There is always Kevin Allen's Subaru Impreza RS...

If you don't want a Miata or a Subaru the list of known quantity cars in your price range is pretty short:

E30 BMW's
DSM's
MR-2
944 8v
Honda Civic Si '89

I'll be the exception here and say that as long as the price is right the E30 318is (91 model is my favorite) is a _great_ HS car that can then be modified wildly into a SM monster with a suspension and engine swap to the E36 M3 motor. Until then it's rewarding to drive, cheap, and the lightest E30 you can get if you find one with no options.

The DSM's are potentially very fast and are definitely fun to drive. They have great aftermarket support and have a "standard" setup that works. They are quite unreliable though and most have lived very hard lives.

If you like the car it's hard to beat an MR-2 like Jim's.

The 944 is in the same boat as the DSM -- find a good one and run far away from poor examples. It is a GREAT track car and many people feel that the early car (lighter and cheaper but ugly interior) is the sleeper favorite in ES.

Civic is the benchmark car in STS, a fun and relatively cheap national class. People have bought and built cars to the redshift setup for ~5k total!

--Kevin H.

Or you can run what you brung and still compete. Just ask the yahoo in the red four door grocery getter how he did his first year out. :shock:

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

steve remchak wrote:

i would like to enter in under $5k. i also want to go to vegas and take a driving course next year some time. there is a Z06 school i am interested in out there. i want to tinker a bit but keep the cost to a minimum. i apologize i don't really know enough about the classes yet. i appreciate the feedback, and i am bolting from a 318 as we speak.

If you're talking about Bragg-Smith I've been told by many Vette owners that it is an awesome school. But Rupert sold it and it will be interesting if it is still going to be as good. If you're planning on doing track and buying a C5 and can afford the school then this one is highly recommended. You could do it a lot cheaper doing HPDE's with our track side of the club.

Now that school has nothing to do with autocross. Take an Evolution School for roughly $200 and it will be well worth it. And all the money you save not going to Bragg-Smith will cover most of your first year costs autoxing (not including the car purchase).

Graham

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

jimpastorius wrote:

Forget subarus (unless you need to have a baby seat), these little japanese "sports car" or the impossible to keep running german cars...sell the kids, drop the wife and get this car

Quote:

1995 Corvette ZR-1 (most sought after of all ZR-1's)
#49 of 448 produced for 1995
one of only 17 Z49 Optioned Canadian Export Cars (DRL's, Photo Cell
operated headlights + metric gauge cluster)
10,400 miles
Full documentation (more than you could imagine)

Stimola Engineering Penske 8100's with custom valving
30 mm sway bar
Arizona Speed & Marine sway bar end links
Poly bushings for front bar
Arizona Speed and Marine harness bar
Schroth 6 point harness
DRM 1/4" wheel spacers
ARP Wheel Studs
2 sets OEM A-Molds
1 set AFS Aftermarket Wheels
1 set Kumho V710's 295 fronts 335 rears with 10 runs on them
1 set of 275 f 315 Hoosier S04's with 50 runs on them
New zero mile clutch and flywheel
New zero mile wheel bearings at all 4 corners
New lower front control arms
New Carbotech Greens on fronts with 2 events on them
New KFP Magnum Gold Rear pads with 2 events on them
New Front OEM Calipers with 2 events on them
Redline oil every season (usually less than 1000 miles between
changes)
Redline in trans & rearend
Corsa Exhaust with straight pipes in place of mufflers (mufflers
included)
Updated OEM chain tensioner with TSB documentation
Amsoil Air Filter
363 RWHP 340 RWTQ (very strong LT-5)
59 mph 1st gear @ 7072 RPM

Includes:
Stock bar
Stock Shocks (3100 miles on them)
Spare ECU (New in box)
Spare Water Pump (New in box)
Spare Starter (New in box)
Secondary Rebuild kit (New in box)
Stock brake pads (3100 miles on them)
Stock Exhaust

Many ProSolo & Tour Wins, One L National Championship. Ton's of 2nd's
and trophies

Given the market on the 95's this car will probably sell as a 100%
stock car to a collector, but I'd thought perhaps someone would want
to continue to race this awesome car.

All my hand controls would be removed

$37,500 OBO

In the right hands, this car can win Nationals IMO

I am pondering which organs I can really live without. If you have seen this car, you would be thinking the same thing!

Now posting that was just downright cold :!:

I already spent months trying to remove the ZR-1 from my head as an option to replace the current C4...

Maybe if we chip in most of our organs and cars we could buy it and co-drive it :lol:

Graham

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:32 pm

Porsche's are out. way too expensive. the chick with the 325 won't return my phone calls. (i think she is the same one) run what ya brung, can't bring myself to tear it up just yet. (under 3k miles) bragg-smith is called mountain something now and the left coast guys all speak highly of the school, but with airfare, hotel and track time its a chunk of change that could go into a car purchase. thanks for the heads up. let the wizzing contest begin. subaru and baby seats? i always heard it was an adoption situation (or popsicle luvin) for the alternative crowd that liked them cars. sorry, couldn't resist. and well honda, i think i'm too old to understand. but i have to say thanks, the input is helpful and if i can convince my wife we need one more vehicle i'm good to go. and actually the subaru's intrigue me as i am guessing one could autox and rallyx the same vehicle. can't do that with a corvette.

Kevin Hassell · **Joined:** Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:50 pm **Posts:** 174

you can always get a rabbit..

cheap to buy, cheap to fix, and loads of fun

chris dale (import auto werks) is selling an early mk1 gti. appears to be in good shape, but i didnt look to closely

*cue all the vw jokes*

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:45 pm

sorry missed that one. how is the suspension on a rabbitt? typical german proficiency?

Kevin Hassell · **Joined:** Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:50 pm **Posts:** 174

i have coilovers on mine.. its quite stiff.. and im thinkin about bumpin up the springs.

youre more than welcome to try it out sometime.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Thu Nov 18, 2004 8:15 am

Here's a local one (winston salem). If you aren't one of the top finishers at all of our events, then you know it isn't the car that is holding you back (I'm kind of tempted myself):

FOR SALE
1984 Honda CRX 1.3 Street Prepared Solo Car
Chassis:
Rust free North Carolina chassis with 68K road miles.
This chassis has only 2 years competition.
Custom paint by: Motorsports Image, Mooresville NC
Lightweight passanger seat
Remote battery
New Kirkey drivers seat

Drivetrain:
.040 Over Motor-Matchport head
Haltech F-7 programable fuel injection
Electromotive crank fire ignition
SMSP custom step header w/merge collector
Moroso spiral muffler
complete exhaust ceramic coated
TWM side draft throttle bodies
Custom intake with direct feed for CVCC head
Moroso oil pan, teflon coated
4 Speed transmission w/Mugen limited slip
Lightweight flywheel

Suspension:
OPM Delrin bushings
OPM 29mm torsion bars
OPM Aluminum camber/caster plates
Koni double adjust, custom shortened & valved fronts
Koni single adjust, custom shortened & valved rears
Coil over rear kit w/600# Eibach springs
OPM Adjustable pan-hard bar
CRE Adjustable rear sway bar
OPM Steel braided brake lines
Keiser 13 x 8 1/2 Aluminum wheels
Hoosier 225/45-13 tires

This car is a result of 18 years development that has produced 8 National championships. This chassis has trophied at Nationals both times it has been entered.
It finished 8th in a 40 car field in 2004.

A laptop computer will be included to program the fuel injection as needed.

Price: $6500. About 1/3 the price of an H/S Mini and just as reliable but a lot more fun!

Email: jinxcrx@aol.com for pictures Thanks!

Kevin Hoff · **Posted:** Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:54 am

Kevin Hassell wrote:

you can always get a rabbit..

cheap to buy, cheap to fix, and loads of fun

chris dale (import auto werks) is selling an early mk1 gti. appears to be in good shape, but i didnt look to closely

*cue all the vw jokes*

I think that's my old car actually -- if it's a white GTI with a 16v swap and blue interior it was mine.

That car was as fast as the WRX -- highly recommended!

But instead buy Jinx's car. It's more or less at the limit of national FSP. Can't believe he's selling.

--Kevin H.

THSCC Forums

what car to buy?

Who is online