THSCC Forums

I actually drive the Miata 3-4 days a week when the weather is nice.

For track events, we drive the Miata, Tow the M3. Mostly because Malia would rather drive that than the BMW, it's got factory sport suspension vs. STU-prepped coilovers (M3), and it has cruise. The 4+ hr trips to CMP can be a little tiring for her in the race seats (VIR is no issue), but that's probably nothing a piece of foam wouldn't almost entirely cure.

Note that you CAN fit 4 race tires, a toolbox, air tank and pump, floor jack, and essentials for one person INSIDE a Miata with a roll-bar. I didn't believe it until I tried it. Should be plenty of room to pack your daughter in there somewhere

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Dustin Fredrickson
-- I'm a nobody --

how did the P-Car thing fall off into Miata land?

Michael, there is an old saying about owning a Porsche. buy two so you will have something to drive while the other one is in the shop.

high mileage 997S models are dropping into the high 40's. pretty sure reliability begins there. a base 997 would be as dependable and definitely cheaper. and this info is from Consumer Reports.

and if you are determined to get a reliable two seater........... anyone?

C5 Corvette. of course the rollbar thing is an issue with these.

or you can join the rest of us and do the sensible thing and buy an E36, a M3 preferably.

or, buy an E90 with a stick and drive it for a few years. i really wonder how these will handle on the track. the wife's 2007 has steptronic but it is a rocket in manual mode. were it a straight drive i would be so tempted to gut it and turn it into a track rat.

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............

I can't figure out how to translate what I'm guessing are BMW engine model codes fit into used car advertisements. It's like telling me to buy an R56 Mini and I'm just supposed to know it's a 2007+ Cooper or Clubman.

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"Build a man a fire and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll stay warm the rest of his life."
'93 Subaru Legacy DIRTBOMB
'98 BMW M3
2013 Rallyx Co-VP

You can have whatever you want as long as I can have this: http://raleigh.craigslist.org/ctd/1729164777.html

Sounds like a win-win scenario to me!

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

Working on the logic now.... he doesn't understand that I want to drive a truck, but not park it (obviously, we live in Chapel Hill). So it's not ok to pick a track car, and agree to the truck, then assume you can drive my Mini to work because I'm going to drive the truck....

But I have to say, I borrowed a friend's Toyota Tundra 4x4 and it drove *beautifully*. Maybe I should just autocross a Tundra.....

I happen to be selling a car that, minus the rollbar and seats, is a nice street car and can run circles around a lot of other cars on track..... For not a whole lot more money than the 944. But it needs nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing.

I am sure that over a 5 year period my car for sale would save any owner thousands of $$ over something that hasn't already been well prepped.

Heck come over and drive it if you're curious, no strings attached.

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

yeah, you have to learn the nomenclature to be a BimmerDouche.

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............

Yeah, they're probably chassis codes. People have really gravitated toward them since BMW has always done stuff like still using the older chassis 3-series coupe and vert during the model year the next generation sedan is introduced, etc.

I'm not sure if you can see the BMWCCA forum if you're not a member, but it shows most of the E and now F designations under the sections for each series along with the model years in the model discussions area: http://bmwcca.org/forum/index.php


On the thread topic, I would say that no 944 Turbo will cost you less than $15k -- either up front buying a car with a ton of work done to it or through the future as you do the ton of work. Look at Mike's car and go and drive it. It's a well sorted E36 M3 that will likely surprise you.

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Current stable:
2019 BMW M2 Competition slicktop 6MT
2011 BMW M3 sedan slicktop 6MT
2007 BMW 328i wagon (slushbox for now)
1975 CanAm 125MX2

Seriously, if you want a track car, buy Mike's. I'm tempted, and I don't even come close to actually having the $ to.

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2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

^^^What he said^^^

That way, it's no longer a temptation for me.

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Tom Freeman
'98 M3/4/5 | '93 Spec3 325i | '12 TSX sport wagon | '03 Tahoe
Team Silver Bullets '91 240SX

Everyone's advice here is good, but they are pointing you away from Porsche (which is OK). But if you have a Porsche itch that needs to be scratched, my recommendations would be...

1. Buy the newest you can afford
2. The 911 Carrera (3.2L) that Patrice mentioned is a great car.
3. The 911 SC (3.0L) is also a great car.
4. Early Boxsters are getting to be very cheap. But you need to just be educated regarding the issues with the early cars.

The 968 (last of the 944 line) is a very nice car, but not that many were made, so the price might be an issue. 928 are cool, but have maintenance issues similar to the 944.

If I was to get a 944, it would mostly due to curiosity and low price. I plan to buy a 911 at some point. Most likely either the 911 SC or maybe a Carrera (if I can find a screaming deal). But I need to get the 914 finished first.

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Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.

You don't want that it won't stop

That is a much better car than an old P-car

Thank everyone for their help. I'm sure this topic has been rehashed before, and I appreciate the advice from more experienced hands.

I seriously considered the Miata, and while its a fine car (I autocrossed my brother's at one event last year) in the end I don't like convertibles, and coming from a Subaru Forester its too much of a jump.

At this point I'm in the market for some sort of e36 BMW in good working condition with all the normal problem areas addressed, preferably a 4-door and obviously a manual transmission. On the other hand, as a track novice I don't need anything fancy. A track-ready suspension is a must, but the standard engine should be powerful enough.

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"Build a man a fire and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll stay warm the rest of his life."
'93 Subaru Legacy DIRTBOMB
'98 BMW M3
2013 Rallyx Co-VP