Hello everyone. I just traded my 03 WW evo on a BMW 325ci as a daily driver. After just 6 weeks I am back in the market for an additional car. My evo was sweet, but unfortunately I had the wrong shop work on it in indy and they messed it up.

I have a price range of up to $50k. Of course the less I spend would be nice. I have been considering the following cars for track duty.

Viper GTS
Corvette Z06
350Z Track with some forced induction
E36 M3
E46 M3
996 911
or an 05 Evo (because of front limited slip mainly, any model)

I have a number of post on this site, but we are all car people and I wanted everyones opinion. I also posted this on the motorsports page because this will mainly be a track car with very little street time as I will be driving the BMW as my commuter car.

I have done some track driving and I have been to Skip Barber but I still have a lot to learn. What passes you Evo guys on the track and what cars are you consitantly faster than? I can buy this car as soon or as late as I want, so I would love to hear everyones feedback.

Thanks,

Kyle

 

imho,
I would narrow the list between the Evo, Z06 and Viper.
The M3''s, 350z, and 996 are nice cars, and very track friendly, but lack the communication the Evo's chassis offers, and you would have to spend money to get them to the starting point of the Evo.
The Z06 and Viper have immense power, great roadholding and very capable braking systems, and given the same skill driver, can produce better lap times stock-to-stock than the Evo. The Evo can corner harder and put power down earlier, but can't match the sheer grunt and unreal 100mph+ acceleration.
The $50k question is, then, a $30k Evo with even $15k in mods can probably run down anything out there, modified or not.
Have fun with your money!

 

Good question and I will sleep on it and then give you my thoughts. Did you track your Evo and if so what did you think?

 

All of those cars are considerably expensive track cars due to either weight, exclusivity, tire width, or being german. If you have the cash to support it, then I guess there isn't a problem. For a very experienced driver, the Viper or Z06. The Evo allows for some error, so you can mess up and not die while still being very fast. Those are the only car on that list that have any real interest to me. The E36 M3 is a very well balanced car and provides tons of fun and can be very fast around a track when set up correctly. E46 is quite heavy and would cost a pretty penny to track regularly. Porsche is a porsche. She will take the pounding, but you have to have the wallet to back up the fun too.

 

I have had my evo out a few times, but I was never in the position to push it to the extreme. I did however enjoy diving it very much. My dad has a 996 and the evo on the street was a better performing car as he will agree.

I have a friend that has been tracking his MR in HPDE class 2 and this past weekend there were 3 Z06s in his class and a Carrera S and they all pointed him by and none of them ever caught up with him. The last thing I would want to do is buy a dedicated 2 door coupe and still be beat by the 4 cylinder 4 door evo.

I plan on doing bolt-ons, exhaust, intake, boost controller, 272s, exede, but focusing primarily on the suspsension. I want to have something that is very dependable while still producing consistent competitive track times.

 

Sell your Bimmer and put all your $ in a Porsche GT3 and track tires... You're done

 

I have taken mine out multiple times on track. I usually run in the A groups or instructor groups. I've done no motor mods yet, but have done suspension and limited brake mods. I'd say I'm fairly quick, another poster on this board, StopandTurnFreak, has ridden with me at Road Atlanta, maybe he could give input.
Anyway, I can usually run with and pass an unmodified Z06.
With a lowered suspension and a stiffer rear bar, I can work a four-wheel drift around most corners with minimal trouble. I'm not talking about D1-style, but just working the car fairly well. The car speaks volumes through the wheel and seat-of-the-pants, and is a real joy to drive hard.
Hope this helps.

 

ever consider a lotus elise? I hear those are awesome on the track as well.
If you dedicate an evo to be a track car with even 10k in mods you will be competitive.

Have Fun!

 

You have pretty sizeable budget for a track car. Try to find a E36 M3 Lightweight or a Porsche RS America. Basically setup from the factory as a track car.

 

Vipers are underbraked and overheat on hot days. With $$$ they can be made very fast

Z06 - Fast out of the box, my #1 choice if you can get pass the gold chain thing...

EVO - Can be made as fast as a Z06 with mods, but your talking a 40K EVO.


Others listed - I wouldn't bother.

 

ANother thought... Lotus Elise! Great car, light (easy on brakes and tires
).

 

Regarding the Elise, I have never sat in or driven one, but I am 6 3 and 250lbs. I think it would take a shoe horn to get me out of it.

I like the gold chain comment about the Z06. My wife said that she refuses to tell people that I own a Corvette. I definetely dont dig the croud that Idolizes the Corvette, I just keep thinking mulletts and Budweiser!!

 

Z06 is an incredible car. (if you are outrunning them in a stock evo, you are outdriving them, a well driven Z06 is WAY ahead of a stock Evo. Like one poster said, you need a $40k Evo to run with it.

Elise would be awesome as well, unless you really need the HP..

I haven't been in a 2nd gen Viper, but I am not a fan of the pre ABS model Vipers.

Evo.. room for luggage, helmet, even a set of tires for those track days.

Or you could just go the other way, and get a used radical... Who needs a street car.


Jon K
www.seat-time.com

 

ha ha.... a radical.. that would be nice. They actually registered a couple of radicals for the street up here in LV, Nevada.. although I doubt they actually drive them on the street.

I agree with what the guys said above....

EVO
Z06
ELISE

n

 

wait until sept or oct and buy a evo lX