Within the GTM community, the debate of which car should I buy? never seems to fully end. Whether it be: what should I buy as my first track car? my backup car? my new daily? … or I just want something different. The fury of this debate within our group will quiet from time-to-time, but during the slower months someone will bring it up … yet again … and the arguments resurrect themselves in full glory.
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Granted, this question can be asked for various types of driving situations, but we’re not interested in talking about Mini-Vans and SUVs, so we’ll focus on Spirited Driving + AutoCross + Track Days. But before we start, here are some top-tips (from various members) to keep in mind when shopping for a new sports car:
- “Never drive your heroes” – Matt Y
- “Look around the paddock, and start with what you see.” – Brad N
- “If you’re *not OK* with me putting a boot in the door of your car, then you’ve selected the wrong car.” – Matt Y
- “Build vs Buy … Buy.” – Sam H
So rather than rehash this for the elevendy-millionth time, here’s an attempt to help you navigate the plethora of options that are available:
We’ve put together a list of Top-10 “great starter track cars” …
Vehicle | Pros | Cons |
E36 Series BMWs | E36s are a mainstay at any track weekend. Well balanced, great handling with a huge following and aftermarket support. | Building a really “competitive” E36 can be a slippery slope, its also a German car approaching 30 years old which brings its own issues, but parts availability is currently not one of them. |
E46 Series BMWs | The bigger and more powerful successor to the E36. Fantastic power and handling and the last of the purpose built ///M cars. Like the E36, it too has a large aftermarket support. | More expensive to own/operate than the E36. |
MK4 (’99-’05) VW | So many variations to pick from: Golf, Jetta, Beetle and Mk1 Audi TT. Many engines: 2.0, 1.8T, 2.8 & 3.2 V6. Huge aftermarket and one of the cheapest German cars to own/operate. | Many would argue that FWD is the VWs biggest drawback. In stock trim, the MK4s are very soft, but with proper mods are competitive in their class. |
Mini Cooper S | The MINI is a “bang for the buck” sort of car. Torquey, quirky and light, but gobs of fun to drive! | Short wheel base can make them feel twitchy if you’re not used to them. BMW engineering makes them a bit overly complex, and not much space to work on anything. |
Suburu BRZ / Toyota FRS | Out of left field comes a front-mount RWD combined offering from Subi-yota. Well balanced, forgiving and easy to drive. Very popular and competitive, with a large aftermarket. | In base trim, the BRZs engine isn’t going to get you overly excited, but what it lacks in power it makes up for in handling. |
Porsche 996 | Porsche? Wait… I thought we were talking about starter cars? Well, the 996 is very much that, being the best value-for-money Porsche available (winning over the aging 944). | Take care of the IMS issues and a couple other small recalls specific to the 996 and you’ve got yourself a cheap track day Porsche. |
’14+ Ford Mustang | 3 engines to choose from: Turbo 4, V6 and 5.0 V8. The new Mustang is sleek, well built and handles amazing out of the box. The engine choice is really your preference, but starting with the Focus RS shared Turbo 4 is a cheap way into the sport. Great aftermarket support. | The Mustang is a bit heavy, but it’s not noticeable when driving. You’re not allowed to visit a Cars & Coffee. Ever. |
Hondas | Pretty much any Honda/Acura product (aside special models like the S2000, Prelude) are going to be reliable and cheap to operate. Huge aftermarket support. | Honda is not known for having the most powerful engines. High horsepower numbers and V-TEC obfuscate the dismal torque specs – but that doesn’t mean they’re not fun, you just have to push a little harder. |
C5 Corvette | Big Motor, Big Fun. Roughly 400 horsepower without mods and a solid chassis. | Cheap to get into because of its age, but carries a higher total cost of ownership versus some of the other vehicles on this list. |
The answer is always… | The Miata defines: CHEAP. Well balanced, forgiving and easy to drive. Tons of parts and support. If your goal is to go racing, buy an already prepped car and save some serious money. | It’s a Miata, don’t expect it to amaze you with specs. It forces you to grow as a driver since you have to run it at the absolute limits to be fast. |
Honorable mention… | 944s are still out there in abundance, it was one of Porsche’s highest selling vehicles by volume, very popular and cheap because they shared many of their parts with older VWs. They are perfectly balanced and easy to drive. | The 944 is a icon, but it hasn’t aged well. Owning / operating a 944 unless you’re able to work on it yourself carries a high operating cost. Building from a base street car is expensive and starting with someone else’s prepped vehicle is a smart choice. |
Honorable mention… | Now that the 350Z is 15 years old, the prices have come down significantly. The VQ motor is strong, and the handling is similar to an E46 BMW. The 350Z is a forgiving chassis making it easy to drive on track. | Because you don’t see many 350Zs on track, you might be a pioneer of sorts. The aftermarket scene might be more “showy” than track and could be frustrating to find the right parts. And there are rumors about possible transmission issues when stressed – but there’s always a fix for that. |
Honorable Mention… | It might not look like much, but the affordable FWD econo-Sedan has a large following and plenty of aftermarket and racing support. The Neon is a great competitive option to Hondas, Minis and VWs. | It’s a Neon. 😉 |
In order to widen your net we recommend websites like RacingJunk.com which makes it easy to pick up someone else’s already done, or nearly done Track Rat. Starting with cars from BringaTrailer.com can go either way but based on some members experiences, and can often bring unforeseen problems. #garagequeens. Finally, Cars.com is often a quick and easy way to search for cheap street cars.
Don’t agree, let’s agree to disagree? Come share your opinions and continue the conversation on the Break/Fix Facebook Group!
What else should you buy?
Disclaimer: GTM’s high-level assessment of these cars is based on our member/owner experiences and we urge you to do your own research and fact-checking before committing to any one vehicle. GTM isn’t responsible for your satisfaction, happiness or overall track experience with the vehicle you choose. Make sure to visit some vehicle specific online-forums and/or owners clubs for highly detailed and first-hand information on any vehicle you might be interested in.
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