996 Turbo, something really cheap if you don't want to go shopping in the Porker, and this:

Track Club

I think you're hanging around in the middle of the road too much.

You're lucky enough to be in a position to not to have to compromise your road car for the track and vice versa so take advantage of it!!

 

I'd agree very much with GE2's sentiments above but I suspect you are coming at this differently Mark. Perhaps want to indulge yourself and thus a lot of the comments and advice are likley missing the point to some extent.

Fair play really; if you have the dosh then there's nowt wrong with a bit of self indulgence

We probably all hanker after a GT3, CSL, GTR in truth; It would be rather nice just to have the ownership experience regardless of what it ends up being used for in the main.

..and btw; I do like your regular 'What shall I try next' threads actually; It's gives us all a chance to dream

 

Graham, that's an interesting idea

I was chatting to the Track Club guy the other day, as a mate and I fancied doing the one of the Loti seasons, and they supply cars for it. I didn't ask what the deal was on hire though...

So, say I wanted to rent an Exige for a BaT event, would they do it, or do they only cover certain days? Have tried giving the chappie a call but no answer atm.

If I think what the Exige has cost me to run over the last 18 months, it's a hell of an amount. I know rental sounds deer, but maybe it's not too bad?

Depreciation £7k
Mods £3k
Insurance £1000 estimate as some days i've taken extra cover (Spa)
Fuel £god knows!
Tyres £1200 for 2 sets
Brakes £300 bloody good really!
Track Day fees £2500 (guess these you ahve to pay even if renting)
Servicing £400

So all those above costs are wiped out by hiring. And now i've added that up I think I have scared myself What fun in the process though

So I think you might have a cunning idea there. As the Exige never gets driven for anything other than going to a track, just be done with a nice road car and a runaround, and hire stuff for track. I'm not that much of a Caterham fan so the Track Club fleet is quite appealling. Esp if you can go halves with someone...

ODM, thanks for that. I appreciate my musings / ramblings about changing cars probably piss most people off, but I get equally excited when someone else is thinking about a different car

 

Could you not sell the evo and get a 535d m sport estate and trailer the exige?
If not the Cayman or boxster looks good, pasm cars get you there in comfort. I always fancied the CSL but have never driven one.

 

Let me know what you think to the Clio, I think the handling and brakes will surprise you given the price of the car

 

That's how I understand it, I know they're quite a common sight at BaT events.

It might be worth PMing Chilled if he doesn't turn up here soon, he did some sort of taster day with them recently so probably knows all the details.

Scary when you add it up isn't it?

If you do got for it, it's worth giving a Caterham a go even though theirs looks a little naff for the that purpose.

I'm slowly coming to terms with the reality that they're not everyone's idea of motoring perfection but it's a struggle

 

Stop dicking about and get a proper sports car, a Porsche GT3. It's firm but will make your Exige feel like a limo

 

Following Graham's suggestion, why not just hire a BatCat for your track days? You could even go halves on hire with a second driver; just as Rich and I do. You get plenty of track time because the Cat can be hammered all day. Even if you hired it just by yourself, that's £3k for half a dozen track days (plus the track day fee), is it not? I bet Jonny would do you a deal if you agreed to half a dozen track days too

 

Mark, the CSL is a to old now, it may have been a great idea 5 years ago but I think you would be wasting your time with a E46 M3 CSL. They are/were great cars but for a good one now, the money you may as well stretch to the current series E92 M3 which is a far better road car. I am pretty sure the only two cars for you would be either a GT3 or a GTR. The GTR is a fantastic road car and to be honest it is just a matter of time before you are sat in one.

The other options for a cheaper track car make sense, and I know the owner of a R35 GTR he also has a CSL and a stripped out DC5 for track days prepared by TGM

 

Thanks chaps, again all input is appreciated. Mark / Graham, I think I shall try a Caterham on the next dry day I can find and see if it floats my boat. I did passenger in an R400 / 300 (can never remember) and it was bloody good fun.

Sub / Sti, I think you are right, the GT3 and GTR are both one car fits all, the GT3 probably being more cost effective! I've been monitoring the GTR issues for a while and im a bit more comfy that some of the costs nowhere near as bad as first thought.

Going to give this some thought over the next few months and not rush into it

I took the Exige out for a blast yesterday, which I haven't really done for a long time and fook me it's fast Great fun, just need to get it out more!