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  1. #1
    Non-member 5teve L's Avatar
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    Good cheap track car ??

    Me & a mate are looking into doing a few trackdays a year & i'm after a cheap car to prep for track. (he has a poobaru)
    I have it down to a pug 205, GT Turbo, or something else small..
    Anyone else got any ideas ??
    Really fancy some of these trackdays now & need to pull my finger out or me & my Brother are gonna start chopping cars up Chop Shop style

    Can ya tell i'm bored now the Renaults gone

  2. #2
    Non-member Tiny Tim's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Id go for the 205 personally.

  3. #3
    Committee, Shop Manager, SE Regional Rep Bigfoot's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Was quite impressed with the AX at Mallory park, believe it had the GTI lump in it or GTI bottom end as ive seen that conversion done before, held nicely with the renault 5s. Turbo cars your always going to get the potential there with power but I still recon a NA car is going to be better on track. Depends on money but 205 gti with the Mi16 lump or renault 5 with a 16v F7R or F7P with megane bottom end. Both would be fun and great handling track cars.

  4. #4
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    106 gti or Rallye!

  5. #5
    Non-member 5teve L's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Ashy View Post
    106 gti or Rallye!

    Yeah, the wife had a 106 1.4 xsi, handled really well!!

  6. #6
    Non-member Mart's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    You own/owned a gtt, you know them inside out, and you're asking on the rtoc for a good cheap track car.

    Perhaps I'm missing the obvious point...

  7. #7
    Non-member minty83's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Mart View Post
    You own/owned a gtt, you know them inside out, and you're asking on the rtoc for a good cheap track car.

    Perhaps I'm missing the obvious point...
    my thoughts exactly

  8. #8
    Committee, South East Regional Rep James5's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??


    Where's the idiot smiley when you need it but this will have to do

  9. #9
    Trader paul b's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    plenty of cheap clio 16v's out there
    BMW 325's stripped are a great fun tool, reliable too

    as far as cheap, my 9 cost £300 notes and is a great fun car, handles well and looks like a nail....best of all worlds, LOL...

    whatever you get, just enjoy it

  10. #10
    Non-member Adey aka Ewok's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    that ax has high comp pistons in a super 1600 block, cams, itbs, standalone and full exhaust system. Get a gtt

  11. #11
    Shifter of old Freezers djinuk's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    renault 5 , ..Dear for parts, rust etc ..


    205 , dont rust, cheapish on parts, but , the 1.98v engines are mostly on last legs, the mi16's are all shagged , unless fully rebuilt., but then your looking major cash , and still suffer from oil starvation on long right handers, gti6 lump loads of power, but bit of a bitch to fit.

    I personally would go for a 106 gti with the tu5 engine, you will pay a bit more up front , but parts are cheap , due to there being millions of them, the engine all still got quite a lot of life in them, and the instant power on a standard lump with decat and manifold is pretty damn impressive.

    If you go the turbo route, i would simply buy a decent scooby, again lots of parts, engines hard as nails, cheap to buy.

    its all down to choice i guess, and where or not its gna be trailored , or have to be road legal would also effect a lot..

    hope that helps

  12. #12
    Regional Rep Chris Hebden's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    I really like the idea of a 106 rallye track car! They are great handling cars, TU engines are good sturdy stuff and with a bit of gas folwing breath really well!

  13. #13
    Non-member Mart's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by djinuk View Post
    renault 5 , ..Dear for parts
    Since when?

  14. #14
    Non-member BriC's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Mart View Post
    Since when?
    That's what I thought. And 205's do rust, surely?

  15. #15
    Non-member Mart's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    I have visions of the 'plasma vs lcd tv' thread all over again...

  16. #16
    Non-member BriC's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Lol..

    mi m8 dan sez r5's blo 'ed gasgets evry 10 mile and dey iz all rotton init


  17. #17
    Trader paul b's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Mart View Post
    I have visions of the 'plasma vs lcd tv' thread all over again...
    I'll have to look into that closely.....

  18. #18
    Committee, Shop Manager, SE Regional Rep Bigfoot's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by BriC View Post
    Lol..

    mi m8 dan sez r5's blo 'ed gasgets evry 10 mile and dey iz all rotton init

    So good for all tracks apart from the 'ring then

  19. #19
    Non-member richi's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    New poster! (less than 10 posts)

    ever thought off a nova with the 2ltr redtop? pick them up dirt cheap, parts cost nothing good handling, cant go wrong, that or a 106 they are pretty good

  20. #20
    Non-member dave j gtt's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Ashy View Post
    106 gti or Rallye!

  21. #21
    Trader paul b's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    saxo and 106's all will suffer from rear axle wear if they are above 40,000 miles...

    if you stick with the 1.6 lump then you will have to change the cambelt ASAP...

  22. #22
    Shifter of old Freezers djinuk's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Peugeots are made from galvanized steel ,with very little water traps, only real places for rust are,.. below rear seat, from when the rear 1/4 rubbers shrink and let water through, and also behind the rear lights, and inner wings on the front. So in comparison.. no they don't rust.. Bare in mind i have 2x 205s, and a renault 5 , and a fiesta mk3.. So i have the chance to actually compare them, .. so please less of the bull ****ty comments , and always trying to pick a argument with me. I was only offering my own personal advice.

    just to add, yea pauls right, rear axels on saxos and pugs, are always going to be a prob, and to rebuild one , isnt the easiest of job nor the cheapest , as they dont have caps over the ends, .. letting loads of water in , and they rust solid,the bearings break, .. in certain case's (like mine) they then eat into the trailing arms..
    Last edited by djinuk; 08-10-2008 at 12:35.

  23. #23
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Hebden View Post
    I really like the idea of a 106 rallye track car! They are great handling cars, TU engines are good sturdy stuff and with a bit of gas folwing breath really well!
    What about the saxo VTR.. are they essentially the same? mines pretty strudy and cheap to run.. and you can throw it around quite a lot.. There's plenty around for about a grand

  24. #24
    Shifter of old Freezers djinuk's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    What about a metro with the vvt engine if you can get one at a reasonable price.

  25. #25
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    How about a suzuki swift gti, fantastic unburstable engines and i know of one going VERY cheap! just needs some tlc

  26. #26
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by djinuk View Post
    What about a metro with the vvt engine if you can get one at a reasonable price.
    my grandad's got one - thats not the reason to put you off but they rust and don't they have hydrofantasic suspension?

  27. #27
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    I've got it!!! a reasonably priced car...

    the Suzuki Liana ..yours for £995 several careful celebrity owners

    http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk...0&max_mileage=

  28. #28
    Non-member 5teve L's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Lol, some good idea's here... i've got a couple of cars to look at, mainly a cheap GTT (£400) & a 1.6 gti pug (£300) they both obviously have little probs, brakes on the GTT & suspension & driveshaft on the pug (engine not long rebuilt though)

    The saxo's are good cars as well, a mate had one, handled like it was on rails.....was also considering a Mk2 golf...

  29. #29
    Shifter of old Freezers djinuk's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    if you go for the pug mate, stand and look at the back for any excessive camber, as that will be a worn rear beam, (around £200 for rebuild).

  30. #30
    Non-member Ricardo's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    GTT all day long, mine was pretty reliable in the year i owned it. Nurburgring trip twice, Ipswich trackday, FCS where it owned loads of Clio 172s and a Megane 225 out on track. If you're going to dedicate it to a track only/2nd car then i wouldn't hesitate in buying 1.

    Saying that, option 2 would be a Clio 172 phase 1. You can pick em up at a fairly good price now

  31. #31
    Non-member car.crash's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    steve dont get a 106, your as tall as me, and beleive me they are a nighmare and are made for people with tiny feet. get another 5. there are tons of parts flying around for cheap if not free. my car doesnt owe me that much and it goes well.

  32. #32
    Non-member Adam L's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by djinuk View Post
    renault 5 , ..Dear for parts, rust etc ..
    Someone's pushing the minimum wage at Maccy D's...

  33. #33
    Non-member rogerreno's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    New poster! (less than 10 posts)

    Have to agree with the suggestion of a Saxo....We're on our 2nd VTR, 1st one being a standard 90bhp W reg, it was great fun to drive, the engine had a lot of low down grunt being the 8V

    The 2nd one is a 52 reg 98bhp version, its lowered 25mm on an Eibach suspension kit, has an uprated back axle and rides on 16" OZ Ultra Leggeras (shod with Toyo Proxes T1R's

    I can honestly say that i've not driven anything that handles as well as it does

    You can pick them up cheap now...we paid £3.5k for ours in January, I've seen the same age for less than £2k
    At the same time there's plenty of cheap VTS's about...935kg's, 120bhp and 0-60 in 7.5secs....be a riot on the track!!!

  34. #34
    Non-member raj's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    how about a toyota corolla gti-16? had one as a run about and thought it was pretty nippy.

  35. #35
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Mart View Post
    You own/owned a gtt, you know them inside out, and you're asking on the rtoc for a good cheap track car.

    Perhaps I'm missing the obvious point...
    +1

  36. #36
    Non-member Ricardo's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by rogerreno View Post
    New poster! (less than 10 posts)


    You can pick them up cheap now...we paid £3.5k for ours in January, I've seen the same age for less than £2k
    For that price surely a Clio 172 would tick more boxes? A really nice all rounder for what they are stright off the production line, and more power

  37. #37
    Shifter of old Freezers djinuk's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam L View Post
    Someone's pushing the minimum wage at Maccy D's...

    you are indeed a comedian, I hope your mummys very proud.

  38. #38
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    mk1 clio rsi , only 1.8 8v but plenty of punch , cheaper than a valver (just look at egay ) ! Also if you get one go for the williams wide track set up as it will handle like a dream !

  39. #39
    Non-member 5teve L's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Northerner View Post
    +1

    Yeah, yeah, i miss my 5

  40. #40
    Non-member Leigh5T's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    New poster! (less than 10 posts)

    I Picked up a cheap VTS recently with a knackered rear beam to use as a track car. Everyone told me they were difficult and expensive to fix but I managed to sort mine for about £70 and I found it fairly easy to do. Their great fun to drive and the 16v VTS are pretty quick little things too.

  41. #41
    Non-member Leigh5T's Avatar
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    Re: Good cheap track car ??

    New poster! (less than 10 posts)

    This was the Beam that came off mine

    The good side


    The bad side


    And the bits that fell out

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