Budget for a track car

[Bunje]

In the very near future I'll be looking for a clio to use solely as a track car.
Let's just say I have 2 grand to spend for arguments sake. In this budget ideally I'd like to buy a car stick some decent brake material on it and buy some decent tyres.
Is this a feasible option or am I under budgeting.

And another small side note could anyone tell me the width of a standard 182 wheel base so I can see if it will fit on my trailer
Thanks in advance

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[STEVE.M]

In the very near future I'll be looking for a clio to use solely as a track car.
Let's just say I have 2 grand to spend for arguments sake. In this budget ideally I'd like to buy a car stick some decent brake material on it and buy some decent tyres.
Is this a feasible option or am I under budgeting.

And another small side note could anyone tell me the width of a standard 182 wheel base so I can see if it will fit on my trailer
Thanks in advance

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It will be cheaper to buy a car that is already modified.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/renault-...290236?hash=item33ef8c6f3c:g:in4AAOSwSwNbS5pk

 

[Darren61]

You can do it on whatever budget you like but remember that the quality of the track build is down to the condition of the car and parts and that ultimately does come down to budget.

But you can do it cheaper than some people would have you believe..

 

[Mr Burns]

As said budget can be as low as you want... If you're not worried about looking cool or having the best spec car you can do it really cheap. I spent £1200 on a Suzuki Ignis and used it as both track car and daily, and I didn't buy anything for it other than replacing tyres when they got low. Best bit was is I was overtaking most people lol.

 

[imprezaworks]

Are you looking for a
track-car, cage etc, or a decent clio that can be a ‘track’ car?

Be a decent one up £1500 ish and stick some pads etc on and have fun.

Imo for a decent track clio, 2500-4000

 

[RuskiWeldFab]

How long is a piece of string? Budgets are hard to predict. I can almost guarantee you will go over yours. But saying that. Clio’s are brilliant on track as they are even stock. So your budget would be fine to have fun. Question is, how reliable is it going to be? And how much faster/harder you want it to go?


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[glenn_adam_doble]

Take your max budget and double it,

You will do one track day and find something you don’t like, so will change it, then do another, and find something else,

It’s all part of the fun though, that way you get to know your car inside out

 

[Greeny.]

I’ve added to mine over the last 3 years, with each trackday something small changes. I started with a low budget for mods but slowly I’m building it up to be what I ultimately want (within reason).

The people that get everything straight away are usually the same people that sell up/break it 6 months later imo

 

[JB21]

As above take your budget and double it. Also ask yourself if it drops a valve or snaps the belt can you afford to have it fixed or afford to have it scrapped for that matter.

I bought mine for £1500 and near 2 years later and 11 tracks days i was £6k deep and that didn't include the days and fuel. It got scrapped in the end having both the above issues within 300 miles of each other.

If your lucky with the car not going wrong it could be cheapish but at your budget the car will have some issues along the line, no doubt!

 

[Greeny.]

Tbh although I like to think I go well enough on a track day, I do drive mine with a certain amount of mechanical sympathy to try to avoid a large bill, worked well so far 3 years into ownership and 10+ track days in it.

 

[Bunje]

I'm not afraid to spend the money where its needed I'm no stranger to trackdays either. So at least I know I need some more cash.

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[Greeny.]

Tbh you can spend as much or as little as you want, as said above how longs a piece of string!

Myself I dont like to spend excessively for the sake of it so the majority of mine is very calculated on what’s best to spend on along with how much I want to spend for the amount of track days I do and the level I’m at.

 

[Mr Burns]

I disagree with the 'take your budget and double it' comments... I've been doing trackdays for years and years and I've spent next to nothing on my cars. Most of them got tracked in the same condition as I bought them.

 

[Bunje]

like i say im no stranger to trackdays, if the budget needs spending i will but im currently in the process of trying to make my trackday experience cheaper. dont read that as me being a cheapskate though. if the engine lets go ill either replace it or rebuild it so thats not a worry either

 

[Bunje]

So next question am I looking for a 172 cup or a 182

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[Mr Burns]

I wouldn't worry too much. I'd base your purchase on condition over anything else.

 

[Greeny.]

I looked for a 172 cup for ages as a track car but they were all sheds up for far to much, ended up with a 182 with cup pack, would have been nice to have a 172 cup for the head start with with air con delete etc but I’m more than happy with it. Both cars are old now so average joes car is probably gunna need a fair amount doing to it

 

[20vKarlos]

Here is my 2 pence...

I bought the car and had only one intention for it.. track car.
The car when I bought it needed brakes and it was SORN off the road and had immobiliser issues (needed a UCH, diagnosed by the forum members)

Car - £200
UCH and extras - £100
Brakes - £500
Seats (including bases & fittings) - £550
Seat belts - £200
15 Track Wheels with tyres - £450
Cooksport Springs - £80
Fatty induction - £50

£2200 ish
I’ve renewed the coolant system whilst putting in a race heater - £400 all in..

I’d say I’ve forgotten to include another £500 to £1000 in a s**t load of other parts, but I’m going to say that £3000-£4000 and you’d have a pretty decent car.

I’ve still got coilovers, PMS shifter... and a s**t load of other stuff to buy for mine ??

 

[Bunje]

lots of food for thought thanks guys just gotta get rid of my other track car now to free up the cash

 

[Martin.]

My budget went a little bit like this. Buy car. Then over the next 5 years spend more than 4x the cars value on mods.

 

[RuskiWeldFab]

My budget went a little bit like this. Buy car. Then over the next 5 years spend more than 4x the cars value on mods.

It tends to escalate pretty quickly [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] when I got mine for 430£ I though only buckets , better brakes and off I went hahah... instead took out a mortgage more like [emoji848][emoji854][emoji28]


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[Bunje]

oh yeh ive been down this route with my westfield that im selling started off as road going tourer and has now ended up as a full on trackcar. when i built it it only had about 95bhp at the wheels lol its about 170 now. but the cost is just too much for a car that only gets used 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[Dicko182]

I bought mine for £1500 last year and have ploughed around £6-7k into it. Every time it went on track I wanted it to be fast than last time. Ended up with a cracking track car mind you....and now it's for sale ?

If your happy with a cheap toy and not fussed about improving every time I don't see any reason why you can't do it on your budget. Just get some semi slicks, decent front pads and suspension, then have a good time. Stripping weight is free too!

 

[chris blue]

Bought mine for £550 getting on 2 years ago. Spent about £1500 in first 9 months including 2 Corbeau bucket seats and half cage

Just got Clioman to do the belts dephaser etc for £600. So they are good for another 5 years

Given up tracking the bits and pieces i buy and add on, as its a hobby, and usually none of them are needed, just wanted. Its no looker but I love it

I budget, including 4 ish track days and several car meets with track time, at about £1200 a year to maintain., and that's fine as its a hobby. Chucked my season ticket for the footie in couple years ago, and that plus beer etc for attending the matched was about the same for a season, altho now i am attending the footie too, but hey ho.