Hello from a lotus owner north west - Looking for some basic advice

[AJMC]

Hi guys,

My name is Adam and I live near Blackburn/Burnley in the Northwest.

I currently own a modified Lotus Exige 320S, I have done a few track days, hillclimbs and driver training (car limits) and have the bug! The problem is though I dont want to bin the car and it gives me anxiety on track. I plan on keeping it for a while as I think its a solid investment and its going to be mine and missus new house deposit eventually.

So here I am, I have been looking around for something decent for track days. The Clio is pretty much always top of everyone’s list for track days on a budget, I personally feel I have more control with a FWD car (the lotus snaps like mad, although I have only span it once!) and I owned a Clio Dynamique about 7 years ago (before I was into cars) and even then I used to comment on how good it handled as a regular road car!

My brother is a massive petrol head and my dads a fantastic old school mechnic. My brother wants to come in 50/50 with me but in honesty I might end up doing it myself, have the Clio as a daily+track car and the lotus for some special occasions and weekend fun.

So I would like something with the work pretty much all done, roll caged etc, I just dont know what model I should be looking at. I really dont mind it being hardcore stripped down and used as a daily but i will need it road legal. I was gandering ebay and found this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-Ren...815337?hash=item2ce7ff1669:g:1ooAAOSwLgFcmjWC

What would you guys recommend, I’m looking around £5k realistically but could stretch that to £10k if something really special turned my head. Once I have a good idea of the model I can then start looking into the purchase.

Thanks for reading!!

Adam

 

[AJMC]

By the way, this is the lotus for anybody that likes a little eye candy! Oulton Park with lotus on track.

Cracking circuit but too restrictive on noise (I keep getting black flagged) lol.

 

[welshname]

If it's for track work only and not any sort of race series have you considered an R26 converted 197/200? If done right it'll have the LSD too which is a bonus.

If N/A is what you want then even though the 197/200 is more capable, the 172/182's are more fun so it depends what you're after.

 

[JB21]

Welcome along fellow Northwester. Loving the Lotus, I've just bought a MR2 2ZZ for track days.

I wouldn't be spending £10k on a Clio as you'll just be tentative like you are in the Lotus. £5K max and for that you would get a belting track spec Clio. Forget FI as well IMO as it just adds to it being unreliable.

Cage, decent suspension like AST's, running gear all fresh and uprated and diff would be my choice if I did it again. I chased power in mine and it just made it unreliable and a money pit.

 

[R3k1355]

Grab a 172 or 182, should be plenty with basic track mods.

You'll have a riot smashing it around circuits up and down the country.

 

[AJMC]

Thank you very much gentlemen, all great food for thought.
Ill start shopping!

Do you guys typically use eBay for this sort of thing?

 

[neil a]

I was in the same position a couple of years ago , had a big spec exige that was good on track but too expensive to bin.

Went back to a clio as a budget track toy that has now blown the budget, but the good thing with clios is parts are cheap and worst case of a roll / crash parts could be moved to a new shell cheaply/easily.

I would look for a car with cage,seats,diff and suspension already done.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Thank you very much gentlemen, all great food for thought.
Ill start shopping!

Do you guys typically use eBay for this sort of thing?

Just cliosport ! Someone will be selling whatever you need...

As above, I'd get a 172/182.. pick up a decent one for £2-3k perhaps, with things like belts etc done.. then pick parts like coilovers and seats up as you go along.

@jonno_c is selling one at the mo which would be perfect for a track car base.. bottom end of Kent

 

[Kev@KAM]

A few people I know have bought ex-ktec championship clio 182's nice and cheap

 

[brisa4984]

very nice! can't go wrong with a 172/182 when it comes to bang for buck on track.

Heres my elise sport 220