NASA racer

nothing profound I guess but spent some time trying to talk a forumer into selling his S4 to buy an E30M3 that had come up to make it into a dedicated track car and possibly a race car.

And as I'm contemplating trading-in my turbo for a Cayenne so I can tow a Caterham...it hit me why the turbo just isn't "that" great.

Because racing is all about personal achievement. It's a high-skill sport which the satisfaction comes from doing something that's difficult very well. Any idiot can own an expensive or fast street car but it doesn't satisfy (unless you thrive on display I guess) at all because you can never really enjoy it fully from a driving standpoing and it's just a hunk of metal.

I get into arguments with people who havent raced or done DE's about the money they're wasting on their street cars but now I realize why I feel it's such a waste. Since it's just pouring money into an object, and the object itself just becomes "normal" after a while, it's like an addiction. You want this car to get stage XIV whatever to "go faster" but after a week you're used to it and want stage XV to go even faster...but ultimately it doesn't satisfy because YOU aren't doing anything but writing checks and getting tickets.

Even a humble track-car is ALL ABOUT your own performance...why the veterans here try to steer people away from expensive track cars...YOU have to drive, YOU have to be smooth and precise and do it well...on the track you can't spend money to make yourself better (except buy track time) and if you can drive a Honda Civic well, you can drive a Ferrari well.

So that's it IMHO...an expensive street car vs. being a good driver using even a humble race car = buying a nice suit vs running a 4 minute mile...if you like the personal challenge, stop wasting money on your suits and learn how to run!

frank

best advice was, why not get a 510 or Civic for a track pig?

the E30 is sorta like racing the S4,E46 M3 or street P-car

why take something that expensive and nice, and ***** it out for the track?
(the E30 is a bit more hard-core, but still...)

which made a lot of sense, plus the deal was just so-so
I know the cars history, but there are at least 3 cars like that
or better within that price window and less than 200 miles away

I may sit and think for a couple months,
unless I drive the E30 today and lose my damn mind again

NASA racer

you'd get sick of moving out of the way for Hondas ;-P

<img src="http://images2.fotki.com/v10/photos/4/41918/108632/race2or-vi.jpg">

though I will never willingly buy a FWD race car ever again...I'd forgotten until I drove the Caterham but now I remember and wouldn't ever go back unless someone offered me a drive in one.

frank

Datsun 510's are cheeep

NASA racer

but you aren't going to find one in very good shape...it's an awefully old car.

Steve Sherwood

After rebuilding my E30 325i race car engine twice...I really know this one. E30 M3 engines are WAY more than E30 325i engines. Figure about $10K for one if you need to buy one. I have contemplated an E30 M3 daily driver several times...but always avoid the plunge into buying one.

techlogik

seriously, you are absolutely correct. I have been thinking the same thing you are recently.

Stop pissing 20k of mods into a street S4 that maybe you can do some autocross and a track event...plus drive it to work...or do dangerous street racing...

Or, spend the money on my '90 Jetta...make track car out of it (or buy Civic)...learn to really drive...go half the speed of my S4...but...not the point.

"it's about driving skills...not how much $$$ you got to show off driving down the road."
-Techlogik '03

Warren Wang

10k will get you a 2.5L. If you do your own work, you can do a stock 2.3L rebuild for &lt; 5k. Still alot, but even a stock 2.3 is quite potent.

Warren

jons355

Try rebuilding an M5 motor...makes any E30 rebuild (2.3 or 2.5) look like a bargain.

An M5 motor costs 10K on the low side (forget about a name reputable rebuilder aka Korman, Dinan, Power Plant, etc..) and 12-13K for the big shops.

Mine ran 12K for a car that was worth 14K at the time.

And unlike the E30 motor which is a relatively simple design the E28/E34 M5 motor can only be rebuilt by people familiar with tht engine.

How do I know that? Well I was stupid enough to trust the job to a reputable BMW/Porsche race shop that had rebuilt a ton of E30 and E36 motors but had limited experinece with an M5 motor.

Regards,

Jon
88 M5 Club Racer
95 F355 Challenge

Nogaro

now try to keep it running.


You are not someone who has the life style to allow such a toy.