Not by choice..I have a 90 325ix kind of left over that is automatic. I put it on fleebay and it managed $2600 from a non-paying bidder. I'm secretly kind of happy he didn't pay.
I thought it might be fun, and a good idea, to do some learning in it like proper line, rules of the track etc. The vette was originally planned as a drag car and there is a lot more work than I thought in prepping it for road racing and I am ready to go.
So..Pro's/ Con's to automatic road racing.
Current: 1985 LS1 Corvette | 2014 328i Wagon F31
Former: 2010 Ford Edge | 1999 Integra GS
I have a little bit of a rub near lock but if you are turned to lock on a track there are other problems already...
Chad's pretty much an authority on this - his Mustang was automatic for a long, long time.
When it comes to Ryan Jenkins, the story ends with me putting him in the wall.
2009 Speed Triple | 2006 DR-Z400SM | 1999 CBR600F4 | 1998 Jeep Cherokee
-Ginger
do it, or give it to me for daily driver duty.
2020 Ford Raptor
2009 Z06
1986.5 Porsche 928S
Not as a downside to an automatic, but I wouldn't take a 325ix on track. Relegate it to DD duty and enjoy it. The AWD E30 was really just a marketing thing against Audi. All the rest of us E30 folks would just as soon forget it exists, except for brake boosters.
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442
I tracked the mustang for about 2 years w/ an auto. It was fine getting started, learning the line and braking zones, as long as it was dry. In the wet it would down shift at the WORST possible time (I could only hold it in 1 or 2 but not 3rd). After I took a pretty harry spin at VIR I pulled it and moved to the 5spd. You won't be able to learn heel/toe or advance throttle manipulation mid-corner but to get started (HPDE1/2) it won't hold you back right away.
Now you said 'RACING', I assume you mean HPDE which IS NOT racing, in any way, shape or form, if you actually mean 'RACING' as in Wheel to Wheel or time trials, it's going to suck, no ifs ands or butts about it.
white_2kgt Wrote:I tracked the mustang for about 2 years w/ an auto. It was fine getting started, learning the line and braking zones, as long as it was dry. In the wet it would down shift at the WORST possible time (I could only hold it in 1 or 2 but not 3rd). After I took a pretty harry spin at VIR I pulled it and moved to the 5spd. You won't be able to learn heel/toe or advance throttle manipulation mid-corner but to get started (HPDE1/2) it won't hold you back right away.
Now you said 'RACING', I assume you mean HPDE which IS NOT racing, in any way, shape or form, if you actually mean 'RACING' as in Wheel to Wheel or time trials, it's going to suck, no ifs ands or butts about it.
Good point..no "racing" yet. Sounds like the auto will be OK, for a while.
Captain, any specific reason the ix should not be used? I'm not looking for any advantage from AWD it just happens to be the car I have sitting. Maybe I should dump it while it all still works for a regular E30 to pound on for a year.
Current: 1985 LS1 Corvette | 2014 328i Wagon F31
Former: 2010 Ford Edge | 1999 Integra GS
I have a little bit of a rub near lock but if you are turned to lock on a track there are other problems already...
And a manual one, at that
When it comes to Ryan Jenkins, the story ends with me putting him in the wall.
2009 Speed Triple | 2006 DR-Z400SM | 1999 CBR600F4 | 1998 Jeep Cherokee
-Ginger
Steve85 Wrote:Captain, any specific reason the ix should not be used? I'm not looking for any advantage from AWD it just happens to be the car I have sitting. Maybe I should dump it while it all still works for a regular E30 to pound on for a year.
Well, the iX is just as reliable as any other E30, but has some unique parts (front driveshaft through the oilpan? ICK!) that may cause a problem when you start to break things (and you will).
The other point is that the AWD just means extra weight and worse handling. The AWD system in the iX is a band-aid, and not really all that well thought out. There's nothing wrong with it, it's perfectly fine, it's just not a "performance" awd like you'd normally think of one.
You'll learn more, have more fun, and be on the track more if you just get a "regular" 325i. On the plus side, you should have no problems selling your iX and getting into a nice, manual trans 325i. I'd say, budget about 2500 for a halfway decent example if you don't have a insatiable need for the plastic bumpers.
Just food for thought.
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442
