Selling the M3 Race Car

[D_Eclipse9916]

There is nothing like wheel to wheel racing. Cant describe it, cant explain it, and nobody who hasnt done it can understand.
autoX and TT, even at a national level, is just masturbating in comparison.

I have wheel to wheel raced........ TT loses interest, but autox is just as exciting. Autox is about driving skills, racing is about racing skills.

I get just as much excitement and fun out of "nailing a line" through a set of cones, as I do completing a great pass.


PS - Keep talking, its helping, maybe ill figure out what I want to do by the time 2012 season is over :lol:

[SlimKlim]

If you do decide to sell it, buy my Miata. Seriously.

[Evan]

what did you race DJ?

[D_Eclipse9916]

what did you race DJ?

GTS2, thats me in #186.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/30383748[/vimeo]

[NTIman]

Spec Miata or Spec E30 would be my choice if I were in your position. There are a ton of cars and organizations that run spec miata, but from what I've seen of spec e30, there isn't a group within NASA that looks more fun, in terms of competition and wheel-to-wheel racing.

[Scott]

There is nothing like wheel to wheel racing. Cant describe it, cant explain it, and nobody who hasnt done it can understand.
autoX and TT, even at a national level, is just masturbating in comparison.

I have wheel to wheel raced........ TT loses interest, but autox is just as exciting. Autox is about driving skills, racing is about racing skills.

I get just as much excitement and fun out of "nailing a line" through a set of cones, as I do completing a great pass.

PS - Keep talking, its helping, maybe ill figure out what I want to do by the time 2012 season is over :lol:

I'm kinda in the same boat as you DJ, except on one side of the garage I have a nationally competitive autocross car and on the other side of the garage is the Spec Miata. I get excitement from both, but as Evan said there is nothing like racing wheel to wheel, but pulling off a near perfect autox run, beating all the CSP Hoosier'd cars in the STS Miata w/ street tires is a VERY close second. When I first started with the SM I was driving myself crazy messing with setups on both cars while trying to learn race craft in the SM. During the middle of 2010 season I got to the point of having enough and thought about putting both cars up for sale and buying a 911. I decided before I did that I would look through my notes, pick a setup for both and just leave it to finish out the season and figure out what I was going to do. My first race after that in the SM was my first podium finish. Since then I've had more success in both cars, because other than the basic maintance I just show up to the track and drive them. In a perfect world I would have one car to do both, but I am guessing that my running cost for both cars are lower than the M3.

So basically, I vote Spec Miata. Get back to the basics and just have fun at the track and not worry about every adjustment.

Every off season I sit down and think about selling everything for the 911, but only for a minute. I am way to addicted to the rush that I get from slidding behind the wheel and putting on the harnesses, no matter what car it is

[BLINGMW]

Factory 5, especially with the 2012 formula worth considering?

[D_Eclipse9916]

Hmm Scott you make a good point. The running cost for the M3 is high only because of GTS2. Rotors are cheap ~$30 each, tires are cheap cause I win em, and then its just changing fluids. Having to have the latest aero, suspension etc is whats expensive, which is why I was leaning to PTC/TTC to bring down my cost immensely. I dont know if I could let the racing go and the not be bored.

You know, Factory Five has always immensely intrigued me. I personally love the idea, but there are no factory five racers in the mid-atlantic region which would mean little competition. However I could register it as a street car, and just have some fun for a while....
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[BLINGMW]

there are no factory five racers in the mid-atlantic region

hmm, I didn't realize it was that abandoned here. :?
Wouldn't the "east coast challenge series" mentioned here be applicable? (assuming there's a 2012 schedule coming soon?)
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Yeah, personally, IF I had the $ (instead of a family!), it's the purpose built racers or even open wheel that I'd really like to try. Seems like working on them would be much more enjoyable. Unfortunately they don't seem to gravitate to NASA. :dunno:

But yeah man, for just a track day and weekend fun-mobile, again *IF* I had $24k to spend, that seems like an obvious choice. Get that and then I'll rent it from you. :wink:

[ScottyB]

i was about to mention the FF cobra. those seem like a really fun, elemental mix between fun street car and something you could race....but i also wasn't aware the racing here had dried up.

i think spec miata has become much more expensive than it was designed to be at its inception as a series, but its still probably the most effective turnkey way to show up and enjoy a good fight between reasonably well matched cars. the power might be boring but if you have enough people to chase or be chased by all the time, i can't imagine that it wouldn't be fun. and sure, they may be easy to "set and forget" but you can always tweak if you really want to...it just might be more for the fun of doing it than actually affecting any significant changes in the way it drives. and hey, if you do get bored....the series isn't going anywhere for a long time. you could probably sell your car and make nearly your money back.

this might be retarded, but what is the vintage racing scene like around here? i like the idea of driving a toy that appreciates. plus, most of those cars really do require attention most of the time and would make a fun project for someone that wants to tinker.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Hmm, lots to think about. I told the guy to give me the weekend, he is willing to wait till late february, but needs to know if I will sell it or not.

[xvxax]

After seeing Greg Schaffer sit on his GTS-2 car for like 8 months while trying to sell it this year I would probably say it would be hard to turn down an offer for the price you want.

What about C5z06? That car is faster than the c6z06 in SS, and basically the car to have in TT-A right? And they're cheap-ish.

[D_Eclipse9916]

After seeing Greg Schaffer sit on his GTS-2 car for like 8 months while trying to sell it this year I would probably say it would be hard to turn down an offer for the price you want.

What about C5z06? That car is faster than the c6z06 in SS, and basically the car to have in TT-A right? And they're cheap-ish.

C5 z06 is a good option as well

[navin]

I think anytime you can break even on a racecar/car with mods, it might be a good time to sell. Its obvious the car is prepped well, has good parts, etc - but at the same time you've also accomplished the goals you wanted for 2011.

[D_Eclipse9916]

So I did some soul searching and some looking around at cars. Also asking friends and talking it out to myself.

1. Spec Miata is ridiculously expensive for what it is. Seriously? 19-22k for a well-built spec miata? Thats insane, im not paying that much for a miata, maybe a playboy cup miata, but those arent even legal in spec miata.

2. Spec3 is a good class, but I have a feeling is going to turn into mini spec miata. People are already throwing in 6k motors, and the car does not cross over to any other class well.

American Iron/another GTS/Factory Five are all going to cost a lot more, for no more additional benefit. It looks like for road racing, I did make the best decision in car for right now. So now the question is do I want to continue to road race? And what could I do with 40k in cash for a car?

Would have to be something I could at least autox, and the more I thought about it, the more it required something that had to be "the car" for a class. I simply am too competitive of a person to sit on the sidelines for too long, even with a badass car. AND if I got a badass car, I would want to instruct and get out for a few sessions of road racing. Total that car? WAY more expensive.

So.....Im still kind of on the fence, but after researching cost of other race cars, and if I would be bored or not...It would actually be cheaper over 2 years to "take the hit of 7-8k" of selling the m3 for less 1-2 years out, than to switch platforms.

Still.....

[Scott]

So I did some soul searching and some looking around at cars. Also asking friends and talking it out to myself.

1. Spec Miata is ridiculously expensive for what it is. Seriously? 19-22k for a well-built spec miata? Thats insane, im not paying that much for a miata, maybe a playboy cup miata, but those arent even legal in spec miata.

http://specmiataclassifieds.com/SMF/inde...;topicseen

[Steve85]

I simply am too competitive of a person to sit on the sidelines for too long, ..

I was going to ask about this yesterday after watching the video and you mentioning the M3 needing a bunch of money to compete in GTS. It was confusing because...it looked awful competitive in that video. :thumbup:

Does it need money to be competitive? or to win nationals? to be competitive enough for you? In some ways, it brings back the burnout thread. Can you honestly go out for the experience and be happy finishing 4,5,6 if that is the best the car can muster given the competition?

I have 0 experience to go on, but somehow I think having to win it all is a level of expense and commitment exponentially higher than what it takes to have a great experience sans trophies.

Your car seems to be in a great place to simply be enjoyed for a while.

[G.Irish]

So I did some soul searching and some looking around at cars. Also asking friends and talking it out to myself.

1. Spec Miata is ridiculously expensive for what it is. Seriously? 19-22k for a well-built spec miata? Thats insane, im not paying that much for a miata, maybe a playboy cup miata, but those arent even legal in spec miata.

19-22k for someone selling their used SM or for getting a turnkey-prepped-to-the-limit-of-the-rules SM built for you? Either way, I don't think that's really that expensive given how many people are trying to win in that class. If $20k-ish is the point of diminishing returns in a hotly contested class I'd say that's pretty good. In a class like GTS2 I have to think the point of diminishing returns is well over $40k.

And the upside is that if you win in Spec Miata, it could open opportunities for you elsewhere. Winning GTS2 or even a national autox title won't open the same doors.

That said, if you're not thinking in the back of your mind about the chance to do higher level racing then the decision to race SM just comes down to whether or not you'd have fun. The running costs for SM are low, the competition is fierce, only major downside is that the car is much slower than what you run now.

[Apoc]

You can buy a very well sorted 944 for under $10k; under $15k if you want a Top 3 car.

My car could win, if it had a better driver... and it ain't worth $15k. :dunno:

[D_Eclipse9916]

That said, if you're not thinking in the back of your mind about the chance to do higher level racing then the decision to race SM just comes down to whether or not you'd have fun. The running costs for SM are low, the competition is fierce, only major downside is that the car is much slower than what you run now.

Unfortunately, I just dont think I have what it takes to go much higher. My driving will take another 2-3 years in racing to get to a reasonable level, and tons of coaching.

Yes, running costs for SM are low, but will I ever win? probably not :lol: Bigger fish in smaller pool is better than small fish in big pool.