Nurburgring Perfect Car ?
Moderator: martauto
Nurburgring Perfect Car ?
I have been thinking for ages - and with recent exposure on Top Gear
and these forums, The Nurburgring is now popular and relatively
local and hence more and more people are keen to try their hand / test
their car or bike on what is a long difficult treacherous track.
So giving that, and seeing lots of pictures from the track. I was
wondering what makes the perfect Nurburgringer ? I am talking a car
you can drive daily, maybe modify accordingly to endure the track and
the journey to/from Germany... all for say Ԛ£5k on the road...you want
aircon to keep you cool on the long boring motorway slog in France and
Belgium and you want reliable track performance for a days hard
driving.
So here is the criteria- Ԛ£5k on the road, aircon, reliable for
everyday use.
FWD or RWD ?
Turbo or Normally Aspirated ?
Hatch or Saloon ? Coupe or Family Car ?
LHD or RHD ?
Modifications ? Brakes, Engine , Interior , Safety Concerns ?
I have been thinking for ages - and with recent exposure on Top Gear
and these forums, The Nurburgring is now popular and relatively
local and hence more and more people are keen to try their hand / test
their car or bike on what is a long difficult treacherous track.
So giving that, and seeing lots of pictures from the track. I was
wondering what makes the perfect Nurburgringer ? I am talking a car
you can drive daily, maybe modify accordingly to endure the track and
the journey to/from Germany... all for say Ԛ£5k on the road...you want
aircon to keep you cool on the long boring motorway slog in France and
Belgium and you want reliable track performance for a days hard
driving.
So here is the criteria- Ԛ£5k on the road, aircon, reliable for
everyday use.
FWD or RWD ?
Turbo or Normally Aspirated ?
Hatch or Saloon ? Coupe or Family Car ?
LHD or RHD ?
Modifications ? Brakes, Engine , Interior , Safety Concerns ?
-
Guest
the locals use battered mk 1 and 2 golfs and e30's
for Ԛ£5K that would get ya a fairly good car, tyres, brakes and pads & a year pass, plus petty and breakdown cover for a year.
probably a couple of wings for off's and left overs for a few armco barriers
seriously tho one of the fastest i have seen round there was a porker 968.
for Ԛ£5K that would get ya a fairly good car, tyres, brakes and pads & a year pass, plus petty and breakdown cover for a year.
probably a couple of wings for off's and left overs for a few armco barriers
seriously tho one of the fastest i have seen round there was a porker 968.
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Davenotouring
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 7962
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Cambridge
I say don't bother with air con, but obviously it's up to you.
As we drove through France, Belguim and Germany it was boiling hot, and we were all loving it with the windows down cruising along!
More weight and worse MPG with air con!
Anyway,
A well set-up 325i would be a great 'Ring tool. With H&R Cup kit, and uprated brakes, a full service and cambelt, and decent tyres.
Failing that, as fozzy said, for a larger wegde, an E30 M3 would be ideal. They are pretty well set-up from the factory, so with a bit of looking after that would be good too!
I took my '91 Honda Civic VT, and to me, it was ideal, easily quick enough for a first-timer and reliable and comfortable as you need. Plus it cost Ԛ£575!
I got a 9:30 round the track, this was with slowing down a couple of times for an accident etc.
It's awesome fun and you'll love it regardless of what car you take. As seen on Top Gear, even a Transit van is good fun.

As we drove through France, Belguim and Germany it was boiling hot, and we were all loving it with the windows down cruising along!
More weight and worse MPG with air con!
Anyway,
A well set-up 325i would be a great 'Ring tool. With H&R Cup kit, and uprated brakes, a full service and cambelt, and decent tyres.
Failing that, as fozzy said, for a larger wegde, an E30 M3 would be ideal. They are pretty well set-up from the factory, so with a bit of looking after that would be good too!
I took my '91 Honda Civic VT, and to me, it was ideal, easily quick enough for a first-timer and reliable and comfortable as you need. Plus it cost Ԛ£575!
I got a 9:30 round the track, this was with slowing down a couple of times for an accident etc.
It's awesome fun and you'll love it regardless of what car you take. As seen on Top Gear, even a Transit van is good fun.

Nissan 200SX S14a - Track Slag
BMW 328i Cab - Daily Slag
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320Touring
- E30 Zone Team Member

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- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Glasgow (Scotland)
for 5k i'd have a e32 750il
with an LPG convertion
leather, air con, a 5l v12 with 300bhp and possibly a turbo or two
with an LPG convertion
leather, air con, a 5l v12 with 300bhp and possibly a turbo or two
The big Unit Parts Clear out Make me an offer on parts!
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 81#2766881
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- austen_e30
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 47
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2005 11:00 pm
Just returned from my 2nd trip to the ring in a newage Impreza WRX with suspension and engine mods and uprated discs and pads. The car is fantastic around the ring, but the running costs are horrific as it eats pads, discs and tyres, plus the terrible mpg. The standard brakes(even with uprated discs and pads) are just not up to track work, and to get a set of brakes that could cope with it i was loooking at Ԛ£1500 (AP 6 pots). I did 22 laps and the weekend away cost me about Ԛ£1200 all in!!!! This is the reason we have just bought an e30 325i to prep as a track car. There are loads of M3's (all ages) and e30's there being given a good thrashing. Hopefully we will be tacking the e30 over there again this year!!!
:D:D
don't let the battered look of the locals Mk1 Golf's and the like fool you.
They have some serious kit under the skin! They just don't spend a fortune on cosmetics, why bother if one mistake can be the end of the lovely sprayed shell.
They have some serious kit under the skin! They just don't spend a fortune on cosmetics, why bother if one mistake can be the end of the lovely sprayed shell.
E36 M3 or E34 M5
pros
very fast
fun
reliable
comfy
much more suited for the journey to and from the ring than an e30 wud be.
cons
not as fun at lower speeds as an e30 wud be.
as stated this car has to be for day to day use as well, so i wudnt bother with an e30 m3 myself - lhd and 4 pot wrongness wud put me off for daily use.
If u wanted fwd then summit like daves civic vti or a crx or corrado vr6 wud be ideal.
pros
very fast
fun
reliable
comfy
much more suited for the journey to and from the ring than an e30 wud be.
cons
not as fun at lower speeds as an e30 wud be.
as stated this car has to be for day to day use as well, so i wudnt bother with an e30 m3 myself - lhd and 4 pot wrongness wud put me off for daily use.
If u wanted fwd then summit like daves civic vti or a crx or corrado vr6 wud be ideal.
Chaos
causing havoc and mayhem wherever i go

causing havoc and mayhem wherever i go
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Karan
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 8004
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
i think a cheap shitter is the way forward... must be reliable thougfh
this is the reason i am reluctant (but still willing) to take my sport to the ring!
perhaps chea 325 with sensible mods like dave suggested can be done under 2k easily!
golf?
other fwd wrongness... also acceptable as its not as if ure gonna be drifting round the place evry corner neways!
this is the reason i am reluctant (but still willing) to take my sport to the ring!
perhaps chea 325 with sensible mods like dave suggested can be done under 2k easily!
golf?
other fwd wrongness... also acceptable as its not as if ure gonna be drifting round the place evry corner neways!
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E30BeemerLad
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 16806
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Norfolk
Porsche 944 can be picked up on the cheap, has RWD and 50/50 weight distribution. Should be reliable enough to get you there and back. An early turbo with cosmetics could be picked up for Ԛ£2K.
Can't knock the MK2 Golf though or a smoker of a 325i
Can't knock the MK2 Golf though or a smoker of a 325i
if if the price limit had been lower id have def said e30 325iE30BeemerLad wrote:Porsche 944 can be picked up on the cheap, has RWD and 50/50 weight distribution. Should be reliable enough to get you there and back. An early turbo with cosmetics could be picked up for Ԛ£2K.
Can't knock the MK2 Golf though or a smoker of a 325i
glenn ur car wud be mental round there, i cant wait to finally see it
Chaos
causing havoc and mayhem wherever i go

causing havoc and mayhem wherever i go
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Demlotcrew
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 13329
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- Location: East Anglia
Funny that, we spoke to a few 'ringers' there and they said they prefer their E30 over the E36 M3 they were sporting at the time.Chaos wrote:E36 M3 or E34 M5
pros
very fast
fun
reliable
comfy
much more suited for the journey to and from the ring than an e30 wud be.
cons
not as fun at lower speeds as an e30 wud be.
as stated this car has to be for day to day use as well, so i wudnt bother with an e30 m3 myself - lhd and 4 pot wrongness wud put me off for daily use.
If u wanted fwd then summit like daves civic vti or a crx or corrado vr6 wud be ideal.
A
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Demlotcrew
- E30 Zone Team Member

- Posts: 13329
- Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2004 11:00 pm
- Location: East Anglia
I would also like to see how it performes on the track.glenn wrote:no problem nic,glenn ur car wud be mental round there, i cant wait to finally see it
get richy to bring you up, i'm nearly allways here.
A


