Separate TrackDay/AutoX toy vs modding Mustang

[DivineStrike]

Just looking for some opinions here and what other people are doing.

I really want to start doing Track Days and maybe a few autoX days here and there. Now obviously this can be done on a stock car but...

So first and foremost I really have a mod itch. The mods I want to do altogether will cost at least $7k total. That's without ANY power mods, and not including the cost of the catback I installed. With basic NA power mods, chassis/suspension mods, and wheels/brakes/tires; that's $10k+. Now if I want to add a centri later down the line, that's another $6-7k. :eyebulge: cars are expensive lol

Dilemma is, I definitely want to keep my Mustang and want to scratch my mod itch. But not only is the Mustang pretty expensive to mod, but it'll be expensive to maintain at the track. If I do a few trackdays a year I'm looking at a couple sets of tires a year as this is my DD. Even with being absent about 2-3 months (traveling for work) since I got the car (11 Nov), I have 12.5k miles on the car. If I travel less, i'm looking easily at 20k a year mileage.

I'm considering getting a separate toy since these costs are so high. For the 16k+ in mods that I may eventually spend, I could probably just build an open wheel kit racer (or maybe equivalent closed wheel kit car with roof) and have lower maintenance costs for track days.

I know I could get a cheap car and just track that, but I'm really looking for either improving the Mustang or getting something small with a good power to weight ratio. The mustang is fun and I like the power/weight ratio it has, so i'd like to keep that or better.


Most likely Mods: (and will probably happen regardless)
C/O's
Lightweight wheels/tires
A few BMR goodies

I also really want:
AP front rotors
Aftermarket driveshaft (this I really want but I will cut it out if I wind up not wanting to spend the extra cash)

Power mods: (these will be last, with maybe an exception to the DS)
Tune, intake, headers.

Years later maybe a centri...



Edit: Oh yea and I'm definitely getting a new shifter here soon lol...probably MGW

Sponsored

 

[jdub.csu]

If you want a cheap track toy pick up a honda s2000 or a mazda miata. To DD and track is never a good idea and as the mustang is heavy it will eat up tires faster than the above. However to be honest the mustang isn't that maintenance heavy as a weekend toy. Coming from an EVO and STI this thing is downright cheap to maintain.

If you add those mods to the mustang you will have to run in CAMC.

 

[DivineStrike]

If you want a cheap track toy pick up a honda s2000 or a mazda miata. To DD and track is never a good idea and as the mustang is heavy it will eat up tires faster than the above. However to be honest the mustang isn't that maintenance heavy as a weekend toy. Coming from an EVO and STI this thing is downright cheap to maintain.

If you add those mods to the mustang you will have to run in CAMC.

That is exactly my issue more or less lol

s2000 probably not, initial cost is still too high. A lot of the kits i've seen use the miata or a MK1 focus as the base. If I spend the full mod amount, I'd want it to be a complete toy, not a clean slate.

AutoX classing isn't a concern really. I only do it for fun and not often enough to care about class. Only reason I would want to stay in stock class is to get an accurate gauge on how I'm performing.

 

[Gearz]

Track days are a blast but the risk factor goes up compared to autox. You've got a big investment already in your car and with it being your DD, the consequences of having a "bad day" at the track go WAY up. If all you are doing is autox, I'd say go for it and mod the Mustang. But, since you're going to be taking a very powerful and pretty heavy car to the track, well, I can tell you it's a lot easier to walk away from a cheap, light and fun "extra" car after wadding it up in the wall. Heavy cars take a LOT of room to get slowed down when the brakes can't keep up with ambition.
-B Meyer

 

[DivineStrike]

Yea, AutoX is fun and it's a good learning tool (and is primarily what I use it as), but it's just not enough seat time to cure my itch for "track" time.

I have a bike and it's pretty inexpensive to track, but it's just a totally different experience taking that thing around a road course vs man handling a car around one

If it weren't for wanting that experience in a car, i'd just go to the track more on the bike due to cost. Also, I'm no professional and mistakes on a bike are more dangerous than in the car. There's a lot less margin for error on a bike.

My intent, like i said before, is to have a vehicle that is relatively inexpensive to track, with at about the same power to weight ratio as the Mustang. maybe more but the Mustangs speed in a smaller car would be an absolute riot.

I absolutely agree, the risk of damaging the Mustang keeps me away from the track for now until I feel more comfortable with the high power and RWD.

 

[ABQautoxer]

I have a Lotus Exige S I run at track days, occasional autox's, and time trials. Ironically I bought my Mustang to autox in national competition.

I picked my Exige, coming from Z06s to avoid the high running costs. An Elise is a smarter buy and the expenses are much cheaper while still actually turning very fast lap times. A miata is my all time favorite track toy but you have to boost them to get the thrills on the straights, you already get tons of thrills in the turns even nearly stock.

 

[jdub.csu]

Miata is the most cost effective track toy. You can buy some pretty well prepped ones on the cheap. That is my vote unless you want to mod the mustang and run it in just autox or when you go to track days I highly suggest having track insurance just incase something goes wrong.

 

[Norm Peterson]

the risk of damaging the Mustang keeps me away from the track for now until I feel more comfortable with the high power and RWD.

This being the case, if you do decide to modify the Mustang and track it, mod slowly rather than all at once. It'll stay more streetable and generally more predictable up around the limit if it's not being tweaked too close to its ultimate limits.


FWIW, all I've done to my '08 is adjustable sta-bars (front and rear), adjustable struts and shocks, wheels & tires, and some basic suspension bushing stiffening and link replacement. The FRPP tune (~15 HP claimed) is the ONLY engine mod. There is this non-stock alignment that may have never been within spec even before they drove it off the truck. Mostly I run as an intermediate, but my home track had started putting me in the advanced/instructor group.


Norm

 

[K3NMasterS]

I second the Miata as I've looked into some, but personally hate them. Yes, they're light and well balanced, but severely underpowered. Even if you beef up the motor, you're still not competing at an S550 or M3 level.

I would spend the extra buck and go for a 350Z. Decent power and a solid platform to worth with. Parts are readily available and it's a fairly reliable car. I track my GT PP as it's my weekend driver, but it is pretty much stock except for a cat-back and much lighter wheels. In fact, I'm going to the track this Sat!

 

[phrenetiK]

get a miata. 99 or 2000 NB miata specifically.

 

[jdub.csu]

I second the Miata as I've looked into some, but personally hate them. Yes, they're light and well balanced, but severely underpowered. Even if you beef up the motor, you're still not competing at an S550 or M3 level.

I would spend the extra buck and go for a 350Z. Decent power and a solid platform to worth with. Parts are readily available and it's a fairly reliable car. I track my GT PP as it's my weekend driver, but it is pretty much stock except for a cat-back and much lighter wheels. In fact, I'm going to the track this Sat!

The 350Z is okay once you overcome the brake issue...:eyebulge:

 

[Trackaholic]

The 350Z is okay once you overcome the brake issue...:eyebulge:

I have a 350Z and love to track it. I still use it as a DD as well (splitting duties with my GTI). I do have a 14" Stoptech BBK on the front (four piston), and some suspension work, and it is a great car.

Have a GT350 on order though, which I plan to track, so if anyone wants a 350Z track car, that already has a BBK, keep me in mind. Barely driven, with just under 190,000 miles, most of which are HWY. Only about 5000 from trackdays. :bolt:


Anyway, to the OP, it sounds like you may be modding the Mustang anyway, so I'm not sure I see how you will be saving money if you buy a separate track car and still spend the money on mods. IMO you won't be wasting too much incremental money on brakes and tires if you are only doing 4-5 track days a year (which is about how often I am able to go these days).

The bigger issue IMO is the wear and tear that tracking puts on everything else (engine, transmission, bushings, clutch, wheel bearings, etc). There's also the possibility of crashing the DD, which would be tough.

Maybe start by tracking the Mustang for a year or so, and see what you think. Maybe things get in the way of making it to the track and you aren't able to go as much as you like, maybe you really like the Mustang on the track, maybe you learn real quick that a separate track car is the right way to go....

-T

 

[Grintch]

If you want a cheap track toy pick up a honda s2000 or a mazda miata. To DD and track is never a good idea and as the mustang is heavy it will eat up tires faster than the above. However to be honest the mustang isn't that maintenance heavy as a weekend toy. Coming from an EVO and STI this thing is downright cheap to maintain.

If you add those mods to the mustang you will have to run in CAMC.

Wheel & tires cost 2x what what I had on my STI. So I dissagree that the Mustang is cheaper to maintain.

My general rule for a track car is that it needs to be cheap enough that I can just walk away from it if it's crashed. I can't do that with a $35K new Mustang, certainly can't with a $45K modded Mustang. $20K is about my track car, just walk away limit.

It will see the track eventually, but probably not much before the warrenty runs out and it depreciates a good bit.

Now autocross is much safer, so I am comfortable doing that with a new (relatively expensive) car.

 

[D K]

Autox is boring.
If you want to have real fun, do track days.
lighten the car as much as possible, do suspension, brakes (even starting with just brake fluid), small aero, and tires and you will have one of the fastest cars out there.

adding boost and other power mods arent really even necessary for very fast track days.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Autox is boring.

I guess if you measure interest by the amount of seat time, I suppose it would be. It's the element of competition that really makes it all worth it. Being better than the other driver. Sometimes being better than the other driver when he's driving a car with more potential than yours.

All that aside, autocross is probably the best intermediate step there is between true street driving and track driving. Car control is car control whether the pace of control inputs is frantic (as autocross tends to get) or is more deliberate because the corners are spaced out a good bit further (and the speeds are apt to be much higher).

adding boost and other power mods arent really even necessary for very fast track days.

More power should be the last thing on the mod plan for anybody who is just getting started in HPDE. Or who is only at the stage of considering it. You still have to slow down to the same speeds for the corners, so it's at least arguable that you should start developing your braking zone skills from lower peak speeds down the straights.


Yes, I realize this thread has been asleep for a while . . .


Norm

Sponsored