New to Autocross Classes and MX5 Modding

[ronbauer]

Hey now, I take good care of my cars, my tolerance level is just higher than some other people ....

Plus, Mitch is tainted. Not all of us have to deal with salty roads on a regular basis.

Ron

[mitchman]

Yes, I can't believe our city has switched to using salt in the winter. (sigh)

[eluviis]

My daily commutes are very short - 5 miles each way, no freeway. But I have to be open for longer ones if the need arises in the near future. But the bottom line is, 1. I don't want to make the car unbearable and 2. as some have pointed out, I have a PRHT so the weight is not in my favor - Seems pointless to fully prep this car. Plus, fully prepping the car for STR would be a little (a lot) out of my budget.

Sounds like I'm going to set up the car based on what I want it to be on the road and just Auto X it for fun without hoping to be competitive. If I ever want to really get into it, I'd have to make some changes (likely another older car in the future).

[jboemler]

When you get really competitive in AX, the rules dictate what car you buy. You no longer pick a car you like, and autocross it -- you study the rules and the cars, and buy whatever has the advantage, whether you like it or not. Then the following year you do it again. Doing it for fun seems better, for folks who want to actually like what they drive.

[eluviis]

I see what you mean Jim.

I would like to Auto X for the experience, but ultimately, my long term goal would be track. HPDE first and then see where that takes me. But of course, I'm not in the position to do that right now. So in the future, it make likely be a different car for that job. Maybe an NA or if I feel like working on it lots, an older 911. Otherwise, I could go the common E30 route.

[jboemler]

An NA is a great choice for a track car. You can drive it nearly stock, and improve it along the way as you get better and better. And should you decide you want to try yur hand against other drivers, it becomes a Spec Miata without too much trouble. It's a great value for what you get, at any level of prep. You DO want to get a dedicated track car, if you're going to do anything more than a fun putt around the track. Once you start driving fast, you WILL blow it sometimes, and it's gut-wrenching when you ruin your daily car. I learned the hard way, and won't do it again.

[eluviis]

Yeah, I hear you. My original plan was to track my DD. But, that was me thinking with the head of a rich guy (not me right now, ha!). There are other variables added to the equation as well. Due to my lifestyle and the sports I do I need a truck as well. If I buy a track car later on, we're talking I'll have the truck, the NC AND the NA. Add to that my wife's car and we have a 4 car family. Not sure I like that too much. Hahaha. But at the same time, I don't want to give up the NC to drive around in a truck simply because I need one for hauling stuff sometimes! I heard a guy say that those who loved fast and nimble cars build race cars. Then they need a truck to haul them around. So, in essence, people that love fast nimble cars drive trucks! O.o

[Brian]

EVERY Miata that I buy starts as a daily driver......and I usually have delusions about keeping it a daily driver......right up to the point that it looks like this:



Now we buy the new Miatas for my wife.....with the idea that it will keep me from going too radical too fast with it.

[eluviis]

^^^^Hahaha. At least you have the excuse that it's R&D for the business!

I've modified cars but never for track or auto X. So at least I'm not prone to easily ending up with some beast like that. My problem is ALL my interests and hobbies end up conflicting with each other!

[Brian]

^^^^Hahaha. At least you have the excuse that it's R&D for the business!

Yeah, that's what I keep telling the wife...as we are about to buy our FIFTH NC for parts development.