Thinking of tracking a Miata instead of the M3

[nmehta211]

I've been tracking for many years as a not so serious hobby. First with an e36 m3, and now with a mostly stock e90 m3.

Recently I was given a spec Miata to run at Monticello motor club and absolutely loved it. The lack of power didn't bother me as much as I loved the corner handling and weight.

I'm at the point where if I track more, I will need more expensive things such as better tires, brakes, and suspension.

Have you all thought of just buying a cheaper car to track, even if you don't completely end up making it a spec car? It looks like I can get a track worthy Miata for about $10k and then not worry about the wear on my m3.

Open to thoughts and discussion.

[WhatsADSM]

It's much cheaper to track a Miata than the M for sure. Consumables are so much cheaper, and you are risking much less vehicle. Sure it's slower in terms of lap times, but that doesn't mean it's any less fun.

Buying an ex spec car is a pretty good way to pick up a reasonably well prepared car. Although don't forget about the trailer and tow vehicle.

[ban25]

You can buy a race-ready NA-body Spec Miata for less than it cost to replace my engine after I threw a rod at Buttonwillow. So yeah, if you have the garage space, do it.

[askjeeves]

yup i track an e46 330 instead of the m. will be a spece46 car eventually.

[macdude357]

I considered this as well, but it would be a shame to own an M3 but not take it to the track; you can't really drive the car to it's potential on the street.

[Richbot]

Originally Posted by ban25

You can buy a race-ready NA-body Spec Miata for less than it cost to replace my engine after I threw a rod at Buttonwillow. So yeah, if you have the garage space, do it.

Yep

Spec miatas can also be titled with the right exhaust setup and a clean title etc even in smog states. SM + plate + tire trailer = really cheap way to get a lot of track time without a lot of wrenching

[Groundpilot]

That's the reason I track 135i more often than m3.
Cheaper in every way, but if modded correctly, as fast or faster than stock m3.

[nmehta211]

Originally Posted by macdude357

I considered this as well, but it would be a shame to own an M3 but not take it to the track; you can't really drive the car to it's potential on the street.

True but the only reason I'm even contemplating this was based on my recent spec Miata experience. It made my stock m3 feel like a Cadillac brougham

[jphughan]

A friend of mine who lined up an instructing gig that had him going to the track twice per WEEK recently sold his E92 for a Spec Miata and couldn't be happier. He says he's become a better driver, he's having even more fun, and he's paying a lot less and therefore is able to handle going out so much more. I agree with the post above though that keeping an M3 as a road-only car seems a bit pointless especially after you've seen what it's like on track. I wouldn't have been able to justify the M3's higher total cost of ownership to myself if I were only going to be driving it on city streets and freeways with maybe the occasional back road romp. It just would have meant leaving too much of the car's value and fun potential untapped.

[Sapper_M3]

Originally Posted by nmehta211

True but the only reason I'm even contemplating this was based on my recent spec Miata experience. It made my stock m3 feel like a Cadillac brougham

I have a Miata built for Chumpcar/World Racing League that is much lighter than an SM is allowed to be (because I'm not constrained by any minimum weight requirements) with more power than any SM can be (because I'm not constrained by SM rules on engine modifications, I can make more power than a blueprinted pro SM engine for absurdly little money).

With all that said, my stock E92 M3 (only pads, fluid, wheels/tires for the track) never feels like a Caddy driven back to back. The M3 despite weighing 1500 lbs more is nimble, with a rigid stock chassis and adequate springs/shocks, and it has an absolutely amazing engine with great throttle response and power delivery. I love racing the Miata, but the M3 is in a different league altogether.

I track the M3 less and less these days because tracking the Miata racecar is so much cheaper in terms of consumables and risk of potential damage or loss (and I feel just as safe with a full cage, fire suppression system, and 6-point FIA harness with HANS). Don't get me wrong--I absolutely love it. With that said, however, if I had the money to walk away from a totalled M3 as a "bad weekend" rather than a "bad year," I would always choose the M3.

[Mmn710]

Originally Posted by nmehta211

I've been tracking for many years as a not so serious hobby. First with an e36 m3, and now with a mostly stock e90 m3.

Recently I was given a spec Miata to run at Monticello motor club and absolutely loved it. The lack of power didn't bother me as much as I loved the corner handling and weight.

I'm at the point where if I track more, I will need more expensive things such as better tires, brakes, and suspension.

Have you all thought of just buying a cheaper car to track, even if you don't completely end up making it a spec car? It looks like I can get a track worthy Miata for about $10k and then not worry about the wear on my m3.

Open to thoughts and discussion.

I'm actually an instructor at Monticello lol. I have an e92 M3, which I had the pleasure of abusing around there (more like drifting). The BMW was a blast but I still find myself having more fun with my spec miata. You can find a 90s spec miata for under $10k now. I think it's worth the investment and not have to worry about spending a ton of money. Spec miatas are also pretty built proof, so that $10k will go a long way. Good luck with the find, I think it's the right move.

[Mmn710]

[nmehta211]

Awesome! The m3 is definitely fun but the Miata doesn't make me feel guilty for beating the hell out of it.

Any recommendations on where to find one? How does one go about making sure the car is well sorted considering it's seen lots of track time

[surlynkid]

My wife went the SM route. It makes you a massively better driver. If you join NASA and run TT instead of really racing it, Mazda has an awesome support system for their drivers with killer prices on parts. As said, consumable are super cheap. Search on on racingjunk or mazdaracers website for a car. The 1999 is the one that seems most popular but most $$. SCCA and NASA are trying to do things to get some parity between 1.6, 94-97 1.8 and the 99. Don't be fooled by lack of power. My wife runs down corvettes and Porsches and every other fast car in a 1.6 car. It is all you though. No ABS, no nannies, no power steering, no HP but just a big go kart.

[Richbot]

Best way to tell if an SM or any used racecar is sorted is recent results. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. Beware a car with frequent dnfs or one that hasn't competed in years

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by surlynkid

My wife went the SM route. It makes you a massively better driver. If you join NASA and run TT instead of really racing it, Mazda has an awesome support system for their drivers with killer prices on parts. As said, consumable are super cheap. Search on on racingjunk or mazdaracers website for a car. The 1999 is the one that seems most popular but most $$. SCCA and NASA are trying to do things to get some parity between 1.6, 94-97 1.8 and the 99. Don't be fooled by lack of power. My wife runs down corvettes and Porsches and every other fast car in a 1.6 car. It is all you though. No ABS, no nannies, no power steering, no HP but just a big go kart.

Damn I need a wife that can drive!

[roastbeef]

i think i'd enjoy driving the piss out of a miata. however, i really like the scream of the v8 and the pull out of some of the corners. i'm not sure if that same feel is achievable with a miata though

[surlynkid]

Same feeling in those corners because you didn't brake on entry. Corner exit speeds can be very, very close. A big track with big straights clearly favors the HP, but add technical stuff and a SM shows up in your mirrors.

[okusa]

I'm very dubious. All the ones I experience on track are in my way.

[surlynkid]

Originally Posted by okusa

I'm very dubious. All the ones I experience on track are in my way.

Then they are not being driven at the limit by actual racers in well prepped cars. Just because it is a Miata does not mean it is a SM and does not mean it has a custom built race motor and does not mean the driver is a competitive racer. I do notice that TX has one of the strongest, if not the strongest, field of SM drivers in the country. Just look at driver home states from SCCA runoffs and NASA east and west nationals. Many have moved on to other platforms and one just won today's MX5 cup race in Canada.

[1MOREMOD]

Helps to look at lap records at your track for spec miata. Generally pretty slow.

[okusa]

Originally Posted by surlynkid

Then they are not being driven at the limit by actual racers in well prepped cars. Just because it is a Miata does not mean it is a SM and does not mean it has a custom built race motor and does not mean the driver is a competitive racer. I do notice that TX has one of the strongest, if not the strongest, field of SM drivers in the country. Just look at driver home states from SCCA runoffs and NASA east and west nationals. Many have moved on to other platforms and one just won today's MX5 cup race in Canada.

First, you can't compare "racers" to weekend warriors on this forum. Second, nobody on this forum is capable of outrunning a well prepped M3 in a well prepped Miata. Third, it's a silly conversation since we are talking about 2 vastly different cars that were never intended to be discussed in the same conversation. The M3 is vastly superior in every single way.