If you got cash to burn, that's cool, but you don't need near $30K to build a road course/autocross car - especially for your first one. No matter what you get you're going to end up wanting to make changes and mods and possibly even get a totally different car once you get into it. Last month I was at an AutoX with a guy who had a killer turbo Shelby Dodge Omni GLH. I'm in the process of building a low-buck '84 GTI. Sure it won't make loads of hp and be the fastest car at the track, but I'll have a load of fun for under $4,000 and the car will be cheap and easy to maintain. I'm sure I'll upgrade to something else once my skills improve and I have the cash., but for the time being the VW will be fun.

If a track only car is attractive to you, check out the classifieds in Grassroots Motorsports magazine or something like it and you'll find a slew of sorted out track ready road course cars with spares for under $10K.

Just my .02 cents...

$30k to spend???

1995 E36 BMW M3 can be had for around $15k or so. Throw in another $5k or so to get some good PERFORMANCE mods (see my website for a list of examples).

The E36 M3 has proven itself to be a very good track and auto-x car, not to mention one great daily driver. I won't go into all of the literature about it, but just trust me on this. The nice things about the performance mods done to my car is that they will work equally as well for both a track car or an auto-x car. It is just a matter of tweaking a few components.

You can add a blower, which would be much more track friendly, for another $5k (blowers have really helped the performance of this car at the National auto-x level). A blower is about the only thing really left for me to add to my car for any significant performance improvement.

Oh, if you didn't figure it out already, I drive a 95 M3 as both my daily driver and auto-x car :) .

No matter what car you get remember one thing: The best performance mod is improving the "nut behind the wheel." Go to as many schools/events (auto-x or track) and get as much "seat time" as you can. Although my car is definately faster than stock with everything I have done to it, I am a faster driver because of the schools and seat time, and I can still get better :D .

fc, NA s13 (dohc + MOD MOD MOD = fun car), and miata all sound like good choices

b13 se-r would be DOPE too, but they're kinda hard to find..

If you are new to autox and road racing, then my suggestion would be a Miata. Right out of the box, they are almost lethal in an autox, not much does as well or better. I've driven lots of cars, the Miata and Mini Cooper S are they most fun, nimble, go cart like cars onthe road for resonable $$$. If you want to do actually high speed road racing, I would suggest an Integra Type R, Mustang Cobra(with appropriate mods), or teh FC RX-7.

Sweet, thanks for the suggestions! Man if I had the cash now instead of after cruise I would be oh so tempted to pick up that M3!

racerns I wish I could go to that event but I deploy very soon so maybe next year I'll be able to start. Belive it or not I was thinking about a pony car but the insurance is a bit high for a guy under 25.

That 84 gti will be mad nice with a 1.8t or a g60! Well for now I"m giving the mk1 mr2, fc, or s13 serious thought, I was thinking about the sentra also but I read that the rwd format of the s13 has more potential, but you can't be that insurance = more money for mods and track time. Keep the suggestions comming nothing but good info so far.

Lates.

ae86

I take it you will be taking advantage of a tax free re-enlistment bonus on your deployment ;) .