Right car for learning to drive fast

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

I'd do a 325, honestly. A 325 would carry you all the way to wheel to wheel racing if you want to go there. E36 318s are, well, something that you can't really grow with. The M42 is a completely different beast in an E30.

[agreatham]

Good to know about the M42 in an E36 being different from it being in an E30, people just ask too damn much for E30s. I'll look for an E36 325. Thanks again, Nick! By the way, every time I see one of your posts I get the strange impulse to go out and buy hood pins ...

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Well, hood pins were the issue, Mike. The stock BMW latch is great.

I think you'll find the title of the video pretty self-explanatory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNYFTkqgfRQ

[SamB325es]

PM sent

[agreatham]

For an E36 325 that I could take to wheel to wheel racing, should I get something that I can customize myself for say, spec e36, or am I better off buying one that's already been modified like this? If I'm customizing it myself, I would imagine I'd want a 1992-1995 325i coupe w/o sunroof.

I've read that you only recoup about 50% of the cost of any modifications you put into a car, so I guess it would be cheaper to get something that someone else has already modified.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

First off, forget about finding a slicktop E36. They are unbelievably rare.

At $12.5k, that's pretty damned high. If that car were 6-8, I'd say jump on it - there's nothing that's been done that can't be reversed as needed. Mind you, the seller's inability to describe what he's done to the car in the ad is puzzling. It may have to do with the fact that he hasn't done all that much.

...and you can only recoup 50% of the cost of modifications if you DIY them. Forget about labor. AND you only get that generally if you take them off the car and sell separately.

IMHO, you want to start with a well maintained stockish car. You actually don't want a car that's too well set up as it will cover up mistakes too easily.

[agreatham]

Thanks again for the tips. Let me buy you lunch one of these days, I work in Bethesda.

[agreatham]

Still no luck finding a well-maintained stock E36 325 but the search continues ...

[agreatham]

On the way home from AX last Saturday and after signing the death warrant for my 98 Jeep ZJ at Fair Oaks AutoPark, I took a 2010 Mazda MX-5 (Miata NC) for a test drive. The sales staff were swamped so they let me drive by myself for 30 minutes. Big mistake for the dealership. I found an office park two blocks down the road with a nice big empty parking lot and recreated some of my best moments from my 2010 autocross season. After a couple of minutes re-familiarizing myself with the concept of a clutch pedal, I did a few slaloms, a lot of showcase turns, and a couple of Scandinavian flicks. The car was glued to the road. Glued. This is what you get when you remove the luxury from a luxury sports car. I know it's heresy saying this here but if you haven't tried driving a Miata, any Miata (I'm told all years drive the same), you should try it. But pick a time when sales staff are busy.

[Car54]

Anders's might still be selling his 318is. I hear it's back in N. VA now. It's decent quick without a ton of go fast mods. Good part is that it is already fitted with rollbar/seats/harness.

[agreatham]

Update: this project on hold since the water pump failed and claimed the head gasket on my daily driver / grocery getter / canine transport 98 Jeep ZJ. Dumped the Jeep, need a replacement.