MX5 SE in Turbo class for motorsport

[zoomerang]

I'm interested in purchasing an MX-5 SE (Stock turbo with minimal boost), however after doing some research I've realized in doing so I'd be placed in the Turbo category for any sprints or races I attended.

My primary motivation for the turbo is increased driveability on the road for weekend drives, but I am still buying it primarily as a track car (I already have a DD). Given that it's only getting a 7psi boost, and I'm not planning on modifying it for the foreseeable future, am I shooting myself in the foot by putting myself in a class with other much more highly tuned turbos?

(n.b. Currently a track virgin, and this would be my first track car)

[Hjt]

you will be fine, you're just beginning anyways. You would be running with slower cars until you improved anyways so the pressure to perform would not be on you.

[JBT]

Regardless of which class/category you go in, be that forced induction or otherwise, there will always be someone with more talent and/or more $$$$ to spend than you.

Just be in it and enjoy the car free from speed limits and other buffoons on the road.

[mazmad]

Off topic... are there any AASA races for mx5s in QLD?

With regards to the class question - reality is when you are out on the track classes don't matter, everybody just wants to beat the guy/gal in front of them, regardless of what class they are in. Has no impact on the fun quotient. Only becomes an issue when the trophies are being allocated.

[OurCognitiveSurplus]

For hillclimbs having the SE will certainly put you up a class. At the Canberra hillclimb there's a fun competition between a number of MX5s in the 1600-2000cc class. An SE would be running against of bunch of BMWs and Audis in the larger engine size class.

[MINX]

If your budget is ok with it, the SE would be fine stock, as a weekend car and to start doing Sprint days with the MX5 Club.
The vehicle category you will be in is really not important.
Lets be realistic, we are competing for a $30 trophy, not a Red Bull drive in F1.
Yes, you will be in the Turbo/Supercharged category, which includes some quite high powered modified street cars, but as far as grouping on the day, you will be matched with similar speed 'drivers' according to your experience and progressive lap times.

Even if you get an NA or NB or NC, if it has any modifications from factory stock, you will be in Modified class, up against a variety of cars from basically standard, to very well sorted cars, still street registered but with lots of dough and experienced drivers.
Unless you want to spend plenty of money on setup, and even more on track seat time and coaching, then just buy the car you like, and come along for kicks. You can usually find another driver with similar times to yours, to have a friendly rivalry with.

Comments relate to Qld MX5 Club Sprint comp.

[MattR]

Off topic... are there any AASA races for mx5s in QLD?

With regards to the class question - reality is when you are out on the track classes don't matter, everybody just wants to beat the guy/gal in front of them, regardless of what class they are in. Has no impact on the fun quotient. Only becomes an issue when the trophies are being allocated.

Yep, prodsports. PSCRAQ run their championship rounds at lakeside and QR as well as Morgan Park, for thiose with CAMS licences and log books.

Jump on the webpage to have a look, http://pscraq.com.au/.

[mazmad]

Thanks Matt, I was aware of the prod sports series. There are no AASA options in QLD?

[Guran]

You're just starting out in motorsport and buying the MX-5 primarily as a track car, so my recommendation would be to start with a cheap stock NA6 and then learn how to drive the nuts off it at sprint events. Top speed will be lower, which means less wear & tear (tyres, brakes, etc) and less fuel, so you keep your costs down and can pour those funds into track entry fees instead. However, corner speed - which is what an MX-5 is all about - will be very high and you won't be missing anything at all. It's what I've been doing for the last four years and I'm still having a ball with it. To give you a guide for budgeting purposes, I do about 16-18 track days per year and my net cost for absolutely everything (track fees, fuel, tyres, DIY maintenance, rego, insurance, etc) is around $9000pa ($350 per fortnight). Obviously you can reduce those costs by doing fewer track days.

[zoomerang]

You're just starting out in motorsport and buying the MX-5 primarily as a track car, so my recommendation would be to start with a cheap stock NA6 and then learn how to drive the nuts off it at sprint events. Top speed will be lower, which means less wear & tear (tyres, brakes, etc) and less fuel, so you keep your costs down and can pour those funds into track entry fees instead. However, corner speed - which is what an MX-5 is all about - will be very high and you won't be missing anything at all. It's what I've been doing for the last four years and I'm still having a ball with it. To give you a guide for budgeting purposes, I do about 16-18 track days per year and my net cost for absolutely everything (track fees, fuel, tyres, DIY maintenance, rego, insurance, etc) is around $9000pa ($350 per fortnight). Obviously you can reduce those costs by doing fewer track days.

Ouch, that really does add up!

How much of a difference in tyre/brake/etc wear would I expect between the two? Is an SE going to chew through them considerably faster?

[Hjt]

Yes. LOTS more. Brake pads, tyres & fuel consumption are greatly increased.

[zoomerang]

Yes. LOTS more. Brake pads, tyres & fuel consumption are greatly increased.

Is that just compared to an NA6, or an aspirated NB as well? The SE doesn't appear to have that much more power than a regular NB?

[NitroDann]

So why bother with an SE?

We both know the answer is because after 3 months of ownership yours would have 50% more power than factory.

/thread

Dann

[Luke]

Well, wear and tear parts for an SE will cost more than an NA due to power = $.
Bigger tyres = more dollars. Plus they will wear quicker.
Brakes get eaten up at a much higher rate, plus cost more to replace.
They drink much more fuel on the track. Plus 98 Octane would be highly recommended, although the manual says 95. Pretty sure you can run an NA on 95 standard for track work.
Insurance costs more.
Entry fee's don't change though. I find that to be a major cost once you start adding things up. Thinking about it, $2000 to $3000 a year depending on what I enter.

But you know what, I have one, and I am happy to pay the extra dollars for extra thrills.
Mine only has a few mods to make it more useable, and yes you do get beaten by other competition. M3's, 350Z’s, Lotus Exige’s, EVO's, Commodores, Falcons, etc. Guess what, they cost heaps more to run. I'm currently 3rd in Class 2C for the NSW Supersprints as an example, so you can still be relatively competitive.

You just got to be smart about your spending.
Example when I started out I used cheaper S-Spec tyres at first.
First a set of Achilles 123S for the factory rims, were a good tyre to learn and slide on.
Then I got a set of Kumho KU36's in 215/45/16 with 16x7 rims later for $1000.
I have bought a used set of used Toyo R888’s in 225/45/16 to try them before paying full price for a new set. Definitely worth the extra grip and you can squeeze them on the 7 inch rim.
Plus I try to wring everything out of the car before even considering a change to it let alone paying for stuff.


If you really are worried about Class Competiveness, still want go quick and want to keep it relatively cheap, I would highly consider an NC MX-5.
Standard, I dare say they are quicker than an SE stock based on my experience driving them. Anyone got a standard SE with KU36’s I could borrow to confirm this.

To sum it up, the faster you want to go, the more it is going to cost.
Imagine an exponential curve, you gotta spend more and more dollars, to achieve less and less time reduction.

[zoomerang]

So why bother with an SE?

We both know the answer is because after 3 months of ownership yours would have 50% more power than factory.

/thread

Dann

Potentially - although the primary reason is a good deal has come across my lap, and I can pick up an SE about $13k, Given the upgrades (Brakes, Tyres, LSD), it's hard to pass up considering a regular NB of that era is only slightly cheaper. (Based on carsales.com.au for Brisbane. Some better deals if I travel).

Perhaps I'm better waiting for a cheaper Aspirated model to come into the market, especially if it's going to save me a fair chunk of cash in running costs (And be better for a beginner).