Which car for the track

[trs45]

Hello everybody. I've been a CSL owner for 6 years. I bought it used with only 3000 miles on the clock back in late 2004. And now it has done 12000 miles. This car to me is very precious and very well looked after. I've tracked it a few times when I first bought but since then I haven't. My dilemma now is that I have the urge to go to more track days but I really want to keep my CSL in perfect condition. I know its meant to be driven and was made for the track but it's the car I'd like to pass on to my son sort of a heirloom ( I know I might be coming across as crazy now). I have quite a few cars a GTR a e92 M3 (for daily use) and a x6m for long distances. Anyway I have had a few e60 M5's and I am considering getting one just purely for track days and wouldn't really care if it was damaged or should I use the CSL the car I've looked after for so long ??

I know theres going to be a lot of split opinions but from my point of view the CSL is like one of my kids and I don't want to see any harm come to it lol.

[glendog74]

Use the CSL - it's what it was designed to do...

Or... buy a second CSL with high miles for around £20k and use that on track instead if yours is too precious to use!

[Yanto]

:thumbs:nice work mate - 12K miler....any pics ?

1. Please wil you adopt me ?
2. Buy a second CSL for the track.

Hope that helps :beer:

[NZ_M3]

Use the E92 M3 for track days.

I am finding myself using it more and more for track days now (mine's also a daily hack). And to be honestly it's only a little bit slower in stock form, but shit loads more comfortable in the drive to and from the track and probably during it also :hahaha::hahaha: (aircon on, TV on, ect ect ... heck you can even answer a call on the bluetooth if you get one doing 150 miles per hour down a back straight :supz::supz:)

And should you get overtaken by a CSL owner it's not so bad, because in the back of your mind you'll always be thinking, "yeah I've got one of those too buddy :birdman:)

[_Nathan_]

Supercharged Honda k20 Exige.

[shimmy]

I have got Bealos CSL for sale with AP, Milltek, 4.10 diff, BMW warranty and KW V3 all fitted if you want it for track use - leave wrap on as well so you don't get in the wrong one.:thumbs:

[AlexGTT]

Track the CSL. It's what it's made for.

E9X M3 is a fine road car but I find mine too heavy for fun on track. Strickly a road car for me.

If you really don't want to use the CSL, as suggested, buy another one or get a more dedicated trackday car. Certainly not an M5!;)

[Trawler]

Buy a 2nd csl or an atom

[Bounce]

As above,i would buy another CSL.Dont bother with the M5.:thumbs::thumbs:

[mattCSLnut]

I have got Bealos CSL for sale with AP, Milltek, 4.10 diff, BMW warranty and KW V3 all fitted if you want it for track use - leave wrap on as well so you don't get in the wrong one.:thumbs:

What Shimmy said :thumbs: Bealos CSL is perfect for more Track Work :whistle:
Don't bother with the M5 it's like a Panzer Tank on Track ;) :hahaha:

[shane@mbtech]

M5 too big/heavy for serious track work

If you have that much dough to have the cars you have, buy a RR, fit a tow bar. Buy a trailer, then get a very track focused car built. :thumbs:

Thats what I would do if I was a £ behind you:smokin:

[Bounce]

M5 too big/heavy for serious track work

If you have that much dough to have the cars you have, buy a RR, fit a tow bar. Buy a trailer, then get a very track focused car built. :thumbs:

Thats what I would do if I was a £ behind you:smokin::hahaha::hahaha::thumbs:

[nuttynat]

Out on a limb on here but if you want what I would say is one of the best track cars (as long as you get a trailer) I would buy a caterham R300 or R400 (I prefer K-Series engine more of a race engine in R400).
It will not loose money, easy to get fixed and if you do have an off is cheap to repair and also has the benefit of low running costs as things like breaks etc don't wear much due to weight.
Plus it will be the fastest car on track and walk all over CSL's, Porkers etc subject to the driver :hahaha:

I will get back in my box now and work on my CSL purchase :whistle:

[DuncanR]

the CSL is like one of my kids and I don't want to see any harm come to it lol. Even kids need a good spanking now and again !!!:hahaha: ... you already know the answer to your question !! ...:smokin:

Swap the badges over ..make you feel better !!

[trs45]

Thanks everybody for your replies. I'm away on business at the moment but will post pics as soon as i return home which isn't for another 3 weeks yet so if I forget don't be angry I've not seen the family in 1 and half months. I was first thinking about getting another CSL but after owning 4 e60 M5's I absolutely love it and find the urge to buy another but won't have any other use. I have 4 sets of different rims for the with tyres for the M5 in the garage lol. I was thinking about stripping it out nothing to major backseats and door trim (but want to be able to put it all back in).

What about a M6 as a track day also had one of them not really a fan of the styling but its got the v10. I know when I get back to England I'll be driving home in a new car just not yet sure which one. And the eisenmann race exhaust on the M5 is just a orchestra.

[sailorbaz]

If you have that much dough to have the cars you have, buy a RR, fit a tow bar. Buy a trailer, then get a very track focused car built. :thumbs:


Steve Gill used to tow his CSL with his X6 so no need for a RR as he's already got an X6M :thumbs:


And should you get overtaken by a CSL owner it's not so bad, because in the back of your mind you'll always be thinking, "yeah I've got one of those too buddy :birdman:)

Would LOVE to be able to say something like but I've NEVER been overtaken by a CSL when not in my CSL, very rarely see a CSL on the open road. (Could I say CSL any more times in that last sentence?)

Get away from the idea of V10's for track use, despite their fantastic lightweight engineering, they're just too heavy. Go light such as has been mentioned, Caterham, Atom, Radical etc etc.

Good luck in whatever you decided and keep us updated. :thumbs:

[trs45]

The thing is I'm not into radicals and caterhams. They are very fast but I just don't know I'd rather have a car than some scaffolding (no offence to anyone who owns one). I'm now thinking of getting another CSL as recommended and supercharging it. What about that ??

[Yanto]

Gt3 / rs or buy a caymen s, strip it out and create your own rs version ?

[Yanto]

Or MX5 ?:hahaha:

[trs45]

Gt3 / rs or buy a caymen s, strip it out and create your own rs version ?

Thats not a bad idea. I never even thought about that. But you've got to understand that the cars only going to be used once a month. But from what I've heard it can be driven day to day if wanted. I think I'm going to look at a GT2 first then a GT3. Can someone here think of a good excuse for the wife lol.
Apart from the CSL i've not kept a car longer than 6 months !!

(Is it really justifiable spending around 70-100k for a car thats going to get driven a few times a month)

I'm really confused :sad:. There's too many options

[trs45]

Or MX5 ?:hahaha:

Lol not my cup of tea. I'd feel like I was in a coffin in one of them lol

[AlexGTT]

Thats not a bad idea. I never even thought about that. But you've got to understand that the cars only going to be used once a month. But from what I've heard it can be driven day to day if wanted. I think I'm going to look at a GT2 first then a GT3. Can someone here think of a good excuse for the wife lol.
Apart from the CSL i've not kept a car longer than 6 months !!

(Is it really justifiable spending around 70-100k for a car thats going to get driven a few times a month)

I'm really confused :sad:. There's too many options

I would buy a 997 GT3 Gen 1. Clubsport pack. That'll do all your after from what you've told us and you can pick them up for £60k and slightly under now.:thumbs:

[shimmy]

I would buy a 997 GT3 Gen 1. Clubsport pack. That'll do all your after from what you've told us and you can pick them up for £60k and slightly under now.:thumbs:

For occasional track use I'd buy and Ascari A10:thumbs:

[AlexGTT]

For occasional track use I'd buy and Ascari A10:thumbs:

We could go halves if you like Shim. Think we can blag a test day out of Ant?:whistle:;)

Wow! Think of the commission if we could punt that one out the door for him. Trs45, come on down.

[trs45]

We could go halves if you like Shim. Think we can blag a test day out of Ant?:whistle:;)

Wow! Think of the commission if we could punt that one out the door for him. Trs45, come on down.

Come down to where lol. A Ascari that sounds perfect lol. If only I could afford that. I think we should go three's. We should have a group buy well group pay for all the forum members to buy one Ascari lol

[titan]

I can answer your question :hahaha: or at least get a disagreement lol.

For rewarding trackwork that doesn't cost $$$$ you need something light, ideally not modified in the engine department and something you can afford to damage or at worst write off.

I've done trackdays in:

Road-spec standard Imprezas - too lardy and wallowey

*Highly* modified evo - too unreliable, too much $$$$ when things break or you have an off. However on big tracks you can pass GT3s...

E60 M5 - faaaar too heavy. Unless you have shares in michelin or can afford to stand at the side of the road giving every passer by a £20 note, forget it. Its a grand tourer, not a track car. I did a set of fronts in half a day.

Std M3 - OK, but like the road spec imprezas, too lardy and wallowey. Needs brakes, suspension basically needs turning into a CSL.

Atom - great experience but ultimately perhaps too dedicated. Not great in the rain :D

MX5 - FANTASTIC if you can get past being called a hairdresser and being overtaken on flats/hills. Superb car to learn RWD in and worth a packet of crisps.

306-GTi-6 - Great, but ultimately limited by FWD.

Megane R26.R - Greater, but ultimately limited by FWD. Possibly the fastest car you can use on track with a large degree of safety/ease.

CSL - er, hello ding ding we have a winner. Like an MX5 on steroids. Provided you could face seeing it damaged or written off and it sounds like you can't. So......

Had I not bought a GT2RS I would have bought a GT3RS. Enough of them around to replace it should you need to (or ask the insurers to!) plus don't modify it, don't make it "yours" and the next off the shelf one will be as good, no emotional attachment.

So there you have it. Sounds like you have a few quid so doubt you'll be interested in french clutter or hairdressers cars. I believe someone already made the recommendation about a GT3 Cup or similar - thats what I'd go for if a newish GT3RS is too much dollar.

[trs45]

I can answer your question :hahaha: or at least get a disagreement lol.

For rewarding trackwork that doesn't cost $$$$ you need something light, ideally not modified in the engine department and something you can afford to damage or at worst write off.

I've done trackdays in:

Road-spec standard Imprezas - too lardy and wallowey

*Highly* modified evo - too unreliable, too much $$$$ when things break or you have an off. However on big tracks you can pass GT3s...

E60 M5 - faaaar too heavy. Unless you have shares in michelin or can afford to stand at the side of the road giving every passer by a £20 note, forget it. Its a grand tourer, not a track car. I did a set of fronts in half a day.

Std M3 - OK, but like the road spec imprezas, too lardy and wallowey. Needs brakes, suspension basically needs turning into a CSL.

Atom - great experience but ultimately perhaps too dedicated. Not great in the rain :D

MX5 - FANTASTIC if you can get past being called a hairdresser and being overtaken on flats/hills. Superb car to learn RWD in and worth a packet of crisps.

306-GTi-6 - Great, but ultimately limited by FWD.

Megane R26.R - Greater, but ultimately limited by FWD. Possibly the fastest car you can use on track with a large degree of safety/ease.

CSL - er, hello ding ding we have a winner. Like an MX5 on steroids. Provided you could face seeing it damaged or written off and it sounds like you can't. So......

Had I not bought a GT2RS I would have bought a GT3RS. Enough of them around to replace it should you need to (or ask the insurers to!) plus don't modify it, don't make it "yours" and the next off the shelf one will be as good, no emotional attachment.

So there you have it. Sounds like you have a few quid so doubt you'll be interested in french clutter or hairdressers cars. I believe someone already made the recommendation about a GT3 Cup or similar - thats what I'd go for if a newish GT3RS is too much dollar.

You've got some great ideas. I've been thinking all week not had a chance to reply been so busy at work. Well my decision is either a GT2 or a GT3RS. So I will keep you posted as soon as I've bought one and will get pictures of it with the CSL. But knowing me I'll have changed my mind at the end of the week

[titan]

For what its worth, there's not many people who opt for a GT2 for track work. The biggest complaints seem to be

a) boost/torque coming in mid corner, making it "interesting"
b) not quite the precise throttle response as a N/A GT3
c) reduced RPM range

I can't really shout too loud on that because I bought a GT2RS. However had they not have made that particular RS model in the GT2 category, I would have got the GT3RS. Even so, plenty of journalists/magazines rate the GT3RS over the GT2RS as a pure drivers car.

[DuncanR]

Can someone here think of a good excuse for the wife lol.
Oh go on then .... I will look after her 1 day a month for you then !!!
This thread is no good without pics :hahaha:

[magnust]

...
I'm now thinking of getting another CSL as recommended and supercharging it. What about that ??

Do it! Without a doubt the best choice IMHO (if you don't like scaffolding ;-) The CSL can still be a really reliable car even when supercharged. ESS in Norway for example have now done quite a few. Supercharged CSL is a hoot on the track!!!!!!!! I'd actually even choose it over a Lambo Superleggera I got some track laps in as passenger.

Cars that I've driven on track not all mine though ;-)
M3 E36 3.2, GT3 mk2, M3 E46 supercharged, M3 E46 full race spec VLN, CSL (my current car), CSL supercharged.

[trs45]

Oh go on then .... I will look after her 1 day a month for you then !!!
This thread is no good without pics :hahaha:

Like I've previously said I'm away on business but I will be sure to post pics when I get back. I would ask the wife to email me the pictures but she is useless when it comes to technology

[glendog74]

Like I've previously said I'm away on business but I will be sure to post pics when I get back. I would ask the wife to email me the pictures but she is useless when it comes to technology

I think Duncan was talking about your wife - not the car :hahaha:

(He's a registered sex pest :eeek: )

[Bounce]

I think Duncan was talking about your wife - not the car :hahaha:

(He's a registered sex pest :eeek: ):hahaha::hahaha:

[trs45]

I think Duncan was talking about your wife - not the car :hahaha:

(He's a registered sex pest :eeek: )

Well no pictures of her either lol. And thats seriously changed my opinion of this forum and CSL owners lol

[funtime]

Well no pictures of her either lol. And thats seriously changed my opinion of this forum and CSL owners lol

Good job you've not 'Donated' and become a full member then....that would give you access to the 'men's room' :hahaha:

[glendog74]

Well no pictures of her either lol. And thats seriously changed my opinion of this forum and CSL owners lol

Good job you've not 'Donated' and become a full member then....that would give you access to the 'men's room' :hahaha:

Good job we already banned 'BlackCSLSteve' then... :toimonster: :shock:

[_Nathan_]

Was he really banned?

[glendog74]

Was he really banned?

:smt045

[_Nathan_]

Poor Sandra!

[funtime]

Looking at what goes in the men's room, it must have been pretty savage to get booted off! :hahaha:

[glendog74]

Poor Sandra!

:smt108 :smt042

Looking at what goes in the men's room, it must have been pretty savage to get booted off! :hahaha:

Let me put it this way...
:smt078

[Bealo]

Good job we already banned 'BlackCSLSteve' then... :toimonster: :shock:

Why was he banned for????? tbh Sandra wasn't the best eye candy ever :thumbs:

[_Nathan_]

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/imageBank/cache/j/Jimmy-saville---LP.jpg_e_b531446b815d841fa57ff7ac29559923.jpg

[AlexGTT]

Why was he banned for????? tbh Sandra wasn't the best eye candy ever :thumbs:

Stu, your close to a ban for just saying that!:hahaha:

[northernjim]

Good job we already banned 'BlackCSLSteve' then... :toimonster: :shock:

Was he really banned?

:smt045

I didnt realise this either - thought he'd just gone away quietly like dan does now and again

Poor Sandra!

was he pimping her ride out a little too literally....

:vom:

[AlexGTT]

was he pimping her ride out a little too literally....

:vom:

You would of Jim. :hahaha:;)

[trs45]

I have no idea what you boys are going on about but I will donate now just to know what your talking about lol. I'm very intrigued lol

[AlexGTT]

I have no idea what you boys are going on about but I will donate now just to know what your talking about lol. I'm very intrigued lol

Don't be. It's an episode we'd rather forget!;)

[DuncanR]

Well no pictures of her either lol. And thats seriously changed my opinion of this forum and CSL owners lol Dont listen to them ! I wouldnt be so rude as to ask for pictures of another members wife ! ..we have standards you know :hahaha:.

[DazBlackCSL]

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/imageBank/cache/j/Jimmy-saville---LP.jpg_e_b531446b815d841fa57ff7ac29559923.jpg

That is so un-canny !! :hahaha:

[AlexGTT]

Dont listen to them ! I wouldnt be so rude as to ask for pictures of another members wife ! ..we have standards you know :hahaha:.

No, you'd just take pictures yourself.:whistle::hahaha:

[trs45]

No, you'd just take pictures yourself.:whistle::hahaha:

Is there something I should know about some members. If so I think a thread should be made for people to stay away from on the forum lol for new people joining. That way we're all on the same page lol

[glendog74]

DuncanR - dodgy. :bigcry:

[AlexGTT]

DuncanR - dodgy. :bigcry:

Experienced sex pest.:hahaha:

[trs45]

There is some messed up things going on here lol. Anyone else for the list

[cslgirl]

I also didn't realise he was banned.

I remember those pictures.......what has been seen cannot be unseen........:whistle:

[The Animal]

Id ditch all these expensive gt3 etc ideas if your talking about a dedicated track car stick to a budget and then work backwards. Best bang for buck Id go with an e46 m3 cheapest decent one you can find strip it right out all sound deadening etc get your son do it over a weekend pain in the ass job. Some decent race seats grp bonnet, front, rear bumpers lighten up the bumper carriers. Cage, Ast or KW suspension. KWs will be easier for a novice. H&R roll bars. 4.1 diff, light weight exhaust system. light weight wheels with some track or slick rubber 18s for price and with a good pedaler say by bye to csl's in your mirror. Any mishaps into the kitty litter etc you wont do your nut in.

Also if you spank it then just buy another e46 replace what is busted and transfer whats survived and you wont feel guilty or be in it for serious money.

[Streetwise Hercules]

You do realise this thread is over 4 months old?

Having said that, what happened and where are the pics?