[s-cars] comments appreciated

Wed Aug 29 18:54:49 PDT 2012

I agree but you're not buying a 2 nd gen or later Viper for $20k range and
a 1st gen with side curtains is a bit too crude.
On Aug 29, 2012 7:40 PM, "Jerry Scott" <jerryscott at wispertel.net> wrote:

> Lee
>
> I just sold a 97 GTS Viper which had a few road course track miles.  I can
> say that I was never passed by another street legal car while I was on the
> track.  Occasionally I would get passed by a dedicated track car with 900
> hp, but the Viper ruled king for many years as the fastest street legal
> car.
> With no traction control and no ABS, the car was a handful to drive, but
> had
> great handling and acceleration.  If you can find a fixer-upper for a track
> car, you will experience one of the best muscle cars ever built.
>
> Jerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Taka Mizutani
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 4:19 PM
> To: lee at wheelman.com
> Cc: S-car List
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] comments appreciated
>
> Lee-
> I guess you don't want a BMW, huh? :-)
>
> 968s have already hit bottom and are going up- they didn't sell well new
> and
> thus are getting very hard to find, especially in good condition without
> 150k+ miles. The short belt service interval makes them undesirable IME. I
> think you're far better off with a 986 Boxster, especially since you can
> find a 50-70k miles Boxster S for the same money as a nice 968 ($15-17k). I
> won't belabor the IMS issue since you know about it. Also, the glass hatch
> of the 968 is huge $$$ to replace if it is ever broken.
>
> Early 996s are the 3.4L cars, '99-01 for the US market- the '02 is the
> later
> 3.6L car with the exterior facelift. The interior facelift was in '01.
> Again, you can't buy a nice 3.6L 996 for $20k. What is your ultimate
> budget,
> how much cargo space do you really need in a "fun" car?
>
> For autox, the NC Miata is your best bet- getting a Touring with the LSD is
> the way to go and you'll have a competitive C Stock car. The Boxster and
> Boxster S (986 chassis) are probably your next best bets, with albeit
> higher
> running costs. A 996 is not going to be a good choice for autox, nor the
> 968, unless you're talking about Street Prepared (possibly, I'm not sure).
> For track use, any of these cars are fine- just need a rollbar extender for
> the 986.
>
> Are you open to other alternatives? You didn't mention the big giant killer
> of a car- C5 Corvette. Buy one for $15-20k (coupe or FRC, not a Z06), great
> A stock autox car, great track car, low running costs, lots of cargo space,
> lots of power, will smoke a 986 or 996 without a problem. You can't say
> that
> you're driving a snobby German car, but realistically, no one is going to
> be
> impressed by a $15-25k Boxster or 996, either. The weaknesses of the
> C5 are very well known and not substantial (some cars have issues with
> EBCM,
> need upgraded wheel bearings and radiator for heavy track use, need brake
> ducts and hoses for heavy track use, remove the electric column lock if
> it's
> still there, replace seats for heavy track use). Until you're running
> slicks
> and aero, you won't need a dry sump unless you're running tracks that have
> very long left handers and you're pushing maximum lateral g because you're
> just *that good*.
>
> Why not a 2-seater? A 996 isn't going to carry anyone in the back besides
> small children.
>
> For all practical purposes, you've outlined an E46 M3, like it or not.
>
> Taka
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 2:39 PM, Lee Levitt <lee at wheelman.com> wrote:
>
> > Folks,
> >
> > 5 years ago I asked this group for recommendations on a "play" car --
> > summer driver and autocross/track day car.
> >
> > Pretty much everyone responded with an "M" car recommendation.
> >
> > So I picked up an '01 A4 quattro avant, 1.8t. Had a *lot* of fun with
> > it over the past five years.
> >
> > Looks like my son will be moving out of his '97 A6 and into this '01
> > A4 sometime soon...which leaves me without a summer play car...
> >
> > I'm back for more recommendations, and given my track record, I'm not
> > going to listen again (particularly if the answer is "M" car). :)
> >
> > Here's the question...same criteria as before...still not interested
> > in an "M" car. Thinking about a Porsche 968 or perhaps an early 996 C2.
> >
> > 968s are relatively inexpensive to purchase (~$10K) and reasonably
> > competitive in autocross. I believe they've already hit the bottom of
> > their depreciation curve. Older car, starting to age slightly, not yet
> > difficult to keep on the road...
> >
> > Early (2002) 996s are inexpensive to purchase ($20K+) and also
> > reasonably competitive, in their classes. Newer car, more to break,
> > potentially more expensive when it breaks. I know about the IMS and
> > RMS problems, would look for a car with upgraded seals...
> >
> > Again, primary use will be daily driver in the summer. 968 would
> > probably see some increasing (and shared) use as an autocross/track
> > car by several people (me, son, daughter, friend with 997TT, his
> > sons), and eventually replaced as DD by later 996 or 997. If I went
> > the 996 route, we would eventually add a 944 or 968 as shared
> autocross/track car.
> >
> > Virtually no seat time in either yet, working on that now. I've spent
> > a lot of time on Rennlist, know (intellectually) the basics, but have
> > no day to day experience with either of these cars...
> >
> > Boxster would be an obvious, but non-viable alternative...not really
> > interested in pure two seat convertible...Winter car remains '99 A6
> wagon.
> >
> > I know some of you have P-car afflictions in addition to our shared
> > Audi affliction.
> >
> > Comments appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Lee
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