Thought experiment: Which would be a fun daily driver and HPDE car
04-30-2008, 02:12 PM
#1
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Thought experiment: Which would be a fun daily driver and HPDE car
I'm not really market for a new car but I might be within the year. I was tossing around the idea of a Mazdaspeed 3, Civic Si, GTI or a WRX.
The only real concern that I'd have is whether or not I'd like FWD on the track since I've never driven anything other than my A4 on a track. Is it as un-fun as everyone makes it out to be?
At the moment I think I'm leaning towards the WRX but they're the most costly of the bunch and the new ones are pretty ugly IMO. I guess the other option would be to buy one of those used and grab an older Miata but I don't know if I would want to deal with two cars again
Any comments?
The only real concern that I'd have is whether or not I'd like FWD on the track since I've never driven anything other than my A4 on a track. Is it as un-fun as everyone makes it out to be?
At the moment I think I'm leaning towards the WRX but they're the most costly of the bunch and the new ones are pretty ugly IMO. I guess the other option would be to buy one of those used and grab an older Miata but I don't know if I would want to deal with two cars again
Any comments?
04-30-2008, 06:36 PM
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I bought a beat'd up 1st gen Miata originally as a track car...
...that I could drive to/from the track with. It has since become my daily b/c it's so much fun to drive, esp w/ the top down! ... and it sips gas (25 mpg lead footed street, 29 mpg hwy, 16 mpg full throttle on the track). I'll take my B6A4 out when I want a luxury ride for a long trip or a date... but now I'll be selling her (Audi) due to my relocating to a much more expensive area of the country where I can't afford parking 3 vehicles.
05-01-2008, 07:29 AM
#3
I don't think a good FWD car feels much worse then an AWD car. I vote Mazda or Honda.
The Honda has better aftermarket support, but as a daily driver, the Mazda 3 is more unique.
In a lower powered car, the "feel" of FWD should not be much different from RWD. It's possible to make a FWD car "neutral" on track despite the weight imbalance.
That said, I stopped tracking my daily driver and picked up a RWD car.
In a lower powered car, the "feel" of FWD should not be much different from RWD. It's possible to make a FWD car "neutral" on track despite the weight imbalance.
That said, I stopped tracking my daily driver and picked up a RWD car.
05-01-2008, 07:46 AM
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LSD in FWD makes a huge difference.
I was really impressed by the previous generation Nissan Sentra SER specV, which has a factory LSD, and I'm pretty sure that was what made the difference.
Rolling on throttle in understeer conditions would rotate the car... very useful.
Rolling on throttle in understeer conditions would rotate the car... very useful.
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05-01-2008, 12:37 PM
#10
That's exactly my point. Trailing throttle oversteer is all you get w/ a low powered RWD car too.
So unless you want to do power slides, it's not critical where the power comes from.
The only tangible difference might be powering out of a turn where a FWD might plow b/c the tires up front are being asked to turn and apply power and there is rearward weight transfer. Easier to exceed the friction circle.
The only tangible difference might be powering out of a turn where a FWD might plow b/c the tires up front are being asked to turn and apply power and there is rearward weight transfer. Easier to exceed the friction circle.