am off to the nurburgring at the end of july with a group of mates and was wondering if any of you have any suggestions of what car to take. can't cost any more than £1250 and has to be rwd. locost won't be finished in time so have to buy something to thrash!
ideas so far are:-
- BMW 325 E30
- Vauxhall Carlton gsi
- Toyota MR2 mk2 (possible but will be a shitter for the money)

can't think of any thing else worth taking and don't suggest a capri - i hate them!

old golf gti but i'm not sure how much they go for

maybe a xr4i, either turbo technics or nitrous?! should be under the budget, and hopefully quite fast.

You'd pick up a MKII Golf GTi in v. good condition for £1250, but it's fwd. You'd even get a 16v for that if you could find one. That would be my choice. You could do a Clarkson and get an old Porsche.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9837&item=4536573618&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9860&item=4535528461&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29758&item=4536546901&rd=1

Good call on the XR4I. My cousin picked one up for £400 a few months ago and it has outdragged everything/everyone he's had a blast with. They're rapid chaps.

If it's your first time, a fwd will let you play around with relative safety! You'll probably have more fun in something nimble that handles well like a pug or golf GTi than a big old barge with rwd its only redeeming feature.

I drove round in a fiat coupe turbo and the fact it was very easy to drive let me concentrate on the track (and the constant stream of 911s and bikes overtaking me). But the 325 ought to be fun.

Oh... wanna buy a rover 800 turbo? 200 ponies, comfy recaros, a grand.

Liam

Also been round in a MK1 MR2, which did very well. Loads better than a lardy MK2.

no thanx for the rover!

it will be my first time round the ring and i can't wait. beats going to ibiza or shagaloof for a lads holiday.

5 lads, 5 cars, german beer and 13 miles of tarmac heaven!

the e30 325 beemer is winning still

I have had a 325 SE and done the ring in it ..... All I can say is Eibach bars all round, Konis, Eibach springs and GOOD tyres.

Alternative will be a stout wooden box!

The E30 is a great road car but not great for the track in standard trim (M3 excepted)

If I had my first run again I would take the same car as I did on my first run .. a Mk2 VW Scirocco .... all the joy of the Mk1 Golf Chassis but the comfort of the Mk2 for the journey there and back and looks that still make me weak of knee .... Still have 3 of them, just can't let them go....

[Edited on 21/3/05 by RogerM]

I'd be a tad wary of thrashing an el cheapo car around the 'ring. You'd at least want tip top tyres and brakes, preferably perfect suspension bushes/geometry and for it to be mechanically sound and not leaking anything.

I take it you've read Ben Lovejoy's site? If not http://www.nurburgring.org/ is the address.

Please don't kill yourself

I want to go at some point too, although I want to get some track days under my belt first. I expect to pretty much pootle on my first visit.

id pick a turbo 740 , cos reallly , if you do have an off , youll be alive , theyre still fast enough to give you a few suprises .

excellent brakes aswell , just gotta sort the handling .

you can pick a 740 turbo anywhere from £100 .

I used to have a 460 turbo... dropped the suspension and it handled very very well! Considering it had the renault 1.7 turbo in it, it was also quite reliable... honestly it went like stink!!! Quite rare but shouldn't be too expensive!

Click

And go to the very bottom car!!

Christ in a bike that's only 7 miles from me! I might just have it
You can get decent turbos for under a grand actually, performance bargain if ever there was one.