Should I sell the mustang?

ReplicaR · Sep 14, 2009

Lately, I've been thinking about maybe getting rid of the mustang. Here is the situation. As time passes by, it becomes less and less daily compliant. It is not that comfortable anymore, not that great on gas, and has no real future in wheel to wheel competition. It would cost a lot more money to get it to even CMC spec, and I would need a tow vehicle, and a trailer. I don?t have room for either. I?ve been thinking about getting an E30 and starting to build it up for Spec E30 with NASA. It?s one of the cheapest spec races, and because it?s not all that built up, it would be no problem to me to drive it to the events, rather than tow it. Another upside is that I can get a lot of seat time in the right car, and get it just right before I get the competition license.

Seems like every dollar I put into the mustang puts me one step further from that goal. I still like the mustang, and it?s gone a long way from stock to where it is right now, and I don?t really want to get rid of it, because I will probably regret doing so later. So, here is a hard decision. Do I:

1. Sell Mustang for as much as I can. Then get a daily driver, and an E30 that would be a good starting ground for a Spec E30 race vehicle.
2. Or, keep the Mustang, and have fun with it for now. Get the race license first, and then start the Spec E30 build up.

SRT Handz · Sep 14, 2009

i am gonna choose #2....

And Just get a E36 and go at it.... Cheaper to build and if you buy a S52 M you are already there almost....

ReplicaR · Sep 14, 2009

E36 build would be A LOT more to get it even closely competitive in Performance Touring than to build a simple Spec E30 cup car. All Spec E30 needs is a drop in filter, factory LSD, Spec catback, H&R Springs, Bilstein Shocks, sway bars, and all the safety stuff. Everything else is factory stock. The whole car can be built for under 8k, just like Spec Miata. You can't even buy a clean stock E36 M3.

Paul · Sep 14, 2009

You should listen to Handz. His racing experience is unparalleled on this forum.

SRT Handz · Sep 14, 2009

ReplicaR said:
E36 build would be A LOT more to get it even closely competitive in Performance Touring than to build a simple Spec E30 cup car. All Spec E30 needs is a drop in filter, factory LSD, Spec catback, H&R Springs, Bilstein Shocks, sway bars, and all the safety stuff. Everything else is factory stock. The whole car can be built for under 8k, just like Spec Miata. You can't even buy a clean stock E36 M3.

There is a Clean OBDI Dakar yellow M3 on CL in Rancho (IE)

E30's are just way too slow. Yeah you can get away with factory stuff but if you buy a 318 you are gonna be slow and if you buy a 325 you will have a car thats front heavy.

got 20K around for a E30 M?

SRT Handz · Sep 14, 2009

Paul said:
You should listen to Handz. His racing experience is unparalleled on this forum.

SHUSH before we confuse you with chassis numbers you know nothing about

ReplicaR · Sep 14, 2009

SRT Handz said:
There is a Clean OBDI Dakar yellow M3 on CL in Rancho (IE)

E30's are just way too slow. Yeah you can get away with factory stuff but if you buy a 318 you are gonna be slow and if you buy a 325 you will have a car thats front heavy.

got 20K around for a E30 M?

Do you even know what Spec E30 is? It's a spec class designed for low budget vehicles that are all equal, so it's a driver's race more than anything. The only car that can run as of 2009 is a 325i or 325is (verts, coupes and sedans). For more info please see www.spece30.com http://

Javi · Sep 14, 2009

Trade it/sell it for a good realiable,good on gas car.
save your pennies, buy an E30, build it up and have fun.

Paul · Sep 14, 2009

ReplicaR said:
Do you even know what Spec E30 is?

Of course he does. He knows EVERYTHING about racing. Now pipe down before he confuses you with chassis numbers you know nothing about.

GDTrumbo · Sep 14, 2009

Owned! Once again.....

GT

duff daddy · Sep 14, 2009

hahahahha, im not sure what hte e30 or whatever is but if it was me if you like the car keep it. If you like being different and being that guy in the white mustang thats great. just remember no matter what honestly you prob wont make money running the car so if its what your interested in driving, nd like being different.. then rock the mustang

riored96gt · Sep 14, 2009

The hardest part of getting my competition license was keeping my racecar running...
Get your license first, be done with it. Cars can (will) come and go.

OnyxCobra · Sep 14, 2009

lmao, sometimes this forum just makes me smile.

MustangChris · Sep 14, 2009

i loled at this forum.

i suggest keep the stang, but thats because im in love with mustangs.

SRT Handz · Sep 14, 2009

BUY THIS E30 ASAP. Its Smog Legal in CA AND ITS S52 SWAPED!!!

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1306799

Crone · Sep 14, 2009

So far every thread that I seen paul and handz in, gdtrumbo is right there to throw in his owned line lol

Paul · Sep 15, 2009

For what it's worth, here's my take on it man...

Ultimately, you need to decide whether you're racing for fun, or racing because you truly want to be competitive in whatever particular class and venue you've elected to race in. You and I both know that trying to daily drive a car you plan to be competitive in is unlikely at best, and downright batshyt crazy at worst. The enormous cost involved in trying to do a full-blown campaign of a road racecar over a season is cost prohibitive to most - me included. That's why I gave it up.

If you want to race for fun, I say keep the Mustang. You're already familiar with driving it, it can be made reasonably competent, albeit still being a shytty mustang. Parts and upgrades will likely be less expensive than your Kraut counterparts and although you may not handle the chicanes as well as those svelte and balanced Bimmers, at least you've got 300 ft. lbs. to contend with on every corner exit to make up for it. Plus, in reality you're not going to be working the Mustang too hard and it should last for a while. This is evidenced by the Bondurant 5.0 mustangs I drove back in 2001 with over 50,000 ALL RACE miles on them - some on the original engine. That is quite a feat, especially given that these are being driven by idiot hacks that hold no issue bouncing off the rev limiter all the way down the front straight because it "feels" fast.

Maybe get a toaster daily driver, and spend a little more time/money/effort on stepping it up in the Mustang. The additional investment is marginal in the grand scheme of things, and you can always dump it and get a BMW later.

My .02

Paul.

Crone · Sep 15, 2009

the mustang would be cheaper parts wise... even with top of the line suspension it wouldn't handle as good? or can you only have certain mods for the class you run? I've looked into autocross with the scca but never all out road racing, seems like a blast though!!

ReplicaR · Sep 15, 2009

Thanks for the feedback Paul, it's a lot to consider. A few people are telling me that I'm very close to having a CMC car, so that's something to look at as well.

Crone (I'm sorry I don't know your first name), I'm not running in any class right now. For now I'm just doing HPDE with NASA and instructing with a few race groups when I have time. As soon as I get my license, I would like to get into wheel to wheel competition. CMC (cheapest Mustang class I can run in) is fairly restricted, and does not allow for a lot of suspension.