z06801

996 turbo

hungryhippo

Golf R is more of a "grown up" car. I'd also consider an M3 or 335i M sport.

C5 Hardtop

No, just the cars you listed and this is first-hand feedback, not from the computer. Its just an opinion.

TrackAire

RS is probably a great street car (but very pricey IMO).....but if you're planning on really running it hard on the track, read this review first. I have not driven the RS on the track so I cannot give you a personal opinion, but I do trust the guy who is writing this overview. He looks at a lot of important stuff the magazines would never consider:

http://www.vorshlag.com/forums/showt...8381#post58381

After reading the review, I'd hold off an RS if you're going to track it.....still some glitches to work out. Parts and accessories for the new RS are probably going to be pretty pricey too.

Good luck and have fun car shopping.

Soloontario

I have never owned a Subaru but in our time attack series they are always voted the car most likely to break. I considered buying an STI myself but quickly changed my mind and the joke is many of us think Subaru should pay these guys NOT to run, as the mechanical failure rate makes the parent company look bad.

IMO I would go for the Ford.

edge04

thanks for the link.

C5 Hardtop

Excellent link. As an aside, some (but not all) those who are hating on any negative input w/out justification on those RS forums are probably paid to do so. Its more common than the author thinks.

edge04

you can find negatives on every car made. I liked that they went back and realized they were harsh on the EVO as well

SouthernSon

To miss good track events is bad, to miss a DD for a year is worse. I think most would agree to get the vette for one of the most capable, enjoyable track cars and get a good 4wd DD for the winter. But, if one vehicle must do, you will have to heavily weigh the decision toward one or the other. No such thing as a vehicle that will excel at both (reasonably anyway).

edge04

its not one or the other. I am keeping my vette which is a track car only AND buying a DD that could be used on track if I want.

some good reviews on the Golf R

SouthernSon

I instructed a track day participant in a BMW X5 a few years back. Although he did drive it to the track and on the track I would say it did much better duty 4 wheeling in snow with several passengers than as a track day car. What tracks have you run with the vette? What run groups do you participate in? Do you do TT's? autocross?

edge04

mainly Midwest tracks, I call Road America home but have been to many tracks across America. Plan this year was for ST3 with the new rules, not many ST2 cars here. Yes to TT no to autoX, done some X.

I've owned a BMW and liked it but not what I'm looking for this go around

C5 Hardtop

The 2016 Camaro LT is in the low $20k(ish) range and has a $5,937 cash back. That might be the most track worthy car (or least bad?) in that price range on the market. 335HP from the base V6.

TrackAire

Had a run in with a Golf R at Sonoma Raceway about 2 months ago. My C5 Z06 is running stock hp with R compound tires, aftermarket sway bars and shocks. Plus I have an aggressive track alignment.

There was a Golf R running in my group and eventually I caught him coming out of the hair pin at turn 11. But what surprised me was his acceleration down the straight....I actually had to rev out pretty hard to get around him. I did not know much about the Golf R so during our break I introduced myself and told him that I had a hard time passing him on the straight. He smiled and said that the car is a pretty good runner stock, but this one had been chipped and a few other motor upgrades. That made me feel a little better because at first I thought that maybe something was wrong with my engine output. His Golf seemed to run strong all day...definitely was impressive considering it looked totally stock from 50 feet away. Plus, the car has enough interior room to transport his 4 track tires with room to spare.

I don't know much about how robust these Golfs are, but for an AWD daily driver that you may want to track on occasion, it's one to definitely research.

jaa1992

If you are a very experienced driver you can make it work. Its a heavy car and the stock pads they ship with the v6 are barely usable on the street. I have a 2012 v6 and the best modification I've done so far is replace the v6 front brakes with the SS front brakes. Mines a 2ls so its an auto and it came with the 18" tires and was limited to 118mph. A tune has taken care of the limiter, and rs/ss wheels and Pzero tires have taken care of some of the handling issues. It cries out for suspension upgrades though.

edge04

is that the new four door Camaro?

ZedO6

LOL I read these replies and laugh as this thread turns from the OP's original "looking for a small AWD 4 door DD that can do occasional track duty" to "my favorite/current/fantasy track car is a XX 2 door rear drive XXX"....

SouthernSon

There is that view, certainly. However, most of us that have had many years tracking a worthy vehicle don't even take a vehicle to the track unless it is our track specific vehicle. It just isn't much fun quite frankly. I and many others have been known to drive several hours to help out with track day instruction but do not drive on the track ourselves unless the track car is running. We have learned the 'swiss army knife' of vehicles just doesn't exist. So many that ask questions on this forum obviously need the insight of those with more experience. Sometimes they simply don't know what they don't know. That is the reason I asked the OP what experience he might have. If our opinions or sharing of experience to help guide others is not accepted, so be it.

rbl

VW Jetta ... about as fun as it gets to drive on track and a worthy DD indeed. One of my best students had one and a grin ear-to-ear every time over the course of several years. So, there you have it folks.

Case solved!

edge04

understand what you're saying but the fact is that no one has to reply to any thread. I'm looking for a specific car so was asking for opinions on that, nothing else. Never said I was looking for a swiss army knife type of car and realize that doesn't exist (at least nor in the price range I'm asking about), but to say you can and only should take a tack car to the track isn't fair either. I enjoy the track, whether in a race car, DD, rental, kart, motorcycle or as you state just hanging around and/or helping. As an example of where a DD can be fun on the track. I've recently joined Joliet Autobahn. I can see myself leaving the office after a stressful day and driving to the track running a few laps before heading home. If I did that in my race car I would have to load it, etc etc. Now, maybe in the future I will have a garage at that track so I don't have all the hassle of taking the race car on track after work but for now a good, solid, fun DD car will do.

SO...I am looking for a 4 door, AWD, compact daily driver that I will occasionally take on a track for enjoyment...not competition. Thank you all for your opinions and help whether on target or not.