Other Good Autocross cars (Not Mazdas)

[altiain]

"Decent" as in fun to drive, or "decent" as in competitive within its class?

The RX-7 for instance was incredibly expensive to keep running and breaks a lot, but it was not competitive.

Fixed it for you (former FD owner).

I assume you haven't won the lottery, so I'll keep my picks semi-affordable.

Super Stock

• C5 Z06 - tires aren't cheap, but you get a lot of bang for your buck with one of these.
• Elise - Great autocrosser (if you can get past the brakes ), but less practical as a street car than a Miata. You'll need to trailer this or find someone to carry your tires.

A Stock

• Pontiac Solstice GXP Z0K - Looks like a lot of fun, but it's a Pontiac. They haven't proven themselves at the national level yet, and I don't know if they will.
• Honda S2000 - great autocrosser, fun street car, can tow a trailer. Earlier versions probably won't be "the car to have" once the S2000 CR (fugly!) hits showrooms in the fall.
• Subaru STI - great dual purpose street car and autocrosser. Has proven to be competitive in A Stock. Can carry a set of tires. Probably eats tires quicker than most comparable cars (60% weight in the front, 3200 pounds). May be obsolete once new STI hits the streets.

B Stock

• Mazda RX-8 - Duh. All the cool guys drive one Cheap to buy, cheap to setup, fast. Sucks gas, rattles a lot, and it's a Mazda.
• Nissan 350Z - Carter Thompson proved these could be fast. May be obsoleted by the NISMO 350Z. Heavy, camber-challenged, with silly putty diff.

C Stock

• Mazda MX-5 Club Sport - Should be competitive and fun to drive. Gotta roll your own or pay a ridiculous markup at the dealer.
• Pontiac Solstice Z0K - It's a Pontiac, and an underpowered one. Plus it requires expensive tires

D Stock

• BMW 330ci or 330i with ZHP package - Awesome daily driver, your yuppie neighbors will envy you. But, it's a 3300 pound car on 18" tires with an open diff and no camber.
• Chrysler Crossfire - Proving to be competitive, but requires 19" Hoosiers. Besides, it's a Chrysler!

E Stock
Have to have an AARP card to qualify...

F Stock

• Ford Shelby Mustang - Looks like fun, seems to be competitive. But it weighs 3400 pounds and eats 18" tires.
• Chevrolet LS1 Camaro - Proven competitive package. Gold chains optional.

G Stock

• '07+ Mini Cooper S - I wouldn't expect these cars to move, and I don't think the earlier cars will keep up once this car is developed. Fun to drive, quick, but camber challenged fwd, so it'll eat tires.
• There really isn't anything else in this class that's competitive.

H Stock
Do you even care? It's H Stock, fer crissake!

[modernbeat]

G Stock

• '07+ Mini Cooper S - I wouldn't expect these cars to move, and I don't think the earlier cars will keep up once this car is developed. Fun to drive, quick, but camber challenged fwd, so it'll eat tires.
• There really isn't anything else in this class that's competitive.

My money says that the MCS goes to D-Stock as soon as the rules allow the SEB to move it.

Only stock cars? No SP or Prep cars? That's no fun.

[altiain]

My money says that the MCS goes to D-Stock as soon as the rules allow the SEB to move it.

I don't think it will. D Stock has shown to be a healthy class that currently has a decent mix of potentially competitive cars. It has also proven to be consistently faster than G Stock at the National level.

If you move the Mini up, what will take its place in G Stock? G Stock currently has 36 entries at Nationals (D Stock has 38, by comparison). Of that 36, three aren't Minis. Do you really think that a bunch of Spec Vs, Celica GTs, and Civic Sis are going to come out of the woodwork to take the Mini's place? I don't.

Only stock cars? No SP or Prep cars? That's no fun.

I don't see Mick building a Prepared or SP car any time soon (I could be wrong), so I tailored my answer to him.

[modernbeat]

I don't see Mick building a Prepared or SP car any time soon (I could be wrong), so I tailored my answer to him.

I don't know Mick, but building isn't the only option to Prepared cars. You can always buy one and develop it as you go. Prepared classes have relatively little turnover compared to stock and by buying someone elses competition car you save $$$ and headache.

[Miatamoto]

I don't know Mick, but building isn't the only option to Prepared cars. You can always buy one and develop it as you go. Prepared classes have relatively little turnover compared to stock and by buying someone elses competition car you save $$$ and headache.

http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/239632.aspx

Get this!

[CosmosMpower]

Forgot ITR for D-stock, and POS should jump into the B-stock ring in a certain RX-8 that's for sale *cough, cough* Besides who won BS yesterday?

[Miatamoto]

Forgot ITR for D-stock, and POS should jump into the B-stock ring in a certain RX-8 that's for sale *cough, cough* Besides who won BS yesterday?

Good call on the ITR!

J-Fo took first with a super fast run. I had 2 dirty runs, 1 DNF and a 2nd place 4th run. I was fighting the car quite a bit yesterday and I think I definitely left some time out there trying to get a clean run.

[Prova7]

Fixed it for you (former FD owner).

At least with the turbos and only two seats it ain't no sissy car!

[CosmosMpower]

Upcoming 135i should be interesting too if you can get a LSD in it.

[Miatamoto]

Upcoming 135i should be interesting too if you can get a LSD in it.

... and camber plates. Yet another camber challenged car.

[POS Racing]

All good stuff!

No way I'm screwing with a Prepared class, I don't have the kind of time it would take to keep it running.

[Miatamoto]

Forget Prepared, you need a mod car:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...93397220538295

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60718564985763

mmmmm.... 20B Miata

[Prova7]

I assume you're looking for something faster than the Miata? Why the need for a change?

[Robert]

S2000, Don't know how much longer it will be competitive once the GXP ZOK and S2000 CR start showing up. C4 Vett is cheap and fast. Z28 is a blast on a point and shoot course.
Steve Wynveen has his first gen S2000 for sale on SCCAFORUMS for 25K. He took 2nd place at nat. in 2006 in this car.
If I still have rubber on my front tires after the s2k autocross you can take it for a fun run after the event.

Robert

[POS Racing]

I assume you're looking for something faster than the Miata? Why the need for a change?

I'm just looking thanks.

If I still have rubber on my front tires after the s2k autocross you can take it for a fun run after the event.

Robert

Cool! Thanks Robert!

[Miatamoto]

S2000, Don't know how much longer it will be competitive once the GXP ZOK and S2000 CR start showing up.
Robert

Is the ZOK package going to change the gear ratios, because I thought that was one of the problems with the car?

A C4 vette would be a lot of fun.

[MadMonkey]

I do value some of what out local heros have to say! Don't you??

Aw, somebody mentioned me!!

[CosmosMpower]

Is the ZOK package going to change the gear ratios, because I thought that was one of the problems with the car?

A C4 vette would be a lot of fun.

Don't think so, IIRC it's just suspension/weight reduction. I don't think the S2000 CR will be much faster than a normal AP2, it's only a little bit lighter and you don't get anything special like 17X9 wheels.

[Miatamoto]

Don't think so, IIRC it's just suspension/weight reduction. I don't think the S2000 CR will be much faster than a normal AP2, it's only a little bit lighter and you don't get anything special like 17X9 wheels.

Quicker steering rack, stiffer springs (and probably lower ride height), extra chassis bracing, and 90 less pounds. I'd guess it's going to be noticeably faster.

[sammm]

don't think the S2000 CR will be much faster than a normal AP2, it's only a little bit lighter and you don't get anything special like 17X9 wheels.

No A/C!