Track Car for Teenager

[bluesrt]

how about a school bus

 

[Next Phase]

I was initially going to recommend a C5 Z06 as a DD and for track days. However if this is for your teenage kid, I wouldn't put him in a Corvette in a college setting. I would have easily wrecked a Corvette if given the opportunity...throw in the alcohol that goes with college and it's a recipe for disaster IMHO. (I don't know your son obviously, but you get my point)

I don't see why the car must be good for track days... if he needs a DD and will be taking it to college just get him something that is good on gas and reliable. Get him a used Civic or Accord for $10k-$15k and then get him a used Corvette for $10k-$15k for the weekends and track days.

 

[VenomSteve]

OK. Thanks for all the input. Let me ask the question a different way. If you had to choose one car for an 18 year old to serve as a daily driver, be good in winter, have room to haul stuff to/from college, be reliable, be in the $20-25 range, AND be a decent starter HPDE car, what would it be? I like something new with warranty but am not ruling out a used car, maybe a CPO if possible. THANKS! PS: His first track day may be in my CTS-V if I cannot get him a car so please hurry.....

2011 WRX wagon. You got awd for the snow and track, you got plenty room for stuff, good looking style, can be had for mid 20s and reasonable cost for insurance.

FWD like SRT4 or Civic Si or GTI are great cars for DD, but not best for track. Yes EVO and STI are nice, but to much for a 18 old IMHO. Get the WRX

 

[intense5.5]

I have a friend who regularly tracks his Honda s2000 and is very happy with it.

 

[Cobraken]

I vote for the STI. Too much for an 18 yr old? I was driving a big block Shelby Mustang when I was 18.

 

[Makara]

Get him an old Acura NSX. Extremely awesome car, fun to drive and great car to drive on the track.

Plus, if you get and older one that requires a "little" bit of work, it is a steel for what they're getting.

Cheap to get into but aluminum isn't cheap to fix if you bang up the fenders a little. Something like a miata or a mustang seems to make the most sense.

 

[gb66gth]

Mazda Miata.
A blast on the track and not so powerful that he'll get himself in trouble on the street.

 

[SlayerLS1]

My vote is for a miata too. I drove my girlfriend's miata and was surprised how fun it was. With zero power, your son will learn all about momentum. Plus (and this is a big one) it is much cheaper to maintain than other options. If he crashes it, well...it's just a miata. I don't remember who told me this, but they said "Don't track a car unless you're ok with the idea of crashing it."

 

[ViperGeorge]

Now that I think about it the most fun I've had at the track was in a 6 cylinder rental Mustang. It was raining at Road America and I was driving around virtually everything on the track. Drove the Vette guys crazy. They actually came up to me later at the hotel and asked what the heck I had in that Mustang. When I showed them the stock 6 cylinder engine and my rental car agreement I thought they were going faint. Buy your kid a new 6 cylinder Mustang. Looks good, great power for a 6, plenty of trunk space, and not bad in the wet or snow (with the right tires).

 

[wikkid]

Miata, no way c5 ZO6. Way to much power for 18. I would of been toast with that kinda power at 18. Hhmmmmm maybe not, had a sweet Z28 long ago.....

 

[93VIPERBOY]

Got my son a WRX to go to college and its a great car. He goes to RIT in Rochester and all seasons do NOT cut it, Need good snows.

 

[Supratt6s]

Toyota Supra... one of the most fun cars I have owned. Plus it makes for a great beginner car with stock twins and a great experienced driver's car when you single it and push the power up close to 1000hp on stock internals. Plus they hold their value like crazy and are reliable as hell.

That or just hand over the ACR

 

[SkyBob]

My vote is for a miata too. I drove my girlfriend's miata and was surprised how fun it was. With zero power, your son will learn all about momentum. Plus (and this is a big one) it is much cheaper to maintain than other options. If he crashes it, well...it's just a miata. I don't remember who told me this, but they said "Don't track a car unless you're ok with the idea of crashing it."

I guess I never will drive a Viper on the track then.

 

[cetro993]

I recommend the S2000. Relatively inexpensive, rear wheel drive and you have the Honda reliability.

 

[TrackAire]

Being young and needing reliable, safe transportation, I'd recommend getting a track only car. A Miata, Mustang, whatever that is very plentiful and cheap to drive, fix, repair. If he damages the race car, he's not out a daily driver. You can pick up a very well sorted car that already has all the safety equipment, extra parts, etc....let somebody else spend all the money getting a car ready and pick it up for much less than if you did all the work.

Being a track only car, you don't have to pay insurance, license fees, etc. I'm guessing that full coverage insurance on a newer WRX for a teenage boy is about $5000.00 per year. Add another $5k and you can buy a very nicely sorted out race car. Something like a spec miata, showroom racing or IT class car would be ideal. Stock enough to be reliable but with the correct safety and track equipment already done.

Then he can use a very reliable daily driver with awd that has the capability of towing the race car. Let him drive a couple of years on track with the track only car before allowing him drive his daily driver on the track. Hopefully after enough track miles, he realizes that there is nowhere on the street that he can approach the speed and capabilties of his car like he can on the race track.

You need to be very careful, fast cars and young boys can often end up in big trouble. Having a cool daily driver and a dedicated race car to brag to friends about could be the answer and save money and future street racing tickets.

Good luck, your kid is very lucky to have a dad willing to put him on the track.

George

 

[Camfab]

Since one of your parameters is a NEW car and most of the respondents are missing that point. I also vote for the Mustang with a six.
A) It's in your price range
B) It has room for college
C) It's American
D) It gets good mileage (again this is for a kid)
E) It's a good looking car
F) Should be great for learning
G) Damn lucky kid who has a dad that will let him do this stuff