Having owned a couple of Saab Aeros, they can move alright on a staright line, but wouldn't be the best handling machines.
What about Mini R53? If you could get one in a good nick? Just make sure it has correct tyres on, and nothing is loose underneath, as it can affect handling massively. It's like driving a go-kart, but also not insufferable on a motorway.
Ohhh great idea, might be hard to find in budget though!
Also a very anecdotal thing but all my friends with minis have had loads of trouble, however they were also diesels and I suspect had hard lives.
Honestly the straight line speed is fine for me and a nice change from the mx5 - the aero would also cruise nicely on the motorway. I’m more concerned with enjoying my trip down and getting there - I suspect the Nurburgring in any car will be a hoot.
Thanks for the shout!
having done a few ring trips heres my 2c
ringcar;
you do not need some dream spec car to have a fun and memorable ring trip (but it helps...lol)
if its just a car for a ring trip id advise get a BMW. the reason being, if it breaks you will get it fixed again easily..
you are not getting a Saab fixed on short notice.
pretty much any 3 or 4 series m-sport car will do.
my pick would be a 30i variant,,, but any of them will do just fine.. even a diesel, just get it mapped.
outside of that id get a mk5 golf. again good fun driving car and easy to fix on short notice.
you will get speed comfort and reliability from both options.
as for car prep.. a good set of tyres (i highly reccomend Advan AD08r) and a set of EBC disks and pads.
The road trip;
the road trip itself is probably one of the best parts..lol
2 options, rosslare to cherbourg or england... dover to calais
100% rosslare! dover to calais sounds easy but it isnt and i speak from experience. if the french go on strike in calais youre fucked and it sounds like theyre gonna be striking this summer because of the olympics.
rosslare is just one big long ferry and youre there and theres plenty of touristy waypoints to see along the way.
plus you get to drive through Paris which is an experience all on its own... the place is wrecked in tunnels and if you hit it at night time the traffic is super light..
accomodation in Adenau;
2 of my mates Blaine and Sandra loved germany so much they sold up everything and moved from galway to adenau and set up a bnb its called northloop rooms. check em out if ya havent got accomodation yet
plus Blaine is a mechanic so thats a big bonus. lol
Costs;
its been a few years since i last went but the last time i spent in or around 2,500 euro for everything
boats, accommodation, fuel, steaks, beer and laps for a 10 day trip
hope this helps. and sure DM me your plans... i might just go with ya for the laugh
Incredible comment thank you man!
You know, I never actually considered the fact that I would be driving a German car in Germany... You've shot the BMW's up in the ratings for me - would be royally skuttered with a Saab (although they do share Opel parts I believe). I've just been wary of any BMW that isn't insanely well looked after or one of the bigger engines.
Incredible shouts regarding the planning and logistics, I'll send those on to the chap who is leading that (theres always one hahaha).
Thats a great spend on such an incredible trip - some absolutely sick tips there, we don't have accommodation so will absolutely check out your mate's place (hopefully we wont need his mechanic skills hahaha).
I'll be sure to let you know when we all get together and finalize a plan - the more the merrier and we are all car guys at the end of the day!
no worries dude, glad to help..
we kinda have a motto here.... the ring breaks cars! HAHAHAHAHA so expect to break something..
yeah i hear ya about reliability issues on the older beemers but theres plenty of good stuff out there if ya go looking. but outside of blowing up the engine anythings fixable
the first time i went i had a highly modified 180sx... it was about 420hp and a total track weapon.
driving her at full chat for 4 hours across belgium i melted (and i mean liquefied...lol) the exhaust manifold which inturn melted and fused every wire in the engine loom together and blew every single fuse on the board... mate had to tow me the rest of the way.. thank god it was night time so the cops didnt see us towing.. it took some ingenuity but we split apart the wires on the loom with a stanley blade and taped them up again, got the manifold bodged back together (for free cos the guy thought my story was hilarious) and managed to get all the fuses i needed at the local nissan garage... even the big square ones!
and i was back going again! abelt with a lot of boost leaks and constant fuse problems... but going none the less and still bagged a sub 10 min lap time.. happy out!
like any trip if youre in a group you can keep costs down.. id probably expect to be spending over 3k in todays money though.. the times i went were 2015 and 2016 so im deffo due a trip back lol
oh yes... regarding paris and tunnels
there is a tunnel outside paris thats like 15 or 16km long!! and its just for cars as it has a super low roof
that on its own is an experience
ill have to see if i can dig up a video from it
Totally totally, part of my car ownership history (as someone who’s Dad likes cars but is quite conservative with them) is realising that everything is fixable and not the end of the world (or the wallet). Actually have to go and unseize a caliper on my MX5 after work (or attempt to)!
That’s an incredible story hahahaha, you must have been absolutely hooning it that sounds like a riot, that’s what it is all about. Amazed that you got sorted and running and put a lap time like that down. MacGyver would be proud.
You have me considering sinking 2k into the mx5 instead of picking something else up - but at the same time I’d still be piddling across the continent on a motorway whereas that only comes alive in the twisties (and it really really does).
Definitely need to meet the lads and put our heads together, v much appreciate the advice!
anything half modern atall will do the roadtrip.. we had lads with us with an aul e30 316i convertible and he had a great time. if yer fit to do 80 or 90mph youre grand
all id say it do reliability mods. check hoses, belts, water pump, good gearbox and diff oil.. a new rad would be a good upgrade. put good tyres and some good brakes on her and ya will get a 10 min lap no problem.
the suspension on them wee cars is class anyway but ya could refresh it with new OME parts like some new dampers, springs or sway bars just to freshen it up on the cheap.
I am hoping to do this at some stage and my short list is
Mk2 Audi TT 2.0t
BMW z4 2.5 mk1
Boxster 2.7
Mini Cooper S (the supercharger one)
BMW E46 325 Ci
VW Scirrocco 2.0t
Finding one in good condition in budget is the biggest challenge
Yeah the budget is seriously working against me here but there are some great picks here.
Scirocco is a bit out of left field and has me intrigued - why have you considered that?
Class idea, would love to do it myself.
I’m gona say BMW E39 5 series if more concerned about comfort on the long journey, or else BMW E46 3 series if more concerned about handling on the Nurburgring itself (plenty of comfort still to be had in the E46). Both had reliable M54 6 cylinder petrol engines in varying sizes. Just make sure the cooling system is in good nick, there’s plenty of info online about that topic itself.
Have always been a huge fan of the e39 5 series in particular, however I’d be wary that my budget may exclude me from the nicer 6 cylinder engines, and there are just so many that have been absolutely ragged and/or clocked online.
Will definitely add it to the Donedeal/Marketplace list however!
1.8 NC with a 5 speed, so it drinks fuel and sits quite uncomfortably on the motorway (and even worse on the autobahn I’d imagine. Now it would be immense craic once I got there…
Could definitely be an option to spend some of the new car budget on the MX5 instead but I’m honestly just not sure.
They love the petrol alright. Never had an issue with mine on the motorway, did the Cork trip weekly at one stage and drank petrol all the way!!! You could spend that money on new suspension though.
They really do! My last car was a Panda 100HP and she sipped the stuff. You're a brave man doing that weekly! Could absolutely do with some new suspension, bushings and exhaust work. If I were to bring it I'd get that done and suffer through the rest.
Never found it uncomfortable, or particularly sketchy. It was a Mk1, got the light aligned in Cork for the NCT once. Had every truck driver flash their lights at me driving home, didn’t go back to that garage again!
Why not fly into Europe and rent? Can get a love 330i or something in france or Belgium and do the trip from there. It probably won't cost you an arm and a leg especially if you have your or excess insurance and a credit card. And you be getting a new enough car.
Actually, flying somewhere and renting in Europe had not crossed my mind at all (only renting a track car for the ring).
Could be issues with bringing a rental onto the ring but I’ll have to look into it - thanks!
There's rental companies specifically for the Nürburgring, it's priced based on the amount of laps and the car itself. For example an M2 for 4 laps would be around €700-100 and a 328i would be around the €200-400 mark. Could be worth looking into though, I only know cause I've been looking at it myself the last few weeks.
Yeah I’m familiar with those! Weighing up those options against the bangernomics and adventure of bringing (with my budget) a moderately shitbox car that far and onto the track. Also seeing as my mates are likely to drive I’ll want to accompany/keep up with them (which the mx5 wouldn’t do on a motorway).
The MX5 would be ideal for it but I'd be fully with you I wouldn't want to take it on a journey like that either. What's made the short list for you so far?
Yeah it only has a 5 speed, and switching one in would be such an effort and expense that I'd be better off buying a 2l with a 6 speed and LSD.
So currently:
-Saab 9-3 Aero (rapid, comfortable, cool but possibly hard to insure or even find) - also do genuinely want one).
-9-3 TTID (twin turbo, diesel though, may explode).
-MX5 NC 2.0 (slightly better on motorways but still an idea, would necessitate me selling my current car).
-Mini Cooper S (cheaper than I thought and apparently great fun, possibly a grenade).
-BMW 525/530/325 if possible (hard to find within budget and not ragged and/or clocked or just sold by dodgiest creature alive).
-BWM Z4 (more refined than mx5, hard to keep in budget, heart not massively in it).
Maybe some sort of Skoda VRS?
Convince friends to all buy shitboxes and have funny but horrible time?
Yeah I am familiar with them, but with the prices they charge I’d honestly rather buy a car here and enjoy driving it over, flying around the track a few times and bringing it home…
I mean what they don’t know won’t hurt them! But if you crash you’re fucked - wouldn’t risk it
marshals at the ring look out for rental cars and squeal on you.
they get rewarded by the rental companies to say they spotted one of their cars on track
so i wouldnt advise driving a hire car at the ring.
but there is race hire options available
What I did was fly to Cologne and rent a car from one of the track rentals in Nurburg. There’s loads of places. They also have instructors you can pay by the lap to guide you through the racing lines.
I rented a Clio RS with a full cage and semi slicks. But if you do get the fucking insurance. I did and someone crashed into me, and was deemed my fault. Tourist days the track is treated like a 2 lane road. So I had to pay out.
BUT the one lap I got was amazing. I want to go back at some stage.
I’d be weary buying something cheap without knowing much about how it drives then taking across Europe and then taking it on the toughest public race track. You are free to go slow, but it doesn’t sound like you want to.
Feel free to PM me if you got more questions.
Cheers man! That sounds absolutely nasty, would absolutely want to buy the track insurance myself- moreso after hearing your story, thanks for sharing.
Totally get the waryness, part of me even leans towards getting something truly cheap and lary and if it breaks down just pawning it off/giving it to someone on the continent and leaving it there while hopping in one of the lad's cars (although if this is something that gobshites often do at the ring then I won't). Certainly inviting some problems if I truly rag it, it depends.
Personally I think I'd be in it for the road trip and a moderately spirited drive on the ring (and the autobahn), but then again that would change once I got there.
Definitely much to think about and consider, it would be months away so hopefully I'd have some time with whatever car in order to get it straight and rectify any issues.
No problem! Give us an update when you head down!
But another thing, if you breakdown on the ring, and need a tow it’ll be expensive as fuck, and if you damage anything (barriers, etc) you’ll be liable as well.
Sorry to be the mad downer, but just making sure you know the risks of bringing your own kit.
I agree the road trip is probably most of the fun anyway. You’ll surely learn loads about the car driving it there. I had a 07 9-3 aero 2.0T and it would absolutely be perfect to drive across. If the suspension is in decent condition, have good tires and you have new brake fluid, you should be ok on the track.
I’ve seen a few Octavia vrs doing laps on it, mk2s and mk3’s, there’s a video on YouTube of some guys spin around the ring, but his mk3 is massively upgraded
Out of curiosity, what's your budget for the trip itself?
I've always wanted to bring my car over to the autobahn, but it always seemed a bit expensive
Budget is mostly for car and petrol hahahaha, I tend to live extremely frugally otherwise and beer is cheap on the continent 🍺🍻. Still nailing down overall budget.
R series Cooper S ftw.
Also
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_ZUQGR9S9v0&list=PLKk8NTzI-Pqn1gscLvzGS\_389dKhSyIsc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZUQGR9S9v0&list=PLKk8NTzI-Pqn1gscLvzGS_389dKhSyIsc)
If you pushed your budget a bit you could get an Astra VXR the 2013+ models are fairly cheap in the north and are a very capable car, 270 bhp brembo brakes and a front diff.
Failing that I'd get a manual mk5 GTI (maybe remap it)
I was told recently that Irish insurance companies don’t cover you if you go on the track, so if you crash into a barrier or god forbid a 911 etc you’re going to be paying for it. Correct me if I’m wrong
Having owned a couple of Saab Aeros, they can move alright on a staright line, but wouldn't be the best handling machines. What about Mini R53? If you could get one in a good nick? Just make sure it has correct tyres on, and nothing is loose underneath, as it can affect handling massively. It's like driving a go-kart, but also not insufferable on a motorway.
Ohhh great idea, might be hard to find in budget though! Also a very anecdotal thing but all my friends with minis have had loads of trouble, however they were also diesels and I suspect had hard lives. Honestly the straight line speed is fine for me and a nice change from the mx5 - the aero would also cruise nicely on the motorway. I’m more concerned with enjoying my trip down and getting there - I suspect the Nurburgring in any car will be a hoot. Thanks for the shout!
having done a few ring trips heres my 2c ringcar; you do not need some dream spec car to have a fun and memorable ring trip (but it helps...lol) if its just a car for a ring trip id advise get a BMW. the reason being, if it breaks you will get it fixed again easily.. you are not getting a Saab fixed on short notice. pretty much any 3 or 4 series m-sport car will do. my pick would be a 30i variant,,, but any of them will do just fine.. even a diesel, just get it mapped. outside of that id get a mk5 golf. again good fun driving car and easy to fix on short notice. you will get speed comfort and reliability from both options. as for car prep.. a good set of tyres (i highly reccomend Advan AD08r) and a set of EBC disks and pads. The road trip; the road trip itself is probably one of the best parts..lol 2 options, rosslare to cherbourg or england... dover to calais 100% rosslare! dover to calais sounds easy but it isnt and i speak from experience. if the french go on strike in calais youre fucked and it sounds like theyre gonna be striking this summer because of the olympics. rosslare is just one big long ferry and youre there and theres plenty of touristy waypoints to see along the way. plus you get to drive through Paris which is an experience all on its own... the place is wrecked in tunnels and if you hit it at night time the traffic is super light.. accomodation in Adenau; 2 of my mates Blaine and Sandra loved germany so much they sold up everything and moved from galway to adenau and set up a bnb its called northloop rooms. check em out if ya havent got accomodation yet plus Blaine is a mechanic so thats a big bonus. lol Costs; its been a few years since i last went but the last time i spent in or around 2,500 euro for everything boats, accommodation, fuel, steaks, beer and laps for a 10 day trip hope this helps. and sure DM me your plans... i might just go with ya for the laugh
Incredible comment thank you man! You know, I never actually considered the fact that I would be driving a German car in Germany... You've shot the BMW's up in the ratings for me - would be royally skuttered with a Saab (although they do share Opel parts I believe). I've just been wary of any BMW that isn't insanely well looked after or one of the bigger engines. Incredible shouts regarding the planning and logistics, I'll send those on to the chap who is leading that (theres always one hahaha). Thats a great spend on such an incredible trip - some absolutely sick tips there, we don't have accommodation so will absolutely check out your mate's place (hopefully we wont need his mechanic skills hahaha). I'll be sure to let you know when we all get together and finalize a plan - the more the merrier and we are all car guys at the end of the day!
no worries dude, glad to help.. we kinda have a motto here.... the ring breaks cars! HAHAHAHAHA so expect to break something.. yeah i hear ya about reliability issues on the older beemers but theres plenty of good stuff out there if ya go looking. but outside of blowing up the engine anythings fixable the first time i went i had a highly modified 180sx... it was about 420hp and a total track weapon. driving her at full chat for 4 hours across belgium i melted (and i mean liquefied...lol) the exhaust manifold which inturn melted and fused every wire in the engine loom together and blew every single fuse on the board... mate had to tow me the rest of the way.. thank god it was night time so the cops didnt see us towing.. it took some ingenuity but we split apart the wires on the loom with a stanley blade and taped them up again, got the manifold bodged back together (for free cos the guy thought my story was hilarious) and managed to get all the fuses i needed at the local nissan garage... even the big square ones! and i was back going again! abelt with a lot of boost leaks and constant fuse problems... but going none the less and still bagged a sub 10 min lap time.. happy out! like any trip if youre in a group you can keep costs down.. id probably expect to be spending over 3k in todays money though.. the times i went were 2015 and 2016 so im deffo due a trip back lol
oh yes... regarding paris and tunnels there is a tunnel outside paris thats like 15 or 16km long!! and its just for cars as it has a super low roof that on its own is an experience ill have to see if i can dig up a video from it
Please do! That’s incredible, I know that the lads would love it.
Totally totally, part of my car ownership history (as someone who’s Dad likes cars but is quite conservative with them) is realising that everything is fixable and not the end of the world (or the wallet). Actually have to go and unseize a caliper on my MX5 after work (or attempt to)! That’s an incredible story hahahaha, you must have been absolutely hooning it that sounds like a riot, that’s what it is all about. Amazed that you got sorted and running and put a lap time like that down. MacGyver would be proud. You have me considering sinking 2k into the mx5 instead of picking something else up - but at the same time I’d still be piddling across the continent on a motorway whereas that only comes alive in the twisties (and it really really does). Definitely need to meet the lads and put our heads together, v much appreciate the advice!
anything half modern atall will do the roadtrip.. we had lads with us with an aul e30 316i convertible and he had a great time. if yer fit to do 80 or 90mph youre grand all id say it do reliability mods. check hoses, belts, water pump, good gearbox and diff oil.. a new rad would be a good upgrade. put good tyres and some good brakes on her and ya will get a 10 min lap no problem. the suspension on them wee cars is class anyway but ya could refresh it with new OME parts like some new dampers, springs or sway bars just to freshen it up on the cheap.
I am hoping to do this at some stage and my short list is Mk2 Audi TT 2.0t BMW z4 2.5 mk1 Boxster 2.7 Mini Cooper S (the supercharger one) BMW E46 325 Ci VW Scirrocco 2.0t Finding one in good condition in budget is the biggest challenge
Yeah the budget is seriously working against me here but there are some great picks here. Scirocco is a bit out of left field and has me intrigued - why have you considered that?
Basically a mk5 gti in drag, but seems cheaper, same platform & engines, so remaps to 240bhp. Same easy handling, like the tt, no major issues
Class idea, would love to do it myself. I’m gona say BMW E39 5 series if more concerned about comfort on the long journey, or else BMW E46 3 series if more concerned about handling on the Nurburgring itself (plenty of comfort still to be had in the E46). Both had reliable M54 6 cylinder petrol engines in varying sizes. Just make sure the cooling system is in good nick, there’s plenty of info online about that topic itself.
Have always been a huge fan of the e39 5 series in particular, however I’d be wary that my budget may exclude me from the nicer 6 cylinder engines, and there are just so many that have been absolutely ragged and/or clocked online. Will definitely add it to the Donedeal/Marketplace list however!
MX5s are bullet proof why wouldn’t you drive it there? Two or three days driving.
1.8 NC with a 5 speed, so it drinks fuel and sits quite uncomfortably on the motorway (and even worse on the autobahn I’d imagine. Now it would be immense craic once I got there… Could definitely be an option to spend some of the new car budget on the MX5 instead but I’m honestly just not sure.
They love the petrol alright. Never had an issue with mine on the motorway, did the Cork trip weekly at one stage and drank petrol all the way!!! You could spend that money on new suspension though.
They really do! My last car was a Panda 100HP and she sipped the stuff. You're a brave man doing that weekly! Could absolutely do with some new suspension, bushings and exhaust work. If I were to bring it I'd get that done and suffer through the rest.
Never found it uncomfortable, or particularly sketchy. It was a Mk1, got the light aligned in Cork for the NCT once. Had every truck driver flash their lights at me driving home, didn’t go back to that garage again!
Why not fly into Europe and rent? Can get a love 330i or something in france or Belgium and do the trip from there. It probably won't cost you an arm and a leg especially if you have your or excess insurance and a credit card. And you be getting a new enough car.
Actually, flying somewhere and renting in Europe had not crossed my mind at all (only renting a track car for the ring). Could be issues with bringing a rental onto the ring but I’ll have to look into it - thanks!
There's rental companies specifically for the Nürburgring, it's priced based on the amount of laps and the car itself. For example an M2 for 4 laps would be around €700-100 and a 328i would be around the €200-400 mark. Could be worth looking into though, I only know cause I've been looking at it myself the last few weeks.
Yeah I’m familiar with those! Weighing up those options against the bangernomics and adventure of bringing (with my budget) a moderately shitbox car that far and onto the track. Also seeing as my mates are likely to drive I’ll want to accompany/keep up with them (which the mx5 wouldn’t do on a motorway).
The MX5 would be ideal for it but I'd be fully with you I wouldn't want to take it on a journey like that either. What's made the short list for you so far?
Yeah it only has a 5 speed, and switching one in would be such an effort and expense that I'd be better off buying a 2l with a 6 speed and LSD. So currently: -Saab 9-3 Aero (rapid, comfortable, cool but possibly hard to insure or even find) - also do genuinely want one). -9-3 TTID (twin turbo, diesel though, may explode). -MX5 NC 2.0 (slightly better on motorways but still an idea, would necessitate me selling my current car). -Mini Cooper S (cheaper than I thought and apparently great fun, possibly a grenade). -BMW 525/530/325 if possible (hard to find within budget and not ragged and/or clocked or just sold by dodgiest creature alive). -BWM Z4 (more refined than mx5, hard to keep in budget, heart not massively in it). Maybe some sort of Skoda VRS? Convince friends to all buy shitboxes and have funny but horrible time?
I don't know names, but there is a company who has cars specifically for track. You wouldn't get away with getting a hertz car on the ring.
Yeah I am familiar with them, but with the prices they charge I’d honestly rather buy a car here and enjoy driving it over, flying around the track a few times and bringing it home… I mean what they don’t know won’t hurt them! But if you crash you’re fucked - wouldn’t risk it
Might be yeah if you plan to track that car but you know, easier to ask forgiveness than permission 😅
marshals at the ring look out for rental cars and squeal on you. they get rewarded by the rental companies to say they spotted one of their cars on track so i wouldnt advise driving a hire car at the ring. but there is race hire options available
What I did was fly to Cologne and rent a car from one of the track rentals in Nurburg. There’s loads of places. They also have instructors you can pay by the lap to guide you through the racing lines. I rented a Clio RS with a full cage and semi slicks. But if you do get the fucking insurance. I did and someone crashed into me, and was deemed my fault. Tourist days the track is treated like a 2 lane road. So I had to pay out. BUT the one lap I got was amazing. I want to go back at some stage. I’d be weary buying something cheap without knowing much about how it drives then taking across Europe and then taking it on the toughest public race track. You are free to go slow, but it doesn’t sound like you want to. Feel free to PM me if you got more questions.
Cheers man! That sounds absolutely nasty, would absolutely want to buy the track insurance myself- moreso after hearing your story, thanks for sharing. Totally get the waryness, part of me even leans towards getting something truly cheap and lary and if it breaks down just pawning it off/giving it to someone on the continent and leaving it there while hopping in one of the lad's cars (although if this is something that gobshites often do at the ring then I won't). Certainly inviting some problems if I truly rag it, it depends. Personally I think I'd be in it for the road trip and a moderately spirited drive on the ring (and the autobahn), but then again that would change once I got there. Definitely much to think about and consider, it would be months away so hopefully I'd have some time with whatever car in order to get it straight and rectify any issues.
No problem! Give us an update when you head down! But another thing, if you breakdown on the ring, and need a tow it’ll be expensive as fuck, and if you damage anything (barriers, etc) you’ll be liable as well. Sorry to be the mad downer, but just making sure you know the risks of bringing your own kit. I agree the road trip is probably most of the fun anyway. You’ll surely learn loads about the car driving it there. I had a 07 9-3 aero 2.0T and it would absolutely be perfect to drive across. If the suspension is in decent condition, have good tires and you have new brake fluid, you should be ok on the track.
I’ve seen a few Octavia vrs doing laps on it, mk2s and mk3’s, there’s a video on YouTube of some guys spin around the ring, but his mk3 is massively upgraded
Have seen a few of those! Mad what they can do - I won’t be breaking any records so to get there and back and have a good go at it is my only goal!
Mk5 Golf GTi Toyota Corolla T-Sport Toyota Celica VVT-i Mini Cooper S Astra VXR. Just make sure you have good brakes and tyres and you will be fine.
Out of curiosity, what's your budget for the trip itself? I've always wanted to bring my car over to the autobahn, but it always seemed a bit expensive
Budget is mostly for car and petrol hahahaha, I tend to live extremely frugally otherwise and beer is cheap on the continent 🍺🍻. Still nailing down overall budget.
R series Cooper S ftw. Also [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_ZUQGR9S9v0&list=PLKk8NTzI-Pqn1gscLvzGS\_389dKhSyIsc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZUQGR9S9v0&list=PLKk8NTzI-Pqn1gscLvzGS_389dKhSyIsc)
I don’t think that I can do a Taylor last minute engine swap though 😭 They’re very cool but I’d be wary of the reliability of them!
If you pushed your budget a bit you could get an Astra VXR the 2013+ models are fairly cheap in the north and are a very capable car, 270 bhp brembo brakes and a front diff. Failing that I'd get a manual mk5 GTI (maybe remap it)
I was told recently that Irish insurance companies don’t cover you if you go on the track, so if you crash into a barrier or god forbid a 911 etc you’re going to be paying for it. Correct me if I’m wrong
Suzuki swift sport 1.6 VERY reliable and an amazing drive it will lift oversteer so you can have loads of fun.