Some Good Info & Opinions

[ABV]

specialstage (http://www.specialstage.com/forum/cgi-bin/DCForumID8/1099.html)

There's some good opinions and info about the age old question... Should I build my first car, or should I buy it.

[Jana]

I still say build your 240, but that's my .02.

Why the question in the first place? Are you doubting you will have it done in time or something?

:rally:

[ABV]

I could look at it in one of 2 ways.

1.) I could either plan on ending up on my roof, and be prepared for it.

Or

2.) I could hope that I don't, and then be dissapointed when I do.


I'm going to go with #1. I don't plan on crashing my 1st rally car, I don't want to crash it, but the reality is that the odds are against me. If you look at any rally and look at the number of people who start, and the number of people who finish, more often than not, there's a pretty big gap there. Sooooooo, If I do crash I would rather be in a cheap car that was already built when I bought it, rather than a nice car, that I spent countless hours and dollars working on and perfecting.

Plus, if I pick up a cheap rally car, and sell the 240 and the Scoobie, then I can buy an Evo!!!! :banana:

[Jana]

Good points.

[rhino]

check out the old yellow datsun 510 on special stage. edit- sorry, it looks like the guy sold it.

in my opinion, building works better for some people's circumstance. i didn't have money to buy prepped car, so i bought parts over time and slowly built it up. if it was a non turbo p or pgt class car, it would have been alot easier.

also- don't get attached to the car. it's going to get wrecked eventually. get something that you can be relieved that it's finally dead after you destroy it.

[sideways motorsports]

all good points. i agree as would most other drivers. in my opinion you have to be ready to lose everything you put into the car. For the big dogs that means a larger chunk of cash, but to us club guys even 5-10k and months of prep work is hard to lose. even if you were to part out a wreck or even re-shell one you are probably losing at least half of what you originally put into the car.

i bet we could ask ryan what he thinks his losses were overall. i know that the swift when i finally decided to sell, it went for about a third of what i had put into it during the 3+ years of racing and upgrading parts etc.

this is one of the main reasons why most racers will suggest to start with a "cheaper" vechicle. not only will this save you money in the long run but it will also give you the experiance, seat time etc when you do decide to step it up a notch or two.

if i were to have started over insted of going with the suzuki swift, the first car that i would have gotten into would have been a VW Gti.

dan

[ABV]

Originally posted by sideways motorsports@Nov 9 2003, 08:10 AM
all good points. i agree as would most other drivers. in my opinion you have to be ready to lose everything you put into the car. For the big dogs that means a larger chunk of cash, but to us club guys even 5-10k and months of prep work is hard to lose. even if you were to part out a wreck or even re-shell one you are probably losing at least half of what you originally put into the car.



That's one of the harsh realities of any kind of motorsport. As soon as your car gets on the track or the stage or whatever, you should be prepared to write it off. Obviously some kinds of motorsports claim more casualties that others.

Realistically, if I put $x,xxx and xxx hours into my 240, I would not be ready to chance it and possibly throw it all away. I'm already at well over $5,000 spent on the car to be where it's at right now. With the added cost of a cage and everything else, I would probably be close to 9-10k. So I think for my first car I will just stick with something that's already built and end the end be saving alot of money. With the money I save, I will probably go to rally school or something.

[rhino]

323 gtx on special stage right now for $4,500. throw some interior in it and terrorize pgt!

[sideways motorsports]

just in case you missed this on rally mn. very good deal for a starter car.

this is not my vechicle nor is it in any way linked with sideways motorsports. just thought i would pass this info on.



· 1984 VW Jetta GLI w/ SCCA logbook
· Bilstein Rally Struts (rebuilt this year)
· Four wheel disc brakes
· 1.8L 16V CIS-E, Euro Spec Cams
· Remote oil cooler
· Coolant converted to non-plastic system
· WOT Fuel Enrichner
· GTI transmission, Peloquin 80% LSD
· Improved shift linkage (brass bushings)
· Aluminum Skid Pan, Plastic underbody protection
· Sparco Seats, Simpson Belts
· TIG welded Rollcage
· Strut tower brace, Optima Battery
· Kumho Rally Tires, Light Pod
· Many Spares: rims, A-arms, H-beam, anti-swaybar, hood, FI units, wheel bearings, brakes, misc.
· Needs new windshield and new LF wheel bearing and brake disc, fire extinguishers
· 3rd of 13 in class at Keweenaw ClubRally (Lake Superior ProRally)



$2,500 O.B.O.
Call Brian Dondlinger at 414/384-2497