14 replies to this topic

[RichH]

Can any of your guys that participate in this series give me an idea of how much a season of racing costs? Presumably you can get a cheap car on ebay/autotrader for a few hundred pounds, but then there will be the costs of uprating certain parts and the safetly equipment (perhaps a couple of thousand pounds). Is this right? Would a lot more need to be spent to make it competative? What about race fees etc? I've not raced before so presumably there would be fees for getting a race licence. Is this series suitable for a first timer? Just thinking of a few options for next year TIA, Rich

[VIX]

Loads of info here and the FAQ (which has the costs) here.

[RichH]

Thanks. I did actually read that before but the costs are a bit vague. It says that the original "target" was for £3k for everything, but is that realistic? Presumably that's just for the most basic setup car but to be even remotely competative it will require more money being spent. I also couldn't find anything about race/registration fees etc. Of course none of this matters if it's really designed for people with a fair amount of race experience. I don't know whether I'd even be able to race even if I worked out that I could afford it.

[Pidgeon]

I have said many times you could have a race ready car for £1,000. The expensive bits are the cage and suspension (Grand each to buy the best) but I have seen several cages on ebay going for £2-300. The cost of the suspension rolls into the competitive element. The best is over a grand, but Liam Crilly is a regular winner who I think still uses Spax. Again, if you simply want to put a car together, you will find something on ebay. The traditional route (buying new) will give a total of around £4K. The clothing and ARDS test give a one off start up cost of £800. The race by race costs are difficult to define. The bottom line is a single race entry is around £150, then add fuel during the race, fuel to and from, accomodation as necessary and the worst part of all - the beer. The nine rounds this year will cost around £2K in entry fees, OTOH there are three races on Silverstone's Stowe circuit this Saturday for £95. The competitive side is more difficult. The series has inexorably moved on. Last year replacement engines were secondhand. This year they are new or rebuilt. I rebuilt my engine over the winter with an excellent result. The head warped on the way to Lydden, it was skimmed and rebuilt for me and now I have low compression on number 3. I do not want to do it, but I know that if the head does not come off again, I will be down on power at Oulton and have little chance of a good result........

[Wellus]

WOWWW how much do i want to race now! sounds well good fun!

[Thorney]

A car for £1k - gLOL , IMO not a chance. Donor car - £50 Cage - £500 (£1000 new) Safety equipment, seat, usual scrap - £1000 Suspension - £200-1500 All I reckon about £3500-4000 would get you a cheapo one. The series has moved on, there are several cars with brand new engines (£2500 plus VAT) and they are significantly quicker. Av build in the paddock now I reckon is north of £6000 per car.

[garyk220]

Av build in the paddock now I reckon is north of £6000 per car.

Still a lot cheaper than the £15000+ I spent prepping my Nova about 10 years ago No matter how much you spend preparing your car, there always seems to be someone willing to spend more to win. How does £45000 on a Citroen AX for a modified saloons class sound?!

[RichH]

Ok, so realistically I'd be looking at: Car: £5-6000 repairs: unknown and unpredicatable but assume £1k? maybe more? Other safety equipment (race suit, helmet etc): £300? Trailer: ~£500 plus: race fees £2000 ARDS licence - £225 Good point about the beer but to be honest I'd be spending the same money on beer anyway if I wasn't racing So the total cost would be ~£10k for the first season, and probably something like £4-5k per season after that (to allow for upgrades, fees etc). Of course I could also sell the car and get some of that back. How much to current cars get sold for? would that be a cheaper way of doing things?

[Thorney]

Ask most poeple who have built a car and they all say the same thing - do not do it again! Far far simpler to buy a prepped one......anf funnily enough ours is for sale at the end of the season.

[RichH]

Is that so that you can do the VX racing? How much would you be looking at for yours (roughly of course)? Is that an average price? What would need to be done to it so that it would be fit to race next year? Oh and is it any good?

[Thorney]

Yes, but ours will be expensive as its quite a high spec.

[Foxy]

Ask most poeple who have built a car and they all say the same thing - do not do it again! Far far simpler to buy a prepped one...

just ask Jimmy C!

Also, well worth getting out for the tail end of the season so you get to know the ropes and that the car is OK. Good chance for test/trackdays over winter too.

PS. Congrats on your class wins at the weekend JT!

[jules_s]

PS. Congrats on your class wins at the weekend JT!

I heard that he had some bird tweaking the setup on his beemer in France last week

Hope all this talk of beer money is after the races

[Pidgeon]

Ok, so realistically I'd be looking at:

Car: £5-6000
repairs: unknown and unpredicatable but assume £1k? maybe more?
Other safety equipment (race suit, helmet etc): £300?
Trailer: ~£500

plus:
race fees £2000
ARDS licence - £225

Good point about the beer but to be honest I'd be spending the same money on beer anyway if I wasn't racing

So the total cost would be ~£10k for the first season, and probably something like £4-5k per season after that (to allow for upgrades, fees etc).

Of course I could also sell the car and get some of that back.

How much to current cars get sold for? would that be a cheaper way of doing things?

I think those figures are at the high end. My car cost me £4K in year one (look upon that as capital) and probably a similar amount of 'expenditure.' If you buy or build a car (my experience would not put me off building another) how much you spend on the season is up to you. You can pick and choose the more 'economical' rounds to suit your budget.

As for the trailer, four of us drove out to Croix this year (and four of us drove back-just). Cars have changed hands from under £3K to over £5K. There will be a spate of selling at the end of the season and that will be the time to buy!

[RichH]

Cool, thanks guys. That give me plenty of food for thought