Should I?

[shoes59]

I gutted my old car to the point of no longer wanting to drive it on the street and I couldn't justify owning a dedicated track car. So I sold that car and started building the S14 several years ago with the intention of having a capable track car but also a car I enjoyed driving on the street. Problem is I seldom ever drive the car either on track or on the street anymore. I've thrown tons of cash at this car with too many mods to list at this point and I just can't decide wether or it's worth keeping. I've thought about getting rid of the S14 and buying a G35 coupe for a second street car and having it mildly set up for the occasional track day. I'm 50 years old now and I guess my priorities have changed a bit. I'm thinking I want a car that's more enjoyable to drive on the street and less a track car but I always hear regrets of those who have done similar things.

Looking for opinions and perhaps a little help with my dilemma.

[Bumnah]

If you're going to ditch the s14 for another car. Ditch it for a car you'll have room to grow in to. Ditch it for a 911. If you're looking to ditch the s14 for a G35, I'd say it's too much of a parallel move.

[Your Mom]

c6 z06, all the old people do it! ahaha

[jmauld]

My advice, if you're going to do track events, it should be in a car that you can afford to watch burn to the ground. Not knowing your financials, my suggestion would be to keep the S14 and (since it sounds like you have a daily?) trade your daily driver for something more fun.

You're never going to recoup the money that you spent modding the S14.

[Longfellow]

Sell your Tiens and buy KW V3's and you'll love it again.

But if you really never use the car then there is no reason to keep it around. Your not going to save any money by keeping it.

[Def]

Do you not enjoy tracking the car now? It sounds like maybe you need to mix things up to get excited again - do instructing, different groups, maybe time trials.

A true dual duty car is usually boring as hell on track if it's very streetable,
hence why so many mod cars.

I think you just yearn for something new(saying that not really knowing you that well.) it's one of the reasons I tinker around with my S13 so much, just to mess with it and feel a different car.

[Rittmeister]

Jim I've had similar thoughts lately about my S13 - I don't have the money to truly track it, I don't want to mod it so far that it's no longer comfortable on the street, and as winter approaches I know I won't drive it as much. That with the likelihood of starting a family has me thinking about selling it and moving to a 350Z or similar as a "fun" car that's mildly modded - like, header, intake, suspension - instead of a turbo car that's pretty heavily tuned.

That said, I think I'll be hanging onto it. Selling anything right now is a losing proposition, and I would need to break near even on any kind of new car.

On the other hand, one of the few modded cars I'd sell my S13 to buy is your S14, but I bet it'd be a similar situation, where your car would be a significantly higher buying price than the selling price of my S13...

[2Fass240us]

Trade cars with me. I don't yet know how that fits into your plan, but I'll come up with something.

I actually thought about getting rid of my S13 for a stock-ish S14 for similar reasons.

[Bumnah]

Andy is always tryin' to weasel his way into something.

[Matt93SE]

IMO, I like having two separate cars much better than a compromise of both. kep the S14 for a track toy and keep the other car for a DD. that wya you don't have to worry about keeping the track toy street legal and you also have a ride to work monday morning if you happen to go off course and break something (or blow an engine. or.. or... or....)

[2Fass240us]

Andy is always tryin' to weasel his way into something.

Like your sister's pants

"buhhhh-dee!"

IMO, I like having two separate cars much better than a compromise of both. kep the S14 for a track toy and keep the other car for a DD. that wya you don't have to worry about keeping the track toy street legal and you also have a ride to work monday morning if you happen to go off course and break something (or blow an engine. or.. or... or....)

Do you tow your S14 track toy?

It sounds like Jim has another car, so he could go all-out track car with the S14. It doesn't seem like that's what he wants though.

Jim, I'm with Bumnah: get a 911.

[Def]

911 is more of the same. You start off with a better base, but you will still mod it, especially if it's something like a Carrera 2 or 4. Even guys with GT3s mod the crap out of their cars if they really track them.

I guess I have a better perspective than most here on the more expensive track car as a base, as I first started out with an E36 M3(pretty fast track car back in the day). All my friends with M3s still modded them, and then you get to the point where you are going around the track in a car that while you might afford to be able to write off, it's going to SUCK if you really wad up that nice $30-40k Carrera in the wall. Not to mention you start thinking about safety stuff when you start going fast, and you're not exactly looking to tear up the inside of your nice sports car to make it back into a track rat.

All the stuff just adds up and tracking becomes either very stressful, or not much fun.

Having a daily driver and a hardcore track car is the most fun and safe solution IMO. I don't think my S13 is that hard to drive on the street either - the Koni's are pretty comfortable for the rates, and besides the seats making it a bit of a PITA to get in and out, it still drives around just fine besides a little low RPM misfire from the cams making it hard to put around a parking lot.

[LAWL]

My advice, if you're going to do track events, it should be in a car that you can afford to watch burn to the ground.

Best advice ever.

[shoes59]

The S14 is a dedicated toy so no compromise here. I just want to enjoy it on the street more as it's a beautiful ride on track. Just bought and installed the Koni set up to replace the Teins I used to have on the car. I have a DD. Money is not an issue. I've been instructing close to 20 years. I tow a small trailer behind the S14 which carries my track wheels and tools. Driving it home at the end of the day is my trophy. A 911 is not an option because I don't care for them. Same goes for an M3 and a Z06. I like the idea of selling my DD for a G35 and keeping the S14. It goes into winter hibernation for 6 months very soon so that will give me time to decide what to do.

[jmauld]

I like the idea of selling my DD for a G35 and keeping the S14. It goes into winter hibernation for 6 months very soon so that will give me time to decide what to do.

That sounds like a great idea!

The G35 would make a good daily, IMO, and would allow you to later convert it to track duty, 5-6 years from now when it's replaced by another daily. At least that's been my working plan with cars.

Not sure if you have an aversion to american cars, but you might want to consider test driving a late model mustang. If you're like me, you will be pleasantly surprised at how well that car has improved with this latest generation.