C5 or Toyburu 86 for dedicated autocross car?

After two seasons of beating up my capable daily driver, I'd like to commit to buying a dedicated autocross car. Well, not entirely dedicated. I'd like to also take it out to the occasional HPDE and retain the ability to take it out for weekend drives. In fact, I need to be able to drive it to events because my neighborhood won't allow trailers. 

With a budget of about $14k, I've focused the search on a C5 Corvette (likely non-Z06) or a BRZ/FR-S/86. 

Any thoughts on what might be the better option without regard to classing? I know it seems weird to consider these without a discussion of classing, but some of the local events don't use SCCA classing and I'd like to be happy with HPDE performance, too. 

I'd take the $14k and use it towards a down payment in a non HOA neighborhood. 

That's a hard question. Having been on course in a c5 (z06) with a good driver, that's what I'd likely choose. It was pretty brutal out of the corners. That said, an 86 is on my short list, but would only see the occasional autox. I think stock vs stock, you'll get more track fun from the Chevy. 500hp is heads/cam away. 86 looks better. 
 

Boy racer, or gold chainz?

C5 is the better Racecar but worse car.  Very fast, and more of a handling focused momentum car then people think.  They will be a hammer if you treat them like one but due to great handling capabilities they really prefer to be a scalpel.

86 will teach you a lot about driving fast but not be fast.  Very good handling cars with great feel at and over the limit.  The power is low, but they are still fun at autox and a track.  Where the power let's you down is 10-50 mph on the street. 

Both are solid choices, I've been thinking about a 86 alot myself.

Out of left field but drive a 350/370 Z.  It's basically right in-between those 2 cars.  With the bigger brakes they handle track work well and have 70-130 HP on the 86 to keep you entertained as your ability increases for track work.  They have good aftermarket and seem to be reliable and the interiors aren't terrible.    

I know this is not at all the question you're asking, but if you're going for a single purpose racer have you considered a shifter kart? No need for a trailer, much cheaper than either car and you should set FTD fairly regularly. 

I would second the 350/370z cars, they handed well and have good power, and cheaper.

Having driven the three each has its good and bad points. In my opinion the Z cars are a good mix, power, handed  well, and are fun to drive with the exhaust uncorked. 

How much do you want to spend on tires? 

I very much want a Corvette.  

With that said, for autocross I'd go with the 86 and run SSC.  Keep it simple and cheap and you will enjoy it more.

I would say one of the Twins mainly because of consumables.

In replay to nocones:

Regarding the Z cars, more power but also substantially more weight than a Twin. And yes, the interiors are pretty terrible. I think I only had my 350Z 3 months before I got rid of it. 

Another nice thing with the twins, if you aren't concerned with classing, it's really easy to pull 100lbs out of the car without impacting it's comfort at all. Lightweight battery, front brakes, rear seat delete alone are worth like 60-65 lbs. E85 and a header, 25whp and it gets ride of the torque dip.

And they will fit WIDE meats under the stock fenders. 255/35/18 is a piece of a cake (255/40/17 for less weight but I think the 18s look better), don't even need to roll the fenders. 265/35/18 will work is you're willing to shave down a part of a protrusion on the rear bumper, on the inside. IIRC, someone stuffed 285/30/18s under the stock fenders with a roll and pull.

For a dedicated autocross car, you really need to look at classing and where you want to run. Do you want to run in a class with close competition or do you really not care?  Do you not care if you modify the car to the point where it gets moved to a class where it's not competitive? Do you have enough experience with a high HP car to drive it at the limits? You mentioned a budget - is that all inclusive (car plus auto-x mods) or just for the car?

These tend to be unpopular subjects on this forum, but I can say from past experience few things will sour your opinion of a car faster than buying something specifically for autocross without doing some prior research. 

An interesting thing about autocross is the guys who really take it seriously and are very good at it tend to not focus on a particular car. The car is simply a means to a competition end. If classing changes and the car they have is no longer competitive, they will often sell it and get something else.

Look at how many events HPDE & Autocross you are going to do, then look at the tire bill. Next up is the fuel bill, the Vette is going to eat more gas, my guess is 5-7mpg versus 9-12mpg. The FRS/BRZ would allow you to attend more events. Lets be honest the Vette isn't going to be twice as much fun.

Both cars are great pics but since you mentioned budget I'd got with the more budget friendly car.

In reply to cones36 :

Depends on what you like.  I got a Z06 5 years ago at the top of your price range.  I prefer/ do better in slower cars, however I bore of them quickly.  The Z still has my interest and I am still learning everytime I take it out.  I also take it to work occasionally as it is just a fun vehicle.  The interior is fine, its 90s GM, no different than a grandam or the like and plenty of people DD'd those.  For a non DD car it matters not.

Wear/tire costs are inconsequential if you are getting your moneys worth, and a vette is actually pretty easy on consumables, just big tires required.

$14,000 gets you closer to a track ready 86 than a track-ready Corvette. The downside of Corvettes being cheap and fast is things wear out quicker and break harder when cars go fast. And a Corvette can quickly and easily be made to go fast enough that keeping it a "street" car is no longer realistic (ask me how I know). 

An 86 will be more affordable and easier in every way. It will not be as fast, which for some people means not as fun. But speed can also bring complications. 86 is the uncomplicated easy button here. 

EDIT because JG said it better than I could have.

I will throw this out; I've track driven everything from a full on race prepped 750 hp Viper to Porsche GT-3 RS as well as some pretty rapid single seaters all the way to bone stock BRZs and the faster car doesn't mean more fun.

For around 2K you can build a great handling Maita and be save the money down the road to move.....

ckosacranoid said:

For around 2K you can build a great handling Maita and be save the money down the road to move.....

Recipe? 

Because you aren't even going to find a decent condition Miata for $2k. Much less the prep to make it safe and reliable for HPDE, for example.

Thanks, everyone. GRM is awesome. 
 

The 86 is making more and more sense (even if the C5 is, in my head, the cooler pick) and I think I'm going to focus my search there. 

rodknock said:

How much do you want to spend on tires? 

Definitely my first thought. C5 can get into tire sizes started with a 3 very easily. The Frisbee is probably going to be cheaper to run in general. I'm a redneck that grew up around Bowling Green, Kentucky so I love me a good track rat C5, the Frisbee is probably the smart move though.

z31maniac said:

ckosacranoid said:

For around 2K you can build a great handling Maita and be save the money down the road to move.....

Recipe? 

Because you aren't even going to find a decent condition Miata for $2k. Much less the prep to make it safe and reliable for HPDE, for example.

Cheap Miata is great if you find a good one for the right price. I love mine. I think these days really nice NB money is also really ratty Frisbee money NCs are in the same territory. The Frisbee has the huge benefit of a roof and is slightly larger. Makes it a way better car for all the times you aren't at a track or an autox. 

Have you driven either? That's what I'd do next.

I'd get a Miata for half that price before either of these though, to be honest. Blow the rest on tires, hats, and pet rocks.

I sold my BRZ at I think around 30k miles.  How are they holding up long term?  

In reply to racerdave600 :

96,000 miles on my 2015 FR-S.  Zero issues.

In reply to racerdave600 :

Friend of mine has one with 140k+ other than having the engine "resealed" under warranty. It had a bunch of gaskets start leaking all at once. It's been great for him until last week.

Fuel pump finally went out on him, he's also been running straight E85 tune for 2+ years now? So no idea if that is factor. He bought a new drop-in AEM pump for $120 to replace it.

Donebrokeit said:

In my opinion the Z cars are a good mix, power, handed  well, and make everyone around want to kill you when driven with the exhaust uncorked. 

FTFY.

Others have mentioned it but I would highly, highly suggest spending some quality time in both vehicles before making a decision. I've autocrossed about half a dozen examples of both cars (owned a C5 Z06 for about a year and a half) and they each have their quirks. Personally, the stock C5 was a very poor fit for me, although I would likely change my mind if I had the privilege of driving an STU/SSP prepped car. Stock-ish (DS/SSC/STX) Twins are a solid package, but I found them to be pretty underwhelming to drive. This is probably the worst answer by far, but if I were on your budget I'd probably buy an ES Toyota MR2 as an autocross car, and a cheap ratty Miata as an HPDE/track toy. Or if you're ok with adding the weight, just toss a roll bar in the MR2.