fun little track car/learning experience? B6 vs. Miata

[kaz02a4]

It feels weird to be back in the B6 section! I started here awhile ago, and then moved to a B7 before finally settling into a B8. The B6 I started with meant the world to me, and got me hooked on Audi. It was originally my dad's car back in 2001 (bought brand new). My brother and I bought it off of him in 2011, and the rest was history.

Fast forward to today, and I'm looking to have a fun little toy during the summer/track season. Originally, I was looking at Miatas because of their simplicity, low weight, and enormous aftermarket support. I found an exceptional one for $3,000. It has 135k on it, and is fairly well-prepped for auto-x. I would go with it in a heartbeat...but then my brother just bought a B8, and is looking at selling the original B6. It has 200k on it, with a few mods (B&B exhaust, APR stage 1, etc.). We know this car, and know that it's been well cared for over its entire life. Because I'm family, he's willing to let it go for $2,000. I do know that the clutch and timing belt need to be done, but beyond that, it's a solid car.

My question to everyone here is, do I feel the tug on my heartstrings and get into my old car for a little auto-x fun? Or do I spend the extra coin and get something much more prepped for racing? Here's what I want out of this car:

• Reliable enough
• Easy to work on
• Fun to drive
• Cheap

I know that the A4 may not check all of these boxes, but the reliability and cost can be attributed to me being family. I don't know. Just kind of crowd-sourcing ideas at this point. Talk me out of it, or into it...

Miata I'm looking at:


B6:

[onceover]

Miata for sure.

[B-Time]

Miata, but would need a cage and other stuff for racing. You would have to do some substanial work to make the A4 fun on a track. As it sits, the A4 would suck. Are you actually racing or just doing autox/parking lot stuff?

[walky_talky20]

That miata looks like a bucket o' fun. I would go with that.

[old guy]

As much as I love my B6 I would pick a Miata hands down for a low cost highly effective autocross or track car. You are comparing two completely different animals.

[diagnosticator]

Our Audis are designed to be comfortable open Autobahn capable luxury performance touring cars. As many have found out first hand, modding an A4 to be a race car or drag car is usually very disappointing. The Miata is a lot better "Sports" car than an Audi A4.

[y0itzflip]

yea that

[imnuts]

To put the B6 on the same level as the Miata on the track, you're going to have to spend way more than the $1000 you'll save in the purchase price. There is a lot you could do to reduce the weight of the A4 without paying for it, like stripping the interior/trunk, but after that, the price will go up quickly. I haven't looked, but I'd imagine that the DIY options for the Miata are much greater, and the cost of the options is lower as well.

[noldevin]

The miata will be a far better track/autox car, no question there.

[MacFady]

Apples and oranges OP. All good advice above. Buy it off your brother at a discount, pick up the parts and do the TB and clutch yourself, sell the car for profit to dump into the Miata.