[jasper]

I'll chime in here with my .02.

I had the same experience with my '04 Subaru. It was easy to make fast and fun to drive but it was hard on the brakes and various other components. After frying many wheel bearings and braking on axle in addition to other assorted stuff, I retired it from any track work and now use it as a daily city beater, a job which is seems perfect for.

So onto the lotus. I think a used elise would make a fantastic track car. Far better than a miata, especially if you want to drive it to and from the track. The only benefit I can see to a miata is that it is cheaper - cheaper to buy, and to maintain and to fix - so you have to decide what your personal finances will allow. A used elise is pretty cheap and unless you crash it into a wall, is cheap to maintain.

This is how I would approach this. Find the cheapest used elise you can. Don't be afraid of a little mileage. The sport pack would be a plus because of the wheels and shocks, but both are easily upgraded. I would think the first must have mod for a tracked car is a toe link brace, because it seems those failures can be unpredictable and catastrophic. Thats it. Time to learn how to drive again because it drives so much differently than the subaru. Totally different style. It will take some time to pick up.

When you think that your getting the most out of the car you want to start looking into fuel starve and oiling issues, especially if your on really sticky tires. This has been heavily discussed but basically a new or reconditioned tank or swirl pot for fueling issues and a new oil pan +/- and accusump for oiling.

Personally I would hold off and any aero or power adders at first until you really have a feel for the car and how it behaves. After that, if you want, drop some cash on wings, spitters and diffusers and there will be a noticeable benefit. Supercharging solutions are also pretty well thought out at this point, so that is relatively straightforward, if not sort of expensive. You really want to adress the fueling and oiling issues first.

So, thats how I would play it. Pesonally I would keep the motor stock and spend that money on track time, tires and such. Totally different beasts, but in my experience the lotus has been trouble free with frequent track events, and 16,000 total miles. Still have the original rotors and other than routine maintenance no problems - only mods are an RTD brace and a harness bar.

Cheers.