Can Drifting Really Be Cheap?
Drifting invokes images of flashy customized cars shredding tires as they slide through turns in spectacular arcs of smoke. With exotic turbocharged rides and advanced driving skills on display at professional Formula Drift events, everything seems to scream expensive.
However, much of the grassroots drifting community is built on a budget – learning car control skills in modest used cars and proving power isn‘t everything. So while becoming a top competitive drifter requires serious money – getting started in drifting absolutely can be cheap!
So What Exactly is Drifting?
For those unfamiliar, drifting as a motorsport originated in the illegal Japanese street racing scene back in the 1960s. Racers took to the winding mountain touge roads and started deliberately oversteering around the tight curves rather than braking. While inherently risky and largely illegal on public roads still – the style, action and car culture surrounding it continued to grow.
Once drifting started emerging as an organized legal sport in Japan‘s racing circuits during the 90s and exposure spread internationally – its popularity with younger enthusiasts skyrocketed. Drifting represented an exciting, edgy alternative motorsport centered around car control skill and style rather than just raw speed. Not to mention the action-packed driving style looks undeniably cool!
Now there are various international drifting competitions held by organizations like Formula Drift, D1GP and King of Europe. Major energy drink and tire sponsors have a heavy presence in the drift scene. At the grassroots level, local drifting communities are present across most countries giving amateur drifters events and meets to safely test their abilities legally on track.
What Does Drifting Really Cost?
Let‘s break down the typical ownership costs facing drifters:
Used Drift Car – $2,000 to $5,000
The barrier for entry here is having a suitable RWD (rear wheel drive) car with decent aftermarket support. Popular affordable drift platforms like the Nissan 240SX, Mazda MX-5 Miata or BMW 3 Series can be picked up used here depending on their condition, mileage and any work required.
Safety Gear – $500 to $2,000
A basic roll cage, fire suppression system, racing seatbelts and other critical safety modifications are strongly recommended before taking a drift car to the track. This protects you and adds structural rigidity.
Performance Modifications – $500 to $15,000+
Sky‘s the limit here obviously! But as a beginner focus handling mods: coilovers, steering, suspension, bushings, tires. Adding more power too early leads to wasted money and skills.
Tires – $500 to $3,000 per competition season
Aggressive drift technique means shredding lots of rubber! Having plenty of spares helps avoid overheating tires too. Affordable used tires can help lower costs.
Repair Costs – $500 to $5,000+ per season
Plan for wear and tear like bushings needing replacement. Accidents also happen, with body damage, fluid leaks, overheating issues. Buy reliability where possible.
Insurance – $1,000 to $4,000 annually
Some standard policies have exclusions. Look into specialty drift coverage for mods, competitions etc.
Fuel Usage
Expect 17-22 MPG combined average for drift cars. Running E85 will also burn through more fuel quickly in high power builds.
So filling up the tank another $40-60 per event session along with travel fuel costs.
Event and Track Entry Fees
Local and regional drift competitions can charge $100-300 for a full day or overnight event which lets you run track sessions. Multi-day pro events can be $500+.
Not cheap, but splitting travel and accommodation can help cut down costs slightly. Rental drift cars also available from some organizers.
Adding everything up – a total $3,500-$5,000+ outlay per year to be actively drifting isn‘t unrealistic. But that doesn‘t mean you still can‘t carefully get started on a budget as a beginner before deciding to commit further into the sport!
Good Cheap Drift Cars to Learn In
The most cost-effective starting point is buying a second hand car with decent drift potential without breaking the bank. Here are some domestic and import options under $5k I‘d recommend as trainers before building a competitive pro-spec machine:
Nissan 240SX (1989-1998)
An extremely popular RWD sports coupe with huge aftermarket support. Easy to source used examples like the S13 and S14 chassis codes under $5k to learn car control in before adding more power. Responsive steering and throttle input makes them very agile.
Mazda Miata MX-5 (1990-2005)
The quintessential lightweight rear wheel drive roadster. Nimble handling and smooth NA inline-4 engines make Miatas a joy to throw around. Huge community following globally too. Just watch for rust depending on regions.
Toyota Corolla AE86 (1983-1987)
Owning the icon popularized in Initial D manga/anime carries a drift tax now. But core values remain – rev happy RWD coupe that prioritizes steering response and balance over power.
Lexus IS300 (2001-2005)
A touch of luxury with Toyota reliability under the hood. These sporty Lexus sedans offer a suprisingly capable RWD platform to learn car control fundamentals without breaking the bank.
BMW E36 3 Series Coupe (1992-1999)
Nimble handling and smooth straight-6 power have made various BMWs popular drift starters. The E36 3 Series coupes like 325i and 328i can be found sub-$5k as fun introductions to the sport.
How to Start Drifting Cheaply
As outlined above, the cost of consumables, repairs and modifications can quickly snowball if you aren‘t careful buying smart. Here are my top money-saving tips:
Buy Used Parts
Never pay full retail if you can avoid it! Shop around forums, local classifieds and dealers for discounted second-hand parts and accessories before hitting the tracks.
Prioritize Car Control Mods
Start suspension, steering and tires for learning proper technique and skill before adding huge power. No use burning extra gas spinning tires if you can‘t control a slide.
Join a Local Club
Clubs provide cheaper access to track rentals, group bulk orders savings on gear/tools, ride-along coaching plus a built-in community of friends to learn from and share costs.
Share Costs With Friends
Get a group of friends together who are interested to split ownership costs of tools, gear and transport where possible. More fun learning together!
Why Drifting is Worth it
There are certainly faster, easier and cheaper ways to get an adrenaline fix if pure performance is the goal. But learning to drift teaches sublime car control skills that translate across all motorsports while looking incredibly stylish. The challenge itself brings huge personal reward, especially when linking complex tracks cleanly.
The grassroots drifting community also offers a uniquely inclusive space to build mechanical skills surrounded by fellow like-minded enthusiasts passionate about driving. For gaming and motorsport fans already – having real life tire smoke and roaring engines in their face only enhances that virtual experience.
In Summary
Can drifting be cheap? For anyone motivated to try while avoiding expensive mistakes – absolutely. Start with an affordable platform, budget-minded build plan and join a welcoming community to control those running costs for an exciting new hobby.
The sense of achievement mastering those first power slides makes it extremely rewarding. Any gearhead who finds joy conquering virtual tracks/cars would only have that passion amplified experiencing drift events in real life!
So whether it‘s time attacking touge passes inspired by Initial D dreams, learning car control fundamentals at the local track, or just enjoying automotive camaraderie – consider dipping your toes into the world of drifting without breaking the bank!
