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Purchasing a performance car can be an exciting proposition, but it’s important to ensure that you’re getting a well-maintained vehicle, and not one that’s hiding wear and tear beyond surface indications like mileage. Identifying whether a car has been driven hard, abused or raced is crucial in making an informed purchase decision, as many sports/racing vehicles deteriorate faster than their road vehicle counterparts.
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Cars that see track time experience significantly more stress their parts and mechanical components—particularly their suspension and power units. But that sort of wear isn’t always immediately apparent, especially to the layman. In this guide, we’ll provide tips on how to spot signs of hard driving and racing, and how to utilize Bumper’s tools and resources to try and verify a car’s history.
7 signs of hard driving and racing
- Excessive tire wear: Inspect the tires for uneven wear, which may indicate aggressive driving or participation in racing events. Race tracks often include heavily cambered (tilted) corners or chicanes, which apply lateral load to tires in a way that degrades them excessively and at different rates. Additionally, look for excessive wear on the outer edges of the tires, as this could be a sign of hard cornering or drifting. In the same vein, tires that have obviously been replaced immediately prior to the vehicle going on sale could be a red flag, an indicator that the previous tires were exhibiting undue wear.
- Brake system wear: Check the brake rotors for signs of excessive heat, such as discoloration or warping. This may indicate hard braking, which is often associated with racing or aggressive driving. Heavily worn brakes, particularly those that have seen intense recent usage, will also often be coated in or retain brake dust, a consequence of the pads being quickly worn. (Our vehicle recall check tool may help you verify if there have been any recalls related to the braking system.)
- Suspension modifications: Upgraded or modified suspension components may suggest that the car has been used for performance driving or racing. Look for aftermarket shocks, springs or sway bars, which can indicate a car’s history on the track. Be wary of any signs of suspension damage, often first indicated by unusual noises coming from the suspension area. Creaking or scraping noises may show wear of the rubber bushings at joints in parts of the suspension, while a knocking noise is often a strut issue.
- Interior wear: Inspect the driver’s seat, steering wheel and gear shifter for signs of excessive wear. This may indicate that the car has been driven aggressively or used in racing events. Shiny patches on the steering wheel are a telltale sign of wear/erosion, while salt staining and discoloration on the surface of the seat may indicate that the driver was sweating frequently or profusely, which often happens during race events.
- Aftermarket performance parts: The presence of aftermarket performance parts–such as exhaust systems, tow hooks, semi-slick or drag radial tires–may suggest that the car was used for racing or driven aggressively. These can also include replacement parts, like larger brakes, iridium spark plugs or high-flow air filters.
- Track-related stickers: Look for stickers or decals on the car that indicate participation in car clubs, racing events or track days. Stickers that feature the owner’s social media handles can be a dead giveaway that a seller wants to be seen showing off their car.
- Online presence: Check the owner’s social media, especially their Instagram, any YouTube accounts and links to their forum profiles or message boards that indicate they’re active in racing communities. Also, scan local racing events, track pages or league websites for any indication that they’ve participated with the vehicle in question.
Verifying a performance car’s history
Is a sports car you’re looking at a former track-day toy? The following tools can provide important information and data that can help you understand more about a high-octane performance vehicle and how it was used.
- VIN lookup: Access detailed vehicle data using the VIN to ensure you have accurate and up-to-date information on the car. As with the license plate search and VIN decoder, a vehicle’s history can provide clues as to how it’s been used and, in the case of performance vehicles, if they’ve been raced, tracked or used in any way other than as a standard road vehicle.
- License plate search: By entering the license plate number, you could access essential information about the vehicle, including registration details, title history and number of owners.
- VIN decoder: Decode a sports car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to uncover and verify important details about the car, such as its make, model, production facility, color, and production year.
- Car title search: Delve deeper into a vehicle’s title history to reveal potential issues, such as salvage titles or previous accidents. It may even be possible to correlate accident reports with the timing of races the car may have participated in.
- Vehicle history report: Get an overview of a car’s history, including accident reports, number of owners and previous recalls. This is another way to track down whether a car has been involved in race-related incidents or been damaged during a track day event.
- Branded title check: Research the vehicle’s title status and look for any red flags, such as a salvage title or flood damage. If a performance car has a branded title, there’s a good chance it’s been seriously damaged during a race. Be sure to ask the previous owner what caused the damage that led to the branded title before purchase.
Comparing performance cars and assessing their value
When considering a performance car, it’s essential to compare different options and assess their value:
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Performance vehicle comparison: Compare multiple cars side by side to help you choose the best performance car for your needs.
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Sports car market value: Explore the fair market value of a performance car to ensure you’re paying a reasonable price for its condition and history.
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Sports and exotic car depreciation calculator: Estimate the depreciation of a performance car over time to better understand its long-term value.
How to buy a used performance car with confidence
Our Marketplace provides a platform for buying and selling performance cars with ease. When selling your performance car, be transparent about its history and usage to build trust with potential buyers.
As a buyer, don’t hesitate to ask questions and request more information about a car’s history and modifications.
Conclusion:
Determining whether a performance car has been driven hard, abused, raced or even neglected is crucial to making an informed decision when buying or selling a sports car. By inspecting the car for signs of aggressive driving and using our tools and resources to try and research its history, you can avoid punishing, unanticipated maintenance costs or unexpected system failure down the line.
At the very least, identifying whether a vehicle has been used extensively in race conditions can be a powerful bargaining chip, which you could use to reduce the sale price of a vehicle or ask for concessions like part replacement or repair prior to sale.
Cars that are commonly raced on a track:
- Audi: S3, S4, R8
- BMW M Cars: M2, M3, M4
- Chevrolet Camaro (later gens, 1LE)
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Dodge Challenger
- Dodge Charger
- Ferrari
- Ford GT
- Ford Mustang (especially 2015 and later)
- Honda Civic Type R
- Lamborghini
- Lotus
- Lexus RC-F
- Mazda MX-5 Miata
- McLaren
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
- Nissan GT-R
- Nissan Z
- Porsche 911 (especially GT/GT3 models)
- Porsche Boxster
- Porsche Cayman
- Subaru WRX STI
- Tesla Model 3 Performance
- Toyota 86
- Toyota Corolla GR
- Toyota Supra GR
- VW Golf GTI
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I determine if a performance car has been abused?
Performance cars that have been beaten on or irresponsibly owned often have mechanical issues like engine noise or uneven idling, transmission problems, suspension issues or signs of damage to the chassis or body, including indications of frequent touch-ups or repainting. High-performance cars require meticulous maintenance, so request and inspect a vehicle’s service records and odometer readings for any gaps.
What impact does racing or hard driving have on a car’s longevity?
Racing and hard driving can significantly reduce a car’s lifespan. It often leads to rapid wear and tear on the brakes, tires, engine, suspension and transmission. Hard cornering and braking can strain the car’s suspension and chassis and rapidly wear tires due to uneven load. Heat from high-speed driving can cause stress and possible failure of the engine, cooling system and even vehicle electronics. Before buying a used performance car, it’s advisable to do your research. You can start with our VIN decoder and vehicle recall check tools!
Can I tell if a car has been raced by checking the odometer?
An odometer reading can be misleading. A car might have low miles but could have been driven hard on a track, which puts more and different strain on a vehicle than regular driving.
Visible signs of wear and tear, aftermarket modifications, tire condition, brake condition, the state of the interior and even whether there is flaking paint or clear coat at its jack points are all reliable indicators of hard use.
What steps should I take if I suspect a performance car has been raced?
If you suspect a car has been raced, consider having it inspected by a trusted mechanic familiar with that make and model. They can look for signs of abuse that aren’t easily visible, like undercarriage or frame damage, alterations to a car’s camber, and more.
If the used vehicle you’re looking at has accessible data logs in its infotainment or instrument cluster UI, like lateral G measurements, 0-60 and quarter-mile timers, braking/stopping distance measurements and more, you may be able to find the seller or former owner’s data and usage of these features, which could provide insight into how the car was driven.
It may also be a good idea to send a sample of a vehicle’s oil off to a lab for a comprehensive analysis to gauge a performance car’s engine health. It shouldn’t be an out-of-bounds request if you’re considering purchasing an exotic or classic performance vehicle from a private party.
What type of modifications should you look out for on a previously tracked vehicle?
- Performance tires and brake pads: Some of the first things people change when they plan to track their car are the tires and brake pads. High-performance, track-specific tires and brake pads offer better grip and stopping power but wear down faster during regular road use.
- Suspension upgrades: Racing often requires tighter, more responsive suspension. Modifications like coilovers, strut braces and lowered ride height may indicate a car that’s been tracked.
- Aftermarket turbochargers or superchargers: Added forced induction is a sign of a need for more speed, typical in racing scenarios (whether on the track or on the street). These modifications can put additional strain on the engine—especially big turbo conversions on already high-strung four-cylinder engines.
- Roll cage or roll bar: The installation of these safety features is a likely sign of a car used for racing, as they protect occupants during a high-speed rollover. These are not typically found in street vehicles.
- Racing seats and harnesses: These are often installed for additional safety and support during high-speed cornering.
- ECU tuning: Changes to the car’s Engine Control Unit (ECU) and software can improve performance by revising shift points and redline ranges or removing speed governors, but may lead to increased wear and tear on a transmission and could even dangerously stress its engine block to its power limits.
- Upgraded (or removed) exhaust system: Exhaust modifications can both increase horsepower and add a distinctive racing sound profile to a car—but keep a keen eye out for straight pipe setups that have removed the vehicle’s catalytic converters and mufflers, which could make its everyday drivability a literal headache. Valved exhausts are becoming increasingly common as a factory option on many sports cars; if applicable, make sure it functions as you’d expect.
- Weight reduction: Removal of components like back seats, spare tires or air-conditioning systems can reduce weight for better speed and handling, essential in race trim vehicles. Lightweight aftermarket wheels or vehicles for sale with an extra set of wheels may also indicate track use.
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