So, how do you get a rally car? Let’s say you’re a beginner who has decided to start rallying. If you don’t have at least tens of thousands of dollars in your budget, the chances are slim unless Kalle Rowanpera is one of your friends. However, the opportunity is very close if your intentions are strong and you have a few thousand in your pocket. So, let’s talk about the possibilities.

Overall, there are three ways for a beginner to get a rally car: buy, rent, and build.

And buying a rally car is the most expensive, even if it doesn’t look like it.

Buying a Rally Car:

Beginners can buy a rally car, new or used, even though you should forget about the first option.

Firstly, because it is exorbitant.

Second, beginners need to practice as much as possible. Therefore, a used rally car is the best solution.

On the other hand, buying it, however desirable, means incurring new financial and labor costs.

Transportation, insurance, and maintenance will be your responsibility. So, it will be a great help if you save thousands of dollars on your budget and make contacts with talented rally engineers.

Where Can A Beginner Buy A Rally Car?

The used rally cars are available on platforms like RaceMarket. However, don’t rush to buy a car right away. Instead, subscribe to updates to find the best offer.

Beginners should focus on the car designed for the rally category they want to compete in. These are most likely Racing Class 5 (RC5) cars that compete in local and regional rallies.

The RC class includes the N1, N2, A5, R1, and Rally5 car groups and is specially designed for entry-level drivers. Check the rally car type requirements for the event you want to compete in.

A more time-consuming option is to search forums or sources such as Reddit, where you can check the r/rally subreddit for advice or offers.

As for the prices, according to our findings, the Rally5 cars cost $55,000 – $100,000, depending on the model and its age. However, the Fiesta R1, Renault Clio V Rally5, Renault Twingo, and Citroen DS3 R1 are the most popular in the class.

Renting a Rally Car:

Since maintaining a rally car costs a lot, renting one has become a viable option, and its popularity continues to grow.

First, beginners can experience rallying without the long-term commitment of ownership. It is a way to try different cars and see which suits you better.

Secondly, renting helps to avoid the upfront costs associated with repairs. However, you damage the car even if you’re the world’s most precise driver. Beginners need experience, so the hits are just the usual thing.

The third advantage is that renting a rally car implies flexible prices, where the final cost depends on the duration, group, level, and service.

On the other hand, it is expensive. That’s the main disadvantage.

Thus, according to a detailed breakdown found at Go to the Grid, renting a rally car ranges from $1,000 to $10,000, with the N1 group cars, such as the 106 XSI, being the cheapest and costing around $1000 for a regional event.

Renting one of the most popular R1 cars, such as the Ford Fiesta RS R1, costs over $2,000 for a regional event and $3,200 for a national challenge.

The most expensive cars for beginners to rent are Rally5 cars, such as the Renault Clio RC5, which will cost you around $3,700 for regional events and $6,000 for national rallies.

Building a Rally Car:

Building a rally car is the most time, effort, and knowledge-demanding business because its performance depends on your expertise.

On the other hand, it will be the cheapest way in the mission to get a rally car, although you need to be a very talented and experienced engineer or at least have some friends who are.

This doesn’t mean you don’t need a planned budget, but you must be more strategic about your spending.

For example, the British Rally Championship outlines specific considerations, such as planning the budget for parts and labor, as hiring professionals or experienced builders can add to the cost.

Also, if you build a rally car, you’ll need a specific area, track, or whatever to test your vehicle. You will spend a lot of time testing your car.

Overall, the cost of building a rally car depends on the base car you choose, the modifications you make, and the specifications you want.

According to Flow Racers, the total can range from $12,000 to over $36,000, depending on the complexity of the build and the quality of the components used. The crucial upgrades typically include a roll cage, suspension modifications, and performance upgrades.

Understanding the Costs of Building a Rally Car

Building a rally car from a base model involves more than just the initial purchase. 

• Initial Vehicle Cost: A solid base model, typically from 2015 or newer, can be found for around $5,000.
• Essential Modifications: Expect to invest an additional $10,000 to $15,000 for necessary upgrades, including:
  • Suspension Upgrades: $1,000 to $3,000
  • Roll Cage Installation: $1,500 to $3,000
  • Tires and Wheels: $1,000 to $2,000
  • Engine Enhancements: $2,000 to $4,000
• Additional Expenses: safety gear and entry fees, which can add another $1,500 to your budget.

Double the price to be confident. Because this plan only works if you are lucky enough to find the perfect match for your car’s settings.

Choosing the Right Vehicle: Key Considerations

So, the reasonable question is how to avoid mistakes when choosing the right vehicle. Looking ahead, you need a lot of time to think. How much time? Hard to say, but professional rally co-driver Dmitry Chumak gives us some tips.

1. First, decide clearly what type and class of car you need and plan your budget as carefully as possible.
2. Second, you should attend the event. Whether it is a local or regional rally, you need to understand who’s driving what. Your mission will be to gather as much information as you can.
3. Then, it is better to communicate with rally drivers and teams. Ask if they sell the cars and which ones are the most popular.

As Dmitry says, this is a very challenging issue that requires a well-thought-out strategy, where rushing may be an unforgivable mistake.

In addition, the tighter your budget, the more challenging your goals will be, which means your decisions must be more thoughtful.

What Is The Best Way To Get A Rally Car?

Let’s be honest. No one can tell you the correct answer because each opinion works differently for different people.

Professional rally engineers prefer to build a rally car, while drivers focused on experience would opt for rent. The advanced beginner with sufficient support would buy a rally car through the team’s connections.

So what do you do?

We have a comprehensive idea. Thus, experience has shown that beginners rarely win rallies right away.

So, apart from the amount of money, you need three constants to make your rally career successful: connections, knowledge, and experience.

Since all these have to be first-hand, you would never know how good a rally car is for you until you try it, and the better way to connect with people is to meet them. The same goes for knowledge. That is why you can find all this in the rally school.

Of course, it costs money, but frankly, it is much cheaper. For example, the famous rally school Dirtfish allows two-hour group programs for $600. You can say it is only for two hours? Yes, it is.

However, the best option for beginners to get a rally car is to come to the offer, whether it is market or rental, with an all-ready idea. This will be your starting point.