Quote Originally Posted by scn View Post
Actually the cost of Rally5 is over 40k. Rally5 has sequential gearbox these days. Also 80k for a new Rally4 are not enough. You must spend at least 30k more for the necessary spares, wheels etc, so the total amount exceeds 100k by far.

Regarding NOT's reply, we must remember that Loeb, Tanak, Rohrl, Ragnotti, Burns, Auriol and almost all flying Finns have started their career with very cheap cars and none of them had a rich dad. This has changed in the past fifteen years and now it is utterly impossible to start with a cheap car, because, even if a young guy buys an old cheap car he will not find any competitive category to enter. He must sell drugs or women in order to find at least 70k for a used Rally4, in order to be in a competitive category with some attention on it.
Of course, for doing your hobby it is stupid to spend such silly amounts. There are wonderful cheap cars with which you can have lots of fun without fear of economic destruction.
I couldn't agree more!!!

A further disadvantage with the current system is that it discourages would-be sponsors who want to take a plunge, without huge outlays, from doing so. The cost of running a Rally4 car necessitates a significant financial commitment, which then demands a significant return, measured largely through media exposure.