XRacer, this is my view of the GT12 world...
There are two cars out there that work out of the box - the Zen and the Mardave. To that we might add the ORE as Tony Wade in my Shootout heat did well with his new car but I don't know if he had any extras on it. The Schumacher car does have a large range of necessary options now that makes it cost more than the others and could create the impression that the class is getting more complex and in the midst of an arms race.
My Zen came as a race kit, built, and needed only one modification to reduce the front camber plus some lead to make the weight and £5 of Mardave parts for the rear end. I bought three sets of tyres and one body. That car has raced all the GT Nationals, some clubbies and two Shootouts without one extra item being bought, and will do the same again judging by the tyre and body condition.
I cannot think of another class that costs £180 to get into for the car, £45 for tyres and £13 for a body and then goes roughly 40 races without another penny being spent on running costs. It's my choice to change the motor and experiment with front springs (I am back on the kit ones!) as well as having a go through the available additives.
Compared to the vision we had when the class started we've only compromised on the cost of the car. I would argue that those 'extras' make the cars better to drive and enhance the class, and none of them are things needing replacing during the life of the car. Everything else we hoped for we have in terms of cost, enjoyment of the racing and suitability to clubs and club racing. Those rules have allowed two new manufacturers to come into the Section, neither of whom have large R&D budgets - another good thing.
Additionally, the target price for a raceable car serves to keep the cost of the 'race' chassis' down - there isn't a whole host of things that are added to cars every year in the hope people will buy a new one as the costs cannot be recovered in high prices.
Low cost is about the initial purchase price, yes. But mainly it is about the running costs and those are lowest in GT12. Sure you can spend more, but I have placed where I belong in every race by spending no more than mentioned above.
Every new class has to settle down, and that is part of what is happening now. Zen and Mardave offer cars that go straight out of the box so that process has started. As sure as God made little green apples Schumacher will update their car and then it will be on the same level as the Zen and Mardave. At that point it will be a 'buy and race' class par excellence.
As usual, just my thoughts...
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