Track Day and Nordschleife Insurance....

[Hurdy]

400hp, jesus, tell me you have a diff and more. is it progressive or is the boost pretty much on or off

Not in yet!

I bought Jonnyc's  GT2871R kit with the larger exhaust housing, then subsequently bought the THS cooler, hot climate radiator on top of the stock one, injectors, in-tank pump, pistons rods etc etc etc. The Quaife had been sat under the house and is now going to be part of the build. Should all be done before the ring trip in October. My tuner has done a few of these before and says it should provide 440-470bhp and Keith at APR agrees that the kit with pistons etc should provide 380-410whp=437-471.5bhp

Sooooo looking forward to the 'ring with that kit on

[gillm]

not slating the ring at all i love it . but have you ever thought about doing uk day robin ? alot cheaper and so much easier as more often then not you can day run them .

....Hi gill,

I'm not quite understanding your question - Are you asking me if I've thought about doing trackdays in the UK?

Yes, and based on passenger rides they don't appeal to me at all - Not enough features (mostly converted airfields) and also short laps. The Ring is much more like a road and I've always preferred that dynamic. The full circuit of Brands Hatch might appeal.

I'm off again to The Ring in a few weeks with Hurdy. Also it's good to get out of the UK.

 no not at all its just that over the past 5 years or so the prices of laps at the ring has nearly doubled . ans there are so many clubs going over it makes the track very busy , and often closed due to smack ups . every time i have been over it costs me around £700 , laps , hotel, petrol , tunnel , etc etc .

for about £200 you can have a open pit day on most uk circuits and sleep in you own bed at night and have just as much fun .
 
last year i only managed to get 2 days in due to a slight issue with my mk1 but it was so much cheaper and just as much fun .

[RedRobin]

 no not at all its just that over the past 5 years or so the prices of laps at the ring has nearly doubled . ans there are so many clubs going over it makes the track very busy , and often closed due to smack ups . every time i have been over it costs me around £700 , laps , hotel, petrol , tunnel , etc etc .

for about £200 you can have a open pit day on most uk circuits and sleep in you own bed at night and have just as much fun .
 
last year i only managed to get 2 days in due to a slight issue with my mk1 but it was so much cheaper and just as much fun .

....It's a personal preference thing.

I'm only partly English and my family has had permanent homes in various parts of Europe and so I have travelled extensively on Europe's roads. I love the different atmosphere, the different foods, the different people. Europe feels like another home for me. I enjoy travelling and not knowing where I'm going to be staying that night. Because I don't work, I'm 'at home' 90% of the time and enjoy getting away. Home is wherever I am at the time. It's the way I've been brought up and I've tried to share the same with my daughter. She's recently been to New York and is up in the wilds of Scotland and The Edinburgh Festival right now. She's already got two homes - One with me and one with her mother.

So, for me I'd rather spend my money on one trip to that uniquely very special Nordschleife than three or four UK trackdays on an airfield with no other infrastructure. How much a lap costs isn't what it's about for me - Same as mpg - It's smiles-per-gallon.

The last Europe trip I did with my daughter, we only decided the night before where we were going to drive to the next day. I did the same around America for a couple of months but Native America is quite a different world and a very different pace.

Linky : - Road Trip: Germany-Austria-Italy with lots of pics!....

As you know, I'm off to The Ring for only the second time and perhaps after that second experience I may consider a UK trackday but it'll have to be a pretty special one!

[tony_danza]

Converted airfields are rubbish, you need something with a challenge like Oulton, Cadwell, Donnington, Brands GP... Think of them as practice and the chance to improve your craft, meaning you'll get more out of things like the 'Ring.

The 'Ring is NO place to learn how your car handles, the road will never give you chance to explore the limit - trackdays along with being tremendous fun, are the safest and best responsible way to prepare yourself for getting the most out of your car elsewhere.

[RedRobin]

Converted airfields are rubbish, you need something with a challenge like Oulton, Cadwell, Donnington, Brands GP... Think of them as practice and the chance to improve your craft, meaning you'll get more out of things like the 'Ring.

....Oulton, Cadwell, and Donnington are all far too far away for a trackday without staying the nights either side in grimsville. That's why I mentioned Brands earlier, and only the full circuit.

The 'Ring is NO place to learn how your car handles, the road will never give you chance to explore the limit - trackdays along with being tremendous fun, are the safest and best responsible way to prepare yourself for getting the most out of your car elsewhere.

....I hear and understand what you are saying but I don't completely agree - You don't have to explore the absolute limit to enjoy yourself. In fact, if my tyres are continually squealing or I'm getting wheelspin then I consider I'm not driving well. I'm not saying that trackdays aren't fun but more that I'm fussy about them and love the environment and dynamic of the road.

Why do so many car manufacturers use The 'Ring to see how their cars handle and perform? - The Nordschleife is a Mecca for chassis engineers from Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and the VW Group. If a car works well on the Nordschleife, engineers will tell you, it'll work well on just about any road in the world. So far, I drive The 'Ring the same way as I do a fast B-road (at 23mph, as Nathan says )

[gillm]

donny is not to far i have done it twice , just by getting up at 6 and get there for 830/8 . castle combe is also not too far plus there is always truxton !

not driven thruxton but i plan to soon i hope . the club gti final track tour day will be up soon and im guessing it will be donny again :)


defo a good day to attend

[tony_danza]

The trip and the night before/after are all part of the fun!

Doing them in your own car teaches you how every single aspect of it works and how it reacts when you do it wrong. You'll not have got to 75% of your car's ability on the road, I guarantee it - ask TC how surprised he was about what a MK5 can actually do given the right enviroment. In the hands of a Pro driver and not an amature like me, you'd be boggled!

I consider them an investment towards my 'Ring trips, as it means I can go out there with more confidence and ability - this doesn't mean I try breaking records by any stretch of the imagination, but it means I can get far more exhilaration for my Euros.

It might take you 5 trips and 50 laps to get you anywhere near confident enough on the 'Ring to start seeing what it can really deliver. That's a hell of a lot of money, a track day is a cheaper advanced ticket to Mecca.

You can't eat Lobster and then dismiss all other food as a waste of your time. You need the appertisers & accompaniments to make that dish taste all the more luxurious.

The C-GTI track days are the best I've been on and a great enviroment to learn, seriously consider coming along on the next one with us.

[Janner_Sy]

C-gti track days???? can i have a link please. i used to use javelin trackdays

[RedRobin]

^^^^
Great advice as always, Mike

I laughed out loud at the lobster comparison. I once had a job which took me on various trips to the most exclusive hotels in the world (I was designing and art directing pics for a brochure). Obviously we were fed and accommodated in the actual hotels and Lobster Bisque was one of my favourite starters. Whenever we came back to London for breaks I headed straight down to the local greasy spoon cafe! I love all food!

So, tell me more about where and when for C-GTI track days - And I'm sorry but I still don't want an airfield circuit. It'll be good to meet you anyway.

[tony_danza]

Club GTI have a track day tour, various circuits and a 'Ring trip each year - all VAG, usually discounted, always the best tracks and guaranteed fun!

http://www.clubgti.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=76

[Janner_Sy]

I actually like airfield track days, they are the places to really push the limits of your car so when you lose it, you only get a traffic cone.

I prefer a track as you can see your lines easier and concentrate more on driving well,but when you come off there is more chance of damage.

Andf the ring is just nuts in every sense, only spoiled by W*nkers on bikes and supercars and the ring taxi's who i swear try to force you off the track at every opertunity

[john_o]

bump!
anyone actually get any trackday insurance ??

[tony_danza]

Have you tried Moris.co.uk, John?

[john_o]

 
seems a bit steep , thats just for one day!
thought I could get it for a year for that amount....
is this really the going rate?

Premium:   Â£148.50
Excess:   Â£1920.00
Optional Extensions   Tick if Required
1. Vehicle Recovery: £14.50   
2. Personal Accident:£5.00   
3. Insurance of Your Excess   Â£57.60
   
Policy Premium
Admin Fee:   Â£5.95
Total Due (inc. Tax):   Â£154.45

[tony_danza]

Holy mother of crap, I don't think I paid more than £60.

Consider cancelling your policy and changing to Greenlight - £50 a track day and your excess doubles for the day (£250-£500).