jrsteeve
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
|
So it's my birthday next week and the only thing I fancy is a driving experience thing - ideally driving a few supercars for more than just one lap each.
Can anyone recommend any you've tried (pref in the Northwest but can travel if awesome). Budget wise up to £200 but could be a bit more if worth paying for it. There are hundreds out there but some look pretty sketchy and have crappy reviews.
Any help appreciated 
|
Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by jrsteeve
So it's my birthday next week and the only thing I fancy is a driving experience thing - ideally driving a few supercars for more than just one lap each.
Can anyone recommend any you've tried (pref in the Northwest but can travel if awesome). Budget wise up to £200 but could be a bit more if worth paying for it. There are hundreds out there but some look pretty sketchy and have crappy reviews.
Any help appreciated
racingschool.co.uk
Good value, good tracks, seemless set up and let you hammer the cars.
Did one last weekend. Would have been far cheaper to risk it, turn up on the day and book what they had left (which was nearly enough every car). i.e. 4 laps in any of the cars was £75 so about £30 cheaper than pre paying and you got an extra 2 laps. (thats what i will do next time)
In the end i spent £190 but that included 4 laps in a Vantage, 360, 996 911 turbo. Paid an extra £25 ( ) for a for a DVD as i was really hammering this porcshe so still good fun.
Also paid £40 for 3 laps as a passenger in a 450bhp touring car.
edit: the instructors were really good as well for advice.
[Edited on 22-03-2013 by Toby]
|
Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
|
http://www.racing-school.co.uk/driving/doublecar.asp
this is what i started with and then haggled on the day. But as i said if your happy to wait around or go mid week just chance your luck, you get more laps and its cheaper.
|
Fonz
Premium Member
Registered: 12th May 06
Location: Newbury, Berks
User status: Offline
|
i have done my fair share - all i'll add as gifts
Skid Pan at Silverstone
Rally day at Silverstone
Porsche experience at Warwick (6 laps)
Ferrari experience at Rockingham (6laps)
of the lot i would happily choose the rally day again, i'd even say i'd go as far as i'd pay for that one if there was interest from some mates.
it is something completely different to my "normal" daily driving experiences and was absolutely brilliant fun - there was a few laps to site the track and give the instructor an idea of what i needed to consider, a swap of drivers then the next time in the car chance to improve based on the instructors comments and timed laps which were then compared at the end offering a winner/loser contest.
the skid pan was useful, but as you'd expect targetting at growing current and learning new skills rather than a memory to cherish.
if i had to choose a track experience it would be the Ferrari, if only for the noise which was iconic and brought a great smile to my face as i pushed the throttle home!
be prepared to be hanging around for a track day, both Rockingham and Warwick was arrive with plenty of time, sit around waiting for a briefing, get a passenger ride to show the circuit, wait around for the experience, pick up a photo (~£20) and then off home
i wouldnt opt for the "extra insurance" for £20, without it you pay the "excess" which first couple of grand to any damage, but the instructor is with you and as much as you dont want to bend it, he doesnt want to be the one to have allowed you to bend a car and i havent heard of a driving experience which has resulted in a bent car and is a money spinner to gain more wonga from you -save your money for a photo!
|
Doug
Member
Registered: 8th Oct 03
User status: Offline
|
I did the Mintex day from this guy:
http://www.billgwynne.com/
Really recommend it!
Proper rally cars and you really learn something rather than just poncing around in super cars.
|
jrsteeve
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
|
Cheers for the info guys. Racing School looks good, plus they offer Oulton Park which isn't too far away.
If you could only pick a couple of the cars which would you go for?
|
jrsteeve
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Doug
I did the Mintex day from this guy:
http://www.billgwynne.com/
Really recommend it!
Proper rally cars and you really learn something rather than just poncing around in super cars.
Looks good, wouldn't mind a rally one either.
|
Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
|
my suggestion is get yourself booked into a proper trackday, if you dont want to risk your car then you can rent them at most tracks.
you WILL have more fun and learn more in a low powered car, driven how you want over the course of a day than a supercar with someone telling you to back off.
Most people I have seen if they were being honest have come back a little dejected from the experience days, or they just havent been on a proper trackday, cant say iv ever seen anyone that have done both and said they rate the experience day 
[Edited on 22-03-2013 by Steve]
|
Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
|
Tbh I'd agree with Steve though I have done track days before I would still recommend an experiance day, there's something different about batting round in a 450bhp Porsche rather than an 150bhp Mazda mx5 that you could rent. it was my worse fear to have to potter a car around track, but as I touched 137mph down the back straight at donnington my fears disappeared!
|
davevans1234
Member
Registered: 3rd May 09
Location: Pontlottyn, Caerphilly
User status: Offline
|
I'm doing this one in Surrey on the 6th April looks pretty good mrs booked it for a birthday.
http://www.extremewest.co.uk/subaru%2Drally%2Dexperience%2Dfull%2Dday/
|
Ben J
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
User status: Offline
|
I did Racemaster at Oulton. First you go out in M3's with instructor to learn lines etc then into single seaters. Then a hot lap back in M3 with an instructor.
Sod's law meant it absolutley pissed it down when I went.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BD9eqW-oC1g
http://www.msvdrivinggifts.com/racemaster.aspx
Was awesome, but would love a go in the dry so I could go for it a bit more. Instructor spun the M3 across the grass on my hot lap too. Unfortunately didn't have the video memory stick plugged in!!!
[Edited on 22-03-2013 by Ben J]
|
mattant
Member
Registered: 19th Jun 10
Location: South Yorkshire
User status: Offline
|
I had one from Red Letter Days for a birthday where you get two laps of 3 cars (about 3 miles per car), in a Lambo, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, and you also got a passenger lap in an Impreza.
When you're there you can pay to swap or upgrade cars, but it's quite expensive.
The cars aren't in great condition but I don't suppose it matters - the Ferrari had a big crack in the windscreen and torn seats etc
It was in Loughborough: http://www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Ref/EUPTQ/A-Supercar-Triple-Blast?method=PeeriusSectionHomeSelected&clickRef=48006798159
|
Nath
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: MK
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
my suggestion is get yourself booked into a proper trackday, if you dont want to risk your car then you can rent them at most tracks.
you WILL have more fun and learn more in a low powered car, driven how you want over the course of a day than a supercar with someone telling you to back off.
Most people I have seen if they were being honest have come back a little dejected from the experience days, or they just havent been on a proper trackday, cant say iv ever seen anyone that have done both and said they rate the experience day
[Edited on 22-03-2013 by Steve]
Do you remember what a track day is?
|
Nath
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: MK
User status: Offline
|
I did one many moons ago at silverstone. Never got held back once and enjoyed it. Drove a TT, S2 Elise, and an F355.
|
