Driving experience days?

Driving experience days?

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Discussion

eldar

Original Poster:

21,614 posts

195 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
I good friend of mine has a birthday soon, I'd like to get him a driving day of some sort, a decent performance car, rather than extreme exotica. Any suggestions, somewhere south east preferred..

fiatpower

3,005 posts

170 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
How much are you looking at?

I did a single seater experience at silverstone a couple of months ago which was great fun. 20 mins behind a pace car and then 20 mins without, could only overtake on straights which was a bit frustrating but I understand why they have that rule.

Bullett

10,873 posts

183 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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I did the Caterham circuit day at Silverstone a while back. Excellent day, good fun but not cheap I remember £350 but it looks like it's £495 for the full day of £275 for a half day now.

Al U

2,311 posts

130 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
Can't help with car choice, but in terms of venue I can definitely recommend thruxton. I did a day there in june. The track is brilliant, very fast paced and allows you to enjoy the cars. Talking of enjoying the cars, I think with these experience days the instructors are very important they either ruin or enhance the day. The instructors at thruxton weren't at all obtrusive and actually were giving me tips to allow me to go faster. Would go there again and probably will in the new year.

rallycross

12,742 posts

236 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
These guys do a great value rally experience have been a couple of times and recommend it;

South East based as well

http://www.subarurallyexperience.co.uk


Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

184 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
Really rate 6th Gear Experiences. Been for driving experiences with them several times and always found the instructors friendly, and had a great day out.

stanglish

255 posts

112 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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From the little experience I have, I would definitely say get yourself to a proper circuit rather than one of these on a disused airfield

Looking myself for next year although I'm dead set on a single-seater of some sort. Would love a go in one of the Formula Ford's or faster. Depends if you need to scratch the supercar or the racing itch.

Vaud

50,285 posts

154 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
Caterham events are good - they allow you to use the car to the max, no rev limiting, etc and their instructors are good.

Jonathan Palmer for the ultimate day...

lufbramatt

5,317 posts

133 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
Days Caterham hire from the showroom in Crawley. Then spend 120 miles blasting around the South Downs biggrin

DUMBO100

1,878 posts

183 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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I went very fast around a tiny track at Ingliston in a Gtr

Flat6er

1,656 posts

209 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Porsche Experience centrepreneurs at Silverstone.


http://www.porsche.com/silverstone/

hufggfg

654 posts

192 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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I'd also strongly recommend the different Caterham experience days. I did the drift day a couple of years ago and was absolutely awesome, not only are you actually pushing the limits of the car and yourself, but you're learning as well.

I've done experience days along the lines of "drive this fast(ish) car on a racetrack" in the past and have always found them incredibly disappointing, the only exception is Palmersport, which is excellent but I would imagine out of budget.

Darlo74

279 posts

208 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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Palmersport is the best I've experienced by far... not cheap but worth every penny

Chris71

21,535 posts

241 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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Depends how much you'd like to spend and how serious he is behind the wheel.

The supercar experience days are fine if you want to say you've driven a Ferrari (or Aston or whatever), but I've been on a couple through work and they tend to be very limited on track time with very conservative tuition.

As others have said, Palmer Sport is superb but pricey. Great cars, lots of time on track and the instructors really push you. The Caterham days are pretty good too. Or you could get him a regular track day with an instructor booked?

As Matt Prior observed in Autocar a while back, if you really want to hoon around then a day's karting at a decent outdoor track gets you far more opposite lock per pound.

speedysoprano

224 posts

118 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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Al U said:
Can't help with car choice, but in terms of venue I can definitely recommend thruxton. I did a day there in june. The track is brilliant, very fast paced and allows you to enjoy the cars. Talking of enjoying the cars, I think with these experience days the instructors are very important they either ruin or enhance the day. The instructors at thruxton weren't at all obtrusive and actually were giving me tips to allow me to go faster. Would go there again and probably will in the new year.
Agree that Thruxton is excellent! Bought the husband a track day there a couple years ago. He absolutely loved it, and I really enjoyed watching him drive the cars! The package I bought him included a drive in a Porsche Cayman to learn the track, 3 laps in a Lamborghini Murcielago, and then a few laps in a Renault single seater. I think it cost me about £300, but that was back in 2010 so it might have gone up a bit.