Buyagift Aston Driving Experience - Complete Crap!!!
Discussion
Hi Petrolheads,
I was all excited about the 'Aston Martin driving experience’ my wife bought me from buyagift.com, for Christmas. Well I eventually got round to doing it. Below is my feedback to the organisers…. which I tried to post on their site after they sent me a mail requesting I do so. (in fact they sent the feedback request mail the day before I went - Doh!)
This is the sanitised version I actually tried to post, I knew references to ’12 year old instructors who’d be more at home in a peddle car’, ‘programmed sales clones on speed’, 'mixing experienced high speed drivers on the track with f
king geriatric Sunday drivers’ and ‘having to sit in a seat recently soiled by a hormonal spotty 18 year old with his arse hanging out of his trousers’ wouldn’t stand a chance of publication and were reluctantly edited out. Still I think I make my humble opinion known.
Just off to to find their Facebook page and see if I can post it there ;-)
The Aston Driving Experience at Prestwold was a huge disappointment and a waste of money.
The briefing session was essentially 50% briefing on the track lines and etiquette (very necessary) followed by a machine gun style delivery of the many ways, with a price on everything, we could part with more money on photos, videos, additional drives, upgrades etc, etc. This was not appreciated and significantly cheapened the feel of the experience.
On to the drive ‘experience’
First off the Instructor Driven passenger laps - In a diesel Scoda!!!! Impressed - not (although the lady driver/instructor was very friendly and gave good basic tips for the inexperienced driver.)
I had intended to look at the make/model of and feel the temperature of the tyres on the car before I got in, especially as the track was damp, but was hussled to the drivers seat before I was able to crouch and look. I asked the instructor what tyres were fitted so that I would have an idea of their reaction to the now slightly wet track. I was told the tyres were “very good ones but not slicks”. I thought it pointless asking about temperature rating and breakaway characteristics.
Now I accept that it had just rained but being told before we had even pulled away that I was to leave the car in 4th gear for the whole session was a huge disappointment, not to say ridiculous and possibly even fraudulent as it is not at all what is implied or billed in your publicity. Iconic Aston Supercar, closed circuit, “stay in 4th “– what kind of ‘experience’ is that?!!! Given the opportunity, I would have asked for my money back at this point and driven the 150 miles home.
Of course the onus MUST be on safety, as it always is at track-days, and that the instructors have no way of knowing in advance the ability of the driver. However the instructor established during the first lap that I have decades of enthusiastic road experience in performance cars and on bikes, and track experience in single seaters, f1 go carts, my own Audi 3.2TT (with paddle gear change like the Aston) and the California Superbike School at Silverstone on my tuned Ducati, in the wet. I have, and continue to own high performance (sub 6 second 0-62) cars and sub 3 second 0-62) motorcycles and am comfortable with and competent at high speeds, extreme acceleration and more importantly breaking and traction limits.
This didn’t seem to change the instructors attitude and he continued to insist that I remained in 4th, came off the accelerator way too early, braked before the BRAKE markers and refrained from accelerating anywhere near the capabilities of the car, or me. This was NOT a 'thrilling or exciting experience'
It was also abundantly clear from the start that the front wheels were out of balance on the car I drove. There was a very noticeable high-speed judder, clearly visible on the steering wheel, which I pointed out and suggested nicely that a front wheel had thrown a wheel weight. I was quite abruptly told “the car is perfectly safe and was absolutely fine when I drove it earlier”. I suggested the instructor look at the oscillating steering wheel and was ignored. To me, this indicated that either that the instructor was lying (probably in the interests of customer throughput), was utterly disinterested, or that he has no idea at all how any vehicle, let alone a performance car, should feel.
Again, I can appreciate that the BRAKE markers must be placed early enough to accommodate inexperienced drivers who may not be comfortable braking hard, but they are way too early, even for wet conditions (you know this is true.) Breaking even moderately hard in the wet, lost so much speed I was actually accelerating again before the turn in point. As I was not allowed to get up to even a reasonable speed and only had four laps, I would not swear to it but I would also say the apex markets were slightly late (again a nice safety feature for the inexperienced and I can understand why you have done this.) However this was frustrating as hell for me, especially as I was told off by the instructor for gently (cannot do anything but gentle at slow speed in 4th) applying power before the yellow ‘alleged apex’ cones.
I also noticed that the speedo was disconnected. I assume this is so drivers are not distracted by looking at it or taking on the challenge of beating their last lap speed. One could take the cynical view that this is also so that the car’s recorded mileage is not too high so as to retain the resale value. (6 miles every 15 minutes for 8 hours a day is 192 miles a day. Even assuming only 200 track days a year that’s and annual mileage of 40K!)
Finally at the end of my drive, without a word, the ‘instructor’ popped the car into P and handed me my paper slip (Am I to assume this was the advertised ‘ individual Driving Certificate'). Not a word of feedback, no enthusiasm, no interest, nothing, just out of the car to process the next punter. This ‘experience’ is just a ‘production line’ and does not give the feeling of prestige and performance that such vehicles should deliver.
In summary then I would say this was an extremely disappointing event. Clearly designed as a money making opportunity for the owners rather than an exiting, rewarding or informative drive for the experienced and competent driver.
Have no doubt that I will NOT be repeating this and will be recommending to friends that they don’t bother wasting their money.
I was all excited about the 'Aston Martin driving experience’ my wife bought me from buyagift.com, for Christmas. Well I eventually got round to doing it. Below is my feedback to the organisers…. which I tried to post on their site after they sent me a mail requesting I do so. (in fact they sent the feedback request mail the day before I went - Doh!)
This is the sanitised version I actually tried to post, I knew references to ’12 year old instructors who’d be more at home in a peddle car’, ‘programmed sales clones on speed’, 'mixing experienced high speed drivers on the track with f
king geriatric Sunday drivers’ and ‘having to sit in a seat recently soiled by a hormonal spotty 18 year old with his arse hanging out of his trousers’ wouldn’t stand a chance of publication and were reluctantly edited out. Still I think I make my humble opinion known.Just off to to find their Facebook page and see if I can post it there ;-)
The Aston Driving Experience at Prestwold was a huge disappointment and a waste of money.
The briefing session was essentially 50% briefing on the track lines and etiquette (very necessary) followed by a machine gun style delivery of the many ways, with a price on everything, we could part with more money on photos, videos, additional drives, upgrades etc, etc. This was not appreciated and significantly cheapened the feel of the experience.
On to the drive ‘experience’
First off the Instructor Driven passenger laps - In a diesel Scoda!!!! Impressed - not (although the lady driver/instructor was very friendly and gave good basic tips for the inexperienced driver.)
I had intended to look at the make/model of and feel the temperature of the tyres on the car before I got in, especially as the track was damp, but was hussled to the drivers seat before I was able to crouch and look. I asked the instructor what tyres were fitted so that I would have an idea of their reaction to the now slightly wet track. I was told the tyres were “very good ones but not slicks”. I thought it pointless asking about temperature rating and breakaway characteristics.
Now I accept that it had just rained but being told before we had even pulled away that I was to leave the car in 4th gear for the whole session was a huge disappointment, not to say ridiculous and possibly even fraudulent as it is not at all what is implied or billed in your publicity. Iconic Aston Supercar, closed circuit, “stay in 4th “– what kind of ‘experience’ is that?!!! Given the opportunity, I would have asked for my money back at this point and driven the 150 miles home.
Of course the onus MUST be on safety, as it always is at track-days, and that the instructors have no way of knowing in advance the ability of the driver. However the instructor established during the first lap that I have decades of enthusiastic road experience in performance cars and on bikes, and track experience in single seaters, f1 go carts, my own Audi 3.2TT (with paddle gear change like the Aston) and the California Superbike School at Silverstone on my tuned Ducati, in the wet. I have, and continue to own high performance (sub 6 second 0-62) cars and sub 3 second 0-62) motorcycles and am comfortable with and competent at high speeds, extreme acceleration and more importantly breaking and traction limits.
This didn’t seem to change the instructors attitude and he continued to insist that I remained in 4th, came off the accelerator way too early, braked before the BRAKE markers and refrained from accelerating anywhere near the capabilities of the car, or me. This was NOT a 'thrilling or exciting experience'
It was also abundantly clear from the start that the front wheels were out of balance on the car I drove. There was a very noticeable high-speed judder, clearly visible on the steering wheel, which I pointed out and suggested nicely that a front wheel had thrown a wheel weight. I was quite abruptly told “the car is perfectly safe and was absolutely fine when I drove it earlier”. I suggested the instructor look at the oscillating steering wheel and was ignored. To me, this indicated that either that the instructor was lying (probably in the interests of customer throughput), was utterly disinterested, or that he has no idea at all how any vehicle, let alone a performance car, should feel.
Again, I can appreciate that the BRAKE markers must be placed early enough to accommodate inexperienced drivers who may not be comfortable braking hard, but they are way too early, even for wet conditions (you know this is true.) Breaking even moderately hard in the wet, lost so much speed I was actually accelerating again before the turn in point. As I was not allowed to get up to even a reasonable speed and only had four laps, I would not swear to it but I would also say the apex markets were slightly late (again a nice safety feature for the inexperienced and I can understand why you have done this.) However this was frustrating as hell for me, especially as I was told off by the instructor for gently (cannot do anything but gentle at slow speed in 4th) applying power before the yellow ‘alleged apex’ cones.
I also noticed that the speedo was disconnected. I assume this is so drivers are not distracted by looking at it or taking on the challenge of beating their last lap speed. One could take the cynical view that this is also so that the car’s recorded mileage is not too high so as to retain the resale value. (6 miles every 15 minutes for 8 hours a day is 192 miles a day. Even assuming only 200 track days a year that’s and annual mileage of 40K!)
Finally at the end of my drive, without a word, the ‘instructor’ popped the car into P and handed me my paper slip (Am I to assume this was the advertised ‘ individual Driving Certificate'). Not a word of feedback, no enthusiasm, no interest, nothing, just out of the car to process the next punter. This ‘experience’ is just a ‘production line’ and does not give the feeling of prestige and performance that such vehicles should deliver.
In summary then I would say this was an extremely disappointing event. Clearly designed as a money making opportunity for the owners rather than an exiting, rewarding or informative drive for the experienced and competent driver.
Have no doubt that I will NOT be repeating this and will be recommending to friends that they don’t bother wasting their money.
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