First-time trip to the Nurburgring
Discussion
Hello,
I've booked my first trip to the Nurburgring for June, although I'll be going with an experienced group: we'll be there for 3 days. I would be very grateful for some advice regarding how to get the most out of it while keeping the costs down. I've already booked travel and accommodation.
I've been looking at renting a car while there and would probably go for a Swift Sport or Mini Cooper S, as I have limited track experience and would like to drive something forgiving. I was thinking of doing 4 laps on 2 of the days as I'm not keen to spend too much more.
The alternative would be to buy a cheap track car e.g. Clio 197, Swift Sport or MX5 for a couple of thousand pounds and sell it when I get back, but I suppose this is a much more risky strategy with regard to potential failures and insurance.
Would it also be worth doing a Ring Taxi lap?
Thanks very much in advance!
I've booked my first trip to the Nurburgring for June, although I'll be going with an experienced group: we'll be there for 3 days. I would be very grateful for some advice regarding how to get the most out of it while keeping the costs down. I've already booked travel and accommodation.
I've been looking at renting a car while there and would probably go for a Swift Sport or Mini Cooper S, as I have limited track experience and would like to drive something forgiving. I was thinking of doing 4 laps on 2 of the days as I'm not keen to spend too much more.
The alternative would be to buy a cheap track car e.g. Clio 197, Swift Sport or MX5 for a couple of thousand pounds and sell it when I get back, but I suppose this is a much more risky strategy with regard to potential failures and insurance.
Would it also be worth doing a Ring Taxi lap?
Thanks very much in advance!
@Ring Taxi is a must, but they are generally booked WELL in advance, top tip, find 2 others in your group to share a full car-load with.
If it were me I would buy a dedicated well-prepared car beforehand, but as you say (assuming you are doing TF days) then there are always going to be insurance worries.
If it were me I would buy a dedicated well-prepared car beforehand, but as you say (assuming you are doing TF days) then there are always going to be insurance worries.
Ring Taxi's are a great experience, I did one on my first rip over 5 years ago and went in a BMW M5 with Ring Taxi, the plus of that is you can have three passengers in it so split the cost.
I personally would recommend booking one of the Hyundai N car Taxi's, they look fantastic fun and I have seen them first hand flying round the ring, I believe one of the cheaper options too.
There are other options such as the Porsche GT3 RS and the Mercedes "Beast" GTR if you have a specific hankering for those cars but otherwise the Hyundai would be my choice if I did a Ring Taxi again.
Book in advance whichever way you go.
The Nurburgring Museum on the Boulevard is also worth a visit if you haven't been before, the Nurburg bus ride in the museum is well worth a go.
I personally would recommend booking one of the Hyundai N car Taxi's, they look fantastic fun and I have seen them first hand flying round the ring, I believe one of the cheaper options too.
There are other options such as the Porsche GT3 RS and the Mercedes "Beast" GTR if you have a specific hankering for those cars but otherwise the Hyundai would be my choice if I did a Ring Taxi again.
Book in advance whichever way you go.
The Nurburgring Museum on the Boulevard is also worth a visit if you haven't been before, the Nurburg bus ride in the museum is well worth a go.
E-bmw said:
If it were me I would buy a dedicated well-prepared car beforehand, but as you say (assuming you are doing TF days) then there are always going to be insurance worries.
I could never advise someone who has never been to the ring to go all in like this, especially someone with limited track day experience like the OP has mentioned he has. A dedicated car for a few thousand may mean an unenjoyable journey over and back and the risk of mechanical issues especially with first timers being harder on a car round a lap. A trip to the ring can be as much about the journey itself.It looks like the OP has a good first timer plan, renting a car and I think they have made the right choice with a swift / mini (just be aware of the insurance excess, you can buy additional insurance to take this down). Hire an instructor for a few laps, best value you can spend, fast enjoyable laps are about knowing the track and the lines to take and these cars are usually well prepared for the ring. Instructers will be well used to lads coming over and thinking they are fast so will have fine tuned on how to give clear instructions on braking points and lines.
Ring taxi's are nice but they are not cheap if you are keeping an eye on your wallet and they are over after 8mins or so. Hopping in with a mate or someone you meet at the track can be just as enjoyable and you can learn as much. I woudnt book in advance as it ties you down.
Enjoy your first trip and after you come home reflect if you have the bug and if you feel its worth it and then decide on whether to go back / buy a car etc.
Interested to know whether my experience is the same as when others first went.
Given you won't know the track, it's hard to drive it any other way than if it was a one way road, taking it easy woud be another way to describe it and being able to stop in the distance you can see.
When you watch Misha go over crests at over 100mph, how do you know if there's not an incident that will bring you to a stop? It's not like a track day with red lights. That bit worried me then and would now.
softtop said:
Interested to know whether my experience is the same as when others first went.
Given you won't know the track, it's hard to drive it any other way than if it was a one way road, taking it easy woud be another way to describe it and being able to stop in the distance you can see.
When you watch Misha go over crests at over 100mph, how do you know if there's not an incident that will bring you to a stop? It's not like a track day with red lights. That bit worried me then and would now.
You can go over some crests (i.e. the one before Schwedenkreuz which is only blind from <100m away) at 150mph, but blind corners/kinks are much more common than blind crests (trying to think of any hills/crests that I'd really call blind though - maybe Quiddelbacher Höhe before Flügplatz, or Ex Mühle, or Hohe Acht, or Eizkurve???).Given you won't know the track, it's hard to drive it any other way than if it was a one way road, taking it easy woud be another way to describe it and being able to stop in the distance you can see.
When you watch Misha go over crests at over 100mph, how do you know if there's not an incident that will bring you to a stop? It's not like a track day with red lights. That bit worried me then and would now.
There's probably more danger driving at 30-60mph over up & down Welsh / Yorkshire / Scottish roads with sheep hiding over the crests.
There are yellow lights controlled from control (and local yellow flags operated by marshals), and there are roving recovery/repair/marshal vehicles driving around and flashing warning beacons.
Kawasicki said:
At the start I drove it like a fast B road and avoided serious issues.
From time to time I watch YouTube videos of people getting into trouble and I find it strange that some people think that the Nurburgring is a good place to learn to drive at the limit.
I'm quite used to doing track days in the UK and I have done a track day at the Ring and I agree with you, I certainly dialled it back at the Ring compared to how I drive on track days in the UK. From time to time I watch YouTube videos of people getting into trouble and I find it strange that some people think that the Nurburgring is a good place to learn to drive at the limit.
I read somewhere when you think you know the Ring that's when it will bite you and I do agree with that sentiment.
With limited track experience and on a trip with experienced mates just passenger a few laps to get a feel for what you’re comfortable with. You can hire or just drive any old snotter you’ve used to get there. Initially, you’ll be more concerned about driving and surviving a lap than nailing lap times.
First off, You'll love it ! The place is like heaven on earth for car people i reckon..
My First time going a few years ago i did a slow lap in my own car to get a feel for the place and was instantly hooked, on my subsequent trips i've done a mixture of laps in my own car and then hired a Rent4Ring Mini for 5 laps at a time to really start learning the place with less worry for my bank account...
For what they cost they are fantastic fun and the piece of mind knowing ( with the extra insurance ) that worst case i'm 1/10th of the value of my own car worse off helps i feel. R4R give you a briefing about the track before you take the car out which is well written and covers some great points which should help put your mind at rest slightly. I do now have a want to build a F56 Cooper S track car though for abit of FWD fun !
There's alot of other places round the circuit that are worth a visit too so don't miss those and as mediocre as the food is... i think a pizza sat outside Pinnochios on adenau high street is a right of passage for a first visit !
Keep an eye on your mirrors and don't even think about lap timing and you'll have a blast !
My First time going a few years ago i did a slow lap in my own car to get a feel for the place and was instantly hooked, on my subsequent trips i've done a mixture of laps in my own car and then hired a Rent4Ring Mini for 5 laps at a time to really start learning the place with less worry for my bank account...
For what they cost they are fantastic fun and the piece of mind knowing ( with the extra insurance ) that worst case i'm 1/10th of the value of my own car worse off helps i feel. R4R give you a briefing about the track before you take the car out which is well written and covers some great points which should help put your mind at rest slightly. I do now have a want to build a F56 Cooper S track car though for abit of FWD fun !
There's alot of other places round the circuit that are worth a visit too so don't miss those and as mediocre as the food is... i think a pizza sat outside Pinnochios on adenau high street is a right of passage for a first visit !
Keep an eye on your mirrors and don't even think about lap timing and you'll have a blast !
Currently here.
Big one is check the main website for when the track is open, if it’s open at 1730 instead of 1700 on a weekday it should mean there’s industry pool on so you can see some prototypes lapping.
Ring/race taxis run all the time but the genesis/hyundai taxis are weekends only.
Museum is closed for refurbishment with no date announced for reopening.
Big one is check the main website for when the track is open, if it’s open at 1730 instead of 1700 on a weekday it should mean there’s industry pool on so you can see some prototypes lapping.
Ring/race taxis run all the time but the genesis/hyundai taxis are weekends only.
Museum is closed for refurbishment with no date announced for reopening.
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