Porsche Experience - Silverstone
Discussion
Hi,
I am after a bit of advice...my 30th is looming and I fancy experiencing a car I have not driven. I was running the Silverstone half last Sunday and ran past the Porsche experience centre. I saw the GT3 and when home, looked up what is on offer on their website.
The GT3 experience seems to come in at 500. Has anyone gone for one of these sessions and was it worth it?
Thanks.
I am after a bit of advice...my 30th is looming and I fancy experiencing a car I have not driven. I was running the Silverstone half last Sunday and ran past the Porsche experience centre. I saw the GT3 and when home, looked up what is on offer on their website.
The GT3 experience seems to come in at 500. Has anyone gone for one of these sessions and was it worth it?
Thanks.
projectgt said:
Hi,
I am after a bit of advice...my 30th is looming and I fancy experiencing a car I have not driven. I was running the Silverstone half last Sunday and ran past the Porsche experience centre. I saw the GT3 and when home, looked up what is on offer on their website.
The GT3 experience seems to come in at 500. Has anyone gone for one of these sessions and was it worth it?
Thanks.
See my post - I would say yes - you're not going to get out of 2nd gear if you're really going for it but it's still great fun!I am after a bit of advice...my 30th is looming and I fancy experiencing a car I have not driven. I was running the Silverstone half last Sunday and ran past the Porsche experience centre. I saw the GT3 and when home, looked up what is on offer on their website.
The GT3 experience seems to come in at 500. Has anyone gone for one of these sessions and was it worth it?
Thanks.
the PEC is great as a freebie, but 500 is too much for not being able to get out of 2nd gear. If you just want to do a 'lap' in something special, choose something like an everyman www.everymanracing.co.uk
I can't comment on the GT experience, but did the standard one just before christmas (I chose a C4S to do it in). This is what I posted on another thread.
For example, when we were doing the ice hill and the kick plate, there were another 2 (or 3) cars also wanting to do that, so it was taken in turns.
Basic maths dictates that if there are 3 cars involved the maximum time you would be spending on it would only be a third, but in reality (with manoevring etc taken into account) it was less than this.
And less time still if there were 3 cars and not 2 (which was the case).
The other downside was that I wanted to spend some time (perhaps a solid 10 minutes) right at the start of the session on the low grip circles (just to get a feel for the handling, weight transfer of the car etc), but this isn't possible as, for some stupid reason, they've designed the low grip handling track so that it crosses these circles, and therefore if you stay on the circles, you block the low grip circuit.....
(see middle of picture)
I would suggest that, unless you really, really want to drive a GT3, you will not view this as good value for money at £500.
monthefish said:
I found mine so-so.
The place itself was excellent (and I will spend my first million on developing one exactly like it on my estate); the facilities were very slick and the kick plate, ice hill and low friction circuit were brilliant (I could have spend days on there). Most of the staff were very helpful but there were one or two that came across a bit 'snooty'.
Where it really went wrong was with the coaching, which I would describe as average at best. As most of them probably are, the 'instructor' was a part-time/weekend racer, who undoubtedly had some skills (although did manage to spin the car himself whilst demonstrating how it should be done), however he was by no means a master of his art and didn't even have a very good teaching style. (Perhaps we just didn't 'gel')
The other downside was that there seemd to be too many other cars using the facility at the same time, which meant that, although I spent most of the time in the driving seat of the car, approximately 40% of that time was sat queuing waiting for others to get out of the way, and to really master these things, you need to get back on straight away.
I went to this experience fully planning to take my own 996t down to one of the YouDrive events later this year, but based on my experience, I don't think I will now. I think there are similar facilites (although perhaps not as slick) at the Prodrive place, so will likely take it there instead.
The place itself was excellent (and I will spend my first million on developing one exactly like it on my estate); the facilities were very slick and the kick plate, ice hill and low friction circuit were brilliant (I could have spend days on there). Most of the staff were very helpful but there were one or two that came across a bit 'snooty'.
Where it really went wrong was with the coaching, which I would describe as average at best. As most of them probably are, the 'instructor' was a part-time/weekend racer, who undoubtedly had some skills (although did manage to spin the car himself whilst demonstrating how it should be done), however he was by no means a master of his art and didn't even have a very good teaching style. (Perhaps we just didn't 'gel')
The other downside was that there seemd to be too many other cars using the facility at the same time, which meant that, although I spent most of the time in the driving seat of the car, approximately 40% of that time was sat queuing waiting for others to get out of the way, and to really master these things, you need to get back on straight away.
I went to this experience fully planning to take my own 996t down to one of the YouDrive events later this year, but based on my experience, I don't think I will now. I think there are similar facilites (although perhaps not as slick) at the Prodrive place, so will likely take it there instead.
monthefish said:
Bluey Green said:
So how much of the 90 minutes `driving' is actually queuing then? I'm about to book one for my birthday in March.
Yes, in my case it was quite a lot. Between 30 and 40% overall.For example, when we were doing the ice hill and the kick plate, there were another 2 (or 3) cars also wanting to do that, so it was taken in turns.
Basic maths dictates that if there are 3 cars involved the maximum time you would be spending on it would only be a third, but in reality (with manoevring etc taken into account) it was less than this.
And less time still if there were 3 cars and not 2 (which was the case).
The other downside was that I wanted to spend some time (perhaps a solid 10 minutes) right at the start of the session on the low grip circles (just to get a feel for the handling, weight transfer of the car etc), but this isn't possible as, for some stupid reason, they've designed the low grip handling track so that it crosses these circles, and therefore if you stay on the circles, you block the low grip circuit.....
(see middle of picture)
Mine was nothing like that - virtually no traffic on track (most of the time I was on my own) and I only had to queue twice (one car in front, so not a big deal).
I spent most of the time on the handling circuit (ideal really as this is the bit I like the most) and a bit of time on the kick plate, about 3 laps of low friction (no queue) and 3 goes of the ice hill (tiny queue).
I'd say I spent no more than 5 minutes waiting and the rest driving! Awesome day out made better by the GT3RS 4.0!
I spent most of the time on the handling circuit (ideal really as this is the bit I like the most) and a bit of time on the kick plate, about 3 laps of low friction (no queue) and 3 goes of the ice hill (tiny queue).
I'd say I spent no more than 5 minutes waiting and the rest driving! Awesome day out made better by the GT3RS 4.0!
monthefish said:
I can't comment on the GT experience, but did the standard one just before christmas (I chose a C4S to do it in). This is what I posted on another thread.
For example, when we were doing the ice hill and the kick plate, there were another 2 (or 3) cars also wanting to do that, so it was taken in turns.
Basic maths dictates that if there are 3 cars involved the maximum time you would be spending on it would only be a third, but in reality (with manoevring etc taken into account) it was less than this.
And less time still if there were 3 cars and not 2 (which was the case).
The other downside was that I wanted to spend some time (perhaps a solid 10 minutes) right at the start of the session on the low grip circles (just to get a feel for the handling, weight transfer of the car etc), but this isn't possible as, for some stupid reason, they've designed the low grip handling track so that it crosses these circles, and therefore if you stay on the circles, you block the low grip circuit.....
(see middle of picture)
I would suggest that, unless you really, really want to drive a GT3, you will not view this as good value for money at £500.
I had a similar experiencemonthefish said:
I found mine so-so.
The place itself was excellent (and I will spend my first million on developing one exactly like it on my estate); the facilities were very slick and the kick plate, ice hill and low friction circuit were brilliant (I could have spend days on there). Most of the staff were very helpful but there were one or two that came across a bit 'snooty'.
Where it really went wrong was with the coaching, which I would describe as average at best. As most of them probably are, the 'instructor' was a part-time/weekend racer, who undoubtedly had some skills (although did manage to spin the car himself whilst demonstrating how it should be done), however he was by no means a master of his art and didn't even have a very good teaching style. (Perhaps we just didn't 'gel')
The other downside was that there seemd to be too many other cars using the facility at the same time, which meant that, although I spent most of the time in the driving seat of the car, approximately 40% of that time was sat queuing waiting for others to get out of the way, and to really master these things, you need to get back on straight away.
I went to this experience fully planning to take my own 996t down to one of the YouDrive events later this year, but based on my experience, I don't think I will now. I think there are similar facilites (although perhaps not as slick) at the Prodrive place, so will likely take it there instead.
The place itself was excellent (and I will spend my first million on developing one exactly like it on my estate); the facilities were very slick and the kick plate, ice hill and low friction circuit were brilliant (I could have spend days on there). Most of the staff were very helpful but there were one or two that came across a bit 'snooty'.
Where it really went wrong was with the coaching, which I would describe as average at best. As most of them probably are, the 'instructor' was a part-time/weekend racer, who undoubtedly had some skills (although did manage to spin the car himself whilst demonstrating how it should be done), however he was by no means a master of his art and didn't even have a very good teaching style. (Perhaps we just didn't 'gel')
The other downside was that there seemd to be too many other cars using the facility at the same time, which meant that, although I spent most of the time in the driving seat of the car, approximately 40% of that time was sat queuing waiting for others to get out of the way, and to really master these things, you need to get back on straight away.
I went to this experience fully planning to take my own 996t down to one of the YouDrive events later this year, but based on my experience, I don't think I will now. I think there are similar facilites (although perhaps not as slick) at the Prodrive place, so will likely take it there instead.
monthefish said:
Bluey Green said:
So how much of the 90 minutes `driving' is actually queuing then? I'm about to book one for my birthday in March.
Yes, in my case it was quite a lot. Between 30 and 40% overall.For example, when we were doing the ice hill and the kick plate, there were another 2 (or 3) cars also wanting to do that, so it was taken in turns.
Basic maths dictates that if there are 3 cars involved the maximum time you would be spending on it would only be a third, but in reality (with manoevring etc taken into account) it was less than this.
And less time still if there were 3 cars and not 2 (which was the case).
The other downside was that I wanted to spend some time (perhaps a solid 10 minutes) right at the start of the session on the low grip circles (just to get a feel for the handling, weight transfer of the car etc), but this isn't possible as, for some stupid reason, they've designed the low grip handling track so that it crosses these circles, and therefore if you stay on the circles, you block the low grip circuit.....
(see middle of picture)
I did the GT Experience and have previously done a Precision one.
The Precision one was good because I had an excellent instructor. The GT one was not because the instructor was not as good and he forced me to stay in 3rd gear all the time, and rushed the entire experience which I thought was unfair and unsafe.
If you really want to drive a GT3 then it will be worth it IF you get a good instructor, otherwise do a Thruxton or 6th Gear experience for cheaper thrills. At the opposite price end is Sean Edwards legendary tuition (you have to hire the car) and Palmer motorsport in Bedford (supposed to be excellent but very expensive).
Make sure you arrive EARLY at Silverstone otherwise they will forfeit your time even if there is no-one else booked in those cars.
The Precision one was good because I had an excellent instructor. The GT one was not because the instructor was not as good and he forced me to stay in 3rd gear all the time, and rushed the entire experience which I thought was unfair and unsafe.
If you really want to drive a GT3 then it will be worth it IF you get a good instructor, otherwise do a Thruxton or 6th Gear experience for cheaper thrills. At the opposite price end is Sean Edwards legendary tuition (you have to hire the car) and Palmer motorsport in Bedford (supposed to be excellent but very expensive).
Make sure you arrive EARLY at Silverstone otherwise they will forfeit your time even if there is no-one else booked in those cars.
In fact, forget doing anything at Silverstone - just save up for this!
http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovideos/280348...
http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovideos/280348...
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