PEC - GT Experience or Sport Driving School (Own Car)

[moonigan]

I've managed to build up three PEC days over the past 12 months and have decided to roll them up into one and do either the GT experience or do the Warm up and Precision driving school which I would do in my own car. Has anyone done either or both that can offer some insight into them?

I can see huge positives of both. On the GT day I'd get to drive cars that even if I had the cash I'd be unlikely to own and still get some experience on how a 911 handles close to the limits without having to worry about wear and tear on my own car. The positives of the driving school is I suspect it has more focus on the driving in real world situations and would no doubt benefit me more long term. However because its done in my own car, tyres, brakes and fuel become significant additional costs.

[Twinfan]

I did the "RS Experience" a couple of years ago which is not longer offered, but I drove 3 cars that I would never in a million years get the chance to drive otherwise. It was fabulous, I absolutely loved it, but I'm still haunted by the memories of the 997.2 GT3RS 4.0 - my absolute dream car.

I guess it depends what you want to get out of the experience, and to a certain extent what cars you own/have owned/have driven up to now. If you've already had some time in high end cars the driving school may be of more interest or benefit.

[Digga]

First, WRT using own car, check with your insurer. Mine will only insure track days organised by recognised, accredited track day organisers (ATDO etc.) and so, even though IMHO, the PEC was a very safe, controlled sandpit to play in, they would not cover it.

I've done the GT experience. It was absolutely superb. You still get to drive a non-GT car and do all the kick-plate and ice hill stuff too.

[TDT]

moonigan said:

I've managed to build up three PEC days over the past 12 months and have decided to roll them up into one and do either the GT experience or do the Warm up and Precision driving school which I would do in my own car. Has anyone done either or both that can offer some insight into them?

didn't know you could exchange these days for one of the PSDS courses... what did you do? call up the PEC?

[Cheib]

I'm very interested in doing the Precision day myself...would love to hear feedback on these too. I have also booked through PCGB "Your car at the PEC" which is a half day. I did similar days with my 997 GTS thought the PCGB 997 Register and found them excellent.

[moonigan]

TDT said:

didn't know you could exchange these days for one of the PSDS courses... what did you do? call up the PEC?

I called the PEC last year about the GT experience and at the time they said I'd just need to pay the difference. I haven't spoken to them about the PSDS but I assume it would be the same and the voucher would be simply transferred.

Digga said:

First, WRT using own car, check with your insurer. Mine will only insure track days organised by recognised, accredited track day organisers (ATDO etc.) and so, even though IMHO, the PEC was a very safe, controlled sandpit to play in, they would not cover it.

I've done the GT experience. It was absolutely superb. You still get to drive a non-GT car and do all the kick-plate and ice hill stuff too.

I spoke with my insurer today and they are happy to cover the PSDS day after paying a £80 fee but my excess would increase to £3K for the day.

[TDT]

Cheib said:

I'm very interested in doing the Precision day myself...would love to hear feedback on these too. I have also booked through PCGB "Your car at the PEC" which is a half day. I did similar days with my 997 GTS thought the PCGB 997 Register and found them excellent.

Is that the day in August? I’m going too.
I want to the 90minutes session arranged by PCGB at the end of last year - and it was good fun.... immediately suggested they should try to get a longer window and they’ve pulled it off.

[Cheib]

TDT said:

Cheib said:

I'm very interested in doing the Precision day myself...would love to hear feedback on these too. I have also booked through PCGB "Your car at the PEC" which is a half day. I did similar days with my 997 GTS thought the PCGB 997 Register and found them excellent.

Is that the day in August? I’m going too.
I want to the 90minutes session arranged by PCGB at the end of last year - and it was good fun.... immediately suggested they should try to get a longer window and they’ve pulled it off.

Yup Friday 10th August. I'll be there in my Lava GT3 assuming it's run in...although given I have done 300 miles in my first week that should be fine.

[TDT]

Cheib said:

Yup Friday 10th August. I'll be there in my Lava GT3 assuming it's run in...although given I have done 300 miles in my first week that should be fine.

Lol - you'll require a personal kicking from me if it's not run-in by then...enjoy in good health and hopefully see you on the day.

[blackmamba]

I would do the GT day. Great cars, you will still learn a lot from the coach and it is nice not to use your own car. I spent about 30 mins on the drift / concentric circle in the low friction area and that was a set of rears pretty much done.

The cars, facility and staff were excellent.

[steffg60]

Hi

I did the GT day in 997 GT2 and a GT2 RS.

I’ve got to be honest I thought the car was too quick for the track and I probably would have had a exactly the same experience in a Cayman.

If you want to say you have driven a GT then go for it. If you want get more out of it I'd say get on the main circuit assuming its Silverstone you will go?

[nw942]

I did the Precision course last year. The format of the day was:

Introduced to your instructor for the day and you discuss what you want to get out of the day over breakfast.
Handling circuit
Kick plate to practice catching a slide
National circuit for 20-30 minutes - very few cars on the same time as me (just other PEC Precision attendees)
Practiced braking harder and trail braking on the straights on the other part of the PEC circuit
Lunch
Ice hill trying to hold a slide
National circuit
Afternoon tea
Kick plate
National circuit*
Handling circuit at end of day

• Can't remember if we did 3 sessions on the National Circuit - got a feeling we did two in the afternoon.

It was my first foray into tracking my car and the day was very enjoyable. By the end of the day they managed to have me driving the National Circuit without any prompting/guidance from them. There was little wear and tear on my car as I wasn't really going fast enough. You also get a detailed write-up in the post a couple of weeks later with areas of improvement.

HTH

[cypriot]

I would do the Gt experience as it would be extremely difficult to replicate that outside of the PEC. Learning your own car on Silverstone is much easier (and cheaper) to organise on your own to be honest, and you will end up having far more track time.

[TDT]

cypriot said:

I would do the Gt experience as it would be extremely difficult to replicate that outside of the PEC. Learning your own car on Silverstone is much easier (and cheaper) to organise on your own to be honest, and you will end up having far more track time.

100% agree with this...that why i've decided against PSDS courses... can do a trackday @Silverstone with an instructor for less..and get more track time and value.

[c4sman]

I did half a day in my own car and could pick and choose exactly where i wanted to play. Most of my day was spent drifting on the low grip track and seemed to do very little in terms of wear and tear on my car. By the end I had just about mastered sustaining the transition from drifting one way to the other (Scandinavian flick?). Did quite a few laps on both high speed circuits and they felt a lot more intrusive on brakes and tyres (the newer PEC Silverstone track is epic) but it was a lot of fun to push my own car hard and see what it was really capable off. My mates were doing the GT experience at the same time (and i enjoyed overtaking them in my 7GTS ). For me, as much as i would want to enjoy a 997 4.0 GT3 RS, 991 GT3 and 997 GT2 which is what was on offer at the time, the day made me love my manual GTS even more as i realised how much it leaves on the table in road driving. I had an awesome instructor (featured on there front page of Total 911 shortly afterwards thrashing a GT2 RS), who i learnt a lot from, applicable to getting the best from any 911 but listening/feeling the specifics of my car (tyre balance etc.) but you would get a lot of that in their cars or your car. For me it made it a bit more special to be holding my own in my very own 911, and realising that in the right hands the GTS can be as much as a weapon as the GT cars. I even caught an instructor trying hard in a Macan Turbo which aparently was a sign i was pretty quick

As far as insurance, I must admit I didnt really think it through, (my bad), but as long as you listen to your instructor and are not a numpty, the likelihood of an off seemed pretty low to me but that is a very personal decision!

[Grantstown]

The short straights and technical nature of the track at the experience centre is a good leveller for GT cars, but great for the Carreras if driven well. Instruction on the main track would be nice.

[Digga]

steffg60 said:

Hi

I did the GT day in 997 GT2 and a GT2 RS.

I’ve got to be honest I thought the car was too quick for the track and I probably would have had a exactly the same experience in a Cayman.

If you want to say you have driven a GT then go for it. If you want get more out of it I'd say get on the main circuit assuming its Silverstone you will go?

I did it last year: 991.1 GT3, 991.1 GT3 RS and 997 GT2.

Yes, a GT2 is 'too fast'. To qualify that, bear in mind I am saying that from the perspective of (at that time) having owned a 500hp 996 turbo for a couple of years, and still the boost on the GT2 felt savage and, frankly (I'm not too macho to admit it) intimidating. However, I am very glad to have experienced it - it most certainly was 'an experience'.

As for the 991 GT cars, both were superbly enjoyable on track. Surprisingly different to one another, and the PDK (coming from a manual car) surprisingly intuitive and highly effective. I would not hesitate driving wither of those on PEC again. It was fun. Both feel much more suited to the track than lesser 911s.

[moonigan]

Thanks for all the feedback its been really useful. I spoke to PEC today and the GT experience will use up two of my vouchers so I might try and make a day of it and try something else in the afternoon. I was offered the precision day in a GT3/RS but would have had to contribute £600.

[blackmamba]

£600 would buy a decent track day and some tuition.

[SagMan]

I would do the GT day.

Mine last year was 991 GT3, 991 GT3 RS, 997 GT3.2 and the 997 GT2 RS.

Car if the day was 991GT3 RS. It was damp and 7c temp! But it was staggering and I never feared it once.

Went out in GT2 and it was a nightmare to be honest. I nearly lost it in 3rd gear , 5,000 rpm down the launch straight.!! After this we both took deep breath and went out in 991 C2 Manual. I absolutely loved it. After the intensity of other cars I could enjoy driving it just on the grip limit and was allowed to turn traction off so had some real fun in slower corners.
I turned up in my 997 GT3.2 , strangely I was thinking more about other cars on return home journey.
Go for specialist tuition on airfield to learn, it’s all about recognising limit and feeling comfortable at it. Can’t do that on track really.
Hope you have fun