Need A Car For The Ring?!?

[SiT]

Evening all

I am after some help choosing a car to take to the ring in April this year to celebrate my 30th birthday. I currently don't have a car so will be buying something solely for the trip and when I return it will be advertised for sale again. This trip is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity and unlikely I will ever get chance to do it again so want it to be memorable.

I have between 5k and 8k to spend but there is so much to consider like suitability for the trip, reliability, mpg, running costs, enjoyment, insurance the list just goes on! I have tortured myself for the past 6 weeks on PH, eBay and owners forums toying with so many different ideas that I think I have burnt out!

So far I have considered -

Impreza STi/Evo 8
VX220/S2000
MK Indy Blade
Clio 182
Megane R26
E36 M3 Evo
Civic Type R

As you can see lots of differents types of cars all with there pros and cons so I was after some help and advice from people who have made the trip and who could share their experiences and hopefully help me make the best choice I can!

Thanks in advance, appreciate anyone taking the time to reply.

Si

[toxicfrog]

My favourite was my Escort cosworth. Ive driven lots of cars at the ring, but nothing felt as sorted as that!

Sold it which I regret, but will get another this year.

Bear in mind a 968 sport/club sport as well. (my 2nd favourite!)

[AndyCowman]

Just a few thoughts but have you got much track experience and have you been there before?

Take something that you are familiar with in terms of the handling characteristics - your profile mentions a Golf GTI so maybe get a well sorted mk2 (that was the first car I ringed) or get something else (rwd / rwd midengineed) now and get some practise in.

Remember that if it is a tourist day (or a tour that operates on a tourist day) you don't have insurance and are very unlikely to get any!!

You might be better served using one of the ring rental cars so you can thrash the hell out of it all day and not worry so much about ruining the car / binning it into expensive stuff etc etc

Get on Bridge to Gantry website and do some reading up as trip of a lifetime or not you need to make sure you fully understand what you are getting into.

Cheers

Andy

Edited by AndyCowman on Wednesday 4th January 21:56

[toxicfrog]

AndyCowman said:

Just a few thoughts but have you got much track experience and have you been there before?

Take something that you are familiar with in terms of the handling characteristics and remember that if it is a tourist day (or a tour that operates on a tourist day) you don't have insurance and are very unlikely to get any!!

You might be better served using one of the ring rental cars so you can trash the hell out of it all day and not worry so much about ruining the car / binning it into expensive stuff etc etc

Get on Bridge to Gantry website and do some reading up as trip of a lifetime or not you need to make sure you fully understand what you are getting into.

Cheers

Andy

Good advice.

[vz-r_dave]

100% ring rental, the cost of buying and then selling and time put in will outweigh the somewhat expensive rental costs at the ring. With that you get cars set up for the ring, caged etc.

[AndyCowman]

http://www.rsrnurburg.com/index.php?option=com_con...

That includes third party cover (so you dont end up paying for someones Zonda!) and covers you legally so unless you really cock up the German Police shouldn't prosecute you. But you still owe the rental company a car!!

[E500 TAT]

Failing that, a clio 197

[jonnydm]

AndyCowman said:

http://www.rsrnurburg.com/index.php?option=com_con...

That includes third party cover (so you dont end up paying for someones Zonda!) and covers you legally so unless you really cock up the German Police shouldn't prosecute you. But you still owe the rental company a car!!

Prices don't look too bad for a decent car and an all inclusive Ring package. Until you consider a shunt into the armco in a Clio will set you back €13k.

[SiT]

Thanks for the replies guys and I will do my best to answer the questions posed!

As far as car history goes well its long totalling about 31 now some of these more recently were MK5 R32, MK5 R32, VX220 NA, Supra 3.0 NA, 330d sport so spread of FWD, RWD and a mid engine in there.

As far as track day experience goes its fairly low although done a few organised days in Caterham, single seater etc. which were gifts so not alien to track etiquette and what goes on.

I was looking at the option of hiring something which was attractive, mainly because of the insurance aspect! But for me the drive down will also be a big part of the trip too and didn't want to miss out on that, so it's a toughy.

Si

[AndyCowman]

Think of tourist days differently to a track day, there will be people out there going like it is a track day but odds are they from somewhere other than Britain and have insurance or they have a LOT of money or they are a Ring Taxi!

The financial risks really are quite large. Some friends and I go every so often and we take our own cars for the fun of the trip there and to enjoy our toys.

We treat it as a good road rather than a track, so we take it fairly steady, normally a trusted passenger who is also aware of the risks out there is reminding you not to be a fool. We get up early to be the first out there while most people are sleeping off hangovers and I personally don't bother going out if it is busy or wet.

However it is risky, we each make a choice that we prepared to take that risk and it is on us. So if you make the same choice be careful, remember there are rules and it is not a track day and don't get carried away!

[Kong]

jonnydm said:

AndyCowman said:

http://www.rsrnurburg.com/index.php?option=com_con...

That includes third party cover (so you dont end up paying for someones Zonda!) and covers you legally so unless you really cock up the German Police shouldn't prosecute you. But you still owe the rental company a car!!

Prices don't look too bad for a decent car and an all inclusive Ring package. Until you consider a shunt into the armco in a Clio will set you back €13k.

The 3rd party excess doesn't sound too bad, it's easy to rack up the costs if you smash up the armco, need towing off the track or even if the track is closed. Not to mention if you hit an Enzo.

€8000 excess on a Clio is bit of a joke though, thats probably 1/3rd of its value but they won't get crashed as often as that. I wouldn't want to take that risk.

[AndyCowman]

Kong said:

The 3rd party excess doesn't sound too bad, it's easy to rack up the costs if you smash up the armco, need towing off the track or even if the track is closed. Not to mention if you hit an Enzo.

€8000 excess on a Clio is bit of a joke though, thats probably 1/3rd of its value but they won't get crashed as often as that. I wouldn't want to take that risk.

Crashing at all out there is a bad plan!!

[0a]

Hi, this should be ideal for the ring:



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolls-Royce-Benleys-26-B...