To hire, or not to hire, that is the question
Discussion
Chaps, I have set my heart on doing Spa this year, and I see that there a couple of events either late March - early April that would suit my diary.
Now do I risk taking a 15year old RX7 which is fully caged and prep'd, but could be a problem owing to it's age getting european cover to get the car sent home if needed.
Or, risk the big tuned Monaro which is fully capable, the car has the power to out drag every thing up the mountain, but slowing up a couple of tonnes is another on the way down!, and at that time of the year I guess we can expect a wet and cold track. (Oh just one other thing, she likes a lot of space in the bends).
Or what about hiring a track car down there? I see that a couple of people do, do it. However with my advancing years the thought of an open top seven in the rain (snow?) just ain't my idea of fun.
Now there must be one of you out there that has had experience of hiring, and the pit falls, ie. I have noticed that some like an 8,000 euro excess, can this be laid off with another insurrance? is the car delivered and taken away from the track, is this an extra ? and most of all, are hire cars reliable??? Come to that are the companies reliable????
Feed back from those with experience, much appreciated.
edited for spelling....
Now do I risk taking a 15year old RX7 which is fully caged and prep'd, but could be a problem owing to it's age getting european cover to get the car sent home if needed.
Or, risk the big tuned Monaro which is fully capable, the car has the power to out drag every thing up the mountain, but slowing up a couple of tonnes is another on the way down!, and at that time of the year I guess we can expect a wet and cold track. (Oh just one other thing, she likes a lot of space in the bends).
Or what about hiring a track car down there? I see that a couple of people do, do it. However with my advancing years the thought of an open top seven in the rain (snow?) just ain't my idea of fun.
Now there must be one of you out there that has had experience of hiring, and the pit falls, ie. I have noticed that some like an 8,000 euro excess, can this be laid off with another insurrance? is the car delivered and taken away from the track, is this an extra ? and most of all, are hire cars reliable??? Come to that are the companies reliable????
Feed back from those with experience, much appreciated.
edited for spelling....
Edited by slackalice on Monday 27th December 22:56
great question but difficult to answer without knowing what rocks your boat
i personally like trackdays for the whole event, trip, social and tracktime so i enjoy the drive out in my car and giving it 95% on track knowing its gotta get home (I have RAC cover with Euro so if i brake down i plan to get a lift home and let the car find its way back with the RAC which wil probably take 3-5 days)
From your 3 choices, your cash position probably would be the decider. I like th eidea of the Monaro but if its not track prepped it will be wasted at Spa. The older RX7 if not reliable will be concern so my choices would be.
1. trailer RX7 out and back
2. Drive MOnaro and hire a covered car
3. sell both and buy a CSL and never look back
i personally like trackdays for the whole event, trip, social and tracktime so i enjoy the drive out in my car and giving it 95% on track knowing its gotta get home (I have RAC cover with Euro so if i brake down i plan to get a lift home and let the car find its way back with the RAC which wil probably take 3-5 days)
From your 3 choices, your cash position probably would be the decider. I like th eidea of the Monaro but if its not track prepped it will be wasted at Spa. The older RX7 if not reliable will be concern so my choices would be.
1. trailer RX7 out and back
2. Drive MOnaro and hire a covered car
3. sell both and buy a CSL and never look back
Edited by shim on Monday 27th December 15:33
Who are the TDOs for the events you are looking at?
Bookatrack have their Caterham fleet, which it sounds as if you are aware of. RSR have Alfas, Clios, Exiges and 211s, and Porsches I think? Their excess is big, and gets bigger dependant on the car - but could act as a focus for you
Alternatively you could speak to someone like Track Club (Steven) and ask if they are attending - again they have Exiges and 211s.
Spa isn't really that far - 4 hrs at most from Calais, so unless the Mazda has let you down before? Look at ADAC for recovery, they are the people who collect from the Ring when the AA won't, and have a good rep.
Bookatrack have their Caterham fleet, which it sounds as if you are aware of. RSR have Alfas, Clios, Exiges and 211s, and Porsches I think? Their excess is big, and gets bigger dependant on the car - but could act as a focus for you
Alternatively you could speak to someone like Track Club (Steven) and ask if they are attending - again they have Exiges and 211s.
Spa isn't really that far - 4 hrs at most from Calais, so unless the Mazda has let you down before? Look at ADAC for recovery, they are the people who collect from the Ring when the AA won't, and have a good rep.
A205GTI said:
Try AA for European Breakdown, they covered my pug which is 17 years old not a problem what so ever.
Ok just been on the AA site, and yes they will give me a 3 day cover for £53, but what they do say is that the recovery is relative to the value of the car. The value of an RX7 ? Mmmmm must think about that one, as the last time I used them some 5 years ago they said it cost them £2.5K to recover me. So I will write to them to get the deffintive answer.Stephanie Plum said:
Who are the TDOs for the events you are looking at?
Bookatrack have their Caterham fleet, which it sounds as if you are aware of. RSR have Alfas, Clios, Exiges and 211s, and Porsches I think? Their excess is big, and gets bigger dependant on the car - but could act as a focus for you
Alternatively you could speak to someone like Track Club (Steven) and ask if they are attending - again they have Exiges and 211s.
Spa isn't really that far - 4 hrs at most from Calais, so unless the Mazda has let you down before? Look at ADAC for recovery, they are the people who collect from the Ring when the AA won't, and have a good rep.
Had a look at ADAC and yes they will supply a truck and driver to get me back to the boat at cost, then the AA will take over on this side. So yes that is one option.Bookatrack have their Caterham fleet, which it sounds as if you are aware of. RSR have Alfas, Clios, Exiges and 211s, and Porsches I think? Their excess is big, and gets bigger dependant on the car - but could act as a focus for you
Alternatively you could speak to someone like Track Club (Steven) and ask if they are attending - again they have Exiges and 211s.
Spa isn't really that far - 4 hrs at most from Calais, so unless the Mazda has let you down before? Look at ADAC for recovery, they are the people who collect from the Ring when the AA won't, and have a good rep.
The Mazda has never let me down, but that just might mean that I am driving on borrowed time? you just never know when a wankle will let go. (50K on the clock)
I am not affiliated to any TDO in particular but my view is this - you will not get better value for money than hiring out a Caterham R300 from BaT. You get exceptional service, you simply turn up, and away you go. Yes, you can get the satisfaction of owning your own car, but when you work out the associated costs (brakes, fuel, tyres and insurance alone) the maths says you should hire. Not to mention the R300 is a well sorted car and a blast to drive.
Likewise, you could go with track-club. They're more expensive, on average, but you do get a wider selection of cars - all of which, like BaT are very well prepared.
Likewise, you could go with track-club. They're more expensive, on average, but you do get a wider selection of cars - all of which, like BaT are very well prepared.
I drove my 33 year old Camaro to Spa last October for a very rainy track day, didn't break down or have any problems, and just for peace of mind purchased AA Euro cover which was also about £50 on top, which I also did for Le Mans earlier in the year.
I've now got yearly RAC cover which works out cheaper, (and is still based on the age of the vehicle.. not the driver)
I've now got yearly RAC cover which works out cheaper, (and is still based on the age of the vehicle.. not the driver)
shim said:
great question but difficult to answer without knowing what rocks your boat
i personally like trackdays for the whole event, trip, social and tracktime so i enjoy the drive out in my car and giving it 95% on track knowing its gotta get home (I have RAC cover with Euro so if i brake down i plan to get a lift home and let the car find its way back with the RAC which wil probably take 3-5 days)
From your 3 choices, your cash position probably would be the decider. I like th eidea of the Monaro but if its not track prepped it will be wasted at Spa. The older RX7 if not reliable will be concern so my choices would be.
1. trailer RX7 out and back
2. Drive MOnaro and hire a covered car
3. sell both and buy a CSL and never look back
Now that's what I call useful advice, Shimster!i personally like trackdays for the whole event, trip, social and tracktime so i enjoy the drive out in my car and giving it 95% on track knowing its gotta get home (I have RAC cover with Euro so if i brake down i plan to get a lift home and let the car find its way back with the RAC which wil probably take 3-5 days)
From your 3 choices, your cash position probably would be the decider. I like th eidea of the Monaro but if its not track prepped it will be wasted at Spa. The older RX7 if not reliable will be concern so my choices would be.
1. trailer RX7 out and back
2. Drive MOnaro and hire a covered car
3. sell both and buy a CSL and never look back
petermann said:
I am not affiliated to any TDO in particular but my view is this - you will not get better value for money than hiring out a Caterham R300 from BaT. You get exceptional service, you simply turn up, and away you go. Yes, you can get the satisfaction of owning your own car, but when you work out the associated costs (brakes, fuel, tyres and insurance alone) the maths says you should hire. Not to mention the R300 is a well sorted car and a blast to drive.
Likewise, you could go with track-club. They're more expensive, on average, but you do get a wider selection of cars - all of which, like BaT are very well prepared.
Thank for the input guys, just had heard back from a hire company in Germany, and you can lay off some of the excess for £250, which would still leave £1,500 excess. Well that is better than 8K, so looks like the best thing I can do is to change the dates around in my diary, and enjoy a trip out in the summer months, and hire a Caterham from someone like BAT whose rates are more realistic, and certainly affordable.Likewise, you could go with track-club. They're more expensive, on average, but you do get a wider selection of cars - all of which, like BaT are very well prepared.
slackalice said:
Now do I risk taking a 15year old RX7 which is fully caged and prep'd, but could be a problem owing to it's age getting european cover to get the car sent home if needed.
ADAC is your friend here, they recovered my 25 year old TVR on a friends policy. It took a while to get the car back, but a great service none the less.Seems a bit crazy to me to have a properly prepped track car & then hire something else, Spa is not very far away, only a few hrs from Calais its not the moon! 
I've taken my 17 & 22 yr old track bangers all over Europe for track days as far as 1000 miles away, have had to limp home a few times with issues over the years, worst being back from Dijon with a ruined clutch at 50mph tops but its all part of the experience.
I've taken my 17 & 22 yr old track bangers all over Europe for track days as far as 1000 miles away, have had to limp home a few times with issues over the years, worst being back from Dijon with a ruined clutch at 50mph tops but its all part of the experience.
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