South-east supercar owners, how do you use your car?
Discussion
I live in north London, I don't have a supercar but have toyed with the idea of purchasing one several times. Each time I decided that where I live and how little time for long trips I have were the 2 reasons not to get one. Just wondering how people who live in or around London actually use their cars?
I went for a Sunday drive in an MX-5 on some of my favourite roads in Essex (Finchingfield area) and in a narrow passing place, an octogenarian driver clipped my mirror, then basically drove off. I shrugged it off as the weather was too nice for me to ruin my day by worrying about something so trivial, but had it been a Ferrari I'd not be happy at all. About 2 weeks ago a boy racer misjudged a blind corner and I had to swerve into some bushes. He also drove off. Again, I wasn't too bothered about some scratches on a Mazda worth £10k, but I would have been on something 10x or 20x more expensive! There have been many more close calls like this, the roads are just too narrow, too busy and the visibility generally isn't great. Basically, the roads around London are no good for expensive and/or wide cars IMO. There are some I'm aware of north of Bedford, but even the best stretches are like 4/10 compared to best roads in e.g. Wales which are 8 or 9/10.
Driving around London is obviously even worse, speed bumps, width restrictions, traffic etc. I enjoy the commute in a Porsche but I'm not sure I would in a Lambo/McLaren/Ferrari.
The way I see it, the only way to actually drive the car as it's designed to be would be to make trips to Wales/Scotland/etc. But for most people with full-time jobs that's something you do a few times a year max. How do you guys actually enjoy your cars for the rest of the year, staying more locally?
I went for a Sunday drive in an MX-5 on some of my favourite roads in Essex (Finchingfield area) and in a narrow passing place, an octogenarian driver clipped my mirror, then basically drove off. I shrugged it off as the weather was too nice for me to ruin my day by worrying about something so trivial, but had it been a Ferrari I'd not be happy at all. About 2 weeks ago a boy racer misjudged a blind corner and I had to swerve into some bushes. He also drove off. Again, I wasn't too bothered about some scratches on a Mazda worth £10k, but I would have been on something 10x or 20x more expensive! There have been many more close calls like this, the roads are just too narrow, too busy and the visibility generally isn't great. Basically, the roads around London are no good for expensive and/or wide cars IMO. There are some I'm aware of north of Bedford, but even the best stretches are like 4/10 compared to best roads in e.g. Wales which are 8 or 9/10.
Driving around London is obviously even worse, speed bumps, width restrictions, traffic etc. I enjoy the commute in a Porsche but I'm not sure I would in a Lambo/McLaren/Ferrari.
The way I see it, the only way to actually drive the car as it's designed to be would be to make trips to Wales/Scotland/etc. But for most people with full-time jobs that's something you do a few times a year max. How do you guys actually enjoy your cars for the rest of the year, staying more locally?
Edited by px1980 on Tuesday 2nd March 10:28
Trev450 said:
Sounds like you maybe should experience some trackdays.
I consider myself to be fortunate enough to be around an hour's drive from some of the best roads in Wales, but to fully enjoy a high performance car on the road, you are asking for trouble.
Yes exactly. But then lots of people on here have said supercars aren't really suitable for trackdays (due to high cost of consumables, mostly). I see on mclarenlife that folks in the US do track theirs 570s' and 720s', but that doesn't seem to be the recommendation I got here. I consider myself to be fortunate enough to be around an hour's drive from some of the best roads in Wales, but to fully enjoy a high performance car on the road, you are asking for trouble.
I was even asking a few months ago which supercar I could get with a view to track it once a month or so, I was told to forget it. So I placed an order for Cayman 4.0, which I hope to track every once in a while. I would have liked a 570s or 488 or Huracan probably more, but if I can't use the car's full potential, why put up with the extra expense and inconvenience.
davek_964 said:
There was a PH member that posted a very lengthy - and very tedious - post last year about how pointless supercars were on the road and how we should all be driving MX5s.
Although I agree that a supercar is probably not an ideal choice if you want a regular track day car - unless you have pretty deep pockets - I don't really understand the argument that you can't use their full potential on the road, and hence they make no sense. You can't use the full potential of most cars on the road, but we're not all driving Robin Reliants.
My car doesn't have to be doing 200mph for me to enjoy it. Accelerating is fun - even if it's fairly brief, it's still lots of fun down a twisty road even if the limiting factor is trying not to kill other drivers rather than the car itself. I get a lot of pleasure driving it - and it was one of my dream cars when I bought it, and still remains so. The fact that it's somewhat overkill for UK roads doesn't really reduce that enjoyment at all.
Lol@Robin Reliant (I had to google it). Although I agree that a supercar is probably not an ideal choice if you want a regular track day car - unless you have pretty deep pockets - I don't really understand the argument that you can't use their full potential on the road, and hence they make no sense. You can't use the full potential of most cars on the road, but we're not all driving Robin Reliants.
My car doesn't have to be doing 200mph for me to enjoy it. Accelerating is fun - even if it's fairly brief, it's still lots of fun down a twisty road even if the limiting factor is trying not to kill other drivers rather than the car itself. I get a lot of pleasure driving it - and it was one of my dream cars when I bought it, and still remains so. The fact that it's somewhat overkill for UK roads doesn't really reduce that enjoyment at all.
I think I found the thread you're referring to (https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=63&t=1746760&i=180). It is a bit ridiculous and it went on for too long, I agree. I don't think my post was in the same vein though. I wasn't saying "it's impossible to" but merely asking "how do you" enjoy a supercar while living in the south-east and holding a full time job.
RSbandit said:
East London based here but currently reside in an apartment complex with underground parking which is an important point for me, no way I would leave my car parked on the street. As regards usage I managed 7k miles last yr which was pretty decent, quite a few early morning drives with some other McLarens out to Essex (Been through Finchingfield many times) and on to Newmarket via the b roads, some cracking spins and it gets quieter the further out you get. I also do an annual trip to the Ring for some track days and normally take in one or two in the UK also (Bedford as its the safest option). Commute in the car once or twice a week too which although you can't stretch it's legs I still enjoy as the car is an experience even at low speeds. I've a young family but make a point of using the car as much as I can my eldest comes with me sometimes and he loves it...and an understanding wife helps!
thanks. Unrelated to my original post, but do you take a supercar to Bedford? Aren't noise limits an issue?TurboSHerts said:
I am on the Herts/Bucks border and still searching for the best routes for an early morning drive ... can you share a few of the favourites ... i have committed to using my car more over the next 12m - track days, morning drives and just using it and not protecting it too much !
Thanks
I did a course very similar to the other poster, possibly even with the same instructor. Some time at Millbrook and some on roads north of Bedford. B660 between Kimbolton and Glatton is good. Thanks
Cheib said:
Nick Arnold ? I’ve got another day booked up with him.
No, mine was https://www.total-car-control.co.uk/ actuallyBispal said:
I Have 2 supercars and an MX5 and live in South London.
It requires a bit of dedication, I get up on a Sunday at 5am from May-September, meet some like minded mates and we usually set off around 6am for a 2 hour drive ending up at Goodwood or somewhere interesting (Fuel / C&M) for breakfast. The roads are deserted and its massive fun. Even on a Sunday by 8am the roads are starting to get busy. If you are really dedicated 5am in the summer midweek is just as quiet and so much fun, need to be finished by 7am though.
It requires a bit of dedication, I get up on a Sunday at 5am from May-September, meet some like minded mates and we usually set off around 6am for a 2 hour drive ending up at Goodwood or somewhere interesting (Fuel / C&M) for breakfast. The roads are deserted and its massive fun. Even on a Sunday by 8am the roads are starting to get busy. If you are really dedicated 5am in the summer midweek is just as quiet and so much fun, need to be finished by 7am though.
Raven Flyer said:
I live is Essex. There are plenty of roads/routes where you can have an absolute blast in a supercar... but I'll be damned if I'm posting them up on a public forum.
Then there is Wales. I was there in August, in my supercar and it was magical... but life for me is in Essex and work is in London.
I've driven on a number of roads in Essex and found them quite busy. I think the "secret" might be in the timings - I'm not exactly a morning person, and I typically go out for a drive around 10:00 or so. A very busy time, obviously. So I guess my choices are, live closer to Wales, or get used to early wake-ups;)Then there is Wales. I was there in August, in my supercar and it was magical... but life for me is in Essex and work is in London.
Bispal said:
I have mates that leave London at 3am on a Sunday to get to Wales for 6am to get 3 hours in and than back home for lunch! If you want to drive a super car / sports car and enjoy it to its near full potential on quiet and safe roads there is no choice. Even if you live in Wales / Yorkshire Dales / Nothumberland / Highlands you have to be up early to beat the caravaners and cyclists! And the cyclists are starting to get up early to for better roads. You only get out of life what you put into it. Driving mid morning anywhere near civilisation you will be very lucky not to get stuck in traffic.
In my 20's I used to do a fair amount of alpinism/mountaineering. I loved it but was always put off by the super-early 3am wake-ups. I naively assumed that driving fast cars is a hobby more suited to middle-aged, lie-in-on-Sunday lifestyle;)Bispal said:
Depends If you want to be seen arriving at Cliveden House for Sunday lunch in your supercar or Goodwood control tower at 8am for a bacon butty after a 2 hour drive. There are definitely 2 types of supercar owner, those who want to be seen and those who want to drive......Not saying one is right and the other is wrong but one requires some will power to go to bed early on a saturday night with no boozing and the other requires no will power but you won't be getting to give your car a good thrashing even if you do get a great Yorkshire pudding.....
TBH I couldn’t care less what car I’m seen in. It’s all about the enjoyment of driving for me. Sounds like I just need to get used to earlier wakeups...
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