Driving experience
- Thread starter jonathanw
- Start date
Leaving the TMC issue aside. All manufacturers and official importers tend to improve or add incentives as a model progresses in life to keep pressure on new orders. This adds to the feel good factor of having the "latest" of the breed on your drive. I understand that the "driving experience" if bought seperately is around £500. I would rather see that sort of value added to longer warranties and quality customer sevice.
I can confirm that Porsche do indeed have a driving experience for new 997 owners. I am attending my experience on Monday and will report on what it is like. I think if you pay the normal £550 Porsche charge you get a full day in your car with the instructor whereas the freebie version is just 4 hours with the instructor but using their car on track and road. I hope my 997 which has just been buily will have the TMC in full working order when it arrives next month
Guest
New member
Last time I asked, I was told the basic Porsche driving experience (550 GBP) lasts only half a day. While you can rent a Boxster or 911 for it instead of using your own car, you'd be facing extra costs.
That makes the free experience in a provided car sound even more spectacular. Enjoy!
That makes the free experience in a provided car sound even more spectacular. Enjoy!
Andrew Smith
New member
Jonathan,
Did you not get an invite to the cayenne experience a few months ago (June) at Millbrook ! This was a freebie and great fun - not that I was intrested in buying a 4x4 but I did enjoy the day, and to top it all "Dickie Attwood" was my instructor for the day !
Ask at your OPC to get your name down for the next invite []
Andrew
Did you not get an invite to the cayenne experience a few months ago (June) at Millbrook ! This was a freebie and great fun - not that I was intrested in buying a 4x4 but I did enjoy the day, and to top it all "Dickie Attwood" was my instructor for the day !
Ask at your OPC to get your name down for the next invite [
]Andrew
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][][]Nice one David!
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Guest
New member
I went on mine last week at Millbrook. It was a fantastic afternoon made up, for the most part, of extreme fear, huge appreciation of my instructor's skill (Ben Mcloughlin (sp?) and amazement at just how "planted" the car is. Going around the "bowl" at 180 mph really, really scared me - it is fine going in a straight line fast but when it is on a heavily banked and rough surface, all I could think of was my imminent death!!! The car was the lowered and therefore stiff suspension which didnt help.
The Alpine circuit was a joy to drive (we did prob 15 laps) and you get instruction all the time. The first lap, Ben drove and apart from the ever-present nausea and fear, you would not believe what a skilled driver can do with this machine. Going over blind crests, hairpins, sweeping bends, all with a barrier and drops all around.
Next we did the 1 mile acceleration strip. 1 - 150mph hard acceleration then on the return, breaking at a set point from 100 mph with no hands on the wheel. It kept a dead straight line and when you turn back to look at where you began breaking, you think it is a trick!
Some time on the erm big circle of concrete to show off the electronics and how they control the over-steer.
Then he took me on the (I think it was called) outer steering track. It was like a slightly larger go-cart track. I have never experienced anything like it before, I really cannot impart to you how grea this part was. We went round it at stupefying speeds, every corner I thought we would not get through (yet Ben thought we were only at 70% capacity) :0
Amazing time and I will be booking the Level 1 course when I have finished my break in period. If you want to see the car in a new light, go on this course!
The car was the lowered and therefore stiff suspension which didnt help.The Alpine circuit was a joy to drive (we did prob 15 laps) and you get instruction all the time. The first lap, Ben drove and apart from the ever-present nausea and fear, you would not believe what a skilled driver can do with this machine. Going over blind crests, hairpins, sweeping bends, all with a barrier and drops all around.
Next we did the 1 mile acceleration strip. 1 - 150mph hard acceleration then on the return, breaking at a set point from 100 mph with no hands on the wheel. It kept a dead straight line and when you turn back to look at where you began breaking, you think it is a trick!
Some time on the erm big circle of concrete to show off the electronics and how they control the over-steer.
Then he took me on the (I think it was called) outer steering track. It was like a slightly larger go-cart track. I have never experienced anything like it before, I really cannot impart to you how grea this part was. We went round it at stupefying speeds, every corner I thought we would not get through (yet Ben thought we were only at 70% capacity) :0
Amazing time and I will be booking the Level 1 course when I have finished my break in period. If you want to see the car in a new light, go on this course!
Michael Downing
New member
I've been with Ben for an extended test drive.
How he gets round corners at those speeds, I do not know. The first time, I was cringing in the passenger seat thinking "Noooooooooo!", and then a moment later we were round the corner AND pointing in the right direction.
How he gets round corners at those speeds, I do not know. The first time, I was cringing in the passenger seat thinking "Noooooooooo!", and then a moment later we were round the corner AND pointing in the right direction.
garyw
Moderator
Next step I was offered was a day at MIRA, but it became quite costly if you then hired a car from them, or you could use your own and pay the extra insurance possibly it was getting towards the 1K mark!![]
I'm sure it would be worth it, but I'm not sure how much I could learn (as in I'm a crap driver compared to the tutor) and it all comes from practice, I don't think one day is enough practice for me to take it into be honest. I also have never heard anyone speak of the results from going on one....
garyw
]I'm sure it would be worth it, but I'm not sure how much I could learn (as in I'm a crap driver compared to the tutor) and it all comes from practice, I don't think one day is enough practice for me to take it into be honest. I also have never heard anyone speak of the results from going on one....
garyw
Guest
New member
I went on the experience at MIRA this week, coincidentally Ben was also my instructor. I drove my own car because I wanted to see what it was capable of and understand how it behaves at/over the grip limits.
I was amazed at the levels of grip, cornering at 95mph and then accelerating after the apex! I never knew my 18 year old car was so capable. I was even gaining on a 996 C2 round the handling circuit!
I was also amazed at how much steering input is required to catch a slide, and how early you have to remove opposite lock to prevent a 'tank slapper'!!!
I'm probably going to request the level 2 experience (when I've saved up again) to do some more fast circuit training and learning more about catching and provoking oversteer. In the 4 hours I definitely learnt alot about how it feels and what to do if I 'lose it' but I'm not sure I'd have the skill to catch it if it happened on the road.
In my opinion it was well worth it. I've never done a track day so I can't comment on which is better value for money, but I would certainly be looking to try one in the future.
Hope this helps.
I was amazed at the levels of grip, cornering at 95mph and then accelerating after the apex! I never knew my 18 year old car was so capable. I was even gaining on a 996 C2 round the handling circuit!
I was also amazed at how much steering input is required to catch a slide, and how early you have to remove opposite lock to prevent a 'tank slapper'!!!
I'm probably going to request the level 2 experience (when I've saved up again) to do some more fast circuit training and learning more about catching and provoking oversteer. In the 4 hours I definitely learnt alot about how it feels and what to do if I 'lose it' but I'm not sure I'd have the skill to catch it if it happened on the road.
In my opinion it was well worth it. I've never done a track day so I can't comment on which is better value for money, but I would certainly be looking to try one in the future.
Hope this helps.
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