Nurburgring

carlmthompson · Jan 17, 2005

Okay, so in the pub last night, and we got round to cars as a conversation (well the football had finished!)

As we're all now officially old (over 30 - just!) we decided that we are old enough to go to the ring.

Question is, has anyone been, how much is it for a lap, and are there any decent places to stay nearby?

We're thinking of going in August ish, and I guess others would be welcome..............

Guest · Jan 17, 2005

Good idea!!! Everyone should do it at least once in their lifetime.

The only down side is the track closes on busy weekends every 45 minutes because of accidents etc.

If you go off you'll know about it as theres either trees or barriers - which you pay for if you damage them.

Best thing to do is start slow and build up. Don't treat it like a track day, more an everyday road.

Check out www.nurburgring.org.uk for all info. We should have a beer and chat it over.

Mark_Bennett · Jan 17, 2005

I heartily recommend the site in the above post. Required reading.

This track MUST be treated with respect. I've been a few times now. Still learning and cautious. Great Fun though![

]

Guest · Jan 17, 2005

I am giving sreious cnsideration to going across this year. Aug would be good for sure. Costs start mounting up when traveling from here. How much is the ferry from Hull?

See how much money i can squirrle away over the next 6 months

D

Diver944 · Jan 17, 2005

If you can spare the time I would recommend going for a week when the track is open every evening from 17:00 - 19:00(check the above website for this years dates). We did this as part of a Register Factory trip a few years ago and after touring around during the day we went to the Ring in the evening. The beauty of this is its very quiet, you get many more empty laps and far fewer stoppages as midweek the vast percentage of drivers are locals.

It's a beautiful area and well worth a family holiday with the added attraction of pertolhead heaven in the evening.

Saying all that I'm hoping to go on a weekend trip this year [8|] with a friend who goes about 6 weekends a year

Fen · Jan 17, 2005

I fully intend to do the 'Ring this year (for the first time). I'm ditching the aircon in my Turbo though so maybe August wouldn't be my top choice for a time to do it.

John Sims · Jan 17, 2005

I fully intend to do the 'Ring this year (for the first time).

Ditto, but I've just had my air-con fixed so I don't care what time of the year it is [

]

Andy Duncan · Jan 17, 2005

Fen,

Do you need an A/C delete kit to do the job or is there a low cost work a round? I would happily rip out A/C for the weight saving, good on you.

Nurburgring:

Advice for The Eifel Mountains; take plenty spare underwear, this is one scary circuit, over 140 corners and virtually no run off areas, as it is high speed there is virtually no room for error. So one needs to drive with some circumspection and gradually build up speed. Given the high no. of corners it is easy during the learning curve to mistake corners as there are a few that look the same and thus can catch you out.

There are always accidents at the Nordshleif, don't let it be you!!

944Turbo · Jan 17, 2005

Was the turbo launched in '86? I know there were a few pre production models in 85 but 86 would make 2006 20 years of the 944turbo what better way to celebrate than heading out to the ring, (Just trying to push a group trip back as I have little spare cash for 2005, I only got us on the scotland trip by being evasive about the price

).
I should get Divers laps (viewed from my car) onto DVD, then you can learn the circuit before you go.
Tony

John Sims · Jan 17, 2005

20 years of the 944turbo what better way to celebrate than heading out to the ring,

What a stonking idea Tony except, according to Michael Cotton, the 944 Turbo was anounced in Feb. 1985 when it was presented to motoring journalists at St Paul de Vence in Southern France. It would have been out in the previous year had there not been a metal workers strike.

So I guess we missed the 20th Birthday and I'm not sure I can wait another five years.

Fen · Jan 17, 2005

I'm told that all I need is a different bracket for the alternator (from a non-a/c car) and a drive belt to match but one of these days I'll get around to phoning Simon Butterworth to order it and find out exactly what it is. The S2 may well be different but then again there are plenty of non-a/c S2s around.

I elected not to do the Scottish trip purely on cost. I'd really like to go but the missus wouldn't appreciate it as much as a weekend away without a load of car nuts and if it has to come from my car fun expenses for this year then I'd rather spend the money on trackdays or a 'Ring trip. 2006 is my next Le Mans year and I'm hpoing the 'Ring is as good as i think it will be so I can do it the years I don't do Le Mans. At the same time I'm also hoping it isn't as good as I think it will be because once every 2 years may not be enough...

944Turbo · Jan 17, 2005

ORIGINAL: John Sims

20 years of the 944turbo what better way to celebrate than heading out to the ring,

Click to expand...

What a stonking idea Tony except, according to Michael Cotton, the 944 Turbo was anounced in Feb. 1985 when it was presented to motoring journalists at St Paul de Vence in Southern France. It would have been out in the previous year had there not been a metal workers strike.

So I guess we missed the 20th Birthday and I'm not sure I can wait another five years.

But when did the first ones arrive over here?

944Turbo · Jan 17, 2005

ORIGINAL: Fen

I elected not to do the Scottish trip purely on cost. I'd really like to go but the missus wouldn't appreciate it as much as a weekend away without a load of car nuts and if it has to come from my car fun expenses for this year then I'd rather spend the money on trackdays or a 'Ring trip. 2006 is my next Le Mans year and I'm hpoing the 'Ring is as good as i think it will be so I can do it the years I don't do Le Mans. At the same time I'm also hoping it isn't as good as I think it will be because once every 2 years may not be enough...

Mine is still gullable - look at the nice castle, there will be lots of other ladies there etc. etc. so its from the non-motoring budget

my wedding however seems to be eating the trackday / lemans / ring etc. budget and yes we did get married last year as well. Maybe not that gullable then [

]

Tony

Sundeep · Jan 18, 2005

ORIGINAL: Mark Bennett

I heartily recommend the site in the above post. Required reading.

This track MUST be treated with respect. I've been a few times now. Still learning and cautious. Great Fun though![]

hopefully be there also this year .. finally [

]

Mark_Bennett · Jan 18, 2005

Doesn't look too bad in that pic does it?
The photo does lie though! The elevation changes and disorientation are impossible to convey...

Diver944 · Jan 18, 2005

If some of you guys finally get your Grand Prix Legends game working we 'could' have an online race around the Ring [

]

Tony, if you still have the master tapes from our last trip, I now have the technology to put them on a website for you [

]

I WILL be at the Ring again this year (but 'we' haven't decided about the Scottish castle yet[&:])

John Sims · Jan 18, 2005

I WILL be at the Ring again this year (but 'we' haven't decided about the Scottish castle yet )

Oh come on, you've got to do the Scottish Castle. It's only because of you that we are doing the Castle.

John Sims · Jan 18, 2005

If some of you guys finally get your Grand Prix Legends game working we 'could' have an online race around the Ring

It's all I can do to complete a lap without crashing, the odds on being able to race are a little on the "no hope" side. It would be quite fun to do an on line guided tour though.

I think we should take the lap tops and steering wheels to Scotland so that we can have a Legends night. [8|]

944Turbo · Jan 18, 2005

ORIGINAL: Diver944

If some of you guys finally get your Grand Prix Legends game working we 'could' have an online race around the Ring []

Tony, if you still have the master tapes from our last trip, I now have the technology to put them on a website for you []

I WILL be at the Ring again this year (but 'we' haven't decided about the Scottish castle yet[&:])

I dont even have a joystick / wheel as my fancy PC doesn't have an old style joystick socket, It does have a dvd writer though so I will try and get round to doing a DVD of me following your car then you can upload it.

Tony

944Turbo · Jan 18, 2005

This was just posted on rennlist

"20 years ago, Porsche released the 944 Turbo. 178 cars were built as Model Year 1985, none of which were exported to the U.S. The first 944 Turbo cars reached the U.S. market in 1986.

Production of the 944 Turbo ran through 1991, with little over 25,000 cars built. To add some perspective, that's about as many Boxsters as Porsche currently builds in a year.

Happy 20th Birthday to our favorite Porsche!"

So with 178 cars the RHD ones probably didn't start until '86 [

]
Cheers,
Tony