Anyone ever been on a driving experience day?

[Joshy]

Last Christmas my girlfriend bought me one to drive a Lamborghini. It was awesome and I would definitely recommend doing it but I want some opinions of some more driving experiment days.

 

There's loads to choose from, so post up your suggestions

[CrumbMC]

Seems like they vary a lot. my mate got one for his birthday and he was just driving round an oval of cones in an airfield stuck behind a load of old farts going 30mph in a mucialago.

 

On the other hand i have had reports of people on decent tracks with the instructers goading them to go faster - but they might just be the old farts i mentioned previousley.

 

I guess that if you allready have track experience it could be a bit underwhelming. Put it this way, if someone bought me a 5 lap experience driving an RCZ round seven sisters i probably wouldn't turn up but if i was bought a day in an aventador or GT3 RS at a track like Oulton or Silverstone i would bite their hand off!

[Joshy]

Yeah i know what you mean mate1 I've heard some stories like that too.

 

Luckily for me i had an instructor that said he felt confident i was fine driving the car round the track (was an airfield with cones, but had turns ect) and he was pushing me to go faster.

 

I think i may have a look online and see what there is. Would definitely love to do an other one though.

[KC350Z]

As part of my work benifits I get 10 to 15 percent off all virgin experiance days :-)

 

[KC350Z]

Not done one yet though lol

[brillomaster]

thought about doing one at silverstone - they have a lot of short notice half price days, and it would be an experience to actually drive round the Uks most prestigious circuit!

 

But then again, now that i've had experience of trackdays, i'd rather spend £120 to lap my own car round an airfield all day than a ferrari round a circuit for 5 minutes with an instructor.

[Ken]

Ebized, i think would be able to give you some info on worthwhile diving days

[ianphampton]

I was given a day at Silverstone in an Aston for my birthday a couple of years ago -

 

Just like some of the posts above, the biggest hazard I faced was overtaking the other folks doing 60 mph . . .

 

I enjoyed it but we only got about 3 laps before it was time to come off, and by the time you allow for the drive to Silverstone and the waiting around - you don't actually get long in the car.

 

[Aliensurfer]

Ive actually got one tomorrow in Oxford. Ferrari, Lambo, GT3 and an Aston. I won it in a competition at work.

[MartynB85]

I've done a drift day, that was fun but the cars were a bit battered... I'd love to hire a car at the ring!

[Joshy]

I'd definitely love to go to the ring! Maybe one i've got more track experience as i have close to 0 at the moment ahah

[stuarty]

Ive been thinking about one at knockhill!

[bronzee]

if you get the chance to go in a car with an instructor, do it. You're bound to learn a lot. Can save your skin out on the road too.

[Joshy]

Yeah! I want to go on a proper track day on a real track, I'd rather go with an instructor first though.

 

Will look into it!

[AliveBoy]

I spent 2 years working at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands. For £175 (a few years back, it may have changed) you could have an AMG driving experience for an hour. And when I say an hour, you are IN the car DRIVING for your full hour. Sign on, briefing etc aren't in that hour and all of the instructors are proper professionals. Some of them have even won Formula Renault etc.

 

You get some time on the circuit which although it's not massively long it is quite narrow, so you really learn track craft and its fun to nip round. So long as you can handle the car, they won't slow you down. There's also a wet circle so that you can try your hand at drifting the car or handling a powerful car in the wet/icy conditions. There's straight line stuff to show you how strong the brakes are too and slalom etc. If you get stuck behind someone really slow they will just take you off the track and do something else until the they have gone, so you'll just go as fast as you can manage

[twobears]

Last year I went to Millbrook for a novice track day training session. The instructor was fantastic, I learnt loads and it was brilliant fun. I wasn't racing against anyone else, just learning how to handle my Zed properly. If you want to compete against others it may not be what you want but I can highly recommend Colin and his staff at CAT driving training, based at Millbrook. They do a range off different training packages, not just the one that I chose.

 

I enjoyed everything that I did but the handling circuit was the best as I was driving in a huge storm, the track was really slippery, I was flying round and I came to realise just what stickability the Zed has, even in poor conditions. It was also good to be able to go at 120mph and above and not be looking out for flashing blue lights in the rear view mirror

[NeilMH]

Been on a few... some too short to be worthwhile. Best ones were whole day at Bedford/Palmer - 7 or 8 different cars and the Higgins family forest rally school. Depends a lot on instructors.

[Joshy]

Mine was pretty short, 4 laps to be precise.

 

But was brilliant. Daily drive = 85bhp, Lambo = 500+ bhp. I was impressed

[Ekona]

Have a read up on the options available at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. Good range of cars covering all the bases (from a Cayenne to Boxster to RS4.0 and GT2RS!), and you've got a few track options to play with too. I'd love a go at the kickplate, supposed to be a real challenge in any car.

[CrumbMC]

Have a read up on the options available at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. Good range of cars covering all the bases (from a Cayenne to Boxster to RS4.0 and GT2RS!), and you've got a few track options to play with too. I'd love a go at the kickplate, supposed to be a real challenge in any car.

 

I had a nosey round their car park when i was there last weekend. good job i had some spare undercrackers. think that might be my holiday budget this year