Can anyone recommend a reputable rally school that offers a 1 day course or jolly in loose stuff using a 300Hp WRC type Scooby ??

Thanks

Not sure whether you're looking for honest advice or not here, but I'd suggest you don't even try to follow this path. The chances of you finding someone who'11 let a complete novice thrash around in a full spec Group A/WRC Impreza are pretty slim, and even if you did find someone to take your money, they'd want a huge amount just to cover the insurance premium!

There are a few schools around that run Imprezas, but they're normally fairly mildly tuned GroupN'ers. However, on the loose, they'll be more than enough to keep you busy... ;)

If you want to go to a *good* rallyschool, there are a few around. Only had personal experience of Bill Gwynne's, and they're excellent, but there are no doubt many other good ones. Just make sure that whoever you go to is BARS accredited and you should be taught the right way...

I thought the bill bwynne one has a Scoob WRC course?

Bill Gwynne :-

I happen to have the info in front of me?!

WRC Course (Grp N & Grp A Impreza's) - £995
Grp N Impreza full day £350
Mark II Escort full day £325 1/2 day £150
Mixed Impreza/Escort day £255
Nissan Micra full day £255 1/2 day £150

Private Tuition
Escort/Micra full day £850 1/2 day 625
Impreza full day £1350 1/2 day £850
Own car full day £595 1/2 day £395

All include lunch & refreshments.

National Assessments £180

There are quite a few others out there offering Impreza's, including ProdriveLive - all about the same price.

Search the web for Rally Schools!

BB

p.s. Havn't tried any of them - yet!

Thanks for the info.

The wife wants to buy me a Xmas present and the thought is something along the lines of the Red Letter Day idea but I do wish to do it in a decent Scoob not some out of breath 2 wheel-drive Escort.

I am not wishing to thrash around unattended but just would to experience this type of car on the loose under guidance and with advice on the finer techniques that are used. My everyday mode of transport is the Sti7.

I'm not a budding world champion its just for enjoying the day out and to see how its done...

Thanks again.

I'd recommend Bill Gwynne also as a bunch of us went there this year. Just be aware that the GroupN full day £350 jobbie is actually something like 30 mins in the car, split into two or three lap sessions. It's nothing like a whole day in the car, which would be significantly more expensive.

I'd still recommend this to anyone though!! :)

Matt :)

I too did a group N day with Bill Gwynne, it was good fun and well run, the only thing was the tightness of the course wasn't really condusive to powersliding, it was pretty much point and squirt with a couple of hairpins which the car really didn't want to go round due to excessive rear end grip. It all depends on what you are expecting.

I might have seemed less to you Matt, particularly if you hit a few tyres ;), but Bill Gwynne's is normally 4-5 laps at a time, with 4 sessions in the day. Great fun, great people and worth the money IMHO.

If you're honest, you'll be surprised how little you knew, once you're asked to take hairpins on a mixed surface without using the hand brake, and you'll be happy to get out of the car after each session.

Josh

If you're talking about the school Imprezas, they won't handbrake properly because of the standard centre diff and lack of handbrake release. Pull the bar and you'll lock both axles, when what you want is for the front to be decoupled. This is where the electric c-diff comes in handy.

Having said that, you shouldn't really need the handbrake to go round a hairpin, unless it's obscenely tight.

Just got a letter from Johnny Herbert Rockingham experiance they are doing a WRX STI experiance for £169 and Drive your own car for £49

www.jhrockinghamexperience.co.uk

That sounds too cheap to be true. Any info on how long you get in the car, what sort of tuition/supervision there is and whether all costs (e.g. insurance indemnity etc.) are included?

WRX STI Experience

Circuit= in-field National Ciruit

Experience Format.
Briefing
Behind the wheel
High speed passenger ride
De-briefing and certificate presentation
approximately 2 hours huration


Drive Your Own Car

Briefing
Behind the wheel
De-briefing
approximately 1.5 hours huration

just like to say i dont work or have any connection in anyway with then :)

http://www.forestexperience.enta.net/

Copy the above and paste.

Forget the subaru and get in a good old mk11 Escort.

I been to bill gwynn in the subaru it was good but not as good as you think simply because the subaru as very good drivability, but i went to the forestexperience about 6 weeks ago which is owned by the Higgins family where you can stay at there house then go on to the rally driving in the morning.

This is not driving around cones its a 6 mile forest track which means this is the real thing.

I will be going back as soon as i can because this is the best money can buy:D

Rich.....

I did a Prodrivelive rally experience today in a 300bhp scooby at the Prodrive test track in Warkwickshire.

Was good fun, BMW 330d on the skid pan was impressive too

R.B.

Couldn't agree more mate.

Did that one, got hooked, and now look where it's led!

http://upload.turbosport.co.uk/getpi...2023994472.JPG

http://upload.turbosport.co.uk/getpi...2023800361.JPG

Just finished building my brother's car for the 205 challenge this year, and soon I start building my Mk2 for next year!

[Edited by RichardPON - 11/23/2002 2:28:43 AM]

Simon -

Was the Prodrive course in the loose or on tarmac and how much time was behind the wheel ??

Rich -

Although in an Escort I take your point about the forest track which sounds great.

Thanks for your input guys...

LOL Richard yes it sure gives you a buzz and why not, go for it mate :D

I would say a Mk2 escort would be more than enough to have fun on a rally course, I would say it would be MORE fun than an Impreza as it's rear wheel drive....& on gravel I don't reckon you'd be complaining about the lack of power!!! I too thinking of asking for one of these driving courses for Xmas, just deciding whether it's gonna be rallying or track based, I guess the rallying is probably more fun but it probably isn't as applicable to road driving as a track course would be.....never been on a track before except when I did the Ron Haslam Race School at Donny, which was a good buzz. What do you reckon RichPon as I know you've been on track a few times....which would you do in my situation??

Cheers,
Ian

Ian,

Not to invade on this post too much, but the rally school's really are a different kettle of fish.

I love track driving, and it's easier to get to grips with as far as applying road skills and extending them, but being driven through the forests in a Mk2, stones battering the sumpguard, the Higgins' father at the wheel, 60mph sideways with trees either side of you cannot be beaten.

I love rallying more than life itself, because it's so much a greater skill to learn, and one almost impossible to master. Driving on the loose pi55es on track driving!

Just MHO though..... ;)

The best value rally school is the Phil Price school in mid Wales.

No contest and top bloke.

Daver

www.forestexperience.enta.net

all the way :D

[Edited by R.B - 11/23/2002 4:41:48 PM]

[Edited by R.B - 11/23/2002 4:46:28 PM]