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The Ring, what's required.
Alright folks,
So me and my mate have been speculating about making a trip to the Nurburgring (one of those things that has to be done right?), the basic idea is to take my scoob when she's finished for 3 days. 1day travel there, a day away and a travel day home (the travel will be part of the fun rather than an inconvenience) For those with experience of this I'd love your advice in order to make this work well, what do I need to be aware of? Costs? Car care? Insurance? Times when to avoid, ie the winters here already. Cheers all John |
Read your title and instantly thought, plenty of lube..lol.
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Ha. Rodger pack lube
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Ok mate, heres the lowdown of what you'll need and approx costs.
Fuel costs depend on where in the UK you are, but basically its roughly 300 miles once you get into France so you'll need a tank each way for that then depending on how many laps you plan to do, maybe another tank. Cheapest travel option is an off peak ferry from Norfolkline, Dover to Dunkirk, around £60 return. You'll need travel insurance (£10 each), plus breakdown cover for the trip. DONT rely on your fancy bank account giving you cover, buy a seperate policy (£70) or get an addon to existing breakdown. You need to carry a hi vis jacket, warning triangle, spare bulbs n fuses, fit beam deflectors and display GB stickers on the car. Accommodation is up to you, I camped the 1st year for £10 a night but you have to cart all the stuff over there and back so this year we stayed at the Pension Sonnenwende hotel for £30 a night, breakfast included, 3 miles from the Ring. Laps will cost you around £20 a pop, best bought in bundles of 4 for £80 as this includes a £10 voucher for the Ring Cafe. My advice, go for more than 1 day. The weather is variable most of the time and to commit to having 1 day isnt wise, it could rain all day or the track be closed. You MUST make sure you check the Ring calendar before booking/going as its not open as much as you might think. In June it was only open to the public for 8 days of the month. March to September will get you the best weather but I went in June for 2 days and got 1 dry lap in out of 4! This is the calendar http://nurburgring.org.uk/calendar.php I've always taken a passenger with me on the trips which halves your fuel, ferry and breakdown costs. I usually allow 1 day to get there, 2 days at the Ring then 1 day back. Normally travel early Friday morning then have the weekend and return Monday daytime. My costs this year in the scoob were Fuel (500 miles each way + laps etc) £200 each Ferry £30 each Insurance £10 each Breakdown £30 each Hotel £90 Laps £80 Spending money £250 Total - Around £700 per person. Hope this helps |
PS, I know you say that the travel will be part of the fun but when you get off the ferry and have to do 170 miles on the 1st motorway, negotiate the traffic around Brussels then do another 120 miles on another motorway its gets a bit boring after a while and you'll be trying to find things for your legs to do to stop it going dead. If theres a group of you, yeah its more entertaining, but solo is a yawnfest.
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Originally Posted by the hamster
(Post 10235315)
Ok mate, heres the lowdown of what you'll need and approx costs.
Fuel costs depend on where in the UK you are, but basically its roughly 300 miles once you get into France so you'll need a tank each way for that then depending on how many laps you plan to do, maybe another tank. Cheapest travel option is an off peak ferry from Norfolkline, Dover to Dunkirk, around £60 return. You'll need travel insurance (£10 each), plus breakdown cover for the trip. DONT rely on your fancy bank account giving you cover, buy a seperate policy (£70) or get an addon to existing breakdown. You need to carry a hi vis jacket, warning triangle, spare bulbs n fuses, fit beam deflectors and display GB stickers on the car. Accommodation is up to you, I camped the 1st year for £10 a night but you have to cart all the stuff over there and back so this year we stayed at the Pension Sonnenwende hotel for £30 a night, breakfast included, 3 miles from the Ring. Laps will cost you around £20 a pop, best bought in bundles of 4 for £80 as this includes a £10 voucher for the Ring Cafe. My advice, go for more than 1 day. The weather is variable most of the time and to commit to having 1 day isnt wise, it could rain all day or the track be closed. You MUST make sure you check the Ring calendar before booking/going as its not open as much as you might think. In June it was only open to the public for 8 days of the month. March to September will get you the best weather but I went in June for 2 days and got 1 dry lap in out of 4! This is the calendar http://nurburgring.org.uk/calendar.php I've always taken a passenger with me on the trips which halves your fuel, ferry and breakdown costs. I usually allow 1 day to get there, 2 days at the Ring then 1 day back. Normally travel early Friday morning then have the weekend and return Monday daytime. My costs this year in the scoob were Fuel (500 miles each way + laps etc) £200 each Ferry £30 each Insurance £10 each Breakdown £30 each Hotel £90 Laps £80 Spending money £250 Total - Around £700 per person. Hope this helps Andy |
Good advise. Also take a credit card or some extra cash incase you come off & break barriers or breakdown on the track & need towing as they charge you a lot of money in either case.
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Originally Posted by the hamster
(Post 10235315)
Ok mate, heres the lowdown of what you'll need and approx costs.
Fuel costs depend on where in the UK you are, but basically its roughly 300 miles once you get into France so you'll need a tank each way for that then depending on how many laps you plan to do, maybe another tank. Cheapest travel option is an off peak ferry from Norfolkline, Dover to Dunkirk, around £60 return. You'll need travel insurance (£10 each), plus breakdown cover for the trip. DONT rely on your fancy bank account giving you cover, buy a seperate policy (£70) or get an addon to existing breakdown. You need to carry a hi vis jacket, warning triangle, spare bulbs n fuses, fit beam deflectors and display GB stickers on the car. Accommodation is up to you, I camped the 1st year for £10 a night but you have to cart all the stuff over there and back so this year we stayed at the Pension Sonnenwende hotel for £30 a night, breakfast included, 3 miles from the Ring. Laps will cost you around £20 a pop, best bought in bundles of 4 for £80 as this includes a £10 voucher for the Ring Cafe. My advice, go for more than 1 day. The weather is variable most of the time and to commit to having 1 day isnt wise, it could rain all day or the track be closed. You MUST make sure you check the Ring calendar before booking/going as its not open as much as you might think. In June it was only open to the public for 8 days of the month. March to September will get you the best weather but I went in June for 2 days and got 1 dry lap in out of 4! This is the calendar http://nurburgring.org.uk/calendar.php I've always taken a passenger with me on the trips which halves your fuel, ferry and breakdown costs. I usually allow 1 day to get there, 2 days at the Ring then 1 day back. Normally travel early Friday morning then have the weekend and return Monday daytime. My costs this year in the scoob were Fuel (500 miles each way + laps etc) £200 each Ferry £30 each Insurance £10 each Breakdown £30 each Hotel £90 Laps £80 Spending money £250 Total - Around £700 per person. Hope this helps ''You need to carry a hi vis jacket, warning triangle, spare bulbs n fuses, fit beam deflectors and display GB stickers on the car.'' Had'nt thought about carrying any of this at all, this is the kind of thing that is overlooked in the excitment. I'll need to plan a lot better. Is the season for going over this year then? Am I best planning for next year? |
The die hard Ringers go all year round and theres still some good track time to be had this year.
Weather is always a gamble up there, you never know what your going to get so I would suggest the spring/summer is better for a 1st timer. 1 other thing I forgot. Make sure you look at the official Nurburgring Circuit calendar too and avoid booking when theres an event on there. If theres a big event on like F1, Truck racing, touring cars etc then the price for accommodation is at least double and in some places the camping went from £12 to £60 a night. |
I went the week before the GP. Even on Monday the start/finish straight was shut as they built a temporary grandstand so we had to go through the DTM pit lane.
It was an organised limited trackday trip so open access which was great as we could max it down the long straight past the toll turn off...Now I know the sound of singing tyres..... I believe they do those days in April and June? |
well supposingly, you put this vhs video cassete in your VCR and if you watch it you die with a weird looking face on. ?
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Eh?
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Originally Posted by 99jdee
(Post 10236925)
well supposingly, you put this vhs video cassete in your VCR and if you watch it you die with a weird looking face on. ?
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good advice from hamster...........your breakdown kit get from any halfords etc all in one pack.....except bulbs may need to be seperate
just one for you when doing your breakdown cover go with a company called ADAC.........their prob the biggest in europe very cheap and will repatriate the car back to your house or a garage of your choice in the uk.........they have a very good reputation.........but most importantly if you breakdown on the ring you have to pay around 500 euros I think it is just to get towed off......it could be a bit cheaper but its into the 100's.........there is always an ADAC associated vehicle around there and they will also get you off the ring for free..........look into it online and all will be explained......prob one of the best investments of euro travel you can do I do the ring 2/3 times a year and always have ensure I have ADAC cover another thing is enjoy yourself and enjoy it more than anything.......even if its raining do a lap or 2 slow to get yourself familiarised with the track as you WILL go back due to the whole experience from start to finish..........it is expensive though now as prices have gone up 9% for single laps and 22% for multilap cards........ go on the nurburging.org site or the ringers site and a breakdown of costs for 2011 are all on there........don't be put off buy the costs of an accident though as its a must do experience is the nurburgring.......will stop blabbing on now enjoy mate oh by the way you can now hire go-pro camera's to record your lap.....another rule change not long come into play.......but was available a coupe of weeks back when I was there |
Originally Posted by andythejock01wrx
(Post 10235338)
Good to see a genuinely useful post on Scoobynet! Should be a sticky!
Andy |
having some TALENT behind the wheel is essential, otherwise it may end up in tears :)
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Originally Posted by Steve777
(Post 10237758)
having some TALENT behind the wheel is essential, otherwise it may end up in tears :)
You drive as fast as you like! I've seen Sprinter vans, 7 seaters, cars with less than 100bhp all scooting round there. You dont need to break records, your car or yourself to have a good time, just enjoy it. With regards to the ADAC cover. As said, they are the recovery agent for the Nurburgring and should you break down they will charge 189 Euros to recover you to the main car park. Problem is, some people have taken out ADAC cover for their trip etc but then found the recovery agent wont accept it and still been charged so there is a grey area over this. ADAC cover is good value tho and worth looking into. |
Originally Posted by the hamster
(Post 10237864)
You dont need talent at all, that half the reason people dont go because they think you need track experience or have to be The Stig to drive the Ring.
You drive as fast as you like! I've seen Sprinter vans, 7 seaters, cars with less than 100bhp all scooting round there. You dont need to break records, your car or yourself to have a good time, just enjoy it. With regards to the ADAC cover. As said, they are the recovery agent for the Nurburgring and should you break down they will charge 189 Euros to recover you to the main car park. Problem is, some people have taken out ADAC cover for their trip etc but then found the recovery agent wont accept it and still been charged so there is a grey area over this. ADAC cover is good value tho and worth looking into. Agree you don't need to have track experience But then you say it yourself 189 euros for a tow truck after an off But as you go faster and faster something like this happens. You ran out of talent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiI2M...eature=related |
running out of talent is a personal choice, you dont HAVE to drive beyond your ability on the Ring, the same as you dont have to on public roads.
If you're going to push that hard, on the ring or anywhere else then you get what you deserve unfortunately. |
Originally Posted by the hamster
(Post 10238127)
running out of talent is a personal choice, you dont HAVE to drive beyond your ability on the Ring, the same as you dont have to on public roads.
If you're going to push that hard, on the ring or anywhere else then you get what you deserve unfortunately. |
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