I've only just really noticed you have a forum for ring trips so, as I'm off for a few laps with my 3 sons this weekend i thought i'd post.
We are leaving Saturday night, flying to Koln, rental car to Sliders Guest House (Bren's) and then hopefully a full day Sunday and I think it's 1pm to 6.30pm on the Monday.
We are hiring a couple of Ringtools from Ringhaus, their Golf TDI and their Polo. The Golf looks to be quite quick but the Polo is somewhat lacking in power but supposed to handle real well. Both are fully caged and harnessed etc. My 3 sons (1 in particular) have limited track experience so I didn't want to opt for anything too hairy. It's more of a learning trip for them, so i'll teach them what I know and then if they ever want to go back themselves they will be better prepared.
If there are any BP member around on those days please pop by and say hello and, if theres time, your welcome to come round on a pax lap with me :twisted:
Maxx
Brief Trip this weekend 1st/2nd July
Sounds like some good opening times for a sneaky short trip :thumb:
I'll have to wait til September for my next trip over.
Not sure anyone on here is over at that time Malcolm.
The Golf is torque city and will be excellent, the Polo was off the road when we stayed at the Ringhaus in april but seems well set up and good value for learning the track.
Say hi to Bren for me, last time I saw him, he and Dale shot past me up Dottinger Hohe at 100+ with Dale up on one wheel
I'll have to wait til September for my next trip over.
Not sure anyone on here is over at that time Malcolm.
The Golf is torque city and will be excellent, the Polo was off the road when we stayed at the Ringhaus in april but seems well set up and good value for learning the track.
Say hi to Bren for me, last time I saw him, he and Dale shot past me up Dottinger Hohe at 100+ with Dale up on one wheel
As Dunk says the Golf is reported to pack up to 500lb torque in race trim. You could always ask Frank to turn the wick up a bit :thumb:
Best of luck for the weekend and I would be interested to hear how the logistics of the trip work for you.
Best of luck for the weekend and I would be interested to hear how the logistics of the trip work for you.
http://www.auto-genie.co.uk
07733 527430
stuart@auto-genie.co.uk
Valeting, detailing and undersealing
07733 527430
stuart@auto-genie.co.uk
Valeting, detailing and undersealing
Well, the trip was absolutely brilliant and we were soooo lucky with the weather.
I may do a proper report on one of the Nurnurgring fan forums but just some brief feedback on the logistics etc. as promised.
I was working at Rockingham on Saturday but was able to leave early at 17:45 to get to Stanstead by 19:00 for the 20:00 flight to Cologne. My 3 sons, who are 27/29/31 drove down together and I met them in the departure lounge.
Flew into Cologne and picked up my hire car (SixT) at the airport. As I had hired from them before I used their quick check-in which means you phone them and they leave your keys in a safe which you access with the same credit card you booked with. During the call I was told the Golf which I had specified was not available, instead I was offered a Merc B-Class .. no thanks .. in the end they offered me an Audi A3 2.0 TDi which I accepted.
Drove to Bren's (Sliders Guest House) which is in Dollendorf, about 15 mins from the Ring. At 29 euros a night it's cheap and cheerful but I like the atmosphere and Brens a Ring (Bike) Legend. Big TV where we mainly watch onboard ring laps etc. The drive takes about an hour. I think it was about 23:30 when we arrived.
Planned a (very) early start to ideally get the cars sorted and on track for 8:00 so up at 6:30 and on the road by 7:00.
No-one around at Ringhaus to deal with us when we arrived but got hold of Frank who arrived shortly after. Cars were both parked outside and after quite a long drawn out briefing and paperwork signing session we got the keys. Golf wouldn't start, battery pretty much dead so we left to get our ring tickets and do a sighter lap whilst they got it going. We did this lap in the A3, me driving and pointing out various reference points etc. All my lads had played games with the ring on to some extent, my eldest probably doing 500 laps or more .. all were totally blown away by how much different it as than they'd imagined.
Back to Ringhaus, picked up the Golf and then decided to run in 2 pairs, switching drivers and cars etc. All OK until we stopped the Golf and it would not restart (flat battery), managed to bump it and do another lap or two, stopped it again, bumped it again then decided to ring Frank and just use Polo and A3. No reply frmo Ringhaus for 2hrs or more and decided we might give the Golf another run, bumped it but as soon as we touched the brakes it died, obviously not enough power to even run the brake lights so good job we didn't actually go out more.
We had a misfire with the Polo later so went back to Ringhaus, found Frank who was unaware of the Golf issues (think he shares his mobile with Andy). Anyway, a simple restart cleared the Polo problem but no joy with the Golf which we just left in the carpark. We finished the day in the Polo and A3 which worked out OK really although I didn't really want to run a rental on the Ring. We did help Andy get the Golf back and do some checks, initially thought it was a duff battery as Alternator seemed to be kicking out voltage.
The Monday was 13:30-19:30 opening so chased Ringhaus in the morning about the Golf. He said he'd got a battery but it wasn't the problem so Golf would not be available.
We'd heard that rent-racecar.de had some cars available so rang them, very helpful, wanted the Golf GTi ideally but this had a problem so we ended up with the new Megane Sport 225. All sorted out very well and very nice people to deal with so off we went. Car was great, bit soft but nice to have "some" power and not having to wear helmets it was easier for me to coach my lads. Ended up doing 300k in the Megane, I had some probs with my video system but a lap I had it working on I timed at 8:40 btg with a few holdups.
Cars returned Monday evening, Frank gave us a full refund for the Golf. I never got to drive the Golf hard at all really which was a shame but overall it was a great trip, we did about 55 laps between the 4 of us.
Pistenklaus for the old Steak on a Stone on Monday night, drive back to the Airport for midday on Tuesday and back home Tuesday night.
The Polo was sloooow but a great handling car and my lads loved it, in many ways it was the perfect car for them.
Hmm, seems I almost did write a report LOL.
Maxx
I may do a proper report on one of the Nurnurgring fan forums but just some brief feedback on the logistics etc. as promised.
I was working at Rockingham on Saturday but was able to leave early at 17:45 to get to Stanstead by 19:00 for the 20:00 flight to Cologne. My 3 sons, who are 27/29/31 drove down together and I met them in the departure lounge.
Flew into Cologne and picked up my hire car (SixT) at the airport. As I had hired from them before I used their quick check-in which means you phone them and they leave your keys in a safe which you access with the same credit card you booked with. During the call I was told the Golf which I had specified was not available, instead I was offered a Merc B-Class .. no thanks .. in the end they offered me an Audi A3 2.0 TDi which I accepted.
Drove to Bren's (Sliders Guest House) which is in Dollendorf, about 15 mins from the Ring. At 29 euros a night it's cheap and cheerful but I like the atmosphere and Brens a Ring (Bike) Legend. Big TV where we mainly watch onboard ring laps etc. The drive takes about an hour. I think it was about 23:30 when we arrived.
Planned a (very) early start to ideally get the cars sorted and on track for 8:00 so up at 6:30 and on the road by 7:00.
No-one around at Ringhaus to deal with us when we arrived but got hold of Frank who arrived shortly after. Cars were both parked outside and after quite a long drawn out briefing and paperwork signing session we got the keys. Golf wouldn't start, battery pretty much dead so we left to get our ring tickets and do a sighter lap whilst they got it going. We did this lap in the A3, me driving and pointing out various reference points etc. All my lads had played games with the ring on to some extent, my eldest probably doing 500 laps or more .. all were totally blown away by how much different it as than they'd imagined.
Back to Ringhaus, picked up the Golf and then decided to run in 2 pairs, switching drivers and cars etc. All OK until we stopped the Golf and it would not restart (flat battery), managed to bump it and do another lap or two, stopped it again, bumped it again then decided to ring Frank and just use Polo and A3. No reply frmo Ringhaus for 2hrs or more and decided we might give the Golf another run, bumped it but as soon as we touched the brakes it died, obviously not enough power to even run the brake lights so good job we didn't actually go out more.
We had a misfire with the Polo later so went back to Ringhaus, found Frank who was unaware of the Golf issues (think he shares his mobile with Andy). Anyway, a simple restart cleared the Polo problem but no joy with the Golf which we just left in the carpark. We finished the day in the Polo and A3 which worked out OK really although I didn't really want to run a rental on the Ring. We did help Andy get the Golf back and do some checks, initially thought it was a duff battery as Alternator seemed to be kicking out voltage.
The Monday was 13:30-19:30 opening so chased Ringhaus in the morning about the Golf. He said he'd got a battery but it wasn't the problem so Golf would not be available.
We'd heard that rent-racecar.de had some cars available so rang them, very helpful, wanted the Golf GTi ideally but this had a problem so we ended up with the new Megane Sport 225. All sorted out very well and very nice people to deal with so off we went. Car was great, bit soft but nice to have "some" power and not having to wear helmets it was easier for me to coach my lads. Ended up doing 300k in the Megane, I had some probs with my video system but a lap I had it working on I timed at 8:40 btg with a few holdups.
Cars returned Monday evening, Frank gave us a full refund for the Golf. I never got to drive the Golf hard at all really which was a shame but overall it was a great trip, we did about 55 laps between the 4 of us.
Pistenklaus for the old Steak on a Stone on Monday night, drive back to the Airport for midday on Tuesday and back home Tuesday night.
The Polo was sloooow but a great handling car and my lads loved it, in many ways it was the perfect car for them.
Hmm, seems I almost did write a report LOL.
Maxx
Duncan,
They charged me the same as the Golf, which is 495 euros. It's not on their site yet as it is really new but I imagine, as it's the same sort of power, it will be the same anyway. However, this only covers you for 250km, after that it is 1.20 per km. We did 300km in not much over 3 hours so this could really add up if you clock up the laps. I think a lap is around 23km so really that only allows for 10 laps before you start paying the extras.
The car is stock at present but Theo (owner) says he is putting a cage in it and better seats [the stock recaros are actually VG IMO but I would have preferred a harness]. I spoke to him in some depth and he confided that the Golf is the better car, he has upgraded suspension and brakes on it and the power is slightly higher and the power characteristics are better. Certainly there is Turbo lag on the Megane, prob not noticable on the road but def on track which makes it feel fairly "dull" [power delivery wise] to drive.
Maxx
They charged me the same as the Golf, which is 495 euros. It's not on their site yet as it is really new but I imagine, as it's the same sort of power, it will be the same anyway. However, this only covers you for 250km, after that it is 1.20 per km. We did 300km in not much over 3 hours so this could really add up if you clock up the laps. I think a lap is around 23km so really that only allows for 10 laps before you start paying the extras.
The car is stock at present but Theo (owner) says he is putting a cage in it and better seats [the stock recaros are actually VG IMO but I would have preferred a harness]. I spoke to him in some depth and he confided that the Golf is the better car, he has upgraded suspension and brakes on it and the power is slightly higher and the power characteristics are better. Certainly there is Turbo lag on the Megane, prob not noticable on the road but def on track which makes it feel fairly "dull" [power delivery wise] to drive.
Maxx