plus1 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Just went on a driving experience day for my birthday last year to drive a Lambo Gallardo and an Aston V8 Vantage. It was booked through Driveme.net. All I can say about the day is if you are thinking of doing this with them...DO NOT USE THEM!!!!!!!!!!! The so called track was not a track at all but a piece of disused runway about 400yds long. You drive down one side, hairpin bend, and then back up the other, another hairpin. 6 laps is all you get. When you get in the cars the instructors say all you will be using is third and fourth gears! You set off in first and they tell you to change into second straight away, yeah right, first gear, second gear, and I gunned it. You only make it to about 5000rpm and their telling you take it steady or your laps will end, so no sooner had I changed into third I was hard on the brakes for the Hairpin, I had to stay in third, not second which would have been a more suitable gear. When you floor it in third after a hairpin at about 20mph I can tell you not a lot happens, and buy the time your into the power they are making you change to fourth!!! So all in all, you do get to drive the cars, just not experience them. The whole day was supposed to be about 3 hours of experience, it turns out to be more like 10 minutes in both cars and 2 hours 50 of standing around. One of the staff was saying they get through about 200 people a day. Its a case of "get em in, get erm out, rob them blind" So after a dissapointing day for myself and wife who bought me this gift, go to a proper race track and really experience the cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Kenny Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 D'oh! That's a shame, dude. My brother did one of those for his 30th birthday, got proper laps in both cars at Bruntingthorpe. And a flying passenger lap in a Scooby If you're going to do one of these it's not a bad idea to see if you can get the postcode or address of where it is, then have a look on Google Maps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus1 Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 I did look on google and thought that's strange there is no track, only what's left of a runway, must be an old picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sted Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 I think you got shafted there Ian, that sounds like a complete rip off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 It does sound like you got a bit shafted to be honest as i had one bought for me through red letter day and i did it in Loughborough with the Everman driving centre and they were great and i had a wicked day!! Sorry to hear yours wasnt bud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl_S Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 A good heads up for everyone. Heads up with three condoms on, where's the fun there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve A Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 how much did it cost mate? A good heads up for everyone. Heads up with three condoms on, where's the fun there? where do i buy the drugs so that u make sense ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus1 Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 Don't know how much as it was a 40th present from the wife, I know she was very disapointed as well. I think a letter of complaint is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safely Insured Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Yes, I had a similar experience (different company) a few years back. I did a Ferrari experience day.. drove a 355 and 348 .. they both both limited to about 6000RPM and it was a run way with a coned area to turn around in.. When you are at 5000RPM you are being shouted at to change gear.. Why?? Its just starting to get going? Then it bounces off the limiter at 6000RPM.. What a disappointment. I made my thoughts on the rev limit known to the instructors and the rest of the participants.. I was asked to leave. Ollie Sky Insurance I drove up in a £600 Fiat Uno Turbo which was faster than both (limited Ferraris) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitesupraboy2 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I did a track experience at thruxton in a porsche cayman S and single seater. The Porsche the instructor had me pushing it no problems there with flooring it. The single seater was limited to about 4000RPM but to be honest apart from the back straight it didnt make loads of difference you got a good enough experience with your arse beign the close to the floor. Overall worth the experience i would of said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martini Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Yes, I had a similar experience (different company) a few years back. I did a Ferrari experience day.. drove a 355 and 348 .. they both both limited to about 6000RPM and it was a run way with a coned area to turn around in.. When you are at 5000RPM you are being shouted at to change gear.. Why?? Its just starting to get going? Then it bounces off the limiter at 6000RPM.. What a disappointment. I made my thoughts on the rev limit known to the instructors and the rest of the participants.. I was asked to leave. Ollie Sky Insurance I drove up in a £600 Fiat There's a chance this was the same one I did. Did you also drive a fixed diff kit car and a prodrive scoobie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I did a track experience at thruxton in a porsche cayman S and single seater. The Porsche the instructor had me pushing it no problems there with flooring it. The single seater was limited to about 4000RPM but to be honest apart from the back straight it didnt make loads of difference you got a good enough experience with your arse beign the close to the floor. Overall worth the experience i would of said. Agreed. I did a F355 day there about 10 years ago. Morning briefing then out in a rover first for track recognition, then single seater and then the Fezzer. After that I got a few hot laps with an instructor driving. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it certainly seemed much better value than the OP's day out. I say day. Morning? 20 minutes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safely Insured Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 There's a chance this was the same one I did. Did you also drive a fixed diff kit car and a prodrive scoobie? Mine was a number of years ago.. in was in Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire I believe.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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