GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => Shows, events, track days, motorsport => Topic started by: kev3dr on 23 February 2008, 03:45
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who is going to the ring this year and when ?
Im going for the first time the second weekend in may (8may-12may) with a few friends of the passionford forum, I will be passenger in my mates 400bhp Saph Cosworth with at least another 12 cars from the north west alone :wink: and I cant wait !!!
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I'm going with Club GTi in Aug/Setp. They do a great trip with about 50/70 cars from the Audi and Seat forums :evil:
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There's a few of us from vwsyncro.co.uk going out on the second weekend in May. We'll try and keep out of the way of you Ford boys. :wink:
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who is going to the ring this year and when ?
Im going for the first time the second weekend in may (8may-12may) with a few friends of the passionford forum,
Should have let me know , i booked a weekend away with the lads From Swansea , you goin in Sticker Pauls ?
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this will be part of out 2500 mile european road trip in July, even the GF is excited about hitting the 'ring. we plan to do the millau viaduct (worlds tallest bridge, as seen on top gear) and the french/italian/swiss alps. oh and then amsterdam.
dont know if the daily will enjoy being thrashed mind...! i might be getting the train home!
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I,ll be there 25th this month. 1st time for me.Stopping at the am tiergarten which is that sabine,s place I think.
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im going to the clubgti trip in august, will be first track day - can't wait!!!!
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Best advice to all those who've not been before is simply to make sure your car is fit (tyres and brakes especially), rein in your enthusiasm, go carefully and try and get a passenger lap prior to taking your own car out. Mostly don't be a hero. I've seen so many binned UK cars in the few trips I've made there - it's a LONG track and will wear you out easily - it only takes a moment's concentration loss to bin it. :cry:
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personal fitness is suprisingly quite important i would have thought, make sure your feeling fit, and had pleanty of sleep etc before you do anything like this, i certainly would be making regualy trips to the gym like i do now.
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Best advice to all those who've not been before is simply to make sure your car is fit (tyres and brakes especially), rein in your enthusiasm, go carefully and try and get a passenger lap prior to taking your own car out. Mostly don't be a hero. I've seen so many binned UK cars in the few trips I've made there - it's a LONG track and will wear you out easily - it only takes a moment's concentration loss to bin it. :cry:
Like this http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/275830/
:(
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Grrrr, can't figure out where that is. Any suggestions? Hohe Achte maybe?
Struggling - I don't think it's somewhere I've spectated from.
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ive checked the ring website for dates, but cant find out how much it costs!
im looking to do maybe a couple of laps... any idea on price? do i pay per lap or pay for a days access?
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It's £15-20 per lap and you buy the laps either one at a time, or in larger number (5, 10, 20 etc).
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wonderful, thanks! :cool:
i take it you dont need a helmet?
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You dont NEED a helmet but, well you know.
Id love to organise a trip to the ring with all the GolfGTi.co.uk people, I just feel it would be a nightmare to organises.
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well we'll be there anywhere between say 20th and 26th july... its the penultimate leg of our european road trip :cool:
if i can have the project road worthy in that time, she'll be the car to do it in. less worn out, and standard supsension and exhaust. otherwise the 2300 miles + trip in 2 weeks could become painful.
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Booked my ferry tickets last night - £28 return for car plus four for a long weekend over second weekend in May.
Also booked into Blau Ecke in Adenau. Ready for shakedown on the Golf now :grin:
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well we'll be there anywhere between say 20th and 26th july
I leave for Magaluf on the 19th July so I certainly wont be there at that time, I will have the MK5 for the summer so would love to make a trip there this year, see how it goes I guess.
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I might be up for another run out there at the end of the summer/early autumn.
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Im goin tomoz with about 40 people from the passionford forum :wink: !!!!!
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Got back last night.
Top weekend, but very busy and LOTS of idiots (especially Brits).
If you are going please please PLEASE check your car over VERY carefully if you intend to go out and drive the 'Ring properly, rather than just cruising round (which is very difficult to do anyway).
Key things to check (and replace if they haven't been) include front wishbone bushes. I had two perfectly good sets of front wishbones when I left to go out there. Two laps on the 'Ring and I was in a car park stripping the front of my car to get a set of polybushes installed in my wishbones, which was only possible after a lot of hunting and talking to people.
Get your brake fluid replaced.
Get your tracking checked and set
Take spare brake pads and know how to change them!
Check your engine and gearbox for oil leaks - Oil on the track kills bikers and if you drop oil on the track you WILL be charged for the clean up.
Check your tyres before leaving and check the tyre pressures before you go on track and after a couple of laps.
Anyone who's going also needs to remember to check their insurance policy documents as insurers like HIC are particularly unfriendly and shirk their lawful requirements by trying to write policy exclusions into their policies. Responsibility-dodging scumbags, frankly.
And finally don't try timing your laps, or taking video or pictures while you're out on the track. It's not legal and if you push too hard to try to 'get a time' you'll quite likely bin your car which hurts wallets and more importantly people.
Don't time your laps, just have fun. I know I did.
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Anyone who's going also needs to remember to check their insurance policy documents as insurers like HIC are particularly unfriendly and shirk their lawful requirements by trying to write policy exclusions into their policies. Responsibility-dodging scumbags, frankly.
getting tiring now tbh :rolleyes:
HIC are a broker, we have tried to arrange a scheme to cover the ring (I would LOVE to do it myself!) but none of our underwriters wish to cover it. Its is perfectly legal and their right to write the exclusions into their policies otherwise they would not do it. These are some large underwriters and are used by a lot of other brokers. We always state when asked that we dont cover the Ring, as you well know seeing as you were told so before you took out a policy and found it was excluded. Did you actually ask your new insurers specifically if they do cover it? Anyway, the moral of the story, always check with your insurers if they cover it.
Apart from that, back on topic, some good advice there and glad the trip went well :smiley:
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Insurance is centre-square on this topic. No-one likes to drive uninsured and the potential consequences are appalling.
I find responsibility dodging by UK insurers is very tiring, especially when there is specific European insurance legislation which covers the situation and aims to protect the consumer (that's you Martin), not the big, fat corporation.
Reassuringly and very interestingly if you go to the 'Ring you'll hear a very different story to that which Martin the insurance salesman is trying to tell. This is from the UK people who live out there, who talk to those UK people who are unfortunate, or stupid enough to bin their car and then have to claim on their third party insurance. Why? Because it's not possible for underwriters to slime around European legislation.
The 'Ring is a road, not a racetrack. Look it says here:
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee311/VEXDPIX/DSC00125-1.jpg)
For those struggling to read (or if the image isn't up) the barrier says 'German traffic law is valid. Keep to right lane.'
You wouldn't know about that sign, Martin as you've told us you've not been out there.
Why does the barrier say this? Because it's a public road, not a racetrack. The driving I've done out there is called 'TouristenFahrten' - Tourist Driving. I don't time myself and I'm racing no-one. I'm driving one of the most stunning roads in Europe purely for pleasure, which my insurance covers me to do.
So your general insurance will cover you third party, unless you ask your provider and have been specifically recorded as being told that no, you're not covered - then you're into a dodgy situation if they say no (which is the automatic knee-jerk response).
Sure HIC offers insurance from some large underwriters who have been busy writing dodgy clauses into their policy documents, but there is still a goodly spread of insurance underwriters who haven't tried to bolt their policies down in illicit ways to stop delivering consumers their legally enshrined European minimum rights.
Did you actually ask your new insurers specifically if they do cover it? Anyway, the moral of the story, always check with your insurers if they cover it.
Why would I? That would be a really dumb question. I didn't ask if I was covered on any other high risk roads like Route Napoleon in France, or the Stelvio Pass. I did ask for clarification as to whether I would be covered on the roads where the Le Mans 24hr race is held (I've been for the past couple of years - a top quality event). You see, sometimes those roads are used as a racetrack and there was an exclusion pertaining to that in my policy that I was concerned about. I was told provided the road was being used as a road, not a racetrack then OF COURSE I was covered (well DUH!). It's good that all these conversations are recorded, as what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
The biggest problem is that some UK insurers don't seem to understand European law and some UK underwriters don't understand what the 'Ring is.
I would LOVE to do it myself!
Well Martin, the good thing is that you CAN do it. I think the biggest problem is that you're with the wrong insurer. I know of a number of UK insurers who will cover you on the 'Ring and make it possible for you to go out there and drive it completely legally. You can always get in contact with me if you need some help finding good (not just cheap) insurance cover.
In other news muppets showing up with German-look plates are generally turned away at the barriers. Yet another reason not to buy chav-plates.
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For information we're going back first weekend (and the Monday after) in September.
If anyone is interested in coming out then PM me to discuss further.
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(http://www.mofizixgr4fix.com/images/shtgun.jpg)
Blimey, Diamond gives 'em both barrels...
:smiley:
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Trip now moved to September 12-16th as Nurburgring GmbH moved the half-day on the Monday by a week.
Bloody Germans.