Following interest from some of you guys in this forum, here's some info:
http://www.drivetrain.uk.com/And here is what I wrote on Tyresmoke immediately after my course:
I did my Drivetrain day with Big John yesterday and what a great day it was - One of the very best days spent in a car and one of those to always remember. You're not going to find any details of what we did on the course in this review because you really need the benefit of Big John sat beside you. I could tell you how I was taught to do this and that, but I'm not a highly qualified police instructor like John is and it might easily lead you into serious danger without putting it all in context and also tailoring it to you as an individual driver and what car you drive. It's all about getting the most out of your own potential and also out of the car but keeping you safe and surprisingly legal!
I must admit to being quite nervous and even scared of booking the course until one particular TSNer and GTI driver who had done the CarLimits course with me told me how good Drivetrain was. Once I had spoken on the phone to Big John I immediately felt relaxed and couldn't wait for the day. What 'scared' me was the idea of driving on a limit beyond one's experience on public roads and furthermore on roads I didn't know. You have to have Trust....Trust in Big John and to realise that he knows absolutely what he's doing and that he's very highly qualified and, very importantly, that he knows the law - If he told me he actually was a policeman I would have believed him.
Until I did the Drivetrain course I thought I was a well-above average and even good driver, and perhaps I was very focussed and above average (not difficult unfortunately!) but now I've learnt how to be so much more aware, much smoother and safer, This doesn't mean that I'm suddenly overnight an expert, but only that I feel I have improved - Vastly! And that I am on the road to maintaining that improvement and learning it to the point where it becomes natural. This doesn't make me invincible either. Accidents can still happen and I can still make an error of judgement.
Everybody who has said "Don't worry about remapping your car, remap your brain!" is absolutely right. I've got no regrets about the sequence of 'mods' I have done, but Drivetrain is the most important one and furthermore allows me to enjoy my other mods even more.
Regarding the famous Mk5 GTI, I learnt how to use the car's potential far more efficiently and at the same time keeping the car more in a permanently alert and ready to go, or stop!, state. I'm now using ALL of the DSG's offerings and Manual especially. How I love those paddles and how I'm hearing my Milltek exhaust. Ian_C paid me a huge compliment at last night's Windsor meet when he told me he wound down his window so he could hear my car while following - I was working that box! It's not about maximum bhp.
Big John is great company - We shared a great day and had great fun as well as learning some very important fundamentals. Everyone here knows how enthusiastic I can get about something I like, but I cannot recommend Big John's course highly enough and it's not just the course itself but the man himself. He'll make you feel very relaxed and he's extremely professional.
You drive a performance car - Don't even think about whether to do this course - It's a no-brainer, just do it!!
