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I'm planning on taking my 1990 civic VTEC to the ring next year. (Nothing at all to do with turning 40 next month....)
I will probably end up going alone and would like to know what should I budget, where to stay, travel, timescales etc.
I'll not be thrashing around. I just want to tick it off my list and the civic I have is too rare to risk.
Anyone care to share their experience and knowledge?
Cheers Stu
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sketch
Part of things
Posts: 194
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I went last year but on they day we went it snowed! Defiantly check the weather report! Think an open return ticket cost £120. It takes less than 5 hours once your off the train. We stayed in the main motorsport hotel but the sister hotel opposite is nice and cheaper. We also did a behind the scenes tour walk round for €20. Best to buy a ring card with 4 laps for €100. All in all it cost us less than £500 including train, fuel, hotel and laps...did it in my old Mr2. Although because of its age we couldn't get breakdown cover
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Check the track opening times and days beforehand (as it's not always open) If it's your first time round the track take it easy as it's not something your going to learn fast and if you do crash it's expensive and your a long way from home There's loads of places to stay local to the rig but if there's something going on that weekend it can get booked up quickly so plan well in advance Cost wise You will have fuel accommodation train or boat laps and food and drink £500 as a starting point
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1992 240 Volvo T8 1955 Cadillac 1994 BMW E34 M5 (now sold ) 1999 BMW E36 sport touring x2 1967 Hillman imp Californian "rally spec" 1971 VW bay window (work in progress) 1999 Mazda 323F 1987 Jaguar XJ12 All current
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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There was an identical thread to this earlier this year which had good info in.
If worry about taking something you like though, I've seen plenty of videos of cars being hit from behind whilst taking it steady :/
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Contact Bren at sliders guest house. Fantastic place to stay for bikers and drivers, very friendly and full of characters. Enjoy the surrounding roads, not just the ring, the roads are fantastic and almost as good as the track itself. Take it easy on track, on tourist days there will be a huge variety of traffic and usually some accidents, a good guide is available on bridge to gantrys website for etiquette and newcomers.for somewhere to eat/sit/watch head to Adenau and walk up to the track. It's surreal watching it twist through the town. Enjoy yourself. It's epic.
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Enjoy yourself, and take a couple of days over there - MrsSE and I spent a few happy hours walking round the area spotting some incredible car. It's petrolhead heaven.
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EmDee
Club Retro Rides Member
Committer of Autrocities.
Posts: 5,920
Club RR Member Number: 108
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I'm only posting because I can't believe nobody has said this:
Pistenklause (Hotel am Tiergarten) - Argentinian steak on a stone.
^ Worth going just for that in my opinion, but read the Google reviews first, it's clearly not for everyone.
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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Don't do what I did and drive to Nuremberg rather than Nurburgring, turns out they're very different places, about 500 miles apart and one has a race track, the other doesn't.
There is a very cool camping ground on top of the ring, I can't remember it for the life of me but when you're at the ring petrol station it's signposted, I think it's like Renn something or other. It is a very quiet little place just off of the track, probably a 3 minute drive to the entry gate. Really quiet, always filled with sound guys with cool cars usually a fair few Retros in there. The chap charges 7 euro a night and has a building with independent toilets and showers that have always been clean and pleasant.
There is another camping ground bang on top of the track, never used it but have been told it can be loud and a bit more of a roudy site, I'm sure it's perfectly fine, I've seen people post photos on here from where they've stayed there so can't be that bad.
I've also stayed in a place called Sozig, really cool, super quiet, mega comfy, locals are sound as anything and the drive to and from the ring is awesome. Last time I was there for a meal the restaurant owner dragged us down the town for a beach party... Yep, they had emptied a lorry full of builders sand dumped in the town square and was having themselfs a beach party.
If you're worried about potential ring accidents, they do happen and are quite a common sight. Then my advice would be to wait until the end of the day. I think it shuts at 6:30 or 7. If you get on the track in the last half an hour the traffic seems to be pretty minimal where everyone is packing up to go home.
I can't remember at the minute, but I think you have to stick to the right to let people pass. It's all in the little flyer thing you can pick up in the kiosk. Anyway, indicate, be aware of what is behind you and just try to stay out of the way as best you can. Some of the guys out there are bonkers but all seem cool.
I've had it in the past when I've noticed someone coming up with a lick on and I've taken a corner wide, indicated and let them pass, most of the time you'll get a "thanks" as they pass.
When I first did the ring I was 18 I think In a WRX Impreza and I was bricking it the whole time. The scale of the place, the amount of people there, the cars, it's all a little daunting and I'm dry glad I did it with some buddies.
When I do it again I would fork out for European break down cover, last time I looked it was about £270, which is nothing in comparison to what it could cost if the worst happened.
If it's your first time I would buy one lap at a time, I bought 4 and struggled to fit them all in with my short stay.
Good luck!
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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I really liked Cologne when I stopped there in my way home. I parked the car up in an underground car park and exited. We all stood there at the top of the stairs, looked st each other and said "where is this huge cathedral? Can't be that big, can't see it" I turned around and there it was, right behind us, we had parked beneath it and didn't have a clue! (probably sabine schmitz in a m5?). She drives a 911 GT3 now I do believe. She knew how to make that M5 move though!
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Don't do what I did and drive to Nuremberg rather than Nurburgring, turns out they're very different places, about 500 miles apart and one has a race track, the other doesn't. It's less than 500 kilometers apart, and yes, there is a race track in Nuremberg, the Norisring. But it's a public road troughout the year which will be closed for the race weekend. Don't even think of racing, there were illegal races a couple of years ago, with accidents, so the cops will keep an eye on it. And most important of all: Don't mention the war!
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Last Edit: Nov 6, 2015 12:09:01 GMT by outrage
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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Sorry, I meant where we drove pretty much past the ring to Nuremberg it was around 380km away, then the return journey of another 380km to the ring. For my basic maths skills I rounded it up to 800km and converted it to 500 miles. So all in it added a lot of miles into my trip for putting the wrong name into my satnav.
I'm a muppet like that.
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ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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Don't crash! This hurt. A lot. Thankfully though, I was a passenger and it was't my car. However, there is a point to me posting this. While all the advice above is sound, there is one thing I would say and that's to be financially prepared for the unexpected. The crash above cost the owner E3,600. That was just for the barrier (billed by the meter) and the recovery off the track (E180 with a LUNATIC driver). The car had barely come to rest before a Skoda Octavia with nee-naws on it appeared. It was't to check we were okay though, it was to make sure we were still there. Put it this way, the catch fancies around the track are for spectator protection as much as they are for keeping people IN the track so they don't do a runner after binning it. You will be made to pay for the barrier, the recovery, the liquid clean-up, all of it. And they will NOT accept that you can't afford it. Now, I'm not saying you'll crash, you said yourself the car is too rare to dick about with. However, as others stated, you can't ignore the risk of some other empty ploughing into you. No fear of god intended. Just throwing in my advice. Chris
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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Is that on the Horrible corner, just after you pass all the spectators in the camping grounds, where you fight like a loony to keep it on the track and not come off the left, to then find you've over compensated and gone to far over to the right. The small run off doesn't help either.
Sorry to hear of your, and the drivers troubles there!
You can get track day insurance specifically for the ring, there was a big thread on it on another forum.
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ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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Is that on the Horrible corner, just after you pass all the spectators in the camping grounds, where you fight like a loony to keep it on the track and not come off the left, to then find you've over compensated and gone to far over to the right. The small run off doesn't help either. Sorry to hear of your, and the drivers troubles there! You can get track day insurance specifically for the ring, there was a big thread on it on another forum. It was a long time ago. What I can remember is we went down a steep hill, then it levelled out onto a sort of chicane bit, where as you say, he got it all crossed up. Cant have been more than a minute after setting off. Only time I've ever been, that! Chris
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I can't believe that we have had 17 posts and nobody has mentioned insurance.
The great majority of UK insurers specifically exclude the Nurburgring. You DO NOT want to be risking driving there without full cover. People advising you "you'll be ok if you just take it steady" will disappear pdq if you do crash and end up with a big bill.
People have lost their house after being pursued by insurers recovering their costs.
Do go and enjoy the place but either,
a) make sure you have full cover b) rent from places like Rent 4 Ring who include insurance
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I'm only posting because I can't believe nobody has said this: Pistenklause (Hotel am Tiergarten) - Argentinian steak on a stone. ^ Worth going just for that in my opinion, but read the Google reviews first, it's clearly not for everyone. ^^^^^^^ +1 Advice on similar lines as stated already. don't try and drive it fast, the track rises and falls on a ridiculous scale. The guys who are belting round know exactly when to lift off and when to power on. If you try and keep up with one you will end up in a bad way. It's not a dangerous place but respect it.
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I'm only posting because I can't believe nobody has said this: Pistenklause (Hotel am Tiergarten) - Argentinian steak on a stone. ^ Worth going just for that in my opinion, but read the Google reviews first, it's clearly not for everyone. Oh, this, definitely. The atmosphere, the staff, and the food, all absolutely Bob on.
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Equally, Pinocchios on adenau hight street is very good. For both pistenklause and Pinocchios, you do need to book in advance, even out of season.
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