Back From The Ring

[grathies]

Well I made it back, 1300odd miles laters.... SOOOOOOO much fun!

One of the most scary things Ive ever done in my life, took 3 laps to get the courage to take my car into Kaurrosel, great fun tho

Left my camera on the car and it never got seen... only problem was I left my charger at home so have no footage at all And as such, I ended up spending too much money, so the complete setup including camera, mounts, chargers and recorder is up for sale at the bargin price of £215 posted if anyones interested? Thats over £100 down on what I paid for it two weeks ago! Really dont wanna sell it but I now owe my mum £250 and need to raise the money somehow

Will get some pictures up and added to this thread later on today, along with some more info on the trip

 

[A3_Turbo]

Sounds like you had a good time.

Get some pics up ASAP, how did the car hold up any failures? Or was everything running sweet including the trip home?

J

 

[Aky]

I don't think you went.










Only kidding. Its something I've been meaning to do but I'm scared that I'd either trash the S3 or blow it up

 

[grathies]

It was amazing!

Car was sweet as a nut for 99% of the trip, I nearly made it from my house to the hotel on 1 tank of fuel, well happy with that. Only time I had any issues was after a hard lap when I really cocked up some gear changes and put the car thru quite a bit, came back and had some serious heat in the engine bay

Also had to do a pad change outside the hotel but that was more for performance than a nessecity

 

[grathies]

I don't think you went.

lol

 

[HTC]

Glad you had a good time. I need to get to drive that place on of these days. Shame about the camera tho.

Did you purchase one of the ring stickers for the back of your car?

 

[Aky]

Did you purchase one of the ring stickers for the back of your car?

The I've been Ring'd sticker?

 

[grathies]

Yeah I did, but I didnt put it on till Id done my laps (cant stand people who have them on their car when they havent done any laps!)

Just sorting out the picture sizes then will upload them

Would deffo reccomend going over if you havent done so, just dont go over there full of pride and not wanting to be overtaken and a bit intimidated. If you go out there thinking your amazing and know the limits of your car I recon you stand a good chance of paying £250odd to be recovered.

 

[grathies]

Mates Clio

The View

CarPark

Group

F430

Merc Test Car

My Subtle Helmet

Snow

Brake Change

On Track

Well Earned Sticker

Lieing DIS

Detour to Eau Rouge @ Spa Francochamps on the way home

Awesome Speed Limit Sign and Best German Name EVER

Have got loads more pictures on my mates cameras etc, will get them put in a photobucket account so you can all have a look if your bored

Wish I was back their, cant wait to go again in a few months!

 

[Dave_Bayern]

Or free recovery if you're sensible enough to have ADAC

Good job, Glad it was fun! Which hotel did you stay at, what was it like?

 

[grathies]

We stayed at the Berg Hotel, Hohe Acht http://www.hohe-acht.com/

40Euros a night bed and breakfast, was just a bit further up the road from the Brunnchen viewing carpark on the same side as the road. Idealy located as the road down to Adeanu was such a nice drive too

Hotel was basic but ideal for our needs, owned by a bloke called Wolfgang, really nice bloke, he called up the ring to check what was happening when it snowed for us etc

 

[1animal1]

that looks amazing mate....glad you got back unscathed........ the misus loves the picks and wants to know when we're going now:thumbsup:

Hotel sounds really good and cheap too!!!!

 

[grathies]

Well were going to go back to renting a place like the lads did last time I think, gonna be a few spaces so will open it up to you guys as and when its sorted if anyones tempted?

Probs do it for a week again, I really cant wait

 

[1animal1]

let us know fella.......... gotta be fair though...think ill be more into the beer than driving.....absolutely amazing german beer

 

[grathies]

Yeah we went to this place in Adenau that does Pizzas, called Pinnochios... ridiculous!

Asked for a large beer expecting a pint after the night before at another resurant getting half a pint when asking for a normal beer... out it came in a ****** litre glass! Then the pizzas were 15" which was the smallest they did! Still only came to about 11Euros each for a massive pizza and a huge beer!

 

[1animal1]

brilliant...well jealous mate...... how much did it end up costing in the end...fuel..accomodation and food/entry..... roundabout?

 

[grathies]

Im still working it all out mate... fuels not that much cheaper, so Id say about £200 in Fuel, Ferry was £48 return, then just food and whatever the hotel was (im crap at exchange rates!) Plus breakdown cover, travel insurance and green card etc... It can add up

 

[1animal1]

yeah i reckon fuelling a car anywhere in Europe is more expensive than flights..... your still talkin summer holiday money......but worth it from what you have said about it.......

 

[grathies]

No word of a lie, I cant wait to go back!

May sneak in a weekend before I go for a week again, its so addictive over there, the countrys amazing too, so green and the roads are always clear! Good recyling scheme over there as well, and everyones friendly

Depending how this year pans out I think me and my mates might splash out for season passes next year and try to get over there every other month

 

[s3ollie]

wow 550 miles on your DIS. dont think mine goes over 400!

 

[grathies]

lol Im pretty sure that it was lieing to me!

That was when I left the ring to come home, its 310miles from our hotel to the ferry the way we went, and I had 1/4 of a tank left at that point, filled up to half way and when I got home I was just on 1/4 tank again, so it could be accurate, or it could be lulling me into a false sense of security

 

[Clach]

Good stuff mate

 

[voorhees]

Barsteward...I'm a wee bit jealous as its on my really-need-to-do list
need some more track experiance in my car before I venture though.

 

[grathies]

Well Ill be organising a trip later on in the year so get some track time done!

Really cant reccomend it enough. It would be good to know about the limits of your car before you go but you cant approach it like a track. Ive heard it said that you should think of it as the most beautiful country road in the world with no oncoming traffic. My mate went out when it was dry on the start, went round the back of the curcuit and it went from dry to snow covered in 2 corners, then from snow to standing water, then back to dry... 21odd KM of track and varying in altitude by 1000m between its lowest and highest points! Each corner is an unkown and can really change in 1 lap

It should be on everyones to do list... but it is so addictive. I am counting down the days till I can go again

 

[voorhees]

http://www.ringweekends.co.uk/
these are local to me (saw the car advertising them)
I was itching to volunteer when stewart needed a passenger,should of went then.
I'll grow a pair eventually and get there

 

[grathies]

Theres a few companys that offer to set up all your tickets etc and they seem to be alot more expensive than actually just sorting it out yourself!

Im playing it on GT4 atm just to get a fix, doesnt show the gradients right and cars perform totally wrong in braking and acceleration but the corners are pretty good!

 

[voorhees]

have forza 2 so will be practising when its booked

 

[grathies]

Forza is also good, but the games are only good for layout. Some of the blind crests arent replicated, one set you aim for the top of a set of small tree's to get your line right etc

Plus cambers and gradients are mad there, Karrussel(sp) is quite scary first time round as its really steep for what it is.

Knowledge is king round there tho, but none of the negative factors would put me off going back in an instant

 

[Ess_Three]

If you are serious about research, forget about playing it on PS2/3 or XBox...and go here;
http://www.renn.tv/
And go to the Online Shop.

Get hold of an in car DVD or two...they usually have lots of footage - some including flying laps and warm up laps...the warm up laps are great to show you the lines at the sort of speed you'll actually be doing, whereas the fast laps show you how frightening the place can be!

The games are great for showing you which way thr corners go...but don't give you enough information about gradients, surfaces, lines to take etc..whereas the DVDs do.

Worth a look...informative and just good entertainment too.

 

[Defratos]

Looks like a lot of fun. My cousin is going there in summer and he's telling me to go along with them. Just not sure if I'll hav enough free time off work, hope I do.

 

[voorhees]

If you are serious about research, forget about playing it on PS2/3 or XBox...and go here;
http://www.renn.tv/
And go to the Online Shop.

Get hold of an in car DVD or two...they usually have lots of footage - some including flying laps and warm up laps..

I remember you telling me about the price of coming off and crashing so I think I'll watch the in car but also try driving (via console) the track as well just to familiarise before doing it

 

[WillsNogaroTT]

Sounds & looks like a very fun trip lad. Good work

 

[grathies]

It was such a trip, so gutting being back at work today, counting down the days till I go again.

Just worked out the cost of it all tho and think we went over the top on how much we spent... a breakdown for you:

PrepWork (Oils/Fluids/Filters/Plates etc): £60
Ferry: £48
RAC Europe: £40
Green Card: £20
Travel Insurance: £5
Total Fuel Bill: £225
Laps: £115
Food/Drinks: £100
Hotel: £165

So allowing for some extra money on the Ferry etc, looking just about £800 all in for a week over there

In all fairness I could have probably saved on fuel a bit but as I was the only one with rear seats my car was the taxi. Plus Going for insurance that includes european green cards next free next time and upgrading RAC cover etc. Probably dont need as long as I had, so hotel costs and food and drink could be cut, as well as taking the ferry at unsociable hours

Worth every penny tho... (Poor exchange rate doesnt help!)

 

[Dave_Bayern]

upgrading RAC cover etc.

Do I have to say ADAC again?

ADAC for a full year costs 60 pounds and is the equivalent of the 130 pound RAC here. Plus they send the AA if you breakdown in England after you call the English 0800 number they give you.

Plus, if you do break down on the ring, you ARE paying 200 euros, you dont get your car off the flatbed without giving the German man 200 euros.

However with your ADAC card, recovery off the ring is free.

You'll be throwing money away if you go with a UK breakdown company.

 

[grathies]

My mum pays for my RAC so thats by the by, and I know people who have had issues with ADAC not accepting their membership card as acceptable for getting off the Ring. Others have been fine, they seem to be hit and miss and Id be pisssed if I took it out then couldnt use it.

All these sorts of things are being looked into and taken into account. If my car breaks down on the ring I really wont begrudge paying 200euros, its part of my backup fund incase anyway!

 

[Dave_Bayern]

No-one has ever not had that 200 Euros refunded though. If they make you pay to get recovered, you ring ADAC and they refund it for you instantly.

That said, if mummy is paying then so be it.

 

[EssVier]

HELMUT KOCH huh huh huh huh

(Too much Beavis and Butthead as a yoof)!

 

[grathies]

No-one has ever not had that 200 Euros refunded though. If they make you pay to get recovered, you ring ADAC and they refund it for you instantly.

That said, if mummy is paying then so be it.

Yeah 'Mummy' pays for it... Since Dad died and he always insisted the family should have RAC cover incase we ever need it my Mum thinks that to and it makes her happy. Even if it doesnt make you happy.

 

[voorhees]

Yeah 'Mummy' pays for it... Since Dad died

Bet your glad you said that Dave

 

[grathies]

Im not out for sympathy, just not a mummys boy.

Since I was 16 I have been working, pretty much full time even when doing my A-Levels. Ive had to pay for all my cars on my own, and get RAC cover from my mum as a small gift that helps me and gives her piece of mind. Call me what you want but dont even try to start insinuating that Im a spoilt boy who gets everything paid for by my mum.

I break my balls at work to own and run my S3 and my Rallye, and to go on holidays such as this. Ive never had anything handed to me on a plate, or paid for things with finance or the like.