Off the the "Ring" end of march....

[warleydaddy]

Sorted it all out tonight.. Wanted to do it in all my cossies,but not got around to it,but thought id give the ol` S3 a blast round there...

Now "with a ****** credit crunch" ive got to sort tyres,and sus out!!!! Anyone else been round there in a S3?? How did the brakes hold up? Ok??

Pete...

 

[reptor245]

Off the the "Ring"? the the?

 

[Westy]

I'm planning on going in June. Been round in a clio 182 and elise but not the S3 yet. I've never had any issues with break fade but a few of my mates have and one came off with his brake pads smoking!

 

[8pot]

I have been there 3 times. Once in an audi s4, once in a 306 gti and last year in my s3.. I have tarox 6 pots on mine with the hardest pads. Although they did not fade too bad, they were pretty juddery by the end of a lap and I would not like to do 2 back to back laps. Managed a 8.40 btg which I was pretty pleased with.

I think with good suspension, the s3 is pretty well suited to the ring, fairly nimble in the twisty bits and solid enough not to be too affected by the bumps

 

[MintyS3]

Was there in 2007 in my old Polo and Im going this year in August and taking the S3.

 

[ianysm]

Been a few times in the M3. Love it. Going to go in the S3 this year if funds permit!!

8 min 45 is my best time but they've always been hindered by traffic!!

Not sure what a std S3 can achieve?

 

[warleydaddy]

Well im worried most about sus and brakes tbh.... Running gear after day to day use,m happy with,but im not sure about the rest.. BAR THE BREMBO KIT,what other brake kits are available?? And whats the best sus set up????

Pete..

 

[Prawn]

going on the fact that the S3 brake setup cooks mega easy just on the road, I don't think I'd want to push it too far on the ring!

That said, they say you should drive the ring like the best country road in the world and enjoy it, so if you're sensible, they may last.

I'm off to the ring in August/September in my Mini

 

[MintyS3]

going on the fact that the S3 brake setup cooks mega easy just on the road, I don't think I'd want to push it too far on the ring!

That said, they say you should drive the ring like the best country road in the world and enjoy it, so if you're sensible, they may last.

I'm off to the ring in August/September in my Mini

I should be there 31st of August to 3rd of September.

I dont have much faith in the S3's brakes either but I wont be pushing it to be fair.

 

[Prawn]

I'll find out my dates, and I'll let you know mate!

Would be very interesting to see how the mini does around the ring against the S3.

I'd go easy on you of course!

 

[ianysm]

I don't think ring is too hard on brakes so you'll be fine. People used to say how poor th eM3 brakes were but i never though it. Depends how you drive. I'm not hard on brakes at all!

 

[Yaz]

I don't think ring is too hard on brakes so you'll be fine.

WRONG!

 

[MintyS3]

lol I did turn my 280mm g88's blue on a polo round the ring so yeh I would say you tend to use the brakes. Its a very fast track, I almost shat myself when I looked down and was doing 115mph on part of it and no that wasnt the ending straight.

 

[Yaz]

As already mentioned, it is how you drive your car. But i'm sure most people who say that will find that once on the ring you will have a tendancy to drive a little harder/faster especially if you're in a car like an S3 with the reassurances of ESP, ABS and Quattro!

For first timers, i would say the areas you need to concentrate on are tyres, brakes and suspension. Forget about performance upgrades as a first thing. Most people, including me need to learn how to drive and handle the car first and i've been going there for the last 10 years!

Anyway, here's a pic of me and my 944 on the 16km bend with an M5 up my @rse, taken a few years ago:

 

[Dave_Bayern]

WRONG!

Its not wrong at all.

Compared to any UK track the Nurburgring is very easy on brakes. Theres only a handful of places that require intensive braking.

If your brakes are OK on Silverstone/Donington/Other fast & long tracks then they'll be a-ok on the 'ring.

There are parts of the ring where you will not touch the brake pedal for over 30 seconds at a time.

When you come in after a lap you'll not be able to go right back out again with standard brakes but it shouldnt start to fade really until after Wippermann/Esbach and even then it'll only be a bit more travel, not actually fading. (when I say standard I mean decent discs/pads/fluid, in comparison to 4 pots/6 pots. OEM pads will NOT cut it.)

Prawn - didn't realise you were going this year? My car is out to stay come April and I'll be flying out every spare weekend. Mail me and let me know when you're going and I'll try and get out the same time.
Avoid the bank holiday weekend though unless you're content with about 8 laps max and 40 closures due to idiots.