The Ring

B1GW1L

B1GW1L

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Hey Guys

I'm off to the Nurburgring on the 5th of this month. It's my first time and im just after some pointers / advice suggestions.

I'm not planning on timing myself!!!

Will be posting some pics and a couple of vids when i come back.

Im also going to be starting a mod thread soon as ive got some things im going to be doing before I go.
 
Good stuff. Still on my list of things to do, but it'll have to be next year now. So long as it's still going after all the failed investment and debts of course!
 
​Try a pm to westy and prawn. Im sure there are others as well. :) x
 
So you went 17 days ago?! ;)

I did the ring last year and it was amazing. I would personally recommend camping as the atmosphere at the camp was so good, everyone was friendly and having a good time and you get to meet the people you'll be sharing the track with!

Check tyre pressures etc in the car park before you leave and account for the fact that they will be rising more the harder you push it.

Dont care what or who overtakes you as it's all about experience.

Lastly, never stop looking in your mirrors as there will probably be some serious mechinary which will appear and disappear quicker than you think humanly possible!
 
Drive around it as if you have no insurance at all, because, truth be told, you dont!

Scary stuff. Take it easy, soak up the atmosphere, it's the most amazing place in the world, but it can also be very dangerous.

Make sure your car is 100%, carry a high vis for each occupant, don't go on track without a helmet.

Go to the Burgstube in the Castle Carpark, the people that run it are lovely, Bit Burger is an awesome Beer too. Look out for my name on the crash map!

Go to the PistenKlause for a Meal, it's opposite the BMW M-Test centre in Nurburg.

Enjoy yourself!
 
When we were there in 2010 our mate crashed into a barrier (granted it was a big crash - a roll) and investigation teams and barrier repair teams were sent out. It cost him thousands in fees before he'd even set out to repair his car, so on your sighting laps PLEASE do be careful and as Prawn has said, spend as much time looking in your mirrors as you do looking forward. He'd done about 200 laps over 5 years so never be sure you truly 'know it'! Forget bravado; drive within safe limits, and the more you relax the better lap you're likely to drive!

If in doubt and if you get to a point where you feel at all uncomfortable, indicate and keep to one side of the track so people can continue without being impeded (these laps aren't cheap and circuit etiquette goes a long way).

Consider taking the following:
  • Spare brake pads (if you're considering doing a lot of laps - obviously brake winding calliper tool is always useful if you're taking this route)
  • Small / medium tool kit
  • Hose repair tape
  • Cable ties and some spare jubilee clips
  • A spare of any critical 'known to fail' item for your car
  • A first aid kit
  • Helmet (not a pre-requisite but strongly recommended)
  • Spare oil 1ltr

Before you go make sure you've got some decent meat on your brake pads and some life in your tyres. I'd really suggest an oil and filter change has been done no more than 2,000 miles ahead of your trip as it's a LONG lap. Forget everything you thought about ragging end to end in GT5 or Forza, to ensure your cars healthy for the return journey extent it some mechanical sympathy and give it every chance of survival!!

When you get back to the car parking area park your car in gear on the flat; this will stop you boiling your brake fluid by putting on the handbrake after a lap where you may have ****** your brakes!
 
I was lucky when I first went, the first person I spoke to had crashed and written off his 15k M3 and had a €5000 repair bill. This put the fear of god in me and I didn't push it harder than I knew was safe.

Don't let forza or any other game give you false confidence, it's a beast of a track and even experienced drivers can crash there. Soak it all in though, as soon as you leave you start planning your next trip back!
 
Ahh ment the 5th of OCT lol ,

thanks for the advice, truth be told i am nervous about driving the track and dont want to rag it id rather just drive round and enjoy the atmosphere.

In regards to a crash helmet can these be hired?

Car has just been serviced so im happy with that.

Is it worth doing an oil and filter change on my return this car is currently on 125K any recomendations on oil? i was thinking millers 5w40?

also recomendations for a good oil filter
 
I crashed, as I'm sure you know:

Nurburgring crash at Schwedenkreuz - YouTube

Cost me £3k in barrier bills, then a further £3k to repair the car.

I'd done just under 100 laps in 4 years, and crashed from being too confident and just pushing TOO hard. There's no run off anywhere.

Best advice I could give would be to take out track insurance. it's expensive, but will save you a fortune in the long run. Either that, or rent one of the EPIC suzuki swifts from Rent 4 Ring.

Your standard UK cover does not cover you on the ring, so bare that in mind.

Treat it like the best country road in the world and you'll have the best time ever.

Oh, and wear a helmet.
 
The fear of God is a good thing to have when you go through the barrier as it keeps you grounded and on your toes. The adrenalin from doing a lap is great and I would come back into the carpark shaking like a leaf.

When prawn and I went last year there was a fatality on track where an English Clio rolled and threw an un belted rear passenger out of the boot. This was a harsh reminder of how dangerous this place can be. Im not trying to put you off but you really must respect this track, and the other people on it.

You will love it though :thumbsup:
 
Prawn said:
I crashed, as I'm sure you know:

Nurburgring crash at Schwedenkreuz - YouTube

Cost me £3k in barrier bills, then a further £3k to repair the car.
Click to expand...

Ouch! First time I'd see that.

Our mate ended up a bit worse off damage wise, no vid, but photos:

BEFORE
DSC_0184.JPG


AFTER
arosa5.jpg
 
Westy said:
When prawn and I went last year there was a fatality on track where an English Clio rolled and threw an un belted rear passenger out of the boot.
Click to expand...

Tell me about it man, I was first on the scene to that with Bruce and had to stand at Hohe Acht waving the yellow flag for what felt like a life time. Still makes me shudder now.

warren_S3 said:
Ouch! First time I'd see that.

Our mate ended up a bit worse off damage wise, no vid, but photos:
Click to expand...

I loved Ians Arosa, he was SOOOOOOO lucky to walk out of that one, ended up in exactly the same place I did too!

A well installed roll cage is what saved him. I'm pretty sure he'll be fitting a cage to his MX5 too after one lucky escape!

The above is why you should wear a helmet. it's not compulsory, but you'd be a fool not to.

Also, don't take people out in the back either. it changes the balance of your car, and makes it handle differently, right at the one time when you really, really don't want to be surprised.
 
Prawn said:
I loved Ians Arosa, he was SOOOOOOO lucky to walk out of that one, ended up in exactly the same place I did too!

A well installed roll cage is what saved him. I'm pretty sure he'll be fitting a cage to his MX5 too after one lucky escape!

The above is why you should wear a helmet. it's not compulsory, but you'd be a fool not to.

Also, don't take people out in the back either. it changes the balance of your car, and makes it handle differently, right at the one time when you really, really don't want to be surprised.
Click to expand...

We had steak on the stone at Pistenklaus with Ian and Mark (Head of Seatcupra.net) the day before he did it. Mark & I went off to Porsche Museum at Stuttgart the following day, and the first photo in my post was one of the last ever photos taken of the car in good condition before the incident. A real shame as it was a lovely little pocket rocket.
 
Prawn said:
How is m0rk these days? I see he has been making lots of new friends!
Click to expand...

m0rk's a top bloke, been out mountain biking with him recently as we live near each other.

He's a very direct guy, but then I've always respected him for it as I don't know enough people/friends who'd have the balls to tell me if I was being a **** where appropriate. He's no nonsense and I know some find that challenging, but to me in a PC world where people dance around handbags blowing smoke up each others **** he's a breath of fresh air. He helped me get my current job, does loads of charity and health support stuff so the guy people see on the forum isn't always a fair representation of the real day to day person. I've even been on holiday and spent proper time with him and his wife (rather than just seeing the better side of him in a short visit), and I count him as one of my very best mates.
 
I've never met the bloke, but he seems like a bit of a **** given every encounter I've had with him on the internet. Glad to see he's got a lighter side though, I've got a lot of respect for people who do charity work and go out of their way to help others.

Seems a shame how he manages to come across so up tight on SCN. But another part of me says that the invalids on there need somebody like Mark to give them a slap.

This has been doing the rounds for a while, quite hilariously.

560999_4563649490231_1493198814_n.jpg


Irony noted, by the way.
 
In his defence (not that he needs it), if you moderate or own a forum you see so much sh1t day to day that you become very direct about it. Dreamer, fantasists, tyre kickers, billy big b0ll0cks etc., so the tendency is in time to become incredibly candid. I think he's become a victim of that, and also of some sabotage from the days where there was a bit of a power struggle at SCN. Both Marks (m0rk and Zboyd) are top blokes, so it's a shame to hear SCN is suffering (as an ex two time-LCR owner I cut my teeth on forums there). m0rk's just become a Dad (and a very good one at that), so I've seen another dimension to him recently. Like any of the rest of us will have his shortcomings, but he does a high brow stressful job, is a great dad, and I think people who stand up to be counted are always going to have fans or serious detractors!
 
Careful chap. I too had a incident there, luckily wasn't bad, but coupled with prawns crash I'm well put off. Would happily go there again as a spectator as it really is amazing there, but wouldn't do any track time, as for me it simply isn't worth the risk anymore, the penalties are to massive and there isn't much room for error.

Don't be put off my this though, as you have to do it. Just keep your wits about you and don't go mad.
 
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