Has anyone ever done one of those track driving experience days? Are they worth the money, and which is a good one to do? I am in Berkshire. I am thinking of buying a cheap track car, such as a Ford Puma or MX5, and thought it might be an idea to try out track driving first, in case it's too scary!! I fancy a Ferrari for the experience day. Do you have to go round with an instructor?

Are Coupes good track cars? My budget is miniscule, so if I went for a Coupe would probably have to be a non-turbo, non-vis. I think the brakes might need upgrading on one of those.

Any advice would be most welcome.

I did a Ferrari experience day at Rockingham a few years ago.

There was a downpour a few minutes before I arrived so the track was soaked. This meant I never got out of 3rd gear or went above 60mph.

I found the whole thing very disappointing. It's actually more for non petrol-heads who just like the idea of going in a sports car.

But others here may have had better experiences...

I did a multi car driving experience a while back and having an 'instructor' was great - they helped with lines, pedal control, balancing the car(s) with the power, etc.

Of the five cars I drove that day the Porsche 911 GT3RS was by far the most fun and to top it off I got a rating of 98% - only let down by the huge width of the Aston Martin DB9 and an over ambitious dive into a chicane on my part lol.

The 430 I drove that day was an amazing drive and it left me with a constant desire to track driving.

Since then I have driven my 20VT round most english tracks but I would say that my car is not set up well enough at all for it to be the best track car by far.

Smaller and more nimble cars are much more fun, mx5, a great choice - as most of the time I spend losing tonnes of time in the corners and then dragging straight back past everything that went past me whilst I was trying to slow Blue down and turn in that front end and keep it relatively near to the apex...

A ferrari day at one of the big tracks is always fun and not to be missed.

I am also not driving Blue round tracks at the moment as he is on daily driver duties and I could not afford to lose his daily services lol - otherwise I would let you drive him round and round a track.

Good luck

I did an experience day in a Ferrari F430. It was all about being in a Ferrari really and not track driving. The organisers want to get you round with the least damage to the car as possible so we were in automatic transmission mode and didn't really go that fast.

What I did do was a track day in my VIS. I paid extra £20 for a few laps with an instructor. It was much better experience. A full day of taking the VIS to the max !!

As for a track car, I've thought the same but can't justify it at the mo. I was thinking rear wheel drive like an MX5 or a cheap BMW.

PM me if you want any info on the VIS track day.

I did one years ago at what was then the Prodrive track near to me in a 360 Modena. I really enjoyed it but the Co-Driver from the organising company kept telling me to change up to not stress the Fezza so was a bit naff really. The standard Coupe just understeers on a track but I think all drivers should go on a circuit as theres nowhwere better to learn how a car behaves at speed and should be part of the whole learn to drive experience IMO.

Experience days are for the most part pretty poor unless you know the instructor going round with you, and he lets you push the car properly.

You get 3-4 laps normally which is nowhere near enough time to get to know the car or track either...

Coupes as stock are not the best track cars, but you have to be a complete loon to 'get it wrong' in one, and it's not all about how fast you can go.

Small and light is the way to go for a track car, less load on everything, and money on brakes and tyres...I'd go that route:

MGTF160 (yes they are actually good)
MX5
Clio 172 / 182
Puma 1.7

I would also look at a caterham / westfield / MKindy / elise that is set up well as you can keep it for a few years and not loose a penny in value.

get one with suspension in good nick, upgrade pads, decent tyres, proper allignment - and away you go.

For some reason, this came to mind:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScFuHMQjxxc

I've done that at Bedford in a coupe, but just had a long trip on the grass - if you go in too fast you go straight on... that's pretty easy to manage if you drive at your own pace and know where the limit is as you build up throughout the day on your braking points etc.

As others have said, I'd avoid a Ferrari day because you'll be paying for the car rather than the experience. Find an experience that's far more like what you want - something in a hot hatch or MX5. It might be harder to find but far better value.

Then, finding a car, choose something that has already been track prepared - it will save you a stack of money. If you don't feel mechanically competent to tell if it has been properly done, find someone who can.

I've been on one or two "experience" days like that, and in general, because you're in with an instructor, you can't really explore the limits very much. I did one day with a 911, Viper, Diablo amongst others, and the Viper was like driving a tractor, and I stalled the Diablo, only the 911 was enjoyable.

I bought my 18 year old son an "F-Type plus" birthday experience at Thruxton, 2 sighting laps as a passenger in an Octavia RS, 3 laps in a Cayman, 4 laps in an F-Type and 5 laps in a single seater Formula Renault with no instructor! I picked that because the memory of a Formula Ford taster I did last century at Brands Hatch has stayed with me all these years. Get to go in a single seater if you can!

Single seaters are fabulous - my favourite so far was the Formula Palmer Audi with wings. You run out of nerve long before it runs out of grip. Awesome.

Another vote for single seaters here too. I've driven formula first and the Audis. It is brilliant. Both mine included familiarisation and some "training"in saloons then being let loose in the single seaters. If you're in the North West I'd thoroughly recommend Three Sisters circuit. Small and twisty and makes it quite exciting. I've driven Oulton park too and you find yourself looking around at little rabbits and things as you climb up Clay Hill

I'm doing another one at Dunsfold next week, in an Atom, Nissan GTR and an R8. Double mileage so 6 miles in each.

I enjoy it and the instructor's I had last time were helpful and informative; I had a Gallardo and an F430 last time. If you go there thinking you are going to rag someone else's supercar for circa £49 you are mistaken. If you go there and drive the car within your/their limits they seem to let you experience the performance of the car a bit more. Yes I have been at times faster in my MGF round Brands but I still thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have booked when they have had offers/discounts. Last time I opened the Gallardo up coming off the hairpin at Dunsfold along the straight it still makes me grin now, the grip, power and noise were superb.

Oi! I lost the back end at Spa and spun it twice, and I know I drive like a granny - you lot keep telling me!

a little spin is just putting some effort in in a coupe. going straight on at a corner means you've got it really wrong.

fish tailing something RWD and mid engined is a little more unpredictable.

I did the Ferrari 458 Thruxton experience(when it was new) but only booked it the day before so got a massive discount as spaces were empty...saying that I paid for me and my dads as it was his 70th so it was not a cheap day out. I figured hes not got long on planet earth so he should have a go in a supercar.

Had instructor laps in a Caymen before driving it then onto the 458 and finally a single seater Grand Prix with 6 other drivers.

I have little natural driving talent but did give the cars some welly. I got told off a bit and the instructor actually shouted woo woo to slow me down in the 458 although to be fair I think he really did let me give it some, far more than others report! I got the lowest overall score of the instructor reports of the group but when it came to the single seaters I beat the group and lapped two of the field although it was staggered starts.

I really enjoyed the day but have tracked my coop and friends 172 Cup all day at Bedford so it felt a quick day but one my dad remembers.

Thruxton did do an all day Lotus Exige experience which I think offers great value especially if you can book in last minute, by all accounts if you learn some skills they will let you push on. Ditching a 30k Exige is a lot different to a 200+k Fezza. I would advise this first before buying a cheap track car....as there is no such thing!

On the day the instructor let me rev the 458 up in the pit lane after I asked but you could see he was weary of his management.

I learnt that good driving is far more difficult than it looks and most peoples cars have far more talent than the drivers, myself very much included!!!

The group before ours had an off and ripped 3 wheels off a single seater!

Wow it all sounds tremendous. I am even more enthused now. Is there an upper age limit? (I am pushing 60!)

Loook! A race prepared MG for just £500!

MG

Not as far as I am aware...as I said my dad was 70 when he did it. My girlfriend was in stitches as he put his cheap fleece jacket in the boot of the Cayman as he was worried someone might take it if he left it in the locker room LoL we have pictures!

This is OK value although i have seen it as low as £160: Fun day out.. Four track tires on a cheap track car will be £400 and you will have to look after/run an additional vehicle. Unless you are totally car focused too much metal on the driveway will stress you out.

As someone pointed out familiarity with the track is the main factor to improving so more laps are better. I phoned up and got a deal(although it was the day before). If you are going to do it drive as many laps as you can afford as when you get home you will wish you had more!...possibly try haggling for 2 experiences or more laps at extra cost or whatever.

I have looked at whole Palmer Motorsport weekends before at quite a cost(£900) but i believe they actually offer good value but they are less about exotica and more for people with previous experience in well tested track machines. I don't think they are the best starting place for you unless you live close.

Like Jim, I did a Ferrari thing at Rockingham, it was a 360 I think. After getting over the disappointment of the quality of the switchgear, it was OK once I got going, but not as special as I expected.

However, at the same time, I bought myself a go in their Holden v8 Aussie Touring Car, and that was utterly and fantastically brilliant. Not sure if it was the instructor, or that it's far easier to drive, but there was lots of overtaking, and quite a lot of rubber was turned into smoke!

My other half did a similar thing at Thruxton -Porsche Caymen, Lamborghini Gallardo and a Formula Renault. She had a great time, especially the Formula Renault.

The 'Hot Lap' at Dunsfold in the VXR8 is something else too, the driver is amazingly skillful and I was laughing out loud with both exhilaration and fear. Most of the chaps are instructor's at race schools throughout the UK when I googled their names when I got home.

Would it actually be cheaper and easier just to do lots of experience days than to have your own track car? I think I am going to go for the Lotus one at Goodwood.

I didn't realise that a set of tyres is only good for a few track days, and track days with your own car cost about £100, so not much less than a day when you borrow a car. You'd have to maintain your track car, MOT it, insure it for racing, etc.

I found its a completely different experience doing a trackday in your own car vs a track experience.

Track car-
In your own vehicle usually own your own without restrictions (good for most people)
Much more time on track typically
Cost of own car etc
Not driving a super car
Get to test your limits and the cars
Sometimes many other cars on track

Track experience
Driving a supercar or proper sportscar
Limited amount of time on track (15mins-30s)
With an instructor often with restrictions
Cant always overtake other vehicles on track
Alot of waiting around typically

Very different experiences, i find the track day more exhilarating and since doing one i have not done another track experience session.
They are good fun without a doubt though. If i was to do one i would have to saae up loads to do the palmersport track experience or single seaters at silverstone i think.

I did a day with Driveme at Seaford, Stafford (was bought it as a gift). That wasn't too bad for a taster with supercars, though calling it a "track" would be generous to say the least (it's a runway with a few cones on it). However, the instructors didn't hold me back and were perfectly happy to allow me to overtake and to push the cars to the redline, which I wasn't really expecting. Only problem is how short an amount of time you get in each car (you can pay for extra laps, but it would get stupidly expensive as the laps are so short and the time would still fly by even with double the number).

I would recommend it as a taster and to give supercars a quick blast, but it won't teach you much about track driving and/or racing.

It's difficult to say what would be best. I would find all but the best driving experience days frustrating. The PalmerSport days are extremely good but eye-wateringly pricey (they're designed to be "corporate days").

Track days tend to represent the best value (per minute of driving). How long your tyres last really depends on how hard you push and how soft your tyres are. There's no need to go silly on expensive tyres.

The biggest issue I find with track days is the other drivers. Because there are usually restrictions on where you can pass, an uncooperative driver can be a right PITA. I've even had issues with a guy who was the designated instructor at an AROC event. I'd catch him up but he wouldn't lift to let me pass on the straights. I'd back off to give a couple of hundred metres space then catch him up again. Deeply frustrating because it's the corners that are fun.

Ultimately owning your own car and developing your skills and the car will be more satisfying......

but as a first toe in the water an experience especially a quite intensive one is a perfect start as they will teach you the/some basics and IF the car breaks they will shoe you into another. It also will give you that supercar experience that you can tick off the list.

I did a Ferrari experience many moons ago when I was about 18, it was part of a package where by I had tuition in an MGF, then a Ferrari 355, then let loose in a single seater, followed by a passenger ride hot lap in a boxster at Thruxton.
The time in the Ferrari was less enjoyable than the time in the MGF due to having to change up before the engine came alive.
The feed back I get now is that whilst the car may have moved on, the same principles apply, in that the instructors are told to preserve the service life of the car and in some cases the engines are limited.
Since then I have driven many miles in a 355, including 7 laps of the full Le Mans circuit, where I could really push the car. It was on that day when I really 'got' why these cars are so expensive, the performance and feedback from the car was night and day compared to the experience day.
The experience days are educational from the point of view of that you learn where to brake and how to take the corners, but at no point are you ever approaching the limits of the car as you are treated like a complete novice.
Given the choice, and as many have said above, I would try and get in touch with a circuit that offers professional tuition in a 'lesser' car where you are taught how, where and when to push the limits of both yourself and the car.

Good summary that.

Anniemac maybe a cheap way to get a feel of a track day is to go to a track day where you know some of our fellow coupe owners are on track.
I'm sure they would take you out on track to get an idea what it's like.

Keep an eye on the track day threads.