Personal experience on trip to Nurburgring

[Gorjiam]

Decided to post this as I'm now stuck at the airport waiting.

Part 1

It all started when my wife demanded that I suggest a locale for a holiday. Thinking that we've been to Munich and visited the BMW museum, why not just "complete" Germany and visit the Ring and Stuttgart? Neuschwanstein seems to have made her happy about me wasting one day at the BMW museum (she actually enjoyed it too), so I was thinking maybe Heidelberg and Rothenburg would offset a day at Nurburg.

When I told some friends about it, they suggest I should maybe "practice" before I fly to Germany. So I borrowed a dusty ps3 from my brother, bought a pre owned GT5 online and a brand new G27. I mount it on my trusty IKEA table and hope to start playing it. Yes. Hope to.

Googling for a few guides on the Ring turned up lengthy 10,000 word essays on the web. Basically the web says:

Good Example: http://www.heiser.net/documents/nurburgring/

1) You try to complete 100 ps3 laps to familiarize the track

2) and memorize a 100 page manual that tells you all the secrets.

I toss the huge PDF file into the virtual recycling bin, assembled the ps 3 and procrastinated. I'm not a fan of the Ring. All I know there's this insanely big track in Germany that's 20km long, most self respecting car manufacturers test their cars there and there's this 24hr race every year which to me the spectators go there to get drunk on beer than to see a race. I don't know anything else about it. I just go there to.. you know, since it's there, just try it.

[Ddqwerty]

Wow, this is cool. hope you dont mind me asking, you're going on the ring in a rented car? would you need to top up on insurance or other extras??

[macrosszero]

The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a public toll road and anyone can drive on it. The Nurburgring GP circuilt uses part of the Nordschleife though.

[Gorjiam]

The Nurburgring Nordschleife is a public toll road and anyone can drive on it. The Nurburgring GP circuilt uses part of the Nordschleife though.

Still stuck in airport so, I'll make a quick one:

Last time a lot of people used normal rental cars and the rental companies will fine or ban you outright from renting their cars ever. Not sure if this is still the case, but I rented a track car.

[Kiadaw]

There are a few choice of cars to rent, depends on your budget & confidence level. from Suzuki swift sports (99

[Gorjiam]

Part 2

About one month before we fly, my wife asked me how are my preparations. I got the Stage 2 Swift book from Ring4Rent. Took the all inclusive package as I do not want to waste time figuring out how collect car, purchase Ring tickets and fill up on petrol separately. My schedule was tight and I need to run. Number of virtual laps done? Zero.

So I fired the PS3 up and went into the GT5 game. In 5 mins, I called my friend. "Excuse me, free to talk? Eh, how to drive the Ring on PS3 ah?" In between stopping my 2 yo from hitting the Logitech logo thinking it will honk and destroying my friend's date, I realised that one needs to "level up" before the map is unlocked. Great. I got a month left. Plenty of time.

After finally unlocking the damn map and doing my first virtual lap of Green Hell, I know I'm screwed. Sepang is 5km long and I'm physically beaten after a mere 6 laps. This THING is 21km?! Not to mention so many blind corners! And how many corners does it have? In the coming month, I worked until 8 pm everyday and clocked a grand total of 30 laps. I think my daughter got more seat time and clocks GT5 faster than me.

The holiday plan was to self drive to a few places, then hit Cologne, then go Nurburg and look for Ring4Rent and collect the Swift I've book and rock.

But unfortunately in life, Murphy's law is the number one law.

Before Germany, we were in Norway with me solely doing all the driving. I insisted on making this 8 hr drive to see this stupid crooked bridge which I shall not name but advise people to just view it on their HD monitors next time. Coupled with extra soft European beds and a 533 step climb up the Cologne Dom, I sprained my neck.

With the sprained neck and lots of muscle rub, I made my way to the Nurburgring.

[Mit81]

Nice write up 5cents.

Do continue .

[2BDriver]

This is Nurburgring race track accident scene, a Turbo Porsche lost control and flip over to turned turtle

[1fast1]

I'm so keen for you to continue. Just back from Sepang, and while that was great, the Ring is The Holy Grail for enthusiasts. Waiting expectantly for your tips.

[2BDriver]

I'm so keen for you to continue. Just back from Sepang, and while that was great, the Ring is The Holy Grail for enthusiasts. Waiting expectantly for your tips.

Bo hip beeteo lai kua ?

[1fast1]

Bo hip beeteo lai kua ?

 

Only beedio is a pro rally driver taking each of us as passengers in a drift lap. Don't wanna upload - shy lah. My face was like then then ending with .

Edited June 23, 2013 by Turboflat4

[Kiadaw]

I'm so keen for you to continue. Just back from Sepang, and while that was great, the Ring is The Holy Grail for enthusiasts. Waiting expectantly for your tips.

Thought it is the NSHW. People talk like its the Nirvana of driving road., & have some kind of bragging rights if they drive them often.

[Maseratigood]

Thought it is the NSHW. People talk like its the Nirvana of driving road., & have some kind of bragging rights if they drive them often.

I m glad when people enjoy their NSHW trips even with so-called brags thrown in. Not a bad hwy, easy to drive by the standard of this region, right?

 

Ok if they feel it's nirvana, to each his own, happy more important

 

[1fast1]

I m glad when people enjoy their NSHW trips even with so-called brags thrown in. Not a bad hwy, easy to drive by the standard of this region, right?

 

Ok if they feel it's nirvana, to each his own, happy more important

 

Yes, but Kiadaw's point (I think) is that a street road is just a street road, highway or not. Until one goes to the track, one will never know what real driving is. It's bloody stressful to both driver and car.

[Maseratigood]

Yes, but Kiadaw's point (I think) is that a street road is just a street road, highway or not. Until one goes to the track, one will never know what real driving is. It's bloody stressful to both driver and car.

True

 

Some drivers will probably freak out just hearing from the pitllane other cars zoom / roar pass the main straight at the circuit. Their limit hardly reaches anything beyond Sunday-drive NSHW. To them street roads or hwys are kinda seven-heaven, track is unthinkable.

 

I guess both Kiadaw n myself are trying to look at it from different perspectives, no offence intended.

 

Btw, When one feels like taking the car and himself near the limit, a proper track with its safety features and purpose-built turns etc is a good choice doing it legally.

 

Accidents do happen:- few minutes into the 24hrs Le Man yesterday, an experienced racer lost his life when his well Aston Martin hit the barrier.... RIP

Edited June 24, 2013 by Maseratigood

[Gorjiam]

This is Nurburgring race track accident scene, a Turbo Porsche lost control and flip over to turned turtle

 

! I went on the 17th of June. Reached at 3:30pm, after the rental paper work was done, I was told track was closed temporarily as a 911 GT2 had flipped and they need to clear it. Went in at about 5:30pm. I wonder if this was the incident?

[Gorjiam]

I'm so keen for you to continue. Just back from Sepang, and while that was great, the Ring is The Holy Grail for enthusiasts. Waiting expectantly for your tips.

? No tips, I'm not ringmeister and not a very good driver. But I surprisingly found the Ring very challenging. Was never really interested in it in the beginning.

[Gorjiam]

 

Part 3 - Sorry, I come back very late at night and I also don't want to type a long story about the trip in one shot.

Following the GPS from Cologne, the 1st sign of knowing I've reach Nurburgring is a strange sign along the road.

"No Parking"

What's a no parking sign for in the middle of no where along a B road? I then realised this is no normal B road. IF you parked there illegally, and walked pass the trees, you will see the Nurburgring track.

 

 

Following the GPS further down, I passed by this petrol station where I often see on youtube where people fill up their cars before going to the Ring. I find the station odd for it is only 1/3 the size of the Petronas in Sepang despite it's obviously very busy locale.

 

 

My wife and I reached Rent4Ring at about 1530hrs and was greeted by 3 large dogs. I looked for Dale of Rent4Ring who I've liaised, whom then passed us to this nice lady which I've shamefully forgotten her name to settle the paper work.

 

 

Details as follows:

 

 

Swift stage 2 all inclusive package:

- Includes slightly modded ZC32 with 1/2 roll cage and Recaro buckets, FZ201 tires

- Petrol

- 4 lap tickets

- Insurance (Car, self and 3rd party) of Euros 2400 excess. Does not cover track damage

You sign a T&C and cough up the monies.

But there's one thing interesting in the T&C:

Over rev fines.

 

 

Before you guys go into conspiracy theories that they are scamming people by removing the rev cut, I assure you it is there. However, the rev limiter does not protect the car from idiots with no mechanical sympathy who just forcefully downshifts. A typical modern car with manual trans should have synchros on all gears except 1st and reverse. If you find it hard to shift into gear, something is wrong. And it might be YOU.

So after we've paid and signed off, we are given this card and a contactless card that's the lap ticket.

 

 

The card is to be signed off this way.

1) You attend the briefing - This was done by Dale in our case with 7 other guys

2) After the briefing is a car intro - Done by one of their mechs.

3) When you return the car - Done by their mechs. Then you proceed to the counter and settle whatever balance payment necessary.