Motoring Discussion > Driving Experiences Miscellaneous
Thread Author: legacylad Replies: 7

 Driving Experiences - legacylad
Yet again I’ve been contacted about attending a ‘free’ bespoke driving experience at the Porsche Centre, Silverstone.
On the plus side I expect it will be quite enjoyable and something different
On the minus side it’s a 4 + hour drive each way and a round trip of 400 miles. And I’d need to get B & B close by, as I’d prefer the morning session. Wouldn’t want to be throwing up my lunch! Up to now I just cba.
Has anyone been on anything similar, and if so, is it worth the time and trouble ?
 Driving Experiences - Manatee
I'd do it.
 Driving Experiences - Runfer D'Hills
Me too, in a heartbeat. I did one of those track day things at Thruxton years ago which involved a morning of instruction in a fast saloon and an afternoon in a single seater Formula Ford. Great fun.
 Driving Experiences - Pat
Grab it with both hands LL, you won't regret it.

Pat
 Driving Experiences - PeterS
I’ve been on the paid for AMG experience at Brooklands, as well as a BMW one at Goodwood, and I’d happily pay to go to ether again. So a free one would be grabbed with both hands, even if I did then end up spending a few hundred quid on petrol/accommodation/food :)
 Driving Experiences - Bill Payer
How do you get invited to these things? I live on the doorstep of Oulton Park and there have been a couple of events there that I've heard about as they've happened - recent VW Touareg launch and just last weekend Jag iPace.

I seem to get loads of invites to launch evenings at local dealers, but when I ask I'm always told it's a showroom thing and there won't be an opportunity to drive. Perhaps slamming the 'phone down hasn't helped! :)

 Driving Experiences - legacylad
I finally booked the ‘Driving Experience’. A morning session mid April, breakfast supplied followed by 3 hours with an ‘instructor’ then lunch and finally the 200 mile drive home back to sunny Settle from Silverstone.
You are allowed to take along a free spectator but none of my friends are interested. Can’t say I blame them. Could be very boring not being an active participant, which incidentally costs £475 if someone wants to join me. Phew.
Need to book some overnight accommodation next, close to Silverstone as I don’t want a 4AM start.
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 29 Jan 19 at 17:58
 Driving Experiences - legacylad
Did it yesterday. Arrived home late Easter Monday after 5 days walking the first 80 miles of the Southern Upland Way from Portpatrick, then headed south Tuesday evening aiming to miss rush hour through Bradford en route to the M62/M1.
I’m not familiar with the latter part of the route and both myself and the sat nav got lost due to the A5 closure improvements and a new road...made it from Settle to the Silverstone Travelodge in 4 hours.
Breakfast was served at the Porsche Experience Centre from 8AM, so a small fry up ( they don’t call it that) looked at several old and new vehicles in the Centre, met my ‘ instructor’ over brekkie and had a sociable chat. Out on track at 9AM driving a model identical to mine, which was the whole purpose of exploring its capabilities in different scenarios. I drove 100% of the time on various handling circuits, skid pans, etc etc and did about 20 full throttle starts on a short straight with emergency stop to see how close I could get to a pretend pedestrian crossing. A ten minute break then back out again until lunch at 12:30 before heading home early afternoon.
It helped being familiar with the car as being able to give it full beans in a controlled environment and 360 spins isn’t something I want to do on the public road. Or thrash my own car in that manner!
3 hrs 45 mins home, 199 miles door to door and 31mpg including stationary traffic on both M1 and M6 and making progress where possible. Sat Nav took me a different route home, M6 Toll which I haven’t used for years , leaving at Preston then A59 via Clitheroe.
Glad my co driver was only a few years younger than I as we had more of a rapport...very enjoyable experience but not sure I’d pay all that money for it as mine was free with the purchase of the car 18 months ago.
Thanks everyone for recommending I make the effort to attend
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