berny2435

I'm looking into taking full advantage of traveling to Europe to see some Olympic Games this year and I'm hoping to make a Nurburgring Visit! I need a little help planning please.

Info and questions
1.) I fly into England on July 27th arriving around 11am. I could get to that area that night or the next day but it looks like driving on a Sunday is the best option for rest and available track hours in one day.
2.) I want to drive a car on the track if I can. This is what I need the most advice on. At minimum I want to ride along for a couple laps with a good driver.
3.) Anyone ever rented from these guys or know of a good place to rent from?
http://www.rent4ring.de/en/info/rent...dschleife.html

4.) what's the fine print I'm not seeing for "car damages"?
5.) how do I get "covered" for the worse case scenario?
- obviously my car insurance is not going to cover crashing a track car at the Ring, in a foreign country

I have FWD track experience but have never tracked a RWD car, just a lot of Autocross. I will feel most at home in a FWD car that can carry some speed as I used to have a K20swapped 95 civic track car.

According to this http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/angebo...dschleife.html
I should plan on driving on Sunday and stay for a backup day on Monday 5pm-7:30pm

6.) Do these Ring Taxis still run?
http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/angebo...lot-rides.html
I believe they do as this site is working http://www3.bmw-motorsport.com/ms_en...kets_and_dates


Thanks for the help!

2000ths

i was just there a month or two ago. flew into cologne(frankfurt is also a decent option) which is the closest airport and rented a cheap car to drive to the nurburg. stayed in a hotel(hotel zur burg i believe) right across the street from rent4ring and got a car from them. they were super friendly, knowledgable, and didn't try to upsell me on anything. just got the most basic car from them, a suzuki swift stage 1 with everything included(gas, lap tickets, etc.). honestly, there is no point in getting a fast car if it's your first time at the 'ring. the swift was fully track prepped with roll bar, brakes, wheels/tires, coilovers, gutted interior, etc. aside from having little power and sloppy shifter it ran great. the 'ring is super f@#king hairy and if you get a fast car the first time you will probably crash it! the insurance they sell you covers the car but not other cars and not the 'ring itself. if you wreck into a barrier they charge you to fix it. check the nurbergring website to make sure the day you want to run is open to the public and go on a weekday if you can to avoid the crowds. otherwise, just have fun and don't try to break any records! the track is very unforgiving but absolutely, awesomely worth checking out. i certainly hope to go again some time...

berny2435

Thanks for the advice.
No, I don't plan on setting any records so maybe a slower car for more laps is a better idea. Full day purchase 12 laps.

With that many laps, do they offer to give u a ride or co-drive for 1 or 2?

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2000ths

yeah, 12 laps is a lot of seat time. i was throwing down some 12 min lap times(!) so even if you got it down to 10 by the end it's still a long day. it's also nice to take brakes in-between laps. there are two parking lots right by the entrance to the track where guys are hanging out. you'll see lots of awesome cars and if you chat some one up you might be able to get a ride. otherwise, yeah, you are on your own once you get the car from rent4ring. they do check the milage when you get back to make sure you weren't touring the car across germany and they also check the OBD for over revs. they are serious about that one.

berny2435

Do they give you one of those statements where "you aren't supposed to take the car above 6,000 rpms but the redline is 7,000" and there is no mechanical or electronic limit actually stopping the car from reving over 6,000 rpm?

Switching from a tight S2000 gearbox to a slushy one will be a trip. slow and steady said the tortoise.

2000ths

yeah, something like that... i don't remember the exact details. they give you a little bit of lead way around the redline and tell you exactly how far over you can go before they start charging you extra.

the S2000 has an exceptional gearbox so most other things are gonna feel a little sloppy! i definitely mis-shifted the swift a few times in the beginning. like i said, if you just want to have some fun, take some hard corners, and learn the track a little bit then it's great. but if you want to pass a GTR then you will be very disappointed! but you will still pass people. the 'ring is a one way public toll road so anyone who pays the toll can run it. you'll pass people in mini vans, old beetles, i even passed a girl in a passat station wagon with her dog in the back seat. little embarrassing but still makes you feel like a boss...!

staggie

Hello i often visit and drive the Ring since 2008, the last years in my S2000.

1. The Sundays are the most busy on the track. Sometimes it will be difficult to drive 12 rounds because sometimes the Ring is closed 5 or 6 times because of a accident. So when you rent a car for 6 rounds it's more relaxing.

2. On the parkingplace there will be always somebody who wants to give you a passengerlap bur be carefull, you never know how he/she drives. At http://www.rsrnurburg.com/ you can also hire a car, before they gave instructionrounds bur i'am not sure they still do.

3. rent4ring is ok

4. Do you mean the own risk? When you crash the car it's minimum 5000euro you have to pay by yourself, sometimes more. Depends also witch car.
Damage at the circuit you have to pay extra at the Nürburgring GMBH cash or with creditcard the same day.

5. See point 4

6. It's still running but you have to buy the tickets and to reservate in advance and that is difficult.
Look at http://www.nuerburgring.de/angebote/...ring-taxi.html


Check the openingstimes on http://www.nuerburgring.de/angebote/...dschleife.html

Overtaking is only allowed at the left side. So if somebody wants to overtake you, move to the right so quick as possible and give a sign with your right blinker. Then the fast driver knows you've seen him/her.

REMEMBER: There is nothing to win on the Ring, you can only lose!!!

Read the RULES on http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/angebo...dschleife.html

You don't have to reservate the tickets for driving on the Ring. You can buy them at the office at the entrance in Nürburg or at the car-rent company.

Have fun and be carefull. A Suzuki Swift is fast enough for the first 200 rounds, a faster car is only more expensive to rent but not faster when you learns to know the Ring. A fast car only crashes faster.

If i'am at the Ring during your stay maybe you can get a round with me.
Here a round of me last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID0WP-s_QPk

berny2435

Thank you for the kind reply. Because I only get one day to hit the track, I was thinking renting the stage 2 swift is a good idea for a full day just in case there is a wreck or two. Doing the full 12 laps is not the goal. Safe fun for the day is.

That would be great if I could meet up with some other s2000 owners when I am there.

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berny2435

Hotel stay purchased. Giving it a go at http://www.dorint.com/en/conference-...quipment-eifel

Waiting for reply back on my booking at Rent4Ring.

2000ths

make it happen...!