Colorado general chat...

[Eric]

Speaking of which I priced out Lotus Exige 240's w/ instructor for the first lap for an evening at the ring for our trip this summer. Oh please tax return be fat! I was going to email you for some beta once I know it's a possibility.

You must be talking about RSR then correct? they are a good group of guys, but I think your making the wrong choice with the car you want to rent.

instead of dropping 1,000 euro on a couple of hours, instead I would spend 600 euro on a full day in the old alpha 155's. they are fun cars and can get going quite fast around the track (sub 10 minutes easy w/ experienced driver) with the extra 400 euro's you can buy 2 tanks of gas and a 8 lap card.

I've done 28 laps in a single day, but I was dead beat after that. A good solid day is usually 15 laps. A tank of gas should last about 7-8 laps. Fill ups are about 70 euro per tank.

Please please please what ever you do, support local businesses there! the stupid new entertainment complex and hotels are way to expensive and is ruining the experience. You can find many very nice bed and breakfast stays right in the town of Nurburg with a nightly rate of about 30 euros.

I've heard the expression about driving the ring for the very first time is a lot like your first time skydiving or having sex. it's confusing, and exhilarating, but over way too soon want leaving hooked forever wanting more!

Because of this, I would highly recommend that you take RSR up on the instruction offer. They are great at coaching first timers, and it will make your entire day that much more fun. Nothing is worse than being frustrated the whole time instead of enjoying the greatest circuit in the world!

Finally, I'd caution you on becoming a game console ring pro. While they are great for learning which curve comes after the last, they are not good at all at showing irregularities in pavement surfaces, elevation changes, camber of the corners, etc. I know too many friends (6 co-workers actually) who left germany car-less because they were Xbox hero's that didn't take head to my advice. I'd imagine the consequences would be a lot worse in a rental car.

Clifs:
-rent the cheaper car and get more on track time
-drive slow/cautiously, the green hell WILL bite back
-nurburgring = sex
-support the local businessmen

[Roland H]

I've been pricing Z3 steering racks. The E36 rack DIY is pretty comprehensive. Anyone locally done a Z3 or E36 rack swap?

I have the Z3 rack in my M3. Great mod. The factory E36 rack sucks imho.

Got mine off of car-part.com with only 69k miles, and a two year warranty shipped to my door for less than $190 iirc.

You must be talking about RSR then correct? they are a good group of guys, but I think your making the wrong choice with the car you want to rent.

instead of dropping 1,000 euro on a couple of hours, instead I would spend 600 euro on a full day in the old alpha 155's. they are fun cars and can get going quite fast around the track (sub 10 minutes easy w/ experienced driver) with the extra 400 euro's you can buy 2 tanks of gas and a 8 lap card.

I've done 28 laps in a single day, but I was dead beat after that. A good solid day is usually 15 laps. A tank of gas should last about 7-8 laps. Fill ups are about 70 euro per tank.

Please please please what ever you do, support local businesses there! the stupid new entertainment complex and hotels are way to expensive and is ruining the experience. You can find many very nice bed and breakfast stays right in the town of Nurburg with a nightly rate of about 30 euros.

I've heard the expression about driving the ring for the very first time is a lot like your first time skydiving or having sex. it's confusing, and exhilarating, but over way too soon want leaving hooked forever wanting more!

Because of this, I would highly recommend that you take RSR up on the instruction offer. They are great at coaching first timers, and it will make your entire day that much more fun. Nothing is worse than being frustrated the whole time instead of enjoying the greatest circuit in the world!

Finally, I'd caution you on becoming a game console ring pro. While they are great for learning which curve comes after the last, they are not good at all at showing irregularities in pavement surfaces, elevation changes, camber of the corners, etc. I know too many friends (6 co-workers actually) who left germany car-less because they were Xbox hero's that didn't take head to my advice. I'd imagine the consequences would be a lot worse in a rental car.

Clifs:
-rent the cheaper car and get more on track time
-drive slow/cautiously, the green hell WILL bite back
-nurburgring = sex
-support the local businessmen

Cool, I will definitely be referring to this next time I'm out there. The last time I went, I only got one lap in. :(

[Cloudbase]

Cool thanks for the beta, exactly what I'm looking for. RSR was the place, recommended by quite a few sources. I was going to do instruction for sure. The cool thing about the Lotus is that it is included, but a cheaper car and more time is very appealing. That entertainment complex is BS. I signed the petition that was going around a few months ago. If the tax refund is friendly we were going to rent a Eurovan and camp mostly, but either way I would stay away from that BS. I've driven Need for Speed, but was thinking GT5 might be worth the time to memorize the basic layout. Staying inside playing the "no-frendo" in the summer months will be hard for me to do anyway. Although it did keep me sane through my last knee surgery recovery.

If it doesn't happen on this trip (our honeymoon) I was thinking a more dedicated trip might be in order. Something in the off season when non-revnue travel is a realistic possibility. Maybe we could put together the ultimate R3V trip! Hopefully my tax guy will have something for me tomorrow.

[Cloudbase]

Huh Sleepingbeauty mentioned car-part.com. There are a ton on there. I'll make some phone calls tomorrow.

[Roland H]

Cool thanks for the beta, exactly what I'm looking for. RSR was the place, recommended by quite a few sources. I was going to do instruction for sure. The cool thing about the Lotus is that it is included, but a cheaper car and more time is very appealing. That entertainment complex is BS. I signed the petition that was going around a few months ago. If the tax refund is friendly we were going to rent a Eurovan and camp mostly, but either way I would stay away from that BS. I've driven Need for Speed, but was thinking GT5 might be worth the time to memorize the basic layout. Staying inside playing the "no-frendo" in the summer months will be hard for me to do anyway. Although it did keep me sane through my last knee surgery recovery.

If it doesn't happen on this trip (our honeymoon) I was thinking a more dedicated trip might be in order. Something in the off season when non-revnue travel is a realistic possibility. Maybe we could put together the ultimate R3V trip! Hopefully my tax guy will have something for me tomorrow.

I have BP-6B priviledges with United until January 2012 if we're going to non-rev it. :pimp:

Huh Sleepingbeauty mentioned car-part.com. There are a ton on there. I'll make some phone calls tomorrow.

Don't be afraid to haggle either!

[Cloudbase]

Are you still eligible for ZED on Luftansa? Direct to Frankfurt from Denver would be the ticket. January 1st or 31st? What's November through Jan like wx like in that part of Germany?

[Roland H]

Are you still eligible for ZED on Luftansa? Direct to Frankfurt from Denver would be the ticket. January 1st or 31st? What's November through Jan like wx like in that part of Germany?

Still eligible for ZED fares until I graduate. I lose the boarding priority in January, but not the benefit, that goes when I graduate as well.

[Eric]

Are you still eligible for ZED on Luftansa? Direct to Frankfurt from Denver would be the ticket. January 1st or 31st? What's November through Jan like wx like in that part of Germany?

it's sketchy

for the last few years I would do a few days in Nov/Dec. In fact in 08 and 09 I did laps on new years eve!

This year however, my E30 was ready in Nov, and it never got to see track time because the ring was frozen or snowed in from early november until the end of January. I shipped the E30 the last week we were there in hopes that I could get at least one day up there with the S50 installed:(

your best bet is for laps is may/june, then again in Sept/early oct. July/august is just packed with people. Any time the ring is open for more than one day for tourist driving then it's economically viable for people to make trips from far away. That means that the place is packed, and there are lots of closures from retards wrecking.

Most of the 2 hours sessions on week days go like this.

1500 track opens
1501 - 100 bikers go out
1502 - a few cars make it out
1505 - biker wrecks, track closed
1600 - track reopens
1601 - 99 bikers go out
1602 - a few cars make it out
1605 - biker wrecks, track closed
1645 - track announces it will be closed for the rest of the day

[Eric]

Are you still eligible for ZED on Luftansa? Direct to Frankfurt from Denver would be the ticket. January 1st or 31st? What's November through Jan like wx like in that part of Germany?

it's sketchy

for the last few years I would do a few days in Nov/Dec. In fact in 08 and 09 I did laps on new years eve!

This year however, my E30 was ready in Nov, and it never got to see track time because the ring was frozen or snowed in from early november until the end of January. I shipped the E30 the last week we were there in hopes that I could get at least one day up there with the S50 installed:(

your best bet is for laps is may/june, then again in Sept/early oct. July/august is just packed with people. Any time the ring is open for more than one day for tourist driving then it's economically viable for people to make trips from far away. That means that the place is packed, and there are lots of closures from retards wrecking.

Most of the 2 hours sessions on week days go like this.

1500 track opens
1501 - 100 bikers go out
1502 - a few cars make it out
1505 - biker wrecks, track closed
1600 - track reopens
1601 - 99 bikers go out
1602 - a few cars make it out
1605 - biker wrecks, track closed
1645 - track announces it will be closed for the rest of the day

[Cloudbase]

Man that sounds like a pain in the ass. It sounds like hang gliding in Yosemite. You never know if you will get to fly until minutes before you launch, so all of your travel and work might be for not. But if you don't try you don't fly.

Is it any different on the track days that RSR mentions? Less restricted access, etc.

Roland the ZED would be the way to go so we could fly direct. I wonder if we could work it were you travel with me and use my ZED status for a higher boarding priority. I can't remember if we even get priority levels for ZEDs. I also wonder if there is a window in the fall between Octoberfest peak travel and winter. We could bust out a speed run. Weekdays would probably be the best option. Leave on Tues, Arrive on Wed, Drive Wed or Thurs, return on Thurs.

Otherwise if we wanted to wait until next year I get buddy passes on United, but we'd have to go through ORD. Non-revving through ORD is like going on the "highway" in the Matrix Reloaded - you never now if you will make it out!

[Bishop]

I wanna go to Deutchland lol

[Bimmerman325i]

Deutschland.

And yes, it is awesome.

[monkeytaco]

I'd be up for a r3v trip to the ring, I may even know of a place to stay for free within about an hour drive of the ring...

I'd need much advance notice though so I can do a bunch of extra work to make the $$ required for maximum fun.

[Bishop]

Forgot the s, typing on my phone

[Bimmerman325i]

I'd be up for a r3v trip to the ring, I may even know of a place to stay for free within about an hour drive of the ring...

I'd need much advance notice though so I can do a bunch of extra work to make the $$ required for maximum fun.

I lived in Munich for a year, and it was always too expensive for me to go even then. If you don't have your own car there it will cost a significant amount of money.