RedRobin Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 I felt a little nervous beforehand too but Andy Walsh is very very soothing and also helpful (even when you eat the huge salad lunch which was meant for him!). Personally, I can't fault Andy and I'm totally confident you'll enjoy the day and learn something from it. I wouldn't hesitate to do the course again....In fact I might do the 4 to 1 again rather than an Activity day....And see if I can steal his lunch again! Enjoy! Btw my best timed lap was 1:3.5 (not bad for an oldie) and I think nhs did a 1:2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 How big's the track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Not that big - will post some photos later. Oh and as for the times... muppetboy got a couple in the 1min 2 seconds (3 hundredths) just scraping insde one of my times. So of course i stepped up to the plate to finally settle the debate about the fastest colour and came away with a time of 1 min 1 second and (2 hundredths). On the last set of 3 laps i think i got 2 of the laps again in the 1 minute 1 second timeframe. BUT... There is a bummer to this tale. Both my car and muppetboys had the wheel rubbing on the bolt under the arch when giving it the beans around the bends. Mine was significantly worse than his and made a really nasty noise. The bolt now has a seriously polished head on it!! So stealers trip is on order soon as obviously it has affected my tyre wear... Highlights of the day - the 400bhp elise's exhaust melting the wadding in the boot. Muppetboy cooking his brakes so badly they were smouldering / smoking lots. All in all a worthwhile day - wish it had been wet though. Would have helped the tyre wear. Fear the wear muppetboy and his lead boots had when he got bored!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Oh and as for the times... muppetboy got a couple in the 1min 2 seconds.On the last set of 3 laps i think i got 2 of the laps again in the 1 minute 1 second timeframe. [/ QUOTE ]he was a bit down because of his knocking problem so I let him beat me... [ QUOTE ] Highlights of the day - the 400bhp elise's exhaust melting the wadding in the boot. [/ QUOTE ] 300bhp actually... [ QUOTE ] Muppetboy cooking his brakes so badly they were smouldering / smoking lots. [/ QUOTE ] a slightly worrying moment! It was a good day and Andy is a top guy, funny too! I feel I've learnt quite a bit and will go again, as well as go to an activity day - perhaps in July. The other guys in the group were great as well, and it was good to meet Skifly! Fecking loved his 18's.... RR> Andy had the worlds largest salad for lunch, fecking huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 here's a photo of Skifly's car on three wheels with Andy at the wheel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Great colour for the car - and it's cocking its rear wheel Wow - great to hear your day was a success You might want to go again in a month or so, just to recap what you've done and gain a bit more. There would be less learning about the course, but much more learning about yourself and your car on a second visit Hope to see you at next month's activity day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Great picture - What do you guys do for insurance. I mean, I'm thinking if the worst happened Is there a track day policy available at sensible money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 It is a driving lesson, not a track day. Speak to your existing insurers - this is NOT a track day event, but a driving course taught by fully qualified driving instructor(s) From the web site www.carlimits.com [ QUOTE ] All the instructors in Car Limits are ADI and Pass Plus registered and members of the IAM and some have racing experience. Car Limits Driving School is a company aiming to improve driver awareness and reduce the number of accidents on the roads. [/ QUOTE ] If you go this way with your existing insurers, then many will be tolerant and not charge any additional premium and confirm you are covered under your existing policy. If you describe it as a track day (which it is not) then expect to pay quite a bit! Note also that for the IAM most insurers will decrease your premiums, so it is worth noting that the instructors are IAM members too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 nhs> thanks for the tip on inflating to 48 but I was running late so didn't bother... Andy soon sent me and Skifly off to the Shell garage to inflate to 51!!! I looked on the the website but couldn't find the activity day for July? TT> it's not a track day just a lesson from an instructor in an operational airfield (I think nhs told me all this) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 July activity day linky September activity day linky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Thanks guys - I realised it wasn't a proper 'track day' event having followed the thread over the past few weeks -sorry, my wrong terminology!. I guess my mind was on the subject of trying to explain to an insurance company that the incident happened off road or at test facilities. My experience of insurance companies is that you so often get a numpty on the other end of the phone that wouldn't have a clue what I'm trying to insure my car for and later having a big headache should the unthinkable happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 couldn't you just wheel the car out of the airfield? ps the journey was 2 hours each way and then a full day of training, I'm shattered! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Muppetboy - schmokin' brakes! Hope this hasn't warped the discs. I'd be interested to know just how well the GTI stands up to a good caning compared to other cars. Only done 300 miles in mine so haven't really tested it. Having driven many sporting varients from other manufacturers over the years I realised that some just weren't up to it. (I'm thinking brakes, clutches and 'zorsts primarily). Fords in my opinion were the worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Hopefully when the disks are red hot, you will have left the car on the flat, not put on the handbrake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Both my car and muppetboys had the wheel rubbing on the bolt under the arch when giving it the beans around the bends. Mine was significantly worse than his and made a really nasty noise. The bolt now has a seriously polished head on it!! [/ QUOTE ] ....I experienced that rather worrying rough sound too. I think I shall be checking out those bolts later today! Great to hear how everyone enjoyed the day . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Muppetboy - schmokin' brakes! Hope this hasn't warped the discs. I'd be interested to know just how well the GTI stands up to a good caning compared to other cars. Only done 300 miles in mine so haven't really tested it. Having driven many sporting varients from other manufacturers over the years I realised that some just weren't up to it. (I'm thinking brakes, clutches and 'zorsts primarily). Fords in my opinion were the worst. [/ QUOTE ] ....I can recommend AP Racing's brake kits for the GTI if you do track days. SiBurt has them fitted and we had a whole afternoon with their Senior Race Engineer at their works. I got to hold a Veyron's caliper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Hopefully when the disks are red hot, you will have left the car on the flat, not put on the handbrake [/ QUOTE ] oh yes, with the engine running. One thing that caught out both me and Skifly was the fact that the traction control automatically comes back on when you've turned off the engine and then start up again! tut tut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 Was the rubbing also on 17" wheels with standard suspension or just the 18s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 Skifly is on 18's (more rubbing), I'm on 17's (much less rubbing) with standard suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 I was on 17s just for the CarLimits day and with KoniFSD+Eibach ARBs and still heard the rough rubbing sounds (when at the limit!) but close inspection today is showing absolutely no sign of wear within the wheel arch areas. There anyway shouldn't be any differences between 17s and 18s because the overall wheel+tyre diameter is the same, should there be ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petsy Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 a pic of the offending item would be nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evosapper Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 Red, the only difference is very slight, taller sidewall, more give in the rubber allowing the tyre to squat as the weight gets put upon it. More wheel less give, therefore the entire unit stays more as external dimensions under normal condtions, it is a knats knacker though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted June 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 I've just washed her and noticed that the alloys have picked up little scratches which must be as a result of the Carlimits day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 what!!! Scratched alloys!! Feck that! Me being lazy decided to have respray instead of washing it so i cant even go have a look!! Will have to wait until friday! Personally i think the car held up quite well. I did find it was starting to make some odd knocking noises from under the front end and will have a stealer check them out but all in all i think the car was fine. Pics will be coming shortly, it was sunny saturday so of course the lake was a calling!! Apologies of my overegging the 300bhp elise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skifly Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 oh and john did actually mention that muppetboys car was slightly more nimble than mine. Not sure if this was just the alloys being that little bit heavier? But i still whooped some ass round the track... OFFICIAL: Laser blue is the fastest so far...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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