[nomoracin]

So, I was supposed to get my 1200 mile break-in service done today in Frankfurt, but I missed my appointment due to being stuck in traffic from Zurich to Frankfurt. At one point, we literally didn't move for 2.5 hrs. Like everyone was out of their cars and everything.

So, unfortunately, I won't be going very hard tomorrow...which is prolly a good thing, tbh.

I just want to ride with someone experienced (for the thrill) and physically drive through it once in my car to say that I've done it.

Any tips guys? I haven't done any research really other than making sure that tomorrow (the 26th) is a tourist day. I'm kind of just winging it, but now I'm thinking that's prolly foolish.

[Proctor750]

Rent a car from ring freaks

[nomoracin]

Originally Posted by Proctor750

Rent a car from ring freaks

Do they also let you ride with someone?

...or is there another site/compnay that offers that?

[nomoracin]

When they say tourist time starts at evening...what time do they mean? Is that like 6pm?

[Space gray]

http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/fans-i...ing-times.html

5:15p-7:30p

[chmura]

Drive your car on it one or two laps. And the photographers there will take a photo of you. After a few days search the interwebz and download a sweet photo of you on the ring in your car. This is what I want to do with my car and not a rented car.

For the thrill go to the bmw building and take a drive in a ring taxi.

[DelGriffith]

Originally Posted by nomoracin

When they say tourist time starts at evening...what time do they mean? Is that like 6pm?

So awesome! Can't wait to see how things turn out.... I'll be there in a week with completely similar prep.

[nomoracin]

Sweet, got the plans set! Thanks for all the help guys!

I ended up going to RingTaxi and booked a lap with a pro driver. My wife and I selected the new BMW M5 because it allows up to 3 passengers for the same cost. (Maybe we can find a random 3rd person to recoup some of the cost too! Haha).

Booking was strange at first. I used their little message/email app on their website, but I didn't get a response for 4-5 hours. I then decided to call them as well and they told me that theway to book is to indeed go through their in app messaging (or you can email them as well). I think I may have reminded them to check it today because almost instantly after we hung up, they replied via email.

I was also able to confirm with them what times the track are available for tourists too, so I'll be doing a lap before our ride along experience. I would have preferred to do the lap in my own car after the lap with the pro driver, but our rsvp is too late (6:45pm so I didn't want to take the chance with possibly the sun going down...or hey, maybe I'll do another lap afterwards if the sun is still out!)

[Chasing Dreams]

Arrive there early (around 5.30) and see what kind of cars there are on the parking. Go up to one of the drivers and ask if you can catch a lap with them. Almost all of them do if you look normal and ask politely.
I know some people are uncomfortable with asking strangers, but you are probably not going to be there for a while, so why not take the chance.

Then you might end up experiencing the Ring in a more engaging car than the M5. Once you start lifting off with the wheels you definitely feel alive.

[nomoracin]

Originally Posted by Chasing Dreams

Arrive there early (around 5.30) and see what kind of cars there are on the parking. Go up to one of the drivers and ask if you can catch a lap with them. Almost all of them do if you look normal and ask politely.
I know some people are uncomfortable with asking strangers, but you are probably not going to be there for a while, so why not take the chance.

Then you might end up experiencing the Ring in a more engaging car than the M5. Once you start lifting off with the wheels you definitely feel alive.

Awesome, I'll definitely try doing that then!

...hopefully the M2C can be a nice ice-breaker

[chmura]

Report back how the Ring was and if you drove your M2c on it. Exciting stuff!

[Proctor750]

Ring Taxi is an excellent choice - wonder if Sabine still does it from time to time

[nomoracin]

So, we got there early as planned, but it seems not early enough. I believe that they opened the track to the tourists early today. Being it was first time there, omg, I was so lost. It prolly took us a good 20-30 min to get situated. I stroke up a conversation with the first person who took notice to my car in hopes of asking for a ride along, but unfortunately, he was not driving today.

By then it was like 6pm-ish, so we decided to find RingTaxi to sign in. They were ahead of schedule, so we just waited for our turn.

It was amazing! Although it was "just an M5," it was still oh so very thrilling. My wife cheesed the entire time. The driver was very knowledgable of the track of course and told is about every turn...how to attack it and such. He even gave me pointers for my first time around. (Basically to just stay on the right and constantly peek at the mirrors for oncoming cars.)

We were told to try to wait later until the sun comes down a bit because there are some blind turns that become that much more blind with the sun in your eyes, so we waited a tiny bit. I noticed that there was a cloud covering the sun, so I grabbed the wife and entered the track.

I did as my "instructor" said and stayed on the right. Luckily only 2 cars ever passed us and we found out why later. Through one of the first turns, I effed up and put it in 2nd gear and the RPMs went over 5k briefly. I was mentally like "ahhhh, ohhh no!" I continued on and honestly just went relatively slowly. All I could think about was "what if." (You know, accident or what not). I knew going in that I just really wanted to be able to say that I've driven on it. Anyway, during my run, we noticed 2 accidents...1 car and 1 motorcycle. A police car speed up behind me and turned on his lights. For a second, I really thought that I was getting pulled over. Haha. But it was to go help with the crash. Oh, I almost passed the exit because it was a nice straight away, but luckily my wife remembered and told me to slow down. So, the reason why only 2 cars passed me was that they ended up closing the track early due to the motorcycle accident. We were very lucky to have gone when we did or else we would've missed our 1 chance.

All and all, we had so much fun...it's a must do! The $300 for the ride along is kinda steep, but we're still glad we did it. If I had to do it all over again though, I would've tried harder to find someone to ride with instead.

Oh and OMG were there a lot of Porsche's. It was like GT3 after GT3 after GT3! There were millions of dollars of cars there. So sick!

[bobert]

Originally Posted by nomoracin

So, we got there early as planned, but it seems not early enough. I believe that they opened the track to the tourists early today. Being it was first time there, omg, I was so lost. It prolly took us a good 20-30 min to get situated. I stroke up a conversation with the first person who took notice to my car in hopes of asking for a ride along, but unfortunately, he was not driving today.
...
I did as my "instructor" said and stayed on the right. Luckily only 2 cars ever passed us and we found out why later. Through one of the first turns, I effed up and put it in 2nd gear and the RPMs went over 5k briefly. I was mentally like "ahhhh, ohhh no!" I continued on and honestly just went relatively slowly. All I could think about was "what if." (You know, accident or what not). I knew going in that I just really wanted to be able to say that I've driven on it. Anyway, during my run, we noticed 2 accidents...1 car and 1 motorcycle. A police car speed up behind me and turned on his lights. For a second, I really thought that I was getting pulled over. Haha. But it was to go help with the crash. Oh, I almost passed the exit because it was a nice straight away, but luckily my wife remembered and told me to slow down. So, the reason why only 2 cars passed me was that they ended up closing the track early due to the motorcycle accident. We were very lucky to have gone when we did or else we would've missed our 1 chance.

Good story - glad you made it!

[CosmosMpower]

Just go drive the car, if you haven't driven it before you won't have any idea where you're going and won't be going balls out anyway. It's easy to keep it below the break in RPM limit, 106 mph not so much...

[chmura]

I just got back from my ED trip. God I love the car!

I was at the Ring last Sunday. I arrived Saturday afternoon but the track opened at ~6pm and there were literally 150 cars or so to enter the Ring when it once opened. I made an educated decision not to go on that day.

Woke up Sunday to wet and foggy day. 6 hours later the fog cleared and I jumped on the Ring. AMAZING! I need to make a mini post soon once the jet lag clears and I filter through my photos.