Recently returned from a 4 day trip to the Nurburgring where the car was great, a very comfortable and capable long distance car which carried luggage for 2 as well as big coats, crash helmets and various bits and pieces with no trouble.
I hadn't originally planned to use the car for this trip but due to my MX5 Turbo blowing up, this was the next in line, no bad thing and my girlfriend was pretty glad I wasn't doing the journey in the MX5 and secretly, I was too.
Due to the last min change of plans, I didn't have time to get one job which I would have had I known I was doing a long trip done and that was to have the front of the car wrapped in PPF, the front of the car is near on immaculate and chip free, some light ones have recently appeared but nothing major, which makes me want to keep it that way and care.. Due to no time, I had to improvise!
I had some low tack film from the days before PPF was a thing and I used to take my Golf show car to shows. It's pretty good as it clings on, offers enough protection and then simply peels off. While everyone else washed their cars, I didn't have to. :thumb: Looks crap but it hasn't shown up in any pictures friends took and saved the front end for the journey there. :grin:
Early start!
My mates new Alfa with a freshly developed Tubi exhaust
Pit stop in France and then Belgium
Bumped into a friendly local on the way..
Did actually bump into a UK plated 997 on the way but he couldn't care to crack a smile.
Just outside of Spa, final stop before reaching our destination
Some SLR shots
At our Guesthouse, great little place with family like hospitality and a fully stocked bar, playstations, pool table, darts and front room area, Gà¤stehaus Fuchsrà¶hre.
After dumping stuff off, we all went out for a tourist lap, sadly this was our one and only lap as every other day the place was OVER busy and when it wasn't, it rained heavily which was very very very frustrating, more so for my mate who bought a Destination Nurburgrin trackday which he only did 3 slow laps on.
Really frustrated with only doing 1 lap.
The next day, we thought we would do some site seeing to show some of the guys who had never been before some of the views, so we went to the Karussel, there was a serious crash so the track was closed for approx 2 hours so we had an hour or hanging about but it made for some good chat with others and some fence hoping.. Was quite cool being able to stand on the track here and get pictures..
The track then opened and remained on the wrong side of the barrier to see cars absolutely nail it up the Karussel before stamping on the brakes to then go round. Was quite something to hear the abuse to the cars as they went round and the smell of brakes was probably slowly killing us. Got some great videos, GT3's, M3, Ferraris, McLarens, everything, all flying in and round.
Not long after going back to the guesthouse, with us all standing by the cars in the car park, to our shock, this pulls up!
2 guys get out and immediately say that they've had reports of a bunch of UK cars speeding, no one knew if this was serious or not until he said relax! :grin: Turns out they were at an annual conference in the Czech republic but always make a stop here on their way back.
Applied a sticker, 1 lap hero in this car but maybe I'll take it again
I took hundreds of pictures but here's some 997 content
For once, the 997 Carrera S was the rare car around, GT3's and Turbo's are common sight.. Actually brilliant to see them being used properly rather than rev'd off of the limiter cruising around london!
This 964 was on the track rain or shine, standard in appearance but was being used
The only GTS I came across
1000bhp e30 with an S54 equipped with a HUGE turbo!
On the way home, we pulled up alongside this
Total for trip, which was lower than any previous time, probably due to not venturing out much due to the weather.
All in all, a great trip, probably my 14th or 15th time. Glad I got to take the 997 in the end as the MX5 would have been an experience in all the rain.
I have NEVER taken the 997 out in the rain, I like to only use my cars in the dry but I'm glad to report that it didn't melt or dissolve like I picture in my mind. Seems the roads are much cleaner over there and the car still looks fresh, only over here that cars just seem to get ruined after a drive in the rain. My girlfriend hates that I rarely use the car due to the weather but I may be more inclined to now, lets see. Just hate the cleaning effort required after.
The car was brilliant for the trip, no complaints, very capable of cruising and pressing on when needed, it managed 170 indicated mph at one point and could have easily gone more had I not needed to brake for an upcoming car.
As for the Nurburgring, you need to go if you haven't, a clean and pleasant place, if cars are your thing, you'll think you have died and gone to heaven. You will see every type of car in every form, being used! You'll meet great like minded people and enjoy great beer. Oh, you can drive round a track too!