[kevkaz]

Last week I was in Deutschland on vacation with my wife and another couple. Much like myself, my friend is a car junkie and this meant that we just had to visit and drive the Nurburgring. Hearing that the car rental companies can fine you thousands of Euros for driving it, we decided to play it safe and rent from someone who authorizes driving on the Nordschleife.

We met Theo from rent-race-car.de, and after forking over 275 euros and signing some simple paperwork, we were on our way in an E36 325 (its in the back of the picture I've posted and also on his website). He led the way in his new E90 320si. Theo told us the course was somewhat wet and as dangerous as it can be - most accidents happen when the course is slightly wet. Nevertheless, he promptly took us out for two hot laps in his E90 to show us the track. I don't remember how fast he went into the first turn, but I immediately grabbed the armrest and did not let go for the full two laps (40 km). He clearly knew what he was doing, and after the first lap, I managed to calm down and started smiling like nobody has ever seen.

Then it was our turn. Theo suggested we take the E90 since it had trac control, but it was our choice. The E36 was set up for racing: Roll cage and 5 point harnesses. We decided to go with the E90 per his suggestion. After just half of a lap, I realized how little I know about race course driving - I have never driven on a track before. By the fourth lap I was pushing the car pretty well - enough that my friend had to give it up for the day. He was too sick to continue. Not only do you turn a whole lot, but the ups-and-downs are amazing. 1000 feet of elevation change! It didn't hit me anywhere near as bad, but I definitely felt the effects of all the cornering, ups, and downs.

This was one of the most fun things I've ever done in a car (I'll leave the other things to your imagination) and after we were done, I realized it was also one of the dumbest. We saw a number of wrecks that day, fortunately just damaging the car and not any persons:

Porsche 911
Nissan 350Z
Motorcycle
... and finally, the very E36 that we drove to the track (but did not drive ON the track)!

A couple of very young American guys (not sure they were really 25 yrs old, the min age, but...) took the E36 that we passed on, and promptly smashed it into one of the walls. There is no room for error on that course - if you leave the track, expect damage - probably a lot of it, too.

There was a 5,000 Euro insurance deductible. I'm glad I survived and kept the car in one piece... unfortunately, the vacation for the guys in the E36became a little more expensive. That's when I realized how easily that could have been me, and that would have sucked to say the least.

I could go on for a lot longer but I'll wrap it up with a summary of the costs in case any of you care to try this for yourselves...

Car rental, 250km max (half-day): 275 Euro
8 lap ticket on the Nordschleife: 108 Euro
Fuel: 32 Euro

Total: 415 Euro X $1.30 $/Euro = $540. I split this with my friend, so it costed me $270.

And yes, I did drive on the Autobahn, in our rented Mercedes C220 diesel. This was the first MB that I've driven and all I will say is that it is a POS compared to any late model BMW. I really hope they supply the rental car companies with stripped down cars, because this was the equivalent of a Ford Taurus, maybe slightly better. While I cannot confirm nor deny that I've driven faster in the states, it was fun being able to drive past police cars at 190 km/h. I think I could have gotten maybe 30 more km/h out of it, but the 3 others in the vehicle had enough at 190 (120 mph)

-kevkaz

[Backattack]

DOPE!

[Driv3r]

you did my dream....i think i know what my senior trip is going ot be.....

[shimshimhada]

The 325i that you saw crashed was my friend. Small world:
http://www.eastcoasteuro.net/forums/...ead.php?t=5478

[shragon]

nice!

crazy crash!

[ward]

I bet that 320si would be a kick on a track!

[kevkaz]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

The 325i that you saw crashed was my friend. Small world:
http://www.eastcoasteuro.net/forums/...ead.php?t=5478

You are 100% correct as I recognize them - don't remember their names but we talked with them for a bit before their accident.

Small world!!!

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by kevkaz

You are 100% correct as I recognize them - don't remember their names but we talked with them for a bit before their accident.

Small world!!!

Yeah, I was reading "last week" and "rent-race-car.de" in the beginning, and I was like...what if the OP knew...and then I read the 325i part.

They crashed at Bruennchen, just before the 16km marker. The driver (who is 25 btw) told me he was pushing the car in the last lap, and went into the first turn too hot. Luckily, they weren't hurt.

[Driv3r]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

The 325i that you saw crashed was my friend. Small world:
http://www.eastcoasteuro.net/forums/...ead.php?t=5478

[kevkaz]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

Yeah, I was reading "last week" and "rent-race-car.de" in the beginning, and I was like...what if the OP knew...and then I read the 325i part.

They crashed at Bruennchen, just before the 16km marker. The driver (who is 25 btw) told me he was pushing the car in the last lap, and went into the first turn too hot. Luckily, they weren't hurt.

We did cross paths with them again when returning the car and chatted for a bit - yes they were both fine which is most important. I felt pretty bad for them knowing that the bill was not going to be cheap. An awkward situation to say the least... but I was most impressed by how calm they were after the accident - I would have been quite upset, yet they were both surprisingly calm about the whole thing. They handled it amazingly well, or at least appeared to anyways.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by kevkaz

We did cross paths with them again when returning the car and chatted for a bit - yes they were both fine which is most important. I felt pretty bad for them knowing that the bill was not going to be cheap. An awkward situation to say the least... but I was most impressed by how calm they were after the accident - I would have been quite upset, yet they were both surprisingly calm about the whole thing. They handled it amazingly well, or at least appeared to anyways.

That's because Ken is a total baller.

[kevkaz]

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

That's because Ken is a total baller.

Yes, looking at his post, he clearly knows a lot more about track driving than I do. My guess was that he was just like me and my friend, noobies to driving on tracks, but clearly I was wrong. I feel even more lucky to have escaped without any damage.

[findtom]

That sounds really fun. Thanks for the info, that is now most definitely on my to-do list.

[ihavedrivenanm1]

Originally Posted by kevkaz

And yes, I did drive on the Autobahn, in our rented Mercedes C220 diesel. This was the first MB that I've driven and all I will say is that it is a POS compared to any late model BMW. I really hope they supply the rental car companies with stripped down cars, because this was the equivalent of a Ford Taurus, maybe slightly better. While I cannot confirm nor deny that I've driven faster in the states, it was fun being able to drive past police cars at 190 km/h. I think I could have gotten maybe 30 more km/h out of it, but the 3 others in the vehicle had enough at 190 (120 mph)-kevkaz

I was in Switzerland last month and flogged the hell out of this '06 c240 [here on Lake Geneva].

During one stretch I followed a Lotus Elise all the way from Interlaken to Zermatt at an average speed of about 50 mph. May not seem very fast but considering the narrow two-lane mountain roads, switchbacks, and other traffic this was actually quite a clip.

Still, the MB was complete crap through and through [cheap interior, weak engine]; beautiful body style but a really crap car. Made me really appreciate the qualities of the 330i even with all of it's own problems. I should have paid the difference for the new S-Class they had at the airport in Zurich – oh well, live and learn.

[MarkA]

I've not taken my 320Si out to the 'ring yet, but I've got about 5 years experience in my other cars and hires there. How was the Si on track? Did it handle well? Was the balance reasonable? Did the brakes hold-up enough?

[SteveMD]

I've done about 400 laps in my 330.

Well...on the PS2.

[MarkA]

Originally Posted by SteveMD

I've done about 400 laps in my 330.

Well...on the PS2.

As good as GT4 is.. there is no comparison with the real thing

[BK]

Originally Posted by ihavedrivenanm1

Made me really appreciate the qualities of the 330i even with all of it's own problems.

HERESY! How could you suggest the 330i has problems.

And FWIW, I think the MB body styles look great, even the frequently-maligned C-class sport models. And they've been advertising the E-class sport sedan on TV a lot lately around here. I think it looks nice, too. Something about MB... just looks very classy. It's a shame that they don't drive like Bimmers.

[stressdoc]

Shim knows everyone on the planet.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

Shim knows everyone on the planet.

I meet every baby that is born in the world.

[Mr. Smith]

god, i wish i could go drive on the Nurburgring

[E90T]

I'm going to try this in the summer