[Brian]

I was talking to some fellow VAG heads last night and a suggestion came up.
If someone put the effort and time into being an organiser, would any of the forum members here be interested in a 3-4 day Road-Trip to the Ring in about September??

I know it would be a hard thing to organise, but lads, could you imagine the craic!!!!

Technically it wouldn't be too hard to put together. A paypal account could be set up by an (honest

) member so interested parties could pay monthly for the trip.
A mate of mine works as a travel agent and he was saying that once it's out of high season you can get great discounts for groups of 10 or more cars on the ferries.

Could this ever happen or is it just a pipe dream?

 

[Dubturbo]

There's two of us off to Wolfsburg in September, possibly taking in the ring on the way back. Takes a fair bit of planning mind, but it's perfectly doable. In terms of distance, the shortest route is Dublin - Merseyside by ferry, Merseyside - Hull by road, Hull - Rotterdam by ferry, drive from Rotterdam. There's a distance penalty to go via Cherbourg but then only one ferry, that is if the French dockers let you off the boat

 

[8valver]

A load of members on here and IPC have organised this for the last two years at Easter!!! Perfectly doable. Organising the trip is the easy bit. Getting a convoy of old skool and probably modded VW's to actually survive it is the problem bit. Most when travelling to the ring go Dublin to holyhead, down to the tunnel, across France, belgium and into Germany.

 

[Brian]

I was thinking that, so wouldn't it be better to go the Rosslare-Cherbourg route to save maybe 700 mile round trip on the older cars?

 

[8valver]

Well I am sure they would probably manage the motorway trip if regular breaks are taken, Its more the thrashing to within inches of their lives that they would get when at the ring that I am talking about!!!

Each lap is approx. 13 miles long, Thats 13 miles of abuse!! Am not saying that most cars wouldnt be up to it cos they would but its a risky trip!!! Though it depends on how you drive.

 

[Davec]

If I had of taken my car on either of the last two trips I went on, I wouldn't of gotten to Dublin Port with out a breakdown!!!

 

[WRC]

it would take longer to go the cherbourg route-thats less time on the ring.

 

[rmn]

its do able, to get there, the only problem is the responsibility of organising the even and if anything happens.
may dad organise a run to france a few years back for 10 old cars, 1950's etc , only one car broke down and that was a lad who brought his modern car as he wasnt ready with the old one. Irish Ferries gave them a very very good deal with the 10 traveling together.
I will, all going to plan drive over there in the corrado this year.

 

[benkenobi]

QUOTE Each lap is approx. 13 miles long, Thats 13 miles of abuse!!

iknow its off topic so apploigies for that,
but has anybody driven the track on Forza Motorsport on the Xbox it is one hell of a circut,
iknow that there are some guys here that have driven it for real,but for me the xbox version is the closest ill
get

there was an interesting bit on the last top gear where clarckson drove Lugana Seca on the ps2 and for real and couldnt match his online time for real

 

[Brian]

QUOTE (WRC @ Jan 6 2006, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>it would take longer to go the cherbourg route-thats less time on the ring.
This is true, but less wear on the car, so you can save it for the ring. Any lads, if I can drive my car around the ring for a few laps (something I've wanted to do since I was about 15) I'll be one happy camper, even if it has to be towed back I'll be towed back with a smile on my face. (here Stiofan, I heard your the man to see for a tow

)
And think of the craic (and liquid bullsh*t) we would have in the bar on the overnight ferry over

Tell ya what I'll do.
Over the weekend I'll get my mate to price up the 2 routes (across the UK and directly to france) based on a min of 10 cars. I'll also work out the milage involved both routes and then we can argue--sorry debate which way would be better for everyone....that's if it ever happens

 

[8valver]

QUOTE (benkenobi @ Jan 6 2006, 11:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>iknow its off topic so apploigies for that,
but has anybody driven the track on Forza Motorsport on the Xbox it is one hell of a circut,
iknow that there are some guys here that have driven it for real,but for me the xbox version is the closest ill
get

there was an interesting bit on the last top gear where clarckson drove Lugana Seca on the ps2 and for real and couldnt match his online time for real

It is very very very different actually driving it for real after playing playstation/Xbox.

I bought GT4 as soon as it came out which was about a week or 2 before I went over and played it solid for a week and There were only a few bits I recognised when I got there, nevermind remembering corner sequence. Now though when I play it, it makes much more sense as I can picture the real thing

In fairness though, it is somthing that has to be experienced at least once (a year

)!!

 

[VST]

Ah Leon, the memories..... remember the GT3 RS? LOL

Lads ye'd be well advised to do a full day trackday in Mondello beofre bringing your car all the way to germany to find out its not up for it, if it'll survive a full days pounding round Mondello, it'll survive the Ring, Mondello is actually much harder on a car.

 

[Brian]

To give you a rough estimate on the French route so far.

Leave Rosslare at 16:00 Friday 22nd of September
Arrive in France on Saturday morning.

Leave France on 18:00 Tuesday 26th of September
Arrive in Rosslare Wednesday morning.

The price I got so far is €99 for each car with 1 passenger each way (total €198 return)
This doesn't include a cabin. They start at €40 each way for a 2 berth.
For every other person in the car it's an extra €66 each way.

Please remember that this is the full price and doesn't include the discount we will get with a group booking.

I'll have a price for the UK landbridge for ya's after the weekend.

Just give ya something to thing about.

 

[8valver]

QUOTE (VST @ Jan 6 2006, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ah Leon, the memories..... remember the GT3 RS? LOL

Lads ye'd be well advised to do a full day trackday in Mondello beofre bringing your car all the way to germany to find out its not up for it, if it'll survive a full days pounding round Mondello, it'll survive the Ring, Mondello is actually much harder on a car.

Indeed I do Tom

, Its not often you see a GT3 RS admit defeat and pull over to let someone by, especially on the type of roads it was built for, ie a track!!! I really would pay money to see a video clip of the 2 coming down through the Brunchen viewing area, It must have looked and sounded unreal, as we entered it practically touching his 1/4 panel!!!!

You know, had we gotten that on tape, we could have been millionaires. Audi would have offered a fortune as a demonstrator clip to show what their cars can do and Porsche probably would have also offered a fortune to destroy it!!! LOL

 

[Dubturbo]

Well for what it's worth, the two of us who're driving to Wolfsburg have been deliberating the pros and cons of the various routes at length, and in terms of getting your car to Germany with the lowest distance to travel by car, The Merseyside-Hull-Rotterdam route is fairly hard to beat. Plus if you fill the tank before you leave Ireland you won't need any sterling

Unless there's a killer deal to be had on the Cherbourg route that'll offset the (significant, for us

) extra fuel costs, it'll be across Northern England for us.

 

[benkenobi]

QUOTE if it'll survive a full days pounding round Mondello, it'll survive the Ring, Mondello is actually much harder on a car.

thats hard to believe is it really, ive never driven the ring but i have driven mondello a few times
full and short track so i cant compare

 

[8valver]

Stiofan, Wolfsburg is way further north than the ring though. Thats why is easier to go through Rotterdam. When I went over last year, I looked at taking an extra day and going to wolfsburg but it was a fair trek up. Its easier going through France when going to the ring AFAIK.
Getting your car to the German border may be shortest through Rotterdam but is it shortest to the ring??

 

[VST]

Like I said, if the car lasts a full day at Mondello it'll be ok at the Ring.
The Ring might be harder on your engine, especially on the uphill sections, but Mondello is definitely harder on tyres, brakes and suspension.
But to venture over there without ever trying your car on the track here is a bit optimistic to say the least.

 

[rmn]

with regard to the xbox games i think they are a good idea as they show the location of the corners, i found project gothem racing better than gt4 (nerd hat off

)
they give you no idea of the camber the track is at and the 1000 meter difference from lowest point on the track to the highest and also the insane track texture you feel through the wheels.
If anyone is contemplating driving round the ring and not just cruising the should do at least one track day here to get a feel for it.
And to test the car, if you plan on driving over, you need to do as VST said and see if it will take the abuse, dont forget your going to be a long way from home if something breakes....

Make sure you get the best insyurance you can(something like aa 5 star) you never knwo what could happen, i saw a dutch guy who had just flipped his 911 be taken off in an air ambualance last easter! Thats costs a hell of a lot of money if you have to pay yourself!

 

[PD150]

So is the F1 track open this easter again, its is well worth the extra few euro to do the ring and the F1 together

As for that GT3 RS I went around for a passenger lap and the car was just made for for the ring as was the RS4 aswell, both savage machines