Jeff Young
GT40s Supporter
I may be headed to Germany in late November early December. Will go to the Ring. Want to drive it in a reasonably fun car. Any thoughts on rental agencies that will allow me to do that?
Nurburglarringythingy
- Thread starter JeffYoung
- Start date
They'll all let you do it, so long as they don't know about it! :laugh:
I've been there several times and have driven it in a few different rental cars. Do yourself a favor and do NOT rent a diesel anything, if you can possibly help it.
Try to keep it out of the barriers. Since you're not engaged in any sort of race (technically you're on a private toll road), I don't think the rental car agency can say much of anything if you bash it up. Having said that, if I collected the armco and the car was still capable of achieving the locomotive state, I would probably limp 50 miles away or so, then find a similar-appearing piece of armco and strategically park against it! :laugh:
I've been there several times and have driven it in a few different rental cars. Do yourself a favor and do NOT rent a diesel anything, if you can possibly help it.
Try to keep it out of the barriers. Since you're not engaged in any sort of race (technically you're on a private toll road), I don't think the rental car agency can say much of anything if you bash it up. Having said that, if I collected the armco and the car was still capable of achieving the locomotive state, I would probably limp 50 miles away or so, then find a similar-appearing piece of armco and strategically park against it! :laugh:
Jeff,
You could always ask Swedish luxury rental agency Platinum Cars what the score is. Then again perhaps not such a good idea.
Car Crash: Eight-Car Pileup at Nurburgring Nordschleife - Cardotcom.com
You could always ask Swedish luxury rental agency Platinum Cars what the score is. Then again perhaps not such a good idea.
Car Crash: Eight-Car Pileup at Nurburgring Nordschleife - Cardotcom.com
Hi Jeff
You have to do it but treat it with massive respect. I don't know if they still have the one fatality a week stat but they used to!
You could try RSR (Ron Simmons Racing) who specialise in the ring. The will take you round or train you up as necessary. They have my old Pro Sport 3000 spyder which they will take you round BtG in just a little over 7 minutes. Scary ride. Google them and you will see what they offer.
But do it, it will blow your mind!
You have to do it but treat it with massive respect. I don't know if they still have the one fatality a week stat but they used to!
You could try RSR (Ron Simmons Racing) who specialise in the ring. The will take you round or train you up as necessary. They have my old Pro Sport 3000 spyder which they will take you round BtG in just a little over 7 minutes. Scary ride. Google them and you will see what they offer.
But do it, it will blow your mind!
Your insurance will be excluded on the 'Ring, almost without question. So you can drive it, it's just like any other track experience, it's on your dime if you wreck.
I did one lap in my S4 that I picked up in Europe. One lap was enough. Awesome experience, but there are a lot of other people there in a variety of vehicles (bikes to buses) and they may not feel your same level of concern.
But you should do it! The elevation change is mind blowing!
Guys all the rental companies have transponders and if you take one on the Ring you will be banned from renting from them forever.
The Ring is a very serious and difficult place and filled with a lot of people who have no idea what they're doing.
There are schools there that will send you out in a proper car with proper safety equipment and an instructor to get you started.
Anyone driving on the Ring without full safety gear should fill out the organ donor card as it will reduce the 15K euro bill your estate will have to pay before they'll release your body.
The Ring is a very serious and difficult place and filled with a lot of people who have no idea what they're doing.
There are schools there that will send you out in a proper car with proper safety equipment and an instructor to get you started.
Anyone driving on the Ring without full safety gear should fill out the organ donor card as it will reduce the 15K euro bill your estate will have to pay before they'll release your body.
One more thing. When you're there it will be VERY cold and the Ring may have black ice.
Crikey, Jim, you're being even more cheerful than me about this! 
Not sure if this is true but they do have this crash policy that needs thought. If you dent the barriers it is 2,500 euros per section. But it is 3 sections high in places so actually that is 7,500 euros per section. They do apparently offer an alternative where you just hand in your car keys and start walking.....
You still going to do this Jeff? Let us know if we are helping here....
Not sure if this is true but they do have this crash policy that needs thought. If you dent the barriers it is 2,500 euros per section. But it is 3 sections high in places so actually that is 7,500 euros per section. They do apparently offer an alternative where you just hand in your car keys and start walking.....You still going to do this Jeff? Let us know if we are helping here....
Personally knowing 2 guys who died there in their 360 I have great respect for the Ring.Crikey, Jim, you're being even more cheerful than me about this!
You still going to do this Jeff? Let us know if we are helping here....
I think a race school in a proper car is fine there but it's a lot more of a serious endeavor than many realise.
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Paul Thompson 'Hooligan'
Admin
Do it Jeff - you'll love it....
RentRaceCar.de
At the very place were Rudolf Caracciola, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stefan Bellof and so many others at one time or other showed us what they had in them, RentRaceCar now makes it possible to live this experience for yourself with a vehicle that is especially tuned for the Nordschleife.
RentRaceCar exclusively offers you the opportunity to easily rent vehicles tuned specifically for the Nordschleife, fitted with the appropriate safety equipment, without having to subject you or your own vehicle to the high risk of the loop.
Upon request we also offer the option for Nordschleife newcomers to be personally introduced to the secrets to mastering the Nordschleife (ideal line) by an experienced driver.
NotesMinimum ages: Suzuki Swift 21 yrs, BMW M3 and Porsche 30 yrs, others 25 yrs. All vehicles are German registered and are insured for use on the Nürburgring. Read the Guestbook on our website for some testimonials More terms and conditions can be found here
Email [email protected]
Suzuki Swift Sport, VW Scirocco, BMW 330i, BMW 318ti Coupe E46, BMW 120i Coupe, VW Golf Mk5 GTI, BMW 325i SMG E46, BMW 330i E90, BMW M3 E46, BMW M3 E92, Porsche 997 GT3 Clubsport
Address Schulstraße 15, 53534 Wiesemscheid
Tel +49 2691 931 770 (Theo / Heide)
Fax +49 2691 931 771
Mob +49 172 2001156
Languages
Rent4Ring.de
Rent4Ring offers the perfect rental race car for Touristenfahrten or the Nurburgring Grand-Prix race track. We are bound to exceed your expectations making your time with Rent4Ring race car rentals the best experience possible. Right hand drive cars are available!
Rent4Ring is located in Nurburg which is only one kilometre away from the main entrance to the Nordschleife. Rent your race car from us and have the time of your life behind the wheel in one of our Suzuki Swift Sport or Opel (Vauxhall) Corsa OPCs.
All cars are supplied with semi-slick tyres which are responsible for a major difference in performance compared to regular tyres. Both models are available in two expansion stages. The advanced Stage 2 cars are equipped with full racing gear which includes a roll cage, racing brakes with airducts, 4-point racing seatbelts and more.
We'll be glad to assist with any questions regarding your visit at the most famous and exciting race track our planet has to offer. Rent4Ring race car rentals will make your trip a time to remember, one that you will want to keep coming back for more.
Rent4Ring race car rental prices start at only €99 including insurance with €2,500 excess. Click here for more details: Nurburgring and Nordschleife race car rentals
Email [email protected]
Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 16v
Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 Stage 2
Opel Corsa 1.6 Turbo Stage 1
Opel Corsa 1.6 Turbo Stage 2
Address Burgstrasse 1, 53520 Nurburg
Tel +49 160 9667 1158
(Fredy Lienhard / Ralph Beck)
Languages
And if you're unsure about hiring, then just take a ride in one of the Ring M3 Taxis..... AWESOME!
RentRaceCar.de
At the very place were Rudolf Caracciola, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stefan Bellof and so many others at one time or other showed us what they had in them, RentRaceCar now makes it possible to live this experience for yourself with a vehicle that is especially tuned for the Nordschleife.
RentRaceCar exclusively offers you the opportunity to easily rent vehicles tuned specifically for the Nordschleife, fitted with the appropriate safety equipment, without having to subject you or your own vehicle to the high risk of the loop.
Upon request we also offer the option for Nordschleife newcomers to be personally introduced to the secrets to mastering the Nordschleife (ideal line) by an experienced driver.
NotesMinimum ages: Suzuki Swift 21 yrs, BMW M3 and Porsche 30 yrs, others 25 yrs. All vehicles are German registered and are insured for use on the Nürburgring. Read the Guestbook on our website for some testimonials More terms and conditions can be found here
Email [email protected]
Suzuki Swift Sport, VW Scirocco, BMW 330i, BMW 318ti Coupe E46, BMW 120i Coupe, VW Golf Mk5 GTI, BMW 325i SMG E46, BMW 330i E90, BMW M3 E46, BMW M3 E92, Porsche 997 GT3 Clubsport
Address Schulstraße 15, 53534 Wiesemscheid
Tel +49 2691 931 770 (Theo / Heide)
Fax +49 2691 931 771
Mob +49 172 2001156
Languages
Rent4Ring.de
Rent4Ring offers the perfect rental race car for Touristenfahrten or the Nurburgring Grand-Prix race track. We are bound to exceed your expectations making your time with Rent4Ring race car rentals the best experience possible. Right hand drive cars are available!
Rent4Ring is located in Nurburg which is only one kilometre away from the main entrance to the Nordschleife. Rent your race car from us and have the time of your life behind the wheel in one of our Suzuki Swift Sport or Opel (Vauxhall) Corsa OPCs.
All cars are supplied with semi-slick tyres which are responsible for a major difference in performance compared to regular tyres. Both models are available in two expansion stages. The advanced Stage 2 cars are equipped with full racing gear which includes a roll cage, racing brakes with airducts, 4-point racing seatbelts and more.
We'll be glad to assist with any questions regarding your visit at the most famous and exciting race track our planet has to offer. Rent4Ring race car rentals will make your trip a time to remember, one that you will want to keep coming back for more.
Rent4Ring race car rental prices start at only €99 including insurance with €2,500 excess. Click here for more details: Nurburgring and Nordschleife race car rentals
Email [email protected]
Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 16v
Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 Stage 2
Opel Corsa 1.6 Turbo Stage 1
Opel Corsa 1.6 Turbo Stage 2
Address Burgstrasse 1, 53520 Nurburg
Tel +49 160 9667 1158
(Fredy Lienhard / Ralph Beck)
Languages
And if you're unsure about hiring, then just take a ride in one of the Ring M3 Taxis..... AWESOME!
That sounds very much like an old wive's tale. I've driven rental cars there on several occasions and never got any grief about it afterwards, and have had no problems subsequently renting cars from those companies. I read the fine print on my rental contract once and there was no mention of the Nurburgring either.
Too, there is a nice museum there, and they hold races which attract spectators. How would they differentiate between the person who parked alongside the track and the person who chose to drive on it?
So, I would have to characterize this statement as being a myth, and a fairly laughable one at that.
That can be true, yes, but it's not universally so. I wouldn't ever venture out there on a weekend, when the crowds are plentiful and the talent is not. My experiences (other than on fully organized track days) have mostly been on weekday afternoons in the summertime. Very little crowding, and zero bad behavior observed.
The track itself is daunting if you don't respect it. It's definitely not something to be taken at anywhere near 100%, even with full safety gear, until you are intimately acquainted with it. My first time there, I was driving my own car ('66 Shelby GT350 clone), and I nearly stacked it when I got lost. There are two sections of the track that are broadly similar, with one major distinction. I arrived at the second of those two, thinking that I was at the first one, and found myself accelerating in a braking zone. It took all my talent (which isn't all that much) combined with a bit of luck to negotiate the corner safely. In retrospect, I had a huge margin for error (because that's how I drive, nowhere near the limit) but at the time, I was sucking some serious seat cushion! :shocked:
True, and if your ambition is to go like hell immediately, that's undoubtedly the best way to learn the circuit and get up to speed as efficiently and quickly as possible.
No matter what, it's definitely a good idea to have a good working knowledge of the place before you venture out there for the first time. In my case, I was issued a fantastic manual which spelled out exactly what is needed to negotiate each section of the track, and was able to study it in depth on the airplane on the way over. This enabled me to have a good idea of what to expect when I saw it through the windscreen for the first time; having said that, it was still a major learning curve. Here is where it came from:
Circuit Guides
They offer individual guides for each circuit, or a combination package for all the circuits in the UK, or on mainland Europe.
The Ring has a fearsome reputation, but really, driving on the circuit itself is no more challenging than driving on a mountain road that you've never seen before, something all of us have managed to do that all our lives without flinging ourselves into the forest. It's not like you have to jump a pit of fire or drive upside down. At the end of the day, it's a perfect piece of pavement with no cops.
If your initial foray onto the track sees you driving as respectfully and reasonably as if you'd just turned onto a mountain road you'd heard about but never been on before, AND if you aren't surrounded by speed-addled pinheads, then you'll be just fine. If you can't control your emotions, and allow yourself to believe you are on a RACE TRACK rather than the best mountain road in the world, then you and the armco may well become much more closely acquainted than you'd like.
I admit I don't know about bodies being held hostage, but I strongly doubt that this is true either--sounds like another wive's tale to me. That said, I'm very much in favor of organ donor programs.
VERY true. I once rented a car and drove to the ring only to discover hanging fog, low visibility, and the track was closed due to the prospect for icing.
Having seen it under those conditions, I can say that it's not the type of place I'd like to explore with anything other than good weather. I've been fortunate in that on all my other visits, the weather was spectacular. My first drive there was in late October or early November, and it was unbelievably gorgeous--beautiful fall colors in the trees, sunshine with just a few puffy clouds, etc. Nirvana!
I've also driven it in the rain (in a VW diesel wagon rental car), and it was just as much fun, albeit at much lower speeds of course. Circumspection is the order of the day under the best of circumstances, but most especially so when the weather is inclement. The nice thing about driving in a light rain is that few other people choose to do so, so I found I had the track virtually to myself. Negotiating it at a much lower speed, I was able to coach my passenger who had never been there before, and point out landmarks and 'gotchas'; that would have been much more difficult if we had been driving at a more normal pace.
Go forth, have fun, be careful, and report back! :thumbsup:
When was the last time you rented a car and took it around the Ring?
Renting a race car sounds good. Would love to do it in my own car but just know this would be me.
Seven Second 'Ring King - YouTube
Seven Second 'Ring King - YouTube
Last edited:
Will Campbell
Supporter
I did "eine lap" there many years ago in a new 944 Turbo I had recently picked up at the factory. Apparently there was a Porsche Club event being held at the same time, so there were lots of similar cars on the track at he same time.
My approach was to drive briskly but very carefully, as I really didn't know the track, and couldn't always see very far ahead due to limited sightlines.
Most cars were going much faster than me (probably not their first day on that track), but I did manage to pass a bus (yes- they actually let buses, loaded with people, out on the track, at least they did then).
I only did one lap, as I was afraid I'd start thinking I was learning the track and would start to go faster, which I thought wasn't a good idea at the time...especially as I was told that the insurance I had wouldn't cover accidents at the track.
It's like anything in life- you assume risks that you think you can manage. I thought the chance of a serious off was pretty remote, at least how I was driving, and the other drivers seemed to be pretty good about looking for passing signals (and I gave plenty of them).
If I were going back, I'd look very hard at the rentals. Limited risk, presumably a safer car (they have cages, race harnesses, etc) and the ability to get instruction on the course.
Overall, it is a remarkable track, in a country that allows people to manage their own risks (and suffer the consequences), unlike the nanny states. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
My approach was to drive briskly but very carefully, as I really didn't know the track, and couldn't always see very far ahead due to limited sightlines.
Most cars were going much faster than me (probably not their first day on that track), but I did manage to pass a bus (yes- they actually let buses, loaded with people, out on the track, at least they did then).
I only did one lap, as I was afraid I'd start thinking I was learning the track and would start to go faster, which I thought wasn't a good idea at the time...especially as I was told that the insurance I had wouldn't cover accidents at the track.
It's like anything in life- you assume risks that you think you can manage. I thought the chance of a serious off was pretty remote, at least how I was driving, and the other drivers seemed to be pretty good about looking for passing signals (and I gave plenty of them).
If I were going back, I'd look very hard at the rentals. Limited risk, presumably a safer car (they have cages, race harnesses, etc) and the ability to get instruction on the course.
Overall, it is a remarkable track, in a country that allows people to manage their own risks (and suffer the consequences), unlike the nanny states. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
October 2011 Ring for dummies:
"Drive a rental car — it sounds like a good idea, but the world of rental cars has changed in the past few years with respect to the Ring. Tired of getting their cars back with bald tires and vaporized brake pads, rental companies are now tracking their cars with GPS and hiring people to go to the Ring to spy on you. A friend of mine was banned for life from Hertz worldwide for driving his BMW 1-series diesel on the track. (Update: I've also been banned, so the danger is real.) Some companies have added large charges/fines if your car has significant wear of the brakes or tires. So lap your rental car at your own risk. Caveat renter."
"Drive a rental car — it sounds like a good idea, but the world of rental cars has changed in the past few years with respect to the Ring. Tired of getting their cars back with bald tires and vaporized brake pads, rental companies are now tracking their cars with GPS and hiring people to go to the Ring to spy on you. A friend of mine was banned for life from Hertz worldwide for driving his BMW 1-series diesel on the track. (Update: I've also been banned, so the danger is real.) Some companies have added large charges/fines if your car has significant wear of the brakes or tires. So lap your rental car at your own risk. Caveat renter."
Charlie Farley
Supporter
Mike, thats the way ! :thumbsup:
I'd say, as silly as this may sound, get a video game that has the Nordschleife modeled in the game. Play the game until you have the track memorized and it wont be so bad in real life. This is what all the F1 drivers do these days and it works. I found that the game rFactor had my local track, Autobahn Country Club, modeled in the game. I did quite a few laps on it before racing it in real life. Once I was at the real track, it was amazing. I knew where everything was, it was like meeting an old friend.
I hired my car from SixT rentals at Frankfurt Airport, then drove out to the track from there. It was the 24hr race weekend, so no chance of a run. Having said that, I think I've run a groove in the track on rFactor...
By the way, that place has the best atmosphere on the 24hr race weekend, as I'm sure, Jim can confirm!
By the way, that place has the best atmosphere on the 24hr race weekend, as I'm sure, Jim can confirm!