| Author | Message | ||
| Craig Williams (Craigw)
Junior Member Username: Craigw Post Number: 210 Registered: 4-2002 |
Hi Guys, Afraid not doing one for a while (where were you all when I was screaming for people to come!!??) Just kidding, should be doing one early next year ie february(ish) and also in april/may. It is a great day out, very informal and a very good opportunity to push yourself & your car on a very wide, 2 mile stretch of track. Max speed we've achieved there is 192mph although the owner got to 205 in his Jag XJ220 Last time the 360's & the 512TR managed 175 and 178 as I recall. I got to 169 in my 348GTS, the 328 GTS got to around 159. Some very good bends there with loads of run off too. I basically need around 30 cars to make it viable so if you can encourage some guys then we may be able to do it sooner. Let me know. My email should eb in my profile.a few photos from sunday here: http://www.stevecarter.com/bruntingheads03/ph03.htm | ||
| syd (500syd)
New member Username: 500syd Post Number: 24 Registered: 3-2003 |
Definitely interested. An aussie magazine called Motor regularly hires an airstrip here called Avalon. They recently did a 'which car can really do 300kph (200mph+) on it. I'd also love to do a track day with the UK Ferrari Club or equivalent, and will spend a day or so at the Nurburgring. Anyone want to meet up next April at the 'ring? | ||
| Chetan Timblo (Bigmoose)
New member Username: Bigmoose Post Number: 4 Registered: 10-2003 |
hi craig any chance u would be doing the runway thing soon(next two weeks?) would sure like to come if thats ok with u cheers bigmoose | ||
| Joe (Spider)
Junior Member Username: Spider Post Number: 83 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi craig, Is that something you organise regulary, Id luv to let my 360 Spider go on a sretch like that??? Hope im not being impolite to ask Joe.... | ||
| Craig Williams (Craigw)
Junior Member Username: Craigw Post Number: 209 Registered: 4-2002 |
cool. The reason I asked is that we may be hiring the private runway with the 2 mile straight around that time. We had good fun there this weekend. lots of Porsches, some Ferrari 360's, a diablo & lots of others. You might like it. Not often you get to drive as fast as you can (legally)! | ||
| syd (500syd)
New member Username: 500syd Post Number: 23 Registered: 3-2003 |
Mark: Thanks for the feedback - France sounds very draconian - keeping your car! | ||
| syd (500syd)
New member Username: 500syd Post Number: 22 Registered: 3-2003 |
Craig, I'll be over April/May next year. I plan on really only doing Germany and maybe a bit of Italy in the mountains. Am checking out costs to do transport to UK and Germany, UK probably preferable for the language, but if the shipper has an agent in Germany that can handle everything, then that'll be preferred. | ||
| Craig Williams (Craigw)
Junior Member Username: Craigw Post Number: 207 Registered: 4-2002 |
syd, when are you thinking of coming over ? | ||
| Nick Yim (Yimn)
Junior Member Username: Yimn Post Number: 63 Registered: 11-2002 |
How about insurance? WHich Co. cna I get UK insurance for my car? | ||
| Mark Collins (Markcollins)
Member Username: Markcollins Post Number: 371 Registered: 7-2002 |
Syd You may find the UK not much better altohugh detectors are currently allowed but there are many cameras and investing in a GPS locator is worthwhile. if you do make it here and want ot do some track work then drop me a mail, depending on dates there is normally a good choice. Mainland Europe is catching up with the speeding campaign as well, best not to go too quick in France, they have a tendency to ban and retain your car, over a certain amount they see it as a criminal offence rather than a motoring one. Italy and Switzerland use Cameras, not sure about Benelux? obviously there is the German Autobahns!!!! | ||
| syd (500syd)
New member Username: 500syd Post Number: 21 Registered: 3-2003 |
William, I'm in Melbourne. There's virtually nowhere to drive Ferraris in Melbourne. The roads are littered with speed cameras, radar detectors are banned, and race tracks are closing down  All very sad really. I was in a closed road rally last month, and that was the best fun I've had for months in the 550. About 40 stages, and no police or other cars to worry about - but there are only two such rallies every year. Hence the urge to get the car back to Europe and have a real drive for a few weeks. Renting a Ferrari in Europe seems very high cost - about US$10K for 7 days, and extra for excess kms. I should be able to get my car there and back for much less - not sure about insurance costs yet... Will keep the board posted. | ||
| Jason Fraser (Jfraser)
Member Username: Jfraser Post Number: 445 Registered: 3-2001 |
Syd, send me an email and I'll give you the names etc of people who can help you with this. I have shipped my car UK/USA (California) twice this year. My car didn't even need detailing when it arrived. FYI shipping rates are cheaper with UK companies, so have them handle the outbound (from the USA) portion of the trip as well....The only pain is that you will have to pay them and not their US shipping agent.  | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 968 Registered: 3-2003 |
They drive on the right in a lot of Caribbean countries, and the rental cars are all American-market LHD. The only reminder to stay to the left is a sticker on the dash. It's a recipe for disaster. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 967 Registered: 3-2003 |
My best friend Ray is an awesome driver. However, every time we are in a country where you drive on the other side, he takes a mirror off. My poor dad's cars in India, a couple of rentals in Malaysia, a TVR factory car, and my friends' cars in Englands have all suffered this indignity. When we get back to the US, we put a cross on the left side of his Audi wagon for each mirror he's destroyed. On the right side, we put a check for each time we have been pulled over by cops while abroad. Currently, there's 7 crosses. And 19 checks. Here's a "check" encounter in Malaysia that ended well.    Me, I don't have any problems driving RHD or LHD on either side of the road--I was taught to drive in the shade.  | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Advanced Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 2770 Registered: 10-2002 |
Martin Hitting the Left side rims in UK is fairly common for Americans driving in UK. I think because of weirdness of rt hand drive for us or even driving on "wrong" side we tend to drive too close to the left side curb. If you look at wheels of UK rentals you will notice the damage. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 3322 Registered: 2-2001 |
I would rent a Ferrari in europe . Ive heard that Ferrari theft is pretty bad in Italy, probably not very safe in other countries also Syd where do you live in Oz? How do you like driving down there ? What are auto taxes like ? | ||
| syd (500syd)
New member Username: 500syd Post Number: 20 Registered: 3-2003 |
Thanks for the info - I'm actually in Australia! Looks like a container is the way to go... I wonder if there are any upgrades I can do to my '98 550 if I ship it back to Maranello | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 958 Registered: 3-2003 |
You won't have customs issues on the way back or even on the way there nowadays. They're pretty used to cars being shipped back and forth, and have x-rays, etc., to help. Martin, that sounds like a really bad time on the QE2! | ||
| martin j weiner,M.D. (Mw575)
Intermediate Member Username: Mw575 Post Number: 1237 Registered: 5-2001 |
Took my Aston on the qe2 (along with us,altho the car was on a lower deck).Brought the car to the dock in NY nite before.Was assured that the stevedores loading the car were experienced drivers.Yeh,right.First nite at sea,knock on the cabin door--First officer--"sorry sir but it seems youe car was driven onto the freight elevator at excessive speed and there has been damage" Paint (gold) was sheered off the rear driver's fender and the next 5 days at sea was spent with the ship's painter trying to match the paint-to no avail. Before getting off the ship at Southampton I was ensured that the British stevedore's were experienced drivers/.Yeh,right. Came off the ship and there was my beauty (with 007 plates) with a dent in the opposite fender-at least it was symetrical! I went F'ing ballistic. Took 1 yr for Cunard's ins co to pay for the repair and complete paint job-$12K in 1982. Another neg is of course driving a LHD in Uk-hit a few curbs the first few hrs.Cop stopped me and politely asked if I'd been imbibing. Another minor pain was back in NY a mo later had to wait 4 hrs while customs took apart the car-doors,trunk,floor boards etc plus dogs on the seats. Bottom line-rent an exotic-doesn't have to be a F car.Lots of fun cars available-Alfa's,Lotus etc. However,it was great fun driving throughout France and Germany-the French especially went nutso--"Msr Bond-Msr Bond" | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 957 Registered: 3-2003 |
Also, make sure your insurance covers you while you are driving there. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 956 Registered: 3-2003 |
Yup. And while there, you can very easily extend it to one year. I would recommend NOT using a firm called ABX Logistix. They hold your property hostage unless you pay them cash, and they make you jump through a lot of hoops and provide zero service. Two imbeciles that work there are called Dave Platt and Gary Weeks. I forget the secretary's name. FirstAir is the best company I have come across in England, although they usually deal with racecars. Ian Barnwell is the guy to talk to there. Where are you located? If you are on the West Coast, shipping time is 28 days. It's quicker to send the car by truck or train to the East Coast (North East corner of the country) and put it on a ship from there. Containers cost at least double a RORO (Roll On Roll Off). But stevedores get to drive your car on and off the ship if you are using a RORO. I wouldn't subject an F-Car to that. Go with the container. | ||
| syd (500syd)
New member Username: 500syd Post Number: 19 Registered: 3-2003 |
Has anyone on this list taken their car to Europe or UK for a driving holiday? The info I can gleen suggests that it's not that difficult and the UK regs are quite straightforward. You don't even need a temporary registration provided you re-export again before 6 months. Can anyone share experiences? |