CAT Performance Driving Courses & Alternatives

[superhans88]

Hi all, anyone have any experience of these guys?

https://catdrivertraining.co.uk/

There's a bewildering array of courses available and seem to kick off around the £1k mark. Interested to know if they're worth the money and what alternatives there are. I've seen RED do something and there are a number of independent schools too.

https://www.reddrivingschool.com/driver-risk-manag...

I'm looking to upgrade to a 330i or S60 T5 so not super performance stuff but would still like to invest in some advanced driver training. Certainly something over and above the usual race circuit 'experience' type days but I'm not averse to looking at ARDS courses using school cars etc too. Getting into club motorsport is something I'd like to do in the future so I think all of the above would be a worthwhile investment, keen to know where's best to kick off though.

Thanks

[DanCat]

I did a training day with CAT last year. It was discounted through the porches club, although I think if you could get together 6 people for the day it would be just as cheap.

The day was epic! They had constructed it so they could evaluate your driving (probably for their own safety) before carefully laying breadcrumbs for you to follow. Plus you get to drive at MIRA proving ground and recognise various parts from films tv etc.

I was able to gain experience left foot braking and then trail braking priving a 996 c4s can still be made to pivot entering a corner.

I'd highly recommend it. In fact, if you need to make some numbers up give me a shout.

[200Plus Club]

I've done a half day over the limit type training course where you basically learn to throttle steer a Westy/ caterham. We did 2-1 pupils to instructor (Colin) which was really fantastic as a learning experience.

[RSTurboPaul]

HPC / High Performance Course is an option - I did a young drivers day or two many moons ago with them and the knowledge and training was excellent.

http://www.high-performance-course.com

[RSTurboPaul]

200Plus Club said:

I've done a half day over the limit type training course where you basically learn to throttle steer a Westy/ caterham. We did 2-1 pupils to instructor (Colin) which was really fantastic as a learning experience.

Was that with CAT?

[200Plus Club]

RSTurboPaul said:

Was that with CAT?

Yea at Millbrook

[RSTurboPaul]

200Plus Club said:

RSTurboPaul said:

Was that with CAT?

Yea at Millbrook

Nice, I will have to look at that, thank you.


EDIT: Just saw the price... maybe I won't be doing that for a while... lol

https://catdrivertraining.co.uk/road-driving-acade...

price said:

1-2-1 CAT Caterham 7, Clio RS & Your Car *£2300
2-2-1 cost pp CAT Caterham 7, Clio RS & Your Car *£1250

Not saying it's overpriced - a day at MIRA 1-to-1 cannot be cheap - but above my budget... lol

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Saturday 3rd February 21:38

[isaldiri]

superhans88 said:

Hi all, anyone have any experience of these guys?

https://catdrivertraining.co.uk/

Imo they are very very good, definitely worth doing a few courses if you're looking for instruction.

[200Plus Club]

RSTurboPaul said:

Not saying it's overpriced - a day at MIRA 1-to-1 cannot be cheap - but above my budget... lol

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Saturday 3rd February 21:38

We only did a caterham afternoon 2-1, loads of seat time.

[Redline88]

DanCat said:

I did a training day with CAT last year. It was discounted through the porches club, although I think if you could get together 6 people for the day it would be just as cheap.

The day was epic! They had constructed it so they could evaluate your driving (probably for their own safety) before carefully laying breadcrumbs for you to follow. Plus you get to drive at MIRA proving ground and recognise various parts from films tv etc.

I was able to gain experience left foot braking and then trail braking priving a 996 c4s can still be made to pivot entering a corner.

I'd highly recommend it. In fact, if you need to make some numbers up give me a shout.

I’d be interested in this too. What was the cost with the group?

[DanCat]

From memory £550ish

[brisel]

I had a day with CAT in December. Very good indeed and it taught me many aspects of car control you would never be able to learn on a road.

HPC as above is mostly road based but plenty of track events too.

http://www.carlimits.com/ Is also worth a look

[waremark]

brisel said:

I had a day with CAT in December. Very good indeed and it taught me many aspects of car control you would never be able to learn on a road.

HPC as above is mostly road based but plenty of track events too.

http://www.carlimits.co/ Is also worth a look

Car Limits died as a company as a result of lockdown. Andy Walsh the owner and no 1 coach is now at

https://www.awdrivertraining.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAiA...

Great for limit handling.

To enjoy a quicker car safely on the road at good value I recommend HPC.

[superhans88]

Thanks for the feedback so far folks. Interesting that someone mentioned a discount for the CAT training through the Porsche club, would be good to know if there are other clubs that offer similar. I'm also happy to look into getting a group together if it makes it more cost effective/affordable.

Can't find any info on cost for the HPC course so will make some enquiries. AW training looks good value too for an intro to limit handling, would be interested to know if it's a better bet than what's on offer at various national circuits.

[waremark]

superhans88 said:

Thanks for the feedback so far folks. Interesting that someone mentioned a discount for the CAT training through the Porsche club, would be good to know if there are other clubs that offer similar. I'm also happy to look into getting a group together if it makes it more cost effective/affordable.

Can't find any info on cost for the HPC course so will make some enquiries. AW training looks good value too for an intro to limit handling, would be interested to know if it's a better bet than what's on offer at various national circuits.

It's probably completely different from what's on offer at circuits. Andy Walsh's main offering is all about exploring how the car and you behave at and beyond the limit of grip. This happens in a safe open space on an airfield. On circuits, you are not allowed to drive beyond the limit of grip and you are not allowed to do so. You cannot really compare the value of an apple with an orange.

Having said that there is overlap between what all these coaches offer - Andy can help you drive faster round a track, HPC can introduce you to limit handling (indeed the full HPC course includes a limit handling session with a coach who also works (? Worked ?) for Andy Walsh, and CAT probably cover all the bases. These names are all highly regarded.

I don't think Mercedes Benz World and the Porsche Experience Centre have yet been mentioned in this thread. They both cover both track work and limit handling - at a price. Probably not the most appropriate for the OP.

I still recommend HPC for enjoyment of a quicker car on the public road.

[superhans88]

Thanks for the recommendations, sounds like CAT. HPC & AW all offer pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. I've been in touch with HPC but it appears one of the requirements is to have a car with manual transmission. Seems a bit unusual given that a lot of even semi-performance stuff nowadays is automatic.

[waremark]

superhans88 said:

Thanks for the recommendations, sounds like CAT. HPC & AW all offer pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. I've been in touch with HPC but it appears one of the requirements is to have a car with manual transmission. Seems a bit unusual given that a lot of even semi-performance stuff nowadays is automatic.

Definitely not the case. If you do the full course and come in an auto it is likely the coach will get you to drive their own manual car.

[gred]

I have done four days coaching over the last few years with CAT and recommend them highly. All through the Porsche Club and using my own car.
Unlike the Porsche Experience Centre where you just go out with an instructor, at CAT there is some significant classroom training as well, so that you can understand the engineering and vehicle dynamics of the car you have. This is particularly pertinent with a 911.

Cost for a full day was about £500 from memory, last time shared with just one other person though it can be up to three I think.

[superhans88]

HI All, just picking this up again now I'm looking to get something booked.

The HPC course contact has pointed me in the direction of the below for skid control training at North Weald airfield;

https://www.drivelimits.com

Is this a similar service to that provided by the following operating from the same airfield?

https://www.awdrivertraining.co.uk

Thanks

[LunarOne]

I did the Drive Limits limit handling day at North Weald as part of the HPC course in November 2021 and it was a fantastic day. All sorts of manoeuvres were practiced, and on the day there were three of us - me in my Boxster S, someone in a GR Yaris and another in a Focus ST. At the end of the day we needed to show that we could get round the painted course quickly without getting too out of shape and without getting out of the lines. Here's the instructor Mark Robins demonstrating RWD handling on that course to one of the other attendees in my car.