Porsche Experience Day question
Discussion
I've had my Cayman R for 8 months now and I've finally got my Invitation for half day at Silverstone to drive a Cayman R manual. I must admit I had to chase this up with my dealer on several occasions before I finally got the Invitiation
I booked this for April and got confirmation so duly booked hotel (non-refunadable) and time off work. Not long after I got a phone call to tell me that the Cayman R will be removed from the fleet end of next month for which there are only a few selected dates available! I have checked my work schedule and I'm finding it difficult to fit these dates in so considering keeping the date already booked and do the experience on a different Porsche.
My question to you all is how much will I lose out by driving a different model? Obviously I would prefer to learn everything about my car (CR) and drive to it's limits in a safe controlled environment with Instructor but as this may not be an option would driving the new 981 Cayman S be of value? I have also been offered to drive a 997.2 GT3 on this date and managed to get the additional cost waivered due to thier error.
How good are these driving day experiences? What would you do in my position?
I must admit... if I do drive the GT3... I may feel less love for my Cayman R after it... so perhaps can see this as a negative lol
I booked this for April and got confirmation so duly booked hotel (non-refunadable) and time off work. Not long after I got a phone call to tell me that the Cayman R will be removed from the fleet end of next month for which there are only a few selected dates available! I have checked my work schedule and I'm finding it difficult to fit these dates in so considering keeping the date already booked and do the experience on a different Porsche.
My question to you all is how much will I lose out by driving a different model? Obviously I would prefer to learn everything about my car (CR) and drive to it's limits in a safe controlled environment with Instructor but as this may not be an option would driving the new 981 Cayman S be of value? I have also been offered to drive a 997.2 GT3 on this date and managed to get the additional cost waivered due to thier error.
How good are these driving day experiences? What would you do in my position?
I must admit... if I do drive the GT3... I may feel less love for my Cayman R after it... so perhaps can see this as a negative lol
Edited by sootyvrs on Friday 15th February 11:47
If you want to learn everything about your car then try a 1 to 1 session, you use your own car and have one of the Silverstone pool instructors with you, think its about £165.00 for one hour and if you only want to go on the handling circuit you can specify this.
Or if you really want to get to know your car Silverstone Circuits Ltd will charge you £195.00 for an hour in your own car on either the GP, National or Inter circuit depending upon availability.
Or if you really want to get to know your car Silverstone Circuits Ltd will charge you £195.00 for an hour in your own car on either the GP, National or Inter circuit depending upon availability.
I just want to maximise the use of my free Invitation and decide if I'm better off driving same car as what I have or driving a different car.
I will have to cancel some work commitments if I do the Cayman R and also pay again for hotel booking!
If I enjoy this experience, perhaps will do other courses but Silverstone is a 7 hour return drive for me
I will have to cancel some work commitments if I do the Cayman R and also pay again for hotel booking!
If I enjoy this experience, perhaps will do other courses but Silverstone is a 7 hour return drive for me
sootyvrs said:
I've had my Cayman R for 8 months now and I've finally got my Invitation for half day at Silverstone to drive a Cayman R manual. I must admit I had to chase this up with my dealer on several occasions before I finally got the Invitiation
I booked this for April and got confirmation so duly booked hotel (non-refunadable) and time off work. Not long after I got a phone call to tell me that the Cayman R will be removed from the fleet end of next month for which there are only a few selected dates available! I have checked my work schedule and I'm finding it difficult to fit these dates in so considering keeping the date already booked and do the experience on a different Porsche.
My question to you all is how much will I lose out by driving a different model? Obviously I would prefer to learn everything about my car (CR) and drive to it's limits in a safe controlled environment with Instructor but as this may not be an option would driving the new 981 Cayman S be of value? I have also been offered to drive a 997.2 GT3 on this date and managed to get the additional cost waivered due to thier error.
How good are these driving day experiences? What would you do in my position?
I must admit... if I do drive the GT3... I may feel less love for my Cayman R after it... so perhaps can see this as a negative lol
I own a Cayman R and got a half day experience as part of purchasing the vehicle so maybe my comments are of some interest.I booked this for April and got confirmation so duly booked hotel (non-refunadable) and time off work. Not long after I got a phone call to tell me that the Cayman R will be removed from the fleet end of next month for which there are only a few selected dates available! I have checked my work schedule and I'm finding it difficult to fit these dates in so considering keeping the date already booked and do the experience on a different Porsche.
My question to you all is how much will I lose out by driving a different model? Obviously I would prefer to learn everything about my car (CR) and drive to it's limits in a safe controlled environment with Instructor but as this may not be an option would driving the new 981 Cayman S be of value? I have also been offered to drive a 997.2 GT3 on this date and managed to get the additional cost waivered due to thier error.
How good are these driving day experiences? What would you do in my position?
I must admit... if I do drive the GT3... I may feel less love for my Cayman R after it... so perhaps can see this as a negative lol
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 15th February 11:47
Personally, I would recommend doing the drive with an instructor in a CR. I had an excellent tutor who helped me to understand how to exploit the car and I walked away having learnt from the afternoon. It depends what level your driving is at and whether you've owned a Porsche or a mid-engined car before. When the instructor asked me what I wanted to get out of the day, I said that it was purely about learning how to get the most out of the car and how we approached that was at his discretion. It's the first mid engine car I've owned so I was keen to learn as much as possible.
I see the temptation in getting some extra value from Porsche and having a bit of fun in a GT3 but the CR is a superb drive and you'll carry the skills you learn and experience you gain to the road. In your shoes, my reservation would be that the experience in the GT3 will end at Silverstone, unless you own one already of course.
The course is pretty short, 2nd/3rd the whole time but it's still fun. I'd be tempted to press for a lap or two of the main track as compensation for messing your booking around.
It's an ok experience, but I wouldn't pay for it if you know what I mean. The track is too short and narrow for any real fun and while the kick plate etc is very good (and instructional) you can only take so much. For me the best part was driving on the main roads with an ex-police driver in a 991S (convinced me to buy one), it made a lasting impression in terms of making swift progress safely and reading the road properly. I will do an advanced course on the back of this, just getting round to it.
I've done quite a few of these sessions at the PEC now.
GTS, CR and also did an RS4.0 experience. The "free" owner session is equivalent to the "warm-up" day from the Porsche Sport Driving School sessions they run at the PEC, so consequently you will learn a fair amount no matter what you drive. Having said that, there is no doubt that you get the most out of driving an example of the car that you actually own as you can immediately apply what you have learnt to your own car the second you leave - it doesn't feel any different. Having the session in a GT3 would be a riot but not that relevant - depends what you want from the day really. Hooning around in a GT3 for half a day would be a lot fun too!
I can see the appeal of both options but personally feeling how your own car behaves at the limit and learning how to really push it is more valuable than having a blatt in a GT3.
GTS, CR and also did an RS4.0 experience. The "free" owner session is equivalent to the "warm-up" day from the Porsche Sport Driving School sessions they run at the PEC, so consequently you will learn a fair amount no matter what you drive. Having said that, there is no doubt that you get the most out of driving an example of the car that you actually own as you can immediately apply what you have learnt to your own car the second you leave - it doesn't feel any different. Having the session in a GT3 would be a riot but not that relevant - depends what you want from the day really. Hooning around in a GT3 for half a day would be a lot fun too!
I can see the appeal of both options but personally feeling how your own car behaves at the limit and learning how to really push it is more valuable than having a blatt in a GT3.
Thanks for all your comments.. 
Well managed to get booked in for a couple of weeks time, in the Cayman R before it departs from experience day service. Have booked the Boxster S for my missus, though I'd imagine she would have preferred the 911, but wanted her to experience a mid-engine car really plus a potential future car for us (if they make a Spyder). Wonder if they'll let us swap half way through the session hmmm
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