Ferrari F355 Challenge

Soldato
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Thanks to the missus I got to drive one (only for a measly 4 laps mind :( ) at bruntingthorpe on Saturday. Still haven't got the grin fully off my face.

Shame the instructor wouldn't let me "tank it" fully, as I was itching to push it past 150mph. The most I managed was about 130+ by the fourth lap. Sheesh I was just getting used to it!

They purposefully lay the track out with coned chicanes too so you can't get anywhere near "too fast". Shame coz the full length of the Bruntingthorpe straight (old airfield) is 2 miles long.....

Hardest bit? Getting my large frame out of the fluffing car!! :D
 
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tbz_ck said:
......

Hardest bit? Getting my large frame out of the fluffing car!! :D
Don't try an Elise. You'll need surgery (or a fire crew with cutters) to get out. :D

Personally, the 355 is one of my favourite all-time cars. It's stunningly eye-catching, beautifully built, decently quick, comfortable and easy to drive, and I haven't seen a Ferrari since the 355 that I'd rather have.

For me, it's a metallic blue Spider. All you need then is Californian weather. :D
 
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this is why i think these "driving days" are awfull value for money, you pay a good few hundred quid at least, and all you get is to drive round a coned circuit at nowhere near full chat :(

depending on your age and NCB, its probably better to hire one for the day. Probably cost a bit more but value for money wise, its much better than 4 laps round a coned circuit imo.
 
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I've just been offered 5 laps of a track in the South, in a 430 for £140. That doesn't seem too awful value to me when you consider the required insurance/running costs of these things for track work.

Hiring one is even worse value. You're better off buying one, running it for a month and then selling it on for what you paid for it, perhaps minus an oil change. What do you mean you can't afford it?
 
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Nozzer said:
I've just been offered 5 laps of a track in the South, in a 430 for £140. That doesn't seem too awful value to me when you consider the required insurance/running costs of these things for track work.

Hiring one is even worse value. You're better off buying one, running it for a month and then selling it on for what you paid for it, perhaps minus an oil change. What do you mean you can't afford it?

Is that mates rates or public rates, sounds good to me, any details to share ?
 
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Sequoia said:
Don't try an Elise. You'll need surgery (or a fire crew with cutters) to get out. :D

Personally, the 355 is one of my favourite all-time cars. It's stunningly eye-catching, beautifully built, decently quick, comfortable and easy to drive, and I haven't seen a Ferrari since the 355 that I'd rather have.

For me, it's a metallic blue Spider. All you need then is Californian weather. :D

someone tried to argue with me the other day, saying that the 355 looks dated and out of place. what complete rubbish. the 355 has been my fav for years, now its closely followed by the f430 spider :]

oh, and yellow please :D
 
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Morba said:
someone tried to argue with me the other day, saying that the 355 looks dated and out of place. what complete rubbish. the 355 has been my fav for years, now its closely followed by the f430 spider :]

oh, and yellow please :D
One evening last week, I saw a 355 parked between two 430s. The 355 does look a little dated next to the brand new cars, but it also looks a lot more beautiful. And small, like Ferraris should be.
 
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355 will always be one of my fav cars ever, i even like the 348.

For me ferrari's of old are better than the newer cars, for example i have more respect for the F40 than i will ever have for the Enzo.

Back OT, would love to do a F355 challenge session its deffo on my things to do list for the near future :)
 
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Firestar_3x said:
355 will always be one of my fav cars ever, i even like the 348.

For me ferrari's of old are better than the newer cars, for example i have more respect for the F40 than i will ever have for the Enzo.

Back OT, would love to do a F355 challenge session its deffo on my things to do list for the near future :)

A neighbour knows the dad of a professional driver, who apparently has invited my neighbour and some of his friends (that means me hopefully) to do a WHOLE day at a track with Ferrari's for £250. Now that would be mint..... :cool:
 
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The mrs got me a driving day thing for christmas i got it on sunday. Do you only get to do 4 laps in the ferrari? I gotta go some where near oxford for mine i believe cant remember name :o
 
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was this the one you drove? i was meant to, but when i arrived they swapped it for a standard 355 which I thought was a bit cheeky. They also advise £20 for insurance waiver which is a total con they did not let me rev the ferarri 360 over 6k and said if I spun it I would have to come in! I enjoyed myself but its a con frankly and not an experience they make it out to be but a good way of making them loads and loads of money!

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Dup

Dup

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I'm doing a rally day at Seton Ross near York on the 11th.

They do full in car instruction for half a day via radio, no sitting around being tol dhow to do it out of the car. I also get to drive an RS2000 by the looks of things.

Their website

Hopefully they live up to this ethos as it could be a lot of fun for £99!
 
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R5Rich said:
The mrs got me a driving day thing for christmas i got it on sunday. Do you only get to do 4 laps in the ferrari? I gotta go some where near oxford for mine i believe cant remember name :o

Depends on the price she paid. If it was around £119 then it'l be 4 to 6 laps (read 4 laps really) depending on how busy your venue is.

Also m8, its on;y really by the fourth lap that you really get to stretch its legs. The 1st lap is all about the clutch and gearbox, the second is all about the track layout, the third is about building speed and the fourth you feel a rush of confidence. I could have done with another four laps on top at least really.
 
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Soldato
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thepharcyde said:
was this the one you drove? i was meant to, but when i arrived they swapped it for a standard 355 which I thought was a bit cheeky. They also advise £20 for insurance waiver which is a total con they did not let me rev the ferarri 360 over 6k and said if I spun it I would have to come in! I enjoyed myself but its a con frankly and not an experience they make it out to be but a good way of making them loads and loads of money!

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Thats the one!

I agree about the experience. I wouldn't have paid the £20 quid either if I knew that also. That said he did tell me off twice for "agressive driving". I mean I thought balls to it, we paid good money for this I'm gonna rev the thing.... ;) I didn't get anywhere close to spinning it.

Its not what I was hoping for. Then again they are expensive cars and they don't want them written off at a rate of 1 a week ! But BruntingThorpe has a 2 mile, 60 metre wide straight......WHY OH WHY didn't they let me use it. Coned chicanes everywhere......bah!
 
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