Stafford activity centre-driving experience day

wobblegobble

Has anyone ever been to Stafford Activity centre at Seighford for a driving experience day? My wife has bought me a Ferrari/Lamborghini driving experience from Treatme.net for Christmas and the reviews I am reading are very mixed to say the least.

Are there any other tracks you would recommend in the Midlands? Bruntingthorpe or Prestwold Hall are other options I think.

Thanks

captainawsome

I have one booked for march. I got it as a birthday gift, it was bought from groupon. They seemed like a very professional organisation when I phoned to make the booking but other than that I will not know what the actual experiance is like until match 10th.

Oh and Have a search of YouTube, I think there are a couple of videos on there, looks quite good.

grizzly1911

I had one for a Birthday present last year. It was two supercars, a four wheel drive "experience" and "chauffered" laps in an Elise.

It is on an oval track somewhere around a mile long, basically you floor it as much as they allow you (based on their rapid appraisal of you), fast enough perhaps, down the straight, brake turn and the same on the return leg.

Think you have six laps in each, you can pay for additional laps on the day in other available cars for a bout £60/70 a go. I added an R8.

There are perhaps 6 cars going in rotation but they tend to keep you spaced apart and they will let you overtake, if it is safe. I certainly didn't feel held back. Have driven for 30years plus in all sorts of cars and am happy to go fast doing something like this.

I think it was 3 chauffered laps where the experienced driver just went hell for leather, if this isn't included you can buy it on the day, if you want.

A friend of mine, who has done track days says it is on a par with other "taster" events he has done around the country.

One thing I was surprised at was how many people were there but they certainly kept it all flowing.We had a dry day with sunshine.

I am now looking at doing something "bigger".

I was sceptical, when I couldn't find the "track" on Google earth but I enjoyed the "day" and happy with the present:):):)

wba31

My father in law had a day here, which i took him to. Personally, I wouldnt have spent the money on this place, it very much seemed like a "get as many people driving as possible" place, little interest in the whole experience, allowing the driver to be photographed in the car etc. My FIL loves Aston Martin, so his experience was to be in DB7. We asked if I could take a photo of him in the car and was refused, I know people who have been to other organisations, Silverstone if I remember rightly, where they allow things like that.

So he drove the DB7, just 6 laps in a circle, he was told to hold back for 3 of them, he then drove an Focus ST (the Evo 8 he was booked to drive, and wanted to drive, was not available!) and then finally he had the 4X4 experience! he would have been better off taking his wife's saxo round a field, they simply drove him round a little dirt track in a battered old Nissan Terrano.

My wife asked if i wanted to have an experience there, I said no, if I'm gonna drive a nice car, I wanna savour it, wanna be photographed in the car and not from 25 foot away...

sillygoose

I did it and enjoyed it a lot, did the hand brake turn bit in a Clio with a big handbrake lever on a tiny circuit, good fun but held up by too many terrified people! .. the nice instructor let me have a couple of extra laps to make up for it.

I then did Mitsubishi Evo's and Subaru Imprezza's. The size of the track was a bit of a shock - up a length of old airfield bend then back down. A lot of people go for the fastest Lamborghini's and Ferrari's but with the size of track and traffic there isn't much point as you won't get a chance to use a fraction of their ability. The Evo and the Scooby were more than quick enough, as mentioned the instructors are quick to size you up and I was soon overtaking exotic cars with nearly twice the power. I would say go for the Ferrari etc if you want to just experience driving one, but go for the cheaper Evo and have more laps, more fun as you improve quickly each laps its gone all too soon!

They do keep you moving, well organised with people with clipboards and lists calling out for people to keep the flow. I had to go alone which was a bit dull as there is a fair amount of waiting time, its so much better if you can take others to share it. Bacon rolls on site are good.

Its worth being on time, it started early but seeing all the cars arrive and line up on the paddock is brilliant.

oscarward

I did one with another organisation at stratford on avon, bought it for the wife as a pressie then decided to join in as well.

Had a couple of laps in a subaru with an instructor driving and then in an Aston Martin Vantage.

Bit of a let down to be honest, 4 laps to get the feel of the car on a cross shaped track so never more than 200 yards straight before a 90 deg bend , then the last 2 laps I could ignore two of the bends so I got 400 yds of straight. Wahooo!

I never felt I was pushing the car at all and whilst it was nice to drive an Aston I felt it was an £80 test drive.

Still I've got an Jag XF now so it's almost as good

marlot

I've done a few of these days.

The one I rated best (no limits, great instructors, timed laps) was http://www.palmersport.com/

Hodge4ever

sillygoose wrote: »

The size of the track was a bit of a shock - up a length of old airfield bend then back down.

+1, the size of the track was a big shock, you couldn't get up too much speed, good for the Impreza\Evo but not much use in the more exotic stuff.

When I went it was busy but well organised. One of the cars broke, however a replacement was quickly sourced.

grizzly1911

Hodge4ever wrote: »

+1, the size of the track was a big shock, you couldn't get up too much speed, good for the Impreza\Evo but not much use in the more exotic stuff.

When I went it was busy but well organised. One of the cars broke, however a replacement was quickly sourced.

Depends what people want and what experience they have.

The Supercars would pitch up to 90 or more on the straight under fast acceleration admittedly in 3rd and a couple from 2nd overtaking but I would expect that would be more than most punters want at this type of event. A lot of the punters will not be petrol heads and probably wouldn't want to be throwing these cars round much faster.

I don't think the Aston is suited to this type of event and if you want to savour it then hire one for the day.

I have been looking at longer/fuller "driving experiences" since and they are considerably more expensive.

Yes it isn't very MSE but compared to a day at the spa....

wobblegobble

Thanks for all the replies. Mixed messages as I found on other forums! Will just have to go for myself and see what it's like.......

grizzly1911

wobblegobble wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. Mixed messages as I found on other forums! Will just have to go for myself and see what it's like.......

Let us know how you get on.