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  1. #11
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    I did Subaru's one at Gerotek a few years ago. Obviously in this case it caters more for AWD. What was interesting is that they gave you the option to use their car, or your own. I used my own car.

    Think I need to do it again though, it was fun, and to keep the skills honed...

    My Wife organised it as a birthday gift at the time. She tagged along, and took a few photos. This one is probably still my favorite photo of my WRX.


  2. #12
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    Dec 2015
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    Best to check with your insurance first, but they generally cover you for advanced driver training on a track, as long as there's no timing/racing involved.

  3. #13
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    Oct 2017
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    I think it would be risky using your own car. In my case, the insurance is pretty specific about ‘track’ use. Granted, it’s not a timed event, but I wouldn’t want to test the interpretation of the policy wording. The other thing, as in the case of BMW, is that they are very specific on their warranty terms about using the car outside of ‘normal’ use. Again, I’d rather not test this.

    What irks me is that all the marketing shows these are designed for performance use, but the warranty forbids it. I get that they want to limit risk, but come on...

  4. #14
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    May 2014
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    Quote Originally Posted by thereaper View Post
    Who has done some? Which ones, and was it worth it?

    I am very seriously considering the BMW course, mainly because I drive one, and you get to drive an M3...

    I am pretty sure my insurance does not allow me to drive my car on a track, so driving my own car is not really an option, but whatever couse I do, it has to be a rear wheel drive car.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated.

    Note that although I live in Cape Towns and would prefer to do a good course here, Gauteng is also an option as I travel there rugularly.

    Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk
    I was a BMW Advanced Driving Instructor for a short while around 08-09 at Kyalami. For the average driver it's a nice way to experience how a car feels when it's doing different things, and to gain the knowledge of why it is doing those things and the basic techniques to either avert, counter or even induce the characteristic.

    Now I chose my words wisely as while it is insightful, it's not really that practical. The reason I say this is because yes you will have an idea of what, where, when and how in reality you're still at the start line. If you look at it using a firearms analogy you have completed your proficiency training. So the ground work is there it just needs to be built on.

    IMO if someone is serious about learning car control I think an Advanced Driving Course is a great start point, but once that is done attending a few track days (I will sound like a brand snob here, but the BMWCCSA track days are the best, and have groups catered to all driving experience / car types as well as they often have instructors / seasoned drivers very willing to let you have a ride in the passenger seat, or take a ride with you to help). I think once you have the basic skillset down and especially if you drive a RWD car is to try find someone who drifts, or better yet try it out. As a Sport i'm not that interested in it, but from a car control stand point nothing I know allows you to feel how car control can be manipulated and more so it's easy to spot/feel the driver manipulations, as opposed to driving on a circuit as the vehicle control inputs are usually a lot smaller and smoother.

    ITO your car on the track, I did it and a few others also did it and still do it. Is if you attend a track day cover up your license plates (or remove them), as well as your license disc and vin. I'm not sure if the new cars still have unique ID numbers on the glass but I used to just throw some tape over that too.

    Never had a days problem. My last suggestion is take it slow, be incremental and if you find that you are getting up to the point that you're pushing over 8/10th's. I suggest looking at getting a second car or a car you can afford to bend, because if you haven't had an off you're not pushing hard enough.

    Some background on my driving. Raced Karts growing up, built fairly decent e30 box BMW got into track days with that, from there I progressed to Super Saloons Reigional Racing where I raced another e30 but with 400hp e46 M3 Motor, and 260/290 slicks, widebody etc, I also raced a few races in the old National Pro Tour Series - Altech GT Challenge as a stand in driver in a ex Le Mans Porsche 993 RSR. Unfortunatley the costs of racing are out of this world (at least the series/car I drove), and it slowly peterd out. I eventually sold my last "fast"car in pieces 3 years back, and used a fair amount of the money to purchase some firearms to get into Sport Shooting.

  5. #15
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    Dec 2015
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    Stevin, what would the purpose be of covering the identifying marks on your car when attending a track day? So the insurance don't know you were there?

  6. #16
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    Jul 2013
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    Stellenbosch
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    @Stevin, thanks for the info. My reason for wanting to do the course is 50/50 fun/have a better understanding where the limits are, and to have at least some experience in what to do when you go behond those limits. Although I would love to take part on track days, there is no way I will be doing something like that with my own car.

  7. #17

    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    It is alot of fun

    I did the VW course at Kyalami and Advance driving road and 4x4 at Gerotech

    I would suggest go for the one that you drive daily

    RWD - BMW/Mercedes
    FWD - VW
    AWD - Subaru

    You learn alot and yes you get to rip it up. We had a fun bunch of guys in our group

  8. #18
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    Oct 2017
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    For in case the MotorPlan Police shows up. There are agents amongst us...

  9. #19
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    Quote Originally Posted by Acajou View Post
    Stevin, what would the purpose be of covering the identifying marks on your car when attending a track day? So the insurance don't know you were there?
    Above reply to this quote. Grrrrr

  10. #20
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    May 2014
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    Default Re: Advanced driving course

    Quote Originally Posted by Gbyleveldt View Post
    For in case the MotorPlan Police shows up. There are agents amongst us...
    Quote Originally Posted by Gbyleveldt View Post
    Above reply to this quote. Grrrrr
    Yep, thats exactly it. They would never touch the car or attempt to remove the covered up bits either. It's not like they stand out, heard of a few guys get nabbed by BMW at events I was at. You would never even know they are there.

    Quote Originally Posted by thereaper View Post
    @Stevin, thanks for the info. My reason for wanting to do the course is 50/50 fun/have a better understanding where the limits are, and to have at least some experience in what to do when you go behond those limits. Although I would love to take part on track days, there is no way I will be doing something like that with my own car.
    Yeah, I hear you about the tracking your own car. One of my friends who was older and wiser than myself always used to say if you can't afford to scratch your car then you shouldn't be tracking it. Sadly i've seen it too many times where someone has bent their only car. There used to be a thought that if you crash it on track get a tow truck to drag it away onto a road somewhere... Foolish if ever i've heard of the term. A bent car at a track day ALWAYS somehow has video footage, and of course images of it posted everywhere.

    Good luck with the Advanced Driving Course, in particular i'm envious of the M3 drive. Haven't driven the new F80 but the purist in me shouts blasphemy at the FI, the Car Enthusiast in me shouts "this is gonna be good". Even if nothing is taken away from it, there is no doubt it's one of the better ways to use up time, guaranteed to make you smile.

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