CL55 AMG...Knockhill......should I or shouldn't I?

[silver CL55]

I've priced getting some private lessons then driving my own car around Knockhill circuit.

Lessons on an empty track from one of the professionals there, then "top marques day" with other cars over 10k.

Soooo......should I or shouldn't I, and if I do what problems might I encounter/cause?

Car has done around 70k, has full MBSH and is covered under an MB Tier 2 warrant (which does not cover me for racing/track days I know, but if I don't tell them?)

I would just like to be able to drive the car at it's limits for once, a track seems ideal but I wouldn't dream of trying it without lessons/instruction of some kind.:Oops:

What do you all think?, any racing experts here?

Colin.

 

[television]

Many enjoy going around the track at Benzworld in the AMG cars Colin, I am not sure if I would do that in my SL500,,I have done the skid pans in Sweden

 

[Bolide]

You can drive the car as hard as you want to - in other words, you don't have to drive like a maniac unless you want to

You have the ability to fry the tyres & brakes if you want to. You can also drive smoothly and not fry them - which do you want to do?

I'd take the car and learn an awful lot in a short space of time

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[simon_wall69]

Go for it! You'll have great fun. You might wear out some tyres and cook your brakes - but you've got a car built for being driven quickly so it would be a shame if you never gave it some on a track.

 

[ricky s]

I say go for it, I tracked my E55 in August, absolutly brillant day, I was all over the place first session, 2nd session with an instructor, and I then got faster and faster during the remaining sessions. My tyres came out in very good shape, but my brakes the next day were complaining, I believe that OEM brakes can glaze over given a hard time, (is that right?), put in at local MB to check, all ok according to them, and have done 100miles since and brakes are as good as ever, albeit I will be replacing the pads with EBC pads shortly. Used about 130 litres of fuel, to add to the cost of the day. Go and do it, and I would be amazed if did not want to go again after your first experience. I might add that I took out track day insurance for my first time out, £100 per day, and limited cover but it was peace of mind. That said I probaly would,nt bother next time, if it was run by the same organisers, as it was very well run, with no idiots out there.

 

[type49]

Has to be done!!! I'd agree with Ricky s. Go with an instructor, you will be surprized at what you will achieve given some pointers. I went round Castle Combe with Dave Coyne (used to race with Senna & Mansell) in a Mazda 323 basic road car & ended up leaving an M3 for dust!! Everyone thinks they can drive fast but when you are taught properly, you realise how slow you were to start with.

 

[turbopete]

do it! it has to be done, even if only once!!!

 

[SQ_W211]

You must give it go and explore the hidden powers of your CL

 

[dbean]

Go on give it some wellie as my gran used to say. Easy to say when it's not your car though.

Don't forget whatever you do you'll never be as fast as the quickest road car known to man. The Holiday Hire Car !!!

 

[harpersimon]

Do it but take care not to get giddy and run out of talent. Friend of mine just did similar at Oulton Park and came back with Grey barrier paint on the front.

..and the need for a front n/s upright, wing, lights, wheel....

 

[njkmr]

Do it and make sure you get someone to video the occasion so you can post it up on here for us to see .!!

Have a great day .

I have done a few in previous cars but not in my cl600 .

 

[Speedmaster]

I was at the Mercedes/AMG driving day at Knockhill in June and had an amazing time driving around in the demo cars with instructors. I posted on here all about it.

However I would not do it in my own AMG

 

[Setanta]

Took my CL around the Ring....was bored out of my mind.

They are too big and too heavy to throw around.

However, screaming down the autobahn at 155mph, steady as a rock, with only a bit of wind noise around the windows, I realised that this was precisely what the car was designed to do - cover huge distances at massive speed and in supreme comfort.