[Closed] OT anybody bought their kids a driving experience?

Not a supercar experience but both ours had a young drive experience with motorsportvision driving a Mini at donnington (not on circuit) other venues also availiable IMO best amount of actual time behind the wheel at a fraction of the cost

Passenger laps are going to be amazing but will be over pretty quickly.
I bought my niece one a youth drive at Knockhill. Was only a Fiesta but she got loads of driving time and was going up and down the gears and turning circles. Don’t get anywhere near the track obviously but do get the actual experience of driving.
Often once you book one experience they start offering you discounted add ons to the day. Could maybe add in some track laps as well.

Bought Mrs Pondo an experience with a company called Car Chase Heroes, bit of a bargain through Wowcher or somesuch, expected very little but she really enjoyed it (especially the Huracan, ESPECIALLY the South African instructor - apparently she loves being told exactly what to do, which is the first I've heard 🙂 ), big choice of cars, very well organised, but not sure if they accomodate youngsters. Friends arranged an experience for their car-mad son at Silverstone and I know he enjoyed that, he'd have been a bit older than yours but I would imagine £££.

We got my son the young drive experience at Brands Hatch, which was excellent. He was 14 at the time I think - loads of actual driving time, on the track itself and up to 60mph. He was sooooo excited by it. They used Minis. Was really good value and he loved it...

Coniston Hotel in Skipton has a 4x4 course I think my son was 11 or so when he drove round it in a Mini Moke style vehicle with instructor and 2 adult passengers.

Go-Kart track would be another option.

Skid pan could be a hoot without going on a track. Seems to be a reasonable amount of driving time too

my eldest has now done three youngdrivers sessions, and loves them. She is now 14 and desperate to start driving our car.

My daughter is T1 diabetic, and as part of local T1 group who organise events for teenagers, she has done both the Brands Hatch Mini driving and the Mercedes 4x4 off road experience at Brooklands and had a great time.

Go-karting?

Back before he could drive, my son did
- a driving sports car experience - round a carpark - crap (can't remember who with)
- an offroad Range Rover experience - ok, but the instructor was a miserable git
- a rally experience in a Ford KA - Excellent, recommended ( http://www.silverstonerally.co.uk)
- a supercar experience day - pretty good, great cars , over quick. - (www.everymanracing.co.uk)

Thanks for the info everyone. Might have found the package. Looking at a 30 minute driving lesson in a mini cooper s followed by 3 mile supercar experience (over quickly I know). Apparently you can add additional laps/cars on the day.

Reviews for PSR Experience look good so might try them.

Go karting is a good shout if he's not done it before, it's a lot more fun than the other options even though it can sound less impressive.

Prepared to get flamed….

Really? This place is Pistonheads for remainers.

Seriously give karting a consideration. I'm sure the driving experiences are great but karting is a genuine motorsport that 12 year olds can compete in.

He's done a fair bit of go karting. Time to progress onto something bigger.

Love the Pistonheads reference!

Rallying.

Always, always pick rallying.

A 'supercar' experience will be a very short number of laps in a completely clapped out old Lambo/911 driven by someone who is bored out of their head, wont rev it out, round a course of cones on an old airfield. It is no co-incidence that so many people are dissapointed by them (as passengers or the driver).

Rally days, are flipping awesome. I'll take a Vauxhall Astra, fully lit, banging off the limiter, on the gravel, over the above 'sueprcar' experience all day. Most rally schools have good reputations and are great fun, it'll last longer, feel way more exciting and different to what they are used to sitting in the back of Dads cars etc.

Edit - the above applies whether we are talking about a passenger ride, or as a driver.

If you can find a rally school that will let kids have a go - that would be the ultimate!

Most of the supercar driving experiences have a section for juniors.
Eldest was 12 at the time, he had a 1 hour driving lesson in a Corsa at Exeter racecourse in the morning which was only the second time he had driven a car * then drove a Lambo and Ferrari in the afternoon at Smeatharpe in East Devon.
At that age its more of a yes I drove a supercar moment than anything as it was all very tame, but he had a few fast laps in a Holden V8 , where the guy was ragging the shit out of it. I think that was the best bit for him.

* he got my Wildtrak up to 70mph on Berrow beach early one morning 🙂

I worked at one at North Weald Airfield. Sadly gone under due to Covid but I would say that it was a great experience for kids. The only limit we had was height because if they were way too short they could not reach the pedals.

Most kids really enjoyed it. I would also say it helps if you had a good instructor. Some of ours were really really good, one or two were absolutely dire.

Beware the add ons.

Mercedes world is ace for this. My 13 yo did a driving experience but there were loads of add on you can do plenty of AMGs to choose from.
Bit of a museum as well and free to get in so good for a few hours fun.

A word to the wise,

If you're planning on him driving rather than passengering, many supercars are notoriously difficult to drive even for otherwise experienced drivers.

It might be worth checking with the venue ahead of booking for their recommendations. They might have age or licence requirements for a given experience also?

Most of the supercar driving experiences have a section for juniors.

This - They won't let them drive cars they're not capable of driving.

Edit – the above applies whether we are talking about a passenger ride, or as a driver.

Must say, the fleet of cars everyman racing had were top notch. 3 different MacLarens, at least 5 Lambos, 4 Astons etc.... I was impressed and cars are the last thing I'm interested in! I think my lad was 17 then, so probably not applicable to a nipper. The sample (driven) lap was in a M class Beemer and you could tell from the passengers' faces that it wasn't dull. Well, you could also see the guy accelerate away from the waiting area faster than all the supercars. 🙂

My lad had an awesome time at Elvington a couple of years ago booked with Everyman.

He got to drive a Nissan GTR and a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. He also got a ride in a 'performance saloon' (M3) included and a passenger lap in an Atom that I paid extra for.

He really enjoyed the day. Both cars were auto and really easy to drive. The instructors were great in both cars and looked after him well. He got up to 80 or so in the GTR. I can't remember how many laps they got, but it was only a few. But CRUCIALLY he didn't feel short changed and neither did I. The GTR was a 'better' car in the opinion of a 12 year old but the Gallardo sounded better and felt more special to him. Probably to do with it being a convertible and having a noisier exhaust. He was an Xbox only driver before the day.

The drivers of the M3 and Atom were brilliant. Both cars accelerated away from the queues sideways and according to Matthew the stayed like that all the way around the circuit.

It was the perfect pressie for a car mad 12 year old. And nice to know that when he starts his driving lessons and his instructor asks what experience he has he can always talk about driving a Lamborghini! 🙂

My son and daughter both did the Admiral young drivers. Me and my son did the Supercars last year. A hoot.

I had a GTR, an atom, then an Aston.
The GTR was incredible and you could feel the systems stopping you killing yourself. The Atom was really hard work, no assistance and felt like you were driving on ice. The Aston was ok, but rattly, not that fast and had some cheap ford switch gear.

My son drove a GTR, McLaren and 911 GT3. He said the 911 was by far the best.

PS he was 20 and can drive

Two wheels, not four

http://www.chilternyoungriders.com/