[E92Fan]

It is that time again that I start planning my 'Ring trips for this year. After the big trip last Summer, I received a lot of messages from both newbies and seasoned forum members asking to join in for the 'Ring trips this year.

So I'm now officially inviting forum members to join up and come along for what I promise will be an epic weekend of driving and apres-drive shenanigans.

This first trip will take part over the Easter long weekend - departing on Thursday 1 April and coming back late Monday evening (5 April).

The opening times of the 'Ring over those days is excellent - 8am - 7:30pm everyday

We are planning to take wives/girlfriends/partners along for the trip too, as some of the girls really want to come along. So don't feel that it's just a boys' weekend away - if you can't get a pass alone, bring the boss too !!


Sooooo.....

• Depart - Thursday 01 April, return Monday 05 April

• Eurotunnel crossing - 14:50 going out, 20:50 coming back. Cost at the moment is £91 return - click here for the booking link

• Staying at your own choice of hotel - examples are the Mercure Hotel in Koblenz, where the majority of us have stayed in the past, the Hotel Am Tiergarten, which is right at the 'Ring, the Burgstube Hotel, or the Giffels Goldener Anker where Steve, Paul and others stayed last year
  
  
  Currently, the Mercure has a special offer for a either a twin room or a double room, including breakfast - for €69 Euros per night !! That's an AMAZING deal

• 'Ring tickets - these are available on site from the ticket hut. Ticket costs vary, depending on how many you buy... basically, the more the cheaper, up to the €1095 Unlimited Annual Pass.
  
  1 lap = €22
  4 laps = €75
  8 laps = €145
  15 laps = €250
  25 laps = €390

• Photos - again can be arranged by Jochen@Frozenspeed.com for €75 per car if there's a group of us wanting pics. If you don't want pics, no problem

If you're interested, sign up below either by adding your name to the list or sending me a PM... I'll edit and add to this original post as we go along.


Those coming / serious interest -

Tony (E92Fan) - Booked Eurotunnel & Mercure Hotel
Tim (DerRing) - Booked Eurotunnel & Mercure Hotel
Steve (StevieHoops)
Matt (RagingKileak)
Marcel (Marcel B)
Marcel (Alpina B3 Lux)

[marcel b]

let's hope for good weather!!!

[E92Fan]

Originally Posted by marcel b

let's hope for good weather!!!

Are you coming? Are you going to stay with us in Koblenz?

[RagingKileak]

Serious interest. Will likely book tomorrow.

Matt

[Hoops]

Thanks for the text tonight big fella - and my answer is... "do bears shit in the woods!!??" - YES and thus count me in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope the weather will be kind to us that early in the season - guess you never know with the Ring micro-climate?? If i come alone or with a mate then i'll stay with the masses, if i come with the boss then we'll stay in our castle as per last trip!

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by STEVIEHOOPS

Thanks for the text tonight big fella - and my answer is... "do bears shit in the woods!!??" - YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will be good to meet you mate - we'll have you in a 135i by May lol!!

Matt

[Hoops]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

Will be good to meet you mate - we'll have you in a 135i by May lol!!

Matt

Be good to meet you too fella - and as for the 135i... you never do know and it wouldnt be a bad choice either!!!

Its gonna be a busy year at the Ring for me - with 2 e90 trips there and the Ring 100 in June - woohoo!!!

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by STEVIEHOOPS

Be good to meet you too fella - and as for the 135i... you never do know and it wouldnt be a bad choice either!!!

Its gonna be a busy year at the Ring for me - with 2 e90 trips there and the Ring 100 in June - woohoo!!!

I'll reserve May till I have experienced April lol.

As it happens, May is better for me but if I miss April and wish I had gone twice then there is no going back... Whereas with may I could maybe....

Matt

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

I obviously confirm my presence...! Looking forward a lot to another great week-end with the E90post gang.

This will probably be the first time I'll be able to test the modifications that are to be done in a bit more than 10 days February at Birds (LSD; M3 suspension components) in earnest.

Ring, roll on!!!

Alpina_B3_Lux

P.S. Tone, this time I'll most probably follow your advice and stay for the night...

[marcel b]

Originally Posted by E92Fan

Are you coming? Are you going to stay with us in Koblenz?

I've planned the weekend, seems my wife had some other plans that weekend. still planning to come though will stay in a hotel close to the ring though.

[SiKkBaSs]

Thanx for the text Tone. I would love to come to a ring trip just for the experience rather than taking me own car atm (plus it saves me a bit of cash!! ). I could negotiate paying whomever some petrol money and I myself covering expenses of hotel etc etc??

It's just before me having to prepare for exams etc so would be an awesome adventure and meeting the gang again before revising

Gives me a chance to sample all y'all motors too...




Would that be aight?



(I'd have to double check dates though)

[E92Fan]

Originally Posted by SiKkBaSs

Thanx for the text Tone. I would love to come to a ring trip just for the experience rather than taking me own car atm (plus it saves me a bit of cash!! ). I could negotiate paying whomever some petrol money and I myself covering expenses of hotel etc etc??

It's just before me having to prepare for exams etc so would be an awesome adventure and meeting the gang again before revising

Gives me a chance to sample all y'all motors too...




Would that be aight?



(I'd have to double check dates though)

Sounds like a good idea. Quite a few people have joined the trip as passengers with someone... We'll get a list going of who's coming then you can work it out from there

[E92Fan]

Paul (-Paul-) has just pointed out that the Eurotunnel prices are actually £91 and not £131 as I previously quoted.

Woohooo!

[RagingKileak]

Just looking at booking this now...

Where are all the usual suspects like Carl and Ed etc?

I can't imagine Tony and Steve will want a total noob with them the whole weekend... Tony gets pi££ed off enough with me texting him all the time!!

Matt

[Hoops]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

I can't imagine Tony and Steve will want a total noob with them the whole weekend... Tony gets pi££ed off enough with me texting him all the time!!

Matt

Neither of us would have any issues with newbies coming along fella - the more the merrier and its always a pleasure to witness the facial expressions of a Ring virgin whilst taking them out for their first ever lap!!!! Would be great to have you join the Ring Crew!!!

[E92Fan]

Originally Posted by STEVIEHOOPS

Neither of us would have any issues with newbies coming along fella - the more the merrier and its always a pleasure to witness the facial expressions of a Ring virgin whilst taking them out for their first ever lap!!!! Would be great to have you join the Ring Crew!!!

Couldn't have put it better myself!!

[marcel b]

Originally Posted by E92Fan

Paul (-Paul-) has just pointed out that the Eurotunnel prices are actually £91 and not £131 as I previously quoted.

Woohooo!

that is 3/4 of a tank of Fuel or a lot of beers

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by STEVIEHOOPS

Neither of us would have any issues with newbies coming along fella - the more the merrier and its always a pleasure to witness the facial expressions of a Ring virgin whilst taking them out for their first ever lap!!!! Would be great to have you join the Ring Crew!!!

hehe, well we will have to see - I am usually cool as a cucumber so we will have to see...

Though I may rage in the pub later!!!

Actually, I am really looking forward to it and I definately agree the more the merrier.

Tony, I am planning my upgrades today and getting quotes including the LSD from Birds.

Now then, can you help me out on this point which I must admit I just don't get...

IF I run the full 4XX+ upgrade path with downpipes, map, exhaust and so on which is currently where my head is... I reckon I will only get a couple of laps in at a time max and even that seems a way off to me right now.... but with regards to Oil Coolers..

An additional cooler is looking at £800 + fitted.

Would I be ok just to uprate the OEM one for a better aftermarket part?

Considering the sort of driving I feel I will do going forward it seems fine, but for the 'Ring, will something go tits up?

Matt

[Hoops]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

I may rage in the pub later!!!

You keep any "raging" to the privacy of your own hotel room please sonny jim!!

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

.... but with regards to Oil Coolers..

An additional cooler is looking at £800 + fitted.

Would I be ok just to uprate the OEM one for a better aftermarket part?

Considering the sort of driving I feel I will do going forward it seems fine, but for the 'Ring, will something go tits up?

Matt

I'm not Tony, but I know that he's running the ar design oil cooler and an additional Setrab core as replacement for the stock oil cooler. If you plan on tracking your car or even using the power the remap provides from time to time, I would definitely recommend adding an oil cooler to the mix. Otherwise the oil temps will rise very fast and you risk all kinds of damage (maybe not immediately, but in the long run) to the turbos and other components.

The easiest solution IMO is to add the ar design oil cooler; upgrading the stock oil cooler is also possible, but to maximise your cooling surface an additional oil cooler is the best solution in a first step IMO. The ar design one is currently sold in a group buy in the US section: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=337083 I've run with it for quite some time, and it has dropped the oil temperatures significantly. After two consecutive rounds on the 'Ring, the oil temp reached only slightly above 120, whereas before it was at least 10 degrees more. Also on longer highspeed Autobahn stretches the oil temp stays below 120, before it quickly rose higher than that.

Alpina_B3_Lux

[marcel b]

Originally Posted by Alpina_B3_Lux

I'm not Tony, but I know that he's running the ar design oil cooler and an additional Setrab core as replacement for the stock oil cooler. If you plan on tracking your car or even using the power the remap provides from time to time, I would definitely recommend adding an oil cooler to the mix. Otherwise the oil temps will rise very fast and you risk all kinds of damage (maybe not immediately, but in the long run) to the turbos and other components.

The easiest solution IMO is to add the ar design oil cooler; upgrading the stock oil cooler is also possible, but to maximise your cooling surface an additional oil cooler is the best solution in a first step IMO. The ar design one is currently sold in a group buy in the US section: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=337083 I've run with it for quite some time, and it has dropped the oil temperatures significantly. After two consecutive rounds on the 'Ring, the oil temp reached only slightly above 120, whereas before it was at least 10 degrees more. Also on longer highspeed Autobahn stretches the oil temp stays below 120, before it quickly rose higher than that.

Alpina_B3_Lux

hmmm... my temps rose easily to 140degrees in one lap, one hot days second lap will result in 150 degree and reduced power. This was before the installation of the power kit (additional radiator) In November, with temps of about 10degress C I still hit 135 degrees on a lap, eventhough cruising up Bergwerk because of a wet track. (no other mods at that time)
I will replace the existing oilcooler with the VK cooler with Setrab core. I hope this results in max 120 degrees, or 125 degrees on hot days. If not... then I have to get an additional cooler as well.

To be honest. The temps get an issue when you know the track well and you can push the car the whole lap. If I back of a bit, shift a bit earlier, the temps drop fast. For somebody who does not know the track, I do not expect a big issue with the temps, for sure not in April

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by marcel b

hmmm... my temps rose easily to 140degrees in one lap, one hot days second lap will result in 150 degree and reduced power. This was before the installation of the power kit (additional radiator) In November, with temps of about 10degress C I still hit 135 degrees on a lap, eventhough cruising up Bergwerk because of a wet track. (no other mods at that time)
I will replace the existing oilcooler with the VK cooler with Setrab core. I hope this results in max 120 degrees, or 125 degrees on hot days. If not... then I have to get an additional cooler as well.

To be honest. The temps get an issue when you know the track well and you can push the car the whole lap. If I back of a bit, shift a bit earlier, the temps drop fast. For somebody who does not know the track, I do not expect a big issue with the temps, for sure not in April

Thanks for both views.

I am currently feeling like the uprate is the sensible halfway house.

But then again, it could be a total waste of time too.

I will probably (realistically) never track this car again, or if I do, maybe once or twice.

My driving normally is pretty calm so I wouldn't expect too many problems to be honest... On the 'Ring, I strongly doubt I will push it unless LITERALLY Tony or one of you serious veterans is sat next to me giving me very clear encouragement and sharing your understanding of the track!

Tough choice, as it's a lot of money but of course, I would spend it rather than blow my car apart!

Matt