So what did you get for YOUR birthday?!

[Bob Roberts]

This is what my lovely wife bought me:

http://gtaexotics.ca/dev/the-ultimat...xperience.html

Best part is my Dad stepped up to co-pilot!

Turning forty wasn't bad at all

[EMSbyDay]

Sounds like a blast

[soundwave]

awesome

yet tough call

GTA Exotic Cars Available
Aston Martin Vanquish <---- kinda
Ferrari 360 F1<---- oh yeah
Ferrari 360 Spider <-- bitch basket
Lamborghini Gallardo<--- woah baby!
Porsche 911 turbo<----- schwing!
Viper SRT 10 <- kind of want
Acura NSX<--- yes but maybe when the others are civics
T-REX (G-2) <--- meh
Corvette C6 <--- maybe
427 Corbra Supercharged <---- not today

[Chops]

great idea for fathers day.......

EDIT: They will need a prybar to get my Dad`s ass outta the seat of that Shelby!

[Neb]

How was it overall? I mean once you get over the fact you're in the car, do you get to drive it faster than 60?

[Bob Roberts]

How was it overall? I mean once you get over the fact you're in the car, do you get to drive it faster than 60?

Don't know yet. They wait until there have been a few good rainstorms to wash the grit off the roads and then they start booking dates. If your day is rainy they reschedule. Everything else I know is on the website.

I do know that if you go stag they pair you up with someone else. You don't get a "chaperone". My Dad is going with me (He's turning 60 this year) so we are both marking milestone birthdays on a hell of a cruise.

As for speed? The route is 289 km through Caledon hills and onwards. With stops for driver and or car changes every half hour. 5 cars in the group. I think you get the chance twist them by the tail a bit.

[wparsons]

That's awesome! Last year I got an intro flight package for my birthday, this is definitely right up there with that!

[Aussy]

holy shit I got screwed! I got a blow job and a cake! I'll take the cars, thank you very much!

[OLD SKOOL]

please post pics when u have gone.

[Bob Roberts]

Finally went out and did it a couple weeks ago.

Wow! Not at all what I expected. Ended up driving 6 cars not 5:

C6 Corvette convertible (Automatic)

Dodge Viper SRT-10 (Incredibly powerful. Car has some heat dissipation issues in the cockpit, but still a blast)

Ferrari 360 Modena F1 (worst transmission ever)

Acura NSX Targa. (sweetest sounding exhaust ever!)

Brand new Lamborghini Gallardo (Wow)

550 HP Gemballa Porsche Turbo (oh my freaking god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) This is my fave.

The place is run on a shoestring, most of the cars were a bit beat up, but that didn't matter!

[Kooz]

Dodge Viper SRT-10 (Incredibly powerful. Car has some heat dissipation issues in the cockpit, but still a blast)

I know what you mean! I rented one in Las Vegas during SEMA one year. The transmission tunnel gets extremely hot, and if you're not careful when exiting, the side exhaust can give you a nice "ankle branding". Still didn't "slow me down" though.

[wparsons]

The place is run on a shoestring, most of the cars were a bit beat up, but that didn't matter!

Were most of the CEL's on? A guy on another forum did something like this, with the same cars and mentioned all the CEL's were on, and the cars were de-tuned because people kept crashing them.

[Bob Roberts]

Were most of the CEL's on? A guy on another forum did something like this, with the same cars and mentioned all the CEL's were on, and the cars were de-tuned because people kept crashing them.

Some were. Not the Lambo which was pristine. If the Porsche was detuned I'd be somewhat terrified of driving it at full bore. The Porsche was by far the quickest accelerating car there. Going 60 in second and then flooring it can give an unsuspecting passenger real whiplash! The Acura was amazing. Not as scary as the Porsche, but that exhaust note and handling were amazing. I am seriously thinking of buying an olser example as soon as Silverwheels insurance will cover it.

Lots of CEL's, stability control was off as well (this made the Porsche extra fun in the twisty's). The Ferrari was a big disappointment. MOstly due to the F1 paddle shift (garbage) but I also thought it was shitty they took out the original seats and put in Sparcos. I can understand why, but it still sucked. Add in the fact that the interior is horrible and the glove box would drop open on your leg at the slightest provocation.

The Corvette was nice for what it was, but it had no place among the rest of these cars due to the Slushbox.

And yes most of the cars had been in fender benders. Nothing that affects the experience though.

What I came away with from this was that these cars are NOTHING like you've imagined. They are raw, stiff, scary machines. I now understand why most people with these cars keep them in the garage 90% of the time.

[wparsons]

^^ I'd be shocked if stability control was actually off on any of those cars... having been in a newer 911 with stability control still on, its amazing just how far out you can hang the tail before the computer steps in. Even S4's let you step it out a bit before it comes to squish the fun.

I can't imagine why they replaced the ferrari seats with sparcos, I bet the original seats were more supportive than generic sparco seats any day of the week?

I was looking at NSX's on autotrader figuring they would be down in the $20k range, but even first model year cars are still like $30k. Kinda disappointing, 'cause I could buy a MUCH newer elise from the states for less money than an almost 30 year old honda, but they are fantastic cars!!

[Bob Roberts]

^^ I'd be shocked if stability control was actually off on any of those cars... having been in a newer 911 with stability control still on, its amazing just how far out you can hang the tail before the computer steps in. Even S4's let you step it out a bit before it comes to squish the fun.

I can't imagine why they replaced the ferrari seats with sparcos, I bet the original seats were more supportive than generic sparco seats any day of the week?

Why must you argue and dispute just about everything Will?

I'm the one who went out with this company on a $500 cruise. I've also worked in the Auto industry since I was 16 (40 now) and I know that the stability control is off when the button to turn it on or off is physically missing from the car(s) and the organizers have also warned us that it is turned off.

As for the seats. They were removed so that the originals wouldn't get damaged, making it easier to unload the car when they finally sell it (with the pristine original seats returned to the car).

If you don't believe anything I've said, shell out the money and take the tour yourself.

[Lava_A3]

Why must you argue and dispute just about everything Will?

.....

Welcome to the club...

[Bob Roberts]

Welcome to the club...

It wouldn't be so bad if he was actually right more than he is wrong.

[Chops]

[Lava_A3]

===== QUOTE Lava_A3 ====

Welcome to the club...

===== /QUOTE ====



It wouldn't be so bad if he was actually right more than he is wrong.

QFT. I put this in my sig right now if I wasn't on BB

Posted from my BlackBerry using BerryBlab

[wparsons]

It wouldn't be so bad if he was actually right more than he is wrong.

The guy on another forum was told TC was on, and all the cars were de-tuned. So one of you was told a tall tale by the owner. Given the nature of the business, I would tend to believe they were all de-tuned with TC locked on. There would be no point to removing the button if they wanted TC off, the only point would be to stop someone from turning it off.

Good point on the seats, I was only thinking about how supportive and comfy they would be. Mint Ferrari seats must be worth a small fortune on their own.

[Bob Roberts]

The guy on another forum was told TC was on, and all the cars were de-tuned. So one of you was told a tall tale by the owner..

I don't give a shit what some guy I've never met has to say.I also think that I have a shitload more driving experience than most people, albeit not these types of cars.
I am not saying I am a better driver than most people, but I know the difference between a car that has the traction control on and one that doesn't. Most of them did not. Diagnosing a flaky traction control module is pretty easy when you've done it on a regular basis for almost ten years as part of your job

As for why they weren't turned on? They were broken and the place either can't afford, or chooses not to part with the cash to fix it. You have to realize that this place was running mostly hitters.

The NSX had permanently popped up headlights and a Momo shift knob that would come off in your hand if you weren't careful. No traction control here, not sure they came with it in 1995.

The Porsche as mentioned earlier, was MISSING the Porsche stability control controls (nice hole in the dash).

The Ferrari transmission was horrible. So horrible that we suspected it was waay FUBAR and not just horrible as reported on Top Gear and in other media. It was also interesting to watch the flaming backfires as we followed it at modest speeds inside Milton.

The Viper had every single warning light on the Dash lit, a non functioning fuel gauge and NO Traction Control.

The Corvette was pristine as was the Lamborghini.

Now the defects in these vehicles were significant, but they never had a chance of diminishing the experience for anyone that had never experienced these kinds of cars before. Sure someone who drives these every day might be a bit miffed, but no-one in our group knew any better. Were they "de-tuned"? Maybe. Probably. Who cares? Every person that ponied up their money the day we went had a fantastic time. Some had a life changing experience.

Would I do it again? No. It is an experience that opens your eyes in a big way and for myself, it points me in the direction of renting a race car for a track day or something similar.

Would I recommend it to a fellow car enthusiast who has never driven anything like one of these? Hell yes. Incredible bang for the buck!

The only way you'll know for sure is to put your money where your mouth is and take the tour. Until then, STFU Parsons.

[Bob Roberts]

Oh, and before I forget, thanks for pissing on my parade asshole.

When you turn 40 give me a call and tell me what you did so I can pick the shit apart and try and diminish your experience. Whatever it is.

I'd call you a know it all, but you don't know shit. I bet you STILL think a MK3 TDI has to have the ECU flashed you arrogant pillock

[RazKal]

I may not agree with Will sometimes but the owners were just pulling your leg and the traction control was on and the reason why the switches were taken out, were because they couldn't be turned off by the customers. You have to be out of your mind as a business owner letting customers drive powerful cars with the traction control defeated. THE REASON why the owners told you that the traction control was off (using reverse psychology) is that you would be more careful in not pushing the car as supposed to thinking you have a safety net.

I do have experience driving exotics having driven a F430 in SPORT mode (standard mode for all first time customers) at the Las Vegas Speedway infield track for 8 laps as fast as I could push it with the short experience I had. So if they do not defeat the traction control on a car on a race track with an instructor next to you...they definately won't do that with the experience you had.

[Bob Roberts]

Hey i agree. Nonetheless the two cars were not running with functional traction cpontrol.

[Lava_A3]

...
The only way you'll know for sure is to put your money where your mouth is and take the tour. Until then, STFU Parsons.

QFT and Repped!!!

[dubonic possesion]

good to hear you had a fun time bob, for anyone interested i highly recomend the "richard petty driving experience" if anyones near a nascar track that offers it. I'm NOT a nascar fan but had the chance to do this about 4 years ago, and have to admit it was a blast booting around lowes motor speedway, at 120mph.

[Zuber Speed]

Sounds like the reason why TC was off was because the cars might have been in fender benders and the company didnt want to diagnose whats causing the TC to not work

Similar to VWs if the speed sensor,abs sensor, lateral impact sensor or clockspring is fubar'd

Id love to do something like this anyway