A chance to drive an Aston Martin for a day

[NewportLife]

Aston Martin is giving away an opportunity (http://www.roadandtrack.com/racing/motorsports/24-hours-of-rapide) to drive one of their cars for 24 hours.

This is really cool! I already entered and hope to win.

I am wondering though, are there other places/manufacturers that allow one to drive exotic cars for relatively little money?

Not all of us have money but all of us have dreams!

[fizzbitt]

Aston Martin is giving away an opportunity (http://www.roadandtrack.com/racing/motorsports/24-hours-of-rapide) to drive one of their cars for 24 hours.

This is really cool! I already entered and hope to win.

I am wondering though, are there other places/manufacturers that allow one to drive exotic cars for relatively little money?

Not all of us have money but all of us have dreams!

Would be an experience for sure.. just don't smash it when you do. lol

[Matra et Alpine]

For others who jump to the link given ....

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia

We get these offers quite often here.
Mostly it's a road experience with maybe 10-15 mins on a closed circuit short track with "instructor".
All about attracting potential buyers :)
We had last one for the Evora called off because of rain --- well it IS Scotland :(


Definately always worth putting an entry in for stuff like this. Mum taught me "if you dont ask, you dont get" :) I do at every chance --- thus why I found this one was USofA only :(

[Man of Steel]

In the Netherlands, recently there was an item in the news regarding the hire of powerfull exotic cars.

Most of the drivers were either unexperienced or unprepared of handling the surplus amount of horses under the hood.

As a result many of these hired cars are involved in accidents.

[Matra et Alpine]

^^^ good point, these events usually include an introductory "lectrure" and a drive in a "boring" car where they detemrine your driving skill. If you dont pass basic grade you dont get out in the big one :)

[crisis]

As much as I would love to drive one I don’t know if I could give it back… When contemplating the last three of my cars I refused to drive them until I was sure I could do the deal. I don’t subscribe to the “better to have loved and lost..” theory. That other cliché applies I rekon. If you really want to hurt someone give them something they absolutely love and then take it away. I guess I’m a bit of a glass half empty guy…. If it were a Porsche or a Ferrari I rekon I could handle it more. An Aston or a Lambo would be too cruel. Ironic huh?

[Matra et Alpine]

I think if you go in with the mindset that you are going to have fun rather than compare for purchase then it makes it bearable :)

When in buying mode, for sure only try cars you can afford !!!

[pimento]

I'm terrible, I usually do a lot of deliberation over the ads then buy the first one I test.

[Ferrer]

I'm terrible, I usually do a lot of deliberation over the ads then buy the first one I test.
Maybe you should wait until you've tested all the cars.

Try it, next time.

[pimento]

Maybe you should wait until you've tested all the cars.

Try it, next time.

Naww, it's fun to jump to conclusions! Besides, this way I have an excuse to change it up every year.

[Ferrer]

Naww, it's fun to jump to conclusions! Besides, this way I have an excuse to change it up every year.
Mmmm interesting, may as well try it myself.

Tell me more.

[Matra et Alpine]

I bought the Alpine A610 by the second corner of a "drive to see what I thought of it" :)
Fortunately country sales manager was a "mate" !!

I test drove am RX-8 just to "drive a rotary" and said to the salesman it was nice but the handling too soft for me. Within couple of days he had a PZ with the ProDrive suspension and again I bought it in my head on the second corner - whcih was mid drift on a roundabout :)

I'm a terrible compulsive buyer of performance/fun cars ! Anyone want a Matra - you can take your pick ????

[pimento]

Mmmm interesting, may as well try it myself.

Tell me more.

You.. change your transportation approximately yearly. If finances allow it.

[crisis]

I bought the Alpine A610 by the second corner of a "drive to see what I thought of it" :)
Fortunately country sales manager was a "mate" !!

I test drove am RX-8 just to "drive a rotary" and said to the salesman it was nice but the handling too soft for me. Within couple of days he had a PZ with the ProDrive suspension and again I bought it in my head on the second corner - whcih was mid drift on a roundabout :)

I'm a terrible compulsive buyer of performance/fun cars ! Anyone want a Matra - you can take your pick ????
Well buying cars for the likes of us is like buying shoes for chicks. They are mostly objects of love, purely emotional buys. :)

This is why I never try before I know I can buy. Being a sale person I am a prick of a buyer though. At least I think that’s the reason. Maybe I’m just a prick. :D

Anyhow my most recent purchase, my CV8 Monaro, I had get my head in the “prick of a buyer” mindset. With most major purchasers (yeah right, just about anything other than beer) I research it then venture out and take a look. By this time I have little use for sales people.

My original idea this time was to look at the most recent VE SSV Commodore Redline that was on offer for a pretty good price new. I did all the bank applications first and stopped by a dealership near the end of the approval process to have a look. I was offered a drive but turned it down. As it turned out I didn’t want to commit to the repayments.

So I turned to plan B which was a pristine 2003 onwards Monaro. I always had wanted one but I need low ks and I wanted it to be as good as new as I have to use it for my daily “repmobile” for the next 4 or so years. The first few I saw indicated that my expectations may be beyond reality as they were pretty representative of 7 year old cars. Another desire was for it to be black which narrowed the field a bit.

I actually looked at the one I purchased because of the low ks (44000) but was pretty amazed at the condition. Right down to the rims. 7 years and not a scratch. It starts to indicate the car has been looked after. Even then I left it to check another two I had on the list. I remember at the time thinking “what are you doing, there hasn’t been anything approaching that as far as condition.” Well by the next day my decision was made. I rekon if I hadn’t been programmed into “prick buyer mode” I would have given him a deposit there and then. So there ya go.

[NewportLife]

So, what I’m reading is that this is a pretty unique opportunity (with good reason!), and I would be very fortunate to win.

It's not everyday that we get to drive these exotic cars, let alone buy one. If someone gave me the key to one, I'd take it in a heart beat. I'm crossing my fingers and wait to see if I could win this.

I just hope that other manufacturers will see the benefits so that it'd give us a chance to experience the thrill of driving amazing cars. Like some of you have said, “just to try it” often turns into “have to have it – now.”

[philipstanton]

but what do people reckon, it is worth it for just 15 mins?

[Matra et Alpine]

of course it is.

Even just one lap in a race Radical was worth the hours of negotiation it took :)

What else would you do with those 15 mins ? --- EXACTLY --- :)

[ML909]

It is definitely worth testing a car out - even if you can't afford to buy it is worth it just for the experience. 15 minutes in an Aston Martin is better than nothing!! I had the pleasure to rent a convertible Aston Martin in Paris last summer for my brothers wedding - it was a DB9 Volante and although we only had the car for a few hours, it was an amazing experience. I don't think I'll be able to afford to buy one for myself for quite some time but it certainly gave me a taste for it! I would love to hire one to drive at Nürburgring some time... anyone tried it?

[philipstanton]

Well if you fancy driving the Ring, be warned - general hire car companies like Avis and Hertz forbid use on the Nürburgring and have ways of finding out if you have broken their agreement. They will make you pay the full cost of any damage incurred on the Ring, or will (apparently) will charge a penalty even if you do not have an accident. The rumour is that they employ spotters to report the use of any hire car on the Ring.

[Matra et Alpine]

^^^ yep :) use one of the 'ring rental companies for a car and then it's correctly insured too :)