bluaz That's a pretty big ask to be honest
Sure I would consider making a tutorial, if I had to change a wheel bearing, but mine are still ok. I have had the rear ones off, and that was easy, and only one bolt holding it on. No need to use a puller or anything. If it is on the front, I would maybe not start there, if you haven't much experience in mending cars. Start with the easy stuff, and work your way up, and really use the great big internet for research! It's one of the biggest tools in my toolbox nowadays, that's for sure.
A3jeroen. Thanks for the tip.
The Pretender Yep, and I'm very happy to have one of them
Pandaactiveman Thanks, that was exactly my thoughts about it. Just enjoy the car, and get the best out of it and myself, and just have fun. And fun I had
It's been 8 days since I got home from my trip to the Nürburgring, and it seems like it was weeks ago already. I got bitten and I’ve become addicted (just as I knew I would be), and I can hardly wait for my next trip.
There were so many impressions to take in and so much adrenaline to burn off between drives, that it seemed like I was there for much longer than I actually was. I haven't had that feeling since I was a kid, and a summer seemed to last forever. Funny thing how time can stretch and bend when something exciting is happening to you.
I set off from Aarhus in the early hours Thursday morning, after a night of very little and very light sleep. I was a national holiday, so the roads were relatively free from traffic. I got an hours head start on the other six guys driving in four cars whom I was going with. I took it easy, and drove around 60mph, to get good fuel economy, and to save my money for laps on the ring. They caught up with me just in time for lunch and refueling, so that was perfect.
I reached the Nordschleife entry at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when it was closed down after an accident. I met up with the others, and we just went for a stroll looking at the all the nice cars there, and resting a bit after 10 hours of driving.
Suddenly a loud horn sounded and the track was declared “ab sofort geöffnet” - immediately open. A sort of excited panic arose and people started running in all directions. It looked like women running to get a pair of reduced shoes, when a shop opens it’s doors for a sale, except the ones running were fully grown men! They were running for their cars, to be first in the inevitably long fast forming que to go on the track. That gave us a good laugh, and we joined the fun and set off to get our cars too.
My plan was to get a drive as a passenger first, to get some impressions of the track, before releasing the bear
I chose to get a ride with the “slowest” cars in the little pack, and with a sensible driver, that I knew drove well, and wasn’t a "riskin’ it all" type of guy. He drives a 2014 320d chipped to 220bhp/million torques, and it’s pretty fast. It was on huge wheels with very low profile tires and hard lowering springs, but standard dampers. Not a good combo, so the rear end was bouncing all over the place.
I was more or less, well not in shock, but more amazed how tiny the track felt, compared to videos i've seen, and the games I drove it in. The corners were sharper, the distances shorter, and the track narrower - like it had shrunk 50%. What wasn’t so small though was the elevation changes, which were hugely bigger than I imagined. Needless to say, my mind struggled a bit with it all. The first lap made a huge impression, and It took me a good hour to burn of the adrenaline, and calm down again.
Here is the first lap - And yes, I’m the foolish looking bloke in the passenger seat
After that maiden round, I got a bit nervous, about taking the Panda out, and I was afraid that the suspension would be a rocking chair, and I would just go around with the indicator on all the time, letting people by.
I didn't get round to taking it out, as the driving for the day was suddenly over, and the ring closed down. After a good drive downhill with lots of hairpins and fun corners to Adenau, to get a bite to eat, it was getting late.
As I was the only one with no hotel room, I drove up to the track again, to transform the Panda into a motel for the night.
It was already dark, so I only searched for a good space to park for the night for half an hour or so. I didn't succeed, and just ended up on the huge grass parking spot by the nordschleife, which I had all to myself.
Done
I didn't sleep well that night, as the tension/excitement/nervousness was still there after not getting my first lap in the Panda that day. I woke up at 5 in the morning, and washed up inside the car, with water heated on a little gas cooker i brought along
A huge mug of freeze dried coffee, a banana, and half a bag of the finest gas station peanuts, I was as good as new, and ready for a full day of Nordschleife!
My morning view:
The plan was to start the driving as soon as the track opened. Sadly we were not the only ones with that idea, as the weather was perfect for all of that extended weekend, and people flocked to the track. I decided to wait a bit to drive, as I knew that I would be too busy letting people by, to get enough out of it.
I got another passenger lap in the 320d, and one in a 320bhp bmw 1 series. Bit faster, but not much more fun actually to my surprise - except the sound track!
After a couple of hours the traffic had gone down a bit, and it was finally time! Here is the video of my first lap. So nervous! Sorry about the very poor sound.
It was absolutely incredible! It's the most fun I had in years. Thinking back, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and as a petrol head without question the biggest.
The track almost instantly made sense again, when I was behind the wheel, and the panda just put my doubts to shame. It absolutely loved it, and although the suspension was soft, it wasn't saggy, and there were no panicky moments at all. When pushed too hard, it four wheel drifted, like it that was the most natural thing in the world to do
It didn't have a lot in it to battle the hills, and that was the downside to bringing a slow, or to be kinder, a momentum car to the ring, as a lot of corners were just on full throttle, and not really challenging at all. Thankfully the hills had a down side too, and the Panda really shined there, and the grin factor was huge.
So it really is true - it doesn't matter which car you bring to the ring; it's still fun!
In good company:
I did two more laps that day, and my best most fluid lap was my third. A second slower than my second and fastest lap 11:08, but only due to traffic.
I was very pleased with those times! considering that my ringtool was a 60bhp Panda with 165/65R13 michelin hollywood eco tires from 2003 no less
After getting the first lap nerves out of my system, I really enjoyed both the laps and everything in between that is happening in that place. The atmosphere is really something special. There is so much testosterone in the air, that girls could get pregnant just from walking a bit in the pits
There is a constant smell of oil and hot brakes, and the soundtrack of hundreds of cars revving their bolts off - amazing!
Before we left the track for the day, I gave the Panda a little check, up, and found that I definitely had pushed some limits a bit.
Can you call these tires semi-slicks, when you use the part with no thread?
We celebrated the day with very good food, beer and watching the videos of the day, in a fancy pancy hotel 35km away, where two of my mates decided to stay, due to driving an M3 with carbon fiber bits all over and 3000£ wheels.
This one:
There were still daylight left, so I found a better place for the night, and slept like a baby for 9 hours straight. Here is a few picture from that lovely place, with some sort of (hunters?) house on it, and a large ruin that looks like a ww2 bunker.
Next morning I managed to use my camp shower too. It's a black pvc bag that holds 20L of water. Hang it up in the morning sun, and enjoy a fresh luke warm shower, in the nicest view, after an hour
The others guys did a couple of early laps and then drove off, to make it home early. I got a few more laps as a passenger including one in the carbon fiber M3. Jesus freak that was a fast car
I decided not to rush, so I stayed to look at the cars, chat a bit with a few fellow addicts, and do my final lap of the weekend. That lap was very traffic/ yellow flag heavy, and I felt that i started to push my luck, and finally started my long drive home. I did a big shop in adenau nearby, and took it nice and slow on the way home, with lots of snacks and breaks when something interesting popped up.
The little Panda didn't miss a beat, and drives better than ever. On the trip home I did 55mpg, calculated with gps numbers, doing max 65mph. I love that little thing :hug:
To wrap this little story up, here's a few pictures of the Panda in heat, with a smile on it's face - and one on mine.
