bmw_e30

Going to Germany in late May. What some input on what would you do. I think realistically I can only pick one of these options below:

1. Ring for 3 days of driving. I'd rent a car from http://www.rsrnurburg.com/car-rentals
2. Stuttgart for 3 days to visit Porsche and Mercedes factories and museums

997rs4.0

You´ll love both options. Ring is bucket list stuff. Memory for life. First time there is very overwhelming, most likely a lot of traffic in May during touristfahren.

Museum is also very nice. Renting a nice high end Merc, Audi, BMW and doing Autobahn driving is also a lot of fun. Can’t really go wrong with either option. Just make sure you get out of the left lane after passing on the autobahn. And use your mirrors. ��

Yippiekiaye

GrantG

Both great, but Stuttgart stuff is 9 out of 10 and Nurburgring is 27 out of 10

If you don't have track experience, I would suggest a coach (and maybe even if you are experienced)...

disden

Agree. I would do the Porsche factory tour- its really fascinating. Combine it with the Porsche Museum which is quite small and depending upon tour start time you could be done by lunch. You could then high tail it over to the Mercedes Museum and get that seen in a few hours. The Mercedes Museum is really an amazing place. My wife is not a car fan, but enjoyed that museum.

If weather is nice, ji recommend cruising down to Baden Baden and relax. Jump on the Black Forest Highway-- Schwarzwaldhochstresse B 500. There are always cool cars enjoying this nice road! its the opposite direction from Nurburgring, but its a pleasant drive and pretty part of the country.

Alan Smithee

For sure. They are literally down the street from each other; easily done in a day.

Last time I was in Germany it was for two days and a night; flew into Frankfurt in the morning, rented an S5 (same Sixt category as M3, which I was hoping for), drove to the ring, spent all afternoon lapping and waiting for various wrecks to be cleared, then autobahn-ed it to Heidelberg for a nice evening. Drove to Stuttgart the next morning, did both museums, then back to Frankfurt and flew out that evening.

race7117

Hit the Ring, just a lifetime event the North and South courses are well worth the visit.The museum there is very cool and much to be seen around the area with fantastic driving in the countryside. Koln isn't far and the Cathedral is worth the visit. Truly a bucket list vacation not to be missed, I would also hit Spa as not too far from the ring.........man I need to get back there

beoliving

Why don't do both? Germany is not that big, I go for day trips from my house which is 1,5 hours north of the ring frequently down to Stuttgart. Fly to Düsseldorf or Frankfurt, get a nice rent a car (Avis has 991's) go to the ring, get your track rent and do a couple of laps (but check website first when they are open). drive back to one of the train stations for the high speed train (ICE), take the train down to Stuttgart, do the rest. Easy to do in 3 days.

bmw_e30

Great feedback.

Ok seems like if i can only do one the Ring is the winner. I still have to drive out to Frankfurt after the Ring to catch a flight to Yerevan so I'm taking transit times to the airport and jet lag into account.2 or 3 days at the ring should be plenty I have over 50x track days under my belt but will easy into it slowly by taking the Ring taxi and getting instruction the first day and the 2nd day will let it rip a bit more.

basil2000

kshu1991

I've been there last year and is planning to do it again this year.

Check the Nurburgring website to get the track open time. If it starts at 8 am, make sure you get there the night before that day. 8 am to 10 am is the sweet spot because of fewer cars on the ring. Since you have lots of track experience, I would suggest considering a ring track day rather than the public session. You'll have less chance to meet an idiot crashing his car and causing the whole ring to close for two hours or more. And fewer cars of course. If it's the night session, definitely stay there for two days, cause anything could easily ruin a two hours session on the ring.

And don't forget Spa is only two hours away from Nurburgring. Here is my friend's 'ultimate' schedule from last year. He landed at Frankfurt 5:30 am in the morning, rent the car, directly drives to Spa to attend the track day. He was able to finish all his rental laps before 3 pm and drive to Nurburgring to attend the public session of Nurburgring GP track. The first night is at Nurburg. The second day is a whole day public session at Nurburgring. No big accident on that day, so he did 12 laps. The second night is near Porsche museum. The third day is two museums and fly away. Very tired, but hey, he decides to do it again with me this year! If I could only choose one, definitely the Nurburgring.

Mercedes and Porsche Museums only take one day for sure. I would suggest booking a factory tour of Porsche in advance.

PS: Last year I notice, with the ticket of Porsche museum, you could get discount on Mercedes museum's ticket.

SmokinGTS

If you don't have a factory tour scheduled well in advance at Porsche you won't get in. The museums are fun and yes you can see both in a day. The ring is close and my recommendation is to get a car 200 hp or less and a coach and make sure you buy insurance.

CAlexio

I second that. Get a bmw 128i track car and a coach and hit the ring

Catorce

Porsche factory tour was "just" OK. I'd have rather done the Merc museum and the Porsche museum than do the tour. Stay at the Graf Zepplin Steigenberger, it's clean, cheap, and close to the shopping at Koenigstrasse.

ExMB

Cheap compared to? At the time the OP is wanting to go its between € 150 and € 200 a night; depending on time of booking and breakfast selection.