View Poll Results: How did You Learn of PDE
DEALER
2
14.29%
FRIEND
5
35.71%
AD or Article
5
35.71%
WEB
2
14.29%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll
PDE POLL
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Hatboro, PA
don't waste your money. go to a DE in your region. You'll get better and more direct instruction along with much more track time. To top it off, you'll have $$$ left over for mods and other goodies.
steve
steve
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,122
Likes: 5
From: Park City, UT
Okay. Then I must say that YOU ARE ALL VERY, VERY WRONG! (There - how do you like them apples?)
Let me explain. I bought an 04 GT3 this summer (5th Porsche over the past decade) soley for the track, yet I have never had a track day in my life. I chose to attend PDE to learn how to drive a new 997 and 997S at speed. Then, the next weekend I attended my first 1 day DE (local PCar dealer) followed the next weekend by a 3-day DE with the PCA. Let me just say that I learned A LOT more at PDE that I did at the 4 DE days! I made it a point to have a different instructor for every session, and cycled through 6 until I was "graduated" to a faster run group. On the same track, ALL 6 instructors showed me a different line. Certainly, they were all quite helpful - but each approached the track in a different way. The point? PDE gets you up to track speeds in a much faster manner than any DE ever could. Think about it - the lead-n-follow model of the PDE with the instructor car telling you where to brake, turn and acclerate in his "shadow" builds confidence FAST and gets you up to track speeds in a hurry. Sure, DE is more economical and lets you drive your own car. BUT, I am a firm believer that the teaching style at PDE is MUCH better for beginners. Will I go back? You betcha! And my wife is already scheduled for her first PDE so that I can find an excuse to buy a Cayman S (for her, of course) so that we can both autocross... (I have it all figured out....I think)
My $0.02.
-B
Let me explain. I bought an 04 GT3 this summer (5th Porsche over the past decade) soley for the track, yet I have never had a track day in my life. I chose to attend PDE to learn how to drive a new 997 and 997S at speed. Then, the next weekend I attended my first 1 day DE (local PCar dealer) followed the next weekend by a 3-day DE with the PCA. Let me just say that I learned A LOT more at PDE that I did at the 4 DE days! I made it a point to have a different instructor for every session, and cycled through 6 until I was "graduated" to a faster run group. On the same track, ALL 6 instructors showed me a different line. Certainly, they were all quite helpful - but each approached the track in a different way. The point? PDE gets you up to track speeds in a much faster manner than any DE ever could. Think about it - the lead-n-follow model of the PDE with the instructor car telling you where to brake, turn and acclerate in his "shadow" builds confidence FAST and gets you up to track speeds in a hurry. Sure, DE is more economical and lets you drive your own car. BUT, I am a firm believer that the teaching style at PDE is MUCH better for beginners. Will I go back? You betcha! And my wife is already scheduled for her first PDE so that I can find an excuse to buy a Cayman S (for her, of course) so that we can both autocross... (I have it all figured out....I think)
My $0.02.
-B
Thread Starter
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Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,569
Likes: 9
From: Los Angeles, CA
Originally Posted by 94Speedster
Okay. Then I must say that YOU ARE ALL VERY, VERY WRONG! (There - how do you like them apples?)
-B
-B
The level of instruction and the knowledge of what driving is about, you will not find at your local DE.
Expensive not really....what would it cost you to rent a 997 with a support staff, hire a Rolex level instructor, not to mention the track for two days.
Remember: You can perfect a bad technique, and do it better than anyone.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Hatboro, PA
if you have people of different experience levels in a lead/follow exercise, it will get painful VERY quickly and you never really get "high speed" driving. I drove faster on the highway getting there than I did on the track. One from my "group" kept braking going through the "s" curves - the instructor said that PSM would save him if he did that once his new turbo arrived.
So yes, they tell you when to brake, but cannot actually see when you brake. They adjust speed based on the slowest car in the group and teach on-track techniques, such as trail braking, to people who have no experience. Many of their instructors are great drivers and can instruct pretty well, but they can give the impression of going through the motions.
For the $3K, you can get an entire season of DE's with Nationally Certified Instructors and have some money left. Or you can go to a true driving school.
Steve
So yes, they tell you when to brake, but cannot actually see when you brake. They adjust speed based on the slowest car in the group and teach on-track techniques, such as trail braking, to people who have no experience. Many of their instructors are great drivers and can instruct pretty well, but they can give the impression of going through the motions.
For the $3K, you can get an entire season of DE's with Nationally Certified Instructors and have some money left. Or you can go to a true driving school.
Steve
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