Porsche experience Center LA - Wow !

[Deschodt]

Just adding my 2 cents here, to previous comments. Wasn't planning on making a visit but remembered it on my way back from Palm springs to SFO... We stopped - we were blown away.

Super nice people, access to the displays, shops, restaurants, simulators, the race shop is behind glass... We booked lunch and signed for a quick demo, I picked the 991 Turbo S ($120) my wife the Panamera turbo ($80)...

The instructor there proceeded to warm up the car and demo a full on PDK launch control....I've got 20y on tracks, you cannot scare me in a corner *if you are a good driver*, GT3RS, race car, whatever. The *launch* of that thing scared me. I'd never experienced such violence and destruction of a standing start. The thing is rated at 2.4-2.6 sec 0-60. It fels like a shuttle launch, like my organs relocated. IN-SANE. And that car car do that all day ! I'd experienced a ludicrous mode Tesla and felt similarly queasy during the full on launch as a passenger, but this is more. It adds noise, and it continues to destroy the track over and over... I've got a new found respect for the Turbo S !

Wife similarly enjoyed the Panamera turbo , and the nice folks at Porsche comped us a family ride in the Panamera hybrid with the kids !!! Dining upstairs was superb, watching students skid on the pad and practicing drifts... And the food bill was less than your average tourist burger - really impressed... Super nice folks, super service, value for money... I did not expect that from Porsche if I'm honest - I totally will book a day of classes there first chance I get... Value for $ is there, considering the metal you get to play with and the quality of the instructors and facility...

Note: The simulators use Asseto corsa, MEH.. I can do better at home with my rig ;-)
PS: super nice to the kids too, let them keep badges, took pics for them, what a cool time !

[Deschodt]

[stealthn]

Cool, did you ask for Jack

[rattlsnak]

Ive done the full experience in a GT3 in ATL and INSANE is a good word for it!

[Rick Lee]

Is that Eddie Van Halen's car?

[Yorkie]

I just looked on their website and each session seems to cost hundreds of dollars (and also last 1.5 hours) so I was wondering how you managed to get such low prices. I actually want to reward some of my team for their 2017 efforts and was thinking of doing this but its kinda pricey.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Yorkie

I just looked on their website and each session seems to cost hundreds of dollars (and also last 1.5 hours) so I was wondering how you managed to get such low prices. I actually want to reward some of my team for their 2017 efforts and was thinking of doing this but its kinda pricey.

It is just down the freeway from me and is on my bucket list... but the prices are putting it a bit down the list.

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Is that Eddie Van Halen's car?

EVH has a Porsche?

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by Yorkie

I just looked on their website and each session seems to cost hundreds of dollars (and also last 1.5 hours) so I was wondering how you managed to get such low prices. I actually want to reward some of my team for their 2017 efforts and was thinking of doing this but its kinda pricey.

Different deal.. The prices I mention are *ride alongs* with a pro...2 or 3 laps with a launch. You aren't gooing to learn a car of that caliber and that race track in 5 minutes ;-) Now before you make a dissapointed face, $120 to experience that launch control and 3 laps or whatever is TOTALLY worth the money. We're talking a $200K car here and maximum abuse of the drivetrain! Also my words are not up to the task of describing the sheer violence of that car launching - it's worse than falling off a cliff. I'd pay $200 to do it again right now if I could...

Yes there are also longer driving sessions where *you* drive, skid pad, slide, track, all with an instructor and those cost more. Also probably worth it given the metal they use (all nice cars, no base models there) and the quality of the instruction. Those you need to book in advance, I just showed up ;-)

I'm just saying that if you exclude our store purchases (they have all the goodies!), my wife, 2 kids and I got the ride of our life in a Panamera Turbo, Panamera hybrid and 991 Turbo S respectively for a total of $200. It was awesome.
We then spent another $140 eating at a fancy restaurant for 4 people, with wine and oysters, while watching students get tossed around the course... and browsed the cars on display.. you can also do simulators for $50 for 30 minutes ! Unforgettable 3 hours... I'd suggest you do that for your employees, book them all a ride along around noon time, they will come out of the car with eyes popping out of their sockets, then treat them for lunch at restaurant 917 upstairs. It looks like a 5 star michelin place, but the costs are $25-30 a plate tops... great idea and you'd be boss of the year!

[Eric at Pelican Parts]

I've been to PEC LA multiple times and it's always awesome to see the displayed cars frequently changing!

Driving experiences, I don't think it's a bad deal really, if you compare it with Exotics Racing or any of those rent a bla bla bla and drive it on the track. Exotics Racing offers a special on 12 laps for $799 in a 488GTB.... You can drive a 911 and Cayman for Boxster for 1 hour and a half, for $645 at PEC LA. I definitely think you get your money's worth at the experience center!

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

EVH has a Porsche?

He actually owns a few and he and Alex have been running Boxster Spec lately for kicks.
I don't know if that is one of Eddie's cars but I threatened to wrap mine like that a while ago, complete with embedded quarter.

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by Eric at Pelican Parts

I've been to PEC LA multiple times and it's always awesome to see the displayed cars frequently changing!

Driving experiences, I don't think it's a bad deal really, if you compare it with Exotics Racing or any of those rent a bla bla bla and drive it on the track. Exotics Racing offers a special on 12 laps for $799 in a 488GTB.... You can drive a 911 and Cayman for Boxster for 1 hour and a half, for $645 at PEC LA. I definitely think you get your money's worth at the experience center!

No, two TOTALLY different experiences.. ER is flat out track driving, PEC is skid pad, slalom, small tight track, etc.. ER is 10x better if you just want to haul a$$ around a real track.

[Eric at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

No, two TOTALLY different experiences.. ER is flat out track driving, PEC is skid pad, slalom, small tight track, etc.. ER is 10x better if you just want to haul a$$ around a real track.

I agree it's a completely different experience, just maybe a bit too short. If you want to learn car control and flog the car around at 7/10ths or so, PEC is not a bad deal, especially since you get a bunch of seat time. Trying to link drifts between corners for an hour and a half seems great to me!

[rattlsnak]

I've done both and the PEC is absolutely a blast! The skid pad is always huge fun, but the standing full throttle launch control starts were by far the best thing to do there. And I read somewhere above about hitting near 80mph, but I was hitting @ 110 on the short straight in the GT3..

[bkreigsr]

....now featured in '917' restaurant - low-fat butter pats & rock salt....mmmm

Bill K