6th Gear Experience Avaliações 194

We purchased a junior driving experience through a third party and booked through their link with 6th Gear. The booking and communications with 6th Gear are very good although the choice of cars is limited as the supercars (Ferrari etc.) were fully booked due to the popularity of their events. However, we were able to book a Porsche which we were quite happy with. My son fully enjoyed the 5-minutes he spent driving but despite arriving 30-minutes before the start time per 6th Gear's instruction, the car wasn't available until 40-minutes after the scheduled start time. This meant we spent one hour and ten minutes in the pit-stop waiting for his name to be called out on a freezing cold day and this really took the shine off the whole experience.

I wouldn't do this again in winter because it was just miserable waiting in the pit-stop but as my son fully enjoyed himself, I would definitely do it again in the summer.

My son went for the driving experience it was a present from his wife. Everything is extra, but the one thing I will say is don't pay for photo download as once you pay they never send the photos. Keep ringing they said a number of times we will email you the photos. Still waiting.

All I can say is Awesome!!!
From start to finish one of the most professional companies I have dealt with.
Made my granddaughter's birthday.

Booked a two car experience and paid the extra for video footage. When I got home there was only one video after asking if a copy was available they said sorry no but they can send me the pictures. If the pictures were of good quality I would have purchased them but they were rubbish. Eventually they offered me a whole £5 refund for the lost footage. After this experience I would not recommend them to anyone quite the opposite. This is my experience I'm sure there are 100s of satisfied customers out there. NB Meant to say it was the Guildford track. Thanks for the reply but I think the reviews speak for themselves.

Me and the entire family did a Supercar track day at Anglesey racetrack.
Darren who did the hot lap was an epic driver and really made it worth while.

Chris (I think his name was) in the Lambo who did the lap where I drove was really great and let you blast the car around the corners and bends aswell as the straights.

Very worth wile. Highly recommended.

As I am unable to reply to the 6th gear response to my review I can only reiterate what I have said before for tge benefit of others ...and I find it appalling you would state publicly your opinion on my own grandchild that he enjoyed his experience ! How rude to presume you know how he felt to cover your own backs he is my grandchild and he was extremely disappointed and upset after waiting 8 months to not enjoy what was blatantly advertised ..awful company with not surprisingly no ownership of your false advertising ....dont advertise a track event that is on a dirt piece of land with cones to drive round as I have told you it's easily rectified by showing pictures of what they will get and in the written word when booking ! These sites are here to assist others so they know what to expect ! Not for your propergander and opinions on my grandchild enjoyment! Unbelievable

I’m glad we didn’t read these reviews before we went, as we generally had a good time - but nothing to benchmark it against, so weren’t actually sure what to expect. Our 12 year old son had no idea where we were taking him (Dunsfold is only 10 miles from where we live) and he was pleasantly surprised to discover that we’d booked a driving experience for him AND the first car he’d ever drive in his life would be a Lamborghini AND it was at the Top Gear track!! What a brag for life!! I knew it would only be for 5 mins (which I doubled to 10mins) and my fears that he’d not actually drive anywhere through lack of experience disappeared completely when it turned out the cars are semi-automatic with ‘PS4’ style paddles for gear changes. Nice and easy and he whizzed the green Superleggara around looking like a proper driver ! We could get nice and close too, so were able to get some decent photos. The one disappointment was the hot-lap (in the Focus). My son was told to sit in the back, whilst an adult was allowed to sit in the front. The driver, who was a bit of a miserable sarcastic bloke, was either oblivious to my son’s obvious disappointment, or couldn’t care less. I suspect the latter. So 5/5 for the Lamborghini drive my son had but 1/5 for the Focus hot lap (which is over in about 60 seconds or less!). We also took the £25 insurance option although the lady who served us didn’t make it feel obligatory and it was only my cautious nature which made me go for it. We’ll probably do one more and let him drive the Ferrari next time, but that will be it with 6th Gear I think.

I'm glad I didn't read the reviews before going. To be honest, I didn't think you could have a bad experience doing something so potentially thrilling. Rather than leaving a poor review, think of it as constructive criticism that could improve the experience for others should they take the comments on board.

1. Anti-bacterial wipes between each customer. Thought this would be standard practice. I've come back with a cold. And yes it's from this experience, I have been strictly isolating since March 2020 which scares me how easily it could have been covid.

2. Shade or shelter near the waiting area would have been appreciated. Luckily it was a sunny day but I would have burned to a crisp when doing a 5 + 1 car experience that lasts most of the afternoon had I not have had sun cream. (should have brought an umbrella, and yes they did say dress appropriately for all weather types)

3. After purchasing the initial experience, was sold an upgrade of 2 cars and cancellation fee for an extra £70. Plus on arrival purchased the photo stick for £45 but this doesn't include stills, for that you must pay a further £25 for those so actual cost of £70 to capture a 5 car experience. The excess per car if you damage one is £5000 so a £45 insurance is a small cost, plus if you drive an atom you must purchase the headphones for £2, so an extra £177 on top of the gift which I know wasn't compulsory but a lot of extra cash. I have done a track day with Everyman and I have to say the quality of their in-car footage was far superior and shows your speedometer so you can see how fast you went. The quality from within the atom was awful, not worth purchasing. One video was corrupt but they have since sorted that, jerky though it is.

4. I know it isn't necessarily the job of an instructor to entertain, but a bit of personality goes a long way. It is after all, all about the experience and the interaction you have with your driver and the staff is part of that experience particularly for those with a shy disposition. (I'm not one of those!) After my first drive I felt very flat, the instructor left his personality at home. Had that have been my one and only drive for the day, I would have left fairly disappointed. My day was redeemed by my next instructor who seemed much more informative and animated. Drive number 3 Dave, the Ferrari instructor....fab, he treated me as a person instead of like an item on a factory belt. Had my drives been in the scheduled order, this would have been my last drive of the day and would have left me with a good lasting impression, however it was tainted by my last drive of the day when I made a mistake and was dually reprimanded for it like a naughty schoolgirl. I did point out that I hadn't intended to disobey his instructions, I had misunderstood what he had wanted me to do. Once again, my experience made flat. Some might think 3 out of 5 ain't bad? Quite expensive to come away berated.

5. On my Everyman track day the whole day is part of that experience. There are staff that are enthusiastic on your arrival and helpful with what to expect and make it all feel very exciting before you even get in the car and make it feel special and it's all very clearly signposted and directions given. Arriving at the 6th Gear entrance you wouldn't know. A simple sign on the road where you turn off would suffice. Once you're at the barrier, they tell you to drive in and turn left. They don't tell you that it's miles down the track and you simply drive till you can't drive any more. I took a wrong turn where there was a bit of action and ended up where they were filming I think! A few signposts of 6th Gear with an arrow pointing this way would have been helpful and a person to greet you at the parking area to let you know what to do and expect would be courteous. I know it's all common sense but a smiley face makes you feel welcome. I agree too that a video on loop of either an experience or the fast lap would be really helpful as the cones are a bit of a shock on your first lap when you've no idea what to expect. I was lucky with 4 laps, those with less would have wasted that first lap on sussing out the track. And yes for another £10 you can purchase a viewing lap. If the fast lap was first instead of at the end of your experience you could watch how your lap is supposed to be and suss out the track at the same time.

6. I thought there was a cafe on site so was expecting 4 walls, a roof and a toilet. It is a burger van that sells hot and cold drinks with some tables out front. Porter loos are the toilets, I purposefully didn't use them but a cafe would have provided a 'real' toilet and easier access for anyone viewing from a wheelchair as the porter loos aren't accessible. I thought a viewing area would have been available too.

7. The photo booth is a truck with steps up so none accessible for wheelchair viewing. The staff were very friendly in there.

My son loved his experience which is such a shame that I have to write this review.
They are con artists with appalling customer service.
On arrival… the lady checking is in was on FaceTime explaining where the cat food was and just shoved a piece of paper in front of my husband.
When she got off the phone she was quite pushy with the waiver fee and the USB to record his driving which he was keen to do so handed over another £60 on top of the initial cost.
The drive went well and driving staff seemed friendly.
DONT BUY THE COFFEE… £2.50 a cup and it’s cup of s*it coffee and you had to pour you own milk which was in a carton on the side. So take your own.

Now here in lies the problem. We went on the Sunday and on the Monday we sat down to watch his drive. It had been a gift from grandparents for his birthday and wanted to show them is driving. BLANK.
Contacted the company. They said they would check the footage and if they couldn’t find it I could either have a refund or I could have the pictures.
No footage was found and the just sent me the pictures (which I didn’t want and I didn’t ask for).
They were crap to say the least. My son could’ve been sat in a Fiat panda as they had taken 2 external shots. On most of the others the we’re distance shots so you could barely make out his face and when you can it was obscured by the wheel anyway.

They claimed because I’d received the pictures they felt that was ok and would not provide a refund. I had not asked for the photos and was not given a choice.

I know covid has been tough on many businesses but this is just poor to say the least.

My son is so keen to do this again but I’d stick pins in my eyes before I book with this company again.

If you do go… check you get what you pay for before you leave.

NB. Response to the below comment. I emailed to say I was not happy with the decision not to refund and I have heard nothing back, so that is a lie. My father currently owns a Bentley and a Porsche. My son is very privileged to have been a passenger often in many ‘super cars’. He wanted to experience driving one. I do not need images of my son in a car I wanted what I paid for. I’ve emailed again for the director to call me. I do not appreciate being ripped off. If you’re the company you claim to be you will refund me for the product I did not receive. I look forward to your call.

Rude and unprofessional staff. Awful post-event care - paid for additional footage - the instructor did not record it. Requested refund - they sent us some crappy images instead (that we did not ask for) and now say no refund as they have sent us the images.
Will never waste my money on this company again.

EDIT - Please read the company responses to the many bad reviews they have received. It is obvious that customer service is at the absolute bottom of their priorities as a business.
I have never had a satisfactory resolution from this company and I expect I never will.
They are a joke of a business and need to have a long hard look at themselves.

If your a woman don’t waste your money. The instructor in my car wouldn’t let me over 70mph made me stop on the course 3 times to let men driving passed us, he told me to stop accelerating on several occasions. I could have hired a car for the day and got more excitement.

Had a great afternoon, the whole experience was great, got to drive some great cars and yes some of the instructors differs in their styles of instruction, all were pleasant enough. Glad I didn’t read the reviews before I went as some of the negative ones may have blighted my expectations somewhat.
Was not left disappointed, even though the Radical wasn’t able to go out, I was offered a suitable alternative for me.
Great afternoon!!

the only good thing from this day was the fact that i did arrive early and was still do my driving experience before it was scheduled so i could at least leave quickly, which as it was great as the experience itself was a joke to be honest.
im a person who loves my cars and driving and is ery experianced, but the whole experiance of driving is soo rushed, with the instructors being very rude and a complete killjoy.
when leaving the pits the first lap is complete chaos as nothing has been explained to you properly and the "track" at elvington is just a bit tarmac with cones, these cones are layed out in a way making it extremely difficult to see which cones are for which corner (it would be better if the cones are different colours to make it far less confusing). i did not have a chance to get used to this at all and then the experiance was over, the only good thing was the speed on the straight of a 911 turbo (lasted about 3 seconds).
the instructors are very assertive and fair enough for safety if they have to be yes i get that, but on the straight the guy was genuinely shouting me to change up in a Gallardo at about 6000revs, the thing was not even getting started in terms of its power. delivery, complete killjoys and they even do it in a rude way tbh.
Please do not do this "experiance", its too much money for no experiance. also potentially costing you £5000 per car you damage if you dont pay for the insurance. all that money too and they want extras for photos, footage.
Please people genuinely save your money here, it sounds fun but with all of my heart i would love you to save your money and be disciplined and one day you will be able to drive a very nice car in a very nice place, change gear when you want and have a ride longer than 3 minutes at most. From now on im saving for a BMW 240i and take it on a nice road trip to Scotland or a trackway.
2nd gear experience, not good at all

Has an amazing experience with my dad on the weekend at stafford. Loved driving some amazing cars and all of the staff were really friendly, especially Owen who really helped make the day (it was a gift for my dad's 60th). Have already recommended it to many and will continue to do so.

Shocking was sold a 6mile track with 3 laps in 3 different cars they timed my laps around the tiny track longest lap was 12 seconds so all together I was driving for less than two minutes!! Shocking waste of money!!

Honestly don’t understand what the negative reviews are all about. You get exactly what you pay for, great day out. Yes they upsell insurance but they don’t force you to take it. There is no pressure selling. Instructors are pleasant. Excellent value for money and i will be booking again for sure!!

Christmas present for our son, had to pay £25 on the day for ‘insurance’ was sent to the wrong place, waited and waited, eventually hubby found where we needed to be then we waited and waited. Eventually it was his turn, when he came back he was absolutely distraught, the ‘instructor’ had grabbed hold of the steering wheel and said to him ‘do you want to die’ my son wanted to get out after the 3 lap but the instructor wouldn’t let him, he said no!! We left straight away as my son was so upset, he didn’t want me to say anything. I have complained and was told I have spoken to my staff and they said this didn’t happen and I believe them. Even when complaining the attitude is appalling! Please do NOT use this company!

Booked a junior super car experience for my 15 year old sons birthday, very very disappointed, won’t be recommending for many reasons.
First my son accessed the website to explore the venues, we located that 3 sisters was our nearest venue. But as we were in lockdown we waited to officially book as we had no idea how life was going to pan out.
When we went to book we were unable to use the codes provided so had to ring for assistance. The office was closed so left name and number as message suggested. No return call! Had to ring again, in a que, number 8 ! eventually spoke to some one, who clearly stated there was a problem with the website and booked our experience in a Ferrari. As you can imagine very excited teenager!
Oh but phone bill came in 68p to leave a message! £18.10 !! To speak! Omg! Totally out of order! So I emailed the company for a reimbursement, there website that’s not working, have I had a reply? No!!
Turned up to event to find you have to pay an additional £25 for insurance! £25 is a lot of money to me! Then as he was entitled to a passenger track drive, she pointed to a list of all the cars available, that was an extra £15 to choose a particular car or free if you wanted pot luck! My son said he’d be happy in any of these amazing super cars so I didn’t pay. What did he get? A Ford Focus !!
He got less than 5 minutes in the Ferrari, driving round a very small concrete enclosure, and one track run in a focus ! In total that cost me over £100! A total rip off!
We also had rushed to get there for 2.00pm as his experience was 2.30pm, he didn’t get to drive until after 3.30pm!
Oh and finally they take official photos which again are extortion in price! I couldn’t afford to buy one.
Was supposed to be such a special experience for my sons birthday but it’s just left a sour taste in my mouth!
I’m disgusted that a company would take such advantage of people with all these additional costs especially after what we are all going through and have been through!
I won’t recommend to anyone! Money grabbing experience!

6th Gear really need sort themselves out. I went for a 3 car driving experience and you really are thrown in at the deep end. What’s the point getting behind the wheel of a Porsche 997 Turbo for the very first time and on a track you have never driven, only to be told “I’ll tell you what to do as we go”??

Basically you get three laps and you lose the first and part of the second just working out what the hell is going on. My first instructor just kept telling me what to do in such a way I couldn’t understand what to do with the car or how to drive it – all too rushed and no ‘learning’.
I first thought it might be me, but in my second car it was a totally different experience. Charlotte Birch (I later found out she is a racing driver) was totally different. Very clear precise instructions just at the right times around the various parts of the circuit - enabling you to ‘drive’ the car and enjoy the power & thrill properly.
My third car was also great, yes I was obviously more used to the circuit by now but the instructor (didn’t catch his name) was also very clear and helpful in pushing me to drive the car to get the most out of the experience.

The actual driving time is very limited – 3 laps done in less than 5 mins. Yes, you can pay to do a an ‘out lap’ to at least see the circuit first – I think they charge £10 for that but to be honest, the way they checked you in i.e. register your arrival, they are so fast at ‘processing’ you, you really don’t know what’s going on.
The companies doing these things at other tracks might do exactly the same thing, but for me, it is a lot of money to pay for a very short thrill.

A simple thing would be to have a constant video loop showing you a drive around the circuit. At least that way you get some idea of what to do and expect whilst you waiting your turn, and don’t lose your laps just learning where to go.
Won’t be rushing to go back!!

Had my double supercar experience at castle combe circuit.I had the lamborghini first in the morning. Unfortunately the heavens opened and the track was a wash.I was unable to push the car in those conditions so it was like a Sunday drive with my mother in law in the car.I enjoyed the lambo experience but it was spoiled by the instructor who didn't get into conversation with me.Had he done so ,I could have told him that I was used to paddle shifts and didn't need to be told when to change gear as I own a 5 litre Jaguar xk.He complained when I changed gear without his direction.
The Ferrari was a different experience altogether. Absolutely enjoyed every minute.Dry conditions and the instructor entered into pleasant conversation .I was able to push the car hard and even drift it out of corners with only a little input from the instructor.All in all I did enjoy the day just being around so many supercars was great.Thanks 6th gear.