'supercar Experience' - Poor Value?

[michaelH]

My wife bought me a virgin/acorne supercar experience voucher for my 50th birthday in October. I got around to using it last saturday. First problem was that I had to travel some distance, because my local motorsport venue, Mallory Park (although listed in the voucher booklet) apparently did not regard such vouchers as valid for driving any kind of supercar (only rally cars or something like that). Oh well, drove up to an old airfield in staffs, looking forward to my 4 hours or so of excitement. I thought there might be some waiting around, but smelled a rat when I realied that there were dozens of customers but just ONE Ferrari. In the end I probably had about 4-5 minutes driving the aforesaid Ferrari, a similar time in a lotus and three or four minutes in a jeep. If I had been faster around the 'circuit' (such as it was) I would have been in the cars for an even shorter time. The instructors were good (and very generous in their assessments: 'nice drive' = 'slow but didn't crash it' and 'superb drive' = not as slow as the first time...) but the facilities were very cramped and poor, given that we all had to spend 95% of the time standing around and waiting (thank *** it wasn't raining!)

Bah. You think I'm grumpy? My wife was beside herself with rage when she found out how it worked (even though I didn't moan to her but told her I had enjoyed it). It was only then that I found out how much she had paid for the voucher.

My point is this - shouldn't the advert or brochure make it clear that your £300 'half day supercar experience' buys you only 5 minutes or less in a supercar? why not call it a 'five minute supercar experience' instead? Then at least you know what you are paying for...

[Gandalf]

That sucks mate, my wife would be happily banging keys on her laptop by now, creating a nice little thank you note to the company director, with a copy to trading standards, the manager of the store, local newspaper, solicitor, small claims court, etc, etc......... you get the idea!

If the small print i.e. terms and condition did not fully explain thats how it was going to be, then you probably have a valid claim for breach of contract as the item was not as described.

Basically if the brochure, advert, ticket or whatever stated you would get 4 hours driving experience at the time of purchase (offer & acceptance constitutes a valid contract), they are in breach of said contract and you would have grounds for a claim against the company or the store as it's agent (associated third party).

Be carful though as the wording on the advert is often misleading but factual e.g. "get a 4 hour experience" is open to interpretation.

Worth a try tho for the cost of a stamp

[Fidgits]

yeah, we noticed this when shopping for one for the missues father's birthday..

Have a read at the bottom and you get 'total time driving around 20 minutes'

[michaelH]

As it happens we are both lawyers, although we specialise in crime. She thinks it might be worth a punt in the small claims court on the basis of misrepresentation, but I am not so sure. The booklet does (in the small print) mention allocation to 'teams', and although that arrived after the contract was made there was a right of full refund within 14 days.

As to trading standards, it might be worth a complaint on the basis of a false trade description as to the provision of services (Trade Descriptions Act 1968, s 14) where 'false' can effectively include ' technically not untrue, but still misleading'. Is it misleading to call a five minute bash in a supercar (involving standing around waiting for half a day) a 'half day supercar experience'?

Another problem is that the voucher came from virgin/acorne but the driving experience was provided by another company. Hmn, have to look that up somewhere... or (when the wife calms down) just put it down to experience. But I do at least have a questionnaire to complete and returne to virgin/acorne. Was I pleased? Was I ****!

And of course I can at least warn Lexus owners of the 5 minute experience.

[Fidgits]

I think, before taking legal action, you should write a letter of complaint/dissatisfaction to the company.

See how they respond...

[lexus boy]

All the Acorne stuff are crap[ like that, their air experiences are the biggest rip off know to man! Gliding is the best 100+ for a 20 pound flight!

[terdancam]

thanks for the warning and write-up, they won`t get my cash!

to be frank, though, i would hope you or your wife have a go for the misleading rap, purely on the basis that if you don`t, you are letting them get away with it.

i`m not having a go, but i think it is symptomatic of this country and its middle class that we just have the "stiff-upper lip" mentality which encourages people to urinate frequently all over us.

its up to people like you to challenge this unacceptable rubbish whenever you experience it---i certainly do, and only if enough of us start saying "no, this is not acceptable" will things change.

I recently read that in France they have given up on clamping and speed cameras, beacuse they were either constantly destroyed or covered with potato sacks by the populace. Note the English attitude................

Give these rip off merchants what for, and if you don`t win at least you will have caused them as much hassle to equate your disappointment.

i`m now off to kill somebody :winky:

[Gandalf]

Doing nothing is what this country is used to.

I learn't long ago that if I'm not happy with something, it ALWAYS pays to make it known. Occasionally you get nowhere, but 90% of the time I find if you press hard enough in the right direction or to the right person you get a favourable result.

Too many people in this country let others just walk all over them and never utter a word in their own defence, they do moan alot tho I find. WHAAAAAAAAAA, empower yourselves, don't let the buggers get away with it! EVERYONE is accountable, make sure they remember it!..........................

Sorry .....getting down off my soap box now..... blood pressure returning to normal...

No offence meant, just my personal opinion and 2p worth

[Adie]

I've seen these things in Littlewoods / Marks and Spencer etc. Thought they were £100 for the supercar drive and was considering it. Are they all the same as the one in the first post? If they are i dont think i'll bother

[michaelH]

ad77: my £300 acorne voucher gave me 4 or 5 mins in a ferrari 355, 4 or 5 mins in a lotus and one short lap in a 4 x 4 (plus a 3-minute passenger ride a fireblade kit car). Other people paying £300 by other means got pretty much the same at this venue. They were also selling a £129 'solo Ferrari experience' but that will buy you just the 4-5 minute supercar drive and a short passenger ride (allow 2 hours at the venue, however!). If time permits (depends on how busy they are) you may be able to buy a second drive for (I think) £40, which makes it better value than my £300 package, but still not good value if you ask me. Oh yes, we all had a 'familiarisation session' - but as a passenger in an fully loaded minibus (I kid you not).

[Gandalf]

If your looking for Fun, The Supercar Experience, Food Etc and driving for hours, check this out only £250 but you need a few friends to join u

Link

[terdancam]

have just looked at silverstone-circuit.co.uk, and had a look at their T&C--they make no mention of "actual driving times".

However i wonder if that changes if you actually book the course, and get separate T&C?