Spring Mountain expansion/insurance factor
01-03-2019, 09:39 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Spring Mountain expansion/insurance factor
This post may not be what you think, but I invite you to read on...
I just read this post/story at Corvette Blogger...
https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2019...erm=2019-01-04
It got me wondering...open since 2004, more than 15-hundred students (of which I am one)...what do our driving and insurance records look like? Is Spring Mountain producing better drivers? Is there enough of a sample size for it to have a positive effect on insurance rates?
Before I bought my C7 I had a pretty extensive chat with my insurance agent about the car and rates. I asked if the Corvette Owners School (COS) would give me any kind of drivers ed discount. Since the school wasn’t in New Jersey, where we live, the answer was no. We also discussed other things like convertibles, or anything with a “Z” driving up your rates. Useful information indeed. But just from the knowledge gained and execution of drills and track time, I’ll bet Spring Mountain graduates have better driving records than their counterparts. And according to the story, owners new and old keep making the trek to Pahrump, Nevada.
Again...just wondering...
I just read this post/story at Corvette Blogger...
https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2019...erm=2019-01-04
It got me wondering...open since 2004, more than 15-hundred students (of which I am one)...what do our driving and insurance records look like? Is Spring Mountain producing better drivers? Is there enough of a sample size for it to have a positive effect on insurance rates?
Before I bought my C7 I had a pretty extensive chat with my insurance agent about the car and rates. I asked if the Corvette Owners School (COS) would give me any kind of drivers ed discount. Since the school wasn’t in New Jersey, where we live, the answer was no. We also discussed other things like convertibles, or anything with a “Z” driving up your rates. Useful information indeed. But just from the knowledge gained and execution of drills and track time, I’ll bet Spring Mountain graduates have better driving records than their counterparts. And according to the story, owners new and old keep making the trek to Pahrump, Nevada.
Again...just wondering...
Popular Reply
01-04-2019, 12:21 AM
Le Mans Master
Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
Really?? Good observation there, ace. Maybe next time I'm at Spring Mountain and not washing or waxing my ZO6/ZO7 we'll see who keeps up with who, but then again mine is a manual, so you're probably too young to handle one of those. Last time there I had 3 guys in my group in their late 20's, and they couldn't hang with any of the "old" guys, so I'm thinking maybe age is only a state of mind?
01-03-2019, 09:48 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
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Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
01-04-2019, 12:21 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
Really?? Good observation there, ace. Maybe next time I'm at Spring Mountain and not washing or waxing my ZO6/ZO7 we'll see who keeps up with who, but then again mine is a manual, so you're probably too young to handle one of those. Last time there I had 3 guys in my group in their late 20's, and they couldn't hang with any of the "old" guys, so I'm thinking maybe age is only a state of mind?
01-04-2019, 12:42 AM
#4
Drifting
I doubt any insurance company would consider learning to drive on a race track to be a factor for lowering insurance. Probably not even a general driving school. Teen driver education - probably.
About the only discount us 'old guys' get is for attending a Senior driving class which, when I took it years ago, was the most boring 8 hours of my life.
About the only discount us 'old guys' get is for attending a Senior driving class which, when I took it years ago, was the most boring 8 hours of my life.
01-04-2019, 09:42 AM
#5
Moderator
Can you imagine building a house right on their estate land? That would be one noisy place to live. No thanks. But great to visit. Can’t wait till March!!!!
01-04-2019, 10:46 AM
#7
Melting Slicks
Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
01-04-2019, 02:42 PM
#8
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Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
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449er (01-05-2019)
01-04-2019, 02:56 PM
#9
Safety Car
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I doubt seriously that a two day course consisting mostly of running around a track makes people into better drivers. I asked my insurance company, Pemco, if I could use this course to count with their program. The answer was a resounding, "No!" The ones that count are from places like AARP or AAA, which last for two years and give you about $80 off per year.
01-04-2019, 02:58 PM
#10
His generalization is probably more than accurate. Everything slows down with age, reflexes, golf swings, boners, etc.
01-04-2019, 03:04 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
Corvette owners come in all sizes,shapes,genders and ages.So,what.
This stereotypical casting is unfortunate and is ,of course sometimes true and many times untrue.
Many people are good drivers at 60+ and many are terrible at 20.
So far,I've owned 12,I'm over 65 and don't drive mine that much.I travel and still am an active Nascar driver & test driver.As a matter of fact,just renewed my license yesterday.Let's not engage in assumptions.
\db2
This stereotypical casting is unfortunate and is ,of course sometimes true and many times untrue.
Many people are good drivers at 60+ and many are terrible at 20.
So far,I've owned 12,I'm over 65 and don't drive mine that much.I travel and still am an active Nascar driver & test driver.As a matter of fact,just renewed my license yesterday.Let's not engage in assumptions.
\db2
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01-04-2019, 03:08 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
I doubt seriously that a two day course consisting mostly of running around a track makes people into better drivers. I asked my insurance company, Pemco, if I could use this course to count with their program. The answer was a resounding, "No!" The ones that count are from places like AARP or AAA, which last for two years and give you about $80 off per year.
They go from basic driving skills to on track in a logical and methodical structured way that should help almost any driver at some level. Lots of classroom time.
Last edited by NashvilleGrandSport; 01-04-2019 at 03:10 PM.
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nmerhaut (01-04-2019)
01-04-2019, 05:19 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
Must be really difficult driving while giving yourself a reach around.
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frankb (01-05-2019)
01-04-2019, 05:36 PM
#14
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I think Adam Boca/NCM/AMIG can vouch, that the Corvette clan is a low risk pool. While driving courses certainly help, I believe the real risk factors are the "drag racers" who lose the car going straight....i.e. check the Mustang pool.
01-04-2019, 05:41 PM
#15
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Yes. I took the course in 2017. I know what it's like. It's two days. There couldn't possibly have been more than 8 hours of class time. About the only practical thing they did is show you how to properly use ABS brakes. There was a little bit of sliding around wet asphalt. Other than that it was going as fast as you could around the track. The fact is the insurance company says "No." It does not count as a safe driver course. It does not lower your premium. That's a fact. Sorry.
Last edited by mschuyler; 01-04-2019 at 05:48 PM.
01-04-2019, 07:06 PM
#16
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Really?? Good observation there, ace. Maybe next time I'm at Spring Mountain and not washing or waxing my ZO6/ZO7 we'll see who keeps up with who, but then again mine is a manual, so you're probably too young to handle one of those. Last time there I had 3 guys in my group in their late 20's, and they couldn't hang with any of the "old" guys, so I'm thinking maybe age is only a state of mind?Considering the harsh reality that most attending spring mountain are really old guys who drive their cars once a month and just keep them as a paper weight in the garage to wash and wax id say its neither helping nor hurting. I went to Spring Mountain in May of 2018 and drove a z06 auto with the z07 pack there and at 34 I was the youngest guy in the entire class. They had to switch me to another team because I was so much faster than the majority of guys there who kept driving slower than me and I had very little prior track experience.
I’m neither 34 nor 65 (45)...and I didn’t take his observations as a slight. If you drive like a pro and screw like an 18 year old, then good for you...but Relax. You have to be aware that MOST (not all) of your generation do own garage queens and are noobs to this kind of event. I attended Spring Mountain 2017 in my early 40’s and I too found most of the gray hairs to be frustratingly slow. It’s an open class/event, so it comes with the territory and overall found it to be highly enjoyable.
Im going back to SM in late February and can’t wait. I’ve always driven manual, but got an A8 Z06 when I attended last time. This time I’m looking forward to driving a manual.
Last edited by Big Lebowski; 01-04-2019 at 07:12 PM.
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Jeffthunbird (01-05-2019)
01-04-2019, 09:06 PM
#19
Pro
A: I'm an insurance agent and track classes do not count as driving school discounts.
B: when I went to Spring Mountain most of the people there were 40+ and the guys that supposedly had a lot of track experience through track days etc were no better than those of us who had little or no track time.
C: A lot of people were moved to different groups, some were slower and some we're faster.
D: Mr. Millennial: You sound like an arrogant a$$. The instructor was driving a Camaro, drinking a Big Gulp, and talking to you all while holding back so you could keep up and learn something. So talk s*"'t all you want about being faster than your class mates but it doesn't make you a proficient driver; let alone a racer.
B: when I went to Spring Mountain most of the people there were 40+ and the guys that supposedly had a lot of track experience through track days etc were no better than those of us who had little or no track time.
C: A lot of people were moved to different groups, some were slower and some we're faster.
D: Mr. Millennial: You sound like an arrogant a$$. The instructor was driving a Camaro, drinking a Big Gulp, and talking to you all while holding back so you could keep up and learn something. So talk s*"'t all you want about being faster than your class mates but it doesn't make you a proficient driver; let alone a racer.
Last edited by VistaVette; 01-04-2019 at 09:19 PM.
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Tally Ho (01-07-2019)