Knighty

Santapod is the worse venue ever in my experience. Over priced, dreadful facilities and a big influx of the kind of people who would never advertise Essex in a good light.

Well at least 2 of us are representing! 

So much attention to detail! Great build mate!

Lots of good advice in the above posts, and if you are planning to drop the hammer whilst there, then;
do track days before your first Ring trip do some prep; learn the sections of the track and layout using videos or games to gain some familiarity  understand the financial risks re being uninsured if you drive TF in your uk road insured car; paralyse a biker or knock a GT3, could cost you VERY big I've done TF and track days there and I'd say TF' especially if busy (hols, weekends, adjacent Motorsport events) is the more dangerous way to drive it.
 
Or coast aroung round with the coaches👍

Update:
So got new hardware fitted, trimmed front bumper, raised the front.
Was a long night but we got their!
Unfortunately the wheels still
Won't turn so more cutting needed!
Just some pictures I took as we was going along







Haven't fitted the wearelikewise bits yet! Wanting to get it road worthy first
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Thanks again Lauren, I've checked my dates and I can definitely make that day, so I'm going to get it booked on payday, I paid for my membership on this forum last night (unsure if it went through okay), it glitched out a little bit but my paypal says the funds went through. 
No apologies needed, any information is welcomed whether a repeat or not, we all have different versions to tell! It's good to see where people have stayed so I can get a feel for the best hotels to use etc.
the general consensus still remains that track days should be done first, so I'll start with Blyton and then work my way up a little, just hope the little 86 can take all the abuse a track day can bring, I guess it's what the car was built for in a way so you'd hope so! 
I appreciate the input. It's interesting that there's no sort of safety briefing there at all, but I guess how can you when there are so many people. Makes it hit home even more that I need experience! 

I've not really read through other replies, so apologies if I repeat what's already been said.
We stayed in Hotel an der Nordschleife. Prices are really reasonable for the area (around 100 Euros for a triple room, obviously cheaper for single/double). Breakfast was decent too. It's around 5 minutes drive from the entrance, and the museums etc. so it's a decent place to stay for that sorta thing.
I would however agree with what I've read as I briefly scanned, do a track day first. Unlike track days, where you get a briefing beforehand and therefore are forced to know the rules, the Ring is a toll road. You are fully expected to be up to date with the rules yourself, and it can be quite daunting to be driving enthusiastically, come across something strange and not know what to do. A track day can help answer some of the questions you may end up having on the day. That being said, if you get the chance, it's probably worth going out with someone more experienced for a few passenger laps first. Especially if you've been practising on your Xbox. 
I estimate I had done over 2000 laps of the Ring across various games before I went, but no matter which version you've played, nothing prepares you for the feeling of actually driving on it. For that reason, a passenger lap is brilliant. It helps you to identify where the track differs from what you already know (which is a lot).
Most importantly, don't try and be a hero. I was there for a few days, and only timed laps on the final day. The experience of just driving around the track was enough by itself, and you wouldn't want to ruin it by trying to race the clock.
Despite all that, it's a great experience, even for beginners. Just take it easy and be mindful of the, at times, crazy locals and I'm sure you'll find yourself in the 99% who enjoy the experience without mishaps.

I've just booked the Blyton Park day. 
You're welcome to come out as a passenger in my car, happy to do the same in your's. Also everyone else there will be more than happy to the same, as we are a friendly bunch. Just need to get the Premier Inn in Scunthorpe sorted for Friday night.  

I think Blyton is a great place to lose your track virginity. Donington is the 2nd best circuit in the UK IMO. It's utterly brilliant and the Craner Curves/Old Hairpin combination is right up there, just behind Eau Rouge, so it's special for that. I reckon you could do it after a day at Blyton. I think really just be a bit cautious on your entry to the Craners, because what happens there has an outcome on the exit of the Old Hairpin!
Blyton though it's flat, which is the only pity, has some really good technical sections. The section from Bunga Bunga through Port Froid really teaches you a lot about balance and at high speed, with the only risk for the most part being a 100mph spin accross some concrete. So it's great in that aspect. Jochen into the Ump and then the exit into the start of Lancaster will teach you a lot about weight transition and braking and throttle as well. I've driven a lot of tracks and Blyton is fast moving up the rankings for me.
We'll be using the outer track. I really must make this one! 
http://www.blytonpark.co.uk/blyton-park/the-circuit-map/

Seriously do a club track day. If it's any help I used to work for Bookatrack and have run the pitlane on hundreds of track days over the years. Car to car contact is so rare on a well run day that's it's not worth worrying about. Obviously if you went out on track at say Japfest or Trax or pretty much any event at Combe where the public attend the standard of driving is so poor it's simply not worth the risk. People with no experience are the biggest risk after all. 
When you go on track for the first time, you don't get the feeling of speed you might expect as tracks tend to be pretty open. That's the first mistake people make. So if you're nervous about track days, the Ring is not the place to go. They take no prisoners there. And some experienced German local is not going to mess about with you, they can be pretty serious. 
The Blyton Park day in July would be ideal for you and it's not even that far away! It's a safe track with plenty of room and I'm sure a load of us will be happy to show you the ropes. Also book some instruction. I'd fully recommend that after you've done at least a few days elsewhere, go and do one at Cadwell Park as it is the most similar to the Ring. It's my favourite track as well.  
I didn't go to round the Ring till I'd been driving on track for six years, done a bit of racing and I had already driven pretty much everywhere in the UK and Spa five times by that point! That was 2006! Preparation is everything, really. You'll get so much more out of what is the greatest track in the known universe if you've worked on your technique and all that and gained expericence before you go. 
 
 

I too have been meaning to go and would love to come along if we can get enough of us to go (also probably depends on dates). Just not sure if I want to do it in my car or hire one there.

Hi Sam and welcome to the GT86 and BRZ Driver's Club

Cheers mate,
Yeah as Rob says it's the genuine Toyota one.
I was seriously concerned about drilling holes into the centre console. But once I got down to it, it was so easy! You just need to take your time and make sure the template is stuck in the correct place.
As long as the holes were marked in the correct place you can't go wrong!

Got my OEM armrest installed today. 
I really was not looking forward to drilling holes in the centre console, but it all went together so smoothly! I had it all fitted up and finished in a couple of hours. It's such a great addition, makes the interior so much more comfortable! Escpecially when you're used to your elbow being in the cupholder all the time! 
Also fitted a plaque to my heated seat surround, finishes everything off really nicely! 

Nice job that Knighty, where did you get that one from, I've looked at Fensport's version, but it's always out of stock! Not sure I have the guts to start drilling holes in my baby though!

Got my OEM armrest installed today. 
I really was not looking forward to drilling holes in the centre console, but it all went together so smoothly! I had it all fitted up and finished in a couple of hours. It's such a great addition, makes the interior so much more comfortable! Escpecially when you're used to your elbow being in the cupholder all the time! 
Also fitted a plaque to my heated seat surround, finishes everything off really nicely! 

Got my OEM armrest installed today. 
I really was not looking forward to drilling holes in the centre console, but it all went together so smoothly! I had it all fitted up and finished in a couple of hours. It's such a great addition, makes the interior so much more comfortable! Escpecially when you're used to your elbow being in the cupholder all the time! 
Also fitted a plaque to my heated seat surround, finishes everything off really nicely! 

Hopefully the BRZ will be if I keep it, only around 1,000 of them about.

Perhaps your idea of classic differs slightly from what I mean. I don't mean they're destined to be fetching 6 figures, I'm talking more in terms of "classic" BMW M3's, Mercedes 190E Cosworth, the original AE86 etc.
None of those cars were bad when they were new, but they all spawned a following. The GT86 is the first cheap, rear drive sports car in a long time (discounting the MX5, which is a classic in it's own right), and being the "first" of something, means it will always have its place in history.
I have no expectations for them to take off in value or anything, but I wouldn't be surprised if they become something of a collector's item some time in the future.

At a little over 15,000 sales up to the end of 2015 (GT86 figures only), which is fairly low for 4 years of sales, there's a good chance that these will be classic sometime in the future. 
I for one will be keeping hold of mine for a long time, mostly because I love the car, but I look forward to seeing if it does get valuable down the line.

Joking aside, the car really is ace, isn't it? To me it feels like a brand new classic car.
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6,6 here and I can drive for 800 miles without getting any back pain, I also have the alacantara heated seats. (The heated seat is so good for a bad back)

Now it all makes sense!
That last one is very useful, I've never been able to do it right... Always end up looking like a panda..

That is all... 
 
 
In all seriousness though I really love this car. The more I drive it, the more confident I get and the better the car seems to become. 
Just had a real epiphany today when I was driving where everything just seemed to click, the looks, the noise, the handling, the sweetness of the gearchange.. The car really seems to have it's own character!  I really cannot believe I own such a great car, all my hard work has paid off 
And of course being a member of this great forum! 
In other news, my first issue of Hyper Rev has arrived!

Now of course, I can't actually tell you what any of it says, but I can, and will, look at the pictures! 
 
 

I spent 6 months learning the basics of Korean toward the back end of 2015, and have yet to run into a single scenario in which that's been a useful skill. Meanwhile, I've found maybe 20 situations in which learning Japanese would have been useful.
Never lucky.