Houx - Is it worth the extra?

[Big Lad]

I have been to Houx Annex twice, Bleu once, Karting Nord and Beausejour but never Houx

Why is it about twice the price of the other sites?

[jpchenet]

Because you get a guaranteed, numbered pitch no matter what time or day you arrive. Also, there is a small shop and bar and there is supposed to be electric available to all pitches (but for some you need a bloody long cable!) It's also the closest site to the village I believe.

It could also just be that, like Maison Blanche, it's popular so the ACO are just greedy!!  

[Dave H]

It's certainly a reasonble slog to the village and Champers bar.  Not too noisy, but definitely in the middle of things.  As JP says - guarranteed pitches and usually decent water access.  Bogs are great for pouring your camper pooh/blue into as poor souls strain their grapes in the cubicle next door.

[stuey]

Worth it if you are not likely to arrive before Friday, as your pitch is reserved. So you do not have to search the site struggling to find a space that you can shoehorn your tent, car etc into.

Also the pitches are organised such that you should be able to get your car in and out whenever you need to.

There is a shop/bar selling bread, coffees and beer etc, and the walk to the village is no further than any of the other campsites, and a lot shorter than some of them.

Personally I would rate Houx as the best site, followed by Maison Blanche.
They are the most expensive, but that's life  

[Big Lad]

Cheers guys

Will have to convince the Pie Man that he should buy the 'Vette to join the Porkers for 2005

[Mr. Invincible Mou]

Yep, I have to agree with stuey here. I Have been using Houx for the last 4 years, and it is my preferred site. As stated, the pitches are premarked and numbered, so no worries about when to arrive, the toilets and showers are kept clean and, apart from usual rush hour periods, normally OK for access. It is only a 5 minute walk to the pit village, and contrary to what Dave H says, it's not too far to the champers bar (in fact a damn site nearer than MB). It is not too far from the Houx Annexe/Technoparc roundabout mayhem and doughnut display (with complementary drive through carwash) either, if you like that sort of thing. If you know the roads well, it is deffo the best place for quick and easy access to town for shopping on busy race days, or to head on out for the compulsory visits to Arnage and Mulsanne.

Do not forget to take an assortment of electrical adapters if you wish to make use of the supply (yep we take two fridges to keep the beer cold). They can vary, but I think the actual adapter is like an external caravan or boat plug, ie a big round push in three pin thing.

The only major downside as far as I am concerned, is that there are no instant viewing areas for the race as you will find in MB.

[Matt Harper]

Cheers guys

Will have to convince the Pie Man that he should buy the 'Vette

You (and/or Pie Man) could be lining yourself up for a little derision here. Currently I am a lone voice in the appreciation of the marque. My friends here in CA all take great pleasure in reminding me how totally crap Corvettes are in general and probably mine in particular (not a patch on TVR's, MG's, Subaru's, Evo's, Golfs and the like). Be wary, it is considered Satans wheels, by many here.

[Steve Pyro]

Cheers guys

Will have to convince the Pie Man that he should buy the 'Vette

You (and/or Pie Man) could be lining yourself up for a little derision here. Currently I am a lone voice in the appreciation of the marque. My friends here in CA all take great pleasure in reminding me how totally crap Corvettes are in general and probably mine in particular (not a patch on TVR's, MG's, Subaru's, Evo's, Golfs and the like). Be wary, it is considered Satans wheels, by many here.

Matt, your surprise me!
As you know, I have a large piece of V8 iron in my little run around and Powermite has a Trans Am.
So, come the day of reckoning, I'm sure you will have some allies in your camp.

[Mr. Invincible Mou]

One of our guys runs a vette, complete with a nice large nitrous kit in the boot. I have to say it sounds absolutely wonderful.  

It goes pretty well too, for a yank job that is! At least until it comes to a bend in the straight bit of road.  

[Big Lad]

You (and/or Pie Man) could be lining yourself up for a little derision here

Matt - I think that you might be right.

The Pie Man fancies the new C6.  Having seen the pictures it does look gorgeous and the spec looks as if it will really go..................in a straight line

However, while you can buy a C6 in the old colony for about 50 cents it is likely to be the best part of £50k over here.  

[Matt Harper]

Yes - don't I know it! I'm English and acquired my C5 while I was still living in Blighty.
It's Euro spec, so a handfull more horses than the US car (Magnaflow exhaust, Blackwing etc...)
At risk of going over old ground, it is the performance bargain of the century. I note you still have the understandable "they don't go around corners" predjudice.
The C5 and C6 generation Corvettes are excellent spirited drivers cars. Check out this months Road & Track, which puts a C6 head to head with the new 911 C2 and kicks it's ass.
Late model Vettes are not just dragsters. The C6 is very, very nice and I'm planning on having one (I think I'll wait a year, so that the early build creases are ironed-out). As said elsewhere, I think the C5 is prettier than the straight edged younger version, but I like the extra 50 bhp that the LS2 delivers right out of the box.
With the benefit of hindsight, I would not buy new in UK. There are a few high spec, low mileage cars around that have done their depreciating - and that's the route I'd go, if I were you.
Avoid Bauer Millett in Manchester though. They are theiving twats, who aside from being dishonest, are not very good technically either.
I know a guy in Bingley, West Yorks who has a beautiful red 2001 C5 Coupe (targa roof), with everything apart from head-up display and he's installed a gonzo exhaust and hi-flow intake system. He paid less than 30K for it. Frickin' no-brainer.

[Andy Zarse]

Check out this months Road & Track, which puts a C6 head to head with the new 911 C2 and kicks it's ass.

At risk of opening old wounds...

Road and Track??? Please! No bias there then towards Stars'n' Stripes products!

Car Mag in the UK gave a pretty good write up on the C6, but they were'nt totally blind to it's faults, like lower than class leading build quality, cheap interior materials, lack of seat of the pants "feel" and a six speed manual box, the shift quality of which was described as being "like stirring a bag of antlers". But generally they thought it was a belter.

Obviously not seen the R&T article, but clearly the Vette's gonna be a whole bunch cheaper than a Porker in the US and would this fact have any influence on their conclusion? I'm not saying it's not one quick car and yes it does go round corners pretty well these days, but with these two being price similarly in the UK, I'd still take the German.

And just to show I'm not biased...

With thanks to Sniffpetrol. It's worth reading the small print too.

[Matt Harper]

Intuitive as ever Andy. Road & Track is a US mag, but it is notoriously hard on US product. You are quite right - one of the defining factors was the yawning gap in price - $56k for the Chevy vs nearly $80k for the road toad. That said, the track test results were what I was referring to. The vette is not as 'planted' as the Porsche, but is grippier and easier to predict and control on the limit (according to R&T) Coupled with a significant horsepower and torque advantage, the C6 was 2 sec per lap faster than the porker on a fairly tight 12 turn test facility in Michigan, that was used for the comparison.
R&T also critiscised the Corvette's 6 speed and steering, compared to the 911 (which I would never argue with, having had a little time behind the wheel of my brothers 996 TT).
I suppose the point I was fumbling to put across is that, from a performance point of view, it is difficult to argue with a Corvette, in terms of value for money. With respect, I don't think you can buy a new 911 for GBP50,000 in UK (correct me if I'm wrong) and I too would definitely go Stuttgart if both cars had a similar price tag.