mikey4226

Sorry, I wasn't really sure where to make this thread, so I figured I'd just put it in here for now. But I was wondering if anyone from the Naperville, IL area has visited the new test track they opened in October. I was curious as to what it was like and how capable the track was at showing a car's potential during the test drive, ect.

For those of you not from the area and are curious as to what I am asking about...
In October, the city of Naperville and participating dealers in the area (Continental Acura being one of them ) opened up a test track specifically for customers to test drive cars, instead of simply making a quick loop around the dealership in local traffic (doesn't really give you a very good idea of how the car actually performs). The track, from what I have read, offers a skidpad area to test braking, areas with various surfaces like cobblestone, asphalt, etc (mostly for SUVs I think), and I'm guessing an area of straightaway, etc??

I really want to check it out, but before I do, I was just seeing if anyone else has already gone and played on the new playground yet. It seems like it would be the perfect place to test out the new 07 TLS hehe

Ok, thanks for any input, and sorry again if this doesn't belong here (which it probably doesn't)

micwiltay

I live in Chicago and didn't know anything about it. Very cool!

Here's a link...

http://www.naperville.il.us/dynamic_...t.aspx?id=1699

NumberFive

That's fantastic! Naperville is my hometown, but now I live about an hour away. It might be worth a trip to check out the dealerships on 34 (since I'm in the market for a car now anyway).

...might check it out tomorrow. I'll post up impressions afterwards if you'd like.

mikey4226

If you could that'd be great, Thanks!!

geekybiker

Pretty cool. But a waste of city money still....

rt4563

Maybe or maybe not. I'd love to see their financial statements. (I'm just nosey/geeky that way).

Their website says that it's a "partnership" among the landowner, the city, and the participating auto dealers. It all depends on which partner put in the money -- for the original development and for the ongoing maintenance. There's also the issue of increased sales tax revenue from additional car sales (difficult to quantify).

Nevertheless, I'm guessing you're right, geekybiker, if Naperville is like my city, which shall remain nameless (for my personal privacy's sake only). The city built a fabulous library, is now building a sumptuous city hall, and had the unmitigated gall to put an initiative on the ballot for a huge bond issue to repair our decrepit roads. So, yeah, cities can be good at wasting money.

That said, I wish I were closer to Naperville so I could take a spin around that baby. It looks like fun. So I guess I'm a hypocrite.

geekybiker

heh. I live about 30-40minutes from there. I could go take a spin. Wonder if they actually let you wind up the cars or make you pussyfoot around the track.

Ive been to several of those manufacturer's test drive days at a track where they set up cone courses etc, and they always yell at you if you push the car at all. Mind you Im still only driving maybe 7/10ths but I like to make the tires howl.

svtmike

I live about 10 minutes from it. Maybe sometime I'll stop in to try a new MDX on it. I'll report if I do.

jgalvan1

Actually, the neighbors are proably glad that they did this. The homes in the area used to get a lot of traffic because people would drive through the neighborhoods. Naperville has never been a town to throw money away. Just ask anyone who's gotten a ticket there for the phantom rolling stop and or the 37 in a 35 zone. (I used to live there so I've experienced Naperville's revenue enhancement programs)

All it needs now is some banked decreasing radius turns :-)

I wonder what the cost per dealer is??


As an aside, where did all the cars go that used to be unloaded there??

SpitfireMKV

My understanding is that is opened in September and the locals residents wanted new car drivers from racing down their streets, that why The City chipped in, safety, noise and all that. I think you can get to it round the back of the dealership, where the road runs down to the railway yard just before the tracks. Best to go in the non-peak hours to avoid congestion (and questions)!

evantec

Here in the Northeast, I was lucky that some of the dealerships are on busy highways where you need to push the car just to get into traffic. And since they're always doing road work, it wouldn't take much to find some rough surfaces.

But seriously, it sounds like a good idea.

In fact, if there were such a test-track closer to me, I could more easily reproduce the billiard-ball clicking problem I get when I drive over a bump. See https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...8&page=1&pp=25 (I'm not sure the best way to include a link )

P.S. When I first saw the thread, I thought it was about some people chipping-in to rent a test track for racing!

BASISON

I'll be there next week for the MDX premiere party. I'll give a full report when I get back. Luckily it's only 10 minutes from my house.

PixelHarmony

Sweet, I'm about an hour away. I'll definately check that out sometime.

gqchicago

Not open to the public though, darn it all! hehe... maybe I'll go take an 07-TL-S out for a spin in Naperville sometime!


I'll bet this helps those dealerships sell a ton of cars though over their competitors, and it's a great safe way to let people wind up the cars and test them out in a safe environment where they're now off the public roads and traffic, and out of the residential neighborhoods they were formerly driving around in.

mikey4226

Haha sorry to mislead you...but i bet whenever the salesmen at the dealerships get bored on a slow say, they just go over to the test track and enjoy themselves witha demo car...at least I would if I were them hahah.

NumberFive

I left work early to check out 2 TL's in Westmont (both were sold and they didn't update the online inventory). It took over 2 1/2 hours to get there from the construction on 88, so I didn't get to Naperville until almost 8. Some dealerships closed by then. My buddy wanted to check out a new Honda Accord or CR-V, so we stopped by the Honda dealer right off 59. The guy there never heard of the test track, so we didn't get to check it out yesterday. MAJOR bummer.

So I don't have anything to report for ya on the track. Sorry!