Gotham Dream Cars

What a terrible organization. They are happy to sell vouchers and then continually postpone the event only to finally cancel it 6 months after it was originally scheduled.
Stay away!

Bought tickets for my dad and fiancé for Christmas which were booked for today back in December. I pre-​registered with no problem on their website last night and drove over an hour and a half to the designated place at our chosen time. When we arrive, there is a single piece of paper taped to a window that said the event was cancelled. Upset, we called Gotham and they basically said sorry for the inconvenience and offered no consolation for our wasted time/​travel money and disappointment in missing out on an activity we have looked forward to for nearly six months. They said that they sent an email last night at 6pm saying it was cancelled but that I wasn’t the first one who called to say they didn’t get any email. You would think that with spending over 300 dollars with this company, they could a) not cancel an event less than 24 hours before it was to occur and b) if they had to cancel last minute, call each participant (they had multiple phone numbers for us from the pre-​registration) and/​or put up a notice on their website to disallow pre-​registration. They said that the event was cancelled, never to be rescheduled. Hopefully I can get my money back from the place that sold me the tickets, but either way, what a waste of time and a huge letdown for all of us. Terrible business.

Vroommmmm last time went with my friend dad here love the mc claren look more sexier than in the picture

I did not find the Chicago Gotham to review… But here’s my .02 on the whole thing…
I did it in Schaumburg at the Boomer’s stadium parking lot.
A, not a $ 200,000 car. it’s a well used, well worn car. Probably $ 90k.
B, Yea it’s $ 125 in an exotic. But it would have been much more fun paying more
on a track. See-​sawing the wheel in a parking lot at 40 mph isn’t a real
exploration of the car. It’s not really fun. I can squeal an accord around
that little course.

I have driven the Dream Car Sprint last year and I had an absolute blast. I’d give it 10 stars if I could. It was a rainy day and luckily the rain stayed away long enough that I could drive on a pretty dry track. The track was fun; it had some elevation change, a hairpin, and a nice section of «esses». I couldn’t have been happier.
Flash-​forward to this year and I couldn’t be more disappointed. I inquired as to the change of location from last year to this year and I was told it was because the last track was bumpy and took a toll on the cars. Fair enough, they don’t want their cars getting torn up. However, this new track (in Nashville, not Goodlettsville) was a joke.
First, it was small and not just in comparison to last years sprint. It’s tiny. T-​I-​N-​Y. So tiny in fact, the «driving instructor» told me not to go out of 2^nd gear. At all. Not into first, not into 3^rd. Staying in second gear meant that in the lowest speed corners I had NO POWER coming out. It was like stepping on a pedal of massive disappointment. Last time out I scared myself, this time I felt like I was on one of those horse rides where the horse is tethered to a spinning thing and you just go around in circles… every once in a while the horse would gallop.
Last year I was well coached. The «driving instructor» really had me pushing my own comfort level. This year, i was basically told to drive slow until I hit the «straight» and then to «punch it.» PUNCH WHO? Please tell me. He sure didn’t mean the gas because when I did, nothing happened. IT’S A F430!!! I was to feel my guts yanked backwards! I must have scared the guy. I understand having a complete stranger sit in the drivers seat of a fire breathing Ferrari is scary but I wonder has this guy ever tried to «properly» drive? I mean, Jeremy Clarkson is looking for a job. Hire him. I wouldn’t scare the life out of him by braking a hair later than their pretty little orange cones say to.
Now, the track sucked and the «driving instructor» sucked. So care to guess how my time went? Yep. Sucky. Apparently they booked this parking lot «sight unseen» due to the amount of people who were unable to find the location last year… Really. So they thought it prudent to pick a parking lot that they had NO IDEA would be a terrible fit for two of the WORLDS GREATEST SPORTS CARS!
So let’s recap. $ 250 bucks for 8 laps that lasted oh, maybe 12 seconds each. My total time maybe was 5 – 7 minutes behind the wheel. That’s a lot better than last year when I purchased one ride, i was in the car for 3 minutes and 20 seconds (i took video). I didn’t care I HAD A BLAST. THIS YEAR HOWEVER, SUUUUUUUUUUCKED.
Lame, boring, small track. Rude «instructor» all brought on by a massive lack of planning.
I will never spend my money on this again. I went from loving this sprint and wanting to do it every year to never going to spend my money on such a massive unknown ever again.
The ONLY bonus, I was in a Ferrari F430. Convertible. That’s the only reason this got 2 stars.
I would recommend this to someone who has never done it before. Maybe wants to give it a go in a Ferrari. Anything else. I wouldn’t say do it. Especially if you don’t use Groupon. $ 250 for 3 – 4 mins is nowhere near worth it when bought through their site. $ 150/​ride, yes. Worth it. Otherwise, their massive lack of planning and rude attitudes make this an event to forget.

My fiancé and I did the Dream Car Tour and it was more amazing than we could ever have imagined. I was the passenger and my fiancé drove all 6 cars and we couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces the entire time. Even though you are driving on public roads you really do get to experience these cars and go pretty darn fast. Gotham does a great job with this tour and you get to go on a good mix of roads (highway, small roads up a mountain, etc). I was unsure about spending all that money but it is so worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

I cannot speak to the actual experience of Gotham, but any purchaser should BE WARYof the possibility for date changes last-​minute.
Excitedly, I booked Gotham Dream Cars as a birthday present for my boyfriend through Groupon well in-​advance. Then, on short notice, Gotham emailed me to let me know that due to an «internal scheduling conflict» they would need to reschedule me. The date they proposed we move our experience to was July 4^th weekend! His birthday present was set to be in early June.
I was surprised that they could not offer something sooner than the weekend coincing with July 4^th, and like most alreayd had plans as it is a holiday weekend. Rather than reschedule, I was so frustrated by this that I decided to get a refund. Thank goodness Groupon worked with me on this.
The company seems a bit disorganized to me and I feared from this experience that I was being scammed by them.
Once again, I cannot speak to the actualy driving experience. I am sure it is fun. However, warnign that you may not ever make it to being behind the wheel!

I did the dream car tour and overall it was good (not great). For the money you spend on this tour (which is roughly $ 1k for about 1.5 hours of actual driving time) you would expect 6 super cars. Instead what we got were two truly super cars (Ferrari 458 and Lambo LP 560 – 4 Spyder) two high end cars (Maserati GranCabrio and Mercedes SL-​63 AMG) and two cars that I would say many of the drivers on this tour could already own (Porsche 911 and the Maserati Ghibli). Don’t get me wrong, the 911 and Ghibli are certainly nice cars but when you advertise Ferrari, Lambo, McLaren and Bentley it’s a definite let down. The Ghibli was a total joke as it wasn’t even the AWD 400hp version.
The way I look at it, I had two truly super cars and 4 high performance cars. Is that worth $ 1k for 90 minutes of driving? Not to me, especially when you consider I could have test driven the Mercedes, the two Maserati and the Porsche for FREE. My recommendation to management would be to either drop the prices or include SIX truly super cars on this tour.

Zero stars. Not what I was hoping for. I bought this «experience» as a birthday present. I only purchased this because of the Ferrari, but of course it was broken on the day of but the Lamborghini was great! There were no signs anywhere where to go and check-​in. My recommendation is walk around and find the tables/​chairs.
Check-​in staff was very rude, especially when we asked a couple of questions. After check-​in, we were given a number to wait in line, and again, I had to find my own way to where to wait in line.
No one was really around to help because they were too busy socializing.
The only staff member that was great was the driver’s coach. He was so excited every single lap! You get about 3 laps and I think it lasted about 5 – 7 minutes.
After the experience, the director of this event yelled and told us to leave because we didn’t have the «permission» to be around the Ferrari. I was very confused because I saw so many parents and kids inside of the Ferrari and there were NO signs anywhere saying do not get in the car or touch the car.
This «dream experience» is the experience I wish I never have to encounter. I’ve emailed the company to let them know the experience but all he said was he can offer us a discount for the next time.
Overall, the driving experience is the only decent experience. All staff members were very young, so they probably need more customer service training.

Day 2 of dream car ride –we arrived about 8:45, so very few people were there. We were # 3 and were taken care of immediately. I did hear one of the workers tell another to make sure things kept moving along. I also received several email apologies for our problems on Saturday. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the drive. If Sunday was Saturday, it would have been perfect.
If you do decide to go — make an early appointment.

Just came back from my Gotham Dream Cars Sprint at Nassau Coliseum in Hempstead. I received this as a gift from my family for Father’s Day. I got there, checked in, chose my car — the red Lamborghini Gallardo — and waited my turn. There was a choice of three cars — the Lamborghini (512hp, 0−60MPH in 4.1s), a Ferrari F430 (483hp, 0−60MPH, 3.9s), and a Ferarri 599 (620hp, 0−60MPH 3.3s). Note that the Ferrari 599 was a $ 100 premium above and beyond the other two vehicles, but unless you just HAVE TO be photographed behind the wheel, I couldn’t imagine you would be able to get above 100MPH on the limited track. The fact of the matter is that while it is nice to drive any of these rockets on wheels, you can’t get past second gear at events like this because the straightaways just aren’t long enough (I am sure this is by design). I couldn’t get above 75MPH because of this. Now if they held these events at Englishtown Raceway or some other local racetrack, you can definitely put cars like these through their paces.
Regardless, the ride was nice. They give you an instructional lap to get the feel of the car, and then three laps at full throttle (as full as you can give it in the confined space you are given). The car screams and practically begs to be given the throttle to its max, but sadly, the straightaway ends and you have to cut back a bit going into the turns. Although, going into the turns the car sticks tight to the asphalt and I am sure I could have given it more of a push. Had I had a few more laps to play, I might have given it that extra push.
At the end they give you a CD with the photos taken by the photographer they have on the track as you drive. If you wanted a GoPro video (first person point-​of-​view), you have to cough up additional cash. They also have t-​shirts and totes for sale as well, but weren’t worth the price they wanted for them.
I recommend the experience, but if they offer it at a proper racetrack, that’s where I’d really recommend you take the ride.

I believe the experience they offer is a really good value. On Saturday I got to drive a Lamborghini Gallardo for three laps on a little auto-​cross course and, with the group-​on, it only cost $ 125. I am a sports car enthusiast and I have owned many throughout my life. It was definitely worth it to have the experience of driving this car. Quite frankly, while the Lamborghini does have a lot of power and looks beautiful, I was rather surprised at how poorly it handled. I suppose that I am a bit spoiled, as I currently own an Acura NSX and a Porsche Boxster, both mid-​engine cars which have impeccable handling. However, this is just not something I ever would have known had I not done this drive.
The people who run the event are incredibly nice and friendly, and make the experience run smoothly. If you want a chance to drive an exotic sports car at this level and have no other way to do so, it is highly recommended.
I have already purchased another Group-​On to go back and drive the Ferrari 430 the next time they are in town.

Same negative experience in Florida. Staff do not know what they are doing with very poor service. You are taking a small drive in a beat up exotic car. Save your money and go to a theme park for some roller coasters if you want some thrills.

My experience at the Gotham Dream Car Sprint was AMAZING!!! I knew it was going to be cool to drive an exotic sports car, but it turned out to be even better than I expected! Don’t think my instructor told me his name but he was helpful and patient; I really liked him. I was kinda bummed that the Lamborghini was having issues and wasn’t available to drive (that would have been my first pick) but the Ferrari worked out great.
Kudos to whoever came up with your appointment/​registration system because I loved the way we went through each step (sign-​in, helmet, drive, photos) in an orderly and relaxed manner without having to stand in a line and with enough time in between to watch and anticipate but not too much time that we got bored. I’m sure some days are busier than others, but it seems like a well-​designed system that would scale up or down depending on the size of the crowd.
I’m going to do one thing differently next time. My one disappointment was that I never looked down at the speedometer so I could know how fast I went. Next time, I’m going to either ask the instructor to make a mental note for me, or try to remember to look down at the speedometer on the straight-​away.

So for whatever reason, Gotham asked for me to post my emailed review to them 4 months after I initially sent it. I don’t think that they actually read it, but here is hoping that this review helps someone save their money:
I thought the experience was «pretty good.» I do have a couple complaints though that really would have made the experience better for me.
The website said it would be a 3 – 5 minute experience. My wife started filming as soon the car started moving, and the whole thing took 2:20, including my instructional lap. I think it would be a better experience if you just gave 5 minutes. «5 minutes, $ 99, Open autocross track in a Lamborghini» would have been perfect. I recently saw an ad for the Vegas track for $ 199. It included 5 laps on the 1.2mi track in an Aventador. I think I would have to pick that experience if did something like this again.
The tires got changed before I drove (I was the first drive in the lambo on sunday). The front and back rims were different colors (silver and black) and styles. I really think that made the car look terrible. For me half the experience is driving it, and half of it is the lambo/​ferrari look. I really think the two different wheels made the car look bad. It made it look like the 16 year old with the honda civic that can only afford two wheels. I felt like I needed to selectively share the pictures with people and explain the process, which is annoying and takes away from the good experience. It’s a Lamborghini, and it should speak for itself.
Why did I have to wear a helmet but the instructor didn’t? That was annoying to see in the pictures. I wish I would have been given the option to not wear it. Especially since the speed I got up to was standard highway speed.
The closest I have seen you guys come to me is 45 minutes from my house. So, this was a fun experience that my wife bought me as a gift that we made a weekend out of, and that made it good. But if I had driven 45 minutes to drive for 2 minutes and 20 seconds in a Lambo with different colored wheels I definitely would have been disappointed.

I had so much fun during my Dream Car Sprint! Everyone was super friendly and helpful, making the experience fun and enjoyable. My expectations were definitely met, and exceeded with the fact that I was giving a CD of pictures from my experience, which I wasn’t expecting. I had so much fun, and I keep telling everyone they need to go try it as well!
My parents had purchased the $ 99 Groupon for my birthday, so we did the experience at the Florida International Rally and Motorsport Park. We came early, about 10 – 20 minutes before my experience, but the team immediately got me signed in and I didn’t even have to wait until my expected appointment time to drive. My instructor was Ryan, and he was very polite and patient. I definitely liked having him as my instructor.

First time i drove with Gotham Dream Cars was over two years ago when it first opened up to the sprint over at the arena in Sunrise, FL. I drove the F430 Ferrari with the upgraded suspension. WHAT A RUSH!!! I had an amazing time and the team members were great. This second time we took a friend for his birthday but it was at the Central Florida Racing Complex. He has never been close to driving a car like this so i thought it would be nice, oh was i right. He was WOW’ed by the experience, and wants to do it again. He drove the Ferrari and had the time of his life. I myself could not hold back and purchased a run myself while i was there, but this time i decided to try the Gallardo, and wow did i enjoy the AWD and power on that car. Once again, thank you for such an experience and great time, in which we all enjoyed very much. Hope to see you all again very soon.

Grade A A-​holes!
Should’ve recognized the first red flag when we bought the groupon for the «sprint» and they informed us we had to book a date within 5 days or the groupon is no longer valid. We booked anyway.
Some business came up out of town and I was going to be about 6 hours away at the time of sprint. So I emailed requesting to reschedule. Not cancel, or asking for a refund, just reschedule.
I was told that they cannot do that within 10 days of the event. I told them this was last minute business, and they refused.
So instead, they took my $ 200 (purchased two sprints), and couldn’t care less about me.
Horrible customer service, arbitrary policies.
Oh and after researching about it… You literally drive around in a parking lot for a few minutes then it’s over… Really sad and disappointing.
I am going to contact Groupon and try to get a refund.
DO NOT PURCHASE! AVOID THIS COMPANY!

I noticed that everyone here who gave bad reviews got the Groupon $ 99 deal. i have to be honest here — i’m sorry, but you get what you pay for. If you really think $ 99 will get you real time in an exotic car, you need to readjust your expectations. The gas alone for these cars, maintenance, and depreciation you put on them will barely be covered by $ 99 bucks.
I am a paying customer of the regular priced experiences, which are several hundred dollars up to nearly $ 1K, and for those offerings, you get solid time on the road and a truly UNFORGETTABLE experience. I got nearly an hour on open roads, got to test the speed of the extremely exotic cars I paid to experience, and sat with a highly knowledgeable instructor the entire ride. It was seriously one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. and worth every penny. Also what helped was that I read the description of the offering very carefully and didn’t expect more than what was clearly advertised.
I guess the main fault that Gotham Dream Cars has in these negative reviews was offering a watered down experience for the sake of putting out a Groupon deal in the first place. Not all business are appropriate for Groupon.

I did this in Chicago and it was about a 2 minute wait because i pre-​registered online and I arrived around 2:30PM. I was in the car at 2:35.
It was super short, but everyone complaining about this apparently doesn’t know what an autocross track is, because it was exactly what I expected.
That’s the thing I don’t get here about some of these reviews. It clearly said it was an autocross track, and yet people are mad because it was a cone track in a parking lot.
Apparently all these other automotive enthusiasts have absolutely no clue what autocross is.
I paid 99 dollars for 3 laps of an autocross track in a $ 200,000 car and I got to drive it hard enough to drift around the apex of a corner at 40MPH. I got to drive it hard enough to make the brake heat warning light go on.
If you’re looking at this review and the others, you need to go in to this expecting it to be what it is. 3 laps is kind of short on an autocross track, but it was worth it to me. Anyone whining about staying in second gear is clueless about autocross as it’s not about going fast; it’s about cornering. Most cars are lucky to hit 40 some autocross setups.