Eurotunnel in an E class

[keith of kent]

Took my W212 E350 sport on the Eurotunnel yesterday.
Got to Calais supermarket and noticed a cut and bulge in a rear tyre, I am certain that it wasn't there before we left home.
The carriages are very narrow between the kerbs and I did touch it, obviously no comeback on Eurotunnel now but I have to replace the tyre £160 +VAT.
Anyone else had this problem? I now now Googled it and lots of comments, especially Honest John. Seems maybe book as having a roof box and they put you in a wider carriage (no kerbs) with the camper vans?
Also when we came back they put us on the top deck where it's impossible to see the raised kerbs with a car of this size which can obviously cause tyre/ wheel damage.

 

[simon1966]

We had this exact worry last year when a group of us went on a trip to the AMG factory. A couple of the guys managed to get on the wider carriage on the way out, but I wasn't one of them! My wheels only had about 2" to spare each side to the sharp square edge of the metal kerbs. It was very tense driving through, luckily I had my son with me leaning out directing me when I was getting close to one side. I certainly didn't fancy damaging a tyre and far more so one of my BBS wheels

Luckily on the way back we all managed to get on the wider carriage. I would never travel on euro tunnel again without booking and pretending I have a roof box or something. Just not worth it.

The guy in the booth told us to drive up on the kerb one side but I didn't fancy doing that either.

 

[boxbrownie]

Problem is when you book a "roof box" spot and you get there without, the guy looks at the car and directs you to the normal carriages, I know.....I did that, and when I pointed it out to him he just said "be careful"..........

Bring back HoverSpeed Hoovers.............:bannana:

 

[meeeb]

Took my W212 E350 sport on the Eurotunnel yesterday.
Got to Calais supermarket and noticed a cut and bulge in a rear tyre, I am certain that it wasn't there before we left home.
The carriages are very narrow between the kerbs and I did touch it, obviously no comeback on Eurotunnel now but I have to replace the tyre £160 +VAT.
Anyone else had this problem? I now now Googled it and lots of comments, especially Honest John. Seems maybe book as having a roof box and they put you in a wider carriage (no kerbs) with the camper vans?
Also when we came back they put us on the top deck where it's impossible to see the raised kerbs with a car of this size which can obviously cause tyre/ wheel damage.

I've been using the Tunnel regularly since it was opened and never had or seen anyone else have the problem you describe. It is a bit traumatic getting a big car on, especially as you say, onto the top deck, and I always hope that I don't have to stop alongside one of the toilets in case during the journey some obese person scrapes down the side of my car.

My concern is always whether or not the vehicles in front and behind are properly secured. A couple of years ago during a quiet spell I got settled in the carriage and looked in my mirror and there was a Frenchman coming down the carriages with his nearside wheels on the footway. He collided with every one of the toilets on the way through all of the carriages and was guided by the carriage staff up to the back of my car. It turned out that he was stoned. The staff took all his details and hung around. Before the train set off I went to him to make sure his handbrake had been applied and I told him in no uncertain terms that when we arrived, if he set off before I'd gotten at least two carriages ahead, I'd come back and invoke a bit of common law justice. He complied and on exiting and checking my mirror I saw him driving off in the way that he had entered, nearside wheels on the footway and hitting every toilet.

 

[noy91]

For the sake of a few hours on the day I prefer to take the ferry as it just seems to save a lot of hassle and you can get a meal instead of then having to stop somewhere either before or after.

What is always quite interesting to see is how many of the auto drivers forget to apply the handbrake, and in rough seas there's quite a lot of rocking in P visible.

 

[davidjpowell]

I find that a caravan help guarantee access to the high carriage. I agree that it's a bit nerve racking though.

There's always the ferry, but it's so slow in comparison.....

Mind you we were delayed leaving the train last time for 10 minutes as someone had gone to sleep...

 

[Teflonso]

A mate took an old Ferrari to rag around the Nurburgring. Nothing classic, just a 308 GTS. Before loading on to the Eurostar he pointed out the spoiler and said the car won't clear a standard loading ramp.

"Nope," they said, "we do this all the time, on you go and quit whinging". So he very carefully followed instruction. It damaged the spolier, the Ferrari dealer made a fat charge from Eurotunnel to replace it and re-spray to get it all matched up.

You can't educate pork.

.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I use the tunnel twice a year with no issues, must be a superior driver.

 

[Simon_M]

It is worse with low profile tyres, I hate loading onto it. I think if you state you have a high car (i.e. Roof box) then you have to pay a bit more to go on the wider single deck carriage.

I kerbed one of the BMW wheels very slightly in there and was concentrating so much I hit the passenger wing mirror on a toilet as they stick out.

But I thought the metal kerb was very rounded so I am surprised it cut a tyre though.

S

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

+1 for kerbing a wheel on the 'pavement' within the carriage and hitting a mirror on a toilet sticking out.

Since that happened I now drive slowly and cautiously along the whole carriage...great for speed of loading the train up!

This S class is quite wide, but iirc the SL is even wider (?), so I'd hate to drive one of those into a eurotunnel carriage.

Sometimes you have to wonder...

 

[Giantvanman]

It seems to be a bit of a rock and a hard place. If we take the train, there is always the difficulties as people have described but on the ferry, it is normally so tightly packed that paintwork gets damaged by vehicle doors or, and I don't care if it sexist, women scraping their bags along the side or over boot lids.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

A few nice things about taking the eurotunnel train versus the ferry:

- frequent service if you miss your crossing, quite flexible
- travel on an earlier train if spare capacity
- a rough sea has no effect on the crossing
- quick crossing
- can stretch your legs or nap in the car

 

[Branchman]

Having taken an Audi A6 Avant to Belgium many times can honestly say have never had a problem with Euro Tunnel, plus as previously stated if arrive early can often go on earlier train. extra bonus if book same day return travel even if not coming back for a week then book return again when returning saves money example £23 out plus £30 return = £53 X 2 = £106 single = short stay saver=£62 return + same again £62= £124

 

[gaz_l]

Not had a problem with the SLK, although to be fair it's probably narrower than an E class.

I also managed to break the on-board speed limit - just out of principle, like..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Swotty]

Never had any problems with the XKR, which is as wide as my CL and has 285/30 rear tyres. I worry more about the narrow walkways and scratches.

Travelling up from SW France, we now prefer the ferry. The meals are very good these days and it provides a break in the journey.

Last time, when I bought and drove back the CL, the ferry cost me 35 euros for the one-way trip. The tunnel is extortionately expensive by comparison, though I remember the day trips were cheap when we lived in the UK.

Stuart

 

[meeeb]

Having taken an Audi A6 Avant to Belgium many times can honestly say have never had a problem with Euro Tunnel, plus as previously stated if arrive early can often go on earlier train. extra bonus if book same day return travel even if not coming back for a week then book return again when returning saves money example £23 out plus £30 return = £53 X 2 = £106 single = short stay saver=£62 return + same again £62= £124

It's just cost me £40 worth of Tesco vouchers to pay for a return trip peak period in August school summer holidays.

 

[st13phil]

There's a photo of my E63 in a standard Le Shuttle carriage here. There's not much room each side

 

[st13phil]

extra bonus if book same day return travel even if not coming back for a week then book return again when returning saves money example £23 out plus £30 return = £53 X 2 = £106 single = short stay saver=£62 return + same again £62= £124

Periodically they seem to have a purge on people using this back-to-back ticketing wheeze, and deny boarding. Just something to be aware of...

 

[RWDpetrol]

Took my W212 E350 sport on the Eurotunnel yesterday.
Got to Calais supermarket and noticed a cut and bulge in a rear tyre, I am certain that it wasn't there before we left home.
The carriages are very narrow between the kerbs and I did touch it,...

I was on there too yesterday in a 5 series Touring and scratched one wheel very slightly. No idea how as I was being very careful and driving straight at the time, they are just very narrow.

Will request wider carriage/roofbox next time.

 

[parkwood]

Agree the e class is a very tight fit. Used to use the tunnel every 2 or 3 weeks for 2 yrs before moving to france permanently never damaged the tyres but always folded the mirrors to avoid the toilet walls and drove slowly. Think as time has passed the carriages have got shabbier and shabbier and the kerb edging more damaged resulting is sharp edges hence damage to tyres......

I followed a bmw x5 one crossing and that was virtually touching both sides! My lhd glk is also a very tight fit. if you hit the kerb and identify damage on loading take a pic and walk the train to look for any damaged split kerb, may just get a claim through on occupiers liability duty of care to visitors......