2700 miles around Europe in the C32

[marty359]

Im not one for doing massive write ups but ive recently completed a 2700 mile trip in 17 days around europe in the C32 across France,Holland,Belgium,Luxemburg,Switzerland and Italy and oohh what fun its been, we had miles and miles of empty motorways on the way back from Italy and great twisty roads when we got there,so much fun infact i had to prise my new wife out of the drivers seat so i could have a go. The car was giving me nearly 400 miles to a tank with the cruise control on,something i never see here and the car got a fair bit of stick while away and it only let me down once and that was when we got home and i tried to shut the sunroof.......it jammed! Oh and never leave a make up mirror in the boot and forget to pull load cover over! I have a nice foot long burn on my roof lining where the sun reflected off the mirror.......jeez the whole car could of gone up in smoke!

Italy has the most speed cameras on the motorways but all are clearly signposted just before them and we saw a few mobile laser traps in built up tourist areas, i was amazed how good the standard of driving was while we were away, in Tuscany virtually all drivers would stick to the speed limits even if the road was 50km/h and not in a built up area and cars never hog the overtaking lane and always move over before you approach them.Mopeds in towns are a different story though and we saw quite a few nasty accidents.All in all it was a fantastic drive especially through Switzerland and Belgium where the roads are completely empty.

I also found that when using the Channel Tunnel no matter what time you book your slot they will let you through at anytime for no extra charge,we even came back a day early and they put us on the next available train at no extra charge.

Anyway heres a few pics

The wife in a tunnel WOW i managed to do a link and changed the words:bannana:

 

[renault12ts]

Nice photos. Great trip?

The attitude which allows them to put you on a train if there is space is sensible. Why not? I remember 25 years ago arriving early at Dover and was directed to get on to a boat just about to leave. It wasn't even the company we had booked with. But they just want to clear cars as quickly and efficiently as possible, this way they avoid possible snarl ups later.

 

[lynall]

Last time back from france arrived to early at the ferry and to get on one a couple of hours early was an extra £60 er no thanks ill go back to town thank you.



Lynall

 

[jpwilliams]

Great trip.Well done.
I drive to the south of Spain twice a year and can identify with all that you have said.
Happy motoring.
Regards
John

 

[tromppost]

Last time back from france arrived to early at the ferry and to get on one a couple of hours early was an extra £60 er no thanks ill go back to town thank you.



Lynall

This summer we used the Euro tunnel, £49 return with the two day away deals.

 

[James Rothwell]

I went to Stuttgart earlier in the week and I've got Eurotunnel for £44 return, how did you manage 24mpg, driving to Stuttgart and back I averaged 32mpg out of my E320 and that was doing a steady 120mph the whole way there as it was 4am and on the way back speed ranged from 70-115 the whole way. I did spend a lot of the 120mpg journey out there about 8 inches off the bumper of an Audi Q7 to help aid economy which probaby helped massively!

 

[renault12ts]

8 inches? So safe...

 

[James Rothwell]

Obviously it wasn't 8 inches but pretty close, it's quite acceptable to do that around Germany, if the car your following thinks you're too close they usually put rear foglight on until your back enough. But they know that you're doing it to save fuel, at one for about 30 miles South of Koln there where 3 of us bunched up really close. It's only a problem if they brake for no reason which no one (apart from UK drivers) are dumb enough to do.

Of course you can't do this in the UK as the idiot drivers over here do the worst thing possible and brake randomly on the motorways plus no one can maintain a speed, and on top of that it would seem that not a single person in the UK has any lane disipline.

 

[renault12ts]

^ except you?

 

[James Rothwell]

Well I make a point of not braking on motorways unless I have to, if you look far enough ahead you don't really ever have to brake bar a wall of stationary traffic. It's pretty hard to do, stick the cruise control at 75mph or whatever you like and see how long you can go without braking but you have to observe proper lane disipline. It's tricky but makes you really lift your vision.

 

[JoeMerc]

Well I make a point of not braking on motorways unless I have to, if you look far enough ahead you don't really ever have to brake bar a wall of stationary traffic. It's pretty hard to do, stick the cruise control at 75mph or whatever you like and see how long you can go without braking but you have to observe proper lane disipline. It's tricky but makes you really lift your vision.

my girlfriend got me into doing that... when i finally got round to buying some glasses i think a lot of young drivers (myself included) are always too worried about what is happening to the immediate vicinity and not about what is coming up. by looking ahead a lot more i learnt i could read the lanes a lot better and not have to rely on the driver in front to suddenly brake without any warning.

also, what relly ticks me off are the drivers who're similar to that fable, the boy who cries wolf. forever tapping their brake, hard enough for the light to come on, but not enough to actually do any substantial braking. after a while you dont pay attention to them when they come on, and there may be the one time they are actually braking hard and you'll go into the back of their car... dammit.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Looks like a great road trip - nice one!!

 

[marty359]

You dont fancy taking the caravan abroad then Mr Dazzler.We saw a E320 estate in France with Dutch plates cruising at 75mph with a twin wheeler caravan,looked really stable as well.

 

[marty359]

I had another look at my burnt roof lining earlier it could of been a lot worse i suppose,like a burnt out car .I havent taken it anywhere yet but can imagine its not going to be cheap to repair eh.

 

[jonnyboy]

Last time back from france arrived to early at the ferry and to get on one a couple of hours early was an extra £60 er no thanks ill go back to town thank you.



Lynall

Same here

 

[renault12ts]

I had another look at my burnt roof lining earlier it could of been a lot worse i suppose,like a burnt out car .I havent taken it anywhere yet but can imagine its not going to be cheap to repair eh.

That's scary!!

 

[jonnyboy]

We just returned from Italy, our usual Adriatic haunt this time (were in Florence in May). 2100 miles in the s430 with 5 of us and all the luggage, averaged 23.6mpg, aircon on of course!
Back to Norfolk Line after a dreadful time with Seafrance in May, their boats have really gone downhill since the last time we used them around 3 years ago. Had the worst journey back in 20 years this time, and it was the first time we ever stayed overnight, I normally do it in one go. Traffic/weather/satnav (why did i bother - I know the route inside out) all to blame. By contrast made the best ever time on the way out, didnt feel really shattered until the last hour or so to Ravenna, didnt particularly hose it, just cruised, but got tw*tted by a hiding french laser cop on a bridge 20km from a toll, on a 6% signed downslope. Swines were lined upp and had a permanent portacabin with about 12 coppers waving cars over after the toll. 154 in a 130kph zone = £45 euro fine, so beware people. My kids were waiting in the car while it took them half an hour to ar*e around writing a ticket, and commented that 4 out of every 5 nicked car was non-french, despite the french flying past me on that stretch of road, i mean really flying. Same as two years ago when a bike cop got me at 161 in the Lexus, there were French cars blasting past as he pulled out of the hidden area he was sitting in but it was me that was nicked. Pure revenue generation.
Yes, I was speeding, not intentionally it has to be said, my mrs was amazed as she reckoned it was the slowest I'd ever driven...but no parity with their countryfolk it seems.
Got our own back though, paid the fine in coins! The Polish guy next to me brought in a big bag of coins, mostly less than a Euro, he motioned to me to swap him my notes for some change, I sussed out what he meant and did it when he paid his total fine of 95 euros in about 150 small coins. We had a laugh outside, we did, me and him. The Mrs should be told at some point I suppose.....
Sorry for the hijack

 

[Adam230K]

I thought only men booted cars in tunnels... lol

 

[johnpidge]

Looks like a wonderful trip - done quite a few long (business sadly) trips in Italy - looking at toilet factories of all things!!!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

You dont fancy taking the caravan abroad then Mr Dazzler.We saw a E320 estate in France with Dutch plates cruising at 75mph with a twin wheeler caravan,looked really stable as well.

We have thought about it, and in fact I put new plates on the ML this morning - I opted for the Euro GB badge just in case we do go abroad with it.

It would be fairly pricey to take the caravan I reckon if the extra cost on the ferry hop to the Isle of Wight is anything to go by!!

Incredible to think that burn just came from a mirror - that can't have been far off getting nasty!!