Just got back from a trip to the in-laws (south of Germany), in the Vito for the first time. Vehicle never missed a beat and was absolutely perfect for the trip. Quiet and refined, loads of room, and 8 month old Baby BTB able to sit between us in the front (pretty handy on an 11 hour journey). We took our two youngest dogs who have their ‘pet passports’ … that left room for extra luggage in the lower cages. 2 seats in the middle for my step-kids (who we brought back), plus baby buggy, cycle trailer, and assorted other bits & pieces.
(note the 911 in the background!)
Very quick and easy on the Eurotunnel (as normal), although being just over the 1.85 metre height limit we had to go in the single-decker part of the train
Took it steady on the way out and back to minimise fuel stops ... cruise control set to 120 kph (75 mph). Got 30.1 mpg on the way there (mostly daylight), and 29.1 mpg on the way back (mostly in the dark). Wonder if the difference was the extra load from the headlights? Relatively painless for a long drive - combination of cruise control, auto gearbox, and smooth & torquey diesel worked very well. And plenty of range in hand with just a single fuel stop … could probably have stretched it to 500 miles from a tank if necessary (which it wasn’t). Almost makes up for not having a remaining miles (or fuel amount) readout on the trip computer!
The trusty TomTom 910 did a great job on the navigation - the latest software release means I can have it in the M-B cradle (handsfree via the steering wheel buttons and Sound 20 audio) while also linked to the TomTom via Bluetooth to feed GPRS traffic data.
On Thursday we went down to the Bodensee (Lake Constance) - a roughly 300 mile round trip, much of it on unrestricted autobahn. Went in convoy with my in-laws in their 'silver with a hint of blue' SLK280
- at a steady 160 kph (100 mph) most of the way. On the return trip I wound it up a bit more, cruising at 175 kph (109 mph) where appropriate (perfect weather, quiet roads, and light traffic) with shorter bursts of 180-plus kph. The Vito felt totally planted and stable at all times, and accelerating away from other traffic at over 90 mph in a van was somewhat surreal! The only downside was that a light-fingered local in Meersburg nicked the 'official' alloy tyre valve dust caps while it was parked there! Went to the local main dealer next day (Leonberg) … parts dept. had never heard of them but managed to find them on the computer, none in stock so I took some ordinary ones for now. I’ll get a set for the in-laws’ R171 as well … and some chrome indicator bubs (I was astonished to find it had orange ones front and back).
While walking the dogs one day the hills were alive to the sound of music ... in the form of a howling race-tuned engine and sequential gearbox. Turned out to be a nearby Porsche facility that has its own test track
Speaking of Porsches, Baby BTB had a go in this one (supposedly a 911 C4
):
But he was more impressed with his own brand-new roadster:
Finally a gratuitous picture of the local Shell station … will post some other ‘scenic’ ones in off-topic when I get the time.
(note the 911 in the background!)
Very quick and easy on the Eurotunnel (as normal), although being just over the 1.85 metre height limit we had to go in the single-decker part of the train
Took it steady on the way out and back to minimise fuel stops ... cruise control set to 120 kph (75 mph). Got 30.1 mpg on the way there (mostly daylight), and 29.1 mpg on the way back (mostly in the dark). Wonder if the difference was the extra load from the headlights? Relatively painless for a long drive - combination of cruise control, auto gearbox, and smooth & torquey diesel worked very well. And plenty of range in hand with just a single fuel stop … could probably have stretched it to 500 miles from a tank if necessary (which it wasn’t). Almost makes up for not having a remaining miles (or fuel amount) readout on the trip computer!
The trusty TomTom 910 did a great job on the navigation - the latest software release means I can have it in the M-B cradle (handsfree via the steering wheel buttons and Sound 20 audio) while also linked to the TomTom via Bluetooth to feed GPRS traffic data.
On Thursday we went down to the Bodensee (Lake Constance) - a roughly 300 mile round trip, much of it on unrestricted autobahn. Went in convoy with my in-laws in their 'silver with a hint of blue' SLK280
- at a steady 160 kph (100 mph) most of the way. On the return trip I wound it up a bit more, cruising at 175 kph (109 mph) where appropriate (perfect weather, quiet roads, and light traffic) with shorter bursts of 180-plus kph. The Vito felt totally planted and stable at all times, and accelerating away from other traffic at over 90 mph in a van was somewhat surreal! The only downside was that a light-fingered local in Meersburg nicked the 'official' alloy tyre valve dust caps while it was parked there! Went to the local main dealer next day (Leonberg) … parts dept. had never heard of them but managed to find them on the computer, none in stock so I took some ordinary ones for now. I’ll get a set for the in-laws’ R171 as well … and some chrome indicator bubs (I was astonished to find it had orange ones front and back).
While walking the dogs one day the hills were alive to the sound of music ... in the form of a howling race-tuned engine and sequential gearbox. Turned out to be a nearby Porsche facility that has its own test track
Speaking of Porsches, Baby BTB had a go in this one (supposedly a 911 C4
):
But he was more impressed with his own brand-new roadster:
Finally a gratuitous picture of the local Shell station … will post some other ‘scenic’ ones in off-topic when I get the time.
) spilling down and that perhaps they'd travel better lower down - but then I realised it's so they can see out the window. 
