kps70
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2010
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Cheltenham
- Car
- MB S500 W140, VW411LE, VWPassatTDi, VWGolfMkI, VWType2
Hi,
thought I'd share with you my very recent trip through Europe down to Bulgaria in my 1993 S500.
I had a conversion to lpg before the trip as I reckon this saved me about £500 for the return journey.
It's about 1800 miles one way, through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia and then into Bulgaria.
As you drive down through, the roads just get better (and more empty, and flatter and smoother!) until you reach Bulgaria then the roads are more like the UK's i.e. potholes, bumps etc!
You have to pay for a Vignette for Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria and it's pay as you go on the Serbian Highways.
I've done the trip a few times now in an old LDV400 , but going down in the S500 was a breeze with aircon and a car that just wants to go. I opened it up on the autobahn to about 120mph and it just flew! However, for most of the trip, I kept to around 85mph on the cruise control. The car returned about 20mpg on the gas. Gas is less than half the price of petrol in most European countries and almost a third in the Netherlands. I needed two adaptors for the whole journey.
When I got to Bulgaria, the car sprung a leak in the radiator (the front oil radiator had been rubbing on the main water radiator and worn through) but luckily, some friends were coming over and were able to fly over a spare (£50 on ebay from a Bulgarian strangely enough!). When I replaced the radiator, I put some leather between the two radiators to stop the rubbing - is this a common problem?)
On my return, I had arranged to have the rear window replaced in Pulheim, near Cologne (the old one had delaminated). I left the car with Profi-Autoglas, spent the day in Cologne then was able to drive away with the new window. They charged 380Euros which I guess is not too bad.
Cannot wait for the next trip!
thought I'd share with you my very recent trip through Europe down to Bulgaria in my 1993 S500.
I had a conversion to lpg before the trip as I reckon this saved me about £500 for the return journey.
It's about 1800 miles one way, through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia and then into Bulgaria.
As you drive down through, the roads just get better (and more empty, and flatter and smoother!) until you reach Bulgaria then the roads are more like the UK's i.e. potholes, bumps etc!
You have to pay for a Vignette for Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria and it's pay as you go on the Serbian Highways.
I've done the trip a few times now in an old LDV400 , but going down in the S500 was a breeze with aircon and a car that just wants to go. I opened it up on the autobahn to about 120mph and it just flew! However, for most of the trip, I kept to around 85mph on the cruise control. The car returned about 20mpg on the gas. Gas is less than half the price of petrol in most European countries and almost a third in the Netherlands. I needed two adaptors for the whole journey.
When I got to Bulgaria, the car sprung a leak in the radiator (the front oil radiator had been rubbing on the main water radiator and worn through) but luckily, some friends were coming over and were able to fly over a spare (£50 on ebay from a Bulgarian strangely enough!). When I replaced the radiator, I put some leather between the two radiators to stop the rubbing - is this a common problem?)
On my return, I had arranged to have the rear window replaced in Pulheim, near Cologne (the old one had delaminated). I left the car with Profi-Autoglas, spent the day in Cologne then was able to drive away with the new window. They charged 380Euros which I guess is not too bad.
Cannot wait for the next trip!
Any pic?
