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Driving trip through europe

Planned road trips and road-trip reports go in here
Stark
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by Stark » Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:28 pm

Excuse my ipad spelling...job well done then!! Don't forget some oil...just in case.

I had a great trip recently.....drove close to 14 hours in one day....and loved it. But the scenery was not as great as yours will be!!

T2FFN
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by T2FFN » Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:40 pm

So far I've collected:

Breathaliser x2
Tyre foam x2
Warning triangle
Med kit
1L oil
High vis vests x2
5L Jerry can (fuel)
Brodit Car kit for One X
Aux in cable


Plan on taking a tent and gear in the event of finding some amazing scenary and dont want to stop at a hotel.
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T2FFN
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by T2FFN » Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:41 pm

Contemplating buying 2 Vredestein Sessanta's for the rear, as when I bought this Z4 it had cheap no name budgets on the rear and Falken 452's on the front. They've been fine in the dry but pretty sure they'll be rubbish in the wet, and its an excuse to buy new rubber :evil:
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Stark
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by Stark » Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:47 pm

What do people do re winter tyres when you normally run, run flats. Can you get winter run flats?

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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by T2FFN » Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:48 pm

Yes you can, not cheap though from the looks of it.
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bigdog
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by bigdog » Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:38 pm

The roads around Munster up towards St. Die Des Vosges and west of Selestat are great. We left Colmar and set the satnav on the wife's 328 to avoid hiways. We went through some awesome backroads. We go to the Alsace region quite a bit. As it's only 2 hours from our house in the Kaiserslautern Germany area.
I have been on the Band of brothers tour. Was able to get into the fox holes that Easy company used. It can be hard to locate some of the more obscure battle fields though. There is a good museum near Bastogne. As always. If you end up near the Kaiserslautern area or in Northern France and fancy lunch/diner. Send a PM. I'll buy.

The winter tire regs are not to bad in Germany. They are only mandatory in the mountainous areas such as the Alps. But. Should you have an accident during inclement weather and you do not have the M+S, Snow flake, Mountain symbol on your tires. You can have all the blame for the accident laid at your feet. Regardless if it was the other guys fault. As the police will assume you could have avoided the accident had you been using the proper tires.
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by domsz4 » Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:53 am

the AA site is good for telling you what you need in terms of high vis etc. biggest problem i had going to germany is fitting all the stuff your supposed to be able to get to from inside the car in with you and a passenger and a bag of crisps.
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by Lance » Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:47 pm

I'm with Bigdog, the Alsace and the Vosges are very very nice, a little time planning and good routes/twisties are plenty. I was there in July albeit on a motorbike, the Vosges were impressive. We stayed overnight in Gerdarmer in the Hotel Des Bains (recommended).

Belgium, been there many many many times, but usually just passing through. This year we decided to spend a bit more time there and have a nose about. Never ever again, roads are shy't, very poorly finished, stop start every where and apart from the Ardennes, dull as a dull thing. Go see the war stuff and fastest route elsewhere.

Try Luxembourg, again with a little effort planning, there are some really nice parts with some really good roads.

Don't get hung up on what you need to take, just enjoy. Personally I don't take anything other than documents and what's already in the car. Never ever been stopped.

Tent this time of year? Good luck with that fella :o

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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by Cibbers » Mon Oct 22, 2012 11:44 pm

I would love to do this - how much would you need to budget for fuel/toll roads?
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bigdog
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by bigdog » Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:11 am

Cibbers wrote:I would love to do this - how much would you need to budget for fuel/toll roads?
You can avoid the French toll roads. Just take back roads. And when you do need to return to merry ole England. Go via Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium motorways. Of course that doesn't work to well if one is going to Spain. With fuel. Your on your own. As that can vary so much. You just need to mark a route in Google maps, Add up the miles. And do some math based on "YOUR" fuel economy.

Forgot to add that in the Alsace region. The wine is very good, And very cheap. It's predominantly of the white variety though, But there are some reds.
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by jaRED » Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:04 am

Can I suggest you have a look at hikers huts. These seem to be appearing at a lot of campsites. Cheaper than a hotel but warmer than a tent.
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Machine monkey
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by Machine monkey » Tue Oct 23, 2012 8:46 am

Not sure if i am giving you bad or wrong advice ( so please cheek ) But you don't have to have winter tyres but if you have a crash its automatically your fault if they do. I was told that by someone when i worked at CERN about five years ago?
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Re: Driving trip through europe

Post by T2FFN » Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:12 pm

Holy thread necro, I did the trip 12mnths ago guys. Thanks
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