Friday 16th August 2013

Harris on hols: PH Blog

Pack the family in the Merc, blaze ahead in the Ferrari, browse quirky French classifieds...

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Full holiday mode has now been selected. For many people this means the rigmarole of preparations and organisation, for people like us it means persuading the family to drive to wherever it is you chose to stay, and then quickly establishing stuff you need on arrival.

Tight squeeze on train for broad-hipped Italian

Somehow I managed to persuade Mrs H to let me drive the 512 to France, in convoy with an ML63 AMG. One day I will recover from the fuel bill, but can now announce that over a 260-mile run on Autoroute and N-roads, the Fandango used 73 litres of fuel compared with the Merc's 77 litres. I don't do mpg calculations when I'm on holiday, but the 512 is currently known as the economical car.

Now, establishing stuff you need. First, find the patisserie boulangerie, next locate the supermarket, then skulk off with a child or two in search of the local secondhand car lots. When all three are completed you can settle in with a glass of rose (price ceiling 8 euros) and begin searching the wonderful leboncoin.fr, repository of all things French and lovable. If you love old Froggy tat as much as I do, this will be some kind of nirvana.

Too much rose can lead to odd desires...

Right now, I'm desperate to buy a proper 205 Rallye but there isn't one very local to me, and heading off for a 500km round-trip would probably lead to divorce, so I've been indulging other fantasies. Like the Peugeot 505 Dangel.

What a machine this is. Established in 1980, Automobile Dangel still makes 4WD conversions for PSA products, but its first experiments used the 504 and 505, both of which were rear-wheel drive as standard. Responding to demand for an off-road Peugeot that could act as a kind of spacious Land Rover Defender, it added a transfer case and a front differential, raised the ride-height and created something that cannot fail to raise a smile.

I would love a Dangel. Stop sniggering at the back.

It's a beach holiday, Harris style

This one is just down the road from us. . Have a set of photographs ever made you want a car as much? Like all Dangels it's well used and looks tragically over-priced. But I think my Rangie will fail its MOT this year because it was de-catted at some point in the past and now needs plenty of cash spent on it to meet the new regulations. I'm tempted to sell it and move into a Dangel. I just can't think of a cooler, more useful vehicle for one of these harsh British winters we seem to have nowadays.

Would make a cheekily incongruous convoy traveling back to the UK in convoy with an ML63 and a 512 too.

Dangel action here. Well, kind of inaction.

Chris

 

[Sources: Leboncoin]

[WMP]

Who knew that Peugeot invented the Audi Allroad?

Go and buy it Chris, I for one think its a strong look!

[fatboy69]

Love the Dangel.

Slightly concerned that Harris is loosing his mind......

[Poshfpg]

Just to be clear, your wife let you drive on your own in the Ferrari while she drove with the kids? I find that almost impossible to believe but am impressed. If I were to try that to get the 911 on hols the price would be my driving the estate.

Love the look of that Dangel, there's something very rugged about those old Pugs that the equivalent era Renaults don't have, can see why you're tempted.

[Kronstein]

Yes all credit to the way Chris manages his domestic arrangements!!

So many AMGs.... But room for a plural AMG model lineup group test sometime!

[Zumbruk]

'Ere, 'arris, 'ave you been talking to my bonkers neighbour with the 14 Renault 4's?

[ghibbett]

77 litres over 280 miles is 16.5mpg. Wifey has a heavy right foot!

[jamespink]

ghibbett said:

77 litres over 280 miles is 16.5mpg. Wifey has a heavy right foot!

From experience that's about right, its a 6.3 litre V8, what did you expect? I thought it funny that while watching the Dangle on the beach, you would never drive the Merc there... Something to be said for tatty old cars that don't matter, ultimately its always more fun when you have no concern for the value of your ride!

Edited by jamespink on Friday 16th August 12:12

[Animal]

Five thousand Euros for a leggy 24 yr-old Pug? Surely not...

PS - you're about 16mpg in the 512 so far.

[JonathanLegard]

Zumbruk said:

'Ere, 'arris, 'ave you been talking to my bonkers neighbour with the 14 Renault 4's?

He'd be saner than a man with 4 Renault 14s.

[braddo]

Awesome. Great that you can take a 512 along on holiday and I love the Dangel, although this the first i've ever heard of one.

Very similar to the Overlander done in Australia in the 70s, where a Holden Kingswood wagon was used:

[Trtj]

Merc - Dangel px?

Get your woman to drive the Dangel back. White cars, not cool

[Itsallicanafford]

Mrs. Harris, i salute you.

[AyBee]

Is there a reason for having the Ferrari with you since it's obviously not suitable for family days out? Or have you also managed to persuade her to let you go out on your own for drives while on holiday?

[Zumbruk]

JonathanLegard said:

He'd be saner than a man with 4 Renault 14s.

The actual number is disputable, since some of them probably don't deserve to actually be called "cars". He certainly does have a problem, though. Although his daily drive, an immaculate R4 with R5GT running gear is rather nice!

[errek72]

Well, someone is going through the eighties phase of his mid-life-crisis ;-)
Great stuff though. Dangel also makes Monster Berlingo's btw.

[monthefish]

jamespink said:

ghibbett said:

77 litres over 280 miles is 16.5mpg. Wifey has a heavy right foot!

From experience that's about right, its a 6.3 litre V8, what did you expect?

On a cruise, a lot more than that.

My old 7 series (with a 4.4 V8 engine designed before people really gave a st about mpg) used to achive 25mpg on motorway runs.

[smilo996]

That beach must be in North Africa. Not a Louis Vuitton seller in sight.

Hey sweety shall we go to France. I'll drive the Ferrari and you drive the Merc........long pause.......and you can buy me the kohinoor diamond for my birthday....Well done Harris pulling that one off and being able to sneak out as well.

[monthefish]

AyBee said:

Is there a reason for having the Ferrari with you since it's obviously not suitable for family days out? Or have you also managed to persuade her to let you go out on your own for drives while on holiday?

The man is clearly nuts. But in a good way.

[Fullmeister]

That Peugeot is THE COOLEST thing I have ever seen .


Get it bought lad !!!

[braddo]

monthefish said:

AyBee said:

Is there a reason for having the Ferrari with you since it's obviously not suitable for family days out? Or have you also managed to persuade her to let you go out on your own for drives while on holiday?

The man is clearly nuts. But in a good way.

I guess that and the fact that it's possibly a business expense.