London to the Dordogne in my daughter s Seat Mii - insanity?
Discussion
The annual Clapham summer in the Dordogne starts this weekend with Mrs C and our younger daughter heading down. I m staying in London to make sure that the elder Claphamette gets off alright on a 2 week post A levels holiday to Barbados with her mates on Thursday. Once she s back, she s joining us in France and so I head down on Saturday.
Elder daughter passed her test last September and is quite a cautious an unenthusiastic driver. We bought her a 2013 Seat Mii on the basis that they are solid, safe, easy to drive and we don t care if she dings it.
A few weeks ago she mentioned that it would be really nice if she had access to a car at our place in the Dordogne so that she can get about without having to ask us for lifts as it s very rural and a bit dull for an 18 year old. Obviously, at 18 with a licence for less than a year, hiring is out.
I got quite childishly excited at the idea of having justification for an old school R5/Pug 205 or even a Mk1 Twingo that I ve hankered after for some while as a local runabout but which hasn t found favour with the domestic supervisory board.
When my cunning plan was floated with Claphamette Senior the response was an instant and emphatic “Oh no Daddy, I want *my* car - I don t want to have to learn to drive something new and learn to drive on the other side of the road at the same time.”
Mrs C - who sees her parental mission in life as immediately acceding to every whim of the children, however bonkers - instantly agreed and the upshot is that, next Saturday, yours truly is on the 7.03 Shuttle for a 550 mile road trip in a 13 year-old 999cc three cylinder city car
I don t think I have made such a mismatched road trip since driving to St Anton in my 903cc bread van Polo in 1990
Car going into our local tame spanner-man on Tuesday for a thorough going over and this evening I will be preemptively researching osteopaths in the St Emilion area .
Elder daughter passed her test last September and is quite a cautious an unenthusiastic driver. We bought her a 2013 Seat Mii on the basis that they are solid, safe, easy to drive and we don t care if she dings it.
A few weeks ago she mentioned that it would be really nice if she had access to a car at our place in the Dordogne so that she can get about without having to ask us for lifts as it s very rural and a bit dull for an 18 year old. Obviously, at 18 with a licence for less than a year, hiring is out.
I got quite childishly excited at the idea of having justification for an old school R5/Pug 205 or even a Mk1 Twingo that I ve hankered after for some while as a local runabout but which hasn t found favour with the domestic supervisory board.
When my cunning plan was floated with Claphamette Senior the response was an instant and emphatic “Oh no Daddy, I want *my* car - I don t want to have to learn to drive something new and learn to drive on the other side of the road at the same time.”
Mrs C - who sees her parental mission in life as immediately acceding to every whim of the children, however bonkers - instantly agreed and the upshot is that, next Saturday, yours truly is on the 7.03 Shuttle for a 550 mile road trip in a 13 year-old 999cc three cylinder city car
I don t think I have made such a mismatched road trip since driving to St Anton in my 903cc bread van Polo in 1990
Car going into our local tame spanner-man on Tuesday for a thorough going over and this evening I will be preemptively researching osteopaths in the St Emilion area .
Edited by ClaphamGT3 on Sunday 5th July 16:18
Edited by ClaphamGT3 on Sunday 5th July 16:24
I'm sure the car will be ok, my son's had a 2013 Citigo for the past three years and has run to Uni, and back, without issues.
Daughter's also got a 2015 UP that's been in our family for 7 years, without any hiccups.
But's that's quite a road trip for a newish driver.
I'd also be a worried Dad in that instance.
Daughter's also got a 2015 UP that's been in our family for 7 years, without any hiccups.
But's that's quite a road trip for a newish driver.
I'd also be a worried Dad in that instance.
Sounds like a fantastic plan..! We took our Citroen XM with seized spheres down to the Dordogne and think I'm still recovering (mentally) 15 years later.
Google osteopath (Dordogne) search results for you:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ost%C3%A9opathe+do...
Google osteopath (Dordogne) search results for you:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ost%C3%A9opathe+do...
in 1989 I would have passed my test 9 months or so. I lived in rural SW Scotland. Parents in Bedfordshire. I took off for a few weeks in my 1.3 Polo Coupe S with the amazing 4 speed gearbox and toured round much of Western France.
Times will have changed. Yes.
But it's not insanity.
Times will have changed. Yes.
But it's not insanity.
Edited by loskie on Sunday 5th July 17:40
No problem at all. I did a 500 mile round trip in my daughters Mii on Wednesday picking up a new car for her in Yorkshire. The thing happily sits on the motorway at 80 and is comfortable for that distance. Only pain is not having cruise control which we have in all our other cars. Make sure the aircon is fully gassed tho'
Trevor555 said:
I'm sure the car will be ok, my son's had a 2013 Citigo for the past three years and has run to Uni, and back, without issues.
Daughter's also got a 2015 UP that's been in our family for 7 years, without any hiccups.
But's that's quite a road trip for a newish driver.
I'd also be a worried Dad in that instance.
Daughter will be sunning herself in Barbados - good old Daddy is ferrying the car to the DordogneDaughter's also got a 2015 UP that's been in our family for 7 years, without any hiccups.
But's that's quite a road trip for a newish driver.
I'd also be a worried Dad in that instance.
Our daughter has an Up!, the 75bho version, they are surprisingly capable little things. I have done 200 miles in it at one go, the car is fine on the motorway and will cruise at 75 without drama and still do 60mpg.
The weak point on long trips is less the car, and more me. Seats and rather upright driving position are not comfortable for more than an hour and a half at a time. Regular stops for a bit of roadside stretching recommended!
That aside I think you'll be fine. Should be fun, and you will be glad when it's there and you don't have to ferry your daughter everywhere. Chance to do some more driving might get here confidence up too.
The weak point on long trips is less the car, and more me. Seats and rather upright driving position are not comfortable for more than an hour and a half at a time. Regular stops for a bit of roadside stretching recommended!
That aside I think you'll be fine. Should be fun, and you will be glad when it's there and you don't have to ferry your daughter everywhere. Chance to do some more driving might get here confidence up too.
ClaphamGT3 said:
Trevor555 said:
I'm sure the car will be ok, my son's had a 2013 Citigo for the past three years and has run to Uni, and back, without issues.
Daughter's also got a 2015 UP that's been in our family for 7 years, without any hiccups.
But's that's quite a road trip for a newish driver.
I'd also be a worried Dad in that instance.
Daughter will be sunning herself in Barbados - good old Daddy is ferrying the car to the DordogneDaughter's also got a 2015 UP that's been in our family for 7 years, without any hiccups.
But's that's quite a road trip for a newish driver.
I'd also be a worried Dad in that instance.
I love driving the Up's/Mii's/Citigo's as long as one's not in a hurry.
Having to get out of the car to pay the tolls in France is a faff, but each time the driver behind just smiled.
paralla said:
A 1.0-litre SEAT Mii with a standard 5-speed manual transmission cruises at roughly 3,800 to 4,000 RPM at 130 km/h.
That car will be fine, earplugs or noise cancelling earphones might be a good idea to make your trip more comfortable.
She’s off to university in September and not taking the car so I’m toying with leaving it there and buying another one back in the UK when her younger sister turns 17 in SeptemberThat car will be fine, earplugs or noise cancelling earphones might be a good idea to make your trip more comfortable.
550 miles? Remember you've got to bring it back too, unless Claphamette Sr. is emboldened by driving in France and decides she can do that herself. Either way, think of it as a Top Gear-style adventure in an unsuitable car and try to abstain from writing "Penistone" strategically on the side of the car for no apparent reason.
But 500 miles is really nothing for a modern car. The worst that's likely to happen is a sore back from an unsupportive Seat seat. Or a puncture. Or a prang caused my a misunderstanding of the priorité à droite rule, but if you have a place in Dordogneshire, I'm sure you know that one already.
But 500 miles is really nothing for a modern car. The worst that's likely to happen is a sore back from an unsupportive Seat seat. Or a puncture. Or a prang caused my a misunderstanding of the priorité à droite rule, but if you have a place in Dordogneshire, I'm sure you know that one already.
ClaphamGT3 said:
The annual Clapham summer in the Dordogne starts this weekend with Mrs C and our younger daughter heading down. I m staying in London to make sure that the elder Claphamette gets off alright on a 2 week post A levels holiday to Barbados with her mates on Thursday. Once she s back, she s joining us in France and so I head down on Saturday.
Elder daughter passed her test last September and is quite a cautious an unenthusiastic driver. We bought her a 2013 Seat Mii on the basis that they are solid, safe, easy to drive and we don t care if she dings it.
A few weeks ago she mentioned that it would be really nice if she had access to a car at our place in the Dordogne so that she can get about without having to ask us for lifts as it s very rural and a bit dull for an 18 year old. Obviously, at 18 with a licence for less than a year, hiring is out.
I got quite childishly excited at the idea of having justification for an old school R5/Pug 205 or even a Mk1 Twingo that I ve hankered after for some while as a local runabout but which hasn t found favour with the domestic supervisory board.
When my cunning plan was floated with Claphamette Senior the response was an instant and emphatic Oh no Daddy, I want *my* car - I don t want to have to learn to drive something new and learn to drive on the other side of the road at the same time.
Mrs C - who sees her parental mission in life as immediately acceding to every whim of the children, however bonkers - instantly agreed and the upshot is that, next Saturday, yours truly is on the 7.03 Shuttle for a 550 mile road trip in a 13 year-old 999cc three cylinder city car
I don t think I have made such a mismatched road trip since driving to St Anton in my 903cc bread van Polo in 1990
Car going into our local tame spanner-man on Tuesday for a thorough going over and this evening I will be preemptively researching osteopaths in the St Emilion area .
As long you take regular breaks there are no problems. There are plenty of Shell Select convenience stores strategically located through the UK for your convenience. With plenty of amenities including plenty of parking and freshly cleaned toilets, and how can we forget about their world famous, gosh darn damn diddly deliciously delectable, ooey-gooey, oh-so-chewy Deli by Shell Doughnuts?Elder daughter passed her test last September and is quite a cautious an unenthusiastic driver. We bought her a 2013 Seat Mii on the basis that they are solid, safe, easy to drive and we don t care if she dings it.
A few weeks ago she mentioned that it would be really nice if she had access to a car at our place in the Dordogne so that she can get about without having to ask us for lifts as it s very rural and a bit dull for an 18 year old. Obviously, at 18 with a licence for less than a year, hiring is out.
I got quite childishly excited at the idea of having justification for an old school R5/Pug 205 or even a Mk1 Twingo that I ve hankered after for some while as a local runabout but which hasn t found favour with the domestic supervisory board.
When my cunning plan was floated with Claphamette Senior the response was an instant and emphatic Oh no Daddy, I want *my* car - I don t want to have to learn to drive something new and learn to drive on the other side of the road at the same time.
Mrs C - who sees her parental mission in life as immediately acceding to every whim of the children, however bonkers - instantly agreed and the upshot is that, next Saturday, yours truly is on the 7.03 Shuttle for a 550 mile road trip in a 13 year-old 999cc three cylinder city car
I don t think I have made such a mismatched road trip since driving to St Anton in my 903cc bread van Polo in 1990
Car going into our local tame spanner-man on Tuesday for a thorough going over and this evening I will be preemptively researching osteopaths in the St Emilion area .
Edited by ClaphamGT3 on Sunday 5th July 16:18
Edited by ClaphamGT3 on Sunday 5th July 16:24
We (me, my Dad and my Mum) did Deba (near Santander) in Spain to Cheltenham in a 1.1 1982 Ford Fiesta. 5 speed, but no AC and only a basic radio. We did it non-stop via Calais, with me and my Dad sharing the driving. No tunnel in those days, so we had a bit of a rest on the ferry. I think the entire trip took nearly 24 hours. As I was fairly young at the time, I felt no ill effects afterwards, and I think even my Dad was fine.
If it's not too late, you could cut the journey time down (and avoid Paris completely) by taking the overnight ferry to St. Malo.
If it's not too late, you could cut the journey time down (and avoid Paris completely) by taking the overnight ferry to St. Malo.
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