Prep for european road trip...
Discussion
I'm hoping to take my Rapide from the UK to italy later this month. Plan is to get the tunnel, then blitz france and into Switzerland on day 1. Stay there a couple of days before heading to italy for a week, then back to france, over nighting and back to the UK.
I've driven my old Maserati to the south of france before so not a newb as such.
Im aware to the travel kit, high vis, triangle etc needed and also the 'permit' for the motorway in Switzerland but does anyone have any words of wisedom?
Car prep, it's done 87k miles, will have fresh filters and oil before the trip. Coils, plugs, transmission fluid, diff oil coolant etc were done 12k miles ago, new battery a few months ago. It's used daily and runs beautifully normally. Again any recommendations for prep? Ill be taking my code reader and basic tools just incase....
I've driven my old Maserati to the south of france before so not a newb as such.
Im aware to the travel kit, high vis, triangle etc needed and also the 'permit' for the motorway in Switzerland but does anyone have any words of wisedom?
Car prep, it's done 87k miles, will have fresh filters and oil before the trip. Coils, plugs, transmission fluid, diff oil coolant etc were done 12k miles ago, new battery a few months ago. It's used daily and runs beautifully normally. Again any recommendations for prep? Ill be taking my code reader and basic tools just incase....
Breakdown insurance.
Can or two of Tyre Weld?
Oil for top up if required?
Peage Tag? I got a Fulli one which is brilliant. Think there's a deal on at the moment with no upfront fees and only pay when you use it. I'm still waiting for the bill from Le Mans.
Don't forget to take your V5c, insurance and MOT. Although they don't know what an MOT is on the continent and only ask to see V5 and insurance.
Can or two of Tyre Weld?
Oil for top up if required?
Peage Tag? I got a Fulli one which is brilliant. Think there's a deal on at the moment with no upfront fees and only pay when you use it. I'm still waiting for the bill from Le Mans.
Don't forget to take your V5c, insurance and MOT. Although they don't know what an MOT is on the continent and only ask to see V5 and insurance.
I’ll be doing I similarly long euro trip next month, (south of Spain and back). Here’s a few things that I’ll be taking that haven’t already been mentioned.
Bottle jack, (and a base / stand).
A pair of foldable axle stands.
A long breaker bar, a couple of inch extension and appropriately sized socket for the wheel nuts
Copper grease
Disposable gloves
A spare bulb kit, (isn’t that a legal requirement in France?)
A couple of decent torches, one large, one small.
One of those foam gardening kneeling pads.
edited to add; don’t forget your Crit-Air sticker for travelling through France. It’s only a few Euros, but many cities have now implemented these clean air zones.
There’s currently decent cash-backs on RAC Euro breakdown cover via TopCashBack. I just got 27% back when taking out an annual policy.
Bottle jack, (and a base / stand).
A pair of foldable axle stands.
A long breaker bar, a couple of inch extension and appropriately sized socket for the wheel nuts
Copper grease
Disposable gloves
A spare bulb kit, (isn’t that a legal requirement in France?)
A couple of decent torches, one large, one small.
One of those foam gardening kneeling pads.
edited to add; don’t forget your Crit-Air sticker for travelling through France. It’s only a few Euros, but many cities have now implemented these clean air zones.
There’s currently decent cash-backs on RAC Euro breakdown cover via TopCashBack. I just got 27% back when taking out an annual policy.
Edited by 105.4 on Tuesday 11th July 20:26
Edited by 105.4 on Tuesday 11th July 20:38
durbster said:
I'm doing pretty much exactly the same trip this summer.
Will you be going into or through any cities that require a Crit'air sticker?
Me?Will you be going into or through any cities that require a Crit'air sticker?
Just Rouen, but there’s always the unpleasant possibility of having to divert through Paris either on the way down or on the way back up, plus I think Boudreaux has a clean air zone as well?
For the €6 that it costs, it’s hardly going to break the bank if it’s not needed.
markiii said:
not needed, they never implemented the law in the end
Not quite correct, it was introduced, but not enforced, in 2013 but my understanding is that it was withdrawn a couple of years ago. I still carry a few in the car (their limit is lower than ours).There are a lot more cameras around now, many covering both directions with infra-red 'invisible' flashes, so you won't necessarily see them activating. Several depts have vigilantes (sorry, local citizens) driving around in radar/camera-equipped unmarked cars. They also like putting radar 'boxes' near the end of restricted speed limits in roadworks (I've seen them 50-metres from the 'destriction' signs.
A blue parking disc / clock can be handy in France and Switzerland.
Thanks all, all noted and much appreciated.
I wasnt aware of the crit-air, although it shouldn't apply we are headed to Nancy on the return leg so it wouldn'ttake much of a diversion... as said for the 4.60 its some thing less to worry about.
I have AA gold already, its £108 to add on the trip but ill take a look at the RAC offer.
Going to order a dynaplug, that looks a handy bit of kit generally. I do 20k miles a year so I'm sure it will come in handy.
Regarding tools, my standard kit includes duck tape and nylon ties for things that move but shouldn't and oil for the things that should but dont....
I hadnt thought of a jack, good idea but im pretty tight on space so might have to evaluate that one.
On the toll tags, ive only found one (UYLS) that does both france and italy. Any other recommendations?
I wasnt aware of the crit-air, although it shouldn't apply we are headed to Nancy on the return leg so it wouldn'ttake much of a diversion... as said for the 4.60 its some thing less to worry about.
I have AA gold already, its £108 to add on the trip but ill take a look at the RAC offer.
Going to order a dynaplug, that looks a handy bit of kit generally. I do 20k miles a year so I'm sure it will come in handy.
Regarding tools, my standard kit includes duck tape and nylon ties for things that move but shouldn't and oil for the things that should but dont....
I hadnt thought of a jack, good idea but im pretty tight on space so might have to evaluate that one.
On the toll tags, ive only found one (UYLS) that does both france and italy. Any other recommendations?
Edited by BGB autosport on Tuesday 11th July 21:56
BGB autosport said:
Thanks all, all noted and much appreciated.
I wasnt aware of the crit-air, although it shouldn't apply we are headed to Nancy on the return leg so it wouldn'ttake much of a diversion... as said for the 4.60 its some thing less to worry about.
I have AA gold already, its £108 to add on the trip but ill take a look at the RAC offer.
Going to order a dynaplug, that looks a handy bit of kit generally. I do 20k miles a year so I'm sure it will come in handy.
Regarding tools, my standard kit includes duck tape and nylon ties for things that move but shouldn't and oil for the things that should but dont....
I hadnt thought of a jack, good idea but im pretty tight on space so might have to evaluate that one.
On the toll tags, ive only found one (UYLS) that does both france and italy. Any other recommendations?
Regarding Crit-Air, I’ll post a link in a minute that gives up to date info on which cities have the clean are zones. All I’ll say is, bear in mind any diversions you may need to take if your Route A is closed / traffics jams etc. I wasnt aware of the crit-air, although it shouldn't apply we are headed to Nancy on the return leg so it wouldn'ttake much of a diversion... as said for the 4.60 its some thing less to worry about.
I have AA gold already, its £108 to add on the trip but ill take a look at the RAC offer.
Going to order a dynaplug, that looks a handy bit of kit generally. I do 20k miles a year so I'm sure it will come in handy.
Regarding tools, my standard kit includes duck tape and nylon ties for things that move but shouldn't and oil for the things that should but dont....
I hadnt thought of a jack, good idea but im pretty tight on space so might have to evaluate that one.
On the toll tags, ive only found one (UYLS) that does both france and italy. Any other recommendations?
Edited by BGB autosport on Tuesday 11th July 21:56
Yeah, a bottle jack probably wouldn’t work on a low slung Aston. I didn’t think of that when I suggested it. I got an 8 ton one from Screwfix for under £40, but it will spend most of its time in the back of my work van anyway. A long breaker bar is a must though I’d say, especially considering how little room it takes up.
Toll Tags? Absolutely essential in my opinion. They’ll save you so much time at the Tolls.
I struggled to get the French system to accept payment on both mine and my Wife’s accounts. Eventually we managed to do it using a Starling Bank account that we rarely use.
Besides UYLS, there’s also Bip & Go and Fulli, and a couple of others that will do France, Spain, Portugal and for a few extra Euros, Italy as well. They also do car parks.
a decent Toll Tag thread
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Official Crit Air webpage
https://www.france.fr/en/holiday-prep/crit-air-ant...
HTH?
Edited by 105.4 on Tuesday 11th July 22:30
Bear in mind that whole regions, such as Haut Savoie, can declare themselves temporary clean air zones at short notice. I carry a scissor jack (Rover 400) in my V8V - it takes up little space and will get under the sill with a flat tyre. It's useful to get a wheel off for self repair of a tread puncture, or to take the wheel to a tyre shop without risking a clown damaging the car with a trolley jack under the suspension.
Edited by john ryan on Wednesday 12th July 09:28
TarquinMX5 said:
There are a lot more cameras around now, many covering both directions with infra-red 'invisible' flashes, so you won't necessarily see them activating. Several depts have vigilantes (sorry, local citizens) driving around in radar/camera-equipped unmarked cars. They also like putting radar 'boxes' near the end of restricted speed limits in roadworks (I've seen them 50-metres from the 'destriction' signs.
Fines are not being sent to the UK since Brexit so I wouldn’t worry too much about fixed cameras.The problem is when they pull you over.
If you keep below the 40 KM/H above the speed limit, you pay €90 Euros on the spot and you are sent on your way, above that threshold they take your license, you have to be careful when the speed limit suddenly drops from the usual 130 KM/H to 110 or 90 KM/H as this can catch you out.
tolls...
I have a UYLS in my car - French registered, so it was easy to set up and arrived in a matter of days, I elected to go for the one that covers France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, this one is synced to the car registration and works well, I have another version which covers France only and I can use it in any car (ie not registration specific).
In my opinion, essential for RHD vehicles.
Aston - France, Italy, Spain and Portugal
Other - France only
Have a great trip - photos required!!
I have a UYLS in my car - French registered, so it was easy to set up and arrived in a matter of days, I elected to go for the one that covers France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, this one is synced to the car registration and works well, I have another version which covers France only and I can use it in any car (ie not registration specific).
In my opinion, essential for RHD vehicles.
Aston - France, Italy, Spain and Portugal
Other - France only
Have a great trip - photos required!!
Far Cough said:
Put one of these kits in your car ......... www.dynaplug.com
Not available outside the USA according to the website.
Buster73 said:
Far Cough said:
Put one of these kits in your car ......... www.dynaplug.com
Not available outside the USA according to the website.https://www.dynaplug-uk.com/
Also on Amazon etc.
Yes make sure you get the toll beepers...otherwise every toll booth you are jumping out the car and running around to the other side and back again if you are on your own in it 
Not sure how legitimate it was, but one guy in our group rear ended a local on a Swiss motorway. They stopped exchanged details and the other person called the police who arrived, escorted him to a station rang up a judge and got issued a very hefty on the spot fine which he had to pay before he could have his car back.
We stopped off in France in Strasbourg for a night which was a good call, as it meant we didnt do the full run to Italy in a day which would have left us pretty shattered the following day. Had some great food, amazing light show came on the river, couple of cold beers. It was a fantastic stop over. It is one of the places that does though have the 'short notice' air pollution thing, where if they measure too much pollution they can suddenly implement a no drive zone for older/polluting cars.
Not sure how legitimate it was, but one guy in our group rear ended a local on a Swiss motorway. They stopped exchanged details and the other person called the police who arrived, escorted him to a station rang up a judge and got issued a very hefty on the spot fine which he had to pay before he could have his car back.
We stopped off in France in Strasbourg for a night which was a good call, as it meant we didnt do the full run to Italy in a day which would have left us pretty shattered the following day. Had some great food, amazing light show came on the river, couple of cold beers. It was a fantastic stop over. It is one of the places that does though have the 'short notice' air pollution thing, where if they measure too much pollution they can suddenly implement a no drive zone for older/polluting cars.
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