1st road trip to South of France in my Griff - Advice?
Discussion
Hi all
My Fiancée and I are travelling out to the South of France at the end of the month for our wedding and we're taking the Griff
(it took some convincing but we got there in the end)
She is slightly concerned about getting there but I have assured her that we'll make it just fine.
My car is a 99 Griffith 500 and has done about 83k miles. It's well maintained and always starts and has been very reliable etc.
I just wanted to ask you guys who may have done this kind of trip before, if there is anything I should do / take with me as a precautionary measure?
I'm currently looking for European breakdown cover and have found some online with a company called - vehicle rescue direct, for around £25.00 for the week (not bad I thought). The cover seems good but I’ve never heard of them. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
Thanks
My Fiancée and I are travelling out to the South of France at the end of the month for our wedding and we're taking the Griff
(it took some convincing but we got there in the end)She is slightly concerned about getting there but I have assured her that we'll make it just fine.
My car is a 99 Griffith 500 and has done about 83k miles. It's well maintained and always starts and has been very reliable etc.
I just wanted to ask you guys who may have done this kind of trip before, if there is anything I should do / take with me as a precautionary measure?
I'm currently looking for European breakdown cover and have found some online with a company called - vehicle rescue direct, for around £25.00 for the week (not bad I thought). The cover seems good but I’ve never heard of them. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
Thanks
Keep the roof off at all times and make lots of noise
Apart from that, take a few basic spares with you. I take a replacement belt and some oil, a few bits of wire, fuses, tape, cable ties, tyre pressure guage, fuel additive and basic tool kit. And some decent breakdown cover.
General advice - pack wisely. I make sure everything is in a few holdalls so that you can quickly empty the boot to put the roof on and off. Just be organised.
Watch out for
And most importantly of all, enjoy yourself. Touring in a Griff is fantastic fun.
Apart from that, take a few basic spares with you. I take a replacement belt and some oil, a few bits of wire, fuses, tape, cable ties, tyre pressure guage, fuel additive and basic tool kit. And some decent breakdown cover.
General advice - pack wisely. I make sure everything is in a few holdalls so that you can quickly empty the boot to put the roof on and off. Just be organised.
Watch out for
And most importantly of all, enjoy yourself. Touring in a Griff is fantastic fun.
Thanks guys - tool kit sorted, oil sorted, I’ll pack the other items as well just in case.
Really looking forward to it
What’s the deal with the headlight deflectors - do they even work on the Griff? I'll probably just not bother
Just out of interest on a journey such as this (long motorway cruising) what sort of MPG do you get? Not that I really care about the fuel economy I'm just interested to know how many times I’ll be stopping for fuel in the 800+ miles to France.
Really looking forward to it
What’s the deal with the headlight deflectors - do they even work on the Griff? I'll probably just not bother
Just out of interest on a journey such as this (long motorway cruising) what sort of MPG do you get? Not that I really care about the fuel economy I'm just interested to know how many times I’ll be stopping for fuel in the 800+ miles to France.
Rob cruising on the autoroutes in France we managed 30.8mpg in a Griff 500 as for insurance make sure it is a good one mine was through Hagerthy who i am insured with until July & had to have the Tuscan recovered last year they were excellent even ring at 11pm Sat night to make sure we got home OK. Enjoy.
Ian
Ian
330p4 said:
Rob cruising on the autoroutes in France we managed 30.8mpg in a Griff 500 as for insurance make sure it is a good one mine was through Hagerthy who i am insured with until July & had to have the Tuscan recovered last year they were excellent even ring at 11pm Sat night to make sure we got home OK. Enjoy.
Ian
Thansk Ian, 30.8mpg wow that's fantastic. Full insurance cover sorted + extras so we should be okay.Ian
Thanks again
Rob
Have a look at this thread :
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
or search on France
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
or search on France
Did this run a couple of years ago with Racing Green & a gang from Bristol TVRCC, as you can imagine it was spirited drive and I was getting 22 mpg but as has been said fill up when 1/4 full latest. I had the return spring on my throttle fail so we had to bodge a replacement. Take some zippie ties, and there's no point taking heavy tools for stuff you couldn't fix roadside yourself. I've never bothered with headlamp deflectors because as has been said they won't work but I've often thought you could stick some yellow stuff on the main-beam lamps to satisfy the police if stopped, they'd never know the difference Other than that just enjoy yourself, but explain to your wife it's a car and may break down like any car could!
Other than that just enjoy yourself, but explain to your wife it's a car and may break down like any car could! New laws in france hi vis jackets must be inside cabin not in the boot, 900 euro fine if not,,, The french dont like us i wonder why,,,
Also if using toll roads watch your speed.. tickets have time on them so you cant lie about your speed.. Have a great journey the motorways are fantastic, Shame about the French..
Also if using toll roads watch your speed.. tickets have time on them so you cant lie about your speed.. Have a great journey the motorways are fantastic, Shame about the French..
Asumeing you will be takeing the Route De Napoleon ? Probably the worlds finest driving road . It just has to be the only way to get to The Sth Of France. I did this journey in July 93 , in my Pearl White Renault 5 GT-Turbo, complete with 2 bikes lashed to a Halfords carrier on the back , with my ex wife.
I had the drive of my life and i will never forget that holiday. The road was/is ? superb , lots of fast sweepers , dips and turns and the scenery simply stunning. Castelaine is very pretty and the "Gorge Du Verdon" breath takeing. The colour of the water has to be seen to be beleived.
Make sure that the Shocks on your Griff are in Top Condition , as you will need them ,they will take a real pounding , partic with all that extra weight. That road was very hard on suspension. And the locals dont hang around on it either.
I am hopeing to re do this journey , funds permitting this summer in my 98 Griff.
I had the drive of my life and i will never forget that holiday. The road was/is ? superb , lots of fast sweepers , dips and turns and the scenery simply stunning. Castelaine is very pretty and the "Gorge Du Verdon" breath takeing. The colour of the water has to be seen to be beleived.
Make sure that the Shocks on your Griff are in Top Condition , as you will need them ,they will take a real pounding , partic with all that extra weight. That road was very hard on suspension. And the locals dont hang around on it either.
I am hopeing to re do this journey , funds permitting this summer in my 98 Griff.
Just to add that in Aug 07 , i had owned my 42,000 mile Mallard Blue 96 car for a week and ex G/F and i set off to France and Germany ( Black Forest ) in it .Friends thought i was mad to go in it and G/F was very worried we would break down before Dover.
It had been hardly used for 2 years and had obviously been maintained on a shoestring by previous owners and was in urgent need of a thorough service/Overhaul. In the limited time i had available i changed the Oil, discovered a worn lower ball joint, (no time to replace it ) replaced the 2 budget front tyres and also discovered that the 4 Bilsteins were knackered , but again no time to change them.
The Griff was superb , she never missed a beat, except for leaking and useing a bit of Mobil 1.
We did have problems with the shocks with all the luggage we had on board., and i wish now that i had had time to change them, but what a Fab holiday that was. And she really turned heads in france and germany
It had been hardly used for 2 years and had obviously been maintained on a shoestring by previous owners and was in urgent need of a thorough service/Overhaul. In the limited time i had available i changed the Oil, discovered a worn lower ball joint, (no time to replace it ) replaced the 2 budget front tyres and also discovered that the 4 Bilsteins were knackered , but again no time to change them.
The Griff was superb , she never missed a beat, except for leaking and useing a bit of Mobil 1.
We did have problems with the shocks with all the luggage we had on board., and i wish now that i had had time to change them, but what a Fab holiday that was. And she really turned heads in france and germany
neutral 3 said:
...she really turned heads in france and germany
That's true, you forget that TVRs are not a common sight on continental Europe, not that they are that commonly seen over here and also people seem to appreciate seeing someone having fun in a fast powerful sportscar as opposed to being envious and rude. RichB , you are dead right. The memories of that Fab holiday (and my Ex G/Friend , God how i miss her ) are flooding back. Inc Parked up at the Visitors Centre at Thiepval on the Somme for a lovely picnic.
In Germany , We used to drive down most days from the Hotel,( Black Forest) Roof down to Tittisee , park up and find a Cafe and also sit by the Beautifull lake, and people would allways stop , look up and stare as we Growled past to find a parking place. A Griff was a very Rare car in Germany .
French motorway services were always a place where people would walk over to get a closer look. Griff is a Very rare sight in France as well as Germany, but when we were in france, i picked up an exellent French Classic Mag with a good feature on a Silver LHD Griff.
A few weeks later i went back on my own to Holland ( Arnhem Airbourne Museum) and then into Nth Germany , to Reklinghausen. Thats where whilst looking at an abandoned Corvette i reversed into a lampost , destroying the rear 1/4 , £6,200 worth of damage. Gutted.
The ironic thing is that i sold her to a guy who worked in Quality Control at Porshe in Stutgart .
In Germany , We used to drive down most days from the Hotel,( Black Forest) Roof down to Tittisee , park up and find a Cafe and also sit by the Beautifull lake, and people would allways stop , look up and stare as we Growled past to find a parking place. A Griff was a very Rare car in Germany .
French motorway services were always a place where people would walk over to get a closer look. Griff is a Very rare sight in France as well as Germany, but when we were in france, i picked up an exellent French Classic Mag with a good feature on a Silver LHD Griff.
A few weeks later i went back on my own to Holland ( Arnhem Airbourne Museum) and then into Nth Germany , to Reklinghausen. Thats where whilst looking at an abandoned Corvette i reversed into a lampost , destroying the rear 1/4 , £6,200 worth of damage. Gutted.
The ironic thing is that i sold her to a guy who worked in Quality Control at Porshe in Stutgart .
neutral 3 said:
partic with all that extra weight. That road was very hard on suspension.
The wife to be isn't that heavy!! We will be taking that route and were in convoy with a Bentley and a Audi S4 so should be a great journey. Also a bonus that we have other cars with us in case we run into any trouble!!!
Thanks for all the posts and advice guys, getting really excited now - cannon't wait
Joking aside we should be okay to be honest. Recent adjustable shocks all round should hold us in good stead. Also we're going to load the other 2 cars up with all our stuff so shouldn't have too much problem with weight 
I've been advised to remove the front numberplate and get a stick on one for the nose because of potential overheating problems? I've never had any trouble with overheating as of yet and thought that the air was taken in from under te car not through the small numberplate grill? I've also been told that having the numberplate where it is will affect my downforce? Is this true or a load of Bol***ks?
Cheers
I've been advised to remove the front numberplate and get a stick on one for the nose because of potential overheating problems? I've never had any trouble with overheating as of yet and thought that the air was taken in from under te car not through the small numberplate grill? I've also been told that having the numberplate where it is will affect my downforce? Is this true or a load of Bol***ks?
Cheers
Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff