Sensible family daily wagon - Mercedes Benz S211 E500
Discussion
tog said:
It's very tempting to keep taking ferries to see how far you get, isn't it? I've long harboured a desire to ferry hop to Iceland and I particularly want to go up the coast to the far north of Norway, but either would take time and money that I don't have at the moment. Harry Metcalfe's trip to the north in his five grand Silver Shadow (seek it out on YouTube if you've not seen it) was quite reassuring that it is possible to do in an old heap. If there were only a ferry from Tromsø to Iceland it would make a circular trip possible.
My in-laws have driven out to Norway every year for decades, but as they've got older they now like to take the Kiel-Oslo ferry. It's far from cheap, but it cuts down on the driving time which makes it appealing to them.
Now that's another new one to me. Doesn't Europe offer fascinating potential for interesting travel within one's own vehicle? I'm partial to car trains also, after having experienced the motorail to Nice with the motorcycle and to Avignon with my V70 (and roofbox loaded into the car). With the motorbike, I then took the ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa; it was so evocative on the passage into Greece, with the multitude of rocky outcrops and minuscule islands. My in-laws have driven out to Norway every year for decades, but as they've got older they now like to take the Kiel-Oslo ferry. It's far from cheap, but it cuts down on the driving time which makes it appealing to them.
I've held off from watching Harry's trip to the Arctic circle for months until I'm properly in the mood. Are you aware of PHer Watchman's recent solo journey, inspired by Harry?. It's worth a read... I would, echoing his own aspirations, love to continue into Finland and return on a lengthier leg.
J.C... said:
bolidemichael said:
So if you're saving £60 per wheel getting the tyres removed - that works out the same cost as mine... unless I'm overlooking something.
I bought a spare set of alloys (£200 gumtree) for winter tyres. I have then had them and the other set refurbished. I am not my third set of tyres (summer) and my second set of winters, as the first were RFTs i.e. not suitable for my vehicle. The original logic for two sets was that I would save £80odd, twice per annum (so £160) in tyre changes between summer and winters. So far, I've yet to see that saving as I've had so many tyre changes!
Haha I’m not making myself very clear here am I I bought a spare set of alloys (£200 gumtree) for winter tyres. I have then had them and the other set refurbished. I am not my third set of tyres (summer) and my second set of winters, as the first were RFTs i.e. not suitable for my vehicle. The original logic for two sets was that I would save £80odd, twice per annum (so £160) in tyre changes between summer and winters. So far, I've yet to see that saving as I've had so many tyre changes!
Basically (he says) I’m paying £110 per wheel with the tyres on, I’d like to pay £50 per wheel the same as you. I can get the tyres whipped off and on no problem and save some money in the process, even if I had to nip them over to Wimbledon. The people I did use many years ago are no longer in business, hence me paying through the nose at TWS. Does that make sense?
bolidemichael said:
Now that's another new one to me. Doesn't Europe offer fascinating potential for interesting travel within one's own vehicle? I'm partial to car trains also, after having experienced the motorail to Nice with the motorcycle and to Avignon with my V70 (and roofbox loaded into the car). With the motorbike, I then took the ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa; it was so evocative on the passage into Greece, with the multitude of rocky outcrops and minuscule islands.
I too love a ferry. Many a time have enjoyed the Spain sailings with the Pride of Bilbao (RIP), and Brittany Ferries' fine fleet. Also the old "motorway of the seas" route from St-Nazaire to Gijon. one highlight of this trip (other than the extremely low cost) was that you got a superb view of the submarine pens at St Nazaire. One that you may have done is the Gothenburg - Kiel. It was an overnight affair and we lucked out with a "VIP" suite including out door hot tub. It was ruddy freezing that night with ice floating in the water etc but the hot tub was great. Also the catering was the best I've ever sampled on a ferry with a fabulous langoustine buffet. Far better than the filth served on the Palermo-Genoa ferry sampled a few years previous.
idealstandard said:
bolidemichael said:
Now that's another new one to me. Doesn't Europe offer fascinating potential for interesting travel within one's own vehicle? I'm partial to car trains also, after having experienced the motorail to Nice with the motorcycle and to Avignon with my V70 (and roofbox loaded into the car). With the motorbike, I then took the ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa; it was so evocative on the passage into Greece, with the multitude of rocky outcrops and minuscule islands.
I too love a ferry. Many a time have enjoyed the Spain sailings with the Pride of Bilbao (RIP), and Brittany Ferries' fine fleet. Also the old "motorway of the seas" route from St-Nazaire to Gijon. one highlight of this trip (other than the extremely low cost) was that you got a superb view of the submarine pens at St Nazaire. One that you may have done is the Gothenburg - Kiel. It was an overnight affair and we lucked out with a "VIP" suite including out door hot tub. It was ruddy freezing that night with ice floating in the water etc but the hot tub was great. Also the catering was the best I've ever sampled on a ferry with a fabulous langoustine buffet. Far better than the filth served on the Palermo-Genoa ferry sampled a few years previous.
I have also been on the overnight ferry from Genoa to Barcelona through the 'Bay of Lion'. My experience was a little queezy, due to the undulating seas, but I found that lying on the bed with my eyes closed, listening to Dire Straits and imagining that I was on a lilo or dinghy, made the feeling pass. That ferry leaves at around midnight and arrives in early evening the following day - it's quite exciting arriving in Barcelona by sea with one's own car. That was in my E63 645Ci.
I had never actually heard of the St-Nazaire to Gijon ferry, it sounds like a very interesting option - having googled it subsequent to your tantalising description, I disappeared down a worm-hole of youtube videos, eventually culminating in re-watching the epic story as re-told by Jeremy Clarkson at his best, of the Greatest Raid of the All, in which the Commando unit, still in its infancy, carried out an audacious raid on the pens of St Nazaire in order to neuter the threat of the Tirpitz.
Once again, Gothenburg-Kiel is a good one for the wish list - I have been discussing a trip with a Swiss friend in his air cooled 80s 911 and my 80's E30 325i Sport - which is a strong motivation to undergo a serious titivation. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm on my thread.
So, back to August 2019 and I had just returned from a brief but eventful round trip to Belgium, Germany, Denmark. Back to domestic life and with some family events, it was an opportunity to utilise the wonderful pop-up 'third row bench' option. It's very handy, as the storage box that slots behind the second row bench and can be accessed easily from the o/s/r door (assuming no child seat is in the way), can remain in situ whilst the seats are raised.
As you can see, boy on left is probably as tall as would be comfortable in these seats:
and these are really the smallest size of child that would fit without being garrotted by the seat belts:
My children, however, don't enjoy the seats too much for longer journeys (unlike myself and many others when we were young). I suspct that the rear aftermarket tints mean that they can't interact meaningfully with people in other vehicles, which limits the illicit enjoyment that can be gained from poking a tongue, flipping the bird (I would hope that my children haven't been watching me too closely as I drive) or a simple wave.
Later in the month was the second annual 'E Class' day, organised by the official MB Owners' Club. Last year's was at Burleigh House in Stamford and this year's at the family friendly venue of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton.
There was a really nice turn out, with the 210s showing particularly well, I felt - there were also examples of the CLS class invited, one was very tidy indeed with the 6.2L AMG, which the old boy was more than happy enough to show me round and marvel at the rate at which speed was accrued upon a generous application of the throttle pedal. Tres amusement indeed.
It was a great day - the carriage in which Churchill would meet and discuss plans for the war effort was on display, there was an opportunity to ride on a steam train up and down a single track - complete with the pull down windows which the children enjoyed almost as much as their father
tons (literally) of heavy metal
the opportunity to dress up in period
and an opportunity to grab an artful shot of my Paul Smith suede kicks in the weighbridge officer's office
all in all, a lovely place to visit and entrance fee included with the modest attendance fee was a bargain:
after that, we spontaneously decided to drive up to Kettering to visit relatives, before returning home via the purgatory of the M1 avg speed zones and the shell shock of the 'smart motorway' implementation of the M25 and operating SPECS cameras. What a bloody farce at 11pm on a quiet Sunday evening all of that is.
The car ran well, with the exception of the duo valve which occasionally gets stuck and we only realise when the rear occupants are feeling agitated from the hot air blasting them and I feel hot and bothered, without the inevitable guilt that arises from having denied my children access to fresh air via open windows, despite their requests for the previous ten minutes...
As you can see, boy on left is probably as tall as would be comfortable in these seats:
and these are really the smallest size of child that would fit without being garrotted by the seat belts:
My children, however, don't enjoy the seats too much for longer journeys (unlike myself and many others when we were young). I suspct that the rear aftermarket tints mean that they can't interact meaningfully with people in other vehicles, which limits the illicit enjoyment that can be gained from poking a tongue, flipping the bird (I would hope that my children haven't been watching me too closely as I drive) or a simple wave.
Later in the month was the second annual 'E Class' day, organised by the official MB Owners' Club. Last year's was at Burleigh House in Stamford and this year's at the family friendly venue of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton.
There was a really nice turn out, with the 210s showing particularly well, I felt - there were also examples of the CLS class invited, one was very tidy indeed with the 6.2L AMG, which the old boy was more than happy enough to show me round and marvel at the rate at which speed was accrued upon a generous application of the throttle pedal. Tres amusement indeed.
It was a great day - the carriage in which Churchill would meet and discuss plans for the war effort was on display, there was an opportunity to ride on a steam train up and down a single track - complete with the pull down windows which the children enjoyed almost as much as their father
tons (literally) of heavy metal
the opportunity to dress up in period
and an opportunity to grab an artful shot of my Paul Smith suede kicks in the weighbridge officer's office
all in all, a lovely place to visit and entrance fee included with the modest attendance fee was a bargain:
after that, we spontaneously decided to drive up to Kettering to visit relatives, before returning home via the purgatory of the M1 avg speed zones and the shell shock of the 'smart motorway' implementation of the M25 and operating SPECS cameras. What a bloody farce at 11pm on a quiet Sunday evening all of that is.
The car ran well, with the exception of the duo valve which occasionally gets stuck and we only realise when the rear occupants are feeling agitated from the hot air blasting them and I feel hot and bothered, without the inevitable guilt that arises from having denied my children access to fresh air via open windows, despite their requests for the previous ten minutes...
So much to give the thumbs up to in this last post, BM, but really it's the purple suede shoes that take the cake. I haven't used my rear-facing seats in a while but always like doing so. They kind of belong in the world of our childhood rather than our children's childhood, the world in which people had tasteful estate cars rather than gross SUVs. There's something very nostalgic about them. You're really making me miss this summer's missed road trips, though. Lovely kids!
Thanks R, I am particularly fond of my PS sneakers and my children, in that order.
As August swiftly passed, so our itchniness to get away was intensifying. I had already pencilled in a visit to Provence in order to stay at the house of a friend; the manner of the journey was yet to have been determined, though what was certain was that Magnus required a service and a good going over prior to traversing the Channel and spending our hard earned sterling with a paltry exchange rate, thanks to the Brexit kerfuffles.
Prior to the service, I had the MOT; the only advisories... surprise surprise, the old 1.1.11 - yes, I hear you exclaiming knowingly, "No member of the Corps should report for active duty in a ginger toupee."
The service itself was a small C+ service - oil and filter, though there was some rectification work further to the autobahn adventures and some 'titivation'.
The initial plan to resolved the bashed underside was to replace the mounting that attached to the frame, or cross-member, I cannot recall which (though I'm counting on Stegel Sharp Eyes to set me straight on this).
However, once the car was on the ramp they figured that it would be uneconomical to replace this and instead put in some heat and hammer to straighten it to a reasonable extent enough to fit the new undertray.
The new brake lines were created and fitted and along with that the brake system was bled with fluid replaced - as I have the SBC system, it's important to have this done with a workshop that has a Star in order to reset the unit correctly.
A new osf archliner was installed too and I asked them to lather the air con pipes with Dynax S50, as some helpful PHer cautioned me about getting this done on the barge thread.
The titivation aspect was the front fog light that had perished - the reflective coating had long since disappeared and I decided to get this done too. My man called me and said that "I know how particular you are about details, so I just wanted to let you know that the bulb cap has changed from circular to hexagonal and I also suggest that you change the osf fog too, as it'll look odd with one new light." Well, say.no.more and I ended up titivating the front end fogs. Here's a nice little QED for you to visualise the difference:
Old osf (perfectly good and functional)
New
In the interested of economising without compromising reliability, I opted to not replace the duo valve - despite having purchased the part for £30 or so, installation is about £300, being a real pain to get to. Also, the spring links as advised weren't replaced either, as they weren't too far gone and it was reasoned that they'd be good for another 5k or so. The final curve ball was a fautly nsf headlamp washer jet, of which I was unaware and they proceeded without consulting, which is fine by me as I don't consider them to be untrustworthy.
As August swiftly passed, so our itchniness to get away was intensifying. I had already pencilled in a visit to Provence in order to stay at the house of a friend; the manner of the journey was yet to have been determined, though what was certain was that Magnus required a service and a good going over prior to traversing the Channel and spending our hard earned sterling with a paltry exchange rate, thanks to the Brexit kerfuffles.
Prior to the service, I had the MOT; the only advisories... surprise surprise, the old 1.1.11 - yes, I hear you exclaiming knowingly, "No member of the Corps should report for active duty in a ginger toupee."
The service itself was a small C+ service - oil and filter, though there was some rectification work further to the autobahn adventures and some 'titivation'.
The initial plan to resolved the bashed underside was to replace the mounting that attached to the frame, or cross-member, I cannot recall which (though I'm counting on Stegel Sharp Eyes to set me straight on this).
However, once the car was on the ramp they figured that it would be uneconomical to replace this and instead put in some heat and hammer to straighten it to a reasonable extent enough to fit the new undertray.
The new brake lines were created and fitted and along with that the brake system was bled with fluid replaced - as I have the SBC system, it's important to have this done with a workshop that has a Star in order to reset the unit correctly.
A new osf archliner was installed too and I asked them to lather the air con pipes with Dynax S50, as some helpful PHer cautioned me about getting this done on the barge thread.
The titivation aspect was the front fog light that had perished - the reflective coating had long since disappeared and I decided to get this done too. My man called me and said that "I know how particular you are about details, so I just wanted to let you know that the bulb cap has changed from circular to hexagonal and I also suggest that you change the osf fog too, as it'll look odd with one new light." Well, say.no.more and I ended up titivating the front end fogs. Here's a nice little QED for you to visualise the difference:
Old osf (perfectly good and functional)
New
In the interested of economising without compromising reliability, I opted to not replace the duo valve - despite having purchased the part for £30 or so, installation is about £300, being a real pain to get to. Also, the spring links as advised weren't replaced either, as they weren't too far gone and it was reasoned that they'd be good for another 5k or so. The final curve ball was a fautly nsf headlamp washer jet, of which I was unaware and they proceeded without consulting, which is fine by me as I don't consider them to be untrustworthy.
Edited by bolidemichael on Sunday 7th June 17:51
The next journey with a purpose was a round trip, incorporating a festival for food and drink industry professionals; hipsters in the meadows type affair.
Here we sampled an incredible slow cooked cut of beef from HG Walter (consistently one of the best butchers in London) and the world's most expensive coffee. This grade of geisha coffee cannot be likened to most quality coffee beans, the taste is light and floral with a lingering chocolatiness without any bitterness - it's so weird tasting upwards from crap, to Illy to a lower grade quality coffee and finally geisha; the transition and quality is undeniable. It costs about £50 per cup at top end Michelin starred establishments.
However, the secret to activating the taste compounds within the volatile oils in the coffee, is to talk dirty to the cup. Here, this chap is calling the cup a 'filthy roasted bean'
and this gentleman promising to rim the cup
I spanked mine and ended up with a wet patch on my crotch.
This is the set up for a banquet
though I wasn't invited, so f*cked off as instructed
and towards Essex in order to collect an MB branded roof box racks, sourced from an MB club member, in anticipation of our trip to France.
the original invoice shows the cost in 2006 to have been £450 for the box and £133 for the racks. This cost me £250 or so and I had previously hired a box and rack from Welwyn Roof Box at £200 for a couple of weeks, so considering I have room to store it, the investment racked up with my man maths (pun intended).
It was clear that the gas struts were tired, so replacements were ordered; these were the originals:
Though the replacements weren't much cop either (clicky linky). I suspect that I may have to get some stronger struts in time to cope with the initial lift.
The sun and feeling of impeding road trip were starting to become quite intoxicating as I continued to prepare the car and Mrs Bolide prepared to test the loading capacity; I have to accept settling with a little gap in the boot so that the rvm is useable.
First however, I thought that I'd attend to something that have been bothering me and was previously discussed on the official MB Forum - cleaning seat belt. I have used silicon spray previously to loosen the action, but have since refined my understanding that a lack of retraction in the seatbelts is due to the build up of grime. I therefore broke out my weapon of choice, a lovely Savon de Marseille and a couple of clothes pegs to hold the belts in place.
Using a wash bucket and suds-aplenty, I would eventually scrub the belts from a rather patina state of grubbiness
then drying on the doors
to achieve a far more satisfactory state of cleanliness and presentability
I had previously googled and booked a 'headlight polishing' service with a company that promised to renew polycarbonate headlamps affected by UV damage and become cloudy; this company seemed to have a significant number of reviews and a good website, so I communicated with them (and a number of companies). Despite this chap being on holiday, he was still the fasted to respond and quote, so I booked him in for a couple of days prior to departure. I have previously attempted this myself twice and twice failed to apply UV protection, so inevitably the headlights clouded again.
The man turned up promptly
and only required a power source for his rotary polisher. He then proceeded to polish the lenses with an ever finer grade until he was satisfied
and then applied spray lacquer (clicky linky) in order to restore the protection and maintain clarity.
After the spray, comes the heat gun
and then some buffing
to achieve a final result;
I love this photos, Magnus is a bit "Wot wot bruv, you want it, do ya? Reckon yer 'ard enough?"
so here is a final result:
and a before and after:
This service set me back £110, which I consider well invested. The chap was one of the most professional people that I have worked with, totally prompt, thorough and friendly.
Here we sampled an incredible slow cooked cut of beef from HG Walter (consistently one of the best butchers in London) and the world's most expensive coffee. This grade of geisha coffee cannot be likened to most quality coffee beans, the taste is light and floral with a lingering chocolatiness without any bitterness - it's so weird tasting upwards from crap, to Illy to a lower grade quality coffee and finally geisha; the transition and quality is undeniable. It costs about £50 per cup at top end Michelin starred establishments.
However, the secret to activating the taste compounds within the volatile oils in the coffee, is to talk dirty to the cup. Here, this chap is calling the cup a 'filthy roasted bean'
and this gentleman promising to rim the cup
I spanked mine and ended up with a wet patch on my crotch.
This is the set up for a banquet
though I wasn't invited, so f*cked off as instructed
and towards Essex in order to collect an MB branded roof box racks, sourced from an MB club member, in anticipation of our trip to France.
the original invoice shows the cost in 2006 to have been £450 for the box and £133 for the racks. This cost me £250 or so and I had previously hired a box and rack from Welwyn Roof Box at £200 for a couple of weeks, so considering I have room to store it, the investment racked up with my man maths (pun intended).
It was clear that the gas struts were tired, so replacements were ordered; these were the originals:
Though the replacements weren't much cop either (clicky linky). I suspect that I may have to get some stronger struts in time to cope with the initial lift.
The sun and feeling of impeding road trip were starting to become quite intoxicating as I continued to prepare the car and Mrs Bolide prepared to test the loading capacity; I have to accept settling with a little gap in the boot so that the rvm is useable.
First however, I thought that I'd attend to something that have been bothering me and was previously discussed on the official MB Forum - cleaning seat belt. I have used silicon spray previously to loosen the action, but have since refined my understanding that a lack of retraction in the seatbelts is due to the build up of grime. I therefore broke out my weapon of choice, a lovely Savon de Marseille and a couple of clothes pegs to hold the belts in place.
Using a wash bucket and suds-aplenty, I would eventually scrub the belts from a rather patina state of grubbiness
then drying on the doors
to achieve a far more satisfactory state of cleanliness and presentability
I had previously googled and booked a 'headlight polishing' service with a company that promised to renew polycarbonate headlamps affected by UV damage and become cloudy; this company seemed to have a significant number of reviews and a good website, so I communicated with them (and a number of companies). Despite this chap being on holiday, he was still the fasted to respond and quote, so I booked him in for a couple of days prior to departure. I have previously attempted this myself twice and twice failed to apply UV protection, so inevitably the headlights clouded again.
The man turned up promptly
and only required a power source for his rotary polisher. He then proceeded to polish the lenses with an ever finer grade until he was satisfied
and then applied spray lacquer (clicky linky) in order to restore the protection and maintain clarity.
After the spray, comes the heat gun
and then some buffing
to achieve a final result;
I love this photos, Magnus is a bit "Wot wot bruv, you want it, do ya? Reckon yer 'ard enough?"
so here is a final result:
and a before and after:
This service set me back £110, which I consider well invested. The chap was one of the most professional people that I have worked with, totally prompt, thorough and friendly.
By this stage, there was nothing left to do, other than pick up some last minute bits and bobs. Whilst at the shopping centre, I took advantage of the auto glym branded/affiliated car wash guys - they are actually quite good, though pricey, hence I never use them. On this occasion, however, they looked quiet and I managed to negotiate a 'gold' for the price of a 'silver' or... a 'platinum' for the price of a 'gold'; regardless of the precious metal used to draw me in... I left Magnus with them for a couple of hours and returned to a rather splendid looking shiny car;
I love going on a road trip with a clean exterior and interior - representing Britain abroad with one's best foot forward I ran some Bilt Hamber air con citrus bomb through the system which does a good job of refreshing the air.
In the evening, I started to load the car, with the intention of 'lessening the load' the next morning; before that, an obligatory forecourt shot:
Sometimes the luggage system comes in really handy - it's a great accessory and doesn't seem to be all too common. In this instance, bracing the wheels to minimise rattling was worthwhile
and despite not looking too secure, did a good job.
This photo represents the apex of my managed loading:
as the next morning, the loading procedure descended into farce - rush, bedlam and random inherited bouts of mediterranean temperament outbursts.
A part of the reason that we overloaded is that we booked some 'glamping' tents with Huttopia - a chain in France that had been spoken of highly within this helpful thread on PH. It was a fairly last minute arrangement as we had come up with a plan.
a) We're taking my Mum. No we're not, oh yes we are etc...
b) Two nights camping
c) Drive to Les Haute Alpes and drop my Mum at her sister's
d) Drive to Provence
e) Chill
f) Collect Mum
g) Return to UK
Huttopia's website was a little sparse on information for the uninitiated, so we packed the entire kitchen too. Therefore, loads of boxes with food (too much), crockery (needless), alcohol (needed).
However, knowing thyself is one of the positive attributes that comes with age and I had been prudent enough to book a later train - 1230pm. Therefore, no real rush nor drama.
A Chunnel carriage shot, as is de rigeur for our trips abroad, this one featuring a slightly sleep deprived driver chillaxing in the Brixton driving position.
We zipped down to the Loire valley with surprisingly little traffic to impede us. It transpires that a fully laden M113 estate with a roof box can get us from Folkestone, where I had filled up (the benefit of experience) to the Loire with, well, not much fuel to spare. A squidge under 320 miles... not too shabby...
and thus, in dramatic circumstances, our Summer hols had begun:
First impressions of the roof box - a bit of whistling at higher speeds and a drop in fuel consumption, but secure and slippery.
I love going on a road trip with a clean exterior and interior - representing Britain abroad with one's best foot forward
I ran some Bilt Hamber air con citrus bomb through the system which does a good job of refreshing the air.In the evening, I started to load the car, with the intention of 'lessening the load' the next morning; before that, an obligatory forecourt shot:
Sometimes the luggage system comes in really handy - it's a great accessory and doesn't seem to be all too common. In this instance, bracing the wheels to minimise rattling was worthwhile
and despite not looking too secure, did a good job.
This photo represents the apex of my managed loading:
as the next morning, the loading procedure descended into farce - rush, bedlam and random inherited bouts of mediterranean temperament outbursts.
A part of the reason that we overloaded is that we booked some 'glamping' tents with Huttopia - a chain in France that had been spoken of highly within this helpful thread on PH. It was a fairly last minute arrangement as we had come up with a plan.
a) We're taking my Mum. No we're not, oh yes we are etc...
b) Two nights camping
c) Drive to Les Haute Alpes and drop my Mum at her sister's
d) Drive to Provence
e) Chill
f) Collect Mum
g) Return to UK
Huttopia's website was a little sparse on information for the uninitiated, so we packed the entire kitchen too. Therefore, loads of boxes with food (too much), crockery (needless), alcohol (needed).
However, knowing thyself is one of the positive attributes that comes with age and I had been prudent enough to book a later train - 1230pm. Therefore, no real rush nor drama.
A Chunnel carriage shot, as is de rigeur for our trips abroad, this one featuring a slightly sleep deprived driver chillaxing in the Brixton driving position.
We zipped down to the Loire valley with surprisingly little traffic to impede us. It transpires that a fully laden M113 estate with a roof box can get us from Folkestone, where I had filled up (the benefit of experience) to the Loire with, well, not much fuel to spare. A squidge under 320 miles... not too shabby...
and thus, in dramatic circumstances, our Summer hols had begun:
First impressions of the roof box - a bit of whistling at higher speeds and a drop in fuel consumption, but secure and slippery.
Edited by bolidemichael on Sunday 7th June 16:55
bolidemichael said:
First however, I thought that I'd attend to something that have been bothering me and was previously discussed on the official MB Forum - cleaning seat belt. I have used silicon spray previously to loosen the action, but have since refined my understanding that a lack of retraction in the seatbelts is due to the build up of grime. I therefore broke out my weapon of choice, a lovely Savon de Marseille and a couple of clothes pegs to hold the belts in place.
Using a wash bucket and suds-aplenty, I would eventually scrub the belts from a rather patina state of grubbiness
then drying on the doors
to achieve a far more satisfactory state of cleanliness and presentability
Did it prove the theory?Using a wash bucket and suds-aplenty, I would eventually scrub the belts from a rather patina state of grubbiness
then drying on the doors
to achieve a far more satisfactory state of cleanliness and presentability
B'stard Child said:
bolidemichael said:
First however, I thought that I'd attend to something that have been bothering me and was previously discussed on the official MB Forum - cleaning seat belt. I have used silicon spray previously to loosen the action, but have since refined my understanding that a lack of retraction in the seatbelts is due to the build up of grime. I therefore broke out my weapon of choice, a lovely Savon de Marseille and a couple of clothes pegs to hold the belts in place.
Using a wash bucket and suds-aplenty, I would eventually scrub the belts from a rather patina state of grubbiness
then drying on the doors
to achieve a far more satisfactory state of cleanliness and presentability
Did it prove the theory?Using a wash bucket and suds-aplenty, I would eventually scrub the belts from a rather patina state of grubbiness
then drying on the doors
to achieve a far more satisfactory state of cleanliness and presentability
Camping at this site, at this time of year was quite idyllic; all the French, Dutch and Germans had returned home, save for the small German family in a very slick Marco Polo edition V Class. Unfortunately, I had also sprained my ankle very badly by attempted to Starsky and Hutch myself across an inflatable water obstacle and landed badly. The pain was excruciating and I wondered how I'd possibly drive the next day to the Alps - Mrs Bolide was preparing herself for a day of it.
Surprisingly, I awoke the next day with lateral movements compromised and a difficultly in placing weight on my ankle, but up and down movements i.e. throttle movement, seemed largely tolerable. An upside, is that I was partially excused from loading the car duties. As there was a restaurant on site and a basket full of gear in each posh tent, so one could just turn up and camp with a toothbrush, swimming shorts and a change of underwear, most of the kitchen that we had brought from SW20 was redundant. An upside to my temporary, self-inflicted disability, is that we were allowed to bring the car on-site, a privilege reserved for camper vans towing vehicles.
We essentially had to re-load the rear again
and replenish the empty fuel tank with some UK super unleaded. I think that the car looks cool with the white tyres and white roof rack - purposeful.
we set off not-too-early - around 11ish and embarked on a fairly hefty drive of almost five hundred miles.
As we were travelling across France on a Tuesday, beyond the end of les grandes vacances, it was really plain sailing and due to my dodgy ankle, I was leaning heavily on cruise control - 85mph/136kph on a clear road is a perfectly swift and legal pace at which to cover ground effectively, though I couldn't resist squeezing the throttle on some of the long clear stretches which afford fantastic forward visibility.
At some point I decided, foolishly, to throw experience, common sense and gut instinct out of the window and follow my concurring two sat nav set up, both of which were telling me to go clockwise from Chambery and around the Alps, then through the Frejus tunnel into Italy then to Oulx, in order to drop into Briancon and on to our destination.
I say, foolish, because the path of least resistance and one that has never let us down, is from Grenoble, through the path in the mountains to Briancon.
As it was, we were lured into the additional thirty mile route like cattle into an abattoir, blithely ignorant of the road disruptions that lay ahead. For the meantime, we were seduced and wowed by the majestic vista as we entered the mountainous region on the A43 south of Chambery.
With the moody skies and occasional rain and distant lightning flashes, it was quite a place to be and once again, sparsely populated. There was a swift part of the road on a blind crest when I (or another vehicle) was flashed by a hidden camera, but I never received a notification. Another highlight was spotting a Valentino Rossi branded VR46 truck
[img]
The excitement lay further ahead, where upon encountering a passage of roadworks, we stopped at the tolls for the Frejus tunnel for about fifteen minutes whilst I gradually did the maths and figured that the tunnel would be closed for a good while due to the weather and our best bet would be to turn back and go OVER the mountain, rather than around them. Of course, as a nod to the Tour de France, it would have to be the Col du Galibier, so about we turned and up the mountain we headed.
it was about 7ish when we had made the decision to go over the Col - all 8,668ft of it (2,642m) which posed another conundrum, persist with the journey and arrive too late for a sensible dinner - (52 miles / two hours) or stop along the way and arrive at our destination quite late. With a car transporting a young family and grandmother, we opted for the latter and stopped in town, after an opportunistic photoshoot.
and we arrived in Les Choseaux-Ville at about 2015hrs. We parked in a deceptively steep cark park amongst an eclectic mix of vehicles, a Discovery, a white E30 and an american pick up thing.
"How're you feeling?"
"Ruff"
The food wasn't memorable, I don't care, we ate and were determined to press on. At this point, it was dark and a storm really set in as we ascended beyond the last of civilisation and onto the moonscape, alone and questioning my sanity in not having arranged any European breakdown cover for any of my 2020 jaunts - particularly this one.
On the upside, my paltry £110 spent with ROC Headlights in polishing the lenses was an absolute winner of a decision as I needed all the assistance that I could get in order to monitor the many obstacles that are present on mountain peaks - rivulets running across the road, rocky avalanches, mud slides combined with extremely heavy and persistent rain, thunder for dramatic sound effects and lightning for that added touch of Zeus.
At one point, we ran over a rock and for the next few minutes I was in a silent world of pain and guilt, visualising the piteous discomfort should I have experienced a puncture, on an incline, in the pissing rain - having to unload the entire contents of the boot in order to access the space saver.
Thankfully, my thoughts were getting carried away with me and my nerves calmed as we hit the peak and traversed the tunnel in order to emerge onto the descent, where there were a number of JCBs working away and clearing the roads.
We also hit a milestone on the descent too (hence the shakiness... not the easiest manouevre)
At this point, I had to laugh and ask my Mum, who at this point was sitting up front alongside me, what she had been doing at the same time last week - on the sofa watching the news! Right now, we had been sitting at the top of the world with our eyes on stalks and a distinctly spooked atmosphere in the car and it had started to hail and snow! The levity and feeling of relief in the car was palpable and we eventually arrived at our pension in L'Argentiere la Bessee at 11pm, grateful for terra firma and a warm bed (though my heated seats were getting a good workout along the way, too.
Surprisingly, I awoke the next day with lateral movements compromised and a difficultly in placing weight on my ankle, but up and down movements i.e. throttle movement, seemed largely tolerable. An upside, is that I was partially excused from loading the car duties. As there was a restaurant on site and a basket full of gear in each posh tent, so one could just turn up and camp with a toothbrush, swimming shorts and a change of underwear, most of the kitchen that we had brought from SW20 was redundant. An upside to my temporary, self-inflicted disability, is that we were allowed to bring the car on-site, a privilege reserved for camper vans towing vehicles.
We essentially had to re-load the rear again
and replenish the empty fuel tank with some UK super unleaded. I think that the car looks cool with the white tyres and white roof rack - purposeful.
we set off not-too-early - around 11ish and embarked on a fairly hefty drive of almost five hundred miles.
As we were travelling across France on a Tuesday, beyond the end of les grandes vacances, it was really plain sailing and due to my dodgy ankle, I was leaning heavily on cruise control - 85mph/136kph on a clear road is a perfectly swift and legal pace at which to cover ground effectively, though I couldn't resist squeezing the throttle on some of the long clear stretches which afford fantastic forward visibility.
At some point I decided, foolishly, to throw experience, common sense and gut instinct out of the window and follow my concurring two sat nav set up, both of which were telling me to go clockwise from Chambery and around the Alps, then through the Frejus tunnel into Italy then to Oulx, in order to drop into Briancon and on to our destination.
I say, foolish, because the path of least resistance and one that has never let us down, is from Grenoble, through the path in the mountains to Briancon.
As it was, we were lured into the additional thirty mile route like cattle into an abattoir, blithely ignorant of the road disruptions that lay ahead. For the meantime, we were seduced and wowed by the majestic vista as we entered the mountainous region on the A43 south of Chambery.
With the moody skies and occasional rain and distant lightning flashes, it was quite a place to be and once again, sparsely populated. There was a swift part of the road on a blind crest when I (or another vehicle) was flashed by a hidden camera, but I never received a notification. Another highlight was spotting a Valentino Rossi branded VR46 truck
[img]
The excitement lay further ahead, where upon encountering a passage of roadworks, we stopped at the tolls for the Frejus tunnel for about fifteen minutes whilst I gradually did the maths and figured that the tunnel would be closed for a good while due to the weather and our best bet would be to turn back and go OVER the mountain, rather than around them. Of course, as a nod to the Tour de France, it would have to be the Col du Galibier, so about we turned and up the mountain we headed.
it was about 7ish when we had made the decision to go over the Col - all 8,668ft of it (2,642m) which posed another conundrum, persist with the journey and arrive too late for a sensible dinner - (52 miles / two hours) or stop along the way and arrive at our destination quite late. With a car transporting a young family and grandmother, we opted for the latter and stopped in town, after an opportunistic photoshoot.
and we arrived in Les Choseaux-Ville at about 2015hrs. We parked in a deceptively steep cark park amongst an eclectic mix of vehicles, a Discovery, a white E30 and an american pick up thing.
"How're you feeling?"
"Ruff"
The food wasn't memorable, I don't care, we ate and were determined to press on. At this point, it was dark and a storm really set in as we ascended beyond the last of civilisation and onto the moonscape, alone and questioning my sanity in not having arranged any European breakdown cover for any of my 2020 jaunts - particularly this one.
On the upside, my paltry £110 spent with ROC Headlights in polishing the lenses was an absolute winner of a decision as I needed all the assistance that I could get in order to monitor the many obstacles that are present on mountain peaks - rivulets running across the road, rocky avalanches, mud slides combined with extremely heavy and persistent rain, thunder for dramatic sound effects and lightning for that added touch of Zeus.
At one point, we ran over a rock and for the next few minutes I was in a silent world of pain and guilt, visualising the piteous discomfort should I have experienced a puncture, on an incline, in the pissing rain - having to unload the entire contents of the boot in order to access the space saver.
Thankfully, my thoughts were getting carried away with me and my nerves calmed as we hit the peak and traversed the tunnel in order to emerge onto the descent, where there were a number of JCBs working away and clearing the roads.
We also hit a milestone on the descent too (hence the shakiness... not the easiest manouevre)
At this point, I had to laugh and ask my Mum, who at this point was sitting up front alongside me, what she had been doing at the same time last week - on the sofa watching the news! Right now, we had been sitting at the top of the world with our eyes on stalks and a distinctly spooked atmosphere in the car and it had started to hail and snow! The levity and feeling of relief in the car was palpable and we eventually arrived at our pension in L'Argentiere la Bessee at 11pm, grateful for terra firma and a warm bed (though my heated seats were getting a good workout along the way, too.
Edited by bolidemichael on Sunday 7th June 23:13
Edited by bolidemichael on Sunday 7th June 23:21
Great reading.
I’d hate to let you down - Mercedes refer to that part as a console bracket and it supports the radiator, condenser etc.. Given the amount of disruption its replacement would entail, and the fact that about 3% of it is what you needed to replace, straightening the bracket out is entirely sensible.
Your matching fog light replacement seemed at first sight to exceed my originality / symmetry fetishes, but when I saw they were £50 each I thought “yeh, he’s right!”.
ETA - mention of £50 a cup coffee almost made me spill my Nespresso over my (disappointingly brown) suede loafers!
I’d hate to let you down - Mercedes refer to that part as a console bracket and it supports the radiator, condenser etc.. Given the amount of disruption its replacement would entail, and the fact that about 3% of it is what you needed to replace, straightening the bracket out is entirely sensible.
Your matching fog light replacement seemed at first sight to exceed my originality / symmetry fetishes, but when I saw they were £50 each I thought “yeh, he’s right!”.
ETA - mention of £50 a cup coffee almost made me spill my Nespresso over my (disappointingly brown) suede loafers!
Edited by Stegel on Monday 8th June 08:19
tgr said:
This makes great reading. It's like the Famous Five for grown ups
the Famous Five... Litres? Stegel said:
Great reading.
I’d hate to let you down - Mercedes refer to that part as a console bracket and it supports the radiator, condenser etc.. Given the amount of disruption its replacement would entail, and the fact that about 3% of it is what you needed to replace, straightening the bracket out is entirely sensible.
Your matching fog light replacement seemed at first sight to exceed my originality / symmetry fetishes, but when I saw they were £50 each I thought “yeh, he’s right!”.
ETA - mention of £50 a cup coffee almost made me spill my Nespresso over my (disappointingly brown) suede loafers!
You are correct, I think that it was this lug that was bentI’d hate to let you down - Mercedes refer to that part as a console bracket and it supports the radiator, condenser etc.. Given the amount of disruption its replacement would entail, and the fact that about 3% of it is what you needed to replace, straightening the bracket out is entirely sensible.
Your matching fog light replacement seemed at first sight to exceed my originality / symmetry fetishes, but when I saw they were £50 each I thought “yeh, he’s right!”.
ETA - mention of £50 a cup coffee almost made me spill my Nespresso over my (disappointingly brown) suede loafers!
In fact I can now see, with the bumper removed for painting, that it's still quite a compromised job with the undertray secured far higher than the offside, but it's secure.
The combo of new fogs and polished headlight lenses worked a treat and really smartened up the front end, a lot. btw... £50+vat... I do have the osf fog that I should get around to selling...
What's funnier about the coffee, is that he was boasting about it being the dearest coffee in the world at £1,000 for 1lb; a little probing, however, and it transpires that he purposefully bid up to this price for marketing purposes. He already has the inside track on which coffee will score well, so secures stock then drives up the price by a headline grabbing auction price, which is just for 454g!
Edited by bolidemichael on Monday 8th June 23:10
The following morning we awoke to a breakfast served slightly later than the hostess would've preferred but, as we were the only occupants during the off-season, there was no leverage on her part. It was a hot chocolate, bread, juice, jam, fruit and cereal type of affair. I was also delighted to see a 3D map of the 'ecrins-queyras' region:
The Tour de France passes through here often enough, almost the exact route that we have traversed the previous evening. Also, l'Argentiere has rapids that are very popular with Kayakers. I have also visited on a motorcycle, the roads around here are manna from heaven for bikers. All in all, the place is incredible.
The day was pleasant enough, mild and calm and the surroundings were very different to our normal views in SW London
The route for the day was straightforward and mostly swift, meandering our way out of the Alps, via Embrun and across the magnificent 'Lac de Serre-Poncon', which is Europe's largest man made lake. The shimmering water is a rich azure and the water activities are mightily tantalising; it feels like a real access point to us, in either direction, as we have done this route a few times.
Mrs Bolide was on driving duty for the day, whilst I rested my ankle and chilled in the back with my daughter, whilst my son rode shotgun. It's the first time that Mrs Bolide really had a change to get to grips both with driving on t'other side of the road and motorway driving with Magnus; she really loved it and it was interesting to sit in the rear, almost over the axle and to feel the tyres gripping into the tarmac and surging forward under power. There is once thing that I cannot abide, however; the rear seat belt always seems to be positioned incorrectly for my frame and never seems to sit comfortably. I think that I need a booster seat.
Once we turn off the swift A51 and into Provence, the landscape is noticeably far more Mediterranean and arid/balmy. The road to Aups is fairly fun/arduous, depending on how one is feeling. On this occasion and the previous one with the V70 (which we had just collected from the Gare in Avignon, having sent it via Moto Rail), it is a delight. On the occasion when we'd driven down in the E30 325i Sport and my son was two years old and narky - a late night tired eyes-on-stalks drive in a stiff and laden vehicle was quite taxing; the motorway was quite memorable though, as the lovely straight six had a real chance to open up - I recall being overtaken at silly speeds by an old Porsche, the bugger. Soon enough, we arrived:
Can you not simple sense the warmth in this photo? There's something about the light in Provence which is really quite special, too.
We pretty much got down to business, indulging in a few goodies and treats. A fromagerie run by a Dutch couple was highly recommended by our friend... the Gilbert Fripe was spectacular.
They also stocked a few wines - this locally produced white has the highest number of grape varieties that I recall seeing on a label
and of course, childhood holiday memories are made of strawberry tarts!
Naturally carbonated water in glass at the local cafe
and one of my favourite waters, Vittel, available in bulk. Bliss.
The Tour de France passes through here often enough, almost the exact route that we have traversed the previous evening. Also, l'Argentiere has rapids that are very popular with Kayakers. I have also visited on a motorcycle, the roads around here are manna from heaven for bikers. All in all, the place is incredible.
The day was pleasant enough, mild and calm and the surroundings were very different to our normal views in SW London
The route for the day was straightforward and mostly swift, meandering our way out of the Alps, via Embrun and across the magnificent 'Lac de Serre-Poncon', which is Europe's largest man made lake. The shimmering water is a rich azure and the water activities are mightily tantalising; it feels like a real access point to us, in either direction, as we have done this route a few times.
Mrs Bolide was on driving duty for the day, whilst I rested my ankle and chilled in the back with my daughter, whilst my son rode shotgun. It's the first time that Mrs Bolide really had a change to get to grips both with driving on t'other side of the road and motorway driving with Magnus; she really loved it and it was interesting to sit in the rear, almost over the axle and to feel the tyres gripping into the tarmac and surging forward under power. There is once thing that I cannot abide, however; the rear seat belt always seems to be positioned incorrectly for my frame and never seems to sit comfortably. I think that I need a booster seat.
Once we turn off the swift A51 and into Provence, the landscape is noticeably far more Mediterranean and arid/balmy. The road to Aups is fairly fun/arduous, depending on how one is feeling. On this occasion and the previous one with the V70 (which we had just collected from the Gare in Avignon, having sent it via Moto Rail), it is a delight. On the occasion when we'd driven down in the E30 325i Sport and my son was two years old and narky - a late night tired eyes-on-stalks drive in a stiff and laden vehicle was quite taxing; the motorway was quite memorable though, as the lovely straight six had a real chance to open up - I recall being overtaken at silly speeds by an old Porsche, the bugger. Soon enough, we arrived:
Can you not simple sense the warmth in this photo? There's something about the light in Provence which is really quite special, too.
We pretty much got down to business, indulging in a few goodies and treats. A fromagerie run by a Dutch couple was highly recommended by our friend... the Gilbert Fripe was spectacular.
They also stocked a few wines - this locally produced white has the highest number of grape varieties that I recall seeing on a label
and of course, childhood holiday memories are made of strawberry tarts!
Naturally carbonated water in glass at the local cafe
and one of my favourite waters, Vittel, available in bulk. Bliss.
Edited by bolidemichael on Wednesday 10th June 10:28
At some point, after a great deal of taking it easy, we ventured out to the Gorge du Verdon (clicky linky) - France's answer to the Grand Canyon. Here we are, on the brown route
Of course, another drive and another tactical refill from my trusty red canister!
and on the descent, we stopped to admire the light show (click the lightning)
after that, we popped down to the beach where I busted a party of VeeDubs. Peek-a-boo.
that was after we had 'just' sneaked in under the barrier... well, one can never be too sure
For dinner, we popped to the characterful Moustieres-Ste-Marie, where we had a pleasant, though thoroughly noisy dinner in the marquee of the restaurant, overlooking the torrent and being battered by the rain and lightning. Nevertheless, ice cream.
followed by a night drive back to Aups, with Mrs Bolide at the wheel (click on the Star).
Of course, another drive and another tactical refill from my trusty red canister!
and on the descent, we stopped to admire the light show (click the lightning)
after that, we popped down to the beach where I busted a party of VeeDubs. Peek-a-boo.
that was after we had 'just' sneaked in under the barrier... well, one can never be too sure
For dinner, we popped to the characterful Moustieres-Ste-Marie, where we had a pleasant, though thoroughly noisy dinner in the marquee of the restaurant, overlooking the torrent and being battered by the rain and lightning. Nevertheless, ice cream.
followed by a night drive back to Aups, with Mrs Bolide at the wheel (click on the Star).
Edited by bolidemichael on Wednesday 10th June 01:15
Edited by bolidemichael on Wednesday 10th June 10:29
Thanks Harry.
Breakfasts can be nice with items from the marche and local butchers (which has increased in size over the years and a clear indicator of gentrification). A toulouse sausage and a merguez goes down well, though.
We decided to head down to Moustieres again, in order to experience the lake and the down on a nicer day. Prior to getting into the car, we came across this very interesting looking Merc camper
We then enjoyed a nice swift drive to the Lac-de-Ste-Croix on nice driving roads for a little paddle around. We rented a paddle boat, because I over-estimated my cardio-vascular fitness, under-estimated my dodgy ankle and didn't consider the combined weight of the family. My advice if you ever venture onto the lake and into the canyon is to rent a motorised boat... it was very enjoyable to see the locals free climbing and then diving into the water from some height!
It was some relief, though, to return to a car that was not only sat in the shade (a trait inherent to Cypriots in Mercs), but also had benefitted from the cabin air con that circulates cool air (according to setting) once the ignition has been switched off.
After that, it was a short drive up the hillside to Moustieres, a little gem nestled in a craggy nook above a torrent.
and yes, for the eagle-eyed. that is a star hanging in the sky!
On t'other side of the bridge is a lovely vista
after a nice pizza (isn't pizza in the south of France great?) we headed back home and, as we were leaving the following day I reversed into the most awkwardly shaped narrow gap (click on the Star for the slightly disorientating video of this palaver)
I got in though and was rewarded with a lovely scene to capture our short, sweet sojourn to Provence and the wonderful light that it has to offer. What I cannot convey, is the aroma of figs hanging in the air.
Breakfasts can be nice with items from the marche and local butchers (which has increased in size over the years and a clear indicator of gentrification). A toulouse sausage and a merguez goes down well, though.
We decided to head down to Moustieres again, in order to experience the lake and the down on a nicer day. Prior to getting into the car, we came across this very interesting looking Merc camper
We then enjoyed a nice swift drive to the Lac-de-Ste-Croix on nice driving roads for a little paddle around. We rented a paddle boat, because I over-estimated my cardio-vascular fitness, under-estimated my dodgy ankle and didn't consider the combined weight of the family. My advice if you ever venture onto the lake and into the canyon is to rent a motorised boat... it was very enjoyable to see the locals free climbing and then diving into the water from some height!
It was some relief, though, to return to a car that was not only sat in the shade (a trait inherent to Cypriots in Mercs), but also had benefitted from the cabin air con that circulates cool air (according to setting) once the ignition has been switched off.
After that, it was a short drive up the hillside to Moustieres, a little gem nestled in a craggy nook above a torrent.
and yes, for the eagle-eyed. that is a star hanging in the sky!
On t'other side of the bridge is a lovely vista
after a nice pizza (isn't pizza in the south of France great?) we headed back home and, as we were leaving the following day I reversed into the most awkwardly shaped narrow gap (click on the Star for the slightly disorientating video of this palaver)
I got in though and was rewarded with a lovely scene to capture our short, sweet sojourn to Provence and the wonderful light that it has to offer. What I cannot convey, is the aroma of figs hanging in the air.
Edited by bolidemichael on Friday 18th September 11:33
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