Continental trip
Discussion
Hi folks
I'm off to Spain again in the cerb on Friday. My last roadtrip was to Rome in 2015 which was great, and I've been to Spain and South of France a few times, here's one of my threads:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It's a similar story this time, destination Andalucia near Malaga. I'm doing one stop in Biarritz in the same cheap/cheerless hotel both ways.
So far by way of preparation I've:
Wish me luck!
I'm off to Spain again in the cerb on Friday. My last roadtrip was to Rome in 2015 which was great, and I've been to Spain and South of France a few times, here's one of my threads:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It's a similar story this time, destination Andalucia near Malaga. I'm doing one stop in Biarritz in the same cheap/cheerless hotel both ways.
So far by way of preparation I've:
- changed the clutch fluid (it's had a recent new master, RP slave and clutch pack and still feels fresh so quietly confident about it)
- fixed my heater blower, which turned out to be a bad connector in the passenger footwell behind the carpet in the vicinity of the upper door hinge. I found it by looking at the wiring diagram and hunting it down. Very pleased to have fixed it. I've had the hot blower fail on one of these trips before and it was a real PITA on a cold morning. In case it helps anyone my problem was a six-way connector with four wires fitted: green, green-red, black and black-yellow.
- adjusted the dipped headlights
- while I had the wheel off for the lights I investigated some play in the steering (about 6mm at the steering wheel rim, hardly anything really). With my daughter waggling the steering wheel and me looking in the wheel arch I can see it's the lower UJ, which is good news because it probably means the rack is still good. But bad news as it's tricky to get at. Not too worried as it's barely noticeable on the move.
- fitted new wipers (Bosch blade type), they seem to work well, it rained on the way back from Halfords and they flapped around with renewed enthusiasm. They did need some plastic chiseled off to get the covers to close properly though.
- got a new Liber-t tag for the French peage and also, for the first time, a VIA-T tag for Spain. No more getting out and walking round at the barriers
- topped up the fluids
- pumped up the tyres as I'll be doing a lot of autoroute work. They were about 21 all round which probably explains my fuel consumption. I'll be carrying a lot of luggage so have them at 26.5 rear and 26 front. Feels quite hard, wouldn't want to put any more in.
- fixed the washers (popped off hose near the T at the windscreen)
- added a few bits to the toolkit and gave the old girl a clean
Wish me luck!
Just to update, made it down here with no trouble as usual. The cerb chomped up the miles (1,636 so far). It's been said before but it's on long trips that it really comes into its own. It attracts as much attention on the continent as ever, which is not surprising because there are not many flash looking cars around, I saw 4 or 5 porkers on the whole journey down and nothing more exotic than that. All in all an uneventful journey which reminded me that the (wannabe) fastest car in the world is the VW Passat .
She's now safely tucked up in the underground carpark, might give the old girl a clean before the return trip.
.She's now safely tucked up in the underground carpark, might give the old girl a clean before the return trip.
Quick update: I’ve made it to the stopover after a relatively straightforward 700 mile blast through Spain:
It only took 9hrs 46m including fuel stops
(and it was raining for about 60% of the journey)
The car has been fine, it doesn’t even seem to have used any oil. The only noteworthy event was quite heavy snowfall on the mountain north of Madrid! Also some of the Spanish roads aren’t what they used to be, I was fearing for my bonnet catches being ripped off. No such problem in France, silky smooth.
Sorry I’m a bit light on photos but here’s a rubbish one just now parked up at the overnight digs:
It’s really cold here now (9pm), would guess about 5c.
Another 10 hours to Calais tomorrow
Edit: although it’s made of GRP the car seems to be magnetic. It attracts other cars - they come storming up in the overtaking lane and then hover in your blind spot. I’ve probably mentioned it before but it can be really annoying: I often get trapped behind lorries due to that..
It only took 9hrs 46m including fuel stops
(and it was raining for about 60% of the journey)The car has been fine, it doesn’t even seem to have used any oil. The only noteworthy event was quite heavy snowfall on the mountain north of Madrid! Also some of the Spanish roads aren’t what they used to be, I was fearing for my bonnet catches being ripped off. No such problem in France, silky smooth.
Sorry I’m a bit light on photos but here’s a rubbish one just now parked up at the overnight digs:
It’s really cold here now (9pm), would guess about 5c.
Another 10 hours to Calais tomorrow
Edit: although it’s made of GRP the car seems to be magnetic. It attracts other cars - they come storming up in the overtaking lane and then hover in your blind spot. I’ve probably mentioned it before but it can be really annoying: I often get trapped behind lorries due to that..
Edited by FarmyardPants on Saturday 27th October 20:41
Mr Cerbera said:
Only just found this, mate.
Glad to hear that you're giving the Silver Machine another European blast
Hope that the return trip is equally unremarkable.
Good luck with the more prevalent speed traps
Cheers Paul Glad to hear that you're giving the Silver Machine another European blast
Hope that the return trip is equally unremarkable.
Good luck with the more prevalent speed traps
Fortunately the Spanish advertise their speed cameras 1km in advance
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