3 Wheeler factory hire - roadtrip - anybody got experience?
Discussion
I plan on hiring a M3W next summer (well I already booked it and paid for it 
) and I have a few questions. I could ask the factory of course, but I'd rather ask the people who use the cars, than the factory 
1)
I have hired it for the weekend, and intend on doing a roadtrip from the factory, to the "EVO Triangle", to Marshall Meadows (most northern point of England) to Lizard Point (most southern point of England) and back to the factory. That will be about 1300 miles in 3 days, and no motorways. I think this will be feasible, or do will I bite off more than I can chew?
2)
For a 3-day trip I need to bring a bit of clothing, weather protection etc. with me of course, but luggage space is rather sparse in the M3W. Does the factory hire car come with a luggage rack? Does it come with a tonneau cover for overnight weather protection?
3)
How is the general experience regarding dealing with the factory? Will it be smooth, or a bit less smooth? (I should have asked this before I hired it and paid for it, I know)
4)
Any tips, tricks and pointers are more than welcome, as it will be my first experience ever with driving a Morgan, let alone a 3-wheeler, let alone a rhd
Thx in advance,
Vince
) and I have a few questions. I could ask the factory of course, but I'd rather ask the people who use the cars, than the factory 1)
I have hired it for the weekend, and intend on doing a roadtrip from the factory, to the "EVO Triangle", to Marshall Meadows (most northern point of England) to Lizard Point (most southern point of England) and back to the factory. That will be about 1300 miles in 3 days, and no motorways. I think this will be feasible, or do will I bite off more than I can chew?
2)
For a 3-day trip I need to bring a bit of clothing, weather protection etc. with me of course, but luggage space is rather sparse in the M3W. Does the factory hire car come with a luggage rack? Does it come with a tonneau cover for overnight weather protection?
3)
How is the general experience regarding dealing with the factory? Will it be smooth, or a bit less smooth? (I should have asked this before I hired it and paid for it, I know)
4)
Any tips, tricks and pointers are more than welcome, as it will be my first experience ever with driving a Morgan, let alone a 3-wheeler, let alone a rhd
Thx in advance,
Vince
I've never driven a 3 wheeler, but I have a 4/4. Of course it can be done, however I don't think it would be very enjoyable. The longest trip I have done in one leg was from Sunbury on Thames to Aberdeenshire. I would never repeat it. These vehicles are not, and never were designed for distances like that. unless you are very young, or extremely fit I suspect you'll ache all over. Best of luck though!
Having done several European trips in mine I would say your trip could be done but it will be far more a test of your endurance than anything else.
I would suggest planning on a max of 200 or so miles a day and enjoy the experience.
I don't think the factory cars have the luggage rack so you are limited to the boot. However if running solo the passenger footwell and seat give a fair bit of room.
For longer trips I would suggest:
Make sure you arrange with the factory to have the pedals adjusted to suit your size (about a 10-15 min process involving spanners)
In terms of clothing think motorcycle rather than car.
Use earplugs
The fuel gauge will drop to zero after about 100 miles but there is still 1/2 tank left. Use the trip meter and fill up by 200 miles.
Get used to being photographed along the route - pedestrians and other cars....
Your face will ache from grinning so much!
Check out the TalkMorgan Three Wheeler forum
Be prepared to need to buy one after your trip!
Above all - ENJOY
I would suggest planning on a max of 200 or so miles a day and enjoy the experience.
I don't think the factory cars have the luggage rack so you are limited to the boot. However if running solo the passenger footwell and seat give a fair bit of room.
For longer trips I would suggest:
Make sure you arrange with the factory to have the pedals adjusted to suit your size (about a 10-15 min process involving spanners)
In terms of clothing think motorcycle rather than car.
Use earplugs
The fuel gauge will drop to zero after about 100 miles but there is still 1/2 tank left. Use the trip meter and fill up by 200 miles.
Get used to being photographed along the route - pedestrians and other cars....
Your face will ache from grinning so much!
Check out the TalkMorgan Three Wheeler forum
Be prepared to need to buy one after your trip!
Above all - ENJOY
I'd maybe have a backup plan if you find you are to tired to make the distance.
If you are avoiding motorways, what is your average speed likely to be cross country? I suspect you'd be hard pushed to average much more than 36mph overall.
To cover 433 miles in a day that will be about 12hrs 20 mins driving each day. If pickup is 9:30am plus time to get sorted and going, I'm not sure you'd make your destination in time.
Maybe you think you'll average 50mph, but when you include the speed limits you will have cross country, traffic, junctions, fuel and food stops and the nature of winding roads. I would seriously doubt you could average that speed over that distance. You'd still be looking at just under 9hrs driving.
Looking on Google maps with avoid motorways. Malvern Link to Marshall Meadows comes in at 7hr for 330 miles and 8h 15m for 347 miles. You are wanting to do 100 miles more than Google. And I'm pretty sure Google doesn't account for fuel stops and the like.
Impossible no, optimistic, yes.
If you are avoiding motorways, what is your average speed likely to be cross country? I suspect you'd be hard pushed to average much more than 36mph overall.
To cover 433 miles in a day that will be about 12hrs 20 mins driving each day. If pickup is 9:30am plus time to get sorted and going, I'm not sure you'd make your destination in time.
Maybe you think you'll average 50mph, but when you include the speed limits you will have cross country, traffic, junctions, fuel and food stops and the nature of winding roads. I would seriously doubt you could average that speed over that distance. You'd still be looking at just under 9hrs driving.
Looking on Google maps with avoid motorways. Malvern Link to Marshall Meadows comes in at 7hr for 330 miles and 8h 15m for 347 miles. You are wanting to do 100 miles more than Google. And I'm pretty sure Google doesn't account for fuel stops and the like.
Impossible no, optimistic, yes.
1300 miles in three days is certainly feasible in a three wheeler but is fairly deep into test of endurance territory...
Even on standard exhausts the wind roar is more bike style than conventional convertible car, so I'd also suggest aiming at about 200 miles per day, ear plugs and enjoying it! It's entirely possible to drive hard on twisty roads but let's just say the actual speeds are a lot lower than they would be with similar effort in your average hot hatch or similar. On the other hand on a properly twisty road there won't be many cars queuing up to overtake you unless you've settled down into scenic pottering mode which is entirely possible and can be seriously enjoyable in a way that doesn't seem to happen in ostensibly more modern and capable sports cars.
Moving away from just echoing Chris99's comments I'll add that I think I would suggest instead of setting a route that involves getting as far away from Malvern as possible then getting back again before the hire period runs out, I would head into Wales and do some serious zig-zagging on back roads so that you can cover as much distance as you like but without that "oh bugger, I've got 500 miles of motorway to do in eight hours and it's pissing down" feeling hanging over you!
Enjoy it, it will have you grinning like a maniac despite the aches, pains, windburn, sunburn, hypothermia, tinnitus...
And for more photos for inspiration try my Flickr M3W album
Even on standard exhausts the wind roar is more bike style than conventional convertible car, so I'd also suggest aiming at about 200 miles per day, ear plugs and enjoying it! It's entirely possible to drive hard on twisty roads but let's just say the actual speeds are a lot lower than they would be with similar effort in your average hot hatch or similar. On the other hand on a properly twisty road there won't be many cars queuing up to overtake you unless you've settled down into scenic pottering mode which is entirely possible and can be seriously enjoyable in a way that doesn't seem to happen in ostensibly more modern and capable sports cars.
Moving away from just echoing Chris99's comments I'll add that I think I would suggest instead of setting a route that involves getting as far away from Malvern as possible then getting back again before the hire period runs out, I would head into Wales and do some serious zig-zagging on back roads so that you can cover as much distance as you like but without that "oh bugger, I've got 500 miles of motorway to do in eight hours and it's pissing down" feeling hanging over you!
Enjoy it, it will have you grinning like a maniac despite the aches, pains, windburn, sunburn, hypothermia, tinnitus...
And for more photos for inspiration try my Flickr M3W album
Thank you Chris, 300bhp and Red!
Very useful tips here! Especially the tip about the fuel gauge
I've done the maths a bit myself and the farthest I've travelled in one day was Barcelona (after the GP) to my then place of residence in the Netherlands. That was 1400 km in 14 hours, so 100 kms per hour, or 62 mph on average, including stops. This was in a Peugeot 106 Rallye, me and my mate switching driving duties every half tank of fuel and tanking every empty tank of fuel, just take bathroom breaks and eating was only the grub sold at the gas stations and carry on. We drove well above the speed limit, only on motorways, and switching being driver/passenger.
Your words, and the maths have led to the following conclusion:
When I want to enjoy the 3 days I have with the M3W, enjoy the scenery, take a few pics, have a decent lunch underway instead of a ham/cheese sandwich bought in the gas station, have no driver changes, don't have to worry about reaching my next waypoint in time, I'll better change my itinerary. As mentioned, I do intend on driving the "EVO triangle". This hasn't changed of course, but will do a fair bit more of Wales instead of doing the North - South thing.
Thx again,
Vince
Very useful tips here! Especially the tip about the fuel gauge
I've done the maths a bit myself and the farthest I've travelled in one day was Barcelona (after the GP) to my then place of residence in the Netherlands. That was 1400 km in 14 hours, so 100 kms per hour, or 62 mph on average, including stops. This was in a Peugeot 106 Rallye, me and my mate switching driving duties every half tank of fuel and tanking every empty tank of fuel, just take bathroom breaks and eating was only the grub sold at the gas stations and carry on. We drove well above the speed limit, only on motorways, and switching being driver/passenger.
Your words, and the maths have led to the following conclusion:
When I want to enjoy the 3 days I have with the M3W, enjoy the scenery, take a few pics, have a decent lunch underway instead of a ham/cheese sandwich bought in the gas station, have no driver changes, don't have to worry about reaching my next waypoint in time, I'll better change my itinerary. As mentioned, I do intend on driving the "EVO triangle". This hasn't changed of course, but will do a fair bit more of Wales instead of doing the North - South thing.
Thx again,
Vince
Yes I hired it, all paid for, but it won't happen till the first weekend of August, so can't tell you much yet.
I did give the factory a call for a few questions that needed answering:
-it doesn't come with a luggage rack
-tonneau cover comes included
-I also asked for pedal fitting, as I am a bit taller than the average Brit, although not by that much, but still (6'1")
I did give the factory a call for a few questions that needed answering:
-it doesn't come with a luggage rack
-tonneau cover comes included
-I also asked for pedal fitting, as I am a bit taller than the average Brit, although not by that much, but still (6'1")
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