Driving to Greece : What Car On a Budget
Discussion
We're still booked to go to Thassos in September this year, but - lat's face it - realistically it's not going to happen. Moreover, with all this talk of ongoing "social distancing" for the foreseeable, I'm thinking that flying will be a bloody nightmare.
With that in mind, I idly asked Google Maps to plan a route the other night from Shropshire to Lefkada.
It's telling me 34 hours,
Now, We've driven to the Abruzzo region of Italy in 3 days sharing driving responsibilities, so the distance shouldn't be a problem. However, the question is what car. Budget, say, £2.5k.
Neither of our current cars would be suitable IMO (2002 Yaris & 2004 BMW 3-Series Compact with suspension issues), so we'd need to have a suitable mode of transport to cross some six countries.
I'm thinking "wafty" as I have no idea what the roads will be like in (for example) Serbia / North Macedonia. Initially I thought of a Lexus LS400 / 430. Then a BMW E60 530 / 535 in either petrol or diesel flavour. Skoda Octavia Scout, maybe? I don't know.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
With that in mind, I idly asked Google Maps to plan a route the other night from Shropshire to Lefkada.
It's telling me 34 hours,
Now, We've driven to the Abruzzo region of Italy in 3 days sharing driving responsibilities, so the distance shouldn't be a problem. However, the question is what car. Budget, say, £2.5k.
Neither of our current cars would be suitable IMO (2002 Yaris & 2004 BMW 3-Series Compact with suspension issues), so we'd need to have a suitable mode of transport to cross some six countries.
I'm thinking "wafty" as I have no idea what the roads will be like in (for example) Serbia / North Macedonia. Initially I thought of a Lexus LS400 / 430. Then a BMW E60 530 / 535 in either petrol or diesel flavour. Skoda Octavia Scout, maybe? I don't know.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
It's Europe. Almost all of the roads are ok. Some in Macedonia are a bit rougher than average. We did it last Spring all the way down to south Greece. No problems. Get the ferry from to Italy if you don't like driving. Any car can do it easily.
Now if you want to try some really bad roads drive over the Polish border to Lvov in Ukraine. Eight hours of hammering potholes. Had backache afterwards.
Now if you want to try some really bad roads drive over the Polish border to Lvov in Ukraine. Eight hours of hammering potholes. Had backache afterwards.
Done this trip many times, First time Lexus is200, (about 5 times after that in the same car) once in a mini 1.4 that I was delivering to my parents. That was hard work as we managed to get to Pireus in 2 days.
Most comfortable was in my LS430, only problem being that you really have to watch your speed.
Personally I prefer the route through Serbia and Macedonia into Greece. (Northern Greece's motorways are appalling, and cash only tolls too) Serbian roads are ok, often only one lane of the motorway is smooth but they are so deserted you can sit in the wrong lane. Hungary has excellent motorways but is an incredibly boring drive. (Need a vignette) You are only in CZ for a few minutes so don't need a vignette. Slovakia is "interesting" You need to buy a vignette through an online portal. They are unobtainable at petrol stations (although this may have changed)
Poland, the road is good up until you head south past Czestochowa when it declines badly. A2 is a toll road and quite expensive but worth paying for.
First time we did the trip we went via Ancona to Patras however the Italian toll roads are very expensive (90 EUR or so) Swiss vignette is 50EUR, You have to pay something for Austria and then pay to use the brennar pass Then you have french tolls on top. (Not sure as I usually avoid France as much as possible)
Return ferries are around £800-£1200 with accomodation and the Ancona to Patras one takes just cover a day.
You can buy an awful lot of petrol/LPG in central and eastern Europe for that.
Find an LPG converted LS400/430 and take that. The comfort is worth every penny. Once out of the UK LPG is available at every filling station on the continent.
From the ferry (Dunkirk) you could easilly make Poland in a day. Sunday's are the best day to travel as trucks are banned. Second day Poland to Belgrade and third day Belgrade to Greece.
Most comfortable was in my LS430, only problem being that you really have to watch your speed.
Personally I prefer the route through Serbia and Macedonia into Greece. (Northern Greece's motorways are appalling, and cash only tolls too) Serbian roads are ok, often only one lane of the motorway is smooth but they are so deserted you can sit in the wrong lane. Hungary has excellent motorways but is an incredibly boring drive. (Need a vignette) You are only in CZ for a few minutes so don't need a vignette. Slovakia is "interesting" You need to buy a vignette through an online portal. They are unobtainable at petrol stations (although this may have changed)
Poland, the road is good up until you head south past Czestochowa when it declines badly. A2 is a toll road and quite expensive but worth paying for.
First time we did the trip we went via Ancona to Patras however the Italian toll roads are very expensive (90 EUR or so) Swiss vignette is 50EUR, You have to pay something for Austria and then pay to use the brennar pass Then you have french tolls on top. (Not sure as I usually avoid France as much as possible)
Return ferries are around £800-£1200 with accomodation and the Ancona to Patras one takes just cover a day.
You can buy an awful lot of petrol/LPG in central and eastern Europe for that.
Find an LPG converted LS400/430 and take that. The comfort is worth every penny. Once out of the UK LPG is available at every filling station on the continent.
From the ferry (Dunkirk) you could easilly make Poland in a day. Sunday's are the best day to travel as trucks are banned. Second day Poland to Belgrade and third day Belgrade to Greece.
On a budget? Something like a Citroen Berlingo.
Comfortable and a relaxed easy drive. Runs on fresh air and any European village garage can fix it easily and cheaply with spares straight the shelf. Rough camp miles from anywhere with a mattress and sleeping bag in the back and use a airBnB or cheap hotel every now and then to do your washing and have a reasonably civilised s
t, shave and shower and off you go.
I've traveled through Spain and all round Scotland with my son doing exactly that. Probably the best road trips I've ever done,
Comfortable and a relaxed easy drive. Runs on fresh air and any European village garage can fix it easily and cheaply with spares straight the shelf. Rough camp miles from anywhere with a mattress and sleeping bag in the back and use a airBnB or cheap hotel every now and then to do your washing and have a reasonably civilised s
t, shave and shower and off you go.I've traveled through Spain and all round Scotland with my son doing exactly that. Probably the best road trips I've ever done,
ZX10R NIN said:
Mercedes E320cdi is the answer:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes-e-class-e320-C...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-Mercedes-Benz-E-Cl...
270
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Mercedes-Benz-E-Cl...
Only issue being when you do get to Greece you'll have strangers trying to get in the back of your car every time you stop assuming you to be a taxi. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes-e-class-e320-C...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-Mercedes-Benz-E-Cl...
270
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Mercedes-Benz-E-Cl...
cherryowen said:
That's very interesting, as looking at LPG cars had not crossed my mind 
It only seems to be the UK where LPG is an issue. Never had a problem anywhere in Europe the stuff is literally everywhere and about 30p per litre. Different adaptors needed for different countries but most of the former communist countries use the same Italian dish adaptor, Greece included from memory. Germany requires a different one and the Netherlands uses the UK bayonet fitting. 60 litres of LPG get me around 300-350 miles in an ls430. Well worth a look 
nickpan said:
I’m considering doing this too.
Is the non Italy / ferry route considered safe? I’m sure it is now. My parents did it in the mid 70s and had a few hairy moments in Eastern Europe.
You're safer driving through Serbia than you are in central London. Poland, Hungary, Slovakia are totally safe too. Is the non Italy / ferry route considered safe? I’m sure it is now. My parents did it in the mid 70s and had a few hairy moments in Eastern Europe.
CDB1983 said:
cherryowen said:
That's very interesting, as looking at LPG cars had not crossed my mind
It only seems to be the UK where LPG is an issue. Never had a problem anywhere in Europe the stuff is literally everywhere and about 30p per litre. Different adaptors needed for different countries but most of the former communist countries use the same Italian dish adaptor, Greece included from memory. Germany requires a different one and the Netherlands uses the UK bayonet fitting. 60 litres of LPG get me around 300-350 miles in an ls430. Well worth a look Many thanks for that
nickpan said:
I’m considering doing this too.
Is the non Italy / ferry route considered safe? I’m sure it is now. My parents did it in the mid 70s and had a few hairy moments in Eastern Europe.
I think things may have moved on a tad from those days! Although Italy and Spain have been doing a fair impression of being Socialist Republics during this crisis!Is the non Italy / ferry route considered safe? I’m sure it is now. My parents did it in the mid 70s and had a few hairy moments in Eastern Europe.
Following up the LPG suggestion, I found this:-
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
Now, I love generation 1 A8's and - on the face of it - this butters a lot of parsnips for i) a daily drive and ii) the journey to Greece.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
Now, I love generation 1 A8's and - on the face of it - this butters a lot of parsnips for i) a daily drive and ii) the journey to Greece.
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