Paris last weekend - minor damage and a warning

[Black240]

The missus and me took our V8V roadster across to Paris at the weekend. Although we had a great time driving in the sun through Paris, Versailles and to Giverny the whole event was spoilt by the car being damaged. Nothing major, but annoying nonetheless.

First off, I've taken numerous cars on the chunnel without problem. As those of you who have also taken a car over this way will know, the 'curbs' in the carriages are fairly close together but no more than a lip, which is not wheel threatening. However, when directed to the upper deck there are curbs at the apex of the ramp that are about 5 inches high and again very close together - these become the low lip curbs once the ramp flattens out.

Needless to say that in an Aston, as you're pointing up hill on the ramp you cannot see this curb for about the last 6 feet of ramp - resulting in a good thump against the off-side front alloy. I did this both outbound and inbound to Folkestone. Be warned

So, about a £150 mistake.

The really annoying damage was caused by the Hotel doorman. I'd emailed ahead to check the hotel had secure parking, which was confirmed. And dutifully they took the car away each night to a secure facility and returned it next day when I needed it. However, at a petrol station on the way home I noticed a long and deep scrape along the off-side lower front bumper. (pics to follow)

It's obvious to me that one of the hotel's doormen had belted a wall in the car park and had just kept quite about it. The reason I never noticed it was because I had no call to walk around that side of the car and they always held the door open for my wife so she approached the car from the back.

Perhaps most galling is that I tipped them every day

So, don't go to the Sofitel Arch de Triumphe

I don't expect that the hotel will admit to this or pick up the repair costs (Rick is on the case), but I will have some sport over the next few weeks annoying the Board of Directors of Accor / Sofitel Hotels.

Lastly, on the return chunnel trip I noticed a 57 plate Tungsten coupe and two 4.7 silver V8 Roadsters on the same train. Anyone from here?

[GlynMo]

That's odd. In my experience, the staff usually direct low-slung cars to the lower deck and, if they don't, a smiley request to go on the lower deck is usually rewarded. That information is a bit too late for you, I realise.

Good luck with the wind-up!

[Neil1300R]

GlynMo said:

That's odd. In my experience, the staff usually direct low-slung cars to the lower deck and, if they don't, a smiley request to go on the lower deck is usually rewarded. That information is a bit too late for you, I realise.

Good luck with the wind-up!

+1, although I realise this is of no help to the OP. Having done the upper deck in a Honda S2000 previously (scary enough, as like you say you can't see anything as you come over the top of the ramp) made sure they put us on the lower deck last year in the Vantage - and that was bad enough. Know others on here have booked as an overheight vehicle so you get the extra wide carrige (internally) used by coaches.

Good luck with the wind up!

[koen]

If I take a wide sportscar on Eurotunnel, I always take the carriages for the higher vehicles.
These are much wider and easy to access, and will never damage the wheels of the car.
I often see other supercars in the same carriage.

[alxce]

A couple of months ago I did exactly the same thing in an E320 Merc going onto the top deck resulting in minor wheel damage. I thought I had got away with it at first because it seemed to bounce off the rubber, a later inspection revealed I was not so lucky.
Last week I took the train again and managed to get through the chicane at the apex without any damage and have worked out how to use the Merc badge as a sighting device. I realise the E320 is probably a much wider car but as a prospective V8 Vantage buyer who expects to be using Eurotunnel I will definitely be "smiling" for the lower deck.
Good luck with beating up the hotel chain.

[SabreN400]

Having just had my wheels refurbished, I might be tempted to try these

http://www.alloygator.co.uk/

Even If they're not kept on all the time, it might be worth fitting in advance of using the chunnel/ferry etc?

[oblio]

GlynMo said:

That's odd. In my experience, the staff usually direct low-slung cars to the lower deck and, if they don't, a smiley request to go on the lower deck is usually rewarded. That information is a bit too late for you, I realise.

Good luck with the wind-up!

Same here - but I like the advice on the high sided carriage...is it just a question of selecting that option when you book?

[koen]

After you passed british and french customs you can choose between the lanes for low or high vehicles.
You can make your choice at that moment. Nobody will tell you to go back so don't worry.

[Black240]

Well bu**er me. The hotel has accepted responsibility and agreed to pay repair costs.

I'm gobsmacked.

Promised pic below

[Neil1300R]

Bloody hell, you won an argument against a French Corporation!!


Congratulations - pity they damaged it in the first place

[GlynMo]

Good job!

[RichB]

Well that restores your faith in people but frankly I would never let a doorman park a decent car of mine and I always go on the lower deck on the chunnel.

[D_G]

I'm with Rich on this, I can only get into the bottom carriage though!!

Dave

[oblio]

koen said:

After you passed british and french customs you can choose between the lanes for low or high vehicles.
You can make your choice at that moment. Nobody will tell you to go back so don't worry.

Nice one...

Any problem with coachloads of people brushing past though in their frenzy to get to the only working toilet? (I find this annoying in the Chunnel carriages in the car section as the pathways are narrow and 2 people always seem to meet to pass next to my car...and always seem to have zip up jackets on which come dangerously close/brush against to the paintwork when they pass each other

nice job on the repair agreement B240...well done... Blighty 1, J Foreigner esq. 0