VX TO europe trip - anyone done it?

[steptoe]

The missus and i are thinking of driving thru europe this summer in the vxhpe - anyone done it what are fuel costs like?

Just did google maps search and total distance to our destination is 942 miles @ 16 hrs 12 mins.

its calculated the cost at £267.76 but does not ask for my fuel consumption so its not accurate, perhaps someone has done a big
continental trip in their VX and can suggest costs and also any other advice.

Thanks in advance.

[rossocorsa]

not done anything like that but in my experience the best you'll get out of a volumex is 30mpg on a long run not driven hard

[Thotos]

I haven't done in in a VX (as I haven't got one  :'() but I have driven to several places in Europe including Northern Italy several times in different cars. There was of course the Lancia Centenary celebrations in 2006 when I drove to Italy in the Gamma (http://www.gammaconsortium.com/LTIM/) but probably closer to what you are planning was my drive to Turin in the twin-cam Fiat 131 in 2009 (http://www.131mirafiori.com/gallery3ma09.htm). That trip cost a fortune in fuel (about 25mpg out of my Guy Croft engined 131) and an equal fortune in tolls  Tolls alone cost about €500 for the return trip. But it was an absolute pleasure and worth every penny  You don't say where you are planning to drive to but I'd say if possible avoid France or French motorways to avoid the tolls and if going to Italy via the Mont Blanc Tunnel or the Fréjus Road Tunnel then buy a return ticket as it's much cheaper than two singles.

[MattNoVAT]

I find fuel slightly cheaper in Europe - but I mostly drive a diesel when in Europe and the further you get from the UK the cheaper it becomes (certainly in France).

Also - if your travelling through Switzerland then you'll need to buy Swiss Road tax.

I find the Peage in France brilliant if you want to eat up the miles quickly or at night when you cannot take in the views, yes they cost money but you won't hit traffic nor road works and if you want a slower journey with good scenery then take the Route Nationale roads, which are like our dual carriageways.  Do not speed on the Paege as the Gendarme just sit at the tool boths and if your time between toll stations is too short they can tell your average speed was too high and they just fine you on the spot. Ka-ching.  Oh - and avoid driving in Paris - it's not the best experience IMHO

Fuel costs depend on where your going and how you drive not always what you drive.  I've done Italy, thru Switzerland, into France then finally thru Belgium in my Evo 2 I bought a few years ago.

Italians drive like a swarm of angry wasps and they cannot park for toffee!

Driving in Holland - watch out for Trams (they take no prisoners) and mobile speed cameras on the motorways.

Not all German Autobahns are de-restricted.   

[steptoe]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots of useful info there.

We are Planning to drive to Tuscany (942 miles one way) where we have property then onto Various surrounding regions where we have business interests, however the voyage is one vaguely based around the concept of a "holiday" - with some business - however as the nature of my work is often classed as a hobby or passion for many individuals we can safely say it will all be most enjoyable.

I say we drive.

She says fly for £50 return.

I present her with the costs - fuel / tolls / ferry etc

She shakes her head and says its a ridiculous proposition to drive.


I say if you dont like it you can stay at home and I will go with someone else.

She gets into a mood and storms off.

10 minutes later she re appears and exclaims "Lets plan this roadtrip then"

The seed of a grand odyssey has been planted.


*makes coffee and unfurls huge map*

[Hawk]

Do not speed on the Paege as the Gendarme just sit at the tool boths and if your time between toll stations is too short they can tell your average speed was too high and they just fine you on the spot. Ka-ching. 

Have you had any experience of this or know anyone who has? 

I was led to believe this was an urban myth and in 25 years of going to Le mans (and travelling extensively in France) have never known anyone fined like this. 

[MattNoVAT]

Yes, I do know people who have suffered the on the spot fines in this way. Returning from the Bol D'or.

One in a car and two on bikes all nabbed at the same time.

[Thotos]

Do not speed on the Paege as the Gendarme just sit at the tool boths and if your time between toll stations is too short they can tell your average speed was too high and they just fine you on the spot. Ka-ching.  

Have you had any experience of this or know anyone who has?  

I was led to believe this was an urban myth and in 25 years of going to Le mans (and travelling extensively in France) have never known anyone fined like this.  

It's happened to me   It was years ago (1993 I think) before the days of the Euro. I was driving to Italy so didn't bother having any French Francs with me. At the toll booth near Lyon a Gendarme jumped in front of me as soon as I paid the toll and stopped me to say I was speeding and giving me a huge fine. I told him I had no French money or Eurocheques (remember those?) and he told me they didn't accept foreign money or credit cards. He also said "we keep the car, you go find the money"!    

[Hawk]

Yes, I do know people who have suffered the on the spot fines in this way. Returning from the Bol D'or.

One in a car and two on bikes all nabbed at the same time.

Blimey - always good (or not!) to hear from people it has happened to. 

And you have just ent me down memory lane now with mention of the Bol! 

[Hawk]

It's happened to me   It was years ago (1993 I think) before the days of the Euro. I was driving to Italy so didn't bother having any French Francs with me. At the toll booth near Lyon a Gendarme jumped in front of me as soon as I paid the toll and stopped me to say I was speeding and giving me a huge fine. I told him I had no French money or Eurocheques (remember those?) and he told me they didn't accept foreign money or credit cards. He also said "we keep the car, you go find the money"!    

Yeah, I remember those days.  I got pulled on a peage for doing 230 kmh on my ZZR1100 (I still to this day don't know why I stopped) and fined.  They took my keys and passport and drove me to a bank in the nearest town so i could pay the fine.

[peteracs]

Do not speed on the Paege as the Gendarme just sit at the tool boths and if your time between toll stations is too short they can tell your average speed was too high and they just fine you on the spot. Ka-ching.  

Have you had any experience of this or know anyone who has?  

I was led to believe this was an urban myth and in 25 years of going to Le mans (and travelling extensively in France) have never known anyone fined like this.  

We travel down from Calais to 250Km South of Paris four times each year and have done for several years now. Normally doing no more than 90 mph, usually around 80-85 which is around the speed limit on their motorways and find that due to the lack of traffic (apart from Paris of course where 80 is a luxury), you do not need to go faster as you get there without any hassle and surprisingly quickly due to being able to maintain a constant speed. The trip from Calais is around 550km for us and takes us normally 6.5 hours inc a couple of breaks. The trick is to avoid the major snarlup areas at peak times.

I find the Diesel price normally 10-15% cheaper than here, Petrol is probaby about the same or slightly more (not motorways which are 10-15% more expensive). If you are using Eurotunnel I can recommend filling up at the large shopping centre next to the tunnel called Cite de Europe. They have the cheapest Diesel I have found in France. I think the petrol is also pretty good value.

Peter

  

[Thotos]

drove me to a bank in the nearest town so i could pay the fine.

They were not so nice to me  I had to change UK Sterling and Italian Lire at the toll booth at a very unfavourable exchange rate 

[rossocorsa]

I really like driving in Europe but I always relax and keep to the speed limits, it's not worth the potential aggravation  in a foreign country. Haven't been in a Lancia for a good few years last time was in a Delta HF HPE which was shall we say interesting on the autobahn it really came into its own but braking down from 120mph plus was not good tbh brakes not really good enough. Drove to Turin in 1996 but not in a Lancia found northern italy not as bad as I had expected for driving nice experience but wife wasn't keen on the long tunnels