Driving from Devon to Switzerland, and back.

[dsgrnmcm]

During Easter were planning to drive from sunny north Devon, stop over in Guildford for the night, catch the euro tunnel in to France, through to Switzerland for a week or so then back through Germany or Luxembourg in to Calais and home again.

The rough plan is;

Devon to Calais 365m 6hr 59m
Calais to Bienne 518m 7hr 40m
Bienne to Stuttgart 234m 3hr 31m
Stuttgart to Luxembourg 251m 4hr 41m
Luxembourg to Calais 336m 6hr 29m

We are taking the dog, so she needs to get her jab the day before we travel (no less than 24hr)

So far i think we will need;

V5 original
Car insurance original
Drivers license (Both parts)
Hi-Vis vests
Warning triangle
Spare bulb set
First Aid kit
GB sticker
Head light deflector kit


I also want to take a small tool kit, any ideas on what to take as I dont want to end up taking a tool box!

Any tips or if you have done this before would be great.

Dan

[Ben]

lucky bugger.

does your numberplate have the blue GB on the left. if it does, you don't need a GB sticker.

Unfortunately you are taking a pet. Allow extra time for checking in at the ports as all the pet paperwork needs to be checked.

LPG cars can't go on the tunnel if i recall correctly, going on a boat, pets stay in the car or go in kennels on car deck.

I think you also need latex gloves. gloves and hi viz must be in the passenger compartment of the car.

take spare engine oil.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Foreigntravel/BeforeYouTravel/DG_4000019

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/index.htm

take E111 http://www.e111.org.uk/

[phil miller]

if it was me id take a set of sockets and screwdrivers (bare in mind what you dont take you will need lol) make sure you have the locking wheel nut key, jack and wheel nut socket, also worth seeing if your covered for break down abroad just in case, the most important thing for me to say is 10 packs of 50grams cutters choice for me please :D and for that i will give your car a full service mate

have a safe trip mate

[dsgrnmcm]

Hi all

well we got back last night, And I'm well knackered.

Over all the car performed well, wish I had a center armrest though, and that I had seen the post about wiring in 12v lighter sockets the week before, But I got a cheap adapter in France for the time being.

Also I think the car is a bit under powered for a Quattro, I could sit at 75 - 80 ish and still get 50 mpg on avarage, but anything over 80 and you could feel it, and the fuel went, I thing she sat on average 75 at 2600 rpm, which was a good cursing speed.

here are the rsults of my OBC;

Home to Guilford - 221.9 mi - 49 mph avg - 50.9 mpg - 4hr 34 min
Guilford to Tunnel - 86.1 mi - 49 mph avg - 54.4 mpg - 1hr 47 min
Tunnel to Metz - 391.5 mi - 59 mph avg - 53.7 mpg - 5hr 11 min
Metz to Corroux(CH) 385 mi - 46 mph avg - 52.3 mpg - 4hr 20 min
Corroux to Luxembourg - 432 mi - 51 mph avg - 51.1 mpg - 4hr 30 min
Luxembourg to Calais tunnel - 259 mi - 63 mph avg - 53.5 mpg - 4hr 8 min
Tunnel to Home - 273 mi - 50 mph avg - 53.1 mpg - 5hr 32 min.

Avarage motorway speed was 75 to 80 ish, I kept the tank between a 1/4 full to 3/4 not that it would make much difference.


http://%3Ca%20href=%22http://s639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/?action=view&current=DSC00905.jpg%22%20target=%22_ blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/DSC00905.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Photobuc ket%22%3E%3C/a%3E

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/DSC00905.jpghttp://

[dsgrnmcm]

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/DSC00905.jpg

[dsgrnmcm]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/?action=view&current=DSC01023.jpg%22%20target=%22_ blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/DSC01023.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Photobuc ket%22%3E%3C/a%3E

Dog had the whole boot, apart from her water bowl and some food.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/?action=view&current=DSC01024.jpg%22%20target=%22_ blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/DSC01024.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Photobuc ket%22%3E%3C/a%3E
Here is my pikey 4 way adapter, needed because our sat nav only lasts an hour then it dies, one for the Ipod and a spare for the phones etc.

Will be looking to get better install off ebay.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/?action=view&current=DSC01058-1.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22h ttp://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu120/dsgrnmcm/A4/DSC01058-1.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Photobucket%22% 3E%3C/a%3E
dropped my brother at the swiss Olympic training center, nice drive.


As for the stickers and all the other stuff we took, no one checked. But sods law would saw if we didnt have it we would get checked.

Insted of spending 9.99 on light deflectors the bloke behind me on the train used a bit of black masking tape, so in future I will be doing this, the amount of cars with no GB sticker or plate on were loads, but I would still put one on.

The rods in France were crap, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland were great, although loads of speed cameras in France but none seemed to flash and everyone was bombing over the speed limit, so will wait and see what comes in the post.

My ship is away for awhile, so might see if I can save for a 2.5 TDI or even an A6 TDI...