European Road Trip preperation

[HYFR]

in two weeks (today!) i'll be setting off for a 1,600 mile round trip to Munich via Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

We're heading to Ocktoberfest for a mates Stag do, 21 lads all in, but they cant all fit in the RS so there 3.5 of us driving (picking up one on the way!)

Really looking forward to seeing what the beast can do on some unrestricted roads - just hoping Audi fix everything they need to in time or we'll be going in the A2 !

I've got a couple of questions, would be great if anyone with experience could advise...

I'll have a full write up with pics of the trip for anyone thats interested...

Questions:

- I've got a Fluorescent vest which I know I need to keep in the glove box, but do I need just one, or do I need one for each passenger?

- Replacement bulb set. . . where is the best place to get this (HalFrauds?) and do I need a certain type ?

- Xenons - do I need to flip a switch to make sure I dont dazzle other road users ? Think there was a thread on this before ?

- Speed - whats the motorway limit on French / Dutch / German roads?

- What is the sign to look out for on the Autobahns to denote its derestricted?

- How does the RNSE perform in Europe, im banking on this to get us everywhere...

cheeRS

[Rupert]

Fluorescent vests: One for each passenger. Cheap on eBay.
Replacement bulbs: Don't know the best place to buy.
Xenons: Remove the cover of the lights and flip the orange-coloured switch on the back, it takes 2 mins to do both lights. Do this before you leave home as it's a bugger to do if the engine is hot!
Speed: 80mph in France, but I've passed a speedcheck at 90 and they didn't even look.
Do you have a europe disk?

Have fun, I love driving on the continent, fast straight roads, perfect for the RS6.

PS Check the date on your squirty tyre stuff, it will probably be useless anyway, but slightly less useless if in date.

[deanobeano]

David

You may be able to get some good info from here
http://driving.drive-alive.co.uk/

hope the Six makes it!!

[Ells109]

David

I've just returned from a trip down to the Dordougne, beautiful scenary and some amazing opportunities to overtake stacks of traffic in the blink of an eye.
Hi Viz vests is still a bit vague, madatory for driver, advisary for all passengers. I fitted some of those horrible light deflector. passed several gendarmerie with the lights on and didn't get noticed.
Halfrauds do sell a pack of spare bulbs that supposedly fit any car, just chuck em in, there no law about them fitting your car! Whatever you do buy all the stuff before you get to Dover/Folkestone, they charge a fortune them there!
France are getting sharper for speed checks with cars at the side of the road very similar to our motorway although the police are not as kind there with flourescent sided cars. We had a couple of Brits fly by us on the last stretch to Boulougne, luckily my wife was driving so we didn't get invloved in the cannon ball run . Anyway, just after the next pay toll the police pulled them in and did them.
Morale of the story is cameras can't do much by actual officers might!

Finally, fill up your tank in GB, France was a lot more and you will watch the tank gauge drop before your eyes!

[HYFR]

cheers for that guys

would be good to hear any more experiences

iv put together a dossier, including a full itinary - so hopefully im fully prepared !

Thursday 24th September :

- Thurs 12.30 Depart WGC, UK
Destination: Eurotunnel, Folkestone (Exit at junction 11A of the M20)

- Thurs 14.20 Arrive Eurotunnel, Folkestone

- Thurs 16.25 Arrive Eurotunnel, Calais
Destination: Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1012 HZ, Netherlands

- Thurs 20.00 Arrive Amsterdam

Friday 25th September:

- Fri 14.30 Depart Amsterdam
Destination: Hostel - Frankfurt am Main, 60329, Germany

- Fri 18.30 Arrive Frankfurt

Saturday 26th September:

- Sat 12.00 Depart Frankfurt
Destination : 80992 Munich

- Sat 15.30 Arrive Munich

Monday 28th September:

- Mon 12.00 Depart Munich
Destination: Eurotunnel, Calais (Exit at junction 42 of the A16)

Via Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, 55483 Lautzenhausen, Germany

- Mon 21.50 Arrive Eurotunnel, Calais

- Mon 21.55 Arrive Eurotunnel, Folkestone
Destination: London

- Mon 23.30 Arrive London


- Total forecast mileage: 1,630 miles
- Total forecast driving time: 24 hours
- Average speed assumed: 68mph
- Mode of Transport: Audi RS 6 Quattro 4.2 V8 Bi-Turbo
- Forecast Miles per Gallon: 23mpg is the target, car averages 21.2mpg so far but anticipated that majority of miles will be at 80mph on cruise control
- Parking Costs: To be split equally at the time
- Toll Costs: To be split equally at the time
- Fuel Costs: £350 will be per below, suggested split £100 each ; £50 for x plus £5 each insurance surplus – to be paid before departure

Enter Price of Petrol / Diesel (Per litre) £ 1.09

Enter the average Miles Per Gallon (MPG) your car achieves 23.0

Destination Miles Cost
Munich Road Trip 1630 £ 351.18
Total Cost 1630 £ 351.18

Equipment Checklist:

- Original Passport & photocopies
- Original Drivers License & photocopies
- Original Certificate of Motor Insurance & photocopies
- Original Vehicle Registration Documents and photocopies
- Original Audi Warranty and Roadside Assistance document & photocopies
- Fluorescent vest (per passenger)
- Replacement bulb set
- European Health Insurance Card
- Sleeping bag
- Pillow
- Selection of CD’s / MP3’s stored on max 2 GB SD cards
- European Atlas
- Emergency telephone numbers
- Euros, preferably a stash of change for the toll roads / parking
- Red Bull / Lucozade sport for Afteration©
- Snacks for the road
- Banter

[Daveperc]

Sounds very comprehensive - but what about other running costs? As a minimum you are going to use the best part of 10% of a set of tyres (I only get 20K miles from mine) and 20% of a service. I reckon that adds another £250 to your bill (or what you are asking others to contribute to).

Enjoy the trip

Dave

[bazza]

Ive recently come back from the Nurburgring.

Prices of fuel on the continent are stupid. In Germany, France and Belgium the average was 1.48 euros for 95 ron. I was paying 1.68 for 100 ron in Adenau, Germany and boy did it kill the wallet.

I averaged 26.4 MPG which i was astonished at as that was a 924 mile journey from Borehamwood, UK to Adeanu, Germany and back and that also included 4 laps of the ring in the 6.

have a good trip mate and i can assure you, that you will enjoy the roads out there

[HYFR]

Sounds very comprehensive - but what about other running costs? As a minimum you are going to use the best part of 10% of a set of tyres (I only get 20K miles from mine) and 20% of a service. I reckon that adds another £250 to your bill (or what you are asking others to contribute to).

Enjoy the trip

Dave

Good point, not thought about that...in the main I'll take the hit just for the experience as its not something im likely to do very often

but i'll try and sting them all for abit more fuel

cheeRS

[R1NGA]

Only other thing I ALWAYS take with me abroad is a sparewheel/tyre, although I grant you its easier for me in an Avant. 255/35ZR19's are not exactly 2-a-penny in darkest Europe on a wet Friday night and a puncture at speed can easily trash the tyre before you get to a halt. A mate of mine in a Bentley (broadly simialr tyres) was grounded for 3 days waiting for something to be couriered over from the UK as nobody had anything locally. He was not happy.

Maybe I'm more sensitive about it as my RS had to be low-loaded back to home from just 10 miles up the road, as the tyre blew out the sidewall and no amount of spray goop is gonna fix that....

Sounds like a fab trip though - I'm sure you'll have a ball.

Regards,

Phil G

[HYFR]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...........

Audi say the car wont be ready until the end of the week im due to go away

booooooooooooooo

Road Trip is now no where near as appealing having to go in an A2 ! Im just gonna have to spend all the fuel savings on beer to drown my sorrows

There is a chance they'll finish the work early - so fingers crossed

[Shoppinit]

Bit of a moot point now, but the autobahns have no speed limit by defaut, but certain zones (a LOOOT of zones, actually) are speed limited. In this case you'll see the usual speed limit sign then the speed limit the diagonal black line through it to let you know the speed limited area is finished.

Personally I find driving in Germany quite frustrating. Few delimited areas and a lot of road works (those temporary lanes are scarily narrow). That could just be the areas I tend to drive in though which are quite built up. A1 / A30 / A44

[ecain63]

We should do a forum road trip to france / germany later in the year. Maybe someone with the motivation will start a thread somewhere!! Mooch???

[HYFR]

We should do a forum road trip to france / germany later in the year. Maybe someone with the motivation will start a thread somewhere!! Mooch???

YEAH sounds good to me, maybe my bloody RS will be out of the menders for a change !

[BigMo]

One thing we're all forgetting, don't forget your insurance documents, your paper part if you have a photo drivers license, your vehicle owners certificate and make sure you're covered for European assistance. Have fun fella.

[HYFR]

Road trip in the RS may be back on !!

Went down to Chingford Audi this morning and they just pissed me off with their incompetence, so, I drove over to Whetstone Audi, explained the situation and they seemed pretty confident they could sort my car before I go on the Road Trip !

wahoo!

So, went back to Chingford Audi to check the car out and take it to Whestone - but the wankers couldnt confirm if it was safe to drive as the technician was not in and couldnt confirm if hes put everything back properly.

So

Have to go back on Monday morning, the technician can confirm its put back together properly, so I can take it over to Whetstone who fingers crossed can have it sorted before the 24th !

Only worry is, Chingford Audi have the car in bits, or at least they say they do to avoid loosing £3k worth of labour

Do you recon I could use Audi Roadside to flat bed the car to Whetstone ??

cheeRS