Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Posts: 346 Location: SW London
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 5:13 pm Post subject:
Interesting, Red Jedi. Who were you covered with for breakdown cover?
Just bought a can of Tyreweld and jump cables that look like they could start a bus. Will see if we can keep the wheel or need the space! _________________ 2002 Arctic Silver 996 C4S Coupe
MNC911 Österreich
Joined: 10 Feb 2016 Posts: 990 Location: Prestbury
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 5:43 pm Post subject:
Tyre slime and a cigarette lighter air inflation kit.
Inform your insurance company and take out the optional extras insurance otherwise they only cover third party only abroad most companies.
Breakdown cover with hotel cover package, go with Porsche Assistance if you can it's very good
Money for the police if you get stopped, otherwise they can take your car, get the wife covered so she can drive abroad if they ban you.
Have money handy for the toll roads.
Make sure the tyre pressures are up or you'll destroy them high speed on the toll roads.
Take plenty of fluids and food, don't keep stopping, only for fuel and a stretch. Taking lots of breaks will make it seem like an eternity to get anywhere.
Get on the toll roads straight off the train and open the MPH taps. There's a fuel garage / petrol station on the left about 500metres after you come off the train, fill right up to the top and that'll take you down to about Cholet distance on one tank, sat at 90-110mph.
Good luck, all the best _________________ History:
'10 911 Cab
'13 Cayman
'02 Boxster
jinjaninja Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Posts: 346 Location: SW London
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 6:29 pm Post subject:
MNC911 wrote:
Tyre slime and a cigarette lighter air inflation kit.
Inform your insurance company and take out the optional extras insurance otherwise they only cover third party only abroad most companies.
Breakdown cover with hotel cover package, go with Porsche Assistance if you can it's very good
Money for the police if you get stopped, otherwise they can take your car, get the wife covered so she can drive abroad if they ban you.
Have money handy for the toll roads.
Make sure the tyre pressures are up or you'll destroy them high speed on the toll roads.
Take plenty of fluids and food, don't keep stopping, only for fuel and a stretch. Taking lots of breaks will make it seem like an eternity to get anywhere.
Get on the toll roads straight off the train and open the MPH taps. There's a fuel garage / petrol station on the left about 500metres after you come off the train, fill right up to the top and that'll take you down to about Cholet distance on one tank, sat at 90-110mph.
Good luck, all the best
Many thanks for your comprehensive post!
Have most of that covered. We're stopping at Dijon tomorrow so will see how far we get before a refill. Cheers! _________________ 2002 Arctic Silver 996 C4S Coupe
RedJedi Suzuka
Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 1161 Location: Leicester
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 9:17 pm Post subject:
jinjaninja wrote:
Interesting, Red Jedi. Who were you covered with for breakdown cover?
Just bought a can of Tyreweld and jump cables that look like they could start a bus. Will see if we can keep the wheel or need the space!
Ive got porsche breakdown and warranty -
Advice from MNC911 is gold dust.
Enjoy it - if things go wrong, remember you are in europe, not syria.... _________________ 997 PDK - Black
Alex Le Mans
Joined: 06 Mar 2014 Posts: 17144 Location: The Ribble Valley, Lancashire
Inform your insurance company and take out the optional extras insurance otherwise they only cover third party only abroad most companies.
Breakdown cover with hotel cover package, go with Porsche Assistance if you can it's very good
Money for the police if you get stopped, otherwise they can take your car, get the wife covered so she can drive abroad if they ban you.
Have money handy for the toll roads.
Make sure the tyre pressures are up or you'll destroy them high speed on the toll roads.
Take plenty of fluids and food, don't keep stopping, only for fuel and a stretch. Taking lots of breaks will make it seem like an eternity to get anywhere.
Get on the toll roads straight off the train and open the MPH taps.
Good luck, all the best
+1
.......and a credit card. For speedier tolls, use your credit card as it's quicker than bunging cash in. _________________ 2000 Manual 996 C4 Arctic Silver Convertible
MNC911 Österreich
Joined: 10 Feb 2016 Posts: 990 Location: Prestbury
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 10:26 pm Post subject:
Dijon? What are you doing going over there? I thought you were going to Barcelona? You want to be heading due south from Le Mans, avoid Paris, it'll slow you down _________________ History:
'10 911 Cab
'13 Cayman
'02 Boxster
jinjaninja Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Posts: 346 Location: SW London
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 11:23 pm Post subject:
alex yates wrote:
+1
.......and a credit card. For speedier tolls, use your credit card as it's quicker than bunging cash in.
We invested in a toll tag a few years ago so you can roll through the speedy lane looking all smug! _________________ 2002 Arctic Silver 996 C4S Coupe
jinjaninja Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Posts: 346 Location: SW London
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 11:27 pm Post subject:
MNC911 wrote:
Dijon? What are you doing going over there? I thought you were going to Barcelona? You want to be heading due south from Le Mans, avoid Paris, it'll slow you down
It's a tour rather than a blat!
Home
Calais
Dijon
Beziers
Barcelona
Pyrenees
Arcachon
Ile de Ré
Rouen-ish
Calais
Home
(Interestingly the Dijon stop is exactly the same distance as your stop!)
Must go to bed as we're up at stupid o'clock to catch the train!
Thanks for your help! _________________ 2002 Arctic Silver 996 C4S Coupe
rob_p Österreich
Joined: 20 Oct 2013 Posts: 988 Location: Leicester
Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 7:47 am Post subject:
We have a toll tag for getting down to the Alps.
For driving in France it's a no brainier - hassle free on the roads and can be quite a bit quicker at the tolls during holiday season. _________________ 997.1 C2 (full Hartech rebuild, Ohlins coilovers, ducktail, plus some other bits)
Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2
Ex 991.1 C2
Ex Audi A8 V8 4.2tdi (best all round car I will ever own?)
Ex Porsche Boxster 986
Ex Mazda MX5 mk1
Plus some other stuff that wasn't very interesting....
nickmartin9 Newbie
Joined: 18 Aug 2016 Posts: 35 Location: Northamptonshire
Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 9:19 am Post subject:
i too have a toll tag - makes it so much nicer especially if you're driving solo
i recently came back from the southern alps, lyon to home = 700 miles in one day including ferry (and in a landrover defender!!!), 550 miles of french peage with not a single hold up/major roadworks, off the ferry at dover and within 30 miles sitting in traffic!!
on saturday taking the C4 down towards monaco for a few days, love driving on the continent _________________ 04 996 Carrera 4
00 Defender 90
MNC911 Österreich
Joined: 10 Feb 2016 Posts: 990 Location: Prestbury
Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 12:16 pm Post subject:
nickmartin9 wrote:
i too have a toll tag - makes it so much nicer especially if you're driving solo
i recently came back from the southern alps, lyon to home = 700 miles in one day including ferry (and in a landrover defender!!!), 550 miles of french peage with not a single hold up/major roadworks, off the ferry at dover and within 30 miles sitting in traffic!!
on saturday taking the C4 down towards monaco for a few days, love driving on the continent
It's not funny is it, everyone thinks the same, you can sit from the south of France all the way to Calais and not be in one single hold up, hundreds of miles. Arrive back in Blighty and it's full of morons blocking the lanes & traffic jams.
I'll give 100% donned cap to the French (& everyone will agree) their lane sense is amazing. As soon as they've overtaken a car they pull back in. Lorry drivers don't do the crawl past manoeuvre at 1mph faster for 2 miles, they'll wait till the road is clear behind.
& it is the GB style of driving because in France you see lots of English registration plated cars, sat in the middle or outside lane for no apparent reason. _________________ History:
'10 911 Cab
'13 Cayman
'02 Boxster
Zingari Brands Hatch
Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 13077 Location: Cheshire
We have a toll tag for getting down to the Alps.
For driving in France it's a no brainier - hassle free on the roads and can be quite a bit quicker at the tolls during holiday season.
Right people where is the link to the "Toll Tag" and what is the score with it? Do you have to have European bank account in Euros?
Pointers appreciated for my next trip down/up.
Pip
Alex Le Mans
Joined: 06 Mar 2014 Posts: 17144 Location: The Ribble Valley, Lancashire
Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Posts: 346 Location: SW London
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 9:16 am Post subject:
Buenos Dias, mis amigos! Soy en Barcelona!
Been really behaving myself on the autoroutes etc. I set the computer to zero when we left Folkestone and we are currently averaging 116km/h and 30.1mpg!
Will be heading into the Pyrennees in a couple of days and so fully expect that to plummet. No complaints from the rear passengers so far. Running for about 2 hours before letting the boys stretch their legs and switching drivers.
The only niggle is the range of the key remote. May change the battery in the hope that improves.
Adios!
(Still not sorted out photo posting ) _________________ 2002 Arctic Silver 996 C4S Coupe
Pip1968 Suzuka
Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 1186 Location: Blighty
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 9:53 am Post subject:
jinjaninja wrote:
Buenos Dias, mis amigos! Soy en Barcelona!
Been really behaving myself on the autoroutes etc. I set the computer to zero when we left Folkestone and we are currently averaging 116km/h and 30.1mpg!
Will be heading into the Pyrennees in a couple of days and so fully expect that to plummet. No complaints from the rear passengers so far. Running for about 2 hours before letting the boys stretch their legs and switching drivers.
The only niggle is the range of the key remote. May change the battery in the hope that improves.
Adios!
(Still not sorted out photo posting )
Well done on your venture. A little bit of humility will do the boys good and it sounds as if they are a good bunch anyway as they did not make a fuss. Many of the youth of today expect too much especially when they are born into money (ie dad owns a Porsche ).
I think the keys are recharged in the ignition are they not. I am sure they are on my old BMW. Anyway at least it will mean you will not sit down and pop the locks. I always use the key manually as I am wary of people using scanners.
Godspeed.
Pip
RedJedi Suzuka
Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 1161 Location: Leicester
Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:15 pm Post subject:
[quote="jinjaninja"]Buenos Dias, mis amigos! Soy en Barcelona!
Been really behaving myself on the autoroutes etc. I set the computer to zero when we left Folkestone and we are currently averaging 116km/h and 30.1mpg!
Will be heading into the Pyrennees in a couple of days and so fully expect that to plummet. No complaints from the rear passengers so far. Running for about 2 hours before letting the boys stretch their legs and switching drivers.
The only niggle is the range of the key remote. May change the battery in the hope that improves.
Adios!
Brilliant stuff.
Sounds like a trip that you all will remember forever - unless, the kids ask to do it again next year! _________________ 997 PDK - Black
jinjaninja Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 04 Oct 2012 Posts: 346 Location: SW London
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 1:18 pm Post subject:
I've been trying to work up the energy to finish this thread, but keep putting it off.
The car behaved impeccably over 3,500km and 2.5 weeks. (Apart from the remote door key failing and having to put the key in the lock instead!)
The boys never complained once about travelling in the back. Removing the rear seat backs was a masterstroke.
18 hours before our return to Blighty, a lunatic Frenchman came hareing around a corner; cutting the apex and forcing me to stop. Whereupon he decided to panic, lock up his brakes and veer TOWARDS us and smashed into the front corner of our trusty C4S.
We were pushed around 90 deg and finished across the road. We were all fine and got out unharmed - apart from my wife's neck feeling a little achy (but that has proved to be no cause for concern) and I surveyed the wreckage.
Two days later, the insurance company wrote the car off and that was the last that we saw of it.
It was an epic journey and something that will always be a great memory, as long as we can expunge the trauma of the accident, the hassle of getting back to the UK (no thanks to ADAC ) and fighting with the insurance for a decent settlement value.
*sigh*
For the time being we are now Porsche-less and probably will be for some time to come. Maybe I'll be able to return to the fold in due course but as the values rise, that will look less likely. I've really enjoyed the Porsche ownership, moreso due to this great forum and the meet ups etc.
Cheers,
Rob. _________________ 2002 Arctic Silver 996 C4S Coupe
Alex Le Mans
Joined: 06 Mar 2014 Posts: 17144 Location: The Ribble Valley, Lancashire
Really sorry to hear that. At least you're all ok. French are muppets when it comes to using the road. _________________ 2000 Manual 996 C4 Arctic Silver Convertible
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) and fighting with the insurance for a decent settlement value.
