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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

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idej_z4
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by idej_z4 » Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:52 pm

Lance wrote: Wed Sep 19, 2018 1:20 pm If this works, here's a few Vercors pics (mine), Col de la machine and two from the hotel
Looks stunning - thanks for the tips and pics! 8)

idej_z4
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by idej_z4 » Sat Sep 29, 2018 9:57 pm

The trip has begun! First stop, London for an overnight stop at the families. Got quite a lot packed in the Z and still plenty of room for wine! Also managed a very good MPG to kick things off!
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R60BBA
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by R60BBA » Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:18 pm

How was it idej_z4?
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI

idej_z4
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by idej_z4 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:42 pm

R60BBA wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:18 pm How was it idej_z4?
Still going! Loads to post...will do a write up when I get back.

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R60BBA
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by R60BBA » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:44 pm

Look forward to it :driving:
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI

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Joneeboy
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by Joneeboy » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:06 pm

Looking forward to a good read and the pics, when you get back, OP. Year after next for me..

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montymog
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by montymog » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:48 pm

envious or what :( have a suberb time :thumbsup:
e85 3.0si monaco metallic extended oregon cream leather.m seats all electric with heating and extensions.m multifunction s/wheel reverse sensors.light maple wood trim m suspension ect.ect. running on eagle f1 assy 3s

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1000rr
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by 1000rr » Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:27 pm

R60BBA wrote: Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:59 pm Sounds like a cracking trip!

If you can, try and plan your routes so that you can avoid toll roads, there are quite a few in France.

I also visited Circuit du Reims earlier this year as a part of my Germany road trip. From memory Pommery Champagne is based in Reims and should be worth checking out.

What I will say is that you will never really appreciate these cars until you take them for a ‘proper’ road trip as you put it.

Good luck buddy :thumbsup:

Enjoyed that video, thx! we have not long been back from Adenau (I noticed it on your video) and the ring. Great place. We have had Euro trips the past 19 years or so on the bikes, and been all over Europe, but the roads in Germany, especially the Black Forest, take some beating...especially for bikes. I’m taking the missus over for the first time next May, albeit in the Zed, and finishing in Como. She may not like the ring.... :rofl:
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Sterling 3.0, Bentley burgundy leather, Aeros..
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1000rr
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by 1000rr » Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:28 pm

idej_z4 wrote: Sat Sep 29, 2018 9:57 pm The trip has begun! First stop, London for an overnight stop at the families. Got quite a lot packed in the Z and still plenty of room for wine! Also managed a very good MPG to kick things off! 9BE63014-2243-4B39-8057-76609622A518.jpeg
5DCFAA36-6969-4EB4-8410-D10A1DB69F93.jpeg

Full report please mate, sounds an epic trip!, :thumbsup:
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R60BBA
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by R60BBA » Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:41 pm

1000rr wrote: Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:27 pm
Enjoyed that video, thx! we have not long been back from Adenau (I noticed it on your video) and the ring. Great place. We have had Euro trips the past 19 years or so on the bikes, and been all over Europe, but the roads in Germany, especially the Black Forest, take some beating...especially for bikes. I’m taking the missus over for the first time next May, albeit in the Zed, and finishing in Como. She may not like the ring.... :rofl:

C2835F67-627C-40FC-A8C9-BCF0AE2F5B83.jpeg
Thanks man, I’m sure she’ll enjoy it :thumbsup: However, I must say you’ve got some serious guts to do the the Ring on a bike 8)
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI

stupot1
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by stupot1 » Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:13 am

Fancy a trip like that myself
Really envious
Hope you enjoy it
Look forward to the pics!
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by stupot1 » Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:38 am

R60BBA wrote: Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:59 pm Sounds like a cracking trip!

If you can, try and plan your routes so that you can avoid toll roads, there are quite a few in France.

I also visited Circuit du Reims earlier this year as a part of my Germany road trip. From memory Pommery Champagne is based in Reims and should be worth checking out.

What I will say is that you will never really appreciate these cars until you take them for a ‘proper’ road trip as you put it.

Good luck buddy :thumbsup:

Great video
Given me plenty of food for thought !
E86 Sapphire Black, Auto, 224's

idej_z4
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by idej_z4 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:01 pm

This post is a little overdue, but with the post-holiday rush and then a bad crash on my mountain bike (3 broken ribs, a potentially fractured heel and more bruises and cuts that white bits left on my body) the weekend after I got back, I’m just getting around to sorting through the photos and videos.

In short the trip was awesome / epic / amazing / the bomb / boss / wicked / time of my life!

The car was faultless. When we were on the Autoroutes it sat at 130kmph churning out 34mpg, when I wanted to go into spirited driving mode it didn’t let me down, even with a boot full of wine and two people in it. All that weight though did mean it was a bit more challenging to get the rear end out as we seemed to be following +20 degree weather everywhere we went which made the tyres very sticky. Over the whole 2,100 miles we averaged 31.1mpg pretty amazing considering what is under the bonnet and the amount of fun driving we did.

It also seemed everywhere we went people were staring, waving and even at one point slowing down on the autoroute to get a video or photo whilst driving (and that person was driving a brand new X5) all of which made me feel quite proud to be driving a car that still turns heads. I even opened Instagram one day and under the #z4coupe (which I follow) my car popped up from someone else who had taken a picture of it!

HIGHLIGHTS

From a purely driving experience point of view the Vecours have to be the number one highlight of the trip – mile after mile of hairpin turns, sweeping corners, open roads…it had the job lot. I even let the Mrs have a drive there was so much road and tried to teach her how to drive sports car style. Thanks to MrPT for recommending, had it not been for this forum I would have never known and probably driven around it.

From a scenery point of view mixed with awesome roads, The Route De Grand Alpes was mega. We spent the whole day exploring different routes and found some truly magical little villages in the process. Driving into Chamonix with the glacier just out of your window is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced. Another plus point with the route is the number of tunnels. I had a lot of fun pretending I was 16 again in every tunnel we hit (by the end the Mrs was like, surely not again) winding down the windows and dropping the clutch and revving it like a proper child.

I can also highly recommend Chartreuse just next to the Vecours as another national park well worth spending sometime in, lots of long sweeping roads with stunning views.

Finally, the Circuit De Reims was a great place to stop and a must for any car enthusiast, but also a great strip to fire your car past a load of appreciative drivers.

I could go on and on about other driving highlights and even more about the wine tours, vineyards, restaurants and places we visited – France truly is a stunning country with such a good vibe whereever you are.

TIPS

Thought I would provide a few tips we picked up on the way if anyone else is considering doing a trip like this:

If you’re travelling long distances, use the Autoroutes. Yes they are expensive but they really are the easiest way to get around and so easy to drive. At times you don’t see cars for miles.

If you’re driving the Autoroutes, and using cruise control, remember to keep putting you feet on the pedals – I went about an hour without touching them and when it came time to press the brake as a lorry pulled out my feet had forgot where they were supposed to go!

Use the Michelin app for times and costs of routes – every time it was bang on the money.

Plan well – we did and it meant it went without a hitch.

If you’re into wine, try and find the smaller vineyards for your bottles. You get to try some amazing wines and brilliant prices.

Try and speak a bit of French. If you make the effort to learn a few of the basics the people seem to appreciate it.

If you want to keep your car clean, take a few supporting products. The coin operated jet washes (which are easy enough to find) sometimes don’t have brushes and no way of drying the car.

Don’t be afraid when you are having a day of driving to try smaller roads. The surfaces are much better quality than ours.

The French love a speed bump and I was lucky my £8 splitter made it home…just[/list]

PHOTOS

Here is a small selection of the car pics I took on our trip that didn't make the cut of 'special'…the rest you’ll probably see popping up in the photo comp from time to time.

I've also have about 4 hours of video footage to go through so will post on here when I have done the edit.
Alpes View.jpeg
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Ardeche.jpeg
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Brugges.jpeg
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Car Wash.jpg
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Chamonix.jpeg
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Last edited by idej_z4 on Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:04 pm, edited 3 times in total.

idej_z4
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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by idej_z4 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:01 pm

Low Vecours.jpeg
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Mrs J stealing the pic.jpeg
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Overnight Stop at Larringes.jpeg
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Route De Grande Alpes.jpeg
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Slammed Vecours.jpeg
Slammed Vecours.jpeg (386.56 KiB) Viewed 1646 times

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My First ‘Proper’ Road Trip

Post by Smartbear » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:21 pm

Super pics, you won’t forget a trip like that in a hurry! 8)
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