Road Trip - France & Switzerland

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Guys, would appreciate your advise - I am heading off for a few days thru France on my way to Switzerland, Austria and Italy - do I need to modify my headlights on my E89?

I have the vest, traingle etc.....

Also on the Tolls going through France - can I pay with a debit card? or is cash preferable?

Anything else I should be thinking about, other than my passport, licence and insurance?

Thanks a lot...

Nick
 
Hi Nick, Hope you have a great time and plenty of fuel to get through France! I have driven my Z through France, Belgium and Germany without the headlights being converted. It appears that the cut off of the beam is so flat that it does not interfere with the drivers on the other carriageway. Debit cards are fine for the tolls.
 
Thanks mate - I am slightly worried about the fuel thing, as a tank of fuel will only get me about half way across France.....so will try and fill up anywhere I can - travelling across the north so hope to avoid what I can - client has sent a website link to show all the stations open, so will see.

Are the tolls expensive? Would 100 euro each way cover it?
 
Use the via Michelin site and it will show you the total tolls payable for the trip. Loads of stations on the autoroute so fuel shouldnt be a problem. Worth taking time off the autoroutes if you can as they get very dull after a while and their normal roads are great. No need to adjust xenons this isn't possible as far as I'm aware.
 
Hi
Jealous about your trip already. Re tolls - credit card is quick and easy and sometimes the tolls mess up and don't charge you. Over the years my wife and i have noticed several charges didn't make it to the account. Petrol in France easy and well signposted. Will depend a little on the route you take.
I had a terrible time trying to get info from BMW about lights, i had bought deflectors but lost them on the trip across the channel. (don't ask). I drove for 16 days and as far south as Firenze. Never once had a problem but i did try and keep night time driving to a minimum as i was paranoid about the lights. There was talk of a switch on the Z4 e89 to change the lights but the responses seem to go from it doesn't exist to it's a major op to get to find it. For the record my dealership denied any knowledge of a switch. Wiser individuals on this forum may have better info. I have heard the flatter lights are ok in europe.
Also forgive me if this is teaching granny to suck eggs but if you are driving on the swiss autoroutes you will need to get a motorway sticker (vignette). I believe you also should have one for austria. I have been stopped at the swiss border before now and the police were selling/checking them. This year i drove across Switzerland without using the autoroutes so didn't need one. Think they are about 40 euros but valid for the year. The Swiss motorway vignettes are valid for multiple re-entries into Switzerland. The vignette is valid between 1st December of the previous year and 31st January of the following year (printed on the vignette). (https://www.swisstravelsystem.com/produkttexte.php?passid=5)You can buy them in the uk. Italy is much like france although petrol stops not quite so regular. My car averages about 350 miles to a tank on autoroute so i didn't find it a problem.
Sorry for waffling :)
 
Mate that's great info...thanks very much. Especially about the vignette. I'll get onto it tomorrow. Cnt wait to leave now. Car cleaning products packed too!!
 
packing cleaning products (what about space for wine?!) - you are OCD personified :rofl:
Take the Z4 it'll be much more fun :)
 
PS Bulb set and fire extinguisher, think you'll find they are needed too, but check. I dare say somewhere like the AA website will give advice.
 
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