Driving in Europe, a few questions...

Trifid

Trifid

Trifid

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Joined
18 Feb 2006
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Hello.

Next week I will be driving in Europe for the first time. The plan is quite relaxed (it depends on how many hours we can last in my car a day!) but countries we are likely to pass through are France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Czech Republic. I've had a scan through the AA driving in Europe documents and have decided it will be best to print these off and familiarise myself with them as I pass through each country.

Now I thought it was a legal requirement to have a spare set of bulbs? But the AA advice said it was only recommended? If I do in fact require them do they have to be replacement HIDs for my dipped? Do I need a replacement bulb for every light in my car? While we are on the subject of headlights, are the beam converters compatible with projector/HID headlights? I have 55w HIDs fitted to my car and don't want to upset the locals. I may also adjust the headlights to point all the way down if needed.

For navigating Europe, I plan on buying a TomTom. Is there a particular model that is recommended above others? I was thinking of a XL IQ Routes Europe. My uncle used one of these years ago when he takes his Caterham across Europe and it guided you round roundabouts the wrong way. I assume they have sorted this? :p

Break down cover! This was the real reason for this thread... I obviously don't want to get stuck in another country, so this is quite important. I'm currently with RAC for UK breakdown cover but want to make sure I get the best deal. RAC seem to offer it for ~£10 a day (11days). Is this the going rate? Who have you used in the past?

Thank-you for your replies. :)
 
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£10 a day for breakdown cover is a lot in my opinion. We go through ADAC which is approx €60 for a year's membership.

I use a Tom Tom One XL Europe. No problems with it other than the fact that the French build new roads at an incredible rate so make sure it's completely updated.
 
Think just a general bulb set will do to appease any police, if for whatever reason you get asked to produce. Germany is the strictest in this respect, supposed to have blankets, first aid kit and a torch, maybe other stuff. Quite sensible stuff to have in all honesty. Although we've never been pulled over whilst on the continent.

We recently used a Tom Tom GO 940 whilst going to Belgium for the Spa GP, and it worked flawlessly. Helpful for finding local points of interest too. And yes it directs the correct way around a roundabout :p

Breakdown cover wise, I don't think we've ever bothered to get extra cover despite making dozens of trips to Europe over the years.

Hope that helps.
 
Make sure you have a hi-vis jacket and a warning triangle.
I wouldn't bother with a spare set of bulbs though.

Most important thing to remember - drive on the right. I've had the unpleasant experience of a silly bint in a British car coming towards me on the wrong side of the road. She claimed she was lost :confused:
 
In Germany we used to have to have a warning triangle, first aid kit and hi vis vest. Halfords do it all in a kit.
 
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As said before, a hi vis jacket, first aid and warning triangle may be required. Spare bulb kit may also be required.

These can be picked up cheaply from places, I got a triangle + hi vi jacket for 5€, a spare bulb set ( that actually has, a lot of bulbs( think it has at least 10 of those used in my rear lights) and even spare fuses) for 3€, just need a first aid kit still myself. Something like a budget store like big bazar should have all these things together for under a tenner.
 
I took the following on my past couple eurotrips:

Warning Triangle
Spare bulbs (random collection of bulbs, could never actually change at the roadside without a few tools!)
High-vis jackets - 1 for each person in the car
Tyre weld and pump
1st Aid kit

As for the beam adjusters, they claim to work with most cars, the RX8 has projectors and it had the place to stick them in the instructions. Wether they actually make a difference I don't know but at least you will be OK in the eyes of the law!

If you go to Switzerland you will have to buy a road toll sticker which sticks in the windscreen, it's around €40 but its the only toll you pay on their roads, much better than stopping avery few miles for tolls like in France.

The only places I havn't been in your itinery are Austria and Czech Republic. I remember being worried about driving around Italy but found the driving standards are pretty good for most of Europe really, even mid-day driving around Milan was OK..except for trying to find parking.

Are you going in the VX in your sig? Might be worth finding out if they have a breakdown plan, Mazda have "Mazda European Assistance" which only costs £10 if purchased during a service or £100 if not, it covers the whole of Europe for 1 year.
 
Trifid said:
ADAC sounds much more like it. Is it the Single membership that I want? http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/a.../mitgliedschaftstarife/membership/default.asp
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I think it's the next one up, Member Plus but I can't be sure - Kate normally does it every year and she's not here at the moment.
She has only ever had to use it while she's been in the UK (we buy it for going to France) and they speak English and send out the AA in this country.

Payment is a bit of a faff, they don't seem to be able to do online payments from the UK so you fax the details over and they send you an invoice, you can then fax them payment details. Something like that anyway, do a bit of searching and you should get the definitive answers as I think it's reasonably popular in the UK (they cover older cars for Europe which is why we went for it in the first place - most UK companies won't do this)
 
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NightShadow said:
If you go to Switzerland you will have to buy a road toll sticker which sticks in the windscreen, it's around €40 but its the only toll you pay on their roads, much better than stopping avery few miles for tolls like in France.
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You can buy them online which saves buying one at the border, you just get waved through (though it might be too late if your going next week?)

http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/produkttexte.php?passid=5
 
NightShadow said:
Warning Triangle
High-vis jackets - 1 for each person in the car
Tyre weld and pump
1st Aid kit
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I have the above items. Think I'll just pick up a generic bulb set.

NightShadow said:
As for the beam adjusters, they claim to work with most cars, the RX8 has projectors and it had the place to stick them in the instructions. Wether they actually make a difference I don't know but at least you will be OK in the eyes of the law!
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I tried to block the left tilt of the beam yesterday with some paper and failed miserably. Was either nearly all blocked or still pointed towards the left. I shouldn't be doing any night time driving anyway so it shouldn't be a problem. If it does become a problem I'll take the tools required to adjust the head lights all the way down.


NightShadow said:
If you go to Switzerland you will have to buy a road toll sticker which sticks in the windscreen, it's around €40 but its the only toll you pay on their roads, much better than stopping avery few miles for tolls like in France.
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I forgot to ask about this. Is this just for their motorways? Or driving anywhere on their roads?



NightShadow said:
Are you going in the VX in your sig? Might be worth finding out if they have a breakdown plan, Mazda have "Mazda European Assistance" which only costs £10 if purchased during a service or £100 if not, it covers the whole of Europe for 1 year.
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Yes, but I don't think Vauxhall have anything for it. The cars not been to them since its been out of warranty.


Lopéz said:
I think it's the next one up, Member Plus but I can't be sure - Kate normally does it every year and she's not here at the moment.
She has only ever had to use it while she's been in the UK (we buy it for going to France) and they speak English and send out the AA in this country.

Payment is a bit of a faff, they don't seem to be able to do online payments from the UK so you fax the details over and they send you an invoice, you can then fax them payment details. Something like that anyway, do a bit of searching and you should get the definitive answers as I think it's reasonably popular in the UK (they cover older cars for Europe which is why we went for it in the first place - most UK companies won't do this)
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I think I'll give their sales a call and see what the best package is for me. Shame that I have only just bought RAC cover for a year, will definitely be using them in future, especially if they use the AA over here.
 
Trifid said:
I forgot to ask about this. Is this just for their motorways? Or driving anywhere on their roads?
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NightShadow said:
I believe the Switzerland toll is for driving on any of the roads, I had to buy one as I drove through the border crossing.
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From The AA

The Swiss authorities levy an annual motorway tax and a vehicle sticker (costing CHF40 (or 29 EUR) for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum total weight and known locally as a 'vignette') must be displayed in the prescribed manner by each vehicle (including motorcycles, trailers and caravans) using Swiss motorways and semi- motorways. The fine for non-display of the vignette is the cost of vignette(s) plus CHF100. Motorists may purchase the stickers in the UK (telephone the Swiss Centre on free-phone 00800 100 20030 for information) or in Switzerland from customs offices at the frontier or service stations and garages throughout the country.
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Short: Only for motorways and semi-motorways
 
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