Completely off topic : France Trip

[Beavis]

Originally Posted by nicknick

If you are using toll routes - just use the credit card lane. They take UK cards fine and it saves having to have change and is generally much quicker as well.

if taking a roofbox, go through a manned booth. i got spanked several times for "classe 2" on automated ones which is about twice the price. only noticed when following my in-laws back in a 3 series - they were charged 14 euros, i paid 28! the automated lanes use laser for height. all toll roads permit vehicle upto 2m to travel as "classe 1" and roof carriage of bikes/boxes is free. a person should press "classe 1". i only realised halfway on my return trip so god know how much more i spent on the onward journey.

[In Reverse]

Originally Posted by jeffo

In Reverse, thank you for your post. I feel much better about doing this long drive after reading that.

We are starting 1/2 way closer than you, so doing the whole thing in one go. How did the children fair in the back of the XC90?

You get excellent MPG out of your car. I have 3,300 miles on my clock and get 27mpg. I have been told be the dealer that at 12,000 miles the engine loosens up and the mpg will improve. I hope "loosens" up doesn't mean "begin to sound like a clapped out diesel.

What sort of bike rack do you have? I have a Thule Towbar mounted one and am a little nervous it hanging off the back of the car across continents.

Does anyone know...do you need a GB sticker on your car when driving in France?

Glad to have been of some help.

My XC90 is the best car I have owned for kids. As they sit up quite high on the seats along with the much higher drive height, there was absolutley no issues with car sickness. They both read, played DS's and watched portable DVD players. In my previous cars (Audi Avant, BMW 525) they couldn't have done it.

French Autoroutes seem to be built up high giving a greater view over surrounding countryside, as opposed to UK motorways which are often cut into the land and bounded by high banks and trees, so its a much nicer drive - although the Swiss drive is second to none.

I too used a Thule 4 biked towbar mounted hang on bike rack. I was a little apprehensive, but it did not move once. I had a clear view from my rear view mirror through the luggage area and it stayed level all the way.

I got a small Euro style blue GB badge and put in corner of rear window as I was led to beleive it was a legal requirement in France - as well as spare bulb kit, warning triangle and at least one flourescent vest. Don't buy the headlight adapters as the XC90 owners manual tells you how to redirect the beam using a small piece of tape.

On my journey down I took it really handy (I'd just had some problems with car fixed and wasn't 100% confident with it), sitting at 70-75mph and the ave MPG on arrival was 38.5 and when I filled it up the computer showed 605 miles to empty! On the way home I was very happy with the car and didnt hang about and therefore lowered the overall trip mpg. I was travelling back with friends who had a BMW 330d M-Sport so was trying to keep up and found even with the extra weight my car would sit at 95 when needed.

My friend has an 05 XC90 2.5T Auto and he travels to his holiday home in France every summer for 7 weeks from NI with his 4 kids, roof box and bikes. He reckons his average is only 26 mpg, but bought the car mainly to do the trip and believes overall the benefits far outweight the slightly lower MPG.