Last week my partner and I took a roadtrip through Europe taking my VRS estate

 

Over the 8 days away we went through 7 Countries, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden doing just shy of 2500 miles.

 

I have to say the VRS is one hell of a Euro Cruiser. It would just eat up the miles, and was really comfy to be in for long periods of time. 2 of the days were 10+ hour drives between Belgium and Denmark (650 miles approx.) yet we both could do really long driving stints without aches or pains. I did the 400 miles between Copenhagen and Stockholm with 1 stop for food. The ride was good almost everywhere except some of the roads in Belgium, and cobbled streets. She really didn't like the cobbled streets. I will admit, I couldn't have done it without one of those little wedge cushions though. Being 2m tall, I just down quite fit in the VRS seats and the wedge cushion makes all the difference.

 

Through Germany ad the autobahns, it would just go and go some more. The only time it ran out of puff was when it was going 130+ mph (with another VRS right behind). Overall I think the car averaged about 50mpg, and that was with a lot of 100mph+ driving in Germany.

 

Also have to love how much stuff the car could hold. Came back with a good supply of Kriek (Cherry beer).

 

Driving through all those countries makes you realise just how crowded our roads really are. Nowhere was the traffic like the UK.

 

So ultimately, I think I have fallen in love with my VRS some more.

 

 

 

What is wedge cushion?

A cushion in the shape of a wedge?

 

How do you know its not the wedge in the shape of the cushion?

A cushion in the shape of a wedge?

 

 

Do they come with the Bird?

Edited 6 September, 20169 yr by Auric Goldfinger

Did you drive through Calais? I'm tempted to go for a jaunt through Europe before my paternity leave ends but after reading stories of migrants attacking cars for fun* I'm concerned about driving my baby** through potential trouble.

 

*I'm aware that they're probably just scare stories in the Daily Mail, Mirror etc.

**Oh yeah, the wife and newborn son too

Did you drive through Calais? I'm tempted to go for a jaunt through Europe before my paternity leave ends but after reading stories of migrants attacking cars for fun* I'm concerned about driving my baby** through potential trouble.

 

*I'm aware that they're probably just scare stories in the Daily Mail, Mirror etc.

**Oh yeah, the wife and newborn son too

The comics you mentioned are hardly credible sources of information as they are in the business of sensationalism and not unbiased reporting of news.

Sure there will have been incidents but if this forum is anything to go by then you are more likely to get car damage at a Tesco carpark than on a well planned trip in Europe.

 

If you have the opportunity and you are confident about travelling with a newborn then why not? Just remember he will sleep in the car and not in the hotel room at night.  

Congrats to you both on the addition to your family by the way, now THAT is a bumpy but fun ride.

The comics you mentioned are hardly credible sources of information as they are in the business of sensationalism and not unbiased reporting of news.

Sure there will have been incidents but if this forum is anything to go by then you are more likely to get car damage at a Tesco carpark than on a well planned trip in Europe.

 

If you have the opportunity and you are confident about travelling with a newborn then why not? Just remember he will sleep in the car and not in the hotel room at night.

Congrats to you both on the addition to your family by the way, now THAT is a bumpy but fun ride.

That's what I was thinking - just wondering if anyone had first hand experience

 

We're six months in and have done 6 weeks in Malaysia visiting relatives (should have been 12 but we cut it short) so just looking to do something a bit different otherwise it's a cheap flight somewhere in Europe before getting back to work.

Having done a UK tour in the vRS (London to Inverness) it certainly is a great tourer (probably more so in diesel form). I do not feel achy after a long drive.

As for the Calais issue, I think the French police are patrolling more, I'd be more worried about the crazy French lorry drivers :p

Only went through Calais on the way back. Went out via Dunkirk as it was cheaper. Went through Calais about 19.40 on Sunday, and had no problems with migrants. There is a double fence up against both sides of the road to the port. The outer fence was taller than the inner one. Nobody was trying to climb up them or anything like that. To be honest from what I saw they were just milling around in the camp. That camp looks a horrible place to be.

 

There were also armed soldiers at customs.

They'd be pretty useless in a war if they weren't.

They'd be pretty useless in a war if they weren't.

 

That is very true

Forgot to say. The Amundsen Sat Nav performed really well. Wish it was a bit faster at times, but the whole Find me a Fuel Station was a god send, when you are in a city you don't know. Also like the way it works in the MaxiDot. Only real complaint is that it would help if it said second exit on the left, rather than just turn left in 200m. Sometimes you are thinking does it mean this one or that one.

 

The view that my phone sat nav displays does make that a lot clearer.

 

As to why I have 2 Sat Navs, Out of the cars I had seen on the market at the time, it was one of the best priced and happened to come with it. Rather glad it did to be honest.

I've just done 1500 miles across France in our Vrs, 600 of them in one go for the punch home, and I have to agree with everything you've said; it's an effortless motorway mile-eater. 50mpg average over the whole trip too, although French autoroutes have a much more rigidly enforced 130 kph limit, and I was very careful to keep a self-imposed maximum of an indicated 135 to avoid the unwanted attentions of les flics. 

 

I'll also echo the comments about Calais. Across and back without any issues.

Edited 13 September, 20169 yr by GlenAnderson

Friends travel between France and the Uk on a regular basis as they bought a house in Nothern France. No issues, last trip just last week using the tunnel.

 

We did the trip earlier this year, no issues at all.

We drive to the French alps every July, 900 miles in a single day each way. Not as hard as it sounds in a comfortable car. We prefer to use the tunnel, no stress or drama.

I would have used the tunnel, but ultimately it was over a £100 more than the ferries, so decided to use that money to pay for other things.

If you shop at Tesco, their voucher system makes £1 worth £3 at eurotunnel. You don't need that many to make the return trip essentially free.