Right first a brief history I recently traded in my Superb II L&K which I have had since new for an ex demo Superb III Sportline (in Dragon Green )

 

Now for the daft question. I will be driving in France in a few weeks and was looking at the headlights. With my old L&K it had BiXenon headlights and a travel mode for the lights but how can I find out what the actaul spec of my Sportline actually is ??? Is there a website were I can put the full VIN number in and it will spit out a spec. I could ask the garage but they wont know and as I had the shirt off their backs  (basically its a Sportline Plus before Skoda invented it) they wont be in a rush to help

As far as I know, your Sportline will have something similar to your old car. There will be an option in the infotainment system to select for driving on the left or right. This might be selected automatically by the satnav knowing where the car is.

The Sportline has the bi-xenon AFS according to the spec lists. If you go to the CAR menu in the infotainment -settings (the little cog wheel) and then select 'light' from he drop down menu you should find a menu option to switch the lights. Remember the AFS will not work whilst you are driving on the wrong side.

Some of us have found that the car switches itself (via the sat nav???)  after you get off the ferry/tunnel.

 

Have a good trip 

7 hours ago, darwinjake said:

Right first a brief history I recently traded in my Superb II L&K which I have had since new for an ex demo Superb III Sportline (in Dragon Green )

 

Now for the daft question. I will be driving in France in a few weeks and was looking at the headlights. With my old L&K it had BiXenon headlights and a travel mode for the lights but how can I find out what the actaul spec of my Sportline actually is ??? Is there a website were I can put the full VIN number in and it will spit out a spec. I could ask the garage but they wont know and as I had the shirt off their backs  (basically its a Sportline Plus before Skoda invented it) they wont be in a rush to help

 

It's called "Travel Mode", under the Car Light settings.

If u have a Columbus unit, the GPS will automatically detect u r in France, and go into Travel mode.

 

As for entering your VIN somewhere to find out what ur car has - no free sites.

You can pay 11 euros, using Erwin, for an hour - it will give u every item specific to ur vin, but in car build language, not sales/dealer/brochure language.

Don't forget your pollution stickers if you intend to go into some French and German cities. 

Use the AA site to get to the correct website. Be aware of third party sites that charge  lot of money. 

Edited 7 August, 20187 yr by vfrvrs

for Germany have ordered sticker there

https://www.ebay.de/itm/261595070313?ul_noapp=true

and as delivery address selected hotel in Bremen

 

in Belgium car must be registered in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent databases separately, free of charge

28 minutes ago, MartiniB said:

for Germany have ordered sticker there

https://www.ebay.de/itm/261595070313?ul_noapp=true

and as delivery address selected hotel in Bremen

 

in Belgium car must be registered in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent databases separately, free of charge

I bought mine from here

https://www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/feinstaubplakette/shop.86595.en.php

It was €6.00 including postage (in March 2018) and was delivered to my home address, so it was in place ready before we left home.

On 06/08/2018 at 14:53, darwinjake said:

Right first a brief history I recently traded in my Superb II L&K which I have had since new for an ex demo Superb III Sportline (in Dragon Green )

 

Now for the daft question. I will be driving in France in a few weeks and was looking at the headlights. With my old L&K it had BiXenon headlights and a travel mode for the lights but how can I find out what the actaul spec of my Sportline actually is ??? Is there a website were I can put the full VIN number in and it will spit out a spec. I could ask the garage but they wont know and as I had the shirt off their backs  (basically its a Sportline Plus before Skoda invented it) they wont be in a rush to help

Where did you buy car matey was it in Derby 

22 hours ago, vfrvrs said:

Don't forget your pollution stickers if you intend to go into some French and German cities. 

Use the AA site to get to the correct website. Be aware of third party sites that charge  lot of money. 

What? Since when?

 

I drive to Croatia every year via Calais, Belgium (around Brussels on the R0, not going in), Luxemburg, Germany. I don't enter any cities. Do you I need something? What is this that you are talking about?

Edited 8 August, 20187 yr by TonyTonic

5 hours ago, TonyTonic said:

What? Since when?

 

I drive to Croatia every year via Calais, Belgium (around Brussels on the R0, not going in), Luxemburg, Germany. I don't enter any cities. Do you I need something? What is this that you are talking about?

 

I assume you must know about the vignette system in Austria and some of its neighbouring  countries. Driving on any expressway or motorway and certain cities in Austria without a current valid vignette sticker correctly positioned in the windscreen (so the automated cameras can read it) makes you liable to instant on the spot collectible fine of up to 1500 euros, min 150 euros. If you annoy the policeman he will often confiscate the car...An online electronic system is in the process of being deployed.

 

Better research your trip this year or make sure your available credit/cash is sufficient to cover fines.

14 minutes ago, xman said:

 

I assume you must know about the vignette system in Austria and some of its neighbouring  countries. Driving on any expressway or motorway and certain cities in Austria without a current valid vignette sticker correctly positioned in the windscreen (so the automated cameras can read it) makes you liable to instant on the spot collectible fine of up to 1500 euros, min 150 euros. If you annoy the policeman he will often confiscate the car...An online electronic system is in the process of being deployed.

 

Better research your trip this year or make sure your available credit/cash is sufficient to cover fines.

Edit: previous comment scrapped as it was confusing.  

 

FOrget Austria and Slovenia I understand what’s needed there. 

 

Right so: Does any one know:

 

1. How much the approximate total toll through France would be from Calais to Strasbourg to get to Germany?

 

2. If we we to continue avoiding France and take our usual trip through Belgium and Luxembourg , would we need the city stickers as the route takes us past Brussels and Ghent on their ring roads (R0)?

 

many thanks

Edited 8 August, 20187 yr by TonyTonic

Can't answer 1. but the answer to 2. is NO. All cities that have low emission zones exclude motorways passing through those zones. So long as you stay on the motorway there is no problem.

I travel often through Luxembourg, Eindhoven, Brussels, Ghent and the hell-hole called the Antwerpen Ring. If travelling via Ghent be aware of the reduced 90 kph speed limit on the long viaduct bridge enforced with speed cameras. The Brussels ring also has enforcement cameras, usually located very shortly after any drop in speed limit - talk about a cash cow!.

7 hours ago, TonyTonic said:

What? Since when?

 

I drive to Croatia every year via Calais, Belgium (around Brussels on the R0, not going in), Luxemburg, Germany. I don't enter any cities. Do you I need something? What is this that you are talking about?

It's to do with the person who started the Post, 'Driving in France'

Some cities require you to display these stickers.

https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/european-low-emission-zones

The toll from Calais to Strasbourg is about 50 euros each way for a family car. The route is A16 from Frethun to just south of Reims and then A4 all the way to Strasbourg ring. The road is empty for most of the route unless travelling at peak ho;iday times times when  it will be busier, but still running at full speed, until you take the A4 route after Reims. 

I am not sure how you would then rejoin the route down towards Munich unless you back track up the German A5 towards Karlsruhe and pick up the A8 there. 

9 hours ago, Dazkim said:

Where did you buy car matey was it in Derby 

 Almost it was it was Chesterfield. Spooky guess ! Why

On 06/08/2018 at 22:41, JR RS said:

 

It's called "Travel Mode", under the Car Light settings.

If u have a Columbus unit, the GPS will automatically detect u r in France, and go into Travel mode.

 

I have a Columbus.

 

The GPS automatically detected I was in France.

 

It did *not* go into Travel Mode!

2 hours ago, Gyp said:

 

I have a Columbus.

 

The GPS automatically detected I was in France.

 

It did *not* go into Travel Mode!

 

I blame Bonny Tyler 

21 hours ago, TonyTonic said:

Edit: previous comment scrapped as it was confusing.  

 

FOrget Austria and Slovenia I understand what’s needed there. 

 

Right so: Does any one know:

 

1. How much the approximate total toll through France would be from Calais to Strasbourg to get to Germany?

 

2. If we we to continue avoiding France and take our usual trip through Belgium and Luxembourg , would we need the city stickers as the route takes us past Brussels and Ghent on their ring roads (R0)?

 

many thanks

 

If you use a website called viamichelin.com to plan your route it will tell you the following costs: -

 

Fuel (you need to input some details about your vehicle and approximate price of fuel), Toll's and Road Tax (Vignette's) . 

Edited 9 August, 20187 yr by Prykey

One advantage of going via Luxembourg is that as well as avoiding the French tolls, you can fill up with fuel that's cheaper than the neighbouring countries, so you can make further savings.  There are foil packs of Jacobs coffee that SWMBO likes and buys at the motorway services that she says are cheaper there, though I don't know as I only drink bog standard instant coffee.  If you're a smoker, I assume cigarettes are also cheaper there as I always see many people buying the 200 packs you normally see in duty free shops.

 

Germany and Belgium have been planning to introduce tolls on their motorways for some time, so the Luxembourg route may not be quite such a saving in a year or two from now.

Hi just a quick update on this topic following my trip. As suggested there was a setting on the system to change the lights for travel on mainland Europe. But instead of the old travel setting on my old L&K which just centralised the beam my new Sportline has two options left hand traffic or right hand traffic !!!

 

And as people have suggested it appears to be linked to the GPS as it won’t let me change it as I was sat on the train in Folkstone ready to go through the tunnel. Smart arse car