I try and get a roadtrip in annually, and have booked the Plymouth-Santander ferry for June next year. My plan is to drive the N260 for the length of the Pyrenees and then across Cote D’azure to Mont Ventoux across to to the Route Napoleon and down to Grasse into the Alps north to Gap and back onto the RNP to Grenoble before the big trek home through France to the Eurotunnel. Should be epic…
The last few years I’ve defaulted to my V12 Vantage that monsters a trip like that and can cruise at solid speeds all day. But I really would like to take the Exige. I’m just 50/50 if it’ll be ok with that sort of length of driving every day. I don’t care about noise/comfort, just question reliability. Clearly it was designed for zinging around a circuit and is getting older. I’ve driven 3-4 hrs in it no stress.
Anyone run a regular vhpd for a big road trip any advice?
I’ve not taken it to Europe since buying it and know how epic on the fun roads it’ll be … just the inbetween bits!
Sorry for delayed response but my answer is the same as FlyingDutchman: just do it!
I’ve done four trips with Nyloc, all of them epic. I was nervous about the first in 2014 which took us down to Monaco, fearing it would end in tears. Despite having enjoyed every mile of that trip without incident (apart from being overtaken by a Skoda and a Mini Clubman at the Nurburgring), I thought “Well, that’s it done it, ticked it off the list, won’t need to do another”.
But 2016 came and a space opened up on a trip to Corsica . . .all went well. For some reason I missed out on Nyloc trips to the Alps and Dolomites in 2017 & 2018 but 2019 found me off with the crew to Czech Republic(only just over the border, admittedly but a long way from home).
And then, 2022: Picos, Pyrenees and back up through France where, for the first time, “the wheels came off”
Every trip has brought amazing memories, amazing views and sheer delight driving in the company of some of the nicest folk you’re ever likely to meet.
From a mechanical preparation point of view, I’ve made sure of the obvious really: full service before departure, European breakdown cover (which this year I put to the test for the first time and found worked pretty well, albeit with a few hiccups).
If the worst does happen, the most stressful part is the wait for the return of the car which, in my case, took 4/5 weeks.
I never found long days behind the wheel a struggle, but in the last couple of years my Nyloc companions have upgraded their cars and on the occasional motorway/autobahn stretches the Exige is happiest at 70/80mph while the others could really stretch their legs.
On even the hottest days, the Exige has maintained standard engine temps. Inside the car it’s a different matter, shorts, T shirt and windows down.
Your planned route sounds amazing. So good, in fact, that I might try it . . . once the Exige is up and running again
Thanks Thommo great stories and feedback. I think it’s the steady cruising on the motorway bits that are the bits I’m conscious about and similar to you just letting my mates get on with it at their pace. I’m 90% about taking it because I haven’t done a big trip prior with it. And confident it’ll be amazing in the Pyrenees etc.
Thanks to Nyloc trip organiser SJW, we spend as little time as possible on the motorways, so it’s not a real problem . Clearly taking the twisties can add time to the day but that’s where the fun is to be had, after all. Our traditional route back is via Rotterdam to Hull and that usually involves the longest stretch of motorway on the trip.
Given that you have done other road trips in Europe you probably already use an Emovis tag for toll motorways. If not, I highly recommend trying one.
Looking forward to reading a full report
While I avoid the toll roads 99% of the time, I still want to try using a cash-loaded child’s fishing net on a manned Péage booth. With a smile and a confident ‘bonjour’ I think I might get away with it.
worth a try!