Long Haul to French Alps
#1
01-07-2014, 06:23 AM
Long Haul to French Alps
Just back from a week of skiing in the French Alps. Car drove faultlessly there and back plus a little bit of alpine motoring across to Italy and back mid-week.
Although the car is big and heavy, it handled the snow, mountain roads and the long haul across France very well. In particular, the overnight drive down from UK was great - wife and kids all very comfortable and able to get some sleep en route. Separate heating in the rear was a blessing once it got really cold.
This is my first long haul drive with this vehicle and I was impressed. Noise level and ride quality were very good and the seats were comfortable. Tonnes of space, so was pretty relaxed about loading it up.
Mine's a 3.3L petrol, so fuel economy was not impressive, but I knew that before I bought it...if I wanted to drive 2000 miles in a shoe box I'd have bought a sub-compact and saved the petrol money. Did not do so well pulling away from the toll-booths (last year I went in my XJR and that was always a hoot pulling away from the toll booth). Although it generally handled OK it is not particularly "chuckable" on the winding mountain roads. Good visibility from the high driving position though.
I had snow boots for the car, but did not fit them as it drove OK on the snowy side roads and main roads were kept largely clear. One spot stopping and starting on a steep hill where it was very icy and I had to back up a bit and run at it to get through. Tires have good aggressive tread, but are not snow tires.
Sometimes you have to do a long road trip in a car to "bond" with it, and that's exactly what happened for me on this journey...now I really care about the car, and I know what I bought it for!
Happy Motoring.
Although the car is big and heavy, it handled the snow, mountain roads and the long haul across France very well. In particular, the overnight drive down from UK was great - wife and kids all very comfortable and able to get some sleep en route. Separate heating in the rear was a blessing once it got really cold.
This is my first long haul drive with this vehicle and I was impressed. Noise level and ride quality were very good and the seats were comfortable. Tonnes of space, so was pretty relaxed about loading it up.
Mine's a 3.3L petrol, so fuel economy was not impressive, but I knew that before I bought it...if I wanted to drive 2000 miles in a shoe box I'd have bought a sub-compact and saved the petrol money. Did not do so well pulling away from the toll-booths (last year I went in my XJR and that was always a hoot pulling away from the toll booth). Although it generally handled OK it is not particularly "chuckable" on the winding mountain roads. Good visibility from the high driving position though.
I had snow boots for the car, but did not fit them as it drove OK on the snowy side roads and main roads were kept largely clear. One spot stopping and starting on a steep hill where it was very icy and I had to back up a bit and run at it to get through. Tires have good aggressive tread, but are not snow tires.
Sometimes you have to do a long road trip in a car to "bond" with it, and that's exactly what happened for me on this journey...now I really care about the car, and I know what I bought it for!
Happy Motoring.
#3
01-11-2014, 07:41 PM
Never travelled as far as the alps, but i've done a 17 hour 900 mile round trip in ours, with half a ton in the back on the way home and it coped no problems.
We normally holiday in the UK and it's been fine 6 up with luggage from here to the South Coast (about 450 miles away from home)
Probably spent a bit much getting an MOT this year, but it's such a versatile vehicle, I think it's justified.
We normally holiday in the UK and it's been fine 6 up with luggage from here to the South Coast (about 450 miles away from home)
Probably spent a bit much getting an MOT this year, but it's such a versatile vehicle, I think it's justified.
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