Or hire?
Been offered my mates place near Bordeaux and I've just sold my Discovery leaving only the wifes Punto.
Wasn't planning on buying another family car untill the end of the year.
What do you reckon near enough 1000 miles in a Punto 4 door with 50K on the clock?
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1000 miles France in a little car?
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Posted 2 years ago #
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I once went from Durham to Circuit Paul Ricard on a Honda 50
Posted 2 years ago # -
Ferry to St Malo, cut the driving distance by half?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Do you trust the car?
I did Durham to Bilbao and back, twice, in a diesel Peugeot 205 with no problems at all. (it had 120 000 km on the clock)
Posted 2 years ago # -
How many passengers will there be?
Posted 2 years ago # -
We used to go from Sheffield to La Rochelle/St. Nazaire in my dad's 1989 VW Golf every year. That was me and my wee sis, mum & dad. Should be no probs.
Having said that, you are in a Fiat...
Posted 2 years ago # -
I did it last summer. Punto from newcastle to dover, then calais to south(ish) west coast, then to Brittany then back to newcastle.
It was fine, although mine only had about 40k on it. And it wasn't very hot in france, if it had been hotter it could of been a nightmare with no aircon
Car was fine, Just make sure you have europe breakdown cover just in case
Posted 2 years ago # -
Me the missus and one kid.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Did Cornwall to Dover then Calais to the Alps and back in a little Saxo VTR. It was fun!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Go to Caen, overnight ferry, off the boat at 7am, Bordeaux for late lunch.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I did Gloucester to Applecross (in the uber-North of Jockland) in a 100k Golf. That was about 800 miles, no probs.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Should be fine... I drove to Switerland and back via Belgium and Germany a a proper Mini a few years ago, and that was fine so a Punto would be luxury! Okay, so we took three days to do it as we went for a play around the Spa circuit, and then went to get drunk Stutgart, but it was fine..
:o)
Posted 2 years ago # -
back in the day; we went on a family holiday in a punto 55.
roof box up top with all the clothes, trailer tent on the back with 4 bikes on top of that. parents in the front, me, my brother and the fridge in the back.
no problem (although we did struggle to get up the bridge at nantes!)
several yeards later i inherited the car - was like driving an underpowered office chair - still amazed the holidays we had in it.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Done it often enough in our 3-cylinder Seat Ibiza! As long as there's no underlying problem with the car, why not? Motorway miles are easy miles for the car.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Oh, and it also helps to see the journey as part of the adventure, and not just the dull bit before the holiday begins..
:o)
Posted 2 years ago # -
Shouldn't be a problem if the car is mechanically sound. I've had a holiday in Northern France 5-up in a Punto (twas rather cosy though) and I drove from UK to Monaco and back in a 23 year old VW camper once, what it lacked in mechanics, it made up for in space. Plenty of food and drink stops make the trip a little adventure in its own right.
Posted 2 years ago # -
did sheffield to metabief for the world champs on me own in a 1 litre metro of 86 vintage.
yeah no probs just take it steady.Posted 2 years ago # -
I used to do a yearly migration... two weeks to florida ( from Boston ) 1500miles...three adults... in one of these..
just make sure you stop often to get out and stretch
Posted 2 years ago # -
so long as you're reasonably comfortable in the driving position then you'll be fine. MTFU!! French roads are generally better (smoother) than over here, so harsh ride issues with a small car on rough roads shouldn't really be an issue once you get into france.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I couldn't do it!
Renault Scenic (hire car) with cruise control was great when we had to drive due to volcano dust.
I reckon 90% of the journey (1200Km) was done with cruise on.Peace of mind too - if the Punto breaks down..? If a hire car breaks down, just call the company.
Posted 2 years ago # -
If my 16 year old 1.4 Astra with 160k on it can do Yorkshire from Somerset return in a weekend 4 up with bikes then your Punto should be fine
Posted 2 years ago # -
For charity a friend of mine and 2 of his mates bought a 15 year old fiesta for 100 pounds, covered it in green fur, dressed themselves in womble outfits and drove to Le Mans without any sav nav or maps, They had a good time.
Your 50k Punto should be fine
Posted 2 years ago # -
The car should make it if it's in a good condition but have Europe breakdown cover just in case.
You don't say when you are planning on doing this though. We have driven to France (Zeebrugge to Morzine and on to Provence) in the summer in a Passat Estate and it was very comfy but with the temp outside in the high twenties, low thirties I can imagine it would not have been as pleasant without air conditioning. Especially when you get to the inevitable road works or accidents.
So, do-able yes but comfortable? Possibly not.
Posted 2 years ago # -
It's either go now or September.
Just weighing up ferry prices to Caen or the drive from Calais.
The house is actually in Ribérac.
Plus I've now decided to switch the kms to Miles button on
which makes it nearer 700 or 350 Miles.
Posted 2 years ago # -
just get it serviced beforehand and get RAC/AA etc.
french roads are a different league to ours, way less stressful to drive on IMO,
Posted 2 years ago # -
Shouldn't be a problem. In the 70s we often used to spend August touring round France/ Germany in a Renault 4. Never a problem.
Ribérac should be a nice steady days' drive from Caen, including a nice lunch stop. I like Angouleme - although its not quite as nice as Villenueve sur Lot.Posted 2 years ago # -
Drove to the Dordogne in a Morris Marina with vinyl seats, didn't do me any harm.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Juan and the juanmobile (old 106) at dieppe harbour at 6h15 on a saturnday morning.
At mom's (between cannes and grasse) at 17h00 (and two point less on the driving licence)...
Perfectly doable.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The girlfriend and I drove 3500 miles around Europe in a G-reg Diesel 205 with 140 000 miles on the clock in 2003 - during the summer heatwave. All the way to Corsica and back. All our camping equipment, and my MTB strapped to the back of it. Happy memories.
Posted 2 years ago # -
As above. Full service beforehand, visit a Punto forum and find out the common things that can go pop then take a couple of spares and familiarise yourself. Check all tyres and check the spare. Take a can of tyre foam in addition (I've always carried this backup as some motorway hardshoulders look fookin scary and a squirt could be a lifesaver IMO).
Posted 2 years ago # -
Ps. Try to stay at lower revs too (not thrash) and...... maybe a coolant change wouldnt go a miss. I wonder how many cars overheated etc are due to coolant changes being skipped...
Posted 2 years ago # -
Drove a 19 year old Talbot horizon to Grenoble, used it there for a year and then drove it back with 2 bikes on the roof. No problems. If it breaks down, get it fixed
Posted 2 years ago # -
MTFU!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Away with you, you big ponce. Since when is the size of the car the limiting factor in how far you can go?
Posted 2 years ago # -
I took at Peugeot 305 to Provence when it had 100k on the clock, was fine. Just get some decent continental breakdown cover.
And heatwaves used to happen before most cars had A/C too, at least the autoroute will usually display the temp regulalry, that Provence trip topped out at 38 degs near to Dijon. All the windows down, regular stops for fluids and to wring out sweaty T shirts, class studenty holiday.
Posted 2 years ago #
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