“It’s going to put a couple of thousand miles on your car (if that bothers you) “
Its all well totting up the fuel, tolls, ferry/chunnel costs, plus you might be sticking European breakdown cover and insure other drivers
As well as the 2000mile depreciation you’re putting on the car, you’ve obviously got the wear/tear its sticking on as well, its like you’re fast forwarding the breakdowns/garage bills
Plus your own insurance. If you’ve upped your policy another 2000miles, it could set you back
When I did it, that one trip (as a proportion of the policy as a whole, not how much the extra miles would cost to add on), was £200 for just me insured. Different car/less costly policy now but still
On balance I prefer driving just so I can take some spares for the bike (ideally a whole bike) as well as selection of riding kit and shoes
You’ve still got to make the ferry, though there may well be more scope to get another one than another flight
I worried I’d get a puncture just as I left the alps, and have to stick the 80kmph space saver spare on, to then drive the boring eastern france with the lorries overtaking all the way
“considering Bikes on roof (Estate) or inside – less passengers or higher fuel bills – personally I’d like to try bikes on roof but think it’ll cane the MPG”
Remember your roofrack may well have a top speed of its own. Thule I think say 130kmph which ties in with the paege’s 130kmph, not that I would have sped without bikes on the roof..
You’ll want to check the weight limit for the car’s own roof mountings too, on a 60 plate a4 avant for eg, I think it works out about 150lbs, which once you’ve taken account of 4 thule 530/532s and the rails, is 30lbs for each of 4 bikes. How many people’s bikes are 30lbs or less when setup for the alps?
Also, if the wind gets up (unlikely in summer maybe?) bikes on the roof with the wind gusting above about 40mph the car can get blown around, if the bikes haven’t blown off
If I were to drive in one stint, I’d leave Yorkshire at the same 3am as I would to fly via luton. Yes I’d get there about 2hours later, but I wouldn’t have to reassemble the bike. Quite probably got a fair bit of scope to save faffage time when stopping on the drive down too
a paege TAG, take own food instead of from the services, not stopping/driving in convoy etc .. would help
