First trip!!! EEEK!

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Louise, May 18, 2019.

  1. Thanks for the support! I may change my plans & grab a flight at this rate.
     
    Kkkaty and twodogs like this.
  2. Don't, you bought him to drive, not to sit on the drive.


    Seriously, the first trip, getting everything sorted is the most difficult, after that, you'll never want to go near a busy airport ever again.
     
  3. Do a couple of small trips away, over the next few weeks to get your confidence up and iron out any glitches :)
     
    Louise, Day and cunny44 like this.
  4. Sounds like it should be a fun trip - good luck - keep us updated when you go
     
    Louise likes this.
  5. redoxide

    redoxide Guest

    find a big hairy man that knows about Vws and has a selection of handy tools and a decent line in conversation ..
     
  6. I was stupidly nervous going to France for the first time but it was great. My biggest fear was not being able to start the engine to drive off the car deck. But of course it was absolutely fine and it felt brilliant cruising around with the family. I got a windscreen sticker from Halfords reminding me which way to go round roundabouts which was helpful for those first few miles.
     
    Kkkaty, Merlin Cat and Louise like this.
  7. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    As @Lasty said, a rhd panel van will be a nightmare without a co-pilot.
    Fine here but we drive on the correct side of the road!

    Other than that, just some spares and breakdown cover as others have said.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  8. I have a lhd van in the UK so I am always driving on the wrong side of the road! The passenger side wing mirror is essential and is impossible to adjust while moving. I find the blind spot mirror very useful, nevertheless there are still bits of the road you can't see. Also distances can be hard to judge. The wing mirror can go out of alignment whenever you slam the door, so always check it before moving off. I try to align it so that I can just see my van. Indicate well before making a maneuver to let others take evasive action.
    Scariest thing for a while that has happened to me was getting a puncture on the motorway and Motorway Maintenance folk slingshoting me back into a slot between lorries I wouldn't have attempted!

    Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
     
    Kkkaty and Merlin Cat like this.
  9. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Is yours a panel though?
     
  10. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Make sure you can wind down the passenger window and jump across to pay tolls.
    Quite a few take credit cards so less need for Euros.
    Or take the backroads. Slower no tolls more junctions but usually more relaxed.

    Get a satnav with euro maps and live traffic info. I use Sygic on Android because it still works offline (losing traffic updates but still gets you there)
     
    Day, Dub and Dubber and scrooge95 like this.
  11. Yes, mine is a factory high top panel van

    Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
     
    Louise likes this.
  12. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Fair enough, I thought you had windows for some reason!
    Not being able to see over your shoulder through the rear windows must make some junctions a pita.
     
    Lasty likes this.
  13. Google Maps works offline too if you download the maps for an area, we always do this when abroad.
     
  14. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    Merlin Cat likes this.
  15. A good tip is when you first get off the ferry try and follow the car in front around roundabouts and junctions just to get the `feel` of how it all works....Obviously not the same car but you`ll get the idea .

    Just relax and take your time - if you don`t overthink things it`ll become 2nd nature , to the point of getting off the ferry at this side and the first roundabout twists my melon ...... man o_O

    :hattip:
     
  16. There was a website that listed all friendly dub garages and folk that could help out all over the UK and Europe, someone on here might remember it.The roads are good, the motorway stops are way better than ours you will have a ball.
     
    Merlin Cat and Ermintrude like this.
  17. I'm really quite worried about the fact I'm not going with anyone now. I've bought some blind spot mirrors & will attach when they arrive. Is it so bad I need to have some windows cut in?! Like @F_Pantos said, I really didn't buy him for a driveway ornament. But if it's going to be a nightmare to drive abroad, what have I done?!!! I'm depressed now. :(
     
    Merlin Cat and F_Pantos like this.
  18. It would be awesome to see that. I want a service/once over. I'll have a Google & see if I can find it.
     
  19. It’s really not that bad. You are worrying over nothing. In a previous life I worked for an exhibition company, which involved driving transit vans all through Europe, and I used to fish a lot in France and always used my work van. It’s absolutely fine, you just need to concentrate a bit more at junctions. But you have a major advantage, everyone loves an old vw, so you’ll get cut loads of slack.
     
    Kkkaty, Lasty and F_Pantos like this.
  20. Can I ask why you’d actually choose to have work done in a foreign country, if they screw something up then it’s not like you can take it back is it? Plus I’m assuming perhaps wrongly you won’t be fluent?

    Edit I’ve just reread your post, you mean a once over of the van, not once over the channel. Lol. I think I might need my specs looking at.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.

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