[sylonien]

I really want to drive to Germany, never done it before ever since getting my license since 8 years ago.

But I have no idea what you need to do and the cost. I mean stuff like fuel, train, ferry, insurance? toll in foreign countries, warning triangle, speeding issues, licenses, all the fine details?

[zltm089]

plus one...

wana do a road trip to europe...need to find out some tips...

[The_Bear_Yid]

A car.

[335iLondon]

You will be going thought france.

Requirements; High viz for all passengers, spare set of bulbs, headlight adapter stickers - (Not actually fitted unless driving at night, just keep them to hand)
Check regs for Breathalyser kits.

But make sure you have your full drivers license and insurance doc with you.

Also my best advise from experience, just enjoy it when you feel comfortable to do so, I have always found when for what ever reason I did not want to put my foot down on the toll roads, it was probably for the right reason, locals not doing so is always a good sign!

Before you go, check oil, tire pressure.

For fuel out there, do not just turn off the autoroutes to fill up, set up sat nav for you closest supermarche, Carreforre (Sp?)
Much cheaper than the service stations.

For crossing the channel, save up a few months of Tesco clubcard points, get the tunnel, its so much better than the ferry. 20-30 quid of clubcard vouchers, will get you a crossing, 3x value.

Most Uk policies will cover you to go to Europe, at no extra cost under 60 days.
Check yours.

Location, hve a think about what you want to go to see.
Germany?
Go to drive some good roads, go to the Alps.
See tourist sites, Germany, not bad, but could prob recommend better
Adventure - Mountain biking, climbing etc, Alps again. (French, Swiss, Italian)

Oh and roads,
If you are driving less than 5 hours a day driving via google maps, try taking some of the non toll roads, the A and B roads can be very fast if you have a passenger who can help you know when you are safe to overtake.


Hope that helps

[EXSKIN]

Umwelt sticker if you want to go into city centers , most but not all cities require you to have one. About €28 lasts a long as the car.

[EXSKIN]

Don't forget your log book as well, the sticker is for Germany by the way.

[SteveC]

You'll need to adjust your headlights....this may be a physical adjustment (flicking a lever) or require black stickers. You'll also need a GB sticker if your numberplate doesn't have a blue GB section to the left of the number.

German autobahns allow for very high speeds on occassion so make sure your tyres have plenty or tread and are correctly inflated. Also top off your oil because that's what gets rid of a lot of heat from your engine. If you drive a turbo, allow it to run slowly at idle for a while before switching off after any sustained high speed motoring, otherwise your turbo's bearings tend to cook the stationary oil

Call your insurance company and get a 'Green Card'. This covers you while in Europe. For safety you'll also need a high vis vest, first aid kit, and a warning triangle. You need to familiarize yourself with traffic signs because they are not all the same. Also familiarize yourself with the German 'Vorfahrt rule', where drivers joining a minor road from the right have right of way. This is only on small B roads and roundabouts, but can be a big shock when driving round a roundabout in the UK style and someone joins right in front of you, expecting you to stop.

For great roads in Germany, the South is where you want you want to be. The Sount East (South of Munich) you have the Bavarian Alpine region of Allgäu (pronounced Algoy). South West you have the Black Forest and if you pop over the Rhine River into France you're in the wine growing region of Alsace. All offer picture postcard gorgeous villages with great restaurants, fabulous scenery and lovely smooth winding roads that are 'interesting' without breaking the speed limit. Both areas offer abundant opportunities for hiking, running, mountain biking etc.

If you stray into Switzerland, you'll need an autobahn vignette, which you buy at the border for CH50.00.

In Europe photography is very popular amongst the traffic cops and they will send you a ticket in the UK so you do need to watch your speed. Belgium is very hot on speeding with spot fines and arrests, so be warned.

Motoring in Europe, especially in the more mountaneous regions away from the autobahns really is a lot of fun. A little preparation is important for a carefree holiday.

[Trevikins]

There's a good guide here which you may find useful; see www.queenethelburgas.edu/pdf/germandriving.pdf

[ss134]

All of the above posts cover just about everything you need to know. If youre planning on staying anywhere near Hannover then give me a shout and i'll take you out on some great roads!!

[EXSKIN]

And you need to know the word Stau cause your bound to be caught in one at some point.

[m1bjr]

You don't need a green card, just take all your docs. Most policies are multi lingual now.
The chances of you actually needing ANY of this stuff, or getting stopped, are next to zero tbh.
It's no different here is it if you think about it - how often do you get pulled here?

Most important is travel insurance for you and family.
When things go bad abroad, this will be the best thing you ever bought.
Take your NHS european card too. Makes life easier but its no big deal.

The SW of Germany is indeed very nice.
I would take in Spa, (Bruges first if with the wife) then its only an hour to the 'ring, and some nice villages in the wine regions.
Cochem and Zell I remember as being very beautiful and really friendly.

[carl_d]

Try this http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice...eas/index.html

Great guide book http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0...ls_o00_s00_i00

[sylonien]

Woow thanks for all your helpful replies.

So a quick summary would be:

1. A car - check
2. license both parts - check
3. insurance - will check and ask for green card
4. ferry, don't like under water and in a tunnel inside a train - check
5. fuel, well don't drive too fast, money and police - check
6. warning triangle? - need one
7. medic kit - check
8. oil - check
9. mot (this tuesday) - gonna check
10. high viz jacket - need some
11. headlights... i've got xenon - what to do?
12. fire extinguishers - really?
13. passport - check

that's all i can think of for now?

Oh and I"m going to Dusseldorf and then deciding where else to go. Nurburgring??

[EXSKIN]

14. Umwelt sticker then in Duesseldorf
http://www.umwelt-plakette.de/int_england.php

[EXSKIN]

Originally Posted by sylonien

and then deciding where else to go. Nurburgring??

Can't see the point( unless you have to say I've done it) myself as most uk insurers won't insure for it and your on the
A61(i think) just floor your car on that, little traffic and no limit on most of it.
You'll have plenty of opportunity to vmax your car where ever you go in Germany, a couple of others I've had the pleasure of driving on.
A7 Ulm to Fuessen no silly 120kph sections and A20 Luebeck to the polish border I suppose, only went a couple of miles past Rostock.
Another couple of words for you.
Baustelle= road works your going to come down from vmax to 120kph then 90kph and lower.
and be aware that you go from no limit to 120kph with little warning.
Umleitung= diversion.
---kph bei Nass= speed when wet
ss134 will correct me if i'm wrong as I only get there twice a year.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Woow thanks for all your helpful replies.

So a quick summary would be:

1. A car - check
2. license both parts - check
3. insurance - will check and ask for green card
4. ferry, don't like under water and in a tunnel inside a train - check
5. fuel, well don't drive too fast, money and police - check
6. warning triangle? - need one
7. medic kit - check
8. oil - check
9. mot (this tuesday) - gonna check
10. high viz jacket - need some
11. headlights... i've got xenon - what to do?
12. fire extinguishers - really?
13. passport - check

that's all i can think of for now?

Oh and I"m going to Dusseldorf and then deciding where else to go. Nurburgring??

You've forgotten the breathalyser kit,needed fromJuly 1st in France
You need Hi-vis vests - one for the driver,and I believe one for each passenger.
Your V5.
There is no compulsory requirement for a fire extinguisher.
GB sticker
Headlight deflectors - Amazon do them and include a free GB sticker,which ticks the box above:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Streetwize-H.../dp/B0019MMKN8
Warning triangle should be in your boot (in mine it's on the L/h side.

Have you got European breakdown/roadside assistance?

Originally Posted by EXSKIN

Can't see the point( unless you have to say I've done it) myself as most uk insurers won't insure for it and your on the
A61(i think) just floor your car on that, little traffic and no limit on most of it.
You'll have plenty of opportunity to vmax your car where ever you go in Germany, a couple of others I've had the pleasure of driving on.

I'd agree on the insurance angle,however a trip to the 'ring' is far from just Vmaxing your car around a toll road for 13 odd mls,it's much,much more than just that!

[sylonien]

Thanks for the advice people, very helpful. My MOT is tomorrow (Tuesday), will see if there is any big stuff to fix.

1. A car - check
2. license both parts - check
3. insurance - will check and ask for green card
4. ferry, don't like under water and in a tunnel inside a train - check
5. fuel, well don't drive too fast, money and police - check
6. warning triangle - check
7. medic kit - check
8. oil - check
9. mot (this tuesday) - gonna check
10. high viz jacket - need some
11. headlights... i've got xenon - what to do?
13. passport - check
14. Umwelt Sticker - more money to spend
15.breathalyzer - what? Seriously?
16. breakdown cover - naaa hahaa
17. light reflectors - got xenons, can they be adjusted inside the light housing?

[xenon]

The xenon adjustment seems to vary almost from car to car. My e46 and e92 both had adjusting levers on the lamp assembly but my friend's e92 does not. Do you have adaptive xenons? If so, just switch the lights to the "on" position (rather than "auto") and you can drive on either side of the road as the swivel function is disabled and the beam cut-off is flat on both sides.

[sylonien]

Hi I have standard none adaptive headlights, if you mean the ones that corner. But they do self adjust hight wise. So I don't know if I should get those sticker things for my lights. Cause would it not work if it's self high adjust and misses the stickers?

[kaishang]

What's an Umwelt sticker? My car has spent some time in Germany parked all over the place without one of these and nothing happened?

For exceeding the posted speed limit, rather than not doing it, Europe IS the place to do it. Good quality roads, competent drivers and if you get pulled which is unlikely, it is only money, no points. I wouldn't exceed the speed limit by more than 50km/h though as fines escalate and you risk arrest and like the UK it is only acceptable in full national limit areas, obv not in urban areas and not on motorways which have a speed limit less than the maximum limit for that country.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Hi I have standard none adaptive headlights, if you mean the ones that corner. But they do self adjust hight wise. So I don't know if I should get those sticker things for my lights. Cause would it not work if it's self high adjust and misses the stickers?

All xenons auto-adjust height-wise; yes by "adaptive" I meant the ones that corner. If you have standard xenons it's the luck of the draw: you may or may not have the change-over lever. My e92 did but my mate's did not. Check your manual, the procedure is described therin if you have the lever, otherwise you'll need beam masks.

[sylonien]

Not sure if I should get the sticker or not and save the £25...

I will take a look in the light housing. But not found anything in the manual. Is it difficult to stick the headlight stickers on?