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        General >> News >> Nice trip to France ... and back, too!
        
(Message started by: Mikesmount on Aug 15^th, 2006, 6:16pm)

Title: Nice trip to France ... and back, too!
Post by Mikesmount on Aug 15^th, 2006, 6:16pm

I meant to go in my BMW, which has been my wife's favourite car of all time, but the heating and air con needed attention. The heating was permanently on at full bore, and the a/c didn't work at all. So the local BMW specialist had it in his care for over a week, and it came back with a bill for £900 ... and when we loaded it up and set off it was still blowing super-heated air at us. :(

So we had to come back and transfer the baggage into the "new" scorpio 2.0 16v estate, which I had bought as a toy, or else stay home.

Why weren't we going in the Scorp to start with? Because as soon as it changed into top gear that bleddy light would flash, and none of the ratios locked up thereafter. But we had found that it would run around perfectly happily as long as I remembered to press the button and lock-out the o/d top.

All the same, it was with some trepidation that we set off for Dover (where we spent the night), before taking the ferry in the morning. Once over the water there was no AA cover, so the trepidation increased.

Those insurers want you to swear on your mothers' grave that the car has no faults and has always been serviced according to the makers' instructions. I couldn't lie, could I? .... and they probably would not have paid out if I did! And I had not even prepared the car for such a trek, as I did not know we would be using it.

But I remembered to press the button most of the time, and we duly arrived at the cottage, trundled around Normandy to see the sights, Including William I's castle at Falaise, wondering why on earth Willie the Konk bothered to leave and cross the channel with all that Camembert to eat and wine to drink, and generally had a good time of it with the son and grandchildren who live there.

We did have one scare, when the car seemed to die completely, with no panel lights or anything. But it did the needle flip and roused itself after about a minute, and after that no trouble at all. This site tells me the battery is on the blink, so that explains that mystery!

The return trip we made in one swoop - 500 miles all but a few yards! The Scorpio - and the driver - had a good nap on the ferry, but apart from that, and rest stops, it was one continuous ride.

And guess what? The wife now likes the Scorpio best and wants to be rid of the BMW as soon as it is made saleable by the garage.

And why should she not? What other big car would give you 29mpg without its top gear? What other car would take you around in air conditioned comfort so supremely well, that you could still stand upright after 500 miles?

I loved the lights! I had not driven this car in the dark - haven't had it long enough. What marvellous dipped beams! What fabulous "blue lights" as my wife calls them!
Being an Ancient Brit I thought I was past night driving, but it ain't so in a Scorp!

And who needs top gear anyway?

Well ... I suppose it would have been even more economical if it had worked, and I do want to get every single thing sorted.

Don't we all? . ::)

Title: Re: Nice trip to France ... and back, too!
Post by mr._floppy on Aug 15^th, 2006, 6:56pm

How did you deal with the headlights at night when driving on the right ?

Or did you even bother to alter their direction you mauvais garcon ::)

Title: Re: Nice trip to France ... and back, too!
Post by Mikesmount on Aug 15^th, 2006, 7:22pm

I didn't actually drive at night in France, but it is a legal requirement to adapt the headlights even in daylight. So I did.

But I did not have opportunity - or inclination, either - to delve into the works to bring this about. instead I chickened out and bought stickers on the ferry. The pack included instructions for the Scorpio, I was interested to see.

I peeled them off when I got this side of the channel.

Not all that mauvais, then! }{

Title: Re: Nice trip to France ... and back, too!
Post by Dave on Aug 18^th, 2006, 10:46pm

Great to hear Mike, glad the Scorp is proving useful :D