Italy 2015

[Tel]

The Good Points------2500 mile trip.

1.Average Speed excluding Road Works & non-motorway driving (200 miles) c.85 mph

2.Consumption 41.5 mpg

3.Nav------accurate delivery,Monte Blanc cross border notification,severe weather warnings as we approached Milan.

4.All Service Stations sell cans of Tyre Lubricant Inflation,even the giant BP Lorry Motel @ Macon near Geneva.

5.Washer Bottle never ran out.

6.No Road Rash

The Not so Good----

1.Speed Cameras on French & Italian Autoroutes

2.The Midges impaled on the front area of the car-----the numberplate was black!

3.The new Dart Tag System for Dartford Crossing on the M25 causes massive delays which it was designed to irradicate as all the Toll Booths have gone.

4.Calais .

5.M1 50 mph Road Works for 30 Miles & no-one actually working day or night.

Tel

[DJP]

At least none of the bad were Lexus problems I believe the speed camera alerts from the nav are illegal in France and Italy.

Sent from my iPad using Lexus OC

[rayaans]

As above!

Next time you go on a long trip, spray wd40 on the front before setting off. It stops the bugs sticking and you'll just need a microfiber to clean it up

[para999]

its radar detectors that are illegal in france not fixed warnings taken from a database( as preinstalled on some sat navs)

as for the M1 they are still trying to push through a maximum speed limit of 60 mph ( during the day) for a 32 mile section between junctions 28 and 35a to supposedly cut air pollution but personally I see it as a way of increasing revenue i.e fines.

[rayaans]

its radar detectors that are illegal in france not fixed warnings taken from a database( as preinstalled on some sat navs)

as for the M1 they are still trying to push through a maximum speed limit of 60 mph ( during the day) for a 32 mile section between junctions 28 and 35a to supposedly cut air pollution but personally I see it as a way of increasing revenue i.e fines.

Air pollution my arse lol, surely a car going at 60mph is going to take longer to get from A to B than a car going at 70mph. I bet there isn't much difference at all.

[Roscobbc]

My logic for the ever increasing deployment of

A. 24 hour bus lanes on routes whre buses do not operate over same 24 hr cycle

B. blocking inner city short cut roads ('rat runs')

C. widening pavements/reducing lane widths/removing lanes altogther

D. introducing one way routes/chicanes/raised kerbs to impede vehicular flow

E. inner city congestion charges

F. 24/7 20 mph Boroughs where peak times 20 mph is unachievable - and at other times not needed

G. negative reporting of HGV/cycle accidents

My 'consiracy' theory is that the 'lefty' regengade local authorities want to 'fleece' the motorist of as much money as possible and will actively look to force all cars and commercials off the road and replace with cycles and buses (hybrid of course!)

They and all the supposed 'expert' road and traffic planners ignore the fact that all these actions actually increase pollution and cost per mile for the user. The idea of trucks delivering to businesses and shops after hours will be a further nail in the coffin for independent retailers and smaller business who won't be able to afford the costs of employing night workers to unload vehicles. UK truck drivers will be forced out of work as employers (unwilling to pay additional wages for night workers) then employ even more eastern european drivers. Inner cities will become no-go areas. The joke of course is that our national and local government will ultimately run out of 'cash cows" to fleece. No one will bother or be able to afford to run a car in cities - where will they get their money from? - bicycles? ha!

[Steve44]

Great stuff Tel. Myself and wife are off to Italy on 8th July via France and Switzerland for a 2 week holiday. 2nd time driving the continent, 1st time with the Lexus. Couple of questions.

How did you handle the spare bulbs requirement?

What were you paying for petrol on your trip?

What route did you take?

[rayaans]

Great stuff Tel. Myself and wife are off to Italy on 8th July via France and Switzerland for a 2 week holiday. 2nd time driving the continent, 1st time with the Lexus. Couple of questions.

How did you handle the spare bulbs requirement?

What were you paying for petrol on your trip?

What route did you take?

You can just keep them in the boot.

Figured out why the Lexus sat nav turns off camera warnings in France - because its illegal lol

[Tel]

Route-------Calais----Reims-----Beaune----Geneva-----Mont Blanc Tunnel----Milan-----Lake Garda.

No Light Spares needed in 2013 so carried none in 2015.

Have 2 Cans of Lexus Tyre Inflators that they originally supplied for the SC430 Model.

Petrol prices very similar to UK both in France & Italy.

Nav gave me speed & camera positions throughout my journey.

Nb/ consumption significantly improves by reducing speed to 70--75 & not using cruise control but I chose to drive mine as my ISF

which still gave a good 41+mpg.

My car is covered in Maguires Products to easily remove Bird Poo & Midges.

Tel

[rayaans]

Route-------Calais----Reims-----Beaune----Geneva-----Mont Blanc Tunnel----Milan-----Lake Garda.

No Light Spares needed in 2013 so carried none in 2015.

Have 2 Cans of Lexus Tyre Inflators that they originally supplied for the SC430 Model.

Petrol prices very similar to UK both in France & Italy.

Nav gave me speed & camera positions throughout my journey.

Nb/ consumption significantly improves by reducing speed to 70--75 & not using cruise control but I chose to drive mine as my ISF

which still gave a good 41+mpg.

My car is covered in Maguires Products to easily remove Bird Poo & Midges.

Tel

You do realise its illegal to have speed camera warnings in France right? lol

[zippyone]

Tel #1

please tell me, what is 'Tyre lubricant inflation,' is it the gunge to fill the tyre when punctured? Hope I'm not being thick, but I don't understand it.

Steve44.

I live at the other end of your journey and have been going to Portsmouth once a year for the last 20. I normally go by the direct route and return on the scenic route, this year via Den Helder (NL) and Baden Baden (D). In France I stop over at a F1 motel at Bailluel, about 30km short of Calais, then the next morning go 10km to Ypres, to buy chocolate for the folks in England.

The route I take is one straight road really, (from your end) Calais - Lille - Reims - Strasburg - Colmar - Basel - San Gottard - Milan - Garda.

The road Lille - Strasburg (A4- E25) is a toll road cost €43 this year, it is fast, straight, but sometimes hilly. You go under Basel and keep following the signs for Italy or Milan. It is well signed.

Times. I live circa 25km east of Milan near Agrate, about 90 minutes from L. Garda, from me to the Swiss border c.45 mins, cross Switzerland c. 3.5 hours. My home to Calais c.13-14 hours, depending on stops, lots of nice little stopping places along the A4, with seats, toilets, even showers. We usually have a picnic at one for half an hour.

One is supposed to carry a spare set of bulbs, reflective jacket etc, for you the most important are the jackets, in case of accident or breakdown.

Petrol - At the moment around here it's around £1.098 - £1.098 litre. In Italy petrol is dearer than Diesel.

Speed - Switzerland is the spoilsport here, it varies between 100 and 80kmh generally, be careful, the zones change regularly. If they catch you speeding the fine will be on your door mat when you get home and they collect. Get the wife to keep an eye open. France, Italy 130 kmh max on the roads you'll use, usually.

I don't know what you like, but may I suggest you take a trip about 30 mins east, to Verona, well worth a visit, could be lucky and be there when there is a show at the arena, I sat 4 hours through Aida once, sore bum, understood now't, but it was great. Another trip is to the caves at 'Postoina,' go to Gorizia and cross into Slovenia, the caves are about 20km down the motorway, look them up on the internet, another great day out.

If you want to get in touch about anything here give me a bell.

Best wishes and safe journey. Michael.

[Steve44]

Thanks for the info Michael/Tel,

I've got an apartment in a villa booked via Airbnb in Scarperia for a week and we have 5 days to get there, a week there and 4 days to get back again.

Route I've got on way there is

Leicester - Eurotunnel - Saint Omer - Verdun - Mulhouse - San Bernadino Pass - Milan - Scarperia de San Piero.

On the way back, I've still not booked any hotels, so route back is still up in the air, much to the wife's annoyance -

This isn't the first time doing a pan-euro tour such as this. About 7yrs ago, we did - Leicester - Eurotunnel - Haselt - Zwickau (for the MotoGP in Sachsenring) - Feldkirch - Verona - Bologna - Florence - Lyon - London - Leicester. Took in all the petrolhead sites in Italy - Ferrari World in Maranello, Lamborghini Factory tour in St Agata, Ducati factory tour in Bologna, plus we did the opera in Verona (know what you mean about sore behinds Michael, especially after the amphitheatre has been backed during the day at 35C), the Duomo in Florence and the Uffizi art museum. We had a great time and we are looking forward to this trip to.

I've got all the hiViz jackets, warning triangle and bulb pack from an old Astra to show anyone who can care. Car is a company car, so in event of problem it has european recovery.

Better start packing and sorting out the last minute bits too...... hope those french port workers don't continue to throw a spanner in the works with the crossing. :tsktsk:

[zippyone]

#11

just a short add on,

sunglasses are a necessity, the sun is very powerful here and can damage the eyes if one is not used to it, I use them summer and winter now. ( old age) Language. most young and a fair number of older natives speak English, if you want to speak to a Brit. then just look for the blokes' wearing sandles AND SOCKS, funny folk us Brits'. We never book hotels, wherever we are towards the evening, we start to look for a place. The best has always been a private B&B, staying in peoples homes for a night, I find hotels too impersonal.

Steve#12 Verdun is very interesting, it is well worth half a day or more, visit the fortress, a train takes you round, then visit the Ossuary just outside town, which in itself is small and pleasant. If time permits then a drive around the surrounding area is well worth it, to see the old forts.

I'm now off to my other home, on lake Maggiore for the weekend, 6000mtrs up and heaven compared to this sweat shop. It is 09.37 and already 29° outside, which is wonderful, but the humidity is terrible.

Best Wishes.

Michael.

[Steve44]

So, here I am in Scarperia, Tuscany (next door to Mugello circuit for Petrol heads!), after 1200mls of pan European driving.

Lexus has performed admirably, cruising at between 110 and 140kph and returning approx 46mpg.

Only had one road issue, where an elderly gentleman in his older Mercedes almost wiped us out as we overtook him and he decided to overtake a truck, on the autoroute in Belgium.

I've also not seen another Lexus (IS, CT, RX, NX anything) since we left UK, not one, you European guys are really a select bunch.

Drove 2 interesting roads on the route here.

1) Epinal to Mulhouse on E512 through the Parc de Vosges - the downhill descent had us on EV for most of the 15km or so and the Battery max'd out full.

2) Gottard pass in Switzerland - the tunnel queues were long southbound on Saturday, so we took the old N2 road and wound our way up the pass to Gotthard (spectacular views and road, highly recommended), where we stopped for a bratwurst. Downhill section on the other side was interesting, again Battery max'd out and on EV for most of the way, except for trying to slow the descent down, as the road is wide and sweeping, so using the paddles to run in D3 or D4 to keep it in check at between 80-100kph.

Car is now absolutely filthy including being divebombed by birds crapping cherry stones on it,need to find somewhere local to wash it off, though it drys so quick in 36deg heat!

[ganzoom]

Very envious of the trips you guys are doing, I'm currently hoping to get authorisation from the wife to do a similar trip at the end of August - Go through France, than head east to the lakes of North Italy.

Last year we did most of the Alpine passes in Switerzerland before heading up through Germany en-route to the Belgium GP. The apline roads around central Europe are simply stunning, and I cannot belive how easy it is to get to from the UK, for those who haven't been I really recommend it. Apart from NewZeland (24 hr flight away), the Swiss alps are probably the most beautiful place I've seen.....Even if your not into driving it really is a trip worth doing.....Before the place gets over run by tourists

The IS300H would be perfect for the task - I would love to do the 'Atlantic highway' up Norway too, but given the number of electric car charging points in Norway, that trip is been reserved till I've saved up for a better electric car than my LEAF

[DJP]

That looks fantastic but my wife would absolutely freak at the prospect of negotiating those roads! We are contemplating driving the coast road from San Fransisco to LA and that's bad enough!

Sent from my iPad using Lexus OC

[Tel]

David,

We have done the LA to SF run------Santa Barbara & Yosemite are a must to stay-over & Highway 1 is an exciting coastal drive as you probably know.

Tel

[DJP]

Tel,

We haven't done it yet, scheduled for next year. The area looks "small" on a map but the distances are huge and the missus doesn't want to spend a fortnight being a passenger in a convertible. Shame!

Sent from my iPad using Lexus OC

[Tel]

Michael,

I have 2 cans of rubber solution which came with the car along with bottles of waxes.These cans are bigger than the ones on sale in Halfords but are so easy to access & use if needed as they inflate to 35 psi. Essential if you are on a long journey with a full boot of luggage.

Of note, around Lake Garda I saw a few RX /CT vehicles,5 IS 300h and red & black Telsa.

Tel

[Steve44]

DJP - myself and my wife have done a 3wk driving tour of northern California, Nevada, Arizona etc as our honeymoon. This included driving from San Fran to Monterey down Highway 1, a stunning road and scenery. We also stayed in Yosemite (watch out for bears), Death Valley (55C during the day not pleasant, finally found somewhere too hot for the wife), Grand Canyon, Monument valley, and Las Vegas. All spectacular scenery and highly recommended, easy to see at a sedate 55mph too.

Definitely recommended, though in a convertible might be too much as the sun and temp is scorching.

Trick is to not plan to drive too long each day - 150-200miles (4hrs or so) is enough and allow plenty time for visiting places along the way that are your wife's choices.

[DJP]

Thanks Steve, some good tips/advice there. Re the car, eldest daughter thinks she's some sort of celebrity and watches too much Hollywood telly! Besides on our last trip to Sawgrass Mills outlet centre in Miami I needed to upgrade the hire car to a lorry to take all the shopping!!

[Rabbers]

I've also not seen another Lexus (IS, CT, RX, NX anything) since we left UK, not one, you European guys are really a select bunch.

Steve: I hope you're still enjoying your holiday despite the high temperatures. Based on twelve years' experience

of driving across fair-sized chunks of Europe, mainly I, F and D, I agree that you can go for thousands of km and

several weeks without clapping eyes on another Lexus. And even today, whenever I spot one, my reaction is still

one of mild surprise. From time to time you might get a friendly wave or a flash of headlights from another equally

surprised owner, and you are expected to reciprocate as a member of the same select community. Not surprisingly,

because they live in the Land of the Big Three and therefore feel especially lonely and proud, the most frequent wavers

and flashers are, in my experience, German.

Of course, the rarity of sightings is not all that strange if you keep some broad statistics in mind. Lexus' total European

sales since 2005 , excluding the U.K., have barely exceeded 200,000 units (against 100,000 in the U.K.), and even if

we assume for argument's sake that all of these cars are still on the road (thus giving them a longer life than the 8-9

years' European average), this represents only 0.12% of all cars currently registered in Western Europe. In other words

it is not likely that you are going to see more than one Lexus for every 1000 cars that cross your path.

[Steve44]

Rabbers, my wife is loving the high temp, but I am slowly melting!

We visited both Ferrari museums today in Modena and Maranello and it hit 40c, thank God for the excellent air con in the Lexus and the ventilated seats! Found that various bits of trim are deadly when hot though, center console and seatbelt buckles especially.

Also saw 4 Lexus today, 1 LS, 1 CT, 1 ES (i think) and an IS, all Italian registered. A rare breed indeed. Amazed by the number of old Fiat Pandas still being used down here, as well as the general craziness of Italian drivers.

Start the journey back home on Sunday, will miss the food and the people.

[zippyone]

Well Steve, Rabbers just beat me, but I agree with his comments. I do not find the inside surfaces get too hot to touch, however, the cooling system is great. I put it on Auto for 2-3 minutes. then turn it to 'reglo 2,' just nice. I get a couple of Polish guys in Portsmouth to hand wash my car when I get there, at the moment though, dust is the problem, due to the dessert like conditions.

I am glad that you and your wife's stay here was good, all mad dogs and Englishman stuff eh, even the natives find it unbearable and it's going to get hotter. Food, well each to their own, I prefer Asian. People, I and even my Italian wife do not trust the natives, they are quite stand offish and unreliable generally, however, I have had some really good friends and clients over the years. Will be interesting to see your final mpg when you get home, I think mine was about 54.

We all go on holiday and I feel that this page was a successful subject, we've also been across the pond. I feel that LOC could have a special page where members could write about their adventures, adding a few pics: as has been stated, we are a small community.

Have a safe journey home.

Best wishes.

Michael.

[zippyone]

Terry

now I understand, thanks.

I only got a spare set of bulbs and a poor man's Swiss army knife. The medical set and reflective jackets were well below par and dumped for more suitable ones. However can't moan tòo much, it was free after all.

Regards.

Michael.