Car road trip prep - UK to Italy?
Discussion
Would appreciate advice on what I need to do, plan, prepare for before embarking on an European road trip (first!).
Car is an UK 2021 Audi Q5. Petrol hybrid. Modifications needed? Special number plates?
European breakdown cover and health insurance obviously. Hotels will be pre-booked.
Anything else?
Car is an UK 2021 Audi Q5. Petrol hybrid. Modifications needed? Special number plates?
European breakdown cover and health insurance obviously. Hotels will be pre-booked.
Anything else?
You'll need a crit air sticker if you intend to stop in an french cities that require one. Although I didn't see anyone checking them unless they're done by camera.
Get one of these - https://ulys.vinci-autoroutes.com/en/ and attach it to a UK bank account with an IBAN number. It will cover you in Italy too. It's a bit of a game changer at the tolls.
You'll need to take your V5 and insurance certificate with you should you be stopped. You'll need a warning triangle, hi Viz vests for each passenger (keep them at hand and not in the boot). You'll need a UK sticker/magnetic badge thing to pop on the back if your reg plate doesn't have one.
Get a phone holder, load up the route in goggle maps and away you go. Google only let me down once on a 2000m journey I finished yesterday through Europe.
Enjoy! Driving in Europe is an absolute pleasure.
Edit: you'll also need headlamp deflectors if your car doesn't have the facility to change.
Get one of these - https://ulys.vinci-autoroutes.com/en/ and attach it to a UK bank account with an IBAN number. It will cover you in Italy too. It's a bit of a game changer at the tolls.
You'll need to take your V5 and insurance certificate with you should you be stopped. You'll need a warning triangle, hi Viz vests for each passenger (keep them at hand and not in the boot). You'll need a UK sticker/magnetic badge thing to pop on the back if your reg plate doesn't have one.
Get a phone holder, load up the route in goggle maps and away you go. Google only let me down once on a 2000m journey I finished yesterday through Europe.
Enjoy! Driving in Europe is an absolute pleasure.
Edit: you'll also need headlamp deflectors if your car doesn't have the facility to change.
No modifications or special number plates required 
a UK sticker on the back is a requirement ,that many ignore but if your plates have the UK on it that is sufficient .
Driving on the other side is easy and it is also way nicer than congested UK .
Ignore Italian tail gating it's a way of life to them .
Most of all ,enjoy it .
a UK sticker on the back is a requirement ,that many ignore but if your plates have the UK on it that is sufficient .Driving on the other side is easy and it is also way nicer than congested UK .
Ignore Italian tail gating it's a way of life to them .
Most of all ,enjoy it .
What I did - 2 months in France in our RS3 just in the new year this year. Think we did about 3000 miles.
Crit air. (drivers side bottom right)
UK sticker
V5, insurance and document pack / instruction book in glove box.
Checked tyre pressures / tread depth.
Changed oil.
Packed some cheap screen wash.
Checked for high vis and first aid kit (already there from factory)
The only thing we needed but didnt have was I checked the oil near the end of the trip and it was close to the min so if I was doing that sort of distance again then I would pack 1L of oil just in case - we had to go to 3 or 4 places before we found somewhere that had 0w30 castrol.
If going in the summer a windscreen sun reflector thingy is a must for parking.
You can buy anything in France but just be aware its a lot more expensive.
If you are going near Switzerland you might need their sticker.
You might also want a toll pass thingy too - I didnt bother.
Crit air. (drivers side bottom right)
UK sticker
V5, insurance and document pack / instruction book in glove box.
Checked tyre pressures / tread depth.
Changed oil.
Packed some cheap screen wash.
Checked for high vis and first aid kit (already there from factory)
The only thing we needed but didnt have was I checked the oil near the end of the trip and it was close to the min so if I was doing that sort of distance again then I would pack 1L of oil just in case - we had to go to 3 or 4 places before we found somewhere that had 0w30 castrol.
If going in the summer a windscreen sun reflector thingy is a must for parking.
You can buy anything in France but just be aware its a lot more expensive.
If you are going near Switzerland you might need their sticker.
You might also want a toll pass thingy too - I didnt bother.
Which way are you planning to go to Italy? I went via Germany so could pop into the Schumacher collection in Cologne, Aircraft museum near Hamburg that has a Tupolev and Concorde together and then Porsche factory.
We then stopped at the Ducati musuem before a stay over for 2 days in Maranello (our destination).
I just took V5, insurance docs and attached a small GB sticker to number plate (since has changed to UK).
We then stopped at the Ducati musuem before a stay over for 2 days in Maranello (our destination).
I just took V5, insurance docs and attached a small GB sticker to number plate (since has changed to UK).
Stuart70 said:
I lived in Italy for many years and have a house in Normandy.
Breakdown cover, fuel, go. (Oh and a sanef toll thing makes the tolls more fun)
Take the v5 if paranoid.
Enjoy
Other stuff - bulbs, hi viz jacket, crit air, uk badge, warning triangle - go for it if you wish.
German police looked at my V5 when I got stopped , they were stopping all non German or Austrian cars just inside DE after crossing border .Breakdown cover, fuel, go. (Oh and a sanef toll thing makes the tolls more fun)
Take the v5 if paranoid.
Enjoy
Other stuff - bulbs, hi viz jacket, crit air, uk badge, warning triangle - go for it if you wish.
They were using the same checkpoint when I crossed going the other way 5 weeks ago ,causing a traffic jam into Austria .
BananaFama said:
German police looked at my V5 when I got stopped , they were stopping all non German or Austrian cars just inside DE after crossing border .
They were using the same checkpoint when I crossed going the other way 5 weeks ago ,causing a traffic jam into Austria .
And if you had not had it?They were using the same checkpoint when I crossed going the other way 5 weeks ago ,causing a traffic jam into Austria .
Stuart70 said:
BananaFama said:
German police looked at my V5 when I got stopped , they were stopping all non German or Austrian cars just inside DE after crossing border .
They were using the same checkpoint when I crossed going the other way 5 weeks ago ,causing a traffic jam into Austria .
And if you had not had it?They were using the same checkpoint when I crossed going the other way 5 weeks ago ,causing a traffic jam into Austria .
German police sometimes are sticklers for regulations especially with pesky tourists .
Nethybridge said:
Toll pass gizmo is handy, French motorways are great but mon dieu, expensive,
on a 5 day 2000 mile trip I got charged £180 on tolls. Also you still have to stop
at the toll barriers, not a drive through like Eazi-Pass in the US.
Yeah but if you go through the 30kph lane; you can go through at 50mph and play chicken on a 5 day 2000 mile trip I got charged £180 on tolls. Also you still have to stop
at the toll barriers, not a drive through like Eazi-Pass in the US.
wax lyrical said:
Would appreciate advice on what I need to do, plan, prepare for before embarking on an European road trip (first!).
Car is an UK 2021 Audi Q5. Petrol hybrid. Modifications needed? Special number plates?
European breakdown cover and health insurance obviously. Hotels will be pre-booked.
Anything else?
Beware ZTLs when in Italian towns. They can cost you a fortune if ignored.Car is an UK 2021 Audi Q5. Petrol hybrid. Modifications needed? Special number plates?
European breakdown cover and health insurance obviously. Hotels will be pre-booked.
Anything else?
R.
The Leaper said:
Beware ZTLs when in Italian towns. They can cost you a fortune if ignored.
R.
That's good advice ,but the signs for them are terrible ,you might not know about it until it's too late .R.
Look for an electronic display sign with red X on it .
ZTL is zona traffico limitato ....you don't need translation , the zones are for locals only with a pass .
Expensive but
https://www.anker.com/uk/products/b17a12m3
Battery powered too so if you stop for some sightseeing it still keeps running.
Ice cold drinks or food anytime
https://www.anker.com/uk/products/b17a12m3
Battery powered too so if you stop for some sightseeing it still keeps running.
Ice cold drinks or food anytime
^. Or this fridge from Halfords for £65
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/travel-accessori...
We’ve had one for years. Keeps things cool for a few hours too if you’ve to leave the car.
Much cooler than mini fridges, so take an adaptor, too.
Oh, pack a multi point extension lead(s).
Roof box.
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/travel-accessori...
We’ve had one for years. Keeps things cool for a few hours too if you’ve to leave the car.
Much cooler than mini fridges, so take an adaptor, too.
Oh, pack a multi point extension lead(s).
Roof box.
Euro coins for the air pump.
Your own foot air pump.
Check your spare.
Pack one of the tyre pressure foam things.
I got a flat tyre once at the start of a 600mile trip to Calais - space savers do restrict progress.
Torch for the car.
Think about a battery motion sensor night light.
An actual road atlas - great for quickly working out plan B or C if things change.
A box of Tesco mini muffins. They last surprisingly long and taste brilliantly compared to Peage service stations - especially if you are driving early before Paul’s at the service station opens - saves time too.
Your own foot air pump.
Check your spare.
Pack one of the tyre pressure foam things.
I got a flat tyre once at the start of a 600mile trip to Calais - space savers do restrict progress.
Torch for the car.
Think about a battery motion sensor night light.
An actual road atlas - great for quickly working out plan B or C if things change.
A box of Tesco mini muffins. They last surprisingly long and taste brilliantly compared to Peage service stations - especially if you are driving early before Paul’s at the service station opens - saves time too.
Italian drivers are idiots (not all of them obv').
I don't know what your cruising speed is but on a long journey I get bored and was sat at 90 on their big motorway the A1. Some were going past like we were stood still.
It has been mentioned about people getting too close, tell me about it, talk about impatient.
Other drivers just pull out, no indicators, if there is half a gap on the motorway they just take it.
Lol, enjoy.
I don't know what your cruising speed is but on a long journey I get bored and was sat at 90 on their big motorway the A1. Some were going past like we were stood still.
It has been mentioned about people getting too close, tell me about it, talk about impatient.
Other drivers just pull out, no indicators, if there is half a gap on the motorway they just take it.
Lol, enjoy.
Edited by Ifinishposts on Wednesday 19th July 12:52
nobrakes said:
Euro coins for the air pump.
Your own foot air pump.
I recommend buying thisYour own foot air pump.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-RAC610-Analogue-Comp...
Everyone should have one in the boot of their car.
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