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Road trip in my new SQ5

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x-Lanerboy

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi All

I am due to get my new SQ5 in March and the 1st thing I am thinking of doing is going on a road trip the same week I get it, I am thinking of leaving the Midlands and heading down to Calias get the tunnel and head down to Chamonix via some scenic roads not all just motorways then down to the Petit St Bernard Pass into Aosta instead of going through the mont blanc tunnel. We are then thinking of doing Switzerland Austria and Germany on the way back

So the questions I have are

1, can you offer any advise on where is a must see on our trip

2 Am I mad taking a brand new car I have only just got on a long trip like this so soon after getting it

cheers LB
 
#2 ·
Not mad, life is short. Go and enjoy yourself and the new car
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#3 ·
Go for it and enjoy the car, the experience and the scenery.
 
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#4 ·
Lanerboy said:
Hi All

I am due to get my new SQ5 in March and the 1st thing I am thinking of doing is going on a road trip the same week I get it, I am thinking of leaving the Midlands and heading down to Calias get the tunnel and head down to Chamonix via some scenic roads not all just motorways then down to the Petit St Bernard Pass into Aosta instead of going through the mont blanc tunnel. We are then thinking of doing Switzerland Austria and Germany on the way back

So the questions I have are

1, can you offer any advise on where is a must see on our trip

2 Am I mad taking a brand new car I have only just got on a long trip like this so soon after getting it

cheers LB
Click to expand...
Lanerboy
Have done the trip to the Alps dozens of times.
PM me and I'll give you a steer on route options - fast motorway, scenic detours (avoiding tolls) and a couple of great driving recommendations - e.g. Simplon Pass down into Italy.
Cheers.
 
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#6 ·
I would give it a week to make sure all is ok with the car. My GTD came with a hairline split in water pipe that put in the low coolant warning after 60 miles. Took a few days to get part and sort it but half way to France that would not be funny.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
Yes I think your right, I bought a new Range Rover Sport a few years back and after 600 miles the front anti roll bar burst spilling hydraulic oil all over my drive so I think I may do a few miles and go start of April instead just in case there are any teething problems
 
#8 ·
Lanerboy, I'm new to the forum, and wish you well with your new car. Like Barbyboy, I too have driven up,over and through the Alps many times on motorbikes and in cars and trucks, in fact we have just returned from a week in Val d'Isere in the car and the Col d'Iseron was shut even to pedestrians due to amount of snow and avalanche risk. I hope you won't find me patronising or trying to teach grandmother to suck eggs if I make a couple of points. Firstly, I think you will find most of the cols (passes) closed in March/April so you may have trouble getting anywhere in the mountains. Secondly, check which tyres are fitted to your new car. My Q5 came with Bridgestone Dueller HP which are high performance summer tyres and about as much use in snow as a chocolate fireguard.If you are visiting Austria and Germany in the winter months it is mandatory to have at least M&S (mud and snow) tyres fitted if not full winter tyres. You will certainly have to carry chains or snowsox to prevent really upsetting the Gendarmes. I again apologise if you are already aware of these matters. Good luck.
Fatlad
 
Discussion starter · #9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi Fatlad

No please carry on all the advise greatly appreciated, I will be fitting my new 20 inch Dunlop Winter tyres when I go just to be certain, too be honest I didn't realise there would still be snow around mid March in fact what are the chances of it snowing in the Chamonix area whilst we are there 2nd & 3rd week of March.

I would like to drive the road that goes over the top of the Mont Blanc tunnel do you think it will be open, also the little white wiggly road in the picture below I would like to drive but it concerns me that I can't put the little google man on this road is it private maybe ??????

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Can you recommend any places we must go and see whilst down in that area, we would like to possibly go into Switzerland and Austria too and may be come back up through Germany what are your thoughts on this

cheers

LB
 
#10 ·
Lanerboy, glad to be of any help if I can. Re question 1, if there is no snow around Chamonix in March/April and possibly into May then there will be many thousands of disgruntled skiers. Our son has worked in the ski resorts in the Alps for many years and the season always runs into May!.Q2, I very much doubt if any of the smaller roads in the Alps around Mont Blanc will be open, but they will make every effort to keep the road from Chamonix to the tunnel and out to Courmayeur in Italy open. Your little map shows the area up the Col de la Forclaz to Martigny from Chamonix. Just to back up my thoughts me and 2 mates rode our motorbikes to Croatia in June last year, went up the Forclaz to Martigny intending to ride over the Col du Grand St Bernard. The top of the col was shut due to snow and we had to use the tunnel. IN JUNE!!!! In general the higher passes may shut to May/June. Most of the other passes NOT served by tunnels shut from late Nov to late April. As above they try to keep the passes with tunnels open eg Frejus, Mont Blanc, Gt St Bernard, St Gothard etc. If you want to stay on the French side a nice place for a few nights is Annecy, very pretty. If you do get into Italy going away from the Alps isn't as pretty as the French side, bit industrial, but if you have time what about a bimble around the Italian lakes then head into Austria over the Brenner pass towards Innsbruck? The Brenner will almost certainly be open as its a motorway with a massive bridge over the valley. You can check whether passes are open on a day to day basis on alpine websites. If you then head into Germany try and follow the Romantishestrasse which takes you through some beautiful medieval towns like Rothenburg am Tauber. Just a thought, if you are using Swiss or Austrian motorways you will need vignettes (prepaid toll stickers). Very expensive if caught without them!! Bit long winded but hope it helps.
Take care
Fatlad
 
#14 ·
Laner boy, if you look on rac.co.uk or theaa.com re driving abroad in winter if gives you a full run down as to which country demands what, snowchains or sox must be carried in France and several other countries. I think if I remember right it said Austria want both winter tyres and chains.Anecdotaly sometimes the police have check points if the snow is bad and order you to put chains on or send you back down the valley to buy some if you are lucky rather than fining you. I personally take a pair of chains and a pair of snowsox even with all season tyres. My car is just a basic Q5 but there is no room for chains on the front wheels due to close suspension arms etc, so the sox go on the front and small diameter chains for back axle if needed. With your beast of a motor you would have to check/take advice and possibly only be able to use sox.But I would certainly take some form of tyre cover. Re vignettes, I think a swiss one is quite expensive because you have to buy a years worth, the Austrian vignette can be bought for either 7 or 10 days. (I've still got my Austrian one from last year on the bike but its in the garage and its dark and windy out there but I think it was 7 days) You can buy vignettes over the interweb before you go.
Regards
Fatlad
 
#15 ·
Lanerboy, sorry I've just re read your question about vignettes. Once you have bought the vignette it covers your car on the whole motorway network for the specified period. Its just like our old tax discs. Slovenia has the same system and we saw police officers checking cars through binoculars at services and even at the borders. You can buy them at services on the motorways as you approach Swiss or Austria. We usually give Swiss motorways a miss because of the expense.
Fatlad
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
Just to repeat some advice I posted on a different thread:

"Be aware that you are required to have M+S in Germany when "winter conditions" prevail; this applies to all vehicles not just "locals" - failure to do so will result in fines plus das Polizei stopping your journey until said winter conditions have cleared. In Austria there are similar requirements although they do allow summers plus chains (Germany doesn't). I would suggest having a look at the respective websites for clarification:

http://www.uk.diplo....ter__Tyres.html - winter tyres Germany
http://www.uk.diplo....ode__seite.html - driving general Germany
http://www.bmvit.gv....2015/tyres.html - winter tyres Austria
http://www.austria.i...austria-by-road - driving general Austria

I've driven on summers with chains on mountain roads; they are a right pain when the cover is patchy and you have to keep stopping to put them on/take them off but are fairly effective. Also driven a 2wd (A3) on both and the difference is stunning ( the M+S are brilliant). Should be trying the SQ5 on M+S in mountains in a few week's time
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"

The Swiss vignette is a real rip-off you must buy one for the whole year prevailing e.g. if you buy one in December you pay the full annual fee and it is only valid to the end of that calendar year. And then most of the motorways are speed restricted (they really hate cars out there). Furthermore, if you try to avoid motorways there are certain sections of single carriageway that are designated as requiring the motorway vignette e.g. the road from the German border to the Rhine Falls
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When we visited you could buy the vignette in a shop just after crossing the border.

The Austrian vignette can be purchased for 10 days, 2 months or one year. If you are there for more than 10 days but less than a month you can buy consecutive 10 day vignettes - this works out cheaper than a 2 month version. Also the vignettes are required for S class roads as well as autobahns. The vignettes can be purchased on most, if not all, major roads (well in the service stations or post offices, shops etc) on the approach to Austria or immediately after crossing the border.
 
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#18 ·
I find it annoying that we have to pay to use roads on the continent but anyone coming here gets to use our potholed tracks FOC
 
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#19 ·
SteveMcB said:
I find it annoying that we have to pay to use roads on the continent but anyone coming here gets to use our potholed tracks FOC
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Absolutely!
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#20 ·
Maybe so, but that is how some countries have chosen to fund their motorway system.

One could argue it is unfair that congestion charges in London & money collected from road fund license is not used to improve our poorly maintained roads.
 
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