Which old convertible for some European touring?

[LostKiwi]

It’s why we have air con

Although the only thing not working in the R230 SL500 I drove over there was the AC - unsurprisingly the owner of the car is an AC specialist in his day job...

Once the heat gets too high the Aircon is pretty ineffective with the top down.

 

[Blobcat]

Once the heat gets too high the Aircon is pretty ineffective with the top down.

Not in my experience.

I’ve also ridden the auto-stradas around Turin in +35’ heat in race leathers and waterproofs so know about heat...(long story involving getting stuck in the snow at 8,250’ and taking the motorway instead)

 

[McDonald]

Not in my experience.

I’ve also ridden the auto-stradas around Turin in +35’ heat in race leathers and waterproofs so know about heat...(long story involving getting stuck in the snow at 8,250’ and taking the motorway instead)

You've kind of made Alistair's point. Your endurance is obviously considerable if you could comfortably cope with +35 in race leathers. Mere mortals often require refrigeration when the blazing sun is beating down. I love the sun and drive all through Spring, Summer and Autumn with the top down, but if I get caught in traffic the roof goes up until I'm on the move. Our tolerance varies from person to person.

 

[Blobcat]

You've kind of made Alistair's point. Your endurance is obviously considerable if you could comfortably cope with +35 in race leathers. Mere mortals often require refrigeration when the blazing sun is beating down. I love the sun and drive all through Spring, Summer and Autumn with the top down, but if I get caught in traffic the roof goes up until I'm on the move. Our tolerance varies from person to person.

Also driven from Los Angeles to Las Vegas top down with no AC so you might have a point...

Plenty of sun cream, a hat and water. Unless the weather is really bad I have the top down. I enjoy being more involved in the journey than the widescreen TV experience

 

[JBell]

CLK for a more comfortable long distance cruise .

I was thinking the same, a W209 350 Cab would be lovely

 

[rorywquin]

Also driven from Los Angeles to Las Vegas top down with no AC so you might have a point...

Plenty of sun cream, a hat and water. Unless the weather is really bad I have the top down. I enjoy being more involved in the journey than the widescreen TV experience

Do your passengers enjoy travelling with you?

 

[Blobcat]

Do your passengers enjoy travelling with you?

I’d say yes.

Just driven top down from the car wash back home in the sun and hail. My passenger enjoyed the drive

 

[davidsl500]

I’d say yes.

Just driven top down from the car wash back home in the sun and hail. My passenger enjoyed the drive

Did you put the top up for the car wash?

 

[Blobcat]

Did you put the top up for the car wash?

No, free hair wash

 

[LostKiwi]

This looks good..
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...d=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used

 

[McDonald]

This looks good..
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201911013926434?advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-mileage=100000&price-to=10000&postcode=nn110xp&model=SL CLASS&sort=price-asc&page=1&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used

How can these beautiful cars be worth so little money? Preposterous.

 

[Flyinspanner]

This is exactly the reasoning behind our recent A209 CLK320 purchase, (it’s running lovely)

I’ll have to start thinking about route plan, stopovers, (looking at Sawdays)

Initial thoughts are overnight to St. Malo, then Nantes/La Rochelle/Bordeaux.

Thinking of maybe then Toulouse & Carcossone (always fascinated by the Cathar history)

Anyone recommend other accommodation sites for good quality B&B / nice boutique hotels/ chateaus?

Is there a comprehensive list anywhere of documentation/ what n where clean zones are and how to pay if you’re travelling through?

 

[Oldspanners]

This is exactly the reasoning behind our recent A209 CLK320 purchase, (it’s running lovely)

I’ll have to start thinking about route plan, stopovers, (looking at Sawdays)

Initial thoughts are overnight to St. Malo, then Nantes/La Rochelle/Bordeaux.

Thinking of maybe then Toulouse & Carcossone (always fascinated by the Cathar history)

Anyone recommend other accommodation sites for good quality B&B / nice boutique hotels/ chateaus?

Is there a comprehensive list anywhere of documentation/ what n where clean zones are and how to pay if you’re travelling through?

Should get all the info here https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

 

[Blobcat]

This is exactly the reasoning behind our recent A209 CLK320 purchase, (it’s running lovely)

I’ll have to start thinking about route plan, stopovers, (looking at Sawdays)

Initial thoughts are overnight to St. Malo, then Nantes/La Rochelle/Bordeaux.

Thinking of maybe then Toulouse & Carcossone (always fascinated by the Cathar history)

Anyone recommend other accommodation sites for good quality B&B / nice boutique hotels/ chateaus?

Is there a comprehensive list anywhere of documentation/ what n where clean zones are and how to pay if you’re travelling through?

I’ve always found “Logis de France” to have good independent places to stay. Always a bit quirky and different to the usual Camponille and the like

 

[LostKiwi]

This is exactly the reasoning behind our recent A209 CLK320 purchase, (it’s running lovely)

I’ll have to start thinking about route plan, stopovers, (looking at Sawdays)

Initial thoughts are overnight to St. Malo, then Nantes/La Rochelle/Bordeaux.

Thinking of maybe then Toulouse & Carcossone (always fascinated by the Cathar history)

Anyone recommend other accommodation sites for good quality B&B / nice boutique hotels/ chateaus?

Is there a comprehensive list anywhere of documentation/ what n where clean zones are and how to pay if you’re travelling through?

https://www.green-zones.eu/en.html

They also have an app where you plug in your vehicle details and you can check eligibility on the day.

 

[LostKiwi]

Initial thoughts are overnight to St. Malo, then Nantes/La Rochelle/Bordeaux.

Thinking of maybe then Toulouse & Carcossone (always fascinated by the Cathar history)

Anyone recommend other accommodation sites for good quality B&B / nice boutique ho

Also consider Portsmouth to Caen overnight. Usually significantly cheaper than St Malo. Also PM me for my discount code - 10% discount on Brittany Ferries.
If you want a chateau to stay at try looking at the Chateau DIY programme list if you want guaranteed English speaking hosts.
Just south of Royan is Talmont.
Beautiful little town on the Gironde estuary (famous for the exploits of the Cockleshell heros). Cars are banned from Talmont and you have to park outside the town. Whenever we go to Talmont we eat at Le Petit Cours - a delightful little courtyard cafe where they serve really good gallettes.
Le Vieux Logis in Clam (about an hour north of Bordeaux) is great for eating (we had Mrs LKs Birthday there year before last and it was excellent) and they also do accomodation. Depending on when you go and our plans you could also drop in on us as we are less than 30 minutes away.
Our next door neighbour (Corrinne and Michel) does a nice B&B (we stayed there 3 days when we were looking to buy the house). https://clos-cerise.weebly.com/a-proximiteacute.html - Its in French so open in chrome and translate.
Lovely people and a really nice little B&B room with an under cover outdoor eating area. Also usually homemade baking and jams provided and sometimes home grown vegetables and fruit. Nip over the fence if cherries are out and help yourself to any on our trees - the ones in the left tree are gorgeous (and I don't like cherries!).
When going into Bordeaux use the park and ride. We used the station at Lormont just off the ring road. Only €4 for parking all day and return tram to the city centre for 4 people (yes - dirt cheap!).

If going to Carcassonne also consider going down to Lagrasse and into the hills where there are more Cathar castles, if for no other reason than the scenery is beautiful and roads great fun. Lagrasse has regular markets where you can buy anything from vintage Leica cameras to wooden workman's tool trays. Very pretty little town and has a large Abbey.
Not far from Lagrasse is Termes and it's Cathar castle on top of a hill (quite a walk but stunning views and a very interesting drive there).

There's also the Château de Quéribus not far away.

A bit off your route is Oradour Sur Glane famous for the massacre perpetrated by the Nazis in 1944. 642 men, women and children were killed one afternoon and the town virtually destroyed. The town has been left as a memorial.
Very peaceful but somehow not a sad place.

If you don't have one (and plan on using till roads) a toll tag makes life simpler.
I use APRR who I found cheapest overall (much cheaper than Sanef).
https://www.aprr.fr/fr/telepeagelibert/particuliers/offre-occasionnels

In French but chrome does a good job of translation.

 

[jke11y]

Pre-having kids, my wife and I did multiple road trips in our 129 and a 107. More recently with the kids in a 447

I always said, if I could drive there in the 129 and then whilst there drive about in the 107 that would be ideal.

we’ve got a rare child free road trip coming up in June and I’m conflicted between taking our 124 cabriolet and selling it and buying another 129 or a 230 55.

Long winded way of saying - 129 gets my vote!

 

[Wighty]

Dover Calais to save an absolute fortune on the ferries , run straight to the nice restaurant to get a seat .
www.about-france.com has some good info .
Get yourself an Emovis toll tag for the motorways .
Logis are nice hotels (I use Ibis which is normally cheaper and is clean and comfortable ) . I’ll have to check out Sawdays again I’ve got an old UK book .

 

[Flyinspanner]

@LostKiwi Thank you - great info.

 

[LostKiwi]

Dover Calais to save an absolute fortune on the ferries , run straight to the nice restaurant to get a seat .
www.about-france.com has some good info .
Get yourself an Emovis toll tag for the motorways .
Logis are nice hotels (I use Ibis which is normally cheaper and is clean and comfortable ) . I’ll have to check out Sawdays again I’ve got an old UK book .

By the time you add fuel and tolls to Dover - Calais there's little in it (assuming using toll roads).
Ibis are good in the main - we've used them a lot.