f.a.o lutz

[lukebfox]

I have noticed your many posts and vast expierience with cross channel trips and that your information is always very accurate,i dont mean to give you a bit of homework but if and when you have a chance i would be very grateful for a bit of your wisdom.we travel from rosslare to cherbourg every year and head across to italy this year we are going to lake garda first and on down to rome and i do not mind what route we drive but would like to take the most direct and the one with the least amount of climbing probably a tall order i know, i also know that in 5or 6 years time ill have figured out the best route, however im guessing you probably know this now from experience and hopefully would not mind passing the information on too me thanks in advance luke.

P.S im also sure many others have this info so please dont take offence that ive directed my question to one person i welcome everybodys help thanks luke

 

[giovanni_5060838]

Luke, i am sure lutz will found this thread soon,but for now,how about telling us what routes in france you have used and Italy.

and which mountain passes or tunnels you favour or dislike.

In the meantime, from lake garda to rome,you well use the A22 which take you down to modena [flat] then onto the A1.

Alas betweeen bologna and florence,you will found twisting up and down hill climbs, not too bad but really not something you can easily avoid.

Cannot help with the france bit,as the cherborg area is not one i know,but mont blanc is again the logical choice for getting to lake garda,and bar a few climbs near macon and mont blanc, the A5 in Italy is downhill to start with then pretty flat,as is the A4 which would finish your journey near the lake........

 

[lukebfox]

Luke, i am sure lutz will found this thread soon,but for now,how about telling us what routes in france you have used and Italy.

and which mountain passes or tunnels you favour or dislike.

In the meantime, from lake garda to rome,you well use the A22 which take you down to modena [flat] then onto the A1.

Alas betweeen bologna and florence,you will found twisting up and down hill climbs, not too bad but really not something you can easily avoid.

Cannot help with the france bit,as the cherborg area is not one i know,but mont blanc is again the logical choice for getting to lake garda,and bar a few climbs near macon and mont blanc, the A5 in Italy is downhill to start with then pretty flat,as is the A4 which would finish your journey near the lake........

Hi Giovanni. to start with i first ventured to italy in 2000 for a few days to visit my mothers sister and her husband alberto,which in hindsight im disgusted over since they have been married and living in rome since 1985. I have always loved my uncles visits here as he intruduced me to many itialian foods that i now love,when we arrived the first time in rome we fell in love with it and since have got married there in piazza san silvestro in rome 4th sept 2002.Ever since we have used every excuse and oppertunity to visit italy . to start with in the summer of 04 we drove with our nissan patrol and a house tent through france from cherbourg(france is the easy part)over mont blanc via genova ,firenze and on to rome with no problem (easy when you are not towing) and back via millan and back over montblanc, we loved every second and set out to buy a caravan to do it again the following year. july 05 after taking delivery of our series 5 oaklahoma we set of for rosslare the day later and crossed to pembrook and drove to dover and on to calais then down to mont blanc and on to rome and back over again.we were complete rookies and had no idea what we were doing but what a fantastic adventure. I learned that there was no need to go through the uk and give my self extra driving and that we needed more gadgets ie awning, fridge ,table chairs etc and more importantly that mont blanc by night towing with roadworks was hard work in particular for the car. Roll on summer 06 and early may so as to have plenty of summer left after our holidays, off we went again for a month.This time we took an 05 nissan navara with the oaklahoma and the awning extra fridge and 2 of our friends(both male and 130 kg each) complete with a large house tent and everybodys luggage( thats why we used the navara) and now that i was smarter i thought it would be better to avoid france as much as possible so we came via switzerland basel going for the gottard tunnel/pass when we got to it there were to poliecemen standing there with small a4 handouts saying tunnel had collapsed and giving us a diversion through a place called heidiland and this is where it all went horribly wrong it was a 115km diversion with many parts of near vertical climbing and with the huge weight i had on board the navara ovarheated i was lucky not to do damage and was able to pull into a layby for a few hours to let it cooldown and continue the journey after dark when it was cooler and more efficent driving temperature. I have no idea where exactly we came into italy as i was tired and stressed and happy to be almost at the campsite in lago di garda, we soon forgot the trouble and stayed in camping san francesco in rivoltella. In the meantime i thought about the return journey and we decided to go via mont blanc and also that the two lads would fly home with their luggage there by shedding 300kg. Then later in the summer went to france camping in la route blanche in normandie with the same load and people just taking the patrol instead and we had no problems of course as there was no climbs and only a little driving.This brought us to summer 07 august 4th we arrive in cherbourg and have the nissan patrol and new indiana with all the kit minus the 2 lads who have decided to fly to millan a few days later and we will collect them from our base at camping san francesco in lago di garda. We go via mont blanc and the climb is not as good as i hoped as and is a bit laboured but as am heavilly loaded and with a roof box also i soon forget it after we get there and relax, we stay for 18 days and all decide to go across to royan in western france for the last 2 weeks with the 2 lads traveling with us. All is fine until we get to the frejus tunnel at night when we start the climb the vechile gets under pressure and we hear a pop we start to lose power and are reduced to driving in second gear with the heater on full to stop over heating until we can pull in and check whats wrong, when we stop we discover that under pressure a pipe/hose has come off the intercooler and we were loosing boost and were also smoking like a freight train after putting the hose back in place we carried on however the smookyness stayed although not as heavy all the way across france, until after i change the fuel and air filter in royan after this we had no problem on the return home but as you can see its the big hard climbs that are the problem. i know that i should change the patrol which is an austrailian import 4.2 as its an old type engine. to a new 3.0 or a 3.2 pajero and that will solve the problem but am somewhat attached to it and dont want to do so unless i have no choice. This year we are doing the same trip with a heavier wyoming twin axle and i hope the lads can travel with us because the journey is part of the fun so you can see why im looking for the easiest route and climb into italy ,also our other friends trevor and vicky are coming to the site, flying as they just have a new baby daughter and are looking to buy their first caravan. Anyway now that i have bored you to death (hopefully not) this should give you an idea of my problem. thanks for your help giovanni. luke

P.S i type about 3 words a min so now i must rest my tired finger. thanks luke

 

[lukebfox]

Hi Giovanni i should have have put that in as a reply as opposed to a comment im only getting used to the forum. thanks luke

 

[giovanni_5060838]

WOW.. let me start by saying i am jealous,and clearly you know your way and have used the realistic routes anyway.

Clearly your real problem is the vehicle,thats not to say its not upto the job more likely something is a miss.

Under normal use its not really put to task,but towing you may have more than one issue.

I know everything costs money,but firstly as its an older vehicle,i would make sure your radiator is A1,flush it out and check for fins damage too.[check out web sites on nissans to found out what if any are known problems]

Check the intercooler pipe,is it really soft? this could mean it closes up under load not giving you the proper air,therefore power you should have is not there.

How olds the exhaust system does it have a cat fitted, if these are old they can be bunged up with soot,again this will cause higher back pressure less power and hotter running and smoke.

This can be cleaned out using a high pressure air hose and a rubber mallet to loosen the soot,don't go made hitting it.

Does the vehicle have a egr valve?

These are all things you can check yourself [at least for peace of mind]

Got to be honest the list is endless,but start with the easy stuff,you never know you maybe lucky..

 

[lukebfox]

Thanks giovanni i will get back to you later im just running out the door to work, ill have a post done by breakfast. thanks luke

 

[lukebfox]

Hi Giovanni. last year i fitted an intercooler kit from australia it seems to have helped a bit .

Also the coolant is done each year before we go away.

Intercooler pipes are solid just one of the clips was loose that time.

The exhaust system is 8 years old and seems fine there is no cat fitted .Also there is no egr valve on this model it came out on the next model which is factory intercooled unlike mine which only had a turbo.

My mechanical ability is limited and is learned as i go fortunatley im good with my hands and pick stuff up quickly(with the execption of typing)

however im thinking that my problem is with the injectors being dirty and in need of reconditioning and therefore not burning diesel properly and and as you say clogging up my exhaust, i will however sort both of these issues in the next few weeks,and based on how that goes i will either stick with my patrol or buy another one the newer 3.0l version or 3.2 pajero, or at the rate the euro is gaining on the pound i am getting very tempted to pop over to the uk and spring for a 4.2 l toyota amazon which will solve the problem full stop.

Anyway im gone off on a tangent again as you can possibly tell ive kissed the blarney stone on a couple of occasions and have gotten the gift of the gab for my efforts, back to the point with regards to the alpine passes i was wondering were there any passes or tunnells that may be an easier climb between france and italy or between switzerland and italy as the sat nav units only show the main routes ,i was wondering if there were any routes discovered by seasoned veterans of these routes that may suit the situation, im also guessing from some of your posts ive seen that you either live or have lived on the italian side of mont blanc, and if thats the case you would have local knowledge of routes that may be easier but are possibly off the beaten track.

Also the trip through switzerland when i was going for the gotthard tunnel was seeming to me to be an easier and more direct trip to lago di garda until we hit the diversion(when there was a landslide there) so i am unsure if the gotthard would have been easier than mont blanc or not? i have so many questions that only time and experience will tell,along with a lot of imput from this forum and its members.

I look back on our trips every year and keep saying to myself i have 11 months left to figure all this stuff out and yet each year i think i have done so, but on our return i have even more ideas and questions than the previous year. Things i have learned so far over the last few trips.

1.CARAVANING IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.

2.I will never go on another package holiday again if i can help it.

3.Its a hinderance to the hobby living in ireland and not in the uk as i feel some what excluded from rallies and possibility of meeting other forum members.(darned irish sea)

4.That my wife loves this forum even more than i do because and i quote" pet dont you want to go and play with your little caravan friends on the laptop while i watch eastenders" need i say more.

5. That i now dream my work time away thinking of holidays ,caravans and the gadgets that go with them.

6. That france is a fantastic place to go camping and is a hard act to beat.

7. While thinking back to my aunts words after she married my italian uncle" everything italian is better" im not sure ide go that far what i know for sure is italy is spectacular and i feel hard done by if i cant get there every year because we both just love it.

8. and that im probably going to get beaten to a bloody pulp by the forum members for not having done the uk yet( a trip to the cotswolds is on the cards)

9. And that now im tired and going to bed.

buonanotte luke

P.S excuse my lack of manners Giovanni thanks for your intrest and help

 

[giovanni_5060838]

Luke, like you i have travelled to Italy on numerous occassions alhough it has been by m/bike and car,this year will be the first time i tow abroad.

So the road networks i know and have used are not always available to vehicles that tow, so really of the major routes mont blac and the san gothard are the ones at a lower altitude and i believe lower gradiant too.

I am also assuming,that you do not want to detour by 100s of miles,i mean you are crossing to cherbourg,which makes mont blanc and frejuis tunnel the realistic options, but you say you have used the san gothard? if so, i assume you traveled across the top of france? from cherbourg?

My autoroute is giving a mileage of 820 odd miles from cherbourg to desenzano on the southern part of lake garda.

Its giving 930 miles via innsbrook austria to the same point,could be less the further up the lake you are going.

Now this route has the fern pass in austria [caravan europe2] says this is a 10% gradiant and an easy pass. then theres the brenner pass, now this is a 14% gradiant,which shocks me a little but at least its m/way and you are not stop starting.

You really could do with some better advice, although if your car issues are sorted,then you have loads of options.

heres a link to alpine passes http://www.alpineroads.com/passes.php

Theres some usefull info and links..

GIO

 

[lukebfox]

Thanks again giovanni, looked at lenght at that link and i think that either the gotthard tunnel(and i have not done this one as it was closed due to a landslide on arrival) or the brenner pass in austria (which i now know is the smallest of the trans alpine passes) is looking very interesting to me as they appear to be more direct. The fern pass also looks like a viable option also, i will check the maps and sat nav 2 moro and see what route lenghts i find and make a decision on which one.

Where a you heading for on your first trip with the van abroad, we are heading away for a few days 14th april with the van our first outing this year only a local trip but thats fine, and are hoping to visit my aunt and uncle in cirencester early june fingers crossed. luke

 

[Lutz]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to respond until now, but I'm visiting the UK and rather busy at the moment. However, I'll be back in Germany at the weekend and try to help when I get home, if your question hasn't been answered by someone else by then anyway.

 

[giovanni_5060838]

Hi luke.

Where am i heading? Well it started off as a short type of trip to the rhine area in germany around koblenz,then i found a nice campsite just a few miles from lake constance[which is a lovely part of germany]and then i thought what the heck its only a couple of hundred more miles to the dolomites.

So we are actually heading for a small town called Klausen[chuisa]just about 30 miles inside of Italy after crossing the brenner pass.

For us the route is straight forward so to speak, across from dover to dunkirk,onto luxemburg through germany and austria.

We don't know all of the route as parts of germany will be new to us as will the fern pass.and i know this route will add a fair few miles to your journey,but atleast its mostly flat.

Anyway, lutz will be answering soon,so we will both benefit.

Gio

 

[Lutz]

Now that I'm back home, I've had time to have another look at your query. As I live on the Continent, I can only give recommendations for routes from the UK to Germany and perhaps further on, or destinations that we have visited from our home base here in Germany. I'm therefore not really in a position to be able to help you with your plans, especially as Tuscany is the only part of Italy that I've been to with the caravan.

 

[lukebfox]

Hi luke.

Where am i heading? Well it started off as a short type of trip to the rhine area in germany around koblenz,then i found a nice campsite just a few miles from lake constance[which is a lovely part of germany]and then i thought what the heck its only a couple of hundred more miles to the dolomites.

So we are actually heading for a small town called Klausen[chuisa]just about 30 miles inside of Italy after crossing the brenner pass.

For us the route is straight forward so to speak, across from dover to dunkirk,onto luxemburg through germany and austria.

We don't know all of the route as parts of germany will be new to us as will the fern pass.and i know this route will add a fair few miles to your journey,but atleast its mostly flat.

Anyway, lutz will be answering soon,so we will both benefit.

Gio

Hi goivanni that sounds like fun i think next year we are either going to try germany munich as i have family there or we will try northern spain as we both have friends there im not sure which one yet i have not been informed yet by my better half, i suspect she will opt for spain as she loves the sun .

Thanks luke

 

[lukebfox]

Now that I'm back home, I've had time to have another look at your query. As I live on the Continent, I can only give recommendations for routes from the UK to Germany and perhaps further on, or destinations that we have visited from our home base here in Germany. I'm therefore not really in a position to be able to help you with your plans, especially as Tuscany is the only part of Italy that I've been to with the caravan.

Hi Lutz thanks for taking the time to look at that, i was hoping to find an easy or more to the point a flat route that wont stress the tow car.

However i think i was just putting off the obvious and trying for a solution that did not involve changing the towcar, my conclusion is that im going to buy a landcruiser amazon 4.2 diesel which will be more than capable of towing the van and us over the alps comfortably and at its leisure.

Even though we had a bad experience going through switzerland after much reasearch on the net and this forum i have concluded that the best and most direct route for lago di garda is charbourg to basel down through switzerland through the gotthard and on down to garda and now that the towcar will not be an issue i will be able to relax and not worry that we might breakdown and ruin a good holiday.

Thanks luke

 

[Lutz]

Now that I'm back home, I've had time to have another look at your query. As I live on the Continent, I can only give recommendations for routes from the UK to Germany and perhaps further on, or destinations that we have visited from our home base here in Germany. I'm therefore not really in a position to be able to help you with your plans, especially as Tuscany is the only part of Italy that I've been to with the caravan.

No, the towcar won't be an issue, especially as the Continentals, without such a thing as a 85% weight ratio recommendation, tend to go much closer to the limit than UK caravanners. When we went to Tuscany, we also went through the Gotthard tunnel.

 

[lukebfox]

No, the towcar won't be an issue, especially as the Continentals, without such a thing as a 85% weight ratio recommendation, tend to go much closer to the limit than UK caravanners. When we went to Tuscany, we also went through the Gotthard tunnel.

Thanks again Lutz im happy that the change of tow car will sort any towing problems like steep gradients, so now im looking forward to it as opposed to worrying about it. thanks luke

 

[lukebfox]

No, the towcar won't be an issue, especially as the Continentals, without such a thing as a 85% weight ratio recommendation, tend to go much closer to the limit than UK caravanners. When we went to Tuscany, we also went through the Gotthard tunnel.

Thanks again Lutz im happy that the change of tow car will sort any towing problems like steep gradients, so now im looking forward to it as opposed to worrying about it. thanks luke