Long Drive New Driver

audia21991

audia21991

Member
Hey guys, next week I am driving my A2 fully loaded down to St Ives which will be a 6/7 hour drive. I've been driving 11 months now but the longest journey I've done is 2 hours. Is there any thing I should do or take notice of to ensure both A2 and myself get there in one piece? Little bit nervous :p
Also out of interest what sort of mpg can i expect from 2500 in 5th?

Many Thanks,
Edd.
 
... stop if you're tired. You'll get into a rhythm - 2 hours and stop - refuel, take a walk, come back and carry on.
That's the way I do the big ones - 1000miles in a day is easily possible in Europe, 6-700miles here.
I'll be doing around 500 miles Gdynia - Dresden next week, another 200 each way (without stopping) to the summer house and back this weekend.

The summer house "no stop" policy is easily doable on the way up, but the way down tends to mean a need to refuel - even at 6l/100km - so I fuel the car, go sit outside in the fresh air, maybe take a snapshot or two and then grab a coffee, some food, answer the call of nature and spend *at least* 10 minutes outside the car.

Then it's back to the hot seat.

Bret
 
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audia21991 said:
Hey guys, next week I am driving my A2 fully loaded down to St Ives which will be a 6/7 hour drive. I've been driving 11 months now but the longest journey I've done is 2 hours. Is there any thing I should do or take notice of to ensure both A2 and myself get there in one piece? Little bit nervous :p
Also out of interest what sort of mpg can i expect from 2500 in 5th?

Many Thanks,
Edd.
Click to expand...

To add to Brets' comments, check oil & water, check all tyre pressures (including spare), make sure you have the wheel lock 'key/bolt' and jack, check all lights work, clean all windows/mirrors, surprising how clean windows and mirrors make the journey lighter, take any rescue/recovery company details with you, take a mobile phone and car charger. I photocopy and carry insurance and documentation.
Evenly load the car as opposed to just slamming everything in to keep equal weight on each side.
Probably more but I can't think of any at moment.


Cheers

Sarge
 
Bret is spot on tiredness and fatigue are the worst.

Ensure that you have a good nights sleep the night before and eat a nice breakfast before you set off; cereal or fruit.

A Sat-Nav will take away some of the fatigue and worry and allow for a more relaxed drive. There is nothing worse and more dangerous than trying to read a map on the move. Not recommended. If you don't have a Sat-Nav system, plan your route thoroughly using AA or RAC route planners and try to simplify the instructions to ease the journey.

Ensure that you have adequate ventilation to prevent concentration lapses. Either have the climate/blower set to a level just below comfort or leave a window slightly open. Above all, as Bret advises; stop for breaks frequently and if you begin to feel at all tired, pull over in a lay-by or service station as soon as possible.

Oh, and ensure that the car is tip top the night before. Check your oil, coolant and screen washer levels, lights and tyre pressures.

Safe journey.

Darren
 
The power of powernapping is also not to be underestimated. 30 mins of sleep - or even 10-15 - is amazing sometimes. I also deliberately try and avoid long, boring straight roads where possible - Autobahn excepted as the adrenaline is pretty cool. But even 200km/h gets boring after a while, which is why I'll hit the cruise at around 150. Reasonable economy, but I have no "I must be there by x" - I get there when I get there and if I miss the ferry, that's my problem. Same thing with trains - there's another one, later. The hotel know I will be late and have asked me to keep them informed.

I have the return trip - it's either leave at 00:10 to get there "on time" or leave the day before and sleep in a hotel with an opportunity to discover another city. I know which one I'd rather do.. and I have tried driving through the night before, but when you sleep badly and not on the previous boat, it's not fun. If you have passengers, things are slightly different.

Satnav is a great invention, but have a good idea where you're going anyway - for my Gdynia trip, I know it's the E28 out of town, down to Stettin, then it's Berlin and Dresden. I'll check the numbers, because I don't trust navs completely and they do sometimes get stuck. You might also find something you want to check out! So write it down and have it on the passenger seat.
Don't take chocolate to scoff in the car, make sure your phone is charged and if you have a drink with you, open it first.

I realise actually now just how much I take for granted the ability to do these long slogs.... and I do them on my own.

Bret
 
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I think the pre check has just about been covered now, well if your in no rush to get there then you should expect to get well over 500 miles to a tank, if you get up to the 600 mile mark you'll be getting about 70+ mpg's, the one thing if you've got it is cruise for me this was one of the best mod i've had done to the car it makes the long journeys so much easier, i did great yarmouth to grimsby and back in 1 day with 1 stop on the way home, a break for about an hr when i got there and then 1 stop on the way back south

Cheers Phil
 
Hi Edd,

Not sure if this applies just to cars with the on-board computer (DIS) but after two hours continuous driving you will notice the DIS display flashing. This is simply there to suggest that you take a break. See handbook for more details.

I would guess you will get about 65mpg, perhaps more, but it depends on which way the wind is blowing.

Have a great time,

John.
 
Poor_John said:
Hi Edd,

Not sure if this applies just to cars with the on-board computer (DIS) but after two hours continuous driving you will notice the DIS display flashing. This is simply there to suggest that you take a break. See handbook for more details.

I would guess you will get about 65mpg, perhaps more, but it depends on which way the wind is blowing.

Have a great time,

John.
Click to expand...

and it will make a really big BEEP,well mine does :eek:
 
audia21991 said:
.... Is there any thing I should do or take notice of to ensure both A2 and myself get there in one piece?
Also out of interest what sort of mpg can i expect from 2500 in 5th?
Click to expand...

Edd. One more hint if I may. Take your spare key and if you have a partner give it to them to look after. It's a long way from home if you loose your key or (as happened to me this morning) the key fob didn't work - probably the battery. [OK now realise I could probably open the door manually]

My guess is 60 mpg - maybe we should run a sweep stake ;-) As I have found, type of tyres can make a difference.
 
On drives over 2 hrs in duration I used to get really bad lower back pain in my A2 (leather seats). I was then advised by a fellow lower back pain sufferer to make sure than my 'tail' was kept pushed as far back into the seat back as possible. I still get twinges on 3hr+ drives but nothing like as bad as I used to.

Ignore this advice if you are one of those lucky ones who never suffer from lower back pain.

The rest break and go for a brief walk every two hours is very wise advice for everyone.
 
Alan_uk said:
Edd.
My guess is 60 mpg - maybe we should run a sweep stake ;-) As I have found, type of tyres can make a difference.
Click to expand...

Hi Alan
I also put a drop in my summer average mpg from 62 to 57, down to a tyre change from the standard SE 16" Michelins to 15" Pirelli P6's. The mpg stayed low even when I reverted back to the Michelins. Back in May, I tried some Redex 'intensive' diesel treatment, using half the bottle in a tank of fuel on a trip to Scotland and the other half on the way back. This made very little difference but I continued to use the standard Redex diesel additive at each tank fill and the fuel consumption has gradually improved to 62mpg. A 250 mile round trip to Belvoir Game Fair, sticking to the speed limits gave 64mpg. Next step is to stop using the Redex to see if the improvement in economy is the same on standard diesel

Cheers Spike
 
Hi Alan
seems all bases have been covered
Me i prefer night driving but it is my job!! Roads are far less congested m6 at night is something to behold!!
Tip take sat nav but write a list of towns on route with road number next too them
LEEDS M1 easy way to check route and if diverted you have next major target too hand!!
Most of all relax and enjoy your trip and remember in this country the speed camera rules so use warnings on satnav too pre-warn you of fixed cameras as on open roads the lure of speed especially if your used too autobahn cruising is just too much!!:):):)
And before anyone starts 27year and no points or bans:):):)
Goodluck
Dave
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, I will be sure to give her a thorough look over before I go. She is on 17's 205 at the moment and there will be four people plus luggage so I reckon i'll manage 55ish mpg (hopefully!). Will report back how the journey went!

Thanks again,
Edd.
 
spike said:
Next step is to stop using the Redex to see if the improvement in economy is the same on standard diesel
Click to expand...

Hi Spike

I'll be interested to hear what happens and I'm sure other will as well. I've been thinking about Redex. Is it recommended as the car ages? My TDi 75 has now done 50k - I'm sure I read somewhere it is just run in ;-)

Cheers
 
Edd

I have just done the very same similar trip.

Fareham to Hayle and back again.

2 adults and 2 children with a boot full and associated stuff in side car as well.

Haven't worked out the fuel consumption, but I brimmed it before leaving and got there on half a tank of Diesel, Only then put in a fiver to get me back to the caravan site and then filled her up again on Friday evening before leaving to come home. Managed to get home on just less then half a tank.

Really pleased with her performance, even with the cornish hills to contend with.

Once I have emptied her I will post up the figures i got.
 
Thanks for all the replies

Got back last night, she didn't miss a beat :)
The remap torque was really quite impressive hauling all that weight up steep hills without losing any speed, as soon as we got to even a slight incline my friends 1.6 Golf couldn't keep up without changing down!
This really is a great little car :)
 
Glad you enjoyed the trip and the A2 enjpoyed it as well. The diesel pulls really well up and down those cornish hills, leaves at lot of others standing.

Finally had to put some Diesel in last night after extra trip down to the New Forest and back. Did approx 900 miles on £ 75 worth of Diesel. Just need to use my MPG calculator and work out the MPG.

I will post the MPG figures when I have worked it all out.
 
You weren't too far out.

Did 1307 miles at 54 MPG.

Not bad I thought considering 70 % of that is with a full boot, 2 Adults and 2 kids.
 
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