Looking for tips/experience of Z3 driving holiday

[mrscalex]

Just starting to take a look at a long held wish to do a Z3 summer driving holiday to somewhere like Austria and/or Italy.

I just wondered what tips and experience those who have done such a trip (2,000 miles) could share with me.

It will be myself, 2x kids and my brother. Possibly my other half and her son. So it will be a mini convoy of 2 or 3 Z3s

 

[Sean d]

@billz is your man Robert

 

[Lazzzydog]

The roadster makes a surprisingly good GT car. We easily get enough gear in the boot for 2 weeks away including a Saturday night back tie do. If you decide on Italy try to have only one night in France if possible as the south is pretty expensive but it is a little cheaper once you get through the Mont Blanc tunnel. Genoa is best avoided since the motorway bridge collapsed and diversions are very poorly signposted.
If you can wait until September consider coming to the Z3mendi Italian owners cub weekend meeting in Tuscany. Take 3 or 4 days to drive down, enjoy a weekend in fantastic company including a day being one of over 100 zeds driving out in convoy with motorbike outriders and police support, then have 3 or 4 days driving a different route back.

 

[mrscalex]

The roadster makes a surprisingly good GT car. We easily get enough gear in the boot for 2 weeks away including a Saturday night back tie do. If you decide on Italy try to have only one night in France if possible as the south is pretty expensive but it is a little cheaper once you get through the Mont Blanc tunnel. Genoa is best avoided since the motorway bridge collapsed and diversions are very poorly signposted.
If you can wait until September consider coming to the Z3mendi Italian owners cub weekend meeting in Tuscany. Take 3 or 4 days to drive down, enjoy a weekend in fantastic company including a day being one of over 100 zeds driving out in convoy with motorbike outriders and police support, then have 3 or 4 days driving a different route back.

Sounds fab, I'll take a look at that. To be honest France is not really on the agenda other than to use to cross into Belgium.

And because I like railways and have always wanted to use a motor rail service we may use that between Dusseldorf and Innsbruck I think it is. Then drive from Austria into Italy.

 

[Grumps]

As said above @billz is your man. Hell be along later in sure.

 

[Tfp]

Not abroad, but I did the NC500 back in April.

I'll certainly be doing it again.

I hear it get silly busy in the summer though.

Anyhow, I also want to do a Europe trip so please keep us updated, and lots of pics please.

 

[mrscalex]

I'm liking the idea of 6 us going to Italy and 3 cars. Red, white and blue. Ring any bells?

Unfortunately we can currently manage a green and 2 blue only.

 

[mwpe]

We had a 4 car convoy last year after the Limborit,
https://zroadster.org/threads/to-austria-and-bust.23706/

 

[billz]

If you require any help then just ask. I have driven to the Alps and Pyrenees down to Spain for the last 8 years and doing it again next year and the year after.
It really depends on what you want out of the holiday and how long you will be going for. Austria is not as cheap as some folk make out especially if you want to do the scenic drives over the Passes (you have to pay for each one)
Accommodation and location are the key usually to have a really good holiday.
We usually stay around 2 to 3 nights in a location. 1st Night is when you arrive 2nd Night so you can have a drive around on different roads and depending where we are staying a 3rd Night to sight see with little driving (to please her indoors)
You can get to the Alps by doing only one stop in France which is a lot dearer than it is here in the Uk. Switzerland and Italy are also very expensive.
For 2 weeks expect to pay around 2k for 2 of you including all Hotels/Food and Fuel

 

[mrscalex]

Thanks for all the advice. I was coming out around £1k per person with my calcs so good to hear I'm in the right place.

I've been to Austria a couple of times so my other half can ski and always thought I'd like to go back in the summer. And it would be rude not to go to Italy too.

Spain I love but one way or another have visited many times before. France has never appealed to be honest.

We might do a trial run to the bulb fields in Holland in April. If I'm really lucky I'll get to combine it with a Dutch Scalextric swapmeet on April 7

 

[hard top]

We might do a trial run to the bulb fields in Holland in April.

Give us a shout if you do, buy you a

 

[mrscalex]

Give us a shout if you do, buy you a

Sounds good to me

 

[Tracy Dee]

Spain's really good we did 10 days base was Pamplona the hotel had good under ground parking.
Roads are superb and no pot holes.

 

[billz]

@mrscalex If you are doing the Passes in Switzerland/Italy let me know and i will let you know the ones which are better than others. If you do do Austria then you can always have a trip to Solden which is where one of the 007 movies were shot, you can even drive up to what is classed as the highest road in Europe.

 

[billz]

Also when going through France then you can visit the old race track at Reims

and go through the Grand Ballon.

Big car park at the top and can enjoy a Blueberry Pie and cream whilst looking over to where you are heading The Alps.
Main thing is to try and take your time to enjoy it as when it is over it will leave you wanting more

 

[Dalek]

I'm liking the idea of 6 us going to Italy and 3 cars. Red, white and blue. Ring any bells?

View attachment 94106

Unfortunately we can currently manage a green and 2 blue only.

Sounds like a great idea for a trip!
Sounds like you need to find a cheap car wrapping company!

 

[mrscalex]

Sounds like a great idea for a trip!
Sounds like you need to find a cheap car wrapping company!

Funnily enough that’s exactly what we were discussing yesterday. But at £1,000 a time I don’t think we’ll be doing that.

 

[Dalek]

Funnily enough that’s exactly what we were discussing yesterday. But at £1,000 a time I don’t think we’ll be doing that.

How much if you let them use pics of your trip for publicity? Might be worth asking.

 

[Lazzzydog]

Probably the best tip is to just crack on and get it done. The memories will be priceless.

 

[Keavo69]

We’re taking a trip down the west coast of France into Spain then on to denia then up to San Sebastián then catching the ferry back home to Newton Abbot we’ve got the Z3 friends want to join us are buying a Z4 just for the trip not planned the exact route but really looking forward to it (big 50)