Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 09:58
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - JohnX
So on a last minute impulse I have just booked a ferry trip to France in my 2002 Lexus LS 4.3 litre an old beast which hasn’t been in use for a while now .
Now I have just realised that there may be some additional issues with driving a large engine car.
Apart from getting the warning triangle, breathalysers, spare bulbs and high visibility jacket...
Would there be anything else that is required?
Or any precautions?
Or any areas to avoid?

Running through a last minute checklist as below
MOT- Yes
Recent service -Yes
Insurance-Yes
Breakdown cover-Yes
Lights -working


Any areas I should avoid.

The old gal does cough and splutter occasionally(at times a high pitched whine when started,but I switch if off and then restart,for some reason the whine disappears ) but I’m hoping to get back without being stuck on a French road with an unsympathetic French plod muttering at me in a language I can’t understand.
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Thu 23 Aug 2018 10:12
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Mike H

Depending on where you are going, you might need an air quality disc. If you stray into a regulated area without one, there are large fines. Read all about it here (this is the official French government website, in English):

www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/demande-ext/cgu

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 10:16
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Cris_on_the_gas
... Would there be anything else that is required?

You need to take the V5C- Registration document with you

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 10:45
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - John F
... Would there be anything else that is required?

For such a gas guzzler, if you are planning long motorway journeys, it might be worth a bit of homework to locate large supermarkets ( e.g.Carrefour, Leclerk, Intermarche) which sell cheap petrol nearby. Also, in such a quiet comfortable car, provision for making some strong coffee or a can of caffeine drink so you don't fall asleep!

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 12:06
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - focussed

You must also have with you:-

Valid driving licence

MOT certificate

Insurance green card in standard eu format.

and

If the car isn't registered in your name, have permission in writing from the owner.

Remove speed camera warnings from your sat nav.

Don't have or use a radar or laser detector.

GB plate if your number plate doesn't have GB on it.

NB - one hi viz gilet per person in the car + and it must be accessible before getting out of the car - ie not stuck in the boot somewhere - if you get stopped the gendarmes/police will check for this! That's why you will see a lot of french cars with the hi-viz draped over the back of the seats.

Edited by focussed on 23/08/2018 at 12:10

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 11:32
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Avant

Take it for a good 50-mile-or-so run here before you go, if it hasn't done any long distances recently.

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 12:49
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Cris_on_the_gas

Also be aware that wearing of headphones while driving is France is illegal.

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 23:22
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - focussed

Also be aware that wearing of headphones while driving is France is illegal.

Yes I forgot that one - and also the bluetooth phone earpiece gadgets are banned as are earpieces with wires.

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 13:51
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - JohnX
Great responses thank you everyone.
Houston, it appears we have a bit of a problem after looking at all the responses.
No original V5 ,have a copy.
And an intermittently functional horn.
All other boxes reasonably ticked off
I take it at worst it’s going to be a fine if one gets caught by the plod.

Another option is to rent a car for 4 days and stick the beast into a secure car park somewhere

What would the collective forum do in this situation?

Both options would work out to about the same price as the fuel costs on the Lexus would be higher .
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Thu 23 Aug 2018 14:23
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Cris_on_the_gas
No original V5 ,have a copy.
And an intermittently functional horn. All other boxes reasonably ticked off

What would the collective forum do in this situation?

Been to Europe no end of times in Car and motorcycle. Never been asked for the V5C yet. Always have it although

If you rent a car the obligation to take the V5C is still there but you will be unlikely to be able to get this . So you will have to purchase a form VE103b ( Vehicle on Hire Certificate) from places like RAC/AA or Post Office etc. It will cost you £8.

You asked what the forum would do. Well I would take your jolly old Lexus and have a fab time.

As for the horn try "Mais oui monsieur gendarmerie le hooter c'est functioneer a la commence d'voyage" ( The horn worked a minute ago). How many times has a Policeman/Genarmerie actually checked a horn at the roadside ?

Edited by Cris_on_the_gas on 23/08/2018 at 15:15

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 15:44
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - oldroverboy.

Take an aerosol horn....

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 17:12
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - jc2

Over a period of 29 years with 2 to 3 visits each year,I have been stopped once and was waved straight back onto the road as soon as my UK plates were seen.

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Thu 23 Aug 2018 19:01
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Energyman
Don’t forget speed limit change, 90kmh means 80kmh now, signs not changed, why bother!!
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Thu 23 Aug 2018 23:57
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Big John

As mentioned above consider a Crit-air sticker. www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

Make sure your satnav does NOT have speed cameras on it (just disabling is not enough - they must be not be on the device - zone de danger is OK - SERIOUS fine)

Find out how to convert your headlights to driving on the other side of the road. At your car's age it may require Eurolites sticking on or there may be a lever to click over

Also beware - you must have the same make and model of tyre on each axle

Don't speed - they are really targeting at the moment and your fine can follow you home now. As mentioned above beware the 80kph national road limit - they have outsourced this enforcement and they are keen!

Mentioned above about not being pulled over for years - Likewise I haven't ( I don't speed) but I've seen various stings inc a speeding one on the motorway - where motorway was coned down to one lane and loads of cars pulled to one side, helicopter visible above! another was a satnav speed camera sting at a motorway service station - saw a car transporter full of British cars around the corner complete with lots of roofboxes

Edited by Big John on 24/08/2018 at 00:32

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Fri 24 Aug 2018 10:36
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - JohnX
Looks like this means a Tom-Tom satnav is totally out of the question and it would now need to be kept in the glove box.

If the motorway is coned down to one lane what would the speed limit be on this lane? 80 kph??

Does this mean then that a phone running Google maps or Waze is totally out of the question?

Why would those UK cars be confiscated,may be different makes of tyres on the same axle or some thing of that sort?




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Fri 24 Aug 2018 00:24
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Smileyman

Does the aircon work?

For fuel prices use this online search site

https://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/

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Fri 24 Aug 2018 10:01
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - JohnX
Hi the air conditioner does work.
Good link to check fuel prices, have noticed they are much costlier on the highways

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Fri 24 Aug 2018 14:33
Lexus LS430 - Driving to Europe in an old large engine Lexus 4.3 - Big John

"Looks like this means a Tom-Tom satnav is totally out of the question and it would now need to be kept in the glove box. "

A newish up to date Tomtom is fine as instead of individual speed cameras it has the legal "Zone de danger". Tomtom implemented this when the new law came out but if you have an old Tomtom that isn't up to date it could still have the old speed cameras on it

I use a Tomtom 5200 and it's great in France - especially the traffic warnings

Edited by Big John on 24/08/2018 at 14:35

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