ICTJohnboy Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Recently acquired a holiday apartment in Southern Spain - nr Almeria. Thinking about going across there for an extended holiday in early 2016. Flying is obviously the sensible way to go but a few weeks car hire can cost an arm and a leg. Anyone ever driven there from the UK? Is it best to go cross channel and drive down through France, or go by ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander or Bilbao, then head south? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom McB Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Quite a few years since i've done it. 1. With current cost of fuel that would be an arm plus a leg. 2. The ferries from Santander to bilbao were bloody dear. 3. If driving through france best to go via autoroutes but they cost too. 4. You can't do the journey in one night stop over, best to plan two, round about calais first then perpignan or similar. Formule 1 were cheapest hotel chain. In short, I would not do the drive now, cheqap flights and car hire would, i think be more economical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTJohnboy Posted December 8, 2015 Author Share Posted December 8, 2015 Cheers, thanks for that. I have heard that the ferry to Santander or Bilbao is like a night spent in a good hotel - but yeah, the cost for that is around £350. Flights are cheap just now but my thinking is that fuel is also relatively cheap and by the time you insure a hire car you are looking at around £150 per week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 If you've time and money, take a few days on a leisurely drive down with a few stops, and get the ferry back, probably worth booking well in advance to get a reasonable deal. In the longer term buy an old banger over there or you might get a bargain on a left hand drive over here. Does your apartment come with free indoor parking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTJohnboy Posted December 8, 2015 Author Share Posted December 8, 2015 If you've time and money, take a few days on a leisurely drive down with a few stops, and get the ferry back, probably worth booking well in advance to get a reasonable deal. In the longer term buy an old banger over there or you might get a bargain on a left hand drive over here. Does your apartment come with free indoor parking? Yes it does have free off road parking and as it is an old banger I would be taking out there, I will be seeing if it might be possible to trade it in for an old Spanish banger. At least then the steering wheel will be on the correct side! I believe it costs a fortune to re-register a UK car with Spanish plates which would have to be done after 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Yes it does have free off road parking and as it is an old banger I would be taking out there, I will be seeing if it might be possible to trade it in for an old Spanish banger. At least then the steering wheel will be on the correct side! I believe it costs a fortune to re-register a UK car with Spanish plates which would have to be done after 6 months. I'll be seeing a mate who's been through the whole thing over new year, I'll pass on anything useful. I seem to remember him saying there's a way of stalling on the plates. Although come to think of it his flat is in Portugal so it might not be much use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinclair Street Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Done that many times in a transit. Once you take into account fuel and French tolls, it's probably as cheap on the Santander or Bilbao ferry. If you do go via Dover, keep west of Paris and down the Bordeaux coast, then cut through the middle of Spain past Madrid. Fewer tolls that way in France and Spain, plus it's slightly less miles too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 ^^^smuggler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinclair Street Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 ^^^smuggler Not quite, I was a genuine courier driver. Obviously, anything else I brought back was for my own personal use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highlandcowden Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 my old boys done this a fair few times since retiring,goes for a couple of months over winter so for that length of time it makes sense to take over the car. he's always found the more direct route(from inverness) is to take the ferry to northern spain-means you do a big chunk driving on the left here and apparently the Spanish motorways are great to drive and quiet.He goes the ferry to Belgium route if he fancys a long liesurely drive down,a wee holiday within a holiday. one of his years was near Almeria,almeiramar,very pleasant place-countryside is mental for polythene fruit sheds,though-look at satellite images and youll see,miles aand miles of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Psychosis Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Group B with Hertz is about £75 a week in Spain (I just checked). I got third party car hire insurance for £25 a week last time I went away. Obviously if its for long term use take a banger on the ferry and leave it there but for anything under three or four weeks I reckon hiring would be cheaper and easier. Also, the best French roads are toll roads. You'll spend an absolute fortune if you drive on them all the way through France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTJohnboy Posted December 8, 2015 Author Share Posted December 8, 2015 Group B with Hertz is about £75 a week in Spain (I just checked). I got third party car hire insurance for £25 a week last time I went away. Obviously if its for long term use take a banger on the ferry and leave it there but for anything under three or four weeks I reckon hiring would be cheaper and easier. Also, the best French roads are toll roads. You'll spend an absolute fortune if you drive on them all the way through France. I've hired a few times from Murcia and Alicante airports.. The basic hire charges are reasonable enough but if you just want 3rd party only cover they want to block 1000 Euros on your credit card - just in case. They then talk you into coughing up around 200 Euros to avoid that and accept a fully comp deal. I've seen young Spanish drivers coming round roundabouts on two wheels - I wouldn't be comfortable with 3rd party only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kincardine Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 There isn't an economic case for driving, especially since fuel, tolls and ferries aren't the only costs - you have to add the depreciation on your car plus all of the additional costs of being 2/3 days on the road. You either make the drive part of the holiday - and you can go to some brilliant places - or get a cheap flight and rent a car 'off airport' as and when you need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Driven to south of France and Spain many times. Unless you are going to take a few days up and down and make it part of the holiday ( increases the financial cost I know ) then I would fly. Battering up and down in your own car would be more expensive in the long run imo. Also you may not need to hire car for the full duration of your stay. Public transport is pretty good unlike the UK and may well suffice for much of your needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiviClyde Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 A few things I would be considering:- You say the car you are thinking about taking is a banger. Is it up to the trip? A breakdown en route could end up expensive. If the flat is now yours are there personal effects you want to take there which would be problematic by air? I doubt it would be easy to trade in a right hand drive UK registered car. You can hire a compact size car through Auto Europe for a month, excess refundable package, for approx. £102 (Alicante) or £309 (Almeria) (these are February prices, probably dearer in Season) I think I'd be flying, especially if you are going to be using it regularly, but then I've got the advantage of living 15 minutes from Edinburgh Airport. My sister and brother in law rent a villa near Cartagena for four months every winter. They normally drive via Hull/Zeebrugge then through Western France, one stop, and down through central Spain, one stop near Madrid. So, leave Saturday Lunchtime arrive Tuesday afternoon. We usually scrounge a visit for a couple of weeks when they are there, flying to Alicante and car hire. Less than 7 hours door to door Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTJohnboy Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 ^ Thanks for that LiviClyde. I have considered that a breakdown in France or Spain could end up expensive. The car is a 1.8 petrol Mondeo, 12 years old, but with a relatively low mileage at around 72K. It's been ultra reliable in the past 5 years that I've owned it, and coming in Ghia trim, not only is it very quiet and comfortable, it has a great music/sound system! On a long run it averages over 50mpg. Part of the thinking in taking it across to Spain is to ship over some personal effects which would be problematic (and costly) by air. You're probably right in suggesting I won't get much in Spain - if anything - for a trade in. I have been thinking about driving down the west side of France with a ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo. Looks like an awful long drive from Zeebrugge. I do believe my best option would be ferry from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao and then drive south from there. That would put a bit less strain on the old banger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I'd have thought there might be returning ex pats willing to do a trade if you're lucky. There must be forums for them, the ones I've met have mainly been racist arseholes though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiviClyde Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 ^ Thanks for that LiviClyde. I have considered that a breakdown in France or Spain could end up expensive. The car is a 1.8 petrol Mondeo, 12 years old, but with a relatively low mileage at around 72K. It's been ultra reliable in the past 5 years that I've owned it, and coming in Ghia trim, not only is it very quiet and comfortable, it has a great music/sound system! On a long run it averages over 50mpg. Part of the thinking in taking it across to Spain is to ship over some personal effects which would be problematic (and costly) by air. You're probably right in suggesting I won't get much in Spain - if anything - for a trade in. I have been thinking about driving down the west side of France with a ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo. Looks like an awful long drive from Zeebrugge. I do believe my best option would be ferry from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao and then drive south from there. That would put a bit less strain on the old banger! The extra miles from Zeebrugge are offset by fewer much more congested miles in England using Portsmouth St Malo.Certainly Bilbao or Santander routes would be my choice if you are set on taking the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 The extra miles from Zeebrugge are offset by fewer much more congested miles in England using Portsmouth St Malo. Certainly Bilbao or Santander routes would be my choice if you are set on taking the car. Would agree with that. Once you are south of Manchester heading to Portsmouth or Plymouth can be a nightmare. Hull is a dawdle. Also, if transporting stuff taking your own car is a must. I would still take a few days each way. Yolo, carpe diem and all that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTJohnboy Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 I'd have thought there might be returning ex pats willing to do a trade if you're lucky. There must be forums for them, the ones I've met have mainly been racist arseholes though. That might be worth pursuing, thanks. I wouldn't necessarily agree that ex pats are mainly racist arseholes - well not racist anyway. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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