Monte Carlo or Bust...

OzzieAl · Apr 18, 2012

Conaero said:
You really need to attend the SM Xmas doo, no excuses, the forum is picking up your flight charges!

Matt does that include me as well !!!

conaero · Apr 18, 2012

OzzieAl said:
Matt does that include me as well !!!

Well I really should not post when come in from the pub now should I!

If Easyjet do a Â£35 each way and Â£10 for a sandwich, why not.

Parisien · Apr 18, 2012

Currently in Sancerre...weather a bit iffy..but wine good according to Mme Parisien.....;-)

P

jamesc69 · Apr 18, 2012

Well what a fantastic trip we have all just enjoyed.
I must thank Robert for arranging the superb hotels and Miles for routing us through some of the best driving roads that i have ever experienced. Fantastic !!!!
Lewis, that DB9 (well whats left of a DB9) is awesome. Nikos it was great to meet you. It takes real bottle to fly over on your own to meet us nutters when English is not your first language ! Frank that Taxi ride to MC was pure entertainment thanks to you !
Route Napoleon was a joy, albeit a little bit more tricky on the wet (cue the yellow van jokes guys !)
My return was marred somewhat by a rapidly disintegrating clutch which hampered my progress to Calais. No 1st and reverse gear was a little concerning !
I managed to limp to Clacket Lane Services on the M25 but then hit very heavy traffic and thought better of progressing any further. Called recovery at 4.30pm and did not get moving until 10.45pm due to gridlock on the M25. Car was dropped off with Mario at Autoshield at 2.50am and I arrived home and tucked up in bed at 4.30am !! Absolutely knackered.
Would i do it again next week, absolutely in a heartbeat !!
Until next time guys.

James

Parisien · Apr 19, 2012

James...that was a bit of a bummer end to a fab few days...great to have you along and that you enjoyed it all!!!

P

Emtee · Apr 19, 2012

jamesc69 said:
Well what a fantastic trip we have all just enjoyed.
I must thank Robert for arranging the superb hotels and Miles for routing us through some of the best driving roads that i have ever experienced. Fantastic !!!!
Lewis, that DB9 (well whats left of a DB9) is awesome. Nikos it was great to meet you. It takes real bottle to fly over on your own to meet us nutters when English is not your first language ! Frank that Taxi ride to MC was pure entertainment thanks to you !
Route Napoleon was a joy, albeit a little bit more tricky on the wet (cue the yellow van jokes guys !)
My return was marred somewhat by a rapidly disintegrating clutch which hampered my progress to Calais. No 1st and reverse gear was a little concerning !
I managed to limp to Clacket Lane Services on the M25 but then hit very heavy traffic and thought better of progressing any further. Called recovery at 4.30pm and did not get moving until 10.45pm due to gridlock on the M25. Car was dropped off with Mario at Autoshield at 2.50am and I arrived home and tucked up in bed at 4.30am !! Absolutely knackered.
Would i do it again next week, absolutely in a heartbeat !!
Until next time guys.

James

James, that's awful news to hear. Can completely understand you wanting to get the car home, and if it was behaving as it did on the run in to Calais, then it would have been fine, but that blooody traffic on the M25 was set against you. It was gridlock in both directions. Have you heard from Mario?

Emtee · Apr 19, 2012

Well the finest of times was had by Linda and I. Great company, great driving, great scenery, and great food. Pictures and commentary to follow once I've had time to catch my breath, but some highlights in the meantime...

Driving down to Folkestone to have, as if a Maserati convoy was pre-ordained, James join the motorway from a slip road directly to our side.
The lamest of Le Mans starts at the old race circuit just outside Reims.
Everyone jumping every single time Lewis fired up his glorious Aston.
Driving deserted, gloriously twisty 396/996 corners at speed with a cigar smoking maniac in an AC up my @rse.
Driving not so deserted, gloriously twisty wet Route Napoleon corners at speed with a bespoke Aston up my @rse.
Driving into Casino square in four Maserati's, parking up outside the Casino to take photo's and seeing that there were more than us taking photo's of the cars.
Driving the tunnel and starting straight of the GP circuit in a taxi whose driver was happy to 'press on'.
Retiring from the Casino floor to have a cigarette on a balcony to find that balcony overlooked the hairpin.
Frank providing absolutely THE funniest taxi drive Linda and I have even taken.
The many reminders on the yellow van and the ensueing hilarity on each and every occasion.
A foot massaging waiter.
Breaking the bank at Monte Carlo (sorta)
Knowing that M and Mme P had arrived to join us at the hotel for breakfast without needing to leave our hotel room. (hooligan

)
Having Nikos provide iPhone pace notes on the coastal road from Nice to MC. Next stop the Monte Carlo Rally

Rounding a sweeping bend to see the Millau viaduct present itself like some sort of rain soaked multi-masted alien schooner.
Lengthy conversations about toilets in a Michelin starred restaurant.
Sanef tags.
The Gendarmerie for having the decency not to hamper our progress.

etc, etc...

2b1ask1 · Apr 19, 2012

Green with envy now...

Great reports guys; especially glad le plod left you all alone, gutted for James about the clutch and truly happy Nikos got to join in... on to the next one!

conaero · Apr 19, 2012

Shame James. Had the same issue in the same country. It will be the spring fingers or tangs that have collapsed on the clutch cover plate.

Parisien · Apr 19, 2012

Great resume Miles....the full Parisien style unexpurgated report to follow next week!!!!

;-)

P

safrane · Apr 19, 2012

So those who have done the alpine passes; what were your thoughts of the Route Napoleon? I understand is was wet so progress was left than flat out, but I prefer this road but would welcome your thoughts.

Parisien · Apr 19, 2012

Some sections were fab others....poorly surfacrd to truly enjoy....add in rain and a bit of fatigue....perhaps took the edge off it

P

jamesc69 · Apr 19, 2012

Conaero said:
Shame James. Had the same issue in the same country. It will be the spring fingers or tangs that have collapsed on the clutch cover plate.

Spot on mat! 3 fingers collapsed, clutch and spigot bearing totalled.
37k on 1st clutch on 6 year old car is not too bad.
At least It held until 90% of the tour and all the best roads had been completed.

J

2b1ask1 · Apr 19, 2012

Ouch!

As you say, you got the best bit done before it started to go. Hope you get it sorted and make sure you get Loz's top notch spiggot bearing put in (see clutch thread)!

conaero · Apr 19, 2012

jamesc69 said:
Spot on mat! 3 fingers collapsed, clutch and spigot bearing totalled.
37k on 1st clutch on 6 year old car is not too bad.
At least It held until 90% of the tour and all the best roads had been completed.

J

I think you did ok there. I did not make it back to Blighty. I got half way back then hit mass traffic at Rouen and that was tow truck time.

Whenever I go away I always take the AA single trip insurance and its was worth its weight in gold. Picked the car up and took me and my passenger all the way home and then the car onto Meridien Modena for new clutch. The only bummer was it happened 6 days after the warranty ended, but to be fair, Maserati UK supplied the parts and I paid Â£700 labour to Meridien and had, plate, cover, bearing, spigot and clutch housing rear bearing so not all doom and gloom.

Neadless to say, the previous owner was an AUTO mode guy and hence why at 25k miles it was on its 3rd clutch.

conaero · Apr 19, 2012

Sorry forgot to add. The early CC clutch covers had a single tang and the later ones a stronger twin tang so I have been lead to believe, but we do see a lot of these failures. It might be worth getting the fitting engineer to let you know what type it is.