Relocation from UK to Bulgaria with my 2015 Toyota Aygo;

[asdormin]

Good afternoon, everyone! My name is Asen and I own a 2015 Toyota Aygo, which recently just hit 150k miles. I have had it from almost brand new and for 6 years, and have used it for work mainly, doing 80-100 mile trips on a daily basis. It has never ever been to the garage for anything else than tyres, breaks, pads and servicing, not even once. Never had any advisories on MOT or services either, it has just been absolutely rock solid. I am relocating to my home country soon and I have already sent my luggage, but I need to travel by road, because i have a couple of parrots and flying them is extortionately expensive, so i intend to go with my beloved car. It will be just me and my birds, so will not be loaded or heavy, but I am a bit concerned about the distance, age and mileage. I have just replaced all tyres and brakes. I will fully service it before I go and get European breakdown cover. I will try to get the best one there is out there, so i am covered properly in the event of breakdowns. I intend to drive around 300-400 miles, before i take a couple of hours break, to try to prevent overheating, with 5-6 hours of sleep during the night, meaning that I should get there in around 3 days. I would really like to hear your opinion about my plan and I would like you to be honest about it. People around me have been telling me that the car would never make it, because the engine is too small and the distance is big, but I would like to think that I know my car better than them. I know that you can not predict anything like this, but do you think that I am being naive or stupid, as I have been called by some of them?  Looking forward to hear your opinions and thank you in advance.

[Bper]

Hi Asen,It sounds like you've got a good plan for your road journey.Your Aygo's high mileage with consistent maintenance is very good, and your approach with a full service and breakdown cover shows you're well prepared.

150,000 miles with regular maintenance suggests a pretty dependable Aygo.

Replacing tyes and brakes beforehand is wise, and a full service will catch any potential issues.

European breakdown cover ensures help in case of emergencies.

Breaking up the trip with rest stops helps prevent fatigue and overheating for you and your car.

While the distance and engine size are valid concerns, Consider 200-250 mile days instead of 300 for a less stressful drive. The Aygo has limited luggage space, so prioritise essentials for you and the parrots.Your car's history indicates it's capable, and you've taken steps to ensure a smooth trip.Pack water, snacks, a first aid kit, and a flashlight for unexpected situations.

Research rest stops with amenities suitable for your parrots.Road journeys are interesting,so relax and take in the sights along the way.

Remember, unexpected things can happen, but breakdown cover provides a safety net. Pay attention to your car if it struggles or makes unusual noises, get it checked. With preparation and attentiveness, you and your parrots will have a safe and memorable trip. Hope this helps.

[asdormin]

46 minutes ago, Bper said:

Hi Asen,It sounds like you've got a good plan for your road journey.Your Aygo's high mileage with consistent maintenance is very good, and your approach with a full service and breakdown cover shows you're well prepared.

150,000 miles with regular maintenance suggests a pretty dependable Aygo.

Replacing tyes and brakes beforehand is wise, and a full service will catch any potential issues.

European breakdown cover ensures help in case of emergencies.

Breaking up the trip with rest stops helps prevent fatigue and overheating for you and your car.

While the distance and engine size are valid concerns, Consider 200-250 mile days instead of 300 for a less stressful drive. The Aygo has limited luggage space, so prioritise essentials for you and the parrots.Your car's history indicates it's capable, and you've taken steps to ensure a smooth trip.Pack water, snacks, a first aid kit, and a flashlight for unexpected situations.

Research rest stops with amenities suitable for your parrots.Road journeys are interesting,so relax and take in the sights along the way.

Remember, unexpected things can happen, but breakdown cover provides a safety net. Pay attention to your car if it struggles or makes unusual noises, get it checked. With preparation and attentiveness, you and your parrots will have a safe and memorable trip. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the quick and extensive reply, your words certainly make me a lot more confident! Are you suggesting 200-250 mile days out of concern for me or the vehicle though? I am a pretty experienced driver and often drive long distances, so I am not worried about myself. I forgot to mention that i intend to cruise at around 60-65m/h, as i have noticed that it runs most smoothly at that speed, which i know will make my journey longer, but i think that it would protect the engine.

[tsikis007]

Drive your car up to 2500 - 3000 rpm with a speed of up to 120 km.                                  In general, don't push the engine.
Check the condition of the antifreeze and external belt.
The trip is long, so both you and the car needed a break.
I wish you a good and safe trip.

[asdormin]

6 minutes ago, tsikis007 said:

Drive your car up to 2500 - 3000 rpm with a speed of up to 120 km.                                  In general, don't push the engine.
Check the condition of the antifreeze and external belt.
The trip is long, so both you and the car needed a break.
I wish you a good and safe trip.

Thank you for the quick reply and suggestions. The external belt was changed 8 months ago, because the old one was starting to wear down. Do you mean completely replacing the antifreeze or topping it up? I am not quite sure what I need to look out for.

[tsikis007]

A workshop can check if the coolant need change or you can do with an antifreeze tester.
Toyota OEM coolant is for -37.

[Bper]

56 minutes ago, asdormin said:

Thank you for the quick and extensive reply, your words certainly make me a lot more confident! Are you suggesting 200-250 mile days out of concern for me or the vehicle though? I am a pretty experienced driver and often drive long distances, so I am not worried about myself. I forgot to mention that i intend to cruise at around 60-65m/h, as i have noticed that it runs most smoothly at that speed, which i know will make my journey longer, but i think that it would protect the engine.

Hi Ansen, I mentioned shorter journeys for two reasons, pets can get very stressed especially if they are not used to long car journeys. It can also be tiring travelling on your own and unless you have a specific reason to get to your destination quickly why not stop off at a few interesting places that you can find on Google etc. I think you are concerned at the reliability of your Yaris but you have already proved how reliable it is by your daily 100 mile journeys.

IMO the worst case sinario if you did break down, you have international breakdown cover so if it was required they could arrange for you to trailered to your home destination. I would take regular breaks stop off at a few interesting places and make it a pleasant and safe journey for you and your parrots. I would not worry about the car you have taken care of it so i am sure it will take care of you, And remember it is a Toyota.

[APS]

2 hours ago, asdormin said:

because i have a couple of parrots and flying them is extortionately expensive,

And who knows where they'd fly 😉 (sorry)

2 hours ago, asdormin said:

I would really like to hear your opinion about my plan and I would like you to be honest about it. People around me have been telling me that the car would never make it, because the engine is too small and the distance is big, but I would like to think that I know my car better than them.

The car will probably be the least of your worries. If it has done 230,000 km by now, doing another 2000 km will unlikely be a problem. Unless there is already a problem with the cooling system, it will not overheat. The car will go for as along as there is fuel in it. 

The most important factor is that you are well rested and that the birds are calm. As Bob said, take it easy and take time for some impromptu sightseeing. It will be an adventure in itself. Best of luck and safe travels!

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

that sounds like a great adventure and interesting journey. As others said there is no worries about the car but you need to be more concerned about the birds. You need to make sure there is plenty of fresh food, water,  fresh air and keep them away from direct sunlight or heat from the car heating system. Try to maintain room temperature inside the car. Do more frequent stops. You will need to think about having sun shades or something to make birds more comfortable and relaxed. I also have two budgies and had taken them twice on a short half an hour journeys, but nothing as so long for days. 
For the car, don’t worry. As long as is serviced and all fluids topped up , brakes and tyres are new you will be alright. Don’t push it too much, drive safe and sensible and don’t try to keep up with the rest of the drivers. 
Remember to have an extra bottle of engine oil, windscreen wash, and plenty of drinking water. Enjoy your travel. One day I will need to do exactly the same. 👌👍🇧🇬

[Wiz201]

The size of the engine doesn't matter with travelling long distances, as long as you do it sensibly like you have been doing then you'll be fine.

[Cyker]

Assuming the route is relatively flat and there aren't loads of up-hill parts, the car should do it fairly easily.

I'm more worried about you!! After long journeys my lower back and shoulders are usually aching like heck, and motorways are *really* boring to be on for a long time. It's much nicer when there's someone else in the car (Esp. if they can also drive  )

Just do all the usual checks - tyre pressures, fluid levels etc; Consider bringing bottles of oil, coolant and washer fluid or making a note of places where you can find such things en route.

 

[1.33]

In addition to carrying spare oil, water etc, I'd carry a tyre inflator and a basic tool kit. If you have any issues, you'll be able to fix them yourself and keep on the move rather than have to wait for a recovery. I've done my fair share of long distance driving in the UK and abroad. Make sure you comply with the legal requirements for any of the countries you're travelling through, e.g. France (high-vis jacket, spare bulbs etc).

If you've owned your Aygo for 6 years, you'll be familiar with it's limitations and ability to do the journey. There is a video on a well known site where the owner took his Citroen 2CV to Croatia. The Aygo should be more than capable of making the journey provided it's been maintained correctly.

[asdormin]

On 3/25/2024 at 8:36 PM, Bper said:

Hi Ansen, I mentioned shorter journeys for two reasons, pets can get very stressed especially if they are not used to long car journeys. It can also be tiring travelling on your own and unless you have a specific reason to get to your destination quickly why not stop off at a few interesting places that you can find on Google etc. I think you are concerned at the reliability of your Yaris but you have already proved how reliable it is by your daily 100 mile journeys.

IMO the worst case sinario if you did break down, you have international breakdown cover so if it was required they could arrange for you to trailered to your home destination. I would take regular breaks stop off at a few interesting places and make it a pleasant and safe journey for you and your parrots. I would not worry about the car you have taken care of it so i am sure it will take care of you, And remember it is a Toyota.

I am personally in no hurry to get there, but it needs to happen within 5 days, because there are certain requirements about importing my birds into the EU, in relation to their Export Health Certificates and Avian Influenza testing that will be carried out on them just before we leave. That being said, i intend to take my time, but not waste it, because i do have deadlines that i have to comply with.

On 3/25/2024 at 9:14 PM, APS said:

And who knows where they'd fly 😉 (sorry)

The car will probably be the least of your worries. If it has done 230,000 km by now, doing another 2000 km will unlikely be a problem. Unless there is already a problem with the cooling system, it will not overheat. The car will go for as along as there is fuel in it. 

The most important factor is that you are well rested and that the birds are calm. As Bob said, take it easy and take time for some impromptu sightseeing. It will be an adventure in itself. Best of luck and safe travels!

Thank you for your reply and advice! Your words make perfect sense, so i guess that i should stop panicking. I think that it might be best if i got the coolant drained and replaced, and i will purchase some for the road too, along with oil and windscreen liquid. 

On 3/26/2024 at 12:13 PM, TonyHSD said:

Hi, 

that sounds like a great adventure and interesting journey. As others said there is no worries about the car but you need to be more concerned about the birds. You need to make sure there is plenty of fresh food, water,  fresh air and keep them away from direct sunlight or heat from the car heating system. Try to maintain room temperature inside the car. Do more frequent stops. You will need to think about having sun shades or something to make birds more comfortable and relaxed. I also have two budgies and had taken them twice on a short half an hour journeys, but nothing as so long for days. 
For the car, don’t worry. As long as is serviced and all fluids topped up , brakes and tyres are new you will be alright. Don’t push it too much, drive safe and sensible and don’t try to keep up with the rest of the drivers. 
Remember to have an extra bottle of engine oil, windscreen wash, and plenty of drinking water. Enjoy your travel. One day I will need to do exactly the same. 👌👍🇧🇬

Thank you for your reply and advice! My parrots are African Greys and they are rather used to travelling. They have never been on the road for so long though, so i understand that i need to be very cautious about them. I normally cover their cage with a black sheet, so they do not get scared by moving objects and i only let them have visibility in my direction, because me and my voice calms them down very easily. 

23 hours ago, Cyker said:

Assuming the route is relatively flat and there aren't loads of up-hill parts, the car should do it fairly easily.

I'm more worried about you!! After long journeys my lower back and shoulders are usually aching like heck, and motorways are *really* boring to be on for a long time. It's much nicer when there's someone else in the car (Esp. if they can also drive  )

Just do all the usual checks - tyre pressures, fluid levels etc; Consider bringing bottles of oil, coolant and washer fluid or making a note of places where you can find such things en route.

 

Thank you for your reply and advice! I have driven this route a few times and although i am aware that it is very long and tiring, i pretty much know to expect, so i am not that worried about myself. The only difference is that I have always done it in an SUV, so i would simply just drive non-stop for a couple of days, with several hours of sleep during the night, but i understand that i will have to approach this very differently.

6 hours ago, 1.33 said:

In addition to carrying spare oil, water etc, I'd carry a tyre inflator and a basic tool kit. If you have any issues, you'll be able to fix them yourself and keep on the move rather than have to wait for a recovery. I've done my fair share of long distance driving in the UK and abroad. Make sure you comply with the legal requirements for any of the countries you're travelling through, e.g. France (high-vis jacket, spare bulbs etc).

If you've owned your Aygo for 6 years, you'll be familiar with it's limitations and ability to do the journey. There is a video on a well known site where the owner took his Citroen 2CV to Croatia. The Aygo should be more than capable of making the journey provided it's been maintained correctly.

Thank you for your reply and great advice! I do have the factory tire repair kit, which i have never used, so i will most certainly look into it, as it is another great back-up option on the go! I already have everything in place to comply with the legal requirements of the EU countries that i will be passing through. 

[Cyker]

African Greys 'eh? I hope they're a bit more active than the Norwegian Blue...  

 

 

[asdormin]

14 minutes ago, Cyker said:

African Greys 'eh? I hope they're a bit more active than the Norwegian Blue...  

 

 

I sure as hell hope that they are a bit more active than that upon arrival, although my birds are a bit weird and you can sometimes find them sleeping on their belly or back. The first time i saw my female sleeping on her belly though, she scared the crap out of me, because i actually thought that something had happened to her!

[asdormin]

I was driving to work this morning and i realized that I need to ask you about the way i use my speed limiter. Obviously, it comes very handy in urban driving, because of speed limits, temporary signs, etc., but i personally use it in a different way, more like a typical cruise control.  I would set a speed of 60 for instance, then i would sort of straighten my leg and let my foot just weigh/rest on the pedal. It goes all the way down, but since the speed is limited, the car does not go any faster than that, so technically my speed is set and i am not really using my foot, as it . My question is whether or not this is bad for the speed limiter or other parts of the car, because i do usually go long distances like this? Thank you in advance.