I'm still working hard to get back the cost of a tank of gas. On the way back from the South Island to Auckland, I took half a day to go to Muriwai Beach and spent half a day looking for a rental car company near the airport. I found a Corolla for 480 yuan with full insurance. When I picked up the car, the salesperson tried to sell me an additional 27 New Zealand dollars of insurance, but I ignored her. When I looked inside the car, the fuel tank only had enough fuel to run 121 kilometers. I told her about it, and she said it was no problem as long as I returned the car with an empty fuel tank. Since the pickup and return process had gone smoothly before, I didn't think much of it. When I returned the car the next morning, there was still enough fuel in the tank to run for more than 130 kilometers. But as soon as I arrived at the airport, I received information that I had been charged 134.11 New Zealand dollars, and when I asked, it turned out to be for fuel. Can you imagine where the credibility comes from ?
New Zealand Q&A
May I ask you a question? We took the expressway from Naples to Rome, which should be A1. We got on from the northern entrance of Naples, and the lane we took did not have a Telepass sign, nor did it have a horizontal bar blocking it. But when we pressed the button to take the card, no card came out. There was a long line of cars behind us, so we had to get on the expressway and go to Rome. As a result, we got a ticket, which should be a fine. The normal expressway fee from Naples to Rome should have been paid at the exit manned by staff. We still have to pay more than 60 euros at another place ourselves, because we don't think we took the wrong lane. So I wrote an email to Telepass's website to appeal, but more than 10 days have passed and we still haven't received a response. The ticket says we must pay within 15 days, otherwise there will be a fine. May I ask if you have encountered a similar situation and what should we do next? Thank you ?
Italy Q&A
The choice of this route was made under many premises. First, we took into account the weekends before and after, and on Saturday there was only a direct flight from Shanghai to Barcelona. We considered going from Macau to Barcelona, but the cost was much higher than going in and out at the same time, and we were a group of six people, which was a significant expense. Second, due to the large number of people, we were concerned about the uncertainty of the transfer, so we naturally chose a direct flight. Third, there were many places to play, and choosing to commute by train and plane would result in more time spent at the station and airport, while the cost of renting a car and returning it at a different location was higher than returning it at the same location, so in the end we chose the big closed loop route. Another key issue is that no matter where you enter or exit, the last place to leave is Barcelona. One reason is to put shopping in Barcelona, and the other is to put the most stunning Sagrada Familia as the last viewing point. Before determining the plan, we also thought about it, but 600 kilometers is not too far. Our flight arrives in Barcelona at 8 am on the sixth day, so it won't take us too long to get to Madrid. Two people drive, it's not too tired ?
Spain Q&A
I rented a Mercedes-Benz E-Class for my trip. Before picking up the car, I didn't know if it was an E200 or E220, petrol or diesel. But I did my homework beforehand, and if it was an E220, then it would be the diesel version. It turned out to be an E200, and I was a bit disappointed, as the horsepower would be lower, but there was nothing I could do about it. I checked the car and found that the latch in the bottom of the trunk was broken, causing the luggage cover inside to not close properly. I told the staff at the pick-up location that this needed to be fixed, or else I would request a different car. They said that there was only this E200 available at the moment, and asked if I would accept a different model. I said that I was used to driving a Mercedes-Benz and didn't consider other options. They quickly brought over an E220d and asked if I wanted it. Do I even need to answer that ?
Germany Q&A
I originally drove on the highway in southern France. Each section had a different toll. Some had toll booths where you had to take a card, while others required you to pay first without a card. Look at the signs above the toll booths to see if you need to take the ETC lane or the regular lane with the toll sign. There was a toll to get to Paris, and there was a toll on one section of the highway to Monaco. There were no tolls on the highways in southern France, but I remember there was an automatic machine at Nice airport that could exchange paper money for coins. I think the toll machines automatically counted the coins you put in, so you didn't have to count them yourself. There were a lot of one-way streets in France, especially in small towns, and the roads were very narrow. Also, always lock your car doors when you leave it, because we were waiting at a red light on a road in Gannat and someone opened our trunk. Fortunately, we had read in the guidebook to lock the car doors before getting out, so we didn't get stolen. This time, we picked up the car in Paris and drove to the Loire Valley ?
France Q&A
How to refuel when driving in France?
In France, gas stations are widely available and easy to find, especially in urban areas. Most gas stations are open 24 hours a day, although some may have limited hours on weekends or holidays.
To refuel your car, simply pull up to a pump and insert your fuel card or pay with cash. Gasoline in France is sold in liters, with unleaded gasoline (essence) being the most common type.
It's important to note that French gas stations do not typically provide self-service fueling, so you will need to ask an attendant to pump your gas for you. Additionally, many gas stations require payment before pumping the fuel, so be sure to have cash or a credit card ready.
If you're unsure about where to find a gas station, you can use a GPS or map app on your phone to locate one nearby. Additionally, many French highways have gas stations located along the side of the road, so keep an eye out for these as you drive ?
France Q&A
We arrived in Paris on the 13th and stayed for 6 days, then drove to Fontainebleau, Lyon, Nice, Monaco, Genoa, Florence, and arrived in Rome yesterday. We were on edge the whole way... First of all, the temperature here is not hot. The wind is quite cold. We have to wear down jackets and woolen hats to keep warm. It is not recommended to drive in the city of Paris. It is difficult to find parking spaces on the road surface. The entrances and exits of underground parking lots are too narrow and difficult to find. Navigation mainly relies on the map built into the Apple phone, which is actually a collaboration with Tom Tom and is very accurate. The maps we downloaded at home are not very reliable, including Google Maps. We were misled several times, even guided to a snow-covered mountain road at night. Maybe it's because we didn't enter the address accurately. Remember to enter the postal code of the region. Google Play needs to be installed to have offline maps, so you must have wireless WiFi. The high-speed rail here is very fast. France is 130 and Italy is 110. I think this is the lowest speed. There will always be cars following me to drive. After all, the car company gave me a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz E200 station wagon, black German license plate, which is too eye-catching. This caused me to park in the underground garage and dare not park on the road, for fear that my car windows would be broken and my bag would be stolen. All overtaking must be done from the left side, and then the left lane must be given up. It is forbidden to occupy the left lane for a long time. Right-hand overtaking is strictly prohibited, which is very dangerous! Highways need to prepare some 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1, and 0.5 euro banknotes and coins in advance. Do not enter the electronic payment channel by mistake. France and Italy have many dark tunnels that are relatively narrow. Overtaking and turning do not slow down. It feels like you're driving a race car, so small cars are popular here. Their control performance is good. Remember not to rent big cars! My Mercedes-Benz is too long, and the city control is really a bit difficult. Those streets, tunnels, and parking lot passages are really narrow! Bring fewer luggage when you go out ?
France Q&A