Driving up El Teide : Car Recommendations ? - Page 2

canarybird01 · 08-02-10, 10:03

We live in Puerto de la Cruz and I've driven up Teide a couple of times in my present car which does it beautifully...an 8 year old Renault Megan with automatic transmission.

I know this isn't one of the options you mentioned but I can sure vouch for the ease of having an automatic to go up those hills. I think it's much easier to go up Teide from here than from the south.
Can't say for sure as I've never driven up from the other side. It's not a difficult drive at all when using the route from Puerto and La Orotava, but I've never carried a heavy load in the back.

Canarybird (Sharon)

Janet · 08-02-10, 10:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by canarybird01

I think it's much easier to go up Teide from here than from the south.
... It's not a difficult drive at all when using the route from Puerto and La Orotava,

I agree, it's really a nice drive up on the north side. Odd really, when you think it's steeper that side!

Briz · 08-02-10, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by canarybird01

We live in Puerto de la Cruz and I've driven up Teide a couple of times in my present car which does it beautifully...an 8 year old Renault Megan with automatic transmission.

I know this isn't one of the options you mentioned but I can sure vouch for the ease of having an automatic to go up those hills. I think it's much easier to go up Teide from here than from the south.
Can't say for sure as I've never driven up from the other side. It's not a difficult drive at all when using the route from Puerto and La Orotava, but I've never carried a heavy load in the back.

Canarybird (Sharon)

Do you have to hold it in a lower gear when you come down to get engine braking?

Marion · 08-02-10, 12:47

We did Teide last summer and went from the south. We decided to keep driving on towards the north and the road was so much easier. It's a pretty hairy road from the south, gave myself a few palpitations, but managed OK. The car (basic model hire car which was really old - about 8 yrs I think) managed fine. You need the pulling power, but don't worry about speed as you won't be going very fast! LOL I think you'll get a shock at the state of the roads compares to the USA. They can be badly potholed and strewn with loose pebbles and rocks. They are very narrow and the road to Teide is full of hairpin bends. Good Luck!

pelinor · 08-02-10, 13:02

If we ever do the North route we go through 'La Laguna' the road is better than the one that goes to Puerto de La Cruz. Motorway to La Laguna turn right and up you go. It's less taxing I found.

canarybird01 · 08-02-10, 17:46

Quote:

Do you have to hold it in a lower gear when you come down to get engine braking?

Briz...I don't remember if I did that. Perhaps I did a couple of times.

I've been on much steeper roads on other places on the island.

But it sure is a big help to have automatic transmission, so you don't have to keep changing gears.

But of course the car does have a couple of lower gears that one can use for such situations.

Canarybird (Sharon)

Colleen · 08-02-10, 23:24

Make sure you have a tank full of petrol.

THORtenerife · 09-02-10, 18:58

biggest engine you can get
take lots of water,flasks of coffee
stop at la caldera for a trout dinner only €6
FULL TANK OF PETROL texaco outside orotava is cheapest,and repsol at barrosso is last station for 100km!!!!!!

Harlequin · 10-02-10, 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by springian

Hi All,

I'm going to be in Tenerife for work (

) for a week or so, staying in Puerto de la Cruz. The work is going to involve several (3 or 4) trips up to the observatory on the shoulder of El Teide with two people plus 50 kilos of equipment. I'd like to hear some opinions on what kind of rental car would be suitable for the trip.

I'm from the US and haven't driven in Europe for 20 years, so I'm not very familiar with the cars there. The choices at AutoReisen (recommended here on the forum) include :

Citroen C2, C3
Seat Ibiza, Cordoba, Altea
Ford Focus
BMW 1 series

I'm guessing the Citroens and the Ibiza would make it, but only with a lot of "persuasion".

Has anyone driven the Altea or the Focus ? They're only EU 20-30 more than the C2, and I imagine they're reasonably powered. Between the two, does anybody have a preference ?

The BMW would be a splurge, but it's not out of the question. I think the thing I'd want to know is how much of a "driver's paradise" is Tenerife ? I already read about the "colorful" choices people make while driving and lack of parking, but in terms of road quality and uncrowded-ness (early March), would you say it's a fun place for driving ?

Thanks for your help.

Jeff

I would simply say take your time. Many times I have driven up to Teide (in a Passat, which doesn't afford much road clearance) and have seen cars which have driven over rocks and broken something.

I always drive a little more cautiously up those roads as I don't want to have to call a Grua (breakdown truck) 20+ Km away from the nearest village.

With regards car, Seats are good workhorses. Just get something with a big engine because at 2,000 metres you really notice a difference in the engine power when you want to overtake someone in a C3 for example with a smaller engine.

Even with a 2 Litre engine I have to think twice at that altitude before I pull out.

I've driven all the roads up to and down from Teide and for me the North side roads are more scenic but bottom line:

Lots of horse power and a big boot, try and get your power to weight ratio as close to 100 Hp per 1,000 Kg or igher.

springian · 11-02-10, 20:39

Wow, thanks for all the responses ! I'm sure there will be some "luck of the draw"; most rental cars companies I've dealt with seem to just pick from whatever they have on hand. But it looks like we'll go for the Focus of the Altea. The BMW would be fun, but more car = less food.

In hills/mountains, I usually prefer manual. As someone mentioned, the downhill engine braking is a big plus. And thanks for the tip on filling up the tank; I'm still imagining Tenerife as a tiny little island where you're never far from anything ! But the Google Earth view of the mountain does look pretty darn empty.

I think logistics-wise, we're going to stay the first night somewhere near Santa Cruz and recover from jet-lag. Then make the first trip up from La Laguna. After that, the gear will stay up top, and we'll commute back and forth from PdlC.