Trip Through France - Advice Please!!

[Sapperb]

Firstly, advice like 'Don't go,' 'Drive on the other side of the road,' etc I've got plenty of!!
However, what I could use is a guide to what spares I should carry, any contacts over there, etc. I'm sure plenty of you have done it before.
So, we're doing a Dover-Calais at the end of April and driving down to La Palmyre on the Atlantic coast. Looking forward to it with a slight sense of nervousness!!

Heeeelp!!!


Steve

[BUSHWHACKER]

Spare belts, bulbs, fuses.
Re-new the contacts in the starter motor before you go if they haven't been replaced before, or carry a spare set of contacts.
Check the condition of the alternator too.

Tools; 10, 12, 14,17,19mm spanners/sockets. (ratchet spanners are brilliant for roadside repairs)
Screwdrivers, flat, electrical and pozi.
Insulating tape.
A strip of terminal blocks
Radiator hose repair tape, or re-new them beforehand. (don't be tempted to use radweld, it'll just srew your cooling system up!)

Give the truck a damned good grease and service, U/Js, bearings, fluids, balljoints etc.

[gwh200]

Check the legal requirements as well.
I do believe you're required to carry a high visibility vest, bulbs( but vince has already listed those) and a warning triangle. I can't remember if an extinguisher is a legal requirement but just google and check. Oh and have a nice time.

[Rustinho]

It's a couple of years or so since I went but I thought "sod it" and just went without any planning whatsoever and without the missus even having her passport (we got out to France on her driving licence but coming back was a bit trickier!) cos I managed to get tickets for a world cup rugby game.

Had no major problems (rather suprisingly for the Rover 420 that I owned at the time) apart from the drivers side electric window failing while the window was down. Cured by a large plastic bag and some gaffa tape.

From what I recall I could barely afford the fuel to get back as well cos it was just before pay day and we cobbled together our last few Euros (and cents!) to put diesel into the car at Dunkerque to enable us to get home.

Still, the rugby match was brilliant! (Tonga vs South Africa pool A group game)

[VTXLister]

Hi viz jacket now a must as is red triangle, as are spare headlamp bulbs.

When I go over, i also take spare fuses, including the 60a ones.

There isn't much you can't sort out with cable ties and gaffer tape...

And if you have a radar detector, remove it - if you get stopped, the gendarme will place it under one of your wheels and order you to run it over, then escort you to the nearest cashpoint if you don't have enough Euros to pay.

Also they don't like you using vegoil.

[Diezel Weazel]

This may help ..
www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/index.html

"Cos short cuts cost more in the long run"

[blackpoolsparks]

Spare belts, bulbs, fuses.
Re-new the contacts in the starter motor before you go if they haven't been replaced before, or carry a spare set of contacts.
Check the condition of the alternator too.

Tools; 10, 12, 14,17,19mm spanners/sockets. (ratchet spanners are brilliant for roadside repairs)
Screwdrivers, flat, electrical and pozi.
Insulating tape.
A strip of terminal blocks
Radiator hose repair tape, or re-new them beforehand. (don't be tempted to use radweld, it'll just srew your cooling system up!)

Give the truck a damned good grease and service, U/Js, bearings, fluids, balljoints etc.

good list.
a few more things

Tie-wraps
Instant gasket
Rear wheel bearing
an RAC/ AA Euro membership (one off trip)

[wiggy]

Just what everone else said on spares but not a major expedition ...drove to italy the other year and had a safety kit and triangle and some spares....all good but in france the chololada sucks so bring some choclolate for your better half....aircon refill before you go helps ...its in the 20's over here already.....oh and rad weld

............oh and also account for the tolls can be a bit dear dependant on where you are going....

[Apache]

Decent european recovery. RAC comes highly recommended.

I did down east coast to Spanish border, along pyrenees to med, then north west back up to Calais last year and lost a rear wheel bearing. Got it sorted independently at a back street garage in Spain, but as far as help from Green Flag was concerned - worse than useless waste of money!

As far as parts go, I'd take things that are a showstopper if they break (within reason!), such as wheel bearings. Getting it fixed was no problem - getting the parts took time!

[Bald Eagle]

Headlight beam deflectors (self adhesive) to deflect your lights into the right hand ditch. Plenty of coinage for the toll roads, I couldn't believe how many of them there are! We drove Dublin to Arcachon on the Atlantic coast of France, the long way, last Summer, thru Scotland, England, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France. I did a full service including a timing belt change before we went just for peace of mind. Hard sometimes not to worry about breaking down while you're that far away. Does your insurance cover foreign trips? If so, what's covered? Our trip was over 6000kms and my 3rd Gen didn't hiccup even once. Have a ball. P.S. Just in case you haven't arranged them yet, get your EHIC cards.You can never be too safe. P.P.S. In the small rest stops/layby's along the roads you'll see that there's a clearly marked section as you pull into them. This section is car sized and located at the entry end of the layby, always park in this end because if a truck intends using the same layby he can swing into it forward of where you're parked. If you park at the front end there's not enough room for the truck to get completely in without shoving your car through the barrier. If a trucks going too fast when he pulls in he doesn't accidentaly plough into the car either.

[wiggy]

Headlight beam deflectors (self adhesive) to deflect your lights into the right hand ditch. Plenty of coinage for the toll roads, I couldn't believe how many of them there are! We drove Dublin to Arcachon on the Atlantic coast of France, the long way, last Summer, thru Scotland, England, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France. I did a full service including a timing belt change before we went just for peace of mind. Hard sometimes not to worry about breaking down while you're that far away. Does your insurance cover foreign trips? If so, what's covered? Our trip was over 6000kms and my 3rd Gen didn't hiccup even once. Have a ball. P.S. Just in case you haven't arranged them yet, get your EHIC cards.You can never be too safe.

Good call forgot about the ehic cards.....Apache is right too green card suck..

[Sapperb]

Big Thanks From Us!

Just wanted to thank everyone for their comments and ideas. I'll get on to ordering spares this weekend. I've got a full service booked for Tuesday and will ask the good lady to sort out EHIC. Any tips on breakdown cover? - not easy to get for a 16yr old Surf. I'm insured with Swinton, and I can get it through them for about £70.

[Apache]

Just be very thorough finding out what your breakdown insurance actually covers. I know for sure Green Flag is hopeless and covers nearly nothing, but also heard 1st hand of the experience of a Discovery owner (he was with us on the trip) who had a full suspension setup shipped out to him by RAC, and was offered recovery to a garage who would fit it all for him - he chose to do it himself.

Green flag basically said to me 'we'll get you home, and we'll bring your truck if it doesn't cost too much - if not we'll leave it there and you can make your own arrangements if you still want it'

[Diezel Weazel]

Try Britannia Rescue ...
15 years ago took a 1973 ex F1 Stockcar Coach to n from the Ukraine !!
Good Luck

"Cos short cuts cost more in the long run"