Taking BX spares to France?
Taking BX spares to France?
We go to France regularly for our jollies, and love camping. We'll take the campervan in August but off season there are some great deals on mobile homes etc and the BX will now be our transport.
If we get problems with the car in France then its not the end of the world, it being its spiritual home and all, but does anyone have any views on taking spares abroad. Which spares do you reckon its worth taking?
If we get problems with the car in France then its not the end of the world, it being its spiritual home and all, but does anyone have any views on taking spares abroad. Which spares do you reckon its worth taking?
1991 BX TGD Saloon
1990 VW T25 Camper. Currently on sabbatical
1990 VW T25 Camper. Currently on sabbatical
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I tend to take anything light, which can be squirelled away. Belts, bulbs, fuses, a few bits of wire and connectors and tape, a strut return pipe, cable ties and a jubilee clip or three, a few bits of assorted rubber pipe and connectors for repairing split octopus pipes, that sort of thing. Plus some LHM and coolant of course. Clutch cable is a good idea, as Mat says - I keep meaning to put one wrapped up inside the spare wheel, but I keep forgetting.
The thing with France is that you can pretty much guarantee the shops will be shut any time you need anything in a hurry. A lot of motor factors don't open at the weekends, practically nowhere is open on a sunday and a lot of places are closed monday as well, plus there's the usual 2 hour lunch break. Add to that the fact it's a relatively underpopulated country and you can find it surprisingly hard to get hold of parts or assistance without travelling miles. Most breakdowns are trivial and can be sorted at the roadside with a few basic tools and spares and a bit of imagination - better in my view than waiting hours or days for the chance to either buy the bit you need or wait for someone to come and rescue you.
The thing with France is that you can pretty much guarantee the shops will be shut any time you need anything in a hurry. A lot of motor factors don't open at the weekends, practically nowhere is open on a sunday and a lot of places are closed monday as well, plus there's the usual 2 hour lunch break. Add to that the fact it's a relatively underpopulated country and you can find it surprisingly hard to get hold of parts or assistance without travelling miles. Most breakdowns are trivial and can be sorted at the roadside with a few basic tools and spares and a bit of imagination - better in my view than waiting hours or days for the chance to either buy the bit you need or wait for someone to come and rescue you.
1990 BX TZD Estate ('the grey one', 1991 BX TZD Estate ('the white one'), 1982 2CV6 Charleston (in bits), 1972 AZU Serie B (2CV van), 1974 HY72 Camper, 1990 Land Rover 110 diesel LWB, 1957 Mobylette AV76, 1992 Ducati 400SS, 1966 VW Beetle, 1990 Mazda MX-5, 1996 Peugeot 106D, 1974 JCB 2D MkII, 1997 BMW R1100RS, 1987 Suzuki GSX-R1100, 1978 Honda CX500A, 1965 Motobecane Cady, 1988 Honda Bros/Africa Twin, 1963 Massey Ferguson 825, and a lot of bicycles!
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Mat's spot on about RHD specific stuff. Everything else you can probably find on your travels, so focus on essential stuff. An alternator isn't essential because you can travel a surprisingly long way without one charging properly. An alternator belt is light and easy to change roadside so is worth carrying.
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To be more specific, I was saying RHD specific stuff in addition to anything else you personally deem to be needed day to day.
I tend to travel pretty light, and although I carry LHM over here due to limited availability, I wouldn't bother in France as just about every supermarket and petrol station sells it. I'm of the view that if you need it that suddenly, you must have a large enough leak to need more than is feasible to carry!
But if it makes you feel happier, then carry whatever helps you to worry less.
I tend to travel pretty light, and although I carry LHM over here due to limited availability, I wouldn't bother in France as just about every supermarket and petrol station sells it. I'm of the view that if you need it that suddenly, you must have a large enough leak to need more than is feasible to carry!
But if it makes you feel happier, then carry whatever helps you to worry less.
RHD accelerator cable. Don't forget your hi-viz vest. Don't want to give the Gendermarie any excuses to frog-march(intended pun) you to the nearest hostage, ahem, cash point do we.
Mark Smith
Is it just me or is everything shit?
1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.
1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
Is it just me or is everything shit?
1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.
1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
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And warning triangle too...mds141 wrote:RHD accelerator cable. Don't forget your hi-viz vest. Don't want to give the Gendermarie any excuses to frog-march(intended pun) you to the nearest hostage, ahem, cash point do we.
Local Bricomarché here is currently doing an offer on a kit of triangle and Hi-Viz vest in a nice compact carry case for 4 euros. Buy one get one get one free.
1990 BX TZD Estate ('the grey one', 1991 BX TZD Estate ('the white one'), 1982 2CV6 Charleston (in bits), 1972 AZU Serie B (2CV van), 1974 HY72 Camper, 1990 Land Rover 110 diesel LWB, 1957 Mobylette AV76, 1992 Ducati 400SS, 1966 VW Beetle, 1990 Mazda MX-5, 1996 Peugeot 106D, 1974 JCB 2D MkII, 1997 BMW R1100RS, 1987 Suzuki GSX-R1100, 1978 Honda CX500A, 1965 Motobecane Cady, 1988 Honda Bros/Africa Twin, 1963 Massey Ferguson 825, and a lot of bicycles!
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Not actually compulsory though - at least not in France.Grenman wrote:Dont forget the compulsory light bulb and fuze kit either. A must if you are travelling abroad.
Andy
1990 BX TZD Estate ('the grey one', 1991 BX TZD Estate ('the white one'), 1982 2CV6 Charleston (in bits), 1972 AZU Serie B (2CV van), 1974 HY72 Camper, 1990 Land Rover 110 diesel LWB, 1957 Mobylette AV76, 1992 Ducati 400SS, 1966 VW Beetle, 1990 Mazda MX-5, 1996 Peugeot 106D, 1974 JCB 2D MkII, 1997 BMW R1100RS, 1987 Suzuki GSX-R1100, 1978 Honda CX500A, 1965 Motobecane Cady, 1988 Honda Bros/Africa Twin, 1963 Massey Ferguson 825, and a lot of bicycles!
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That's news to me! I did wonder at the sense of it given that most modern French cars require you to take the car to a dealership to replace a headlamp bulb...KevR wrote:Not actually compulsory though - at least not in France.Grenman wrote:Dont forget the compulsory light bulb and fuze kit either. A must if you are travelling abroad.
Andy