Off to France in Groliffe

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:49 pm

What do I need to take?

I know I need a hi-viz, 1st aid kit, some headlight deflectors, a warning triangle, spare bulbs - is there anything else I need to be street legal in la belle France?

And what else would people recommend taking, based on their experience? I'm thinking some hose-tape, spare fuel filter, the usual breakdown stuff - what else?

Thoughts and inputs gratefully received.

Oscar

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:05 pm

GB badge!

RAC cover for when you are over their, worth every penny of £38 it cost me for a week.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:08 pm

Make sure your fans are cutting in when they should and that the coolant's in good order.

You could take out the AA European breakdown cover (and they do a £500 parts and labour cover option too), but that might be too expensive to consider, but do check it out. (It worked out at less than £14 a day repatriation/roadside etc. with replacement car cover and up to £500 parts and labour for my XM this year)...

I would check you carry LHM, some wire to tie up the exhaust should it fall off, some duct tape, tie wraps, toolkit, torch, rags and gloves, a hose repair kit* and some WD40. Plus the mandatory stuff like bulbs, beam convertors, triangle and hi-vis vests. Not to mention a litre of oil, small first aid kit, blanket, 2 litres of water plus some anti-freeze (for the car not you lol!), phrase book, car documentation (including insurance and licence)...

*Hose repair kit - a bunch of two (I think) types of tape and some clips (?). Halfrauds sell 'em.

Oh and make sure your tyres - including the spare - are all good and up to pressure. Check the jack and wheel brace are present.

You could carry a spare clutch cable too - and anything else that's specific to the RHD BX (that is essential) - as although you won't want to fit them at least a garagiste could with the right part at hand.

PS The hi vis jackets should be within reach of the driver without getting out of the car - not in the boot. (Many place them on the rear parcel shelf, in view of passing Gendarmes).

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:24 pm

If there's a chance you may wander into Spain - 2 Hi-vis vests. At least a crosspoint screwdriver - you need to be able to change a rear bulb.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:19 pm

Thanks chaps. Most of that is in the car already, I think - part of driving a 20 year old vehicle.....

Cheers

Oscar

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 9:07 pm

Crikey, one other thought - what else is specific to the RHD BX? Help please?

Oscar

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 9:50 pm

The first thing that springs to mind is dashboard, but that's neither relevant or practical. Speedo cable, but that's liveable without. Can't think of anything RHD specific that's important, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

I might be travelling hopefully, but I would say a lot of spares can be left behind if you do a few checks beforehand. Hoses for example rarely go without showing signs of age beforehand. Same with exhaust rubbers. I personally wouldn't bother with anti freeze - if your car needs significant topping up then it's obviously going somewhere, and I'd just use plain coolant till it's fixed. Thinking back to the BXagon, I leant my 5 litre container of water to Team Green Tiger who had a leak. I'd been using it to brush teeth/cook with etc when I was roughing it sleeping in the car so I'd brought a goodly amount. It was only after I asked for my container back, and started brushing my teeth that I realised it still contained an unpleasant amount of anti-freeze. *shudders*

It can't hurt to be well prepared, but I took the BX to Switzerland last year with no tool kit, no spares and no breakdown cover. Makes the trip more of an adventure!

Post by **Defender110** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:08 pm

mat_fenwick wrote: It can't hurt to be well prepared, but I took the BX to Switzerland last year with no tool kit, no spares and no breakdown cover. Makes the trip more of an adventure!

Yep, that's the spirit!

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:04 pm

Oscar wrote:Crikey, one other thought - what else is specific to the RHD BX? Help please?

Oscar

The only thing really is the clutch cable that I can think of that might strand you.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:50 am

corkscrew/bottle opener and a knife to cut cheese, sausage and bread - and some money to pay the garage to fix your car whilst you have a good lunch!

Headlights are specific to lhd or rhd cars - but not a show stopper.

Mark Dunmore · Post by **Mark Dunmore** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:30 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote:
Oscar wrote:Crikey, one other thought - what else is specific to the RHD BX? Help please?

Oscar
The only thing really is the clutch cable that I can think of that might strand you.

Throttle cable?

mike st gilles · Post by **mike st gilles** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:49 pm

Don't forget to have the hi viz vests inside the car ....not in the boot and its the number of people travelling that denotes the number of vests so if there's 4 of you ....yep you can do the maths.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:32 pm

Mike, thanks for that, thought it was just one.

Mat, if it were just me, I'd take off, but SWMBO is a little more risk-averse than I am.

The oil cooler tube is pretty worn - anyone got a spare? I could take it off Swampy but I can't bear to decommission it yet.....I suppose some self-amalgamating tape will hold it together.

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:41 pm

scarecrow wrote:Headlights are specific to lhd or rhd cars - but not a show stopper.

Just being pedantic - aren\'t the fittings the same?

So if you had to buy a headlamp abroad, it would do fine until you got back to the UK, no? You\'d just have to remember to buy headlamp adaptors in Calais!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:05 am

stuart_hedges wrote:
scarecrow wrote:Headlights are specific to lhd or rhd cars - but not a show stopper.
Just being pedantic - aren't the fittings the same?

So if you had to buy a headlamp abroad, it would do fine until you got back to the UK, no? You\'d just have to remember to buy headlamp adaptors in Calais!

Yup - that's what I meant

Edit: Fixed it!