Taking BX spares to France?

anaconda · Post by **anaconda** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:28 am

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?

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:58 am

I'd only worry about anything critical, and RHD specific. Clutch cable perhaps?

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 9:33 am

Maybe the odd spare belt, HP and alternator and a good tool kit. Oh, and some extra green blood too.

Andy

KevR · Post by **KevR** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:35 pm

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.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:49 pm

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.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:15 pm

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.

ren16tx · Post by **ren16tx** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 9:41 pm

Breakdown cover!!!!!!!!

mds141 · Post by **mds141** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:14 pm

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.

anaconda · Post by **anaconda** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:18 pm

Thanks.

So apart from the accelerator cable, which other components come into the 'RHD specific' category?

..,..and we always get breakdown cover

KevR · Post by **KevR** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:29 pm

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.

And warning triangle too...
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.

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:23 pm

Dont forget the compulsory light bulb and fuze kit either. A must if you are travelling abroad.

Andy

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:29 pm

anaconda wrote:Thanks.

So apart from the accelerator cable, which other components come into the 'RHD specific' category?

..,..and we always get breakdown cover

Clutch cable I presume? Has different routing but that is a guess!

KevR · Post by **KevR** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:37 pm

Grenman wrote:Dont forget the compulsory light bulb and fuze kit either. A must if you are travelling abroad.

Andy

Not actually compulsory though - at least not in France.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:00 pm

KevR wrote:
Grenman wrote:Dont forget the compulsory light bulb and fuze kit either. A must if you are travelling abroad.

Andy
Not actually compulsory though - at least not in France.

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...

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:38 pm

I stand corrected, i thought it was a legal requirement to have a spare bulb/fuze kit whilst traveling in the EU.

Wise to do so though, got the lot with me, not in kit form though.

Andy