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European LandRovering


Turbocharger

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I'm considering a holiday in the south of France, and by calculations it's cheaper to drive than fly (my environmental concerns, y'see). Any thoughts about spare parts to take / preventative maintenance beforehand etc? I've just done all the oils, the timing belt isn't two years old.

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Wheel bearings check/grease before you go? I would. Would also change fuel filter before you go.

Obviously a grease up of props and stuff, and I'd take:

a spare UJ

a spare viscous coupling for the fan

spare fan belt (never known a 300 one break but you never know - I carry an old one under the seat as a spare)

some spare wheelnuts

just for a few things you'd curse if you needed and didn't have. How common are LR dealers in the saaf of France?

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when ever me and the mrs do a trip, we always have the following as a minimum:

4 wheel bearings ( plus lock tabs, gaskets and oil seals)

Recently added a stub axle to the list after the usual happened on way to Malvern last year.

2 prop UJ's

spare belts

Old set of brake pads... emergency get ya out of a hole type thing.

Oils and greases

2 inner tubes

spare oil and fuel filter

bulbs and fuses (legal requirement in many EU countries now)

odd bits of wire

Warning triangle and hi-viz vest I think are a legal requirement in France aswell, but I could be wrong.

I have seen spares lists that include things like clutch kits, altenators and starter motors, but this seems a bit excessive unless you are going out the back of beyond. :huh:

However, sods law says that the only bits to break will be the bits you don't have the spares/tools to fix! :rolleyes:

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I'm considering a holiday in the south of France,

Remember to take ALL of your driving paperwork with you. You'll see lots about warning triangles, first aid kits etc. but apparently you can do porridge for forgetting your MOT certificate.

Chris

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I went in my car about a month ago to the Alps, we found the cheapest ferries were Norfolkline going Dover-Dunkirk. Petrol is about the same price as here now, diesel a bit cheaper - probably about 80p/litre.

We had breakdown cover with Directline and when we lost half the gears on a fiesta they came out quickly on a sunday afternoon, but having had a fiddle underneath the guy just spent the next 5 minutes trying to translate "adventure" in French and told us to go on our way. To be fair we made it back home but it was a bit worrying when they lost all the gears to the back of the gearstick and then lost power so couldn't go over 70mph.

You're probably not worried about speeding in a Land Rover but I think if you're caught doing over 50kph over the limit they take your licence away on the spot now. I think my car got flashed by two cameras on the autoroutes this year doing 90-100mph (not whilst I was driving though!) but I haven't heard anything about those. Set 3 off last year and never heard anything of those either.

Actually on reading that, none of it's what you asked but it might be useful anyway.

Richard

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I'm considering a holiday in the south of France, and by calculations it's cheaper to drive than fly

Have you taken into account cost of tolls too. This adds quite a bit to cost of driving down there, unless you want to relax and do it all by A road

Steve :)

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Have you taken into account cost of tolls too. This adds quite a bit to cost of driving down there, unless you want to relax and do it all by A road

Steve :)

will cost you about 50e in tolls to get to the south of France.

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Calais to Nice tolls are 86 euros each way ………….. speeding is an on the spot fine unless you have no means to pay ………. then you can (read ‘will’) be arrested ( they take your passport) and taken before a magistrate ……….

A good place to check Tolls and do your mapping is http://www.mappy.com/

Be aware of driving with front fogs on at night in the rain……….. that will cost 90 euro’s on the spot ……………. Getting stopped for a dirty number plate and referring to the gendarme as a ar$shole is worth 60 euro’s :lol: (negotiated down from a 100)…………… doing 203.4 kph down the outside lane of the A7 autoroute was worth 160 euro’s …… :rolleyes:

Spares……….. I take a few, but not a lot ……… usually stuff that I can affect a temporary repair with to get me to a garage. I have generally found that most French grease monkeys are plop hot with both diagnosis and repair. ………. However, I always service and go over everything before we go …… prevention is better than cure. ;)

Ian

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I'm considering a holiday in the south of France, and by calculations it's cheaper to drive than fly (my environmental concerns, y'see). Any thoughts about spare parts to take / preventative maintenance beforehand etc? I've just done all the oils, the timing belt isn't two years old.

We've just come bach from the Dordogne in Jan's MX-5 and a a fabulous time - France is a really great country the only thing that spoils it is the Fren.....lets not go there.

Any way aswell as spares don't forget all your documenation - I managed to leave everything at home v5, MOT the lot even our e111's (the new credit card ones). :rolleyes::rolleyes: Was a tad nervous on the journey home when I realised what I'd done (didn't tell Jan!!)

Bar one item we remebered all the other compulosory bits, bulbs, extinguisher, red trianangle 1st aid kit and the like. Also France have made ' hi viz' jackets a compulsory carry now I belive (we didn't know this so I didn't take one of these either) All of this is because it is compulsory to stop and assist at the scene of an accident, so you can't just drive past rubber necking like a lot of us lot do....

Lastly don't forget your 'beam benders' - I'd bought them but hadn't fitted them on the strength of not being out after dark....derrr :blink::blink:

First time we used our lights we were flashed by several (understandably annoyed) dazzled French drivers. :angry::angry:

I have to say I didn't notice one LR delership the whole time we were in France (Nor Mazda's which we also looked out for) - so I am guessing sourcing a part you haven't taken might be a bit of a chew. Nither did we notice a lot of Landies either - the french seem very patriotic about their car buying and the place is filled with Pugs, Citreons and Renaults - good on em I do say - perhaps there not all that bad really.... ;);)

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Some really good stuff here, thanks. I'd got most of the mechanical stuff in my mind already, but thoughts on paperwork and hi-vis are new ideas. I'd forgotten beam benders entirely - anyone got a set of LHD halogens they'd lend me for beer?

Re tolls, we'd planned to avoid them and see the countryside more, spend a few days just travelling there. Mappy.com (great site!) reckons we'd go an extra 40 miles avoiding tolls (860miles total, to Monte Carlo), but an extra six hours driving.

Diesel's 80p/litre? I'd been told around a euro a litre (68p).

Recovery - RAC looked attractive until:

We will require Your credit card details, if Your Insured Vehicle is being repatriated under Basic cover, a £250 excess is payable at the time of repatriation.

... and then suddenly they didn't. DirectLine want my car to be 16 years or younger :( so looks like £80 will be going to the AA.

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Some really good stuff here, thanks. I'd got most of the mechanical stuff in my mind already, but thoughts on paperwork and hi-vis are new ideas. I'd forgotten beam benders entirely - anyone got a set of LHD halogens they'd lend me for beer?

Re tolls, we'd planned to avoid them and see the countryside more, spend a few days just travelling there. Mappy.com (great site!) reckons we'd go an extra 40 miles avoiding tolls (860miles total, to Monte Carlo), but an extra six hours driving.

Diesel's 80p/litre? I'd been told around a euro a litre (68p).

Recovery - RAC looked attractive until:

... and then suddenly they didn't. DirectLine want my car to be 16 years or younger :( so looks like £80 will be going to the AA.

Turbocharger I've just checked my facts on my last post and seemingly I have misled you. High Viz jackets are not yet compulsory in France (but apparently likley to become so in the near future.

Alcholics Annonymous (sorry wrong AA) have the definiative list of what is compulsory and what is recomended to take here:-

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overs..._equipment.html

Hope this helps

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Diesel's 80p/litre? I'd been told around a euro a litre (68p).

Went down to Cognac in June - diesel prices vary, but the cheapest (usually the big supermarkets) was around the 1 to 1.10 Euro level. Better than here, but the days of going from Caen to the Dordogne on £10 worth of diesel are now long gone.

We were in the Disco this year, but it was like being invisible. Last year we did the Auvergne in the 90. Got flashed, waved and tooted by every Land Rover we saw.

Take your time and don't use the autoroutes - a much more pleasant drive

STEVE

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Don’t bother about your lights …………………. not many folk do these days ………. and I haven’t for probably the last ten or more visits………........ provincial police and the gendarmes seem unconcerned about it ;)

I strongly recommend you take the autoroute wherever possible………. The N roads are pretty slow in places and you will really struggle to overtake trucks etc ……. as you are sitting on the wrong (blind) side.

Example ……… Calais to Bordeaux ……….. 16 hours down on the ‘N’ roads ………… 8.5 hours back on the autoroute ……………. and I’m not renowned for hanging about either. :rolleyes:

Ian

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Don’t bother about your lights …………………. not many folk do these days ………. and I haven’t for probably the last ten or more visits………........ provincial police and the gendarmes seem unconcerned about it ;)

I strongly recommend you take the autoroute wherever possible………. The N roads are pretty slow in places and you will really struggle to overtake trucks etc ……. as you are sitting on the wrong (blind) side.

Example ……… Calais to Bordeaux ……….. 16 hours down on the ‘N’ roads ………… 8.5 hours back on the autoroute ……………. and I’m not renowned for hanging about either. :rolleyes:

Ian

Can't agree with any of this....(apart from your suggested journey times on Autoroute V N roads)

But of course this is down to personal pref.

it all depends what you want to do.....

Spend a tenner on 'beam benders' and not wind the French up - probably IMHO money well spent to preserve the 'entente cordial' ???SP The Police may not be bothered, but from the number of French drivers who repeatedly flashed me before I fitted them.......it clearly annoyed them.......why not bother...... FGS fit them and get on with the locals.......

Autoroutes are superb, fast and easily the quickest way to get to where you want to go in France. The N roads are slower, free and generally do allow you to quickly dip off in to the local village for Breakfast/Lunch/Evening meal - - delete whichever option applies to the time of day you are travelling.

With a bit of judicous planning the Autoroutes do this too.....but generally N roads are better for this...... however the Autoroute option will cost you more.....

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Useful contact:

French LR fan, speaks excellent English. Bernard used to buy a lot from Matt Savage, but I'm told, by Matt Savage, that he now buys from the bigger wholesalers. Sold me, and delivered to the hotel, a Britpart water pump, cost about £63.

Best of Land,

58 Boulavarde Marius Thomas

13007 Marseille

Tel (33) 04 91 31 56 02

Mob (33) 06 20 66 09 57

Proprietor: Bernard Poggiale

I hope you don't need to use it.

Kevin

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Spend a tenner on 'beam benders' and not wind the French up - probably IMHO money well spent to preserve the 'entente cordial' ???SP The Police may not be bothered, but from the number of French drivers who repeatedly flashed me before I fitted them.......it clearly annoyed them.......why not bother...... FGS fit them and get on with the locals.......

Anyone ever seen a foreign car in the UK with beam benders on? :rolleyes::unsure:

John, if you were to need bits you should be able to get them shipped from the UK in about 48hrs anyway. Try www.autopost.co.uk. They are south London based, happy to export and sell OE as well as crapparts.

Chris

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