Prepping for Euro trip

[suffolkboi]

Looking for some suggestions and answers, on how to make the van as reliable as possible.
We will be embarking on a trip through France and beyond early next year, and just want to prepare to the van as best as possible.

She has done 185k, but i have faith

Work so far -
MOT'ed
Cambelt/pump
OIl/Filter
Diff oil
New Battery

To do
Fuel filter
Brake pads
Air filter

Any suggestions on what else i should do ?

What about running some 2 stroke to clean the engine?
Ideas please.

[Keef]

Obviously make sure you've got recovery.

Transit parts are pretty hard to get hold of in France and they are very expensive. I lost a bottom balljoint in central France and it cost me £65 for a new one and I had to wait 24 hours for it

Although you can't guess what's going to go wrong, if you take all the spare parts you've got, it may save you some heart and wallet ache.

I also take two spare tyres plus one of those cheap puncture repair kits that you shove a bit of rubberised string into the puncture and a 12v pump for good measure as the French fit replacement tyres in pairs and it can get pretty expensive.

[peepingTOM]

A length of leak off pipe and spare injector allways come in handy, learned the hardway a few years ago.

[F111ORY]

Hi, I have had my smiley for about 10 years now and have just fitted the third handbrake cable. When did your van last have a new one ? considering how cheap rear wheel cylinders are I would replace these at the same time!

It would be interesting if manufacturers would release figures of parts sold for types of vehicles , so it could be seen which part was most likely to fail!

My local Landrover boys say that handbrake shoes and transfer box seal are the most sold item for series landrovers!

[madbri]

dont run veg oil i did 150 eruo on the spot fine

[Jim Archer]

Make sure you've got all your paperwork, and if you're using a satnav it's up to date with no speed camera alerts.

Jim

[Aardvark]

Lots of good ideas in the postings above. Add to your list of spares- Two sets of front wheel bearings, set of radiator hoses, belts for steering and alternator. The smallest simplest part will cost you a bomb in France so take as much as you have room for. I had a wheel bearing self destruct on the autoroute. Luckily I had a spare set with me but during the excitement the brake pads got ruined. I checked the price at a local motor factors and they wanted (FROM) €185 + tax! I would think you won't have room for TWO spare tyres as suggested by max.print but not to worry. Do as the locals do. If you have to replace a tyre and only fancy paying for one, just take the bad one in loose and tell them its for the spare. If they refuse, just go elsewhere. Also might be a good idea to make double sure you have all the tools, jacks, bits and pieces you will need to install all the goodies you are carrying. Its a bit late when you are at the roadside on a rainy night trying to get a wheel off and find the wheel nuts are rusted solid. You need to check them before you leave and/or make sure you have a long handled breaker bar with the correct 6-point socket. One thing is fairly certain. If you take all this kit with you it will never be needed. Good luck.

[ColinJack]

We carry a 'get out of gaol kit' in our Mk3 camper ... And we do a lot of travelling in Europe.

Included but not exhaustive:

Gaffer Tape - ideal for temp repair on split hoses
Cable ties - different sizes
Electrical insulation tape
Cheap small basic socket set of eBay (10 - 18)
Screwdriver set
Cheap set of combo spanners (10 - 18)
Stanley knife
Electrical cable - couple of metres of 17amp
Spare fuses & bulbs
Spare clutch ratchet, throttle cable, clutch cable

Doesn't take up much space in the bottom of a storage box

I also use 2-stroke all the time ... Even in Europe. 300ml per tank - makes her purr!!

[bigjohnthomas]

Dont forget to take Chicken curry pies

[mealic]

Don`t forget your Hi-viz (one for each travelling in the front) must be kept in the cab and a warning triangle.Fuel can might be handy too.............................and you don`t need those self breathalyzers.
They have their own chicken in France BJT,but they just chuck `em in Vin.

[Aardvark]

Gimme a break, mealic. A stonkin great curry is the only thing I miss about UK after 12 years over here.

[suffolkboi]

Great advice guys, appriciate it.

I never realised spare parts were so much over there!I imagined rolling into the motorfactors and just buying as i needed. There is a limit to what is practical to take, but wheel bearings and cables are a good idea.

I was in Turkey the other month and saw loads of Mk5's, so i assumed there'd be plenty in France! Guess not. Are local garages likely to rip us English fools off?
Will my break down recovery fit simples parts? Bearings etc if needs be?

[madbri]

Bearings nope
also any breakdown company are NOT allowed onto moterways over there only police or who they call
i no as cambelt went and i did it on the hard shoulder

[DodgeRover]

If you have a roof rack put the spare wheels on that (with a big lock obviously), you are pretty much guaranteed to have to pay top dollar for parts or repairs if you aren't local and look stuck, but that applies pretty much anywhere in the world

[mealic]

Gimme a break, mealic. A stonkin great curry is the only thing I miss about UK after 12 years over here.

You`re obviously not getting out or at least not to the right places. I have had plenty of excellent curry meals in France. These people don`t only live in Bradford and Birmingham you know. Think I even had one in an authentic restaurant in Dieppe