700 mile Mission to France

[dbanbery]

as above, i am driving to the Charante in August and planning to use the C180. what would people recommend i take with me "just in case"??

i'm getting it checked over before i go by the mechanic who sold it me [private sale of his wifes car] to see if it will need anything sorting. i plan to finally get a new AFM and i wanted to replace the waterpump [there is no history of it being changed and its done 150k] along with a small oil leak round the cam sensor [i think]


it sounds really bad!!! its not, i'm just super picky and want it spot on. everything else tip top, so any suggestions?

just for the record its a '96 C180 Sport Manual, Standard.

 

[television]

I cant think of anything for just in case, there is no reason for it to do anything silly

 

[dbanbery]

I know, but its my first mission to the conitinent in a car on our own, and i really dont want anything to go wrong. i cant think of anything that could go while over there, unless the head gasket blows spectacularly - but i think and hope that is too unlikely to be a concern.

 

[television]

Do not tempt fate I had a car where there head gasket went, and blew up the water system, I left the cap loose and got home 500 miles

 

[Myros]

fan belt

saves ages if you have the right one on you. roadside repair rather than garage.

 

[dbanbery]

lol.

sounds fun.

My uncles 201 2.0 auto was run for something like 4 years with a buggered head gasket, he just kept putting oil and water in it. when it went it was treated like a massive inconvenience.... LOL!

 

[dbanbery]

saves ages if you have the right one on you. roadside repair rather than garage.

i already have a spare in the boot. the old one that was quite worn but better than nothing if the unthinkable happens

 

[grayb]

Obvious French road travel kit? Day-glo jacket (in the cabin, not the boot), spare bulbs, warning triangle, first aid kit, 1 Euro coin for the shopping trolley (not so useful with current exchange rates!)...

 

[dbanbery]

i work in the construction industry [one of about 3 people i think ATM] so i have dayglo stuff a plenty

cheers for the heads up though, i forgot about that stuff. i can imagine the french taking offence at two english families rolling across france in 3 German Tanks! haha!

theres the three of us:

Me - C180
Dad - E300D W124 7 Seater
Uncle - E280 W124 Saloon Oliver Reed Special

 

[Fosterer]

France??........ I'm off in a couple of weeks too

Hello everyone... new here but really pleased to find this site.... good info to be had.
Just bought clk230k.coupe 1999, 82,000miles on clock.
It needed a new key £215,
rear driverside caliper and pads , getting converted to lpg next tuesday then ... off to france meself.

Have done some 12 trips over in the last 5yrs ...950mls each way.
What checks do I usually do?... well Greenflag breakdown cover, first aid kit, fire extinguisher... all the usual mandatory stuff, then off. I don't really treat that journey any different to any other ...enjoy your trip chap..cheers

 

[television]

Hello everyone... new here but really pleased to find this site.... good info to be had.
Just bought clk230k.coupe 1999, 82,000miles on clock.
It needed a new key £215,
rear driverside caliper and pads , getting converted to lpg next tuesday then ... off to france meself.

Have done some 12 trips over in the last 5yrs ...950mls each way.
What checks do I usually do?... well Greenflag breakdown cover, first aid kit, fire extinguisher... all the usual mandatory stuff, then off. I don't really treat that journey any different to any other ...enjoy your trip chap..cheers

Welcome to the forum Just join in where you wish to

 

[Fosterer]

Many thanks for the welcome Malcom.

 

[antijam]

i work in the construction industry [one of about 3 people i think ATM] so i have dayglo stuff a plenty

cheers for the heads up though, i forgot about that stuff. i can imagine the french taking offence at two english families rolling across france in 3 German Tanks! haha!

theres the three of us:

Me - C180
Dad - E300D W124 7 Seater
Uncle - E280 W124 Saloon Oliver Reed Special

A tip if you haven't driven in france recently. Observe the speed limits as you approach the péages (Autoroute tollbooths); they slow you down in 20km/h increments from the derestricted 130km/h until you arrive at the toll at no more than 70km/h.

It's an easy life for the gendarmerie to stand at the toll and point the speed gun up the autoroute. If you're not thinking about it I guarantee you will pass the speed restriction roadsigns above their limit, and 'voila!', another statistic and at least a €45 fine. Not a good start to a holiday.....

 

[shayes]

Obvious French road travel kit? Day-glo jacket (in the cabin, not the boot), spare bulbs, warning triangle, first aid kit, 1 Euro coin for the shopping trolley (not so useful with current exchange rates!)...

Also notify your insurers before going and check if you have overseas breakdown cover.
A few tips, make sure that you indicate at every point even if you don't think it necessary. On the spot fines by Gendarmes for this as well as not completely stopping at road junctions. If you were going now, I'd say take an umbrella. Ever since I bought a plot in the Charente it seems to have rained incessently.
My old 500SEL did the trip several times, even towing a box trailer. Little apprehensive about this using this car but will be giving it the chance to prove itself very shortly. That Water pump thought you had, may be a good one. I get a slight leak and there is a long
drive to the Somme and second service station (after Boulougne)

 

[dbanbery]

Ah right,

thanks for the advice matey, i'll check my cover.

i know the Frnch are proper cheeky with speed guns, i'll keep an eye out.

Stuart, thanks for the little bits of advice on road etiquette, i understand the UK plates can be like a red rag to a bull on the continent sometimes.

 

[Splatt]

A bottle of HP sauce , goes great on frogs legs

 

[kth286]

Make sure you have that little book that list all the Merc dealers in France.

You might want to mark them on your map.

 

[mercmadjim]

Make sure you get European breakdown cover from RAC etc.

 

[television]

When you are in jail in France, you have to pay for your own food and drink

 

[Cole@MBS]

Don'T you have to keep a reflective jacket in the boot when going over there???