Travelling abroad

s5tuart

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I'm planning taking the SL on my winter-in-Portugal trip this year.
Leaving the UK in October and returning April.

Apart from the usual things (insurance, breakdown cover, tyres, fluid checks etc) is there anything else I should consider?
Also I'm thinking of getting a cheap throwaway full cover from FleaBay (around £15) to protect the car from the UV. Will it do more harm than good?
Thanks.
 

toby1

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Remember to drive on the right
 

television

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If xenon lamps they are switchable

Take care when starting off in the mornings if no other traffic around to remind you to drive on the right
 

Corned

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If xenon lamps they are switchable

Take care when starting off in the mornings if no other traffic around to remind you to drive on the right

But don't worry - a reminder will come along at some stage in the journey. :)
 
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s5tuart

s5tuart

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  • Thread Starter
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If xenon lamps they are switchable

Take care when starting off in the mornings if no other traffic around to remind you to drive on the right

They are xenon lamps Malcolm, but I can find nothing in my handbook about switching them. BTW I am only reading a pdf copy. The original is at home with the car at the moment and I'm in Portugal. It's only 28 degrees here, unlike the UK I'm told! :cool:
 

whitenemesis

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I think the R129 is a little before MB introduced the adjustment lever for projector headlamps?
 

brandwooddixon

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You could get a full body cover, but a decent wax should have UV inhibitors in it.

I'd get a windscreen reflector though as it will protect your dash from the UV when parked.

Oh and if driving through Spain, make sure that you have everything that they require such as two warning triangles, fluorescent coats for all seats, spare glasses in the car if you wear them and don't wear open backed shoes or headphones when driving either. Spanish police are trying to drum up money by fining foreign motorists.
 

JEZ.S320L

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You could get a full body cover, but a decent wax should have UV inhibitors in it.

I'd get a windscreen reflector though as it will protect your dash from the UV when parked.

Oh and if driving through Spain, make sure that you have everything that they require such as two warning triangles, fluorescent coats for all seats, spare glasses in the car if you wear them and don't wear open backed shoes or headphones when driving either. Spanish police are trying to drum up money by fining foreign motorists.

Not just foreign motorists.! The latest money-grabbing scheme, is that if the country of registration on the rear number plate ('E' in Spain) has faded in the sunlight - a lot have, because Spain is sunny!!!! - then it's a 30€ spot fine.
 

d215yq

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Spanish police are trying to drum up money by fining foreign motorists.

My 2 years experience is rather different and on the three or four occasions I have fallen foul of traffic regulations in front of the police (actually very easy to do with all the no left/right turns, traffic lights and abundance of police cars on every corner) I have never been bothered. I am also waved through roadblocks and checkpoints despite foreign plates.

In fact I find the spanish police a lot less of a menace than the british police/customs who always cause some bother when i'm driving in the UK. The police here (as everywhere) do have the power to ruin your day and don't have a particularly great reputation with the locals but i really don't think you need to worry about them any more than anywhere else.

Get a couple of high vis jackets and put them on display and a cheap extra warning triangle to make an effort to comply and don't take liberties with parking or very excessive speeding because you think you can (vehicles are towed and confiscated for such things) and you should be OK.

If you are stopped and the fine is excessive, be polite and firm and tell them you haven't that much money and give your UK driving licence, so they write you a fine, this will help reduce the fine to the official level (as they won't just pocket the cash) and if they don't force you to drive to a cashpoint there and then (the police are less likely to do if there's nothing in it for them and it is a hassle, though it is within their powers should they want to put themselves into the bother of doing it) then you will likely hear nothing again (should you not wish to voluntarily pay it, of course).
 

spock500

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You might need to call customer services to enable roaming abroad for phone/data.

If you need to stay in touch have a look at the local coverage map for your provider or providers partner in that region.
 

kevbo

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I took my 99 r129 SL320 to France earlier this year. It has xenon headlamps and I had to look very carefully, with the cover off to see the metal levers to adjust to symmetrical beams. For the off side lamp you have to lift the screen wash reservoir out of the way.

This feature is described in the Driving section of the SL owners manual under'driving abroad'. I found mine was already set up for driving on the right!
 
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