A Big Trip (Input very welcome)

Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:57 pm

In the summer im thinking of driving around a bit of Europe about 15 cites in all and about 4500 miles.

The trusty steed well be a 1988 touring 325i (Brought last summer with a fried) just wanted to know what spares are worth taking, i don't want to load down the car too much as there are three of us going so no gear boxes etc just bits that might brake and be annoying if i didn't have.
Also the best tools to take i don't really want to take a big tool box, just the necessary if i can help it.

All this said im hoping for a trouble free trip.......but just in case.

Any input would be great.

My daily driver is a Legacy B4 so im not too clued up on things that brake/dont brake on e30's.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:01 pm

prop shaft centre bearing carriage. Nice and light.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:05 pm

Fuel pump relay.For tools,the complete,standard touring tool roll will suffice.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:05 pm

Drove my 320 all over Europe last year did shit all servicing to the car before i went , but would advise you do some servicing before you go - fluids like oil and coolants etc

all that i had to do on the journey was change a bulb ( made a bulb and fuse kit of my breaker which was handy )

and top up with oil - also changed the oil and filter at my mates in spain

sure some techno wizards will help you more !

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:06 pm

take a spare fuel pump.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:16 pm

There's plenty of brakers allover euro-land. If you get stuck it will be easy to find/fix. Just make sure you get aa or green flag as back up...

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:17 pm

jimmyspeed wrote:Drove my 320 all over Europe last year did shit all servicing to the car before i went , but would advise you do some servicing before you go - fluids like oil and coolants etc

all that i had to do on the journey was change a bulb ( made a bulb and fuse kit of my breaker which was handy )

and top up with oil - also changed the oil and filter at my mates in spain

sure some techno wizards will help you more !

oil done, filter done, diff oil done, new battery done, going to change the power steering oil next, is it worth doing the cooling system too?

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:19 pm

I did a banger rally across Europe in 2007 in a scrap fraud escort, the only fluids we had on board were bottles of beer and the only tools we had were my mate and I. I thrashed from country to country and the car never failed us once nor did we have a tow rope.

Give it a good service before you go and don't worry about it

Oh and take plenty of euro's for the tolls, robbing bastids, and get your Swiss vignette if your going that way. I'd recommend Switzerland, its a beautiful place with fantastic roads and views

Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:35 pm

kieran325 wrote:I did a banger rally across Europe in 2007 in a scrap fraud escort, the only fluids we had on board were bottles of beer and the only tools we had were my mate and I. I thrashed from country to country and the car never failed us once nor did we have a tow rope.

Give it a good service before you go and don't worry about it

Oh and take plenty of euro's for the tolls, robbing bastids, and get your Swiss vignette if your going that way. I'd recommend Switzerland, its a beautiful place with fantastic roads and views

They're just not the most forgiving when it comes to driving offences in Switzerland.

Having said that, over my winter season driving around the Alps, in and out of Switzerland/France several times a day, I managed to get done for speeding more times in France!

You'll enjoy it, should be a good trip!

Oggy

Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:00 pm

The speed is set to 70mph otherwise i don't think we will make it, and maybe a bit more around the Nurburgring! but that later on in the trip! lets just hope i can get it through an MOT.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:12 pm

Give it a service and change the brake pads.
Take spare fan belt/pas belt/radweld or similar/some spare oil/in car phone charger/sat nav or a decent european road map/decent jack and serviceable spare wheel with NON directional tyre/spare bulbs/fuses/breakdown cover.

When I did my trip with the 325 i just had a map/fan+pas belts/fuses/bulbs/oil/jump leads/spare water and some rad weld
Spent 3 moths in the south of France and did about 5000 miles while i was there with no problems

When i went over to the ring/oktoberfest last yr i had the same stuff plus a fuel pump as well.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:19 pm

In some Europen countries there a certain requirements regarding what you have to carry. Things like carrying spare bulbs and fuses (not a bad idea) fire extinguisher, vests, reflective triangles etc

Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:23 pm

If you have a look on the AA website and look for driving in Europe, you'll find a host of information about stuff that you're required to carry by law.

Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:28 pm

we went all over europe a few year back in a 320i cabby was a rite laugh, would like to do it again this year in my IS

just make sure you have plenty of tools and european road recovery

Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:46 am

(Brought last summer with a fried)

With a fried what?

Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:07 am

If you get the chance, go to the Czech Republic.

Some great roads, but they're almost as badly surfaced as ours.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:38 am

I've done a trip around Europe every year for several years in exactly the same model of car! (The red one in my sig.)
The only spare I've ever needed was a fuel pump, (which I didn't have!), although I carry a full set of hoses, a distributor cap/rotor, and a crank position sensor as well.
Fuel pump and crank sensor are the essentials.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:45 am

You're a brave man. I get nervous driviing 15 miles to work!

Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:58 am

On the European recovery front, I tried to get some for a trip last year. Most people wouldn't touch cars over 15 years old, or thereabouts and those that did cover had another problem. The small print states that they won't recover a vehicle if the cost of recovery exceeds the value of the vehicle; I enquired with one of the companies what it costs to recover a vehicle from Europe and was told at least £600, when I enquired what they valued my 318i at they said about the same. Pressing them on the matter they were forced to admit that it was likely that they would not recover my car

.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:14 am

Take two cars and a tow rope!

Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:35 am

Elecblondie wrote:On the European recovery front, I tried to get some for a trip last year. Most people wouldn't touch cars over 15 years old, or thereabouts and those that did cover had another problem. The small print states that they won't recover a vehicle if the cost of recovery exceeds the value of the vehicle; I enquired with one of the companies what it costs to recover a vehicle from Europe and was told at least £600, when I enquired what they valued my 318i at they said about the same. Pressing them on the matter they were forced to admit that it was likely that they would not recover my car .

I took my Daimler into Europe several times,bought breakdown cover 'just in case' via adverts in the classic car press.Agreed the value issue would not have affected me (the Daimler would have been valued at above £5000) but I only needed assistance once,when the carbon brush in the dizzy cap wore out completely.The secret to a successfull European trip is good preperation, sensible driving and a credit card to buy yuor way home if it all goes tits up.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:30 pm

If you're going to take out any kind of recovery/breakdown insurance, take it out with ADAC.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:45 pm

Good work every one keep the info coming!!

Alls looking good so far had a look at the AA and ADAC sight that helped alot.
Got some classic car insurance £250 which dosen't seem too bad its a limited mileage policy but thats ok, just need MOT and TAX now.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:51 pm

Take nothing! just as long as youve got recovery, you wont need it!

Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:54 pm

DUCK TAPE!

I filled my boot with a trolley jack, 150pc socket set, adjustable spanner, mole grips, plier set, jump pack, hammers, crow bar, sharp knives, pieces of wire and various connectors, etc etc etc

Really you want the most uninversal tools, that'll get you going again a really good socket set is great as they don't take up too much space.

Keep a decent amount cash on you, waiving it gets help better than cards.

Tyre foam, it's not fun changing a wheel in the rain.

A compass and a map (quite reliable when the tom tom says your driving in a field)

You can be fined for not having a reflective vest in France, I got mine from ikea £2. You need a warning triangle and spare bulbs in Germany. Some european maps have info for all the countries featured.

Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:05 pm

e301988325i wrote:DUCK TAPE!

I filled my boot with a trolley jack, 150pc socket set, adjustable spanner, mole grips, plier set, jump pack, hammers, crow bar, sharp knives, pieces of wire and various connectors, etc etc etc

Really you want the most uninversal tools, that'll get you going again a really good socket set is great as they don't take up too much space.

Keep a decent amount cash on you, waiving it gets help better than cards.

Tyre foam, it's not fun changing a wheel in the rain.

A compass and a map (quite reliable when the tom tom says your driving in a field)

You can be fined for not having a reflective vest in France, I got mine from ikea £2. You need a warning triangle and spare bulbs in Germany. Some european maps have info for all the countries featured.

Got a vest from work, Snap on socket set/tools, Bulbs and triage on its way. Like a said dont want to take too much, just what a really need.

The list goes on...........