Long trip planned - other peoples experiences

Hello

I have an old L series diesel which is going just fine at the moment. We are visiting family in Warsaw, Poland in the summer for my father-in-law's 85th birthday (from our home near Beziers, France). There will be 4 of us travelling and the flights and hire car options are extortionate so I am thinking of taking the hippo but with a 4K km round trip am I asking too much of the beast? What are others' experiences of long haul?

The car has 200k on the clock but last year the engine had a new top end (timing belt slipped after debris from snapped auxilliary belt got where it shouldnt). Engine seems fine. I replaced the VCU last year and have just repalced a UJ on the prop. I will check diff and IRD levels and give a thorough service prior to the trip.

The 3 amigos need investigating (I have no amigos since buying the car and suspect wiring fault or bulbs removed to hide a problem) I will do this before the MOT in November but don't see it as necessary before the trip to Poland but will investigate.

Other than that, the car is an excellent drive.

Am I pushing my luck in contemplating this trip or is this a normal holiday drive that an ageing hippo will just glide through?

Thoughts please!

Thanks

Take some spares and don't worry. Maybe sort out breakdown cover just in case.
Personally I'd do it mondo mode (2WD) but take the props along, other than that just drive it!!

done italy a couple of times france loads germany also just drive and enjoy the view. good luck

Nodge68 said:

Take some spares and don't worry. Maybe sort out breakdown cover just in case.
Personally I'd do it mondo mode (2WD) but take the props along, other than that just drive it!!

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Where's he going put the prop - On the roofrack!!!!!:hysterically_laughi And don't forget the trolley jack and axle stands in case you have to refit the prop.
:hysterically_laughi

Seriously, Just take out international breakdown (and pray!) There won't be much you can fix yourself on a Journey like that without all the gear and parts availabilty.

Its a diesel, it's just bedding in at that mileage. Get breakdown cover as suggested and have a great time.
Mike

Thanks guys! I have done big trips before in other cars and after the first few hundred or so miles of (perhaps) hearing and worrying about all sorts of noises, I just drove ..... and got there! As someone said - I should just concentrate on enjoyeing the scenery Breakdown cover I will arrange - and as for a list of spares to take - any suggestions?

Thanks again

Spare......
























Freelander?!?!?!?!! Lol

Nah seriously all the best for it. As long as you service fully and make sure all is tickety boo before you leave...... It should be fine.

Take anything you think might break before the next service, that you won't get on route...

You should see the state of the polish and Lithuanian registered cars that I recover for the police tat have no insurance, and they made it over here!

just keep filling up with diesel, and you should take extra bulbs and a warning triangle, as these are compulsory in eu countries.

Just do it, one life, live it, love it.

I'm with Nodge, go Mondo mode to save you diesel, if anything should happen, log on here and the troopers will keep you right

we wanna see plenty of holiday snaps of the old girl, Hippo that is!

gareth123 said:

Thanks guys! I have done big trips before in other cars and after the first few hundred or so miles of (perhaps) hearing and worrying about all sorts of noises, I just drove ..... and got there! As someone said - I should just concentrate on enjoyeing the scenery Breakdown cover I will arrange - and as for a list of spares to take - any suggestions?

Thanks again

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French car insurance normally includes breakdown/recovery to a dealer in the price.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Yes I am sure I have breakdown cover with the insurance. The trip is not till the summer and if we do decide to drive I will certainly keep a photo chronicle! I'm up for it but I think my three passengers (wife and two grown up children) are not sure about being stuck in a car for 20 hours each way..... Alternative transport costs may force the issue in my favour. Will keep you posted.

Datatek said:

French car insurance normally includes breakdown/recovery to a dealer in the price.

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Yes, but its normally pish. Unless its something very simple that can be fixed at the roadside, its generally recovery to the nearest main dealership or approved garage and train tickets home.
Which leaves your car and its contents stranded hundreds, maybe even thousands of kilometres away and you are completely at the mercy of the garage for the price of repairs.

Some friends of mine found themselves in exactly this position last summer and were hit with a 4.5k repair bill estimate on a car worth maybe 2k. To say nothing of the time and costs of getting to the other end of the country to collect the car. They chose not to and just abandoned it at the garage and bought a new car.


The German breakdown agency ADAC do EU-wide breakdown recovery which includes recovering the car to your home for costs similar to UK breakdown cover from RAC etc. You cant subscribe online unless you live in Germany, but you can call them and they speak English.

I'd go with the recommendation of removing the prop,I as I'm sure you know it's a simple quick operation and eliminates some of the transmission worries, other than that take bulbs and triangle etc and enjoy yourselves!

you don't have any problems as you live in france so no water crossings
try buying a car on german ebay then towing it all the way back to north wales on a rope

Sounds like an interesting journey! Lol

britishwardog said:

Sounds like an interesting journey! Lol

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it was one of those epic trips that thinking back was really stupid, on boxing day of all days lol, "grab your phone we have a ferry to catch, pick you up in 30mins" 24hrs later I was ringing work to say I would be late as I was in the north sea

SteNova said:

you don't have any problems as you live in france so no water crossings
try buying a car on german ebay then towing it all the way back to north wales on a rope

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That's illegal in France.

dave21478 said:

Yes, but its normally pish. Unless its something very simple that can be fixed at the roadside, its generally recovery to the nearest main dealership or approved garage and train tickets home.
Which leaves your car and its contents stranded hundreds, maybe even thousands of kilometres away and you are completely at the mercy of the garage for the price of repairs.

Some friends of mine found themselves in exactly this position last summer and were hit with a 4.5k repair bill estimate on a car worth maybe 2k. To say nothing of the time and costs of getting to the other end of the country to collect the car. They chose not to and just abandoned it at the garage and bought a new car.

The German breakdown agency ADAC do EU-wide breakdown recovery which includes recovering the car to your home for costs similar to UK breakdown cover from RAC etc. You cant subscribe online unless you live in Germany, but you can call them and they speak English.

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Dunno, last time I used it I got recovered to a dealer and a free loan car for 3 days to finish my journey. Garage quote to fix the problem was pretty good so I let them do it and collected on the way back.

dave21478 said:

Yes, but its normally pish. Unless its something very simple that can be fixed at the roadside, its generally recovery to the nearest main dealership or approved garage and train tickets home.
Which leaves your car and its contents stranded hundreds, maybe even thousands of kilometres away and you are completely at the mercy of the garage for the price of repairs.

Some friends of mine found themselves in exactly this position last summer and were hit with a 4.5k repair bill estimate on a car worth maybe 2k. To say nothing of the time and costs of getting to the other end of the country to collect the car. They chose not to and just abandoned it at the garage and bought a new car.


The German breakdown agency ADAC do EU-wide breakdown recovery which includes recovering the car to your home for costs similar to UK breakdown cover from RAC etc. You cant subscribe online unless you live in Germany, but you can call them and they speak English.

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Thanks I will check my cover. I have used the cover I have in France and it was pretty good to be fair (option of hire car etc and cost reimbursed for alternative travel) but I dont know whether this extends throughout Europe. May call the ADAC if I need to.

gareth123 said:

Thanks I will check my cover. I have used the cover I have in France and it was pretty good to be fair (option of hire car etc and cost reimbursed for alternative travel) but I dont know whether this extends throughout Europe. May call the ADAC if I need to.

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Most breakdown cover on French insurance covers Europe, unlike the UK comp insurance is also covers use anywhere in Europe as standard, unlike the UK where you get screwed for European cover or live with minimum liablilty.