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[tunnie]

RAC for Europe? Pah need a mortgage for that.  I'd get ADAC memebership, around £70 for the year, including UK cover. Last time I asked AA/RAC for 2 weeks cover, they wanted about £150 just for those two weeks 

Considering the distance you are going James, sounds a good list to me. As you never know what may fail, I did about 3k in 2 weeks going down to Austria in the 2.2.

Only issues I had was some idiot did not put strong enough screenwash mix for the -20 driving conditions   

You mention ramps, what about a jack? I took a little one just in case. As the emergency scissor one is rubbish.

Because DTi's are very good at destroying their crank pulley when you least expect it and Omega's HBV's are the epitome of reliability!

I wouldn't drive anywhere in a 54 degree V6 vehicle without a crank sensor in the boot either!

Doesn't matter if your 5 miles or 500 miles from home, either of the last two can be fixed quite quickly at the point they fail if you have the parts and you can be on your way. 

All the more reason to change them before you leave, and not have to worry about them. When a new HBV is £20, it could be considered a cam belt service consumable.

As for carrying a crank sensor, if they were that bad I'd be scrapping the heap of junk and going back to a mk2 Granada.

There's a pretty broad line between being prepared, and being utterly paranoid about breaking down. No offense James, but I think you're well on the way to a free jacket that fastens at the back if you're actually going to take all that stuff on holiday.

Crank sensors can fail without warning, changing for a new one does not mean it will last. They take up very little space and it's a 5 minute job to replace, so be very foolish not to carry one in a trip to Euroland 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I hope there will be room for Mrs James! 

[tidla]

A new puncture change jack is a good idea. didn't realize the standard omega jack was so poor till the other week!

(had to borrow an Audi jack to get it back in the air)

[TheBoy]

There are far cheaper breakdown services for Euroland than the mainstream ones. For me, its cheaper to have a UK service , and additionally buy a separate Euro one from elsewhere when I need it.

[VXL V6]

Because DTi's are very good at destroying their crank pulley when you least expect it and Omega's HBV's are the epitome of reliability!

I wouldn't drive anywhere in a 54 degree V6 vehicle without a crank sensor in the boot either!

Doesn't matter if your 5 miles or 500 miles from home, either of the last two can be fixed quite quickly at the point they fail if you have the parts and you can be on your way. 

All the more reason to change them before you leave, and not have to worry about them. When a new HBV is £20, it could be considered a cam belt service consumable.

As for carrying a crank sensor, if they were that bad I'd be scrapping the heap of junk and going back to a mk2 Granada.

There's a pretty broad line between being prepared, and being utterly paranoid about breaking down. No offense James, but I think you're well on the way to a free jacket that fastens at the back if you're actually going to take all that stuff on holiday.

I wouldn't say they are unreliable, just so little notice when they are about to fail. Can't honestly see why one torx bolt and an electrical connector to unclip / clip warrants scrapping a car and going back to a Granada........

[Boatboy]

 I thought the problem with the crank sensor was with the cable caused by original routeing, so once its replaced and tucked away from the heat its off the list of worries. Don't tell me I need to start worrying about it again.

Steve

[Lagondanet]

For my V6 Omegas - and I've thrown them around France a few times - I just take a crank sensor, and a portable compressor to bang the tyres up and down according to load.

That Insignia I borrowed a couple of years ago (tunnel, so couldn't use Omegas), I took nothing...  ...and had spares and tools flown out after I broke it about 600 miles in

Why not?

[aaronjb]

For my V6 Omegas - and I've thrown them around France a few times - I just take a crank sensor, and a portable compressor to bang the tyres up and down according to load.

That Insignia I borrowed a couple of years ago (tunnel, so couldn't use Omegas), I took nothing...  ...and had spares and tools flown out after I broke it about 600 miles in

Why not?

LPG vehicles aren't allowed in the tunnel

[Lagondanet]

For my V6 Omegas - and I've thrown them around France a few times - I just take a crank sensor, and a portable compressor to bang the tyres up and down according to load.

That Insignia I borrowed a couple of years ago (tunnel, so couldn't use Omegas), I took nothing...  ...and had spares and tools flown out after I broke it about 600 miles in

Why not?

LPG vehicles aren't allowed in the tunnel

OK noted. 

[Lagondanet]

Why would you take those parts as spares, instead of replacing them before you leave?
When I take mine abroad, I top up the fluids(if necessary), pump up the tyres, check I have the recovery details and leave. Anything I'm concerned about will have been dealt with beforehand. The only tools I take are the ones that live in the car anyway; decent wheelbrace, small Teng socket set, ratchet screwdriver set and a tyre pump.
The first time I took my own car, we had only just got it running 3 days earlier. Just got into a £25 Capri and left!

Because DTi's are very good at destroying their crank pulley when you least expect it and Omega's HBV's are the epitome of reliability!

I wouldn't drive anywhere in a 54 degree V6 vehicle without a crank sensor in the boot either!

Doesn't matter if your 5 miles or 500 miles from home, either of the last two can be fixed quite quickly at the point they fail if you have the parts and you can be on your way. 

These are (for the ignorant)? 

[05omegav6]

Dti = Diesel turbo injection ie the 2.2 diesel

Hbv = heater bypass valve. Does exactly what it says on the tin. Lives at the back of the engine, next the bulkhead. Made of plastic and prone to failure, which results in random variable coolant leaks made better/worse according to temp settings on the climate panel, and range from an annnoying drip through to where's the coolant gone...

Don't worry about the former, but the latter will rear its ugly head sooner or later...

 

[05omegav6]

If I where to take my car on a month long road trip I would consider taking the following... trolley jack with a couple of lumps of wood that I use as chocks, socket set and tool box, crank sensor (but only because I have a new one ready to fit... actually I might just as well fit the new one before I leave ), 5litres of oil/neat coolant/distilled water, a spare wheel (currently doesn't have one) and that's about it. The other thing would be breakdown cover which includes home address recovery, including post accident (but that's just me).

A quick once over of the levels/tyre pressures, passport and wallet and hit the road, putting fuel in when the light comes on

Oh I might also clean it

Even at 270k I reckon I could get away with merely checking the levels and hitting the road... having tools/jack are simply to make life cheaper/easier if it does break... source the parts and fit them as required.