Hi all,

Just a query. I am going to spain next week to pick up my dads car, an R reg Toyota Avensis. It's been sat for a year, I am hoping to get there, change the oil and filter, give it a bit of a wash, check the tyres and drive the 1000 miles up to Calais and back to Bedford.

Any advice, either for the car or for me doing the trip, I have allowed 4 days for the drive in case of anything going wrong, any particular places of interest from Murcia to Calais, so far i have the Millau Bridge to check out.

Cheers all

Dan

Here's a few pointers to the bl**ding obvious.

If its alarmed and unused for that length of time, the main battery will be flat and well sulphated and if its got a separate battery for the power steering pump ,that will probably be stuffed as well.

If the engine hasn't been turned over for a year, expect some interesting noises on-start-up - the lubricant will have drained from the upper cylinders/cam gear and they may well have started to rust, even with a Spanish atmosphere. A squirt of engine oil on the rocker gear (via the cam cover filler) may be in order before start-up.

Also the fuel will have separated out into a water layer and a fuel layer. Perhaps worth adding a gallon of new fuel.

If everything else is OK, I would also change the air and fuel filters, especially if its been left outside - cause the crap has had a chance to sink to the lowest level and conglomerate. Take out the plugs and clean 'em off.

Take some window rubber lubricant and window cleaner with you as they will be well locked solid with gunk at the glass/rubber junction.

And of course don't set-off without the a journey plan (Including overnight stops), maps and, full contintental diving kit, appropriate country plates, flourescent jacket, warning triangle, first-aid kit, spare bulb kit, fire-extinguisher etc- check the relevant motoring web-site for the full-list. The French, in particular, recently upped the standard in the regs and will on-the-spot fine heavily if you're found deficient.

And, I'm not saying this will be appropriate, sweep for and disgard any materials which will may attract interest at the border crossings !

And ensure that you got a licence and insurance cover to drive it as well as the relevant green card cover.

Might even be worth taking out some travel cover (£12) and continental recovery (£40).

I suppose the no-risk way of dealing with this is getting Green-Flag to do the honours, but that would be expensive.

Nick

Also not forgetting if its been left wheels on and parking brake on, you'll probably need a large drift/rubber mallet to clump the hubs/calipers so as to release the parking brake.

Check the tyre walls for cracking - especially if its been left standing, wheels on and tyres at full pressure for any time. I've known even lightly used big cars to develop cracking sufficient to lose a tread even after a short-time.

Check brakes for operation, and , on an old car, you might need to bleed them slightly to rid the system traps of accumulated water. Brake fluid's hydroscopic i.e. attracts water vapour. The last thing you want is to be on an autoroute and develop a brake vapour lock.

Check coolant levels and for leaks.

Initially keep the revs low. Best to do some short local journies before you do the big one.

Nick

Worth checking all lights etc work before setting off - you can sometimes forget things like that!

Thanks for all that Nick, and will check the lights too. I don't have long to do all that but will try my best. Where can I get cover for £40 from, I have the aa cover but to add euro to that it's £72 I heard.

Dan