Opinions Needed Please

[Gloves88]

Basically at the end of summer i will be road tripping it over to the october fest in Munich, Germany. On the way back we'll be stopping at the Porsche museum, Nurburgring and the Spa - hopefully without any issues in my mk2.

It works out at a little over a 1000 mile trip.

I want to give the car a proper service before it goes over to try minimise any risk of break downs, my question is tho, how far should i take this service?

It's done 141,000miles and is running pretty rough at the mo. Do you think i should just go all out, replace tappets, valve seals, new gasket and belt for peace of mind? It looks like oil is leaking from certain areas around the rocker cover, is this a sign of the headgasket failing?

Or just stick with the standard stuff, new oil and filters etc?

I've got a bit of time off over the next few weeks so can have a go at all of it myself...

Cheers

[DOA]

Standard service stuff, replace the rocker gasket (make sure and get the rubber type if they even do a cork type one) and european breakdown cover. I dont really see the point for only 1000 miles as the same milage done around town will be far harder on the car. Wouldnt risk doing the ring though if your not confident it will do the whole trip, those barriers and red flags are amazingly expensive lol.

[ReDBull]

I'd do as much as you can with in reason. Did home 2 rome the other year in a Citron and we serviced everything we could and still the head gasket went. At least you'll be going in a proper car!!! Sounds like you'll have a great trip hope you post up some pic when you get back.

[Gloves88]

DOA:
Yeah fair point on the mileage thing.

As for the ring, not even sure i'm going to go on it....theres a second car coming and he wants to go round it.
If I do go on it, it would just be for the experience, wouldnt be guning it.

Bullyboy:
Cheers...should be a great laugh, will def get pics up when im back! Bugger that the gasket went...you manage to get the car back?

Hearing stuff like that makes me think I should just do the headgasket....a compression test would tell me alot about the condition of it wouldnt it?

[ReDBull]

Get the car back! We didn't make Peterbourgh! It was a nightmare! We left Lincoln at 08:30 and got to the A1 in the pi**ing rain when the lights and wipers failed so had to pull over at the side of the road and wait for the AA. Turns out the alternator had packed up so the AA man found us a new one and fitted it at the road side for £150.
So we set off again 10 miles down the road lost copression steam coming from every where one dead piece of Frence poo. Well what do you expect for a £99 non running ebay buy! In hindsight we should of put a few miles on it before we set off,Or bought a VW.We ended up back in Lincoln on a flat bed but set off in one of the other lads cars at 18:30. Ended up in Calais at 02:00 for a 07:30 start and a drive to the south of France. In the end we had a great time and rasised a fair bit of cash for charity.
If it was me I'd happily do the trip your planning in my Golf. A car that I know and trust, that has been well serviced and maintained. If you've not doing hot laps at the ring you'll be fine. Just don't try it in a Citroen ZX non turbo diesel! Oh and as suggested earlyer get internation break down cover.

[DarnPB]

I would just do the obvious to make it as reliable as you can. At the end of the day, no-one can predict if a car is going to pop, no matter how old or young it is. I would include the following.

Cam belt and tensioner.
Spark plugs.
Plug leads.
Dizzy cap.
Rotor arm.
Oil and filter.
Change the engine coolant.
Change the alternator belt.

Things I would take as spares would be the serviceable parts you have removed, that you know work, such as a spark plug or two, a plug lead or two etc.
Also, to drive on the continent, you will need two warning triangles, a hi-viz vest and a set of spare bulbs for your car. A torch is also a good idea.

[sidecarphil]

and if your near north holland (Groningen) call in for a cuppa tea or coffee 

[Gloves88]

Bullyboy:
Gutted! Proper adventure tho lol!! at least you managed the trip in a different car.

DarnPB:
Cheers for that, handy list to work through. Knew about the triangle and hi-viz vest but not that you needed a spare set of lights....will have to arrange them. Someone told me you need a GB sticker on the car, is this true? Seemed a little odd to me. Have driven in europe before but not in a british car.

sidecarphil: We're getting the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam then heading straight for Munich. On the way back we'll head through luxembourg and Belgium, with the last stop being at Limburg in Holland for cave mounatin biking........you heard anything about this, know if its meant to be any good?

[sidecarphil]

cave mountain biking

sounds like something the "crazy Dutch Bas*%ds" would do 

well have a safe trip , think you will stay through the miiddle/ lower holland