What's Needed on The Continent F10 M5??

[W8PMC]

As my Le Mans trip is fast approaching, i thought i'd check what's needed in/for the M5 whilst on the Continent?

Will be driving through Belgium & France so i have the gist of Legal needs but trying to correlate those to the M5? A bulb kit is needed but which one as i can see H1, H4 & H7 but surely not all of these are needed, plus with Xenons i can't make use of a regular Halogen headlight bulb? Also 1st aid kit & triangle are needed, does the M5 not have these hidden away somewhere as i know my Audi's in the past have?

2 x Breathalysers are required in France but currently although not carrying them is illegal, the rozzers can't apply a prosecution for not carrying them (how stupid is that) & this has yet again been postponed so i may not bother with those.

Insurance Cert is a must along with both Driving License parts so all good with those. Have i missed anything? High Vis jackets, fire extinguisher?

[doc261]

There should be a warning triangle in the boot. You need a high vis jacket for each occupant, easily accessible i.e. In the car. Radar detectors and speed camera detectors are illegal and can be seized as well as a fine. I have travelled to France for many years and actually never been stopped however.

[Gruber]

In addition to the above, you should have a GB sticker and headlight deflectors.

And beware of the rozzers. They'll be out in force for Le Mans weekend and eager to relieve you of your wonga.

[Tonyc32]

There's a few websites out there that list exactly what you need.

Quite a few cheap kits on ebay.

I think the standard is high vis jackets, trangle, GB sticker (license plate GB not good enough)

My questions:

- I take it there is a way to turn the M5 speedo readout into KMH?
- Anytihng need to be done with the lights or can these be changed via the settings?

[HoHoHo]

W8PMC said:

As my Le Mans trip is fast approaching, i thought i'd check what's needed in/for the M5 whilst on the Continent?

Will be driving through Belgium & France so i have the gist of Legal needs but trying to correlate those to the M5? A bulb kit is needed but which one as i can see H1, H4 & H7 but surely not all of these are needed, plus with Xenons i can't make use of a regular Halogen headlight bulb? Also 1st aid kit & triangle are needed, does the M5 not have these hidden away somewhere as i know my Audi's in the past have?

2 x Breathalysers are required in France but currently although not carrying them is illegal, the rozzers can't apply a prosecution for not carrying them (how stupid is that) & this has yet again been postponed so i may not bother with those.

Insurance Cert is a must along with both Driving License parts so all good with those. Have i missed anything? High Vis jackets, fire extinguisher?

That all sounds good and personally I wouldn't bother with a breathalyser, not law, not required.

Take original insurance documents and ask BMW for a rental abroad document. If you get stopped and have no docs you're in the poo.

Most of all (and I've been there) don't get carried away and put your foot down. You will, because others do and you will because others do the roads are great. I did for about 10 seconds last year in an AM V12V and saw the dreaded blue light immediately and got stopped at 142mph. I was dragged 5 miles off the motorway and threatened with car being taken, banned in France etc. etc. The policeman only let me off because he loved James Bond and loved the AM...........he gave me a 90 Euro fine and a kick up the arse, others being stopped weren't so lucky...............a different car and it might well have been different (as is often the case).

Personally that's why I go down in a camper van. It's nothing great, nothing exciting (albeit it's rented and new), we're on a great secure site with all the mod cons much like yourself but I know that I'd be in big trouble if I took my M5 (or any of my previous cars). Let's be honest, once you're down there the bloody thing stays parked up until you leave so really, what's the point?

I drive from home until the tunnel, there's then three others to share the driving and I then get an opportunity to relax and watch a film ( ) and enjoy the drive, quite often seeing others racing past thinking...............any minute now sunshine We stop for lunch meeting others driving down and I have my fair share of wine, then once we're going again ave a sleep for a few hours and then we arrive, pitch up and really get started

Anyway, enjoy the drive as it's a bloody brilliant experience but having been to LM now for many years I've got it out of my system...........but wouldn't life be boring if we were all the same......I wouldn't see you guys racing by

[rassi]

I drive to France every months and best advice is to stay under 100 mph/160 kph. That is fined at 100 euro, while above is 800 euro and a 4 week driving ban. Also, apps for your iPhone such as iCoyote are worthwhile + legal, which gives you live warnings of fixed and mobile radars. Especially beware before toll stations, normally 2-5 km before, where the police like to set up mobile radars.

[HoHoHo]

rassi said:

I drive to France every months and best advice is to stay under 100 mph/160 kph. That is fined at 100 euro, while above is 800 euro and a 4 week driving ban. Also, apps for your iPhone such as iCoyote are worthwhile + legal, which gives you live warnings of fixed and mobile radars. Especially beware before toll stations, normally 2-5 km before, where the police like to set up mobile radars.

Good point - I drive in Europe most months and stay under 140kph and have been flashed at 135kph

They do also like to stop people at toll booths or service stations which on one occasion didn't help the rozzers after I was flashed because as with some services in France we went in and then went out in the opposite direction avoiding the police

No ticket for us then

[W8PMC]

Tonyc32 said:

There's a few websites out there that list exactly what you need.

Quite a few cheap kits on ebay.

I think the standard is high vis jackets, trangle, GB sticker (license plate GB not good enough)

My questions:

- I take it there is a way to turn the M5 speedo readout into KMH?
- Anytihng need to be done with the lights or can these be changed via the settings?

Digital speedo can be changed to KMH
Lights can be adjusted via iDrive
Found the triangle & 1st aid kit in the boot

Still can't find which is the correct bulb kit for the M5

[W8PMC]

Gruber said:

In addition to the above, you should have a GB sticker and headlight deflectors.

And beware of the rozzers. They'll be out in force for Le Mans weekend and eager to relieve you of your wonga.

Headlights can be adjusted via the iDrive.

I read about speed camera detectors being a big no no but post above suggests legal ones available?

[W8PMC]

rassi said:

I drive to France every months and best advice is to stay under 100 mph/160 kph. That is fined at 100 euro, while above is 800 euro and a 4 week driving ban. Also, apps for your iPhone such as iCoyote are worthwhile + legal, which gives you live warnings of fixed and mobile radars. Especially beware before toll stations, normally 2-5 km before, where the police like to set up mobile radars.

Noted & thanks. Will now be in convoy with some tasty machinery but will attempt to stay under the magic 100mph

[AW10]

Tonyc32 said:

GB sticker (license plate GB not good enough)

The GB license plate is good for all EU countries but you may get dinged if you go to Switzerland.

[Philrose]

Click on the download info bit and there is everything you need.
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/comp...

[-Z-]

W8PMC said:

Digital speedo can be changed to KMH
Lights can be adjusted via iDrive
Found the triangle & 1st aid kit in the boot

Still can't find which is the correct bulb kit for the M5

I just always buy the cheapest bulb kit there is, no one ever checks, if they do they'll have no idea its wrong anyway.

[W8PMC]

-Z- said:

I just always buy the cheapest bulb kit there is, no one ever checks, if they do they'll have no idea its wrong anyway.

Good point