Not the start I was expecting

[carol]

My breakdown cover is free with my Nationwide bank account. I had the chance to test it last year: there was a problem with the air suspension, which decided not to get up in the morning: they sent out a man to diagnose/fix it and he declared the problen to be a failed air pump - which you seemingly can't fix at the roadside.

So they recovered the motorhome to a garage near home, and sent us a free taxi to take us to the hire car depot, where they gave us a free car to drive home in (we were going home that day anyway).

Tuns out that the problem was just a broken linkage on the height sensor: cost less to repair than the diesel we saved by not having to drive home.

But the relevant part was that the breakdown sevice was brilliant (not their fault the mechanic was wrong) and they sorted everything, kept us informed, and it all went very smoothly.

I've got cover through the Nationwide too. Unfortunately I was put off using them again after calling them out to a breakdown. The guy arrived, got his hammer out and banged presumably the starter motor, declared the car irreparable and called a recovery truck. It didn't inspire confidence!

 

[Caz]

Houses develop faults as well.

And they cost a darned sight more to put right.

 

[Tonybvi]

I've got cover through the Nationwide too. Unfortunately I was put off using them again after calling them out to a breakdown. The guy arrived, got his hammer out and banged presumably the starter motor, declared the car irreparable and called a recovery truck. It didn't inspire confidence!

This reminds me of an issue I had with my previous van (Frankia, plated at 5t). On the way home I heard a slight popping sound and the van went into the dreaded “limp” mode. I pulled into our local supermarket car park and called the breakdown service. A rather “portly” bloke arrived in his van and took ages to get himself into a position (due to his bulk) where he could plug his laptop into the obd port - this was on an A class van without a door on the side where the port was under the dashboard so he really had a major problem accessing it! Once plugged in he stated that I had low turbo pressure and would arrange recovery. I suggested that maybe a pipe had become disconnected and asked him to pop the bonnet and have a quick look. His reply astonished me - it was along the lines of that he was not allowed to open the bonnet or look underneath, his job was to simply diagnose the problem and arrange recovery! I told him I wasn’t interested in recovery and would drive the van to my local garage myself. He strongly advised against this saying I could very likely cause serious damage and insisted on recovery.
Needless to say I drove the van 5 miles to my garage where they diagnosed and simply reconnected a loose pipe for the princely sum of £20!!

 

[delicagirl]

True, Sam. But how many people pay surveyors, to check a house over, before buying.
.
How many novice motorhomers have a van surveyed before buying.
.

Our first van, a 3 year old Autosleeper, had Turbo written in the log book, but one wasn't fitted. We trusted the dealer.. Don't tell me that the builder, Brownhills, the original dealers and our dealer hadn't noticed? The previous owner didn't admit to knowing either.
That van was a dog.. Only a love-struck novice would buy, without checking under the bonnet.. That was us, 19 years ago.
That was the first of many adventures that we've had to sort out, over the years.

so glad to hear it wasn't only me bought a dog of a van based on my Degree in Numptiness !!!!

 

[trixie88]

So I completed on the sale of my house last Wednesday (belongings sold or given away). Grabbed my dog and jumped in to the Rapido fitted out 1985 plate MK1 Renault Trafic I had bought the week before and switched on radio 2 just as they started playing "aint no stopping us now" I was feeling on top of the world.
First scheduled stop was Dungeness on the Kent coast about 40 miles away and we cruised all the way there. Pulled into the Pilot pub carpark went in for fish and chips and gave them my reg as I was staying there for the night. After eating I thought I'd shoot down to the local shop for some treats, it's about a half mile down the road. Stocked up with goodies and bang the starting motor went. Tried whacking it with a hammer (worked on a car I'd had before) but no joy so I phoned my breakdown company which I had bought in conjunction with my insurance. They had no record of my policy and the insurance company was shut.
So I got the AA out for a fee of £100 (plus a months membership) and he managed to get me going though advised I would not be able to stop so should give careful thought about where I go next.....
I headed home to Deal and parked up not far from my old house on the seafront. I spent a week and £234 getting a hard to find new starting motor (I also changed the cambelt and fitted a new split charger system and leisure battery as the original had also had it) as well as explaining what had happened to everyone I met in the highstreet who I'd said goodbye to previously.
Yesterday I set off again and went back to the Pilot for fish and chips and stayed in the carpark. The weather was horrendous and as it's so flat there we were battered by the barrelling wind and rain all night and I remember thinking "omg what have I done".......
Tonight I am the only visitor on a tiny site just outside Hastings and it is beautifully dark and very still.
I am a bit more grounded than I was last week but really excited about whats to come.
Please let me know if you are interested in my progress and I will keep you updated through here.

look forward to reading more of your interesting posts of your travels ........i find it very interesting reading of other folks ups and downs of full timing....also those of just adventures...
jolly good luck to you,..........