Xtrails not broke, Polo brown motion fresh ticket and other four wheeled suppositories.

6,181 · August 4

Well apparently the polos “new” rear brakes have shit themselves. Great job you brownmotion bastard.

Because I’ve loaned it to someone who’s not flexible enough to fix it I’m orchestrating a repair from 100’s of miles away.

New shoes, springs and cylinders ordered £26! Thanks eBay. I’m sure they’re shite but they’re coming from Germany apparently so obvs original Chinese quality.

Driveway mechanic booked which will be £50 or so.

It’s really not worth messing about at that price I guess. At least they’ll actually be new as I guess the PO was misled.

Gzongenflatch
In memory of Phil.

6,181 · August 19

Ruinous is now officially fixed so it’s for sale. Apply within.

6,181 · August 21

I am planning another little trip in the French registered hymer. Mrs B reckons we should find simewhere and stay still for a change which will affect our usual means of power generation. So in the spirit of autonomie i have grabbed hold of a solar panel and ordered some bits to add it to the camper.

Its a victron 175w so not the most powerful one you can buy but working in mental amps we use about 50ah at most a day usually more like 25ah in total (12v) so a 175w at 12v may be enough. Time will tell.

We never used to roof box so its space was designated.

The rails are solid but the wrong distance apart.

Nice bit of engineering these.

Thats the spot.

Air gap desireable??

Into the high tech kitchen/workshop.

I used server rack captive nuts and bots with split washers. Hopefully they stay tight!

Good clearance but hopefully out of the wind.

The roof is shamefully dirty.

A nice gap for something else perhaps?

16,207 · August 22

Airgap is good, they lose efficiency if they get hot.

26,290 · August 22

I would remove the spring washers, but otherwise looks like a proper job.

https://www.boltscience.com/pages/helicalspringwashers.htm

6,181 · August 22

Thanks for that its thankfully 4 bolts to pull it with the rails so ill bin the washers. Just when you think you’re doing the right thing.

The four bolts holding the rails are nyloc at least.

6,181 · August 22

Cable entry point mounted using sika 522 and the panel has those click connectors whose name escapes me but readily serviceable which is lucky as i did this prior to reading daves comment above.

6,181 · August 22

Airgap is good, they lose efficiency if they get hot.

The irony being black and all designed to absorb sunlight energy stuff.

6,181 · August 30

Had a few days away in the old camper, stayed in some lovely spots and got back to the solar charge controller in the postbox which was only a week late.

Snip snip cables fitted and at nearly 9pm it was pulling 4A into the battery. Apparently victron stuff is very efficient? It’s dear enough to be so next job is a split charge relay then we can remove the need to trickle the engine battery when we are away.

Leaving it plugged in and maintaining costs about what the solar controller cost a year. €55

6,181 · September 2

Rangie is foing to its new home tomorrow thanks to Mr @Benzyl visiting and clearing the detritus out. Its not a bad bus really just a bit too thirsty for the journeys it was asked to do.

Shopping has commenced. And budget has flexed from 2-4k if we must.

CR-V
Tiguan equivalents
Yeti
X-Trail
Mitsubishi things

Hopefully something tidy will pop up. I would have like her to have a 4k ish zoe but wants a higher up thing? Anyway we will see and no hurry until we are properly back late October now. She is back for a couple of weeks this week.

28,096 · September 2

Apparently the seat in the Zoë is really high like a van. I hear Kiltox is clearing stock.

I don't see it personally but then my other vehicles are a van and an SUV

6,181 · September 8

In a bid to replace the ruinous one now it has departed I started shopping for suitable replacements. We narrowed down to a skoda yeti. Then widened the budget to 4k from 2k which means its now 5k.

6,181 · September 30

Set off last tuesday from the frozen northwest of Brittany with a lets go see my pal near limoges. Will add some names as they come to me.

6,181 · September 30

We are about 1250 km in using a 35 year old n/a peugeot j5. It is sloooooow.

28,096 · September 30

How does the pace feel in terms of comfort? Does it suit the RNs?

I'd love to do this but I reckon I'll be hard pushed to find anything feasible for three kids as well as two adults.

1,878 · September 30

2 hours ago, loserone said:

How does the pace feel in terms of comfort? Does it suit the RNs?

I'd love to do this but I reckon I'll be hard pushed to find anything feasible for three kids as well as two adults.

We’ve just bought another camper, a ready made proper Hymer one - and it’s got two fixed bunk beds, a 140cm wide double over the cab (fixed) and a 4 person dinette which converts into another double bed. Definitely a more practical family layout than lots of the Fiat A class Hymers - which I love, but they defo better suit a couple with no children in tow.

6,181 · October 1

How does the pace feel in terms of comfort? Does it suit the RNs?

I'd love to do this but I reckon I'll be hard pushed to find anything feasible for three kids as well as two adults.

This sleeps 5 theoretically although it only has 4 seats??

Speed wise it is happiest between 50 & 60, it’ll do 70 but it doesn’t sound very kind.

Most of the journey has been at about 50.

Currently here in leucate but off to Narbonne in the morning and then going to make our way back up to Brittany sadly as I have some pointing to finish before we go back. Temps are just a comfortable 24 just now.

6,181 · October 1

We’ve just bought another camper, a ready made proper Hymer one - and it’s got two fixed bunk beds, a 140cm wide double over the cab (fixed) and a 4 person dinette which converts into another double bed. Definitely a more practical family layout than lots of the Fiat A class Hymers - which I love, but they defo better suit a couple with no children in tow.

I suspect yours is a lot newer than our old 1989/90 one. The layout in the B544 is spectacular from a form and function point of view.

And everything still works too albeit I had to fix everything which involved cleaning and reassembly mainly. Pulling a frozen ice lolly out (lolly ice for our scouse friends) never gets old when at the seaside with the small people.

The 2001 B544 we have in the UK is another level especially the clever bathroom packaging. And the 2.8TD is happy at 85mph all day uphill and down dale.

1,878 · October 2

19 hours ago, bangernomics said:

I suspect yours is a lot newer than our old 1989/90 one. The layout in the B544 is spectacular from a form and function point of view.

And everything still works too albeit I had to fix everything which involved cleaning and reassembly mainly. Pulling a frozen ice lolly out (lolly ice for our scouse friends) never gets old when at the seaside with the small people.

The 2001 B544 we have in the UK is another level especially the clever bathroom packaging. And the 2.8TD is happy at 85mph all day uphill and down dale.

Indeed - ours is a 2001/2002 model year. It also has the funky vario bathroom with the hinged sink unit. V clever - although the tray is a bit flaky on ours so may need some work before it's shower-ready. A mystery gas leak presented itself somewhere near the manifold immediately after changing from butane to propane, so that's my job for this afternoon. A great van overall though, and you're right, the 2.8 is a peach.

6,181 · October 3

Theres a chap called derek justice, my sink had perished and he made me one for about £100 which is perfect he does trays etc too. Lovely guy.

6,181 · October 3

Today we had a wander round Aranchon, lovely market halls and fancy shops for Mrs B. Camper now full of shoe boxes and various crap.

Then drive over to Cognac this afternoon. Breakfast and lunch in Cognac and then perhaps Saint Nazaire tomorrow eve.

Home in Saturday perhaps.

The food market was fab

Aranchon seafront

6,181 · October 3

Also chod pics

Battered. Pics don’t do it justice.

I think I solved all the abductions in France
|
|
\ | /
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Literally no shits given.

1,641 · October 4

On 04/08/2024 at 22:46, bangernomics said:

At least they’ll actually be new as I guess the PO was misled.

The parts were new. I bought them myself, watched them being fitted and enclosed receipts.

As per the listing I stated it had new shoes, drums and a single cylinder on the side that wasn't working for the MOT, NSR from memory. Perhaps the other side failed or component failure/shite fitting of the side that was changed after an MOT and 10 months use.

Sorry it let you down anyhow

October 4

"then going to make our way back up to Brittany sadly as I have some pointing to finish before we go back."

I'd love to hear a bit about the practicalities of having a place over there. It's something I'm considering for when I have finally got sick of the UK. Happy to listen to the wisdom of yourself, saabnut etc. in another thread if you'd rather keep it separate.

17,848 · October 4

1 hour ago, DeanH said:

"then going to make our way back up to Brittany sadly as I have some pointing to finish before we go back."

I'd love to hear a bit about the practicalities of having a place over there. It's something I'm considering for when I have finally got sick of the UK. Happy to listen to the wisdom of yourself, saabnut etc. in another thread if you'd rather keep it separate.

Pop something in the Ask Section.

Quite a few people on here have info' on France.

Moving there is more difficult for UK citizens after leaving the EU - generally there is the 90/180 days restriction.

Reciprocation of recognition of qualifications and health cover has ceased except in emergencies.

My advice to anyone moving into Europe is ensure you speak the language (competently not perfectly) before you leave.

And don't 'burn you boats' in the UK - it can make future access to the UK health care system and pensions problematic if you ever have to come back.

Government advice here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-france

Notwithstanding anything you may read in the press Brit's remain very well-liked in Europe.

British Embassy Paris posts on Twitter (X) at @UKinFrance for general info' of the current diplomatic picture.

6,181 · October 6

The parts were new. I bought them myself, watched them being fitted and enclosed receipts.
As per the listing I stated it had new shoes, drums and a single cylinder on the side that wasn't working for the MOT, NSR from memory. Perhaps the other side failed or component failure/shite fitting of the side that was changed after an MOT and 10 months use.

Sorry it let you down anyhow

Apparently the back plate was injured during the fitting process, the shoes are a twat to fit unless you remove the cylinders. Chances are they levered the funk out of it and cracked the lug on the backplate. Thats what failed.

Wasn’t a dig, I am capable of being direct when required and you would be clear if I thought that way.

Car does have some other interesting features but it continues to work well enough for what it cost.

6,181 · October 6

Pop something in the Ask Section.
Quite a few people on here have info' on France.
Moving there is more difficult for UK citizens after leaving the EU - generally there is the 90/180 days restriction.
Reciprocation of recognition of qualifications and health cover has ceased except in emergencies.
My advice to anyone moving into Europe is ensure you speak the language (competently not perfectly) before you leave.
And don't 'burn you boats' in the UK - it can make future access to the UK health care system and pensions problematic if you ever have to come back.
Government advice here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-france
Notwithstanding anything you may read in the press Brit's remain very well-liked in Europe.
British Embassy Paris posts on Twitter (X) at @UKinFrance for general info' of the current diplomatic picture.

Yes as above post and we will all throw in our two bits. Get a good laser printer and a scanner!

6,181 · October 8

Old hymer went for pre sale CT today having a hot to trot buyer sealed it’s fate.

FAIL

Bastarding bastard.

Fixed the side marker (not a legal requirement but ok mate) bad earth.

Wheel bearing is newish but has play so ordered a 41mm socket. Can I just crank it up a bit?

Brakes I spotted the booster hose was split and that seems to have improved things. It stopped like a beast going past Nantes the other day when some twat pulled out and then slammed on so they’re good and I think he was being an arse.

Anyway will bleed and have a tinker also.

Headlight aim they have passed every time they don’t move so I will adjust and smile.

Smoke

Arse thats the bad one. Its a bit overrun blue so two tubs of snake oil ordered. One wynns in the engine and another in the tank? Air filter is as new, oil is fresh this morning 15/40 so hope the can of guff works.

Anyway fingers crossed the shite lands on Thursday.

Why do I always do this to myself.

Any tips to get through this test appreciated. It is a Citroën CX 2.5D engine has a lucas pump.

17,848 · October 8

How old is it? Once it tops 30 it can go onto black plates and CT every 5 years.

6,181 · October 9

34 presently, doesn’t collection make insurance harder? It is bad enough at the moment or is there somewhere I am missing?

I have looked at collection but thought about possible gotchas.

Xtrails not broke, Polo brown motion fresh ticket and other four wheeled suppositories.

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