Guys and gals I need your input.

[Pausim]

Is scrapping a vehicle abroad easy? I have a suspicion that it might involve a bit of paperwork because leaving it behind could be seen as exporting it. No idea really, just something that might need checking out.

 

[WESTY66]

An A frame for a Renault master anyone
Just need a mate with a bigger van to pull it

 

[L' Hobo]

Is scrapping a vehicle abroad easy? I have a suspicion that it might involve a bit of paperwork because leaving it behind could be seen as exporting it. No idea really, just something that might need checking out.

Number & Vin plate removed, should be easy?

 

[Northernraider]

Yes he did on the thread where the poster was in France and broke down, it cost the chap about 10-12 grand or so for a new engine/repairs , he said something along the lines of” Who has that kind of money lying around, certainly not me” then when it happens to him he’s throwing thousands around as if it chuffing confetti.

Yeah I have to say I was surprised to read he'd told garage to go ahead. Personally I'd be reluctant to spend 4/5k on a van that had cost me 5k initially as its money you will never get back. The thing I liked with cheap vans is if anything drastic went wrong with them I'd cut my losses and flog it for spares or repair.

The problem when you have a vehicle worth 20/25k upwards is if it needs a 5k repair then you've no choice really.

But a 5k repair on a 5k van I'd not do it. I'd have been recovered home and if I couldn't find a second hand box and fit it myself for a grand or so I'd strip the van and start again.


But people do different things I guess.


If I'm ever unlucky enough to have a large bill breakdown like this I'd spend a week crying before I did anything.

 

[L' Hobo]

An A frame for a Renault master anyone
Just need a mate with a bigger van to pull it

A straight bar with Chaser steering?

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[WESTY66]

A straight bar with Chaser steering?

I did type that, then deleted it

 

[Rogerwyn]

Being a farmer he’ll get a flight home and hitch up his tractor to some kind of trailer and go and pick it up himself

 

[Tombola]

May be worth putting it out to shiply.com to repatriate https://www.shiply.com/
if they have a vehicle already heading to UK with an empty space they may do it as an addon = cheaper, Ive done it a twice with cars and a golf cart once ! but never from abroad

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[L' Hobo]

This had me thinking of what some of us would have done 50yrs ago when we were younger and before things got so regimented?

 

[Pausim]

Number & Vin plate removed, should be easy?

Possibly but I suspect they count them in and count them out at the ports of entry and exit.

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[Northernraider]

to be fair, theres a big difference between 10-12 thousand and 2-4 thousand..

.

Yes but depends on the value of the van doesn't it.

10/12k on a van that's worth 30/40k then whilst it's expensive it's necessary as you'd lose 20k plus if it wasn't fixed

But 4/5k on a van that's possibly only worth 4/5k. Then you'll never see that money again .

 

[L' Hobo]

Possibly but I suspect they count them in and count them out at the ports of entry and exit.

But it won't return especially if it's reported stolen?

 

[Northernraider]

Mate, that is coming to mind, we have so many options now it's getting rediculas, no fault of lv, but the garage have now come up with a month's wait , do we wait with it, get it sent home, scrap it or what?
They have said it might not be worth enough for repatriation.
The hire car has disappeared, again no fault of lv, hertz just come and loaded it up with it's flat and we haven't had it back so the hire is up tomorrow and no idea where it is , only used it for an hour but have found out we can get back to Carcassonne on a bus for £20.

Could your son or someone not find a second hand box and drive it over to you ?

Or recover the van yourself somehow ?

I have to say Charlie I'd be reluctant to throw 5k away on a new gearbox . What happens if something else major goes wrong with it next year.

At somepoint you have to consider is it worth doing it.

You could build yourself another van cheaper.

 

[PaulW2]

Yeah I have to say I was surprised to read he'd told garage to go ahead. Personally I'd be reluctant to spend 4/5k on a van that had cost me 5k initially as its money you will never get back. The thing I liked with cheap vans is if anything drastic went wrong with them I'd cut my losses and flog it for spares or repair.

The problem when you have a vehicle worth 20/25k upwards is if it needs a 5k repair then you've no choice really.

But a 5k repair on a 5k van I'd not do it. I'd have been recovered home and if I couldn't find a second hand box and fit it myself for a grand or so I'd strip the van and start again.


But people do different things I guess.


If I'm ever unlucky enough to have a large bill breakdown like this I'd spend a week crying before I did anything.

Difficult one. When vehicles are old enough and don't really have a market value all that they do have is a 'utility value' for us. I've had some of those, where one spends and replaces things just because it's the cheapest way of having an otherwise desirable vehicle back.

I don't suppose one can judge it for anyone else. But say the cost would be € 3k. What else, motorhome-wise, can he get for € 3k plus whatever he can realise for this one? How long before he's back in the 'game'?

 

[Northernraider]

Difficult one. When vehicles are old enough and don't really have a market value all that they do have is a 'utility value' for us. I've had some of those, where one spends and replaces things just because it's the cheapest way of having an otherwise desirable vehicle back.

I don't suppose one can judge it for anyone else. But say the cost would be € 3k. What else, motorhome-wise, can he get for € 3k plus whatever he can realise for this one? How long before he's back in the 'game'?

Charlie and his son have built a few now . If he bought another Renault ambulance or van he could swap everything over to it .and then keep or break his current van for spares and get some of the money back.

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[PeterCarole29]

This had me thinking of what some of us would have done 50yrs ago when we were younger and before things got so regimented?

I broke down in a village 20 miles from Calais in a Renault traffic. Alternator light came on and we lost the brakes
Basically a bolt had come loose behind the timing belt cover and the woodruff key holding the pulley wheel onto the shaft that drives the brake servo sheared
It needed a new shaft
We found the only English speaking person in the village who took us to a breakers yard and i was fleased . i got a second hand shaft out of an old engine in a skip for 50 euros
Took the engine apart and replaced it
All within the day.
Went on our way the following morning
That was 40yrs ago

 

[PaulW2]

Charlie and his son have built a few now . If he bought another Renault ambulance or van he could swap everything over to it .and then keep or break his current van for spares and get some of the money back.

Still sounds financially pretty marginal?

 

[dryad]

Yes but depends on the value of the van doesn't it.

10/12k on a van that's worth 30/40k then whilst it's expensive it's necessary as you'd lose 20k plus if it wasn't fixed

But 4/5k on a van that's possibly only worth 4/5k. Then you'll never see that money again .

but then its not always about money and chaser didn't build it originally to make money on it, but to use it which he's done a lot of..
and if he can continue to use and get enjoyment from, then its got to be worth spending a bit more on it..
if that was my van and i could rake up enough pennies from the back of the sofa, thats what i would do, and if i could get it home and do it cheaper. better still..

.

 

[Figaro]

but then its not always about money and chaser didn't build it originally to make money on it, but to use it which he's done a lot of..
and if he can continue to use and get enjoyment from, then its got to be worth spending a bit more on it..
if that was my van and i could rake up enough pennies from the back of the sofa, thats what i would do, and if i could get it home and do it cheaper. better still..

.

Well said, it's not just the money.
Repatriation, buying another ambulance and swopping everything over is likely a lot more than 4-5k.
Plus months without a van to travel in

 

[Northernraider]

Still sounds financially pretty marginal?

Remember his current van has 270k miles on it. The engine could go next .

I'd say it was a no brainer to repatriate ,repair himself or cut losses . I'd not invest 5k in a van worth 5k

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[chaser]

Being a farmer he’ll get a flight home and hitch up his tractor to some kind of trailer and go and pick it up himself

The daft thing is we have a low loader at home but wouldn't dare coming to France with it else we would probably end up with two to fetch back

 

[chaser]

Remember his current van has 270k miles on it. The engine could go next .

I'd say it was a no brainer to repatriate ,repair himself or cut losses . I'd not invest 5k in a van worth 5k

Right, you have all just about tipped me over now, although it's worth next to nowt ,we love it and I have spent a load of money on it this last year, it's all electricised lithium power pack the works, it's exactly the van I want , wouldn't think of having anything else.
So when lv ring in the morning that's what we are going to tell them and see what happens.

 

[Northernraider]

Right, you have all just about tipped me over now, although it's worth next to nowt ,we love it and I have spent a load of money on it this last year, it's all electricised lithium power pack the works, it's exactly the van I want , wouldn't think of having anything else.
So when lv ring in the morning that's what we are going to tell them and see what happens.

I'm pretty sure Charlie if you got it repatriated back to yours then you'd have it back up and running with a replacement second hand box in no time and would save yourself a fortune. Its an older van so there's always some in scrapyards somewhere .

If my engine blew up on this motorhome I'd be trying to fit a second had one before I'd shell out for a new one.

Different with new vans where its unlikely to find a second hand part or pay a fortune for one.

The benefit of older motors is the relative easiness of second hand components

 

[chaser]

I'm pretty sure Charlie if you got it repatriated back to yours then you'd have it back up and running with a replacement second hand box in no time and would save yourself a fortune. Its an older van so there's always some in scrapyards somewhere .

If my engine blew up on this motorhome I'd be trying to fit a second had one before I'd shell out for a new one.

Different with new vans where its unlikely to find a second hand part or pay a fortune for one.

The benefit of older motors is the relative easiness of second hand components

I am certain we can do it at home, but people saying I can afford it, is not the point I am trying to find the BEST way out of this and weighing up all the pros and cons.

 

[WESTY66]

Remember his current van has 270k miles on it. The engine could go next .

I'd say it was a no brainer to repatriate ,repair himself or cut losses . I'd not invest 5k in a van worth 5k

Yes but at his age (no offence Chas) would he really want to start all over again with a new van???
He has a van that he loves (we all know that) and he can get it repaired without lifting a finger himself, all that is required is the bill to be paid and if he has the funds to comfortably do it, why wouldn’t he?
Thing is Tam, you have youth on your side, Chas sadly hasn’t (no offence again Chas) so if he can get it done quickly and done right, he’s gonna go for it!!!
If he was 20/30 years younger he’d be getting it back himself to fix himself

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[Northernraider]

I am certain we can do it at home, but people saying I can afford it, is not the point I am trying to find the BEST way out of this and weighing up all the pros and cons.

Having visited you and seen the projects you have I KNOW you and your lads can fix that van .

 

[Northernraider]

Yes but at his age (no offence Chas) would he really want to start all over again with a new van???
He has a van that he loves (we all know that) and he can get it repaired without lifting a finger himself, all that is required is the bill to be paid and if he has the funds to comfortably do it, why wouldn’t he?
Thing is Tam, you have youth on your side, Chas sadly hasn’t (no offence again Chas) so if he can get it done quickly and done right, he’s gonna go for it!!!
If he was 20/30 years younger he’d be getting it back himself to fix himself

I'm sure he would have help though.

If you've ever been to Charlie's. It's a petrol head engine enthusiasts dream . Lots of stuff to get stuck in to .

I know he's possibly not able to do the whole job himself but he has knowledgeable lads there.

 

[JockandRita]

The trouble too is, that the repatriation costs are more than the value of the vehicle, sadly, unless a space on an existing return load can be found.

Good luck with it all chaser.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Northernraider]

The trouble too is, that the repatriation costs are more than the value of the vehicle, sadly, unless a space on an existing return load can be found.

Good luck with it all chaser.

Cheers,

Jock.

Have the insurance said that? I've missed that post if they have . That would then pose another problem sadly.

Bit like being held over a barrel then though which is a shame.

Insurance themselves wouldn't be keen to spend the value of the vehicle to repair the vehicle.

 

[Tombola]

although it's worth next to nowt ,we love it and I have spent a load of money on it this last year, it's all electricised lithium power pack the works, it's exactly the van I want , wouldn't think of having anything else.

says it all, good luck mate,

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