MOBY GOES TO TURKEY. A tam and pups adventure.

[Northernraider]

To be honest, I would wait till the final bill comes before that is the total labour.

He showed me the bill Charlie so I'm expecting that to be the final cost.

But if its not you'll see me here shouting about it lol.


I bloody hope it's not any dearer I'm still coming to terms with the 500 nicker lol

 

[Northernraider]

Surely with an older van like yours you would have budgeted for this sort of thing?
I know we all hope that nothing nasty will happen but sadly they do!

Yeah of course . I expect it will need stuff doing I'd just like it to spread the cost out a bit lol. I've only had the van 4 months and I've spent 4 grand on it lol

 

[Northernraider]

He has actually done something that I have suggested in all these breakdown threads, that is going out and finding your own garage rather than waiting for a breakdown lorry to take you where you don't want to go.

Yeah I always prefer to get to a garage under my own steam if I can . Breaking down with dogs on board is an absolute nightmare .

 

[Northernraider]

This wee village I'm parked in aurelia, has a church bell that plays a full tune ...its quite refreshing . Not just random ringing .

I'll try and record it next time if it does it again at 8pm

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Yeah I always prefer to get to a garage under my own steam if I can . Breaking down with dogs on board is an absolute nightmare .

Yep, been there done that. I knew what the problem was so once off the motorway I used Google translate to see if he knew a mobile mechanic and he pointed at himself, I told him what to do, gave him 30 euros and was on my way. Breakdown cover paid to get me off the motorway, it was a weekend so didn't have to wait for things to open up on the Monday.

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[Langtoftlad]

I'm still amazed that they fitted you in today - I know you parked right outside - but most places in the UK would tell you fully booked, come back in a week at least.

 

[yodeli]

Dunfermline

Dunfermline... rings a bell... nice memories there. I made soldier friends when I was in Middlesbrough, teaching French in 2 schools + 6th form college. They took me to their base in Dunfermline. Submariners they were. Arrived at the check point, and I had to hide so the soldier at the entrance could not see me. I saw that huge submarine , parked next to us, about 20 metres away from the barrier of the check point. I spent a very nice and memorable evening at the bar in the army building. If you saw Top Gun, their bar looked a bit the same. Same atmosphere anyway.... Very sweet memories! Sorry to diverge. I didn't read more than the first page but Northernraider I can imagine how you feel...

 

[Northernraider]

I'm still amazed that they fitted you in today - I know you parked right outside - but most places in the UK would tell you fully booked, come back in a week at least.

Yeah I was lucky with that because there was a lot of vehicles there mostly busses and artic trucks. Big garage though even had their own paintshop

 

[Littlewheels]

I’m a bit lost with current comments,are you now sorted and on your way?

 

[ontheroadagain]

its quite refreshing

Will you still be saying that at 5am?

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[Lenny HB]

I’m a bit lost with current comments,are you now sorted and on your way?

Alternator arriving 10 am tomorrow and they will fit it straight away.

 

[gus-lopez]

I'm still amazed that they fitted you in today - I know you parked right outside - but most places in the UK would tell you fully booked, come back in a week at least.

& that is now the problem in the UK & any non UK are just as amazed that you can't get instant service .What happened? You used to.
Anybody rang me regardless of time I turned up. I really can't think of anywhere here that I wouldn't get same day service.

 

[Dutch 68]

Alternator arriving 10 am tomorrow and they will fit it straight away.

Hope not to far driven away from garage lol

 

[Northernraider]

I’m a bit lost with current comments,are you now sorted and on your way?

No the alternator is ordered it's getting fitted in the morning

 

[Langtoftlad]

& that is now the problem in the UK & any non UK are just as amazed that you can't get instant service .What happened? You used to.
Anybody rang me regardless of time I turned up. I really can't think of anywhere here that I wouldn't get same day service.

To be fair, my local independent garage would probably help if I rolled to a stop on their forecourt, especially for a quick diagnosis. They get next day parts delivery too.

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[Northernraider]

Will you still be saying that at 5am?

I don't mind the bells. Nice when they ring out a tune though

 

[Northernraider]

Hope not to far driven away from garage lol

Only 4 miles , but battery fully charged at the minute so should be fine

 

[Dutch 68]

I don't mind the bells. Nice when they ring out a tune though

When I lived in Cwmdu in Wales I did ring the bells in our church, actually quite a nice thing to do.

 

[bigtree]

Yep I know lol. I'd not sleep a wink if I had a camper over £100k it's just not for me lol. I worried about my 40k frankia constantly. And I bumped it 4 times on that 1 trip

That’s what insurance is for, I’m talking about reliability. Sure it can still break down but that’s where warranty comes into play, with an old van there is always the concern of what’s going to break next. I know you change your vehicles regularly but in doing that you never know the history of them.

 

[nicholsong]

& that is now the problem in the UK & any non UK are just as amazed that you can't get instant service .What happened? You used to.
Anybody rang me regardless of time I turned up. I really can't think of anywhere here that I wouldn't get same day service.

I posted earlier about getting my boat alternator fixed on a small Greek island(Patmos).

I took it up to the bus garage. The guy stopped what he was doing, bench tested it with a proper test rig on the wall, decided it was the regulator, nipped up the ladder to his loft, came back with a new one, fitted it, bench tested it under load for 10-15 minutes.

I was in and out of there in under 30 mins.

Service or what?

I had equally good service on the same island 2 years ago when my MH starter battery died in the sticks and a friend had a mobile electrician to me in 20 minutes and a new battery within the hour. What great people. No wonder I have been going to that island over 40 years, including with the MH again this year.

Tam, good luck for tomorrow morning. Don't forget to ask them to give you the old regulator as a spare - could get you out of trouble in the future.

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[Northernraider]

That’s what insurance is for, I’m talking about reliability. Sure it can still break down but that’s where warranty comes into play, with an old van there is always the concern of what’s going to break next. I know you change your vehicles regularly but in doing that you never know the history of them.

Yep that's fair enough

But In the last 6 years with 5 different vans I've had very few mechanical issues. And I sold every van for more than it cost me. So I got any expenses back plus extra.

From things I've read on this forum there doesn't seem to be any more reliability etc from newer more expensive vans.
If I'd been at home I'd have bought and replaced this alternator myself for a third of the price. Its just the current circumstances that make this incident different

 

[martin2603]

I had the Alternator fail on my 3.0 Daily, 2011, Genuine Iveco £700.00 Jayar Components, £130.00, 2 yr warranty and it came with pulley attached. Changed it in under an hour, releasing the belt tensioner is the tricky bit.

 

[gus-lopez]

No the alternator is ordered it's getting fitted in the morning

The last one was cheaper here
Which reminds me .On that hymer(?) when the alternator failed it didn't become a problem as the solar panels kept all the batteries charged? why hasn't it done it on this van?

The guy stopped what he was doing, bench tested it with a proper test rig on the wall,

mate bought an old Fergie T20 here about 15 years ago. Was 52 years old then. Starter went & we took it to a local bloke who specialises in vehicle electrics.It had blown the commutator on the armature. utterly amazed when he disappeared & came back with an old,extremely dusty box with a brand new armature in , reassembled & tested it all= 80€

 

[Langtoftlad]

If I'd been at home I'd have bought and replaced this alternator myself for a third of the price. Its just the current circumstances that make this incident different

But that's a bit like going into a restaurant and then saying I could have cooked this at home for a third of the price...

Time is money - when you want a job doing or something buying, you have the option of shopping around...
If a tyre is worn, you can look for the best price, the brand alternatives - if it has a blowout on the motorway, your choices will be limited.

I presume you'll be shopping around in Turkey for your graphics/paint job - not just the first place you come across?

 

[gus-lopez]

and it came with pulley attached.

That is the problem if it has the overrun clutch pulley & doesn't come with one & needs to be changed.Requires some special tool.

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[tonyidle]

That is the problem if it has the overrun clutch pulley & doesn't come with one & needs to be changed.Requires some special tool.

You need to hold the armature shaft with an Allen key through the socket so without the special tool you turn the socket with Stillson wrench.

 

[Northernraider]

The last one was cheaper here
Which reminds me .On that hymer(?) when the alternator failed it didn't become a problem as the solar panels kept all the batteries charged? why hasn't it done it on this van?




mate bought an old Fergie T20 here about 15 years ago. Was 52 years old then. Starter went & we took it to a local bloke who specialises in vehicle electrics.It had blown the commutator on the armature. utterly amazed when he disappeared & came back with an old,extremely dusty box with a brand new armature in , reassembled & tested it all= 80€

It was only not a problem as I drove up to yours the day after it failed with no lights or anything on in sunshine. Battery didn't get a chance to go flat. This one the alternator was running the b2b charger etc

But yeah that alternator was €150 , garage quoted me €300 . Was a pig to change though . More awkward than this one to get to

 

[Northernraider]

But that's a bit like going into a restaurant and then saying I could have cooked this at home for a third of the price...

Time is money - when you want a job doing or something buying, you have the option of shopping around...
If a tyre is worn, you can look for the best price, the brand alternatives - if it has a blowout on the motorway, your choices will be limited.

I presume you'll be shopping around in Turkey for your graphics/paint job - not just the first place you come across?

Not painting the whole van anymore only the silver bit around the bottom.

 

[Northernraider]

That is the problem if it has the overrun clutch pulley & doesn't come with one & needs to be changed.Requires some special tool.

The pulley is built in on this alternator . Its a simple change.

 

[Bramidan]

I can’t really comment on the actual problem but it seems to me from the general comments that we seem to believe everybody outside of the UK are bandits ready to rip us off!
Ive actually found the opposite, although to be fair I only had a battery replaced in France and the majority of my experiences have been in Turkey.
I’ve found that they are really willing to help, they don’t have a sharp intake of breath and tell you to come back next week. The other point is they still repair and not just simply replace because they can’t be ar…d.
,I’m sure it would be cheaper to do it yourself ( if you are competent, I’m not!) but you are not in a workshop with access to your range of tools.
As much as it hurts you just have to throw money at it and write the costs off against the time you have had the vehicle and the future use.
You probably know too much!!! I would just be pleased I had somebody who knew what they were doing and offering me advice.
Good luck, once it‘s been replaced you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

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