Tam &Toby do Europe ...Take two

Northernraider said:
Yes I was thinking that

I can get the trailer for less as the guy has just come back with an offer for less ....and I think I'd still get that lower

I could probably also haggle the car a bit too . But I'd have to store a trailer

Also the trailer is in Northumberland and the smart is in Cornwall lol

The a frame is in Somerset

Never easy


But I could possible get the car and a frame for around £800

It the car and trailer for around £900

My other option is a ford ka I put an offer on with an frame fitted in Newcastle for £1000


Which is better ka or a smart ?
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Don't forget A Frames illegal in Spain.BUSBY.
 
TinaL said:
Now let me see.....Scooter, then newer Bicycle, now A frame with Toad.... Hmmmm
What next I wonder?....back to tuggin a caravan?:rofl:
Les
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To be honest I didn't really want to tow anything and it's unlikely I will tow a car abroad.

The problem is that things have changed

I now have 2 dogs , and I plan to look for work either as a campsite warden or doing event marshalling etc...which means having the camper parked up on site while I'm working but needing some form of transport to get around in

So I was originally going to get a motorbike again. And tow that on a trailer
But while I'm backing the uk over winter this year I also need work and I plan to do takeaway deliveries till I can get a job doing warden work probably from march onwards
So for that I need a cheap car anyway.....so that in turn started me thinking maybe a cheap toad was the best idea as I can use it to do the delivery work , then if I get a warden job way down south or in scottish highlands I have a car that I can take with me and I don't have to try and buy one once there or try to transport one to there.

With the dogs a car makes more sense than a motorbike.

I'm still not sure I'd tow a car abroad , but who knows.

Theres a reason for the madness

Either way I cant go back to what I did before, I cant do a full time job where I need to leave the dogs In a house on their own for 8-10 hours a day
So i need to find ways of making life work now.
 
EBL shouldn't shut down until down to 10.5v, reason it sounds low is because it's an on load voltage.

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Lenny HB said:
EBL shouldn't shut down until down to 10.5v, reason it sounds low is because it's an on load voltage.
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It's not switched off this time fortunately, but panel keeps lighting up and flashing charge. Now that heating is off its showing 12.3v again ?

I dont know...I'm fed up with it , its freezing tonight but I cant run the engine now as it's too late so just have to leave it off and just water heater on ....cant risk frost damage so I need to leave that on.

Panel currently reading 96% and 12.2v
But if course I've worked the heater directly to the batteries so i dont know ?
I cant remember how many nights that is now since hooked up. Whether its 2 or 3 but not as if I'm running the TV etc just a couple of led lights and the heating
 
Val 2 dogs said:
Sounds more like Ian the builder by the moment lol :ROFLMAO:
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Lol I cant use the motorhome to work so I need a car when I'm home regardless.
Being able to get that car somewhere aswell as the motorhome would be helpful
That's the reason for it.

Otherwise the alternative is selling toby and going back to bricks and mortar

You have to remember I'm not retired and I've another 23 years to go before I can

I need to work
 
Northernraider said:
It's not switched off this time fortunately, but panel keeps lighting up and flashing charge. Now that heating is off its showing 12.3v again ?

I dont know...I'm fed up with it , its freezing tonight but I cant run the engine now as it's too late so just have to leave it off and just water heater on ....cant risk frost damage so I need to leave that on.

Panel currently reading 96% and 12.2v
But if course I've worked the heater directly to the batteries so i dont know ?
I cant remember how many nights that is now since hooked up. Whether its 2 or 3 but not as if I'm running the TV etc just a couple of led lights and the heating
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Obviously the percentage reading is meaningless with it not being able to read the heating draw.
With only driving short distances and only 200 watts of solar at this time of year you will never get anything like the power you are using back into the batteries.
Even if your engine charging was OK it would still take a full days driving probably more to fully recharge the batteries.
 
Northernraider said:
It's not switched off this time fortunately, but panel keeps lighting up and flashing charge. Now that heating is off its showing 12.3v again ?

I dont know...I'm fed up with it , its freezing tonight but I cant run the engine now as it's too late so just have to leave it off and just water heater on ....cant risk frost damage so I need to leave that on.

Panel currently reading 96% and 12.2v
But if course I've worked the heater directly to the batteries so i dont know ?
I cant remember how many nights that is now since hooked up. Whether its 2 or 3 but not as if I'm running the TV etc just a couple of led lights and the heating
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Must be bloody frustrating Tam,,bet it's doing your head in..Hate electrical faults.BUSBY.

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Northernraider said:
Yes I was thinking that

I can get the trailer for less as the guy has just come back with an offer for less ....and I think I'd still get that lower

I could probably also haggle the car a bit too . But I'd have to store a trailer

Also the trailer is in Northumberland and the smart is in Cornwall lol

The a frame is in Somerset

Never easy


But I could possible get the car and a frame for around £800

It the car and trailer for around £900

My other option is a ford ka I put an offer on with an frame fitted in Newcastle for £1000


Which is better ka or a smart ?
Click to expand...

If it's the new model KA, after 2009 that's what we had new in 2009 and only sold last year, never missed a beat and had plenty of space inside. We dragged ours everywhere on the trailer. Still a bit sad that we sold it.
 
shawn&emma said:
If it's the new model KA, after 2009 that's what we had new in 2009 and only sold last year, never missed a beat and had plenty of space inside. We dragged ours everywhere on the trailer. Still a bit sad that we sold it.
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Nah it's a 2006 , it looks okay from the pics etc though and mot history isn't bad.
 
do not despair Tam, I can understand why you are fed up, but right now you just have to make the best of a poor job. you will soon be home, then you will be even more p.....d off with the B thing and an up and coming election and the prospect of a cold and wet British summer.
You cant sell Toby and revert to bricks and mortar coz you need to be able to go where the work is, besides you wouldnt deprive Milo and Jade of their home would you ?
How about you spend the day tomorrow going for a very long drive, only stopping for the occasional doggy break? would that fully charge your batteries?
good luck with whatever you decide , but dont let this end of the trip spoil all that has gone before.
 
Northernraider said:
Nah it's a 2006 , it looks okay from the pics etc though and mot history isn't bad.
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Others may disagree but i run a 2010 1.2 Panda and it has been brilliant.Cheap tax and insurance,,really reliable and loads of room in the front for a big guy like you..Cheap to buy.BUSBY.

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Northernraider said:
Nah it's a 2006 , it looks okay from the pics etc though and mot history isn't bad.
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Tread carefully with older Ka's right rust buckets. Daughter had one, I took the scuttle plastic off to repair the wipers, hardly anything left of the scuttle and lots of rust elsewhere. It was my friends wife's car she had had it from new and was well looked after, looked perfect on the outside.
 
Val 2 dogs said:
do not despair Tam, I can understand why you are fed up, but right now you just have to make the best of a poor job. you will soon be home, then you will be even more p.....d off with the B thing and an up and coming election and the prospect of a cold and wet British summer.
You cant sell Toby and revert to bricks and mortar coz you need to be able to go where the work is, besides you wouldnt deprive Milo and Jade of their home would you ?
How about you spend the day tomorrow going for a very long drive, only stopping for the occasional doggy break? would that fully charge your batteries?
good luck with whatever you decide , but dont let this end of the trip spoil all that has gone before.
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I am making the best of a poor job lol , I was ready for home 3 weeks ago ...now I'm just wasting time trying to make the best of it but not my idea of fun at the minute.

But at least at home I have the chance to do something productive .

Unfortunately a long drive doesn't do much as my batteries are not being charged properly from engine I'm getting hardly any input and even less from the solar ....so I need to try and hook up

There's an aire 10km from here with hookup but only 2 places so it will be luck if I get a spot or not if so I think I'll just stay there a few days , if not ill drive back to one of the ones in france with electric and stay there till I need vet. I might actually see if I can change my crossing to the 26th as that still gives me 21 days since the rabies shot on the 4th
I'll check that tomorrow.
 
busby said:
Others may disagree but i run a 2010 1.2 Panda and it has been brilliant.Cheap tax and insurance,,really reliable and loads of room in the front for a big guy like you..Cheap to buy.BUSBY.
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Aye I missed a fiat panda toad on ebay the other day for £800 and I had an offer accepted yesterday on a Renault modus one for £950 only for the bugger to then sell it to someone else.

I'm not fussed what car I buy it just needs to be cheap reliable have good mot and be cheap to tax and insure.

Preferably a toad so I can take it anywhere in the uk that I might get work.
 
Lenny HB said:
Tread carefully with older Ka's right rust buckets. Daughter had one, I took the scuttle plastic off to repair the wipers, hardly anything left of the scuttle and lots of rust elsewhere. It was my friends wife's car she had had it from new and was well looked after, looked perfect on the outside.
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Yeah I'm not the biggest fan of fords

But it looks alright with low miles and previous mot history doesn't mention corrosion etc ...just ball joints etc typical with a toad.

But the guy isn't the best at replying either so still no idea

The guy with the smart car is sending photos etc tomorrow

The biggest problem there is obviously theres no a frame on it just now so if I bought that I'd have to collect the a frame from bath or the trailer from Northumberland before I could collect the car ?

The only toad in scotland is in peterhead and has 142000 miles and not the best mot history on it.
 
Anyway whatever happens I'm sure it will all work out in the end

Its Baltic in here so I'm off to bed and the dogs are joining me as the poor things will freeze otherwise.
I hope the Belgian next door buggers off first thing cause I'll be running my engine when I get up to get a heat in here

I might have to defrost inside my windscreen lol


Night night

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Tam although you love to be in your own space, I think as priority you need to spend every night on a facility with EHU. You and the dogs cannot afford to get cold and have your water freezing, you are only just getting over being ill.

Think about being sensible, we all worry about you and yet we are unable to help you.
 
Tam just read your previous post where you will get EHU.

well done.
 
Brrrr well slept comfortable enough all wrapped up and dogs cuddling in but man it's cold in here this morning. Everything frozen outside , my panel says -2 outside and 3° inside ...I can see my breath lol

Sat here with my coat and hat on drinking coffee

Panel is flashing charge but reads 12.1v ?
I'm gonna have to try putting the heating on and if it don't work I'll have to start the engine

Belgian man is still 2 spaces over from me
I think I know his problem .....hes in a carado which is a fake hymer ?


Bet his bloody heatings on though
 
Northernraider said:
Brrrr well slept comfortable enough all wrapped up and dogs cuddling in but man it's cold in here this morning. Everything frozen outside , my panel says -2 outside and 3° inside ...I can see my breath lol

Sat here with my coat and hat on drinking coffee

Panel is flashing charge but reads 12.1v ?
I'm gonna have to try putting the heating on and if it don't work I'll have to start the engine

Belgian man is still 2 spaces over from me
I think I know his problem .....hes in a carado which is a fake hymer ?


Bet his bloody heatings on though
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Do you have an oven? Can you light that for a bit, it will help warm the van.
 
Don't know much about A Frames, but there are many different makes, are you sure buying a car which has been converted will be compatible with an A Frame bought separately? Just a thought.
 
Northernraider said:
Brrrr well slept comfortable enough all wrapped up and dogs cuddling in but man it's cold in here this morning. Everything frozen outside , my panel says -2 outside and 3° inside ...I can see my breath lol

Sat here with my coat and hat on drinking coffee

Panel is flashing charge but reads 12.1v ?
I'm gonna have to try putting the heating on and if it don't work I'll have to start the engine

Belgian man is still 2 spaces over from me
I think I know his problem .....hes in a carado which is a fake hymer ?


Bet his bloody heatings on though
Click to expand...
It reminds me of my early days truck driving,,sleeping across the bonnet,,it was that cold some nights hi used to keep my boots on.Woke up one morning with my hair frozen to the side window,,happy days,,I don't think.No night heaters and the normal cab heaters were useless.Hope you get leccy tonight.BUSBY.
 
Onemanandhisdog said:
Don't know much about A Frames, but there are many different makes, are you sure buying a car which has been converted will be compatible with an A Frame bought separately? Just a thought.
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Aye I know that lol but it's a smart car fortwo that's had an a frame fitted previously so still has the brake cable and the electrics wired for lights . It just doesn't have the frame and bracket.

But theres a frame and bracket for sale on Ebay to fit a smart fortwo

So they should be a perfect match.
 

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