I'm considering a summer jaunt in my new Griffith.. What do

[Brithunter]

QBee said:

Just don’t try that with the AA. My daughter suffered a breakdown in her Renault Scenic at 6pm one Sunday, 35 miles into a 200 mile journey home to Southport, with a 9 month old baby and a dog on board. AA arrived, towed her half a mile to a place of safety, announced it was the gearbox without even looking, and organised her a relay......in three 60 mile stages, with one hour waits at each change over of vehicle. She would have been home at about 1am, with work starting at 6am and exhausted. I told the AA man to bring her and the car back to us, and sent the daughter home in her mother’s car. Next day my local garage re-fitted the visibly detached diesel turbo pipe (!) in less than five minutes. Never used the AA since - the RAC are competent bonnet lifters and would have had her on her way in no time.

LOL .............................. about 16 years ago I spent some time driving a slide and tilt 6.4T recovery for Dorking Autos so am well aware hot the AA relay works. That is where I acquired my distaste of BMW especially the majority of their dealers. Near new BMW's were my most picked up cars back then and their dealers on the whole to most arrogant and unhelpful.

Am looking at putting together a service and brake down kit to bring back with me, Distributor cap, rotor arm, bulbs, alternator belt (pre serp remember) ....................... etc Have break down (European) cover with the insurance.

[Classic Chim]

Tow vehicles such as vans without tachograph fitted like the AA RAC etc can do a max of 60 miles towing a vehicle to a place of safety. Why they didn’t use a low loader seems nuts.

[QBee]

Classic Chim said:

Tow vehicles such as vans without tachograph fitted like the AA RAC etc can do a max of 60 miles towing a vehicle to a place of safety. Why they didn’t use a low loader seems nuts.

No idea - it was a Sunday, so perhaps they were short handed.
They made two mistakes, which have cost them my business and recommendations for ever:

1. They didn’t explain.
2. They didn’t open the bonnet.

If they had opened the bonnet they would have seen the turbo pipe off right in front of their noses. 5 minute fix, daughter on her way again.

In my experience every RAC guy who has ever come to my breakdowns has 20+ years experience as mechanic and is determined to try to get me going again.

The guy who came to me in the TVR when the 100 amp fuse gone listened, heard where it was, had one in his van, and fixed it. The last twice they haven’t been able to fix the car, but they did at least try. Once was a failed Saab coil pack, the other a blown TVR ECU.

[Classic Chim]

Low loader
Tow truck!

[QBee]

Classic Chim said:

Low loader
Tow truck!

The coil pack, he towed me home despite being well over an hour after when he should have gone home himself. I bought and fitted a new one.
The TVR ECU blew 800 yards from my house on a Friday evening. He offered to call a relay truck to get it 80 miles to Mat Smith by Saturday afternoon, but I went home, got my own trailer, and took it myself first thing Saturday morning - The RAC guy knew no fuel was getting through, Mat diagnosed the faulty ECU, I had a spare, and I was up and running again by 9am.

[bomb]

We have toured Europe on a number of occasions, in a T350t and Griff. Done thousands of miles, only with a couple of minor issues. Had fantastic holidays and loved the adventure of it all. We have d=had a few years break from touring but will reume again in September and we will most likely end up heading for Italy (again). Just make sure you do take a basic set of tools and some sensible spares with you. Good recovery cover and insurance too of course. Dont pack too many clothes as you do need luggage space for the goodies you tend to pick up along the way such as wine and such like.

Invest in a Surrey roof too. Thus it makes removal of the roof, and its stowage, so much easier.

Get cracking !

[Brithunter]

bomb said:

We have toured Europe on a number of occasions, in a T350t and Griff. Done thousands of miles, only with a couple of minor issues. Had fantastic holidays and loved the adventure of it all. We have d=had a few years break from touring but will reume again in September and we will most likely end up heading for Italy (again). Just make sure you do take a basic set of tools and some sensible spares with you. Good recovery cover and insurance too of course. Dont pack too many clothes as you do need luggage space for the goodies you tend to pick up along the way such as wine and such like.

Invest in a Surrey roof too. Thus it makes removal of the roof, and its stowage, so much easier.

Get cracking !

As for the Surrey roof well for me that can wait as after all as this will be my first jaunt in the Chimaera the std roof will have to come with me to get it home. Am starting to collect the spare back up package, first item is an ignition amp, to follow will be car and rotor arm and a coil. Leads are brand new ceramics. Will have to buy some tools as cannot really bring a good selection on the plane over to collect her.

[markcoopers]

Not done a big trip in a TVR yet, but did manage a few in a Ferrari Mondial T and Morgan Aero 8. Do your prep on the car beforehand to iron out silly earth and chafed pipes and pack a simple preventative tool kit/spares and you will be absolutely fine......do it.