The Stay-at-Homes Thread
Discussion
Im staying at home now 
We left yesterday morning at 6am, All was going fine, got the ferry to france, and the plan was to nip to Belgium for some tobacco before going onwards to france.
Unfortunately on the way back from Belgium, the car took a turn for the worst. The Ignition amplifier went kaput, meaning the car kept cutting out as we were going along.
Knowing we had no euro breakdown cover (as my car is worth peanuts, they wouldn't recover it anyway as the cost of recovery would exceed the market value of the car), we managed to limp it back to calais, onto the boat, and pull in just before Jubiliee way, before calling the RAC, who, to be fair, were great.
They sent out a patrol, who did all he could to fix it (by now its 11pm last night), even rang a 24 hour parts place to try and find an ignition amplifier for a 20 year old volvo, but no luck, so he sent out a flatbad, but the driver didn't have enough driving hours to return us to stafford, so we had to return to their yard, and pick up a hire car to get us back to stafford.
The plan at this stage had been to get the car (and trailer tent!) home, and then borrow the parents mondeo estate and go straight back down there, but having picked up the citroen c5 estate hire car, we stopped at a services, where one of our group lost his wallet! (its now 3am by this time).
So fast forward to now. Sat here at home, having just got in (exactly 24 hours after setting off! how ironic). One of our group has no wallet, none of us really have the spare cash to pay for another 2 ferries + fuel for the mondeo, so it looks like our trip is over for this year, which is a ****er, as we have 4 Lagache grandstand seats, 4 GE tickets, and one Houx camping permit, all gone to waste Sad
We are all gutted. This one part could of gone at anytime, and bear in mind my car has never had any mechanical problems that have disabled the car like that, to have it let go 40 miles into france, is a real b
h. 173,500 miles the car has done, and the Ignition amplifer lets go now.
Im quite upset for the 3 friends i was going with, as they all needed a bloody good week away, and now its gone tits up Sad Motors TV, here i come!
We left yesterday morning at 6am, All was going fine, got the ferry to france, and the plan was to nip to Belgium for some tobacco before going onwards to france.
Unfortunately on the way back from Belgium, the car took a turn for the worst. The Ignition amplifier went kaput, meaning the car kept cutting out as we were going along.
Knowing we had no euro breakdown cover (as my car is worth peanuts, they wouldn't recover it anyway as the cost of recovery would exceed the market value of the car), we managed to limp it back to calais, onto the boat, and pull in just before Jubiliee way, before calling the RAC, who, to be fair, were great.
They sent out a patrol, who did all he could to fix it (by now its 11pm last night), even rang a 24 hour parts place to try and find an ignition amplifier for a 20 year old volvo, but no luck, so he sent out a flatbad, but the driver didn't have enough driving hours to return us to stafford, so we had to return to their yard, and pick up a hire car to get us back to stafford.
The plan at this stage had been to get the car (and trailer tent!) home, and then borrow the parents mondeo estate and go straight back down there, but having picked up the citroen c5 estate hire car, we stopped at a services, where one of our group lost his wallet! (its now 3am by this time).
So fast forward to now. Sat here at home, having just got in (exactly 24 hours after setting off! how ironic). One of our group has no wallet, none of us really have the spare cash to pay for another 2 ferries + fuel for the mondeo, so it looks like our trip is over for this year, which is a ****er, as we have 4 Lagache grandstand seats, 4 GE tickets, and one Houx camping permit, all gone to waste Sad
We are all gutted. This one part could of gone at anytime, and bear in mind my car has never had any mechanical problems that have disabled the car like that, to have it let go 40 miles into france, is a real b
h. 173,500 miles the car has done, and the Ignition amplifer lets go now.Im quite upset for the 3 friends i was going with, as they all needed a bloody good week away, and now its gone tits up Sad
Motors TV, here i come!James_N said:
Im staying at home now
Oh no! Gutted for you mate, to actually be in France and then have it all dashed is a right kick in the jewels. I don't want this to sound like "I told you so" but it shows how important that European Breakdown cover is. I had the same at the Classic last year when the u-joints went on the Vette but the RAC got me moving in a Focus C-Max.Get everything listed on eBay, here, Club Arnage as you might find someone who is passing your gaff and could collect the tickets.
As for me, I'm not going as I had an op which has left me with an open wound which is still being packed by nurses every day. Planning on having a BBQ, get the flagpole out and maybe even camp in the garden if the weather is good. Will get the tv outside and have as good a time as I can without being there.
Come om mate, Get yourself a bit of kip, Lemans is a few days away yet 
Get your replacement part, and have another go, If you get down to the Ferries early enough, there are some cheap deals 
There's always the good old credit card, to defer payments Have a couple of Red Bulls and get down your nearest breakers yard
Get your replacement part, and have another go, If you get down to the Ferries early enough, there are some cheap deals There's always the good old credit card, to defer payments Have a couple of Red Bulls and get down your nearest breakers yard Vette_1978 said:
but it shows how important that European Breakdown cover is.
Its also useless. My parents bought it for their mondeo when they went abroad. I sat at Dover reading the small print. It was fine for their mondeo which is worth money, but it basically states that if the cost of recovery is MORE than the market value of the car, then they wont recover it home.And whats the market value of a shoddy 1989 volvo 740 estate!
/edit - taking the trailer tent is out the question, the prices are insane, but i have found a ferry for £50 return.
As i have a camping permit for Houx, could i sleep in the car? this would be easier than me having to mess around setting up a tent. Im sure my friendly neighbours would cook me a burger or two as well for some beers.
My mind is still ticking! Not sure i want the big journey down on my own though!
Edited by James_N on Tuesday 9th June 08:30
James, sorry to hear your story, gutted for you.
Personally, i'd find another car, get on the euro tunnel and hash down there sharpish, never let these things beat you, worry about the money another day, you'll laugh about it in years to come...remember, where there's a will, there's a way.
Last year, on our way to Silverstone (3 hour drive, so not quite as dramatic) we left at lunch time....the cooling fan got spat through the radiator 30 mins into our journey, meaning...
I'm not going due to best mate going abroad for his cousins' wedding
not to mention I now have a house move pending.
Next year is the year...
Personally, i'd find another car, get on the euro tunnel and hash down there sharpish, never let these things beat you, worry about the money another day, you'll laugh about it in years to come...remember, where there's a will, there's a way.
Last year, on our way to Silverstone (3 hour drive, so not quite as dramatic) we left at lunch time....the cooling fan got spat through the radiator 30 mins into our journey, meaning...
- Join AA
- Then ask for recovery
- Sit at roadside (dual carriageway) cooking bacon
- Get recovered
- Unpack car
- Pack my mum's car
- Back on the road
- Arrive at campsite early hours in the morning
I'm not going due to best mate going abroad for his cousins' wedding
not to mention I now have a house move pending.Next year is the year...
Davey S2 said:
Was supposed to go to the 'Ring 24hrs a few weeks ago but that fell through and no takers for LM although I really wanted to go.
Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
The golf weekend will make up for it. Only 6 weeks til the Silverstone Classic and there's always Le Mans next year mate.Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
I still can't believe I'm not going after all these years.
Mind you 2007 was so bad I needed a sabbatical for a couple of years.
flasher said:
Davey S2 said:
Was supposed to go to the 'Ring 24hrs a few weeks ago but that fell through and no takers for LM although I really wanted to go.
Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
The golf weekend will make up for it. Only 6 weeks til the Silverstone Classic and there's always Le Mans next year mate.Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
I still can't believe I'm not going after all these years.
Mind you 2007 was so bad I needed a sabbatical for a couple of years.
I have the house to myself this weekend, so have added the following to the shopping order for delivery Friday night;
So I shall be sat in front of Eurosport with RLM on as well. Apparently I'm not allowed to piss in the garden, but small sacrifices.....
- cheap lager stubbies (3 boxes)
- pancake mix
- several miniatures of Gran Marnier
- a selection of meat to burn
So I shall be sat in front of Eurosport with RLM on as well. Apparently I'm not allowed to piss in the garden, but small sacrifices.....
dirty boy said:
flasher said:
Davey S2 said:
Was supposed to go to the 'Ring 24hrs a few weeks ago but that fell through and no takers for LM although I really wanted to go.
Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
The golf weekend will make up for it. Only 6 weeks til the Silverstone Classic and there's always Le Mans next year mate.Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
I still can't believe I'm not going after all these years.
Mind you 2007 was so bad I needed a sabbatical for a couple of years.
dirty boy said:
flasher said:
Davey S2 said:
Was supposed to go to the 'Ring 24hrs a few weeks ago but that fell through and no takers for LM although I really wanted to go.
Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
The golf weekend will make up for it. Only 6 weeks til the Silverstone Classic and there's always Le Mans next year mate.Off on a boys golf weekend to the New Forrest instead on Friday so plenty of beers and Radio LM via 'tinternet I think.
I still can't believe I'm not going after all these years.
Mind you 2007 was so bad I needed a sabbatical for a couple of years.
Where are you camping at the Silverstone Classic? Are you with us at Whittlebury?
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