Bright eyed and bushy tailed we rose at the crack of sparrows and headed out
Ceris and Jim had to go out so left us to lock up
I climbed in, switched off the alarm
Turned the key.....
NOTHING
Now this was not that much of a surprise as we had seen some warning signs of a possible battery problem last night
A quick call to GEM (I'll give them a plug the service was excellent!) and a large red truck appeared and after checking we were on a 12v system a jump start was quickly set-up and left for a few minutes to get some life into what was a totally flat battery.
5 minutes later a single turn of the key and "RHUUMM BBLLLEE .... "
SUPERB !
Whilst I checked his paperwork for him a test of the alternator proved that to be fine so he asked where we were going
"South Wales" said I
"Braver than me" came the rapid response, "How much fuel have you got ?"
"erm.. just outside the red" said I.
"should get you to Knutsford..I recommend you set-off and stop just long enough to fill up with fuel"
So that's what we did.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
Down to Preston
So setting off in a "Brand New Land Rover" in the dark, up a farm track and on unfamiliar roads was quite a 1st step given I was now a little unsure on how she was to drive. The state of the track was such that nothing other than a 4x4 would make it
The first discovery was that the instrument lights were not working so I had to rig up a torch to see what speed I was doing and then off again. The next discovery was that trees are too short and I clipped a few branches.
We had luckily managed to stay with friends that night in Preston. so headed off on the A666 and then down the M65 to Preston.
The well known artist Ceris Jones (Sloane) and her husband Jim who almost by tradition are the people we see when we buy cars were putting us us up for the nice in their fabulous house which is one of the best Art Galleries I know !
After a brief warming up because I was frozen (In the excitement I had neglected to work out how to use the heater which was actually fully functional) we stepped outside to share the experience with our friends.
Ceris kindly recorded the event for us both in stills and video so some pictures of the event
Katy herself
Rhian and Katy playing together
Jim looking on longingly at somewhere warmer than he is
OK... I may be a bit overexcited at this point
Proof if needed that it's a Land Rover
And with that.. off to bed at the end of a very exhausting day
The first discovery was that the instrument lights were not working so I had to rig up a torch to see what speed I was doing and then off again. The next discovery was that trees are too short and I clipped a few branches.
We had luckily managed to stay with friends that night in Preston. so headed off on the A666 and then down the M65 to Preston.
The well known artist Ceris Jones (Sloane) and her husband Jim who almost by tradition are the people we see when we buy cars were putting us us up for the nice in their fabulous house which is one of the best Art Galleries I know !
After a brief warming up because I was frozen (In the excitement I had neglected to work out how to use the heater which was actually fully functional) we stepped outside to share the experience with our friends.
Ceris kindly recorded the event for us both in stills and video so some pictures of the event
Katy herself
Rhian and Katy playing together
Jim looking on longingly at somewhere warmer than he is
OK... I may be a bit overexcited at this point
Proof if needed that it's a Land Rover
And with that.. off to bed at the end of a very exhausting day
In the Farmyard .. First and Second Impressions
So we finally got to see each other.. it was dark !
Katy was parked up on a ramp (not a good sign).
This turned out to be just a useful place for charging the battery (also not a good sign )
However she was quickly started and reversed out into the yard for us to take a look at
First impressions are everything and she was filthy, but that was agreed beforehand on eBay she was listed with a statement that she would be valeted, but after purchase the seller offered to put 6 months tax on her instead. I have a pressure washer so that seemed a good deal
Second impressions were that everything was there as described - a 23 year old land rover that's had an interesting life has a few battle scars, but the panel work was good and just a few signs of rust on the door pillars, a bit on start up, but non after a couple of seconds.
We were soon shown the various controls and, checked a few things for the HPI guarantee and the paperwork was done, and cash changed hands so it was time to go
In I got. started her up and into 1st gear and then AH ... Nothing happens when I put my foot down
Must be out of diesel said the seller and promptly disappeared off in his Discovery to get some
So a quick refuelling off we go again.... STILL Nothing happens when I put my foot down
Under the bonnet it is then .. and we quickly identified that the fuel pipe which had been recently changed as the old one was perished had split. the new pipe had been too small a diameter, and diesel was being pumped all over the floor (good sign the fuel pump is OK)
The seller dived into his shed and out comes a brand new fuel pipe, exactly the correct size and length so it takes mere seconds to fit it and after a brief moment to let the pipe fill up and fuel get to the right places she started first time
So off we go on our new adventure together...
Katy was parked up on a ramp (not a good sign).
This turned out to be just a useful place for charging the battery (also not a good sign )
However she was quickly started and reversed out into the yard for us to take a look at
First impressions are everything and she was filthy, but that was agreed beforehand on eBay she was listed with a statement that she would be valeted, but after purchase the seller offered to put 6 months tax on her instead. I have a pressure washer so that seemed a good deal
Second impressions were that everything was there as described - a 23 year old land rover that's had an interesting life has a few battle scars, but the panel work was good and just a few signs of rust on the door pillars, a bit on start up, but non after a couple of seconds.
We were soon shown the various controls and, checked a few things for the HPI guarantee and the paperwork was done, and cash changed hands so it was time to go
In I got. started her up and into 1st gear and then AH ... Nothing happens when I put my foot down
Must be out of diesel said the seller and promptly disappeared off in his Discovery to get some
So a quick refuelling off we go again.... STILL Nothing happens when I put my foot down
Under the bonnet it is then .. and we quickly identified that the fuel pipe which had been recently changed as the old one was perished had split. the new pipe had been too small a diameter, and diesel was being pumped all over the floor (good sign the fuel pump is OK)
The seller dived into his shed and out comes a brand new fuel pipe, exactly the correct size and length so it takes mere seconds to fit it and after a brief moment to let the pipe fill up and fuel get to the right places she started first time
So off we go on our new adventure together...
Sunday, 20 February 2011
Bidding wars
I have to admit to sometimes hating the way that eBay works and the way some people behave on it
OK I had found a Land Rover of the type I had been wanting, but knowing it was an auction I was happy up to a certain price and up until 50 minutes before the end of the auction the price was well below that.
The full story is a little sad. we were away for the evening with friends having been out to the funeral of someone who had been one of their closes friends and someone we had come to know and like very much in his later years. The wine was flowing and we were all talking about the adventures we hoped to have in the future. Chas our late friend had been seen off with a mix if jazz, morris dancing and real ale, and now we were enjoying some red wine before an evening out. My dilemma came out in the discussion. could we afford to leave such a bargain? A few more glasses of their fine red wine and it was decided... A maximum value would be £7654.32 so I entered that into eBay and we all went out for a meal at that point.
A hour or so later we came back. I logged on and I HAD WON !, but the way people had been bidding in the last 20 minutes had driven up the price by £2000. OK that was still within my price or otherwise I would not have won, but is it really necessary and what does it say about the sort of people who can't decide what something is worth and just place a bid in.
All of this last minute bidding doesn't mean a bargain unless someone else has only bid very low - if they have you will win, if not they will win. I have yet to see that this last minute bidding does anything for anyone other than cause a lot of stress
I have to admit I often won't even bid on some things if they are auctions whereas if there was a reasonable buy now price I would just buy it
That's it... Just a personal view if you are selling via eBay please take note!
OK I had found a Land Rover of the type I had been wanting, but knowing it was an auction I was happy up to a certain price and up until 50 minutes before the end of the auction the price was well below that.
The full story is a little sad. we were away for the evening with friends having been out to the funeral of someone who had been one of their closes friends and someone we had come to know and like very much in his later years. The wine was flowing and we were all talking about the adventures we hoped to have in the future. Chas our late friend had been seen off with a mix if jazz, morris dancing and real ale, and now we were enjoying some red wine before an evening out. My dilemma came out in the discussion. could we afford to leave such a bargain? A few more glasses of their fine red wine and it was decided... A maximum value would be £7654.32 so I entered that into eBay and we all went out for a meal at that point.
A hour or so later we came back. I logged on and I HAD WON !, but the way people had been bidding in the last 20 minutes had driven up the price by £2000. OK that was still within my price or otherwise I would not have won, but is it really necessary and what does it say about the sort of people who can't decide what something is worth and just place a bid in.
All of this last minute bidding doesn't mean a bargain unless someone else has only bid very low - if they have you will win, if not they will win. I have yet to see that this last minute bidding does anything for anyone other than cause a lot of stress
I have to admit I often won't even bid on some things if they are auctions whereas if there was a reasonable buy now price I would just buy it
That's it... Just a personal view if you are selling via eBay please take note!
Was it Love at 1st Sight ?
How do you start an affair ?
Well I found this "Other Woman" on that well known classic vehicle dating site ... ebay
We (the real wife and I) once went to Iceland and saw a few Go Anywhere campers around the place and thought "what a fun idea when I can afford it and when the time is right"
So I'd been looking for a 130 for a while and kept seeing the odd one go by at a not too silly price and promised myself that next time one came past at a reasonable price I would have a go and see where it took me. So here she is as I saw her on eBay
Now doesn't that look fun !
The posts that follow will describe how we got together and how our relationship is going to develop .. I can see some fun, pain and expense ahead !
Well I found this "Other Woman" on that well known classic vehicle dating site ... ebay
We (the real wife and I) once went to Iceland and saw a few Go Anywhere campers around the place and thought "what a fun idea when I can afford it and when the time is right"
So I'd been looking for a 130 for a while and kept seeing the odd one go by at a not too silly price and promised myself that next time one came past at a reasonable price I would have a go and see where it took me. So here she is as I saw her on eBay
Now doesn't that look fun !
The posts that follow will describe how we got together and how our relationship is going to develop .. I can see some fun, pain and expense ahead !
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