General Chat

Thanks Bob, well it isn't in the trunk then. Actually we suspect, as it seems to be an original Merc battery it could well be quite old. Going to our very good battery man to get it sorted tomorrow. I wouldn't start again just now so is on charge.

Sometimes the journey home is so tedious it takes away a lot of the benefits of the holiday don't you think Ann?

We never use the car for the airport run. The National Express bus does the job and we got the whole journey - there and back - for both of us for £67 including insurance. Called Funfares, the timing worked out well, it meant being on the coach from 6.10am to 12.15pm but then we had time to have a walk around before the flight and time to eat our sarnies etc - our holiday started when we got the taxi to the bus station. The return journey worked out ok too, we had an hour and 20 mins to get off the plane, collect our luggage and get to the bus stop, again plenty of time to stretch our legs, have a coffee and snack and then snooze all the way home. A taxi from the bus station and we were indoors before midnight. Funny that the journey to Gatwick from here takes longer than the flight from Gatwick to Crete.

Can't wait for next year's hols - even better when we go from Norwich but they don't 'do' Crete.

Hope you soon get back in routine and all the washing done and put away

Lizx

I have just read this thred and sorry to read that Ann had such a welcome back from the car.
Rather like you Liz I always use the National Express bus and have never had a problem.

We do not travel very far as OH isn't I tested in going to different countries but does enjoy going to Ireland so next year we will definetly go for our 20th wedding anniversary and the family said it wouldn't last. It is a second marriage for both of us.
OH has also said that he would li,e to travel by coach to different parts of Europe. Not France, Holland, Spain,Poland answer have been to these countries allsugestionswill e considered ........

Bridget in Spain

Not a great one for coach travel and I am sure that my oh would not do 6 hours on the coach, although as he gets older it may be that we have to. I believe it is only a couple of hours N Express from here to heathrow.

Normally Birmingham wouldn't be a problem, it is only just about one hour from here and driving back at night is easy. It was just the car problem and being a newish (to us ) car there were things we didn't know about it. However, OH has just been and bought a new battery and had the other one checked. It was apparently on its last legs (8 years old as it was the original battery) so not the fault of the car just our bad luck to buy the car just before having to leave it for 2 weeks. All sorted now and it hasn't spoiled the memory of our holiday. If we had ben flying from Heathrow it wouldn't have been a problem as where we leave the car they run it before we get back, and sometimes we have them deliver it to the airport, so they would have put it on charge for us.

Anyway, full marks to Britania Rescue, couldn't fault them and would thoroughly recommend them. :-)

Ann, I,d have a chat with the people you purchased your Merc from , meybe they might help with the cost of the Battery,**M**.Ps. there should be a period of warranty for it.

these solar powered charger things that plug into the cigar lighter,surely the socket only works with ignition on?or at accessory position.......

I have one and have not used it in that fashion but by clipping directly to the terminals under the bonnet....but that means having the unit IN the car and threading the lead via the door seal and under the bonnet lid

Bob

Picassos have a socket in the backwindow, mainly for cool boxes and portable fridges,which was live all the time, but that was discontinued i believe because the equipment was likely to run the battery flat,when parked up........so now its live on ignition, only.

Bob our Solar panel works when the engine is off we have used it for ages on the BMW when we had it.

Merlin, we tried that, they were not interested, not covered under the warranty. We have had the car since August, travelled down to Dorset and then to Hampshire and back no problems. The man we get our batteries from is excellent, he said that the battery was clapped out, well after 8 years it would be, and the alarm system might have been enough to flatten what was left of it. The new one is guaranteed for 4 years.