Seatallan no show

About half way there on the road we decided the car was stuffy so opened a window instead of aircon (fuel economy). This window (electric)now resisted all attempts to close it and we were forced to return home in a roaring gale.Then it started to rain! It’s now jammed shut with a baulk of timber and will require one if not two trips to the agent in Preston. Two 100+ mile round trips , now that’s what I call fuel economy! On the bright side you might get a Longridge Fell activation out of it.
Sorry if you were waiting for us, we will return.
73
Rob
G4RQJ

In reply to G4RQJ:

The delights of modern cars, I’ve had electric windows fail twice. Commiserations in advance if you need a new motor/mechanism gubbins. You were not the only one to fail to activate. I arrived and parked up just as the heavens opened. After 10 mins it got heavier and heavier. At this point I became a fair weather activator and drove home. The WXdoesn’t normally bother me as you can see by the photos but for some reason I just didn’t see the point in getting soaked. Just as well I did as when I got back home there was the 817 sat in its waterproof bag with the SLAB waiting to go into the rucsack. I don’t know what’s worse, being a fair weather activator or getting soaked on the way to the summit and then finding no radio in the bag.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to G4RQJ:
Sorry to hear about car problems. I’ve gone from an all singing and dancing car to a very basic one (still has aircon though) . So thought my troubles would be over. last week on way back from daughters it started firing on only 2 cylinders (it only has three though). Half hours labour, new ignition coil (1 per cylinder) , ECU reset + VAT £108. Wish i’d kept my Hillman Imp at least I could fix anything that went wrong on that myself.

Roger G4OWG

ps it can’t be Sunday Rob and Audrey and no activation :frowning:

whoops must revert to real me not G6BGO

In reply to G6BGO:

Half hours labour, new ignition coil (1 per cylinder) , ECU reset + VAT £108

Cheap! A work colleague had a 12000mile first service on his CLK230. £390 + vat for an oil change, oil filter, windscreen washer fluid and inspection. Ow!

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:
Thats cheap - I was charged more than that (I wasn’t paying though) for an indicator relay failure on one car I had. BMW thought it was clever to put all the electronics on one board and seal it with epoxy !

Roger G4OWG

In reply to MM0FMF:

A work colleague had a 12000mile first service on his CLK230.
£390 + vat for an oil change, oil filter, windscreen washer fluid and
inspection. Ow!

That’s typical - our local Merc garage now charges £120 per hour with a minimum period for a service. No doubt 30 minutes action and two and a half hours fag break! No wonder I still use my local mechanic even though I’ve just updated my vehicle… and no, it’s not a Merc!

I often wonder what the ideal SOTAmobile is. John YSS uses an old Fiesta which seems to be fairly robust and cheap to run. I had thought I might keep my old Audi A6 for SOTA work, but the extra insurance, even TPFT scuppered that. Still I am having fun with the new beast which specialises in climbing inclined tarmac and getting me between parking spots quickly.

73, Gerald

In reply to G4OIG:

I often wonder what the ideal SOTAmobile is.

A company car with a no-questions-asked fuel/miles policy!

The FMFmobile (Honda CR-V) does about 24mpg around town and 30mpg on a run if I don’t rev into the V-TEC zone. At those figures I no longer care whether the aircon will lower the mpg, if it’s hot then the aircon goes on. Hang the expense and anyway, there are no pockets in a shroud.

So the A6 is no more, what have you replaced it with?

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to G4RQJ:

As Rob will already know we are a two car family. But you’re not the only one to have had car problems this week. My very reliable vauxhall corsa which, is a 1.7 diesel, has no fancy gagets ie turbo, emu/ecu etc, decided to break down outside the newsagents on the main road in our town. Nothing major!! Only the starter given up the ghost. This wasn’t a problem on it’s own - I could have bump started it, only, I was facing the wrong way on the hill and had a van parked in front of me. Thankfully the leccy at work came out to play the knight in armour. (Not forgetting the important bit) Jordan - M3TMX who ran home like a little whippet, to get my wallet so that I coud have my AA card handy. The car was up and running before he had time to get back to me.

We had planned to go upto either Dent, Muncaster Fell or Black Coombe today (Sunday), but one look at the weather postponded that!

Amanda (2E0MND)

In reply to M3MND:

Ouch!! I didn’t realise prices had got so silly.

My Vauxhall Meriva is due it’s 10,000 miles/1yr old service, but luckily one of our sons is a mechanic, bless.

So sorry to hear of your car troubles Rob & Audrey and as someone already stated, I thought it was Saturday with you two abscent today.

Mike GW0DSP

In reply to MM0FMF:

So the A6 is no more, what have you replaced it with?

Yes Andy, the old gal was getting on a bit - 260k on the clock (2.6 V6 petrol) - so I decided to treat myself with a newer machine which is an Audi 2.0T FSi Quattro. Sure climbs hills well and I don’t worry about getting off soggy grass verges any more. Not sure whether I can kip in it yet though… will have to check it out soon if I am to repeat the Galloway visit in early October.

73, Gerald

P.S. it averages 34mpg; have had 41mpg on a run… now ain’t you sick as a parrot?

In reply to G4OIG:

now ain’t you sick as a parrot?

Not at all as I have a picnic table.

And a chocolate cooler.

And reclining rear seats :wink:

I’m not sure if your 4wd is permanent or auto-engaging like mine is. It makes a huge difference having 4wd such that I don’t want a car that doesn’t have it anymore. You tend to forget that you have the improved traction as it engages when the wheels start to slip. I only notice I have it when I see other front wheel drive cars slithering about and mine isn’t. Even with road tyres it makes a huge difference. I’m not sure if I’ll get another CRV even though the diesel is faster than the petrol and cheaper to run as the new shape CRV is uglier than a Fiat Multipla and that’s a car that fell out of the ugly tree and hit evey ugly branch on the way down. A Nissan Qashqai is under consideration but as everyone and his mate seems to want one of them there are few deals and bargains around. :frowning:

If you’re in Galloway early October you’re welcome to join me and the QRO UHF fools at the contest site again. If you can stay longer you can experience one of the monumental, artery clogging fry-ups we have. Bacon and QRO radio seem to be excellent buddies.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

Hi Andy,

Mine’s permanently 4WD - you can tell by the way it doesn’t stick its nose skywards when you boot it hard.

Not sure whether Galloway is on yet - might need another Northumberland trip if the XYL needs a break to keep sane and we have the necessary finances - in that case it will be later in the month and further east… Lammermuir Hills maybe. More or less certain I won’t manage both!

73, Gerald