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Author Topic: dad's new forfour  (Read 32319 times)

Alex

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #60 on: November 21, 2012, 07:35:50 AM »

You have to put all the dishes away before you drive off in a motorhome :)). And if it's one of those that has a tent attached to it, it's much more of a fuss to leave. Plus, with a small nippy car you get around much quicker and more enjoyable than with a big motorhome, and parking spaces are easier to find.
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Problemchild

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #61 on: November 21, 2012, 09:39:16 AM »

And mpg ;)

JJ

Alex

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #62 on: November 21, 2012, 10:08:07 AM »

I suppose MPG balances out with the increased fuel consumption caused by towing a car behind you, and in any case i don't suppose buying a car is more economical than driving the one you already have. But it's certainly more practical to get around in a small hatchback than in a motor home.
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basilbrush

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #63 on: November 21, 2012, 10:49:11 AM »

There are certainly some really big motorhomes on the road now. If I was that way inclined it would certainly be preferable to pulling a caravan. Too many people end up hanging upside down in their cars on motorways. There's an interesting relevant  picture on this website http://hobohome.com/news/?p=614
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CrazyG

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #64 on: November 21, 2012, 06:38:24 PM »

We are talking big motorhomes here...not converted Transits, so it's
not too hard to work out why some people tow a car behind :-
You pay to park up those mobiles at a caravan park, and you
connect/hitch them up to the electrics and water supply on site.
You wouldn't want to have to undo those each time you wanted to
pop into town to collect a few things, nor have to try to drive it down
very small tight twisty country lanes, nor have to try and park that
20ft+ monster in a small town or village, or at a site seeing point, or
landmark or similar.  And you most definitely wouldnt want to leave
vacant the space you have paid for in the caravan park.

So..towing a small car behind a big motorhome is logical.
What isn't is how some people make a complete botch of fitting the
towing kit to the car. And this is what has happened in the case of
JJ's dad's car.
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454 - Passion CDi 95hp (manual, full Brab body kit, coilovers etc)
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451 - Pulse Turbo [my daily drive] (mapped, coilovers etc)
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Problemchild

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #65 on: November 21, 2012, 08:17:54 PM »

all will be fixed next weekend - cost only about £100

JJ

Fox

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #66 on: November 22, 2012, 08:56:38 PM »

Spot on G.

When dad and I go to Glastonbury, it takes us approximately 5 hours to set up our T25, awning and all of it's kit to how we want our pitch to be. I've seen people even in the huge bus sized homes take several hours.

An additional thing is the fact that most fridges and heating systems in motor-homes run on gas. Running them from electricity draws way too many Amps and without a running engine, even the biggest leisure battery would be dead pretty damn fast. In order to run, they need to be level. In a wet field or on a slope, unless you have some serious self levelling suspension and extending support platforms, it's damn tricky! Also, trying to cook when all the oil in your frying pan is tipping out of the side and down your front isn't fun.
We've developed a special piece of kit with several spirit levels that tells us when the vehicle is level, however you still have to spend a while chocking up, jacking, altering heights and using levelling ramps to get it level.

There's no damn way that if I went on holiday in the van I would want to be doing it every day. Once for a week's stay is damn well enough!
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Unknown

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #67 on: November 23, 2012, 08:48:09 AM »

We are talking big motorhomes here...not converted Transits, so it's
not too hard to work out why some people tow a car behind :-
You pay to park up those mobiles at a caravan park, and you
connect/hitch them up to the electrics and water supply on site.
You wouldn't want to have to undo those each time you wanted to
pop into town to collect a few things, nor have to try to drive it down
very small tight twisty country lanes, nor have to try and park that
20ft+ monster in a small town or village, or at a site seeing point, or
landmark or similar.  And you most definitely wouldnt want to leave
vacant the space you have paid for in the caravan park.

So..towing a small car behind a big motorhome is logical.
What isn't is how some people make a complete botch of fitting the
towing kit to the car. And this is what has happened in the case of
JJ's dad's car.

Or what my inlaws do,  isone drives the van and the other drives a car in convoy lol Father inlaw doesn't like towing, the van is big enough (its like an apartment).

And its only an electric hook-up needed, water and gas is self-contained, so its fairly easy (if the site is level of course) to set-up and disconnect.

As for your issue Fox, ever though about a gimballed cooker like they have in boats and yachts?
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Problemchild

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #68 on: December 03, 2012, 10:51:33 PM »

so had all the parts ordered 2 weeks ago, arrived at the garage last monday but my sis was late paying for them so not arriving until tomorrow now...

(can't really blame her as she is doing us a huge favour)

anyway, bit of a wasted trip down there this weekend to fit the crash bar but hey......

firstly, forgot to post up a pic of the front of the car sans tow frame....




and while i was there i fitted a set of wind deflectors. 10mins badabing!!



he's v happy but not wanting to drive the car without the crash bar in place (understandably)

JJ

funkydoodycool

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #69 on: December 04, 2012, 01:24:16 PM »

That is such a lovely colour, I love it!
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Problemchild

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #70 on: December 04, 2012, 02:25:11 PM »

Next is fit crash bar and aircon pipe

Regass aircon ASAP

Drive to merc for 2 new keys

Drive to dvla for his private plate to be added

JJ

Problemchild

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Re: dad's new forfour
« Reply #71 on: December 31, 2012, 01:35:40 AM »

Aircon pipe now fitted (nice and simple but whole front off inc rad surround again)

And crash bar now in place!!





And foam bumper bar which actually clips over the crash bar



While I was ordering parts, I also got 10 of the plastic pop rivets which allowed me to secure the under tray to the front panel in a simple way instead of the bolts that the previous owner had used and that made getting the front off almost impossible!!



....they cost hardly anything!! So if you are doing a job, do it correctly :)

Now just have this bloody ABS error to sort!!

JJ
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