And update on the trailer situation (1 Viewer)

[Wildbill]

Do you have the manufacturers modal no I am sure you will be a bil to get the part I think they are being a bit mercenary taking your trailer john and have over priced the repair by abut 1000 %.
typical of a French garage.
Remember braking down in Ruen and only needed a bit of welding a bracket on the prop shaft 1"Bead would have got us back to the uk
it worked out cheaper to buy a welder and mask fifteen min job on the camp site
they wanted to charge something like 250 euros.
I know in your case they have you by the b####ks Taking advantage of a unfortunate situation
bill

 

[Puddleduck]

Glad you have it sorted......... sorry we were unable to help this time.

 

[yodeli]

I know in your case they have you by the b####ks Taking advantage of a unfortunate situation
bill

No ..... they haven't.

Edit: Parking fees are ruled by law. It is just to avoid too many cars to park in a garage after repairs. Some people don't have the money straight away to pay the repair and leave the car for ages at the garage.
They never asked for the trailer in exchange.....

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[Wildbill]

now I know your sorted john but this product would be worth a shot to get your trailer home
I have rebuilt and bodged a few things with it over the years
including a torn up stub axel on a trailer.
bill
http://www.belzona.co.uk/en/products/1000/1111.aspx

 

[Jaws]

Thank you Frankie.. yes, it was completely my idea and to be honest I am grateful to them for accepting the deal !
The people of the garage have been extremely helpful at every step of the way.

To answer Bill, yes, I do know the exact make and model of the trailer and contacted them today to get a costing etc.
Cost is £280 and I would have to collect it from Shropshire.. It is not exactly a small item to say the least and is made in house my the trailer folk, Phoenix Trailers ( again, people who I have dealt with a couple of times and have found them to be very helpful )

 

[EssexBoy]

@Jaws
Hi john
I think Esclavelles is just down the road from my uncles place near Neufchâtel en Bray, so definitely doable in a day...
Clare and I are free on Thursday, so could give you a lift down there in our car, if you can get here (near the dartford tunnel)
Would need to work out times though... and just checked, £30 return on P&O for car, so can't be bad
Cheers
Steve

Hi john
Have now seen you are going tomorrow, so if your plans change and you still want a lift down there on Thursday, then by all means give me a shout...
Cheers
Steve

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[Jaws]

Cheers Steve and to every one else who has offered to help.. It means a lot.

 

[Jaws]

Well, Richard and I did the deed yesterday.. For the first time I had a chance to look properly at the damage to the trailer.
I must admit that I am a little disappointed the garage took the view they did.

As a mechanic/engineer I know full well it could have been repaired quite readily had they actually bothered to try.
It did not need a new stub/cross beam, all it needed was a pair of bearings, a thread file and some time.

While we were at the garage I watched them 'fixing' an oil filter on a big wagon.. The only tools used was a pipe wrench, an adjustable spanner and a large hammer.. I think that more or less sums up the available skill set.

But !
No matter.. The car is home and there is absolutely no point in looking back ..

Without the considerable help of Frankie to be interpreter and intermediary and Richard sorting out a ride, the shuttle, and most of the logistics of the collection I would still be in extremely deep smelly stuff.

Thank you both.. You are both heroes to me and Woman !!!!

As to the trip .. Even that was a little fraught !!
We left here at 0630 to catch the train at 0950.. Plenty of time to say the least..

So what happens ? Gale force winds and the Dartford bridge closed. Tail back of traffic took an hour to get by, which made us too late to catch the train.. we ended up going an hour later.. But apart that things went pretty well

 

[old-mo]

Glad you got the Smart back home, John..

Shame about the trailer..

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[Floydster]

Glad you're sorted John.
As an engineer myself I know how frustrated you'll be at the standard of 'skills' available.

 

[yodeli]

.... As a woman , not able to do it all... I know about frustration of not being able to repair whatever happens to be broken. In my case it is much more because , I don't have the skills for any good repair in spite of knowing what's wrong , or just do not have the right tools... Or because it would be dead easy ...on a bridge!
This is one of the reasons why I always ask to specialists to do the fixing : that way if something goes wrong THEY have to do it again free of charge. Also I can complain as many times as I want!
Anyway, happy you came back with the car !

Frankie

 

[Gorse Hill]

.... As a woman , not able to do it all... I know about frustration of not being able to repair whatever happens to be broken. In my case it is much more because , I don't have the skills for any good repair in spite of knowing what's wrong , or just do not have the right tools... Or because it would be dead easy ...on a bridge!
This is one of the reasons why I always ask to specialists to do the fixing : that way if something goes wrong THEY have to do it again free of charge. Also I can complain as many times as I want!
Anyway, happy you came back with the car !

Frankie

Well done to you Frankie for sorting this out for a fellow funster

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[Wildbill]

Thank you one and all for your thoughts and kind words. Greatly appreciated one and all

It is not an indespension unit sadly.. It is a complete cross beam axle !

It is 108 miles down the A16/A28

The most excellent news is that Richard has VERY kindly stepped up to the oche and it is now all sorted out.

With considerable help from Frankie a deal has been done

The trailer will remain with the garage to cover all fees incurred except the towing fee.. Total costs of sorting it and getting it back would have amounted to just over 2/3rds the value of the thing.. So given that and all the grief I am just going to swallow it.

We will be on French soil TOMORROW (Tuesday ) by 10.20 am..
Cost of all the tickets comes to about £120 all up..

Fuel .. gawd knows but not a lot

Lunch for Richard will proly cost an arm and a leg but I would not care a jot and he deserves what ever he wants !!!!
( how much IS foie gras and Beluga caviare nowadays any way ?? )

Tow off the motorway fee.. No real idea but from past experience anything from 50 to 200 €

Fortunately I sold my little C90 tonight so that will cover it all nicely

sorry abut your trailer john but I have broken down in France and have had the same problems you have with garages with no skills charging the earth for prity much nothing

 

[New Dawn]

So glad all sorted for you.

 

[Jaws]

Welll.. we all have a living to earn I guess !!

sorry abut your trailer john but I have broken down in France and have had the same problems you have with garages with no skills charging the earth for prity much nothing

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