# Help required...............



## ckingham (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi,

We are faced with a problem and I wonder if anyone out there can help.

We own and love a 1994 Fiat Ducato Frankia motor home; we are currently taking it on a tour around Europe having covered a little over 4,000 miles in the last 8 weeks.

We are currently broken down having been recovered by the RAC to a local garage in Bayonne, France. 

We are told that our head gasket has blown and the garage are wanting €300 to send the head away to be tested for cracks to find out the extent of any other damage; if we pay this we should expect results on Wednesday next week (5.5 days away).

The garage is suggesting repair costs in the order of €2,000 if the gasket is blown and in excess of €4,000 if there is a crack in the Head. Having spoken to the garage in the UK who services and carries out the MOT tests on the vehicle, we are told that in the UK these repairs would cost between £700 and £1400. 

Basically, we cannot afford either repair bill; either cost would cripple our trip and force us to return to the UK. 

I spoke to a second hand motor home salesman earlier; he has offered €1,000 for the van in its current condition. We are considering taking this and limping back to the UK. 

Does anyone have any ideas? Or, would anyone like to buy a motor home located in Bayonne which is otherwise in pretty good order for its age??

Thanks for reading and hopefully someone can help,

Best regards,

Chris


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Chris,

Sorry you have this trouble.

I'd let your breakdown insurance get you home, get your trusted local garage to quote for the repair, and take things from there.

Dave


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

I concur with Dabs, cos he's gorgeous :lol: :lol: 

Seriously I would be gutted if this happened to me but I would push to get myself and van back to the UK. Why do they need to send the gasket thing away surely if its buggered they should just replace it and not bother testing it.
This is said from a non mechanical person mind so dunno if gaskets are just one bit or several.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

You have my sympathies.

Cost of testing for a crack in the head is
a can of NDT crack detecting spray
a can of cleaner 
a can of developer £30 at the most.

Let your braeakdown cover bring you home.
You can then repair and plan another trip.

dave p


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## wackywyco (Apr 30, 2007)

You are British.....They are French........THEY are stuffing you with that quotation, the cost of the repair you describe is nothing like the quote...Get the breakdown insurance to re-patriate you and the vehicle and get a sensible price from a home garage. 
GOOD LUCK


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## gnscloz (Oct 4, 2008)

hi sorry about your troubles
your foreign and desperate,
get home and let local garage sort you


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## Antonia (Apr 27, 2008)

*Help*

Hi

I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I agree, get it back to the UK, then let the RAC or AA deal with getting you home.

May I suggest you call people like this;

http://www.anchorvehiclelogistics.com/europeanrecovery.html

AVL | European Car Recovery Specialists | +44(0)1772 886677

OR

http://alexrecovery.co.uk/

Telelephone:. 075-88661103

E-mail:. [email protected]

They offer an international tow truck service and can do vans your size. I have NOT used them but I do keep their number in our van in case we ever get the same problem.
You say the head gasket has gone! How bad is it? does the engine run at all? If it still runs you could maybe loosen the radiator cap to reduce the max pressure it gets up to and top it up every 100 miles.
I ran my BMW like that for 5 years. Of course, it the leak is real bad that wont help.

I shall watch this thread with interest in the hope you will keep us informed.

All the best

Antonia


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## ckingham (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi All,

Wow!! Thanks so much for all your replies and kind words.

I would love to get breakdown to repatriate us; I have been trying all day for this to happen.

We are members of the Camping and Caravanning Club and took out the RAC "Arrival" cover; this covers us all over Europe and I am sure many / most members take this out. 

They have said that they will categorically not repatriate us as we can get the repair carried out in France (despite absurd cost) prior to our intended return date to the UK. Our return to the UK was described to them yesterday as "when we run out of money, probably end of August".

@ Antonia - we are investigating private recovery to the UK from Bayonne, numbers we have heard so far are in excess of £1,000!!

Will keep trying all avenues, thanks so much for your responses.

Kind regards,
Chris


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## steveo__ (Jul 19, 2009)

I would go back to the RAC and insit on getting the vehicle repatriated.

I had a similar problem 2 years ago with the RAC - My engine oil pressure dropped and blew the engine completley.

Initially they towed it to a garage who quoted stupid amounts for a repair... around £3K

RAC initially said we either pay the fees or leave the car there...

I then insisted on speaking to a senior advisor or call centre manager and not a drone on the phone...

Hey presto, I was offered a hire car back to Uk, my vehicle was repatriated within 2 weeks, where it was repaired for £500.

Just dont give up on the RAC - try the old trick that the repair is more than the value of the vehicle, then they will have to repatriate you


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Good experience, thanks. Will remember that should we ever be similarly challenged.

Dave


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## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

bump!


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

My brothers experiance.

For a hundred miles or so he followed the same vehicles that had got off the ferry in front of him.
In turn they overtook a lorry.
He was pulling out to overtake when he was rammed from behind.
The car went down an embankment and the brit who had hit him carried on.
RAC were called.
within an hour he had a hire care and was alowed to proceed with his holiday.
Back to calais. Handball luggage on to ferry to be met with another hire car in dover.
Six weeks later his own car arrived home.

What a difference in service.

dave p


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## ckingham (Aug 24, 2009)

Thanks again all.

I have been escalating my argument with the RAC to people over and above the "drone on the phone" as Steveo put it!

I have provided them with ferry prices from Bilbao and Santander and they now seem to have agreed to provide a tow to the ferry and from the ferry! We are currently discussing "their contribution" towards the £440 ferry.

Things are looking up!!! 

Will keep you all updated on where we finish up, hopefully it will be back into Portsmouth on Sunday or Tuesday afternoon!

On that note, there is a big repair that needs to be carried out. Rather than be robbed in London, can anyone recommend a garage that could do the works economically down South?? They can take as long as they like / work on the vehicle in their spare time in exchange for a cheaper repair.

Thanks again everyone for your advice, it's a great comfort to the pair of us.

Best,
Chris


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Soldier on. That price is crazy, far too expensive. Replacing a head gasket is a days work max. Crack testing, as Dave has said can be done fairly reliably using an aerosol of chemical, sending it away for testing one hundred pounds or so. A second hand head no more than three or four hundred pounds. Total even if head is scrap not more than one thousand plus vat.

Get home as best you can and have it repaired locally.

I didn't notice where you live but if you are within a reasonable distance I recommend C&M Auto Services in Lancaster. Even if not close Mark Woods will advise you, he is very helpful. Tel 01524 843721. If you do contact him tell him you are an MHF Member and got his name there.

There will be a garage in France which can do this, if they are willing to help.

Good luck, Alan.


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