OV9

nuttinnew wrote: Sat Mar 12, 2022 7:06 pm Is getting the Vito home arranged?

Short answer - yes. It’ll be back at my place tomorrow. I’ll give it a change of fluids (fnarr) and quick check over in case there’s anything desperately urgent needs doing. Everything is on track to depart on Wednesday.

(Gavster is project manager / chief executive, I’m just doing my best to keep up !)

Sorry I'm a bit late to the party - am I too late to donate? I can see you have already exceeded your goal so if you've already got enough, I will donate to the red cross appeal instead.

You can still donate to us, we’re going to do the best we can and any surplus will be passed on to other charitable activities

We got the van back and Steve has found a few things…

1. The bonnet wouldn’t open
2. Dodgy MAF
3. Passenger window stopped working
4. Broken front spring

Now also working hard to get a discount set of replacement tyres for cheaps

Gavster wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 7:57 am
4. Broken front spring

It had been rubbing on the tyre, resulting in this wear pattern

That's poor, given the seller knew what you were doing with it.

Once again, more proof that dealers are lying fucking scumbags.

It wasn’t a dealer TBF.

Anyway, here is why I love German cars. Cheap crappy van, strut is off in just over half an hour.

Sundayjumper wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 9:21 am Anyway, here is why I love German cars. Cheap crappy van, strut is off in just over half an hour.

*ahem*

Called around a bunch of tyre places and found one who have offered to fit a full set of brand new commercial tyres at cost price ~£50 a corner fully fitted.

That's a result!

Steve deserves a medal for what he's done already today... new springs, sorted out the dodgy MAF, oil changed and most importantly new wipers.

The symptoms were sluggish performance and a persistent MAF error code that would not clear. It looks like the MAF was replaced at some point, but the adaptations weren’t reset, so the MAF readings were out of whack with everything else and it was going into a kind of limp mode. If that’s all it was I will be very chuffed. The engine only makes 95bhp in the first place so even a handful of horses is a big %.

Oil is draining now while I have some food and try to find out where the radiator drain plug is.

(springs were finished just after midday, front end looks about 3” higher now)

Sundayjumper wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 2:17 pm

The symptoms were sluggish performance and a persistent MAF error code that would not clear. It looks like the MAF was replaced at some point, but the adaptations weren’t reset, so the MAF readings were out of whack with everything else and it was going into a kind of limp mode. If that’s all it was I will be very chuffed. The engine only makes 95bhp in the first place so even a handful of horses is a big %.

Oil is draining now while I have some food and try to find out where the radiator drain plug is.

(springs were finished just after midday, front end looks about 3” higher now)

Quick remap up to 180bhp before the trip?

Best of luck to both of you. Brilliant organisation just to crack on and do it.

KevH18 wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 5:36 pm Quick remap up to 180bhp before the trip?

LOL. No

Although the 3.0 version will go to 265bhp / 580Nm. That’s not too shabby.

I've just seen Gavin's update and checked how much you've raised. You've smashed the target.

Yeah ditto. It’s epic isn’t it

Fwiw, diesel prices are I think cheaper in the Netherlands than surrounding countries or here, and cheapest of all in Poland.
I hope the M25 etc plays ball for getting to the ferry/Chunnel.

nuttinnew wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 3:24 pm Fwiw, diesel prices are I think cheaper in the Netherlands than surrounding countries or here, and cheapest of all in Poland.
I hope the M25 etc plays ball for getting to the ferry/Chunnel.

Thanks, top tip we're trying to be as efficient with the cash as possible, it's all going into my Starling account so there's no international currency charges.

We've invested some of the money in sub-zero sleeping kit for 10x people (Sleeping bag, camp bed and blanket - costs about £80 per person). Eurotunnel booked for tomorrow afternoon. I wanted to take 1000 foil blankets out too, however the supplier who was going to get them here have not received their delivery so won't be able to send any to us before we leave.

Also spent the last 24 hours trying to connect with refugee charities and centres that know the status of people coming to the UK, however, the government's approach has changed so recently that nobody quite knows when we'll be able to bring people back here. A couple of Polish locals in London have volunteered to help research and link us with people on the ground in Poland. It will probably have all changed again by the time we get there on Thurs/Fri, so very hard to plan ahead.