C5ALIVE Forum

C5Alive General Category => C5 Socialising => Topic started by: noonoo on 10, November, 2010 - 16:56:24

Title: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: noonoo on 10, November, 2010 - 16:56:24
Hi Guys

Just to let you know that Karl  and Stve have broken down  in Belguim with the bus and are trying to get back.

But Belguim have  a national festival on for the next 2 days so the bus can't be worked on until Monday.

They think it has broken because he has put 3 Euro's worth of Unleaded inthe bus instead of Diesel but I don't see how so little would make a difference.

With regard to Saturday at Brooklands i am going to get hold of
OGT and see what they want to do.

I am hoping Karl will be back tomorrow minus bus and trailer and will then have to go back and collect them next week.

I will keep you updated.


Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: radiomarty on 10, November, 2010 - 17:05:19
All the best to Karl and Steve if I can do anything to help please call
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: noonoo on 10, November, 2010 - 17:24:35
Hi Guys

Just heard they are all being brought back home tommorrow so saturday  at Brooklands is still going ahead.

Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: radiomarty on 10, November, 2010 - 18:08:04
Good news !
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Retro Andy on 10, November, 2010 - 19:34:07
If its because of the petrol put in, and if the tank was very low at the time, then could get away with filling it right up with diesel, then filling it up when its about half full again and apart from being a bit lumpy when first started and a bit more smoke, it should be alright after a couple of tanks of diesel.

P.S. Were they collecting a C5 ?

Retro Andy.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: noonoo on 10, November, 2010 - 20:20:37
Hi Andy

Yes they were collecting a C5 but never made it.

I have since found out that what they filled it with was  6 litres of liquid which was like a cleaning fluid solution that gets put in HGV's as both the nozzles were black.

Karl  and Steve are hopefully on theire way home tomorrow not sure whether with the bus or not.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Retro Andy on 11, November, 2010 - 05:46:05
Shame they did'nt make it to get the C5  :'( Just goes to show that electric vehicle's are a good idea  ;D

Retro Andy.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 11, November, 2010 - 22:18:55
Steve and I are back  8)

Sadly, the bus and trailer are still stuck in Antwerp  >:(

Can't say too much as various claims are still ongoing, not least trying to negotiate the return of the car and trailer ...not happy with all this  :-X

Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Retro Andy on 12, November, 2010 - 05:54:47
Must agree, could'nt have been fun.

Retro Andy.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 12, November, 2010 - 08:09:49
Quote from: Retro Andy on  12, November, 2010  - 05:54:47
Must agree, could'nt have been fun.

Retro Andy.

In some respects it could have been a lot worse, at least we were holed up in a nice comfy (but expensive) hotel  :-\.

To give you a flavour of how the level of support deteriorated, as I stepped off the train at Three Bridges railway station I received a call from the recovery agency saying that they were still unable to sort out a return journey for us, and we would have to remain at the hotel for an additional night. This was after I had phoned them from Antwerp airport saying I had made my own travel arrangements  ::)

I'm still relying on them to get my car and trailer home... :-X
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: frankev on 12, November, 2010 - 15:02:20
When in Belgium, always tank the best petrol they have, we got stuck there as well with our bus.
What they call super, we call normal 95. what they call normal, I don't know, but our bus didn't run on it!  >:( Had to refill the tank with super before it worked again. Never tanked super before.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 18, November, 2010 - 10:16:42
...my car and trailer are still stuck in Belgium  >:(

Making very slow progress but the whole sorry saga has left me feeling very low  :-[

Hope to have some better news soon though  ::)
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 22, November, 2010 - 19:29:58
Just had an update from the breakdown call centre....flushing the tank and changing the filter apparently didn't work, they say new pump and injectors may be necessary at a cost in excess of 5,000 euros !!  I cant agree to that so as it stands I just have a bill of 260 euros and a non-functioning bus   :-[

...now looking at whether they will agree to at least transport the bus and trailer as far as the ferry and let me deal with the rest. If not, then maybe they'll get their way and scrapping the bus may be the end result   :-X.

Feeling quite down about it all at the moment   :(

Open to suggestions 

Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: MikeDX on 22, November, 2010 - 20:12:22
Karl

lets hire something "big" and go get it! dont you dare scrap it. hell if you are going to scrap it i'll pay for a van hire to go over and collect it!
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: vanpeebles on 22, November, 2010 - 21:34:49
How about dropping the engine out and rigging up a line of C5s, like a team of horses on a stagecoach?  ;D
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: PLOD11 on 23, November, 2010 - 07:04:30
I think Mike is right, you need to bring it home to the UK to rest in peace on Britsh soil  ;D

I am sure something along the lines of Mikes suggestion might be doable (is that a word)

Would be a shame to just leave it there, i bet te garage would soon get it going after you say scrap it.

John
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Retro Andy on 23, November, 2010 - 07:23:23
I bet if you left it over their, spare parts would be sold off it as quick as you can say "scrap it"
If you get it recovered back to here Karl I know people who would get it back on the road at a lot less money, getting some secondhand parts etc and it would be back on the road.

Retro Andy.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 23, November, 2010 - 07:42:08
cheers guys  ;)

I'm not for scrapping it , as you rightly say it would be fixed at next to no cost and I'd lose out.

I'm just about to exhaust the last few options with the breakdown people and will then go about sorting this out myself.
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 24, November, 2010 - 18:13:27
After some further negotiations today I may have made a breakthrough. Not wanting to count my chickens just yet, but the recovery people have agreed to repatriate my bus and trailer if I pay £500 towards the cost. I've agreed to this so am waiting for confirmation that this will now happen. I also have to pay the garage costs so that they will release the bus and trailer for recovery home.

Fingers and toes crossed  :-X
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: MikeDX on 24, November, 2010 - 20:06:21
wishing you all the best with this karl. right here if you need anything :)
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 24, November, 2010 - 20:28:12
Quote from: MikeDX on  24, November, 2010  - 20:06:21
wishing you all the best with this karl. right here if you need anything :)

cheers mate, dealing with this since the 9th has been a bit of a roller coaster ride - but I'm hopeful there is now light at the end of the tunnel  :-\
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: radiomarty on 25, November, 2010 - 05:17:43
Sounds like its starting to turn around bud - hope its all sorted soon and as Mike say's if you need any help  :)
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 09, December, 2010 - 16:24:43
We had an unexpected delivery this morning at 02.15am , Angie received a call from the contractor saying he was at Calais with the car and trailer and was on his way - no prior warning at all. I was at work so Angie had to wait up and deal with it all  :-X;

(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/1stbooboo/busbackhome001.jpg)

..but as you can see, it still needs a bit of work;

(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/1stbooboo/busbackhome002.jpg)

(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/1stbooboo/busbackhome003.jpg)

(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/1stbooboo/busbackhome004.jpg)

The Belgian garage didn't put it back together, but hopefully Bob from the owners club will be able to sort it all out  ;)



Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: MikeDX on 09, December, 2010 - 20:57:44
Oh blimey karl that doesnt sound or look like fun!

Hope its all plain sailing from here! Glad youve got it back home
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 09, December, 2010 - 22:58:01
...looking at that last picture , I should have removed my favourite teddy first  :o :-*
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: Karl on 01, February, 2011 - 21:20:40
My trusty bus is back up and running again  ;D

Having replaced the fuel tank, injectors ,diesel pump and fuel lines we found the ECU was also duff and had to be replaced as well.

No small job, but it's good to have it back on the road again  8)
Title: Re: Karl is stuck in Belguim
Post by: tomsa on 10, May, 2011 - 18:17:54
Hello guys, i think mike is right!
Anyway i am not currently responding about it!