[andyfreelandy]

Nice clean TD4 engine by the way

 

[dandyrosie]

No problem. Let us all know how it ends !! Take care.

 

[dandyrosie]

I think you’re absolutely right… I can see the pullies but there’s no belt there… still waiting for AA over two and half hours now…

 

[andyfreelandy]

Surely the AA have fitted a new elastic band by now ??

 

[dandyrosie]

Surely the AA have fitted a new elastic band by now ??

we literally sat there for three and a half hours… the AA finally turned up and had found our fan belt on the way up the road to find us! He said it looks like the water pulley (exactly what you said ). He then had to call someone to tow us and said that could take another couple of hours! He advised us just to leave the car and the tow man would call us when he arrived. We got a lift back to the house and we’ve just been informed the car has been delivered to the garage. So all in all it’s taken nearly SEVEN HOURS from start to finish…. County Donegal is so big that it takes the AA ages to get to you and even though we broke down right by the border because of Brexit the AA in Derry/Londonderry can’t assist! The AA man was lovely but having lived in England for most of my life I thought it would just take half an hour or so to get someone out. I did enjoy though repeating all your knowledge to the garage and the AA man

 

[WhiskyLassie]

Wow!! You are a star!! Thanks so much for replying.. we’re still waiting for the AA but I can’t wait for them to turn up so I sound really knowledgeable… when really if someone asks what kind of car I have I usually reply… a blue one

It's always worth knowing your vehicle. Hope it gets sorted asap.

 

[Beneagles]

Surely the AA have fitted a new elastic band by now ??

Gone are the days when there only were about 6 sizes of belt and patrols carried enough to fix a couple of dozen cars a week. With every model of every car now having a bespoke belt they will only arrange for the vehicle to be taken to a garage. Even then it will often be the next day before they can get a belt - unless you breakdown in a town or city with motor factors within easy reach.
Even stockings no longer work!

 

[GrumpyGel]

we parked outside a ladies house on a country road and she’s been good enough to drive my husband back to the cottage to get our other car and he’s had to drive back and get the dogs and I’m sitting here like a lemon waiting for the AA. The lady has been an amazing… unbelievably kind of her to do that for us….and you’ve been unbelievably kind helping us out … thank you so much

I broke down in the middle of the Kent countryside once in my Spartan. Owner of the place we broke down outside was kind enough to take us in and supply us with coffee and eats. Really nice of him. Charged us a few quid though as we'd broke down right outside a cafe

Nuther time over here I broke down in the middle of frikin nowhere in my Mazda Proceed Marvie on my way to walk the Milford Track. Local farmer towed the car off the road with his 130. He did genuinely take us in, gave us refreshments and to call the AA. Which was quite worrying when you jump in the wagon to drive up to the farm house and there's a .22 rifle in the muddy footwell - you hope he's not a mad man. He also drove us into town to see if the local mechanic could do anything - I think that was cos out there he knew the AA would take ages and he wanted my piece of s**t off his land. Anyway, we left the car there and jumped in with my cousin who luckily was traveling along after us, 6 of us, a dog and all out backpacks in a Honda Accord from Omarama to Queenstown.

 

[andyfreelandy]

But they dropped the belt for the AA and left it on the road !!

Gone are the days when there only were about 6 sizes of belt and patrols carried enough to fix a couple of dozen cars a week

 

[andyfreelandy]

So for a water pump, bit fiddly, budget for 4 hours labour and around £50 for the pump, plus £20 for a new belt.