Looking to sell my 2007 Alphard rear seats, they're the alcantara ones in grey. They are in perfect condition and look to have been covered their whole life. Need them gone asap! Thanks!

Thanks for the detailed reply. I have made a note of all your recommendations and check the underside in the early autumn. Very grateful.

Hello mate If it was done properly with body schutz 14 months ago, you probably do not need to fully redo it yet. The main thing with bitumen schutz is it lasts quite well until it gets chipped or starts lifting at edges, and that is when it can actually make things worse by trapping moisture behind it. So I would not just blindly coat over everything again without a good look first. What I would do around September is a check and touch up rather than a full respray: Get it up in the air and inspect the usual spots on Gen 2: rear subframe, sills and jacking points, seams at the ends of box sections, behind plastic arch liners, and any areas that take stone impact. If the schutz is intact and well bonded, leave it alone and just repair chips and thin areas. If any sections are bubbling or lifting, that wants scraping back to sound coating, treat any surface rust, then recoat. Use a lanolin product (Lanoguard, Fluid Film etc) on mechanical bits and awkward areas: brake pipe runs, fasteners, suspension arms, around tank straps, and anywhere near rubbers and bushes. Lanolin is much kinder around plastics and rubbers and is good at creeping into seams, but it does wash off over time so plan on redoing it more often (usually annually). Timing wise, early autumn is about right, but only if the underside is dry and reasonably clean. Ideally do it after a decent dry spell, wash underneath, let it dry fully, then apply. If you apply onto damp grime you are just sealing in the problem. Trade off wise: schutz is tougher and more stone chip resistant but can hide corrosion if it lifts; lanolin is safer and easier to reapply but needs regular top ups and can attract dirt. If you can, post a couple of underside photos (rear subframe area and sills/jacking points) and people can usually tell you quickly whether it looks like a top up job or whether any prep is needed. Let us know how you get on.😉

Does anyone here recommend servicing agent or mechanic for my Vellfire 2.4 2013 Campervan converted by Milldown. Ideally looking for recommendations between Brighton and Eastbourne on the South Coast.

I’ve been thru all of the pain referred to, waving a white flag temporarily after pulling roof lining back (conversion) to trace route of supply piping. I’m contemplating re-running new pipe to bypass possible ‘nip’ point, pipe + connectors purchased.

If the AC light is flashing on a 10 series Alphard and it is not going cold, that usually means the AC ECU has seen a fault and has disabled the compressor. Low gas can trigger it, but so can pressure sensor issues, compressor clutch problems, or the system being open to air. On the 2006 2.4, if you have discovered the condenser has been removed, I would not bother with a simple regas place until the hardware is put back and the system is checked properly. Any proper air con specialist should be able to do this, but you want someone who will do a vacuum hold test and leak test, not just try to fill it and see what happens. Best bet would be:Get a condenser fitted, ideally a new one. If the system has been open for a while, also replace the receiver dryer if it is separate, as the desiccant will have absorbed moisture. That can cause poor performance and internal corrosion later on. Have the system vacuumed down for a good while, then check it holds vacuum for 20 to 30 minutes. If it will not hold vacuum, it is pointless adding refrigerant yet. Only then should it be regassed by weight, using the correct amount of R134a and the correct oil amount. On who to use, the suggestions already posted are decent for Alphard-aware places. Aikotech in Wigan, Kaspar, tends to understand imports and the “not on the computer” problem. Nippon Auto Spares Derby may be able to help with parts and possibly fitting. Any competent local air con specialist should also be able to do the work, but I would avoid somewhere that only does fast-fit top-ups. You may also need to supply the condenser yourself if their parts system cannot find it It is worth noting that condensers are fragile and do corrode, so I would avoid used unless you are really stuck. If you can, post back whether it is definitely a 10 series and whether it has front-only AC or front and rear AC, as that can change the plumbing and the number of places it can leak. Dave