Jump to content
Check your Alphards past history in Japan in detail with CarVX ×

Arthur

Members
  • Posts

    70
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

Everything posted by Arthur

  1. I think it all depends on the branch you go to - 2 years ago Timpsons in West Kirby Wirral cut me a key from their stock for £65. It operates the ignition and immobiliser so must contain the 4D67 chip but it is not a ‘folding’ key. I can only suggest forum members enquire of their local stores to see if they can help.
  2. Timpsons will supply and cut their own chip key but it is not a ‘smart’ key ie it will open the doors and start the ignition but does not have the ‘remote’ buttons. Company policy prevents them from cutting third party supplied ‘smart’ keys such as those obtained through Ebay.
  3. Hi Thea. Does your campervan have a pop-top? If so, you’ll have to add on a couple of cms to Rojie’s 1.94m.
  4. You’ll have to relocate Northwards as I’m seeing more and more Alphards in Wirral. I’ve always waved to other Alphies but I have a tendency to also do it when I’m driving our other car - forum members will now know the identity of the idiot waving at them LOL 😂
  5. I paid about £100 2 years ago to have a c rail fitted to my Alphard so I think / would hope that you could find someone cheaper than you’ve been quoted. Fixing the awning is personal preference. Initially I used the over the top straps supplied with the awning but I now use the c rail and magnets to secure the awning sides to the vehicle. If you intend on using the driveaway function you need to purchase the driveaway ‘strip’. This is attached between vehicle and awning. When you want to use the vehicle you simply detach the strip and leave the awning zipped up like a tent. The Vango has proved big enough to store all our gear for camping for 10 days and robust enough to weather 50 mph storm winds in Cornwall last year. I’d be happy to send you some photos of the awning and fixings to help you visualise things if you’d care to send me your email address - don’t post it on the forum but rather send it to me by personal message.
  6. Hi Mandy I’ve used the Vango Faros Airbeam on my side conversion with pop top for the last 2 years and am more than satisfied with its performance. Is there anything specific you’re wanting to know about using the driveaway awnings.
  7. I have a 2007 3.0 AWD with full side conversion. Visiting Cornwall last year fully loaded for a week’s camping and 350 miles each way via M53, M6 andM5 (with a heavy foot) we returned 23 mpg.
  8. Hi David Awnings are one of the most debated subjects on the forum. I’ve used the same awning as Fiona was selling for the last couple of years. Started using it with the over the top, tie down straps, then had a rail fitted (glued not drilled) and have also used magnetic lengths (from Lidl) to secure the tunnel ends to the vehicle. It’s really what suits you personally and works best for you.
  9. Just renewed our 2007 3.0 AWD full side conversion and pop-top with Caravanguard.co.uk who specialise in insuring campervans - underwritten by RSA. Premium has gone from £320 to £349 pa (Comprehensive) but still competitive in my opinion - includes recovery within the UK. Vehicle is kept on driveway on the Wirral with protected full NCD and assured value of £30K.
  10. I wanted Michelin ‘All Seasons’ but couldn’t find any in R16. You should be good with the Michelins which have always been my first choice tyres in 50 years of motoring.
  11. Hi Lian I changed all 4 tyres on my 2007 3.0 AWD - cost £480 incl VAT. Went for Hankook 205/65 R16 107T. I know you’re running 17” wheels whilst I’m on 16” but as I have had the full side conversion with pop-top I went for the higher load and speed rating. The originals were rated 95Q and the ride is definitely much firmer/tighter now.
  12. You may want to see if SC Conversions can do a powered lift pop up and if so for how much. The pop top goes up relatively easily but if anyone is vertically challenged (short in my day!) they may struggle to overcome the power of the gas lifting struts. Well worth trying out physically - rather than just looking - before you sign on the dotted line. Before you ask - no, we don’t have a powered top but I wish we did ☹️
  13. Hi Charlie. We have a side conversion with pop top. The roof lining consists of 3 boards which when in place leave a 10 cm gap at the front to allow for the roof straps. The top space is really only suitable for children (or very small and light weight adults). To access the roof space it is necessary to slide the first board back over the top of the second. If you are an experienced caver 😀 this gives you sufficient space to squirm up and then lean down into (because of the sloping roof) before entombing oneself in the roof space by moving the first board back to its original position. Personally, we don’t use the top space for sleeping but simply slide all the boards back to give us standing space to use the kitchen properly - they do provide good storage however. In fact, when we go away for longer than a weekend we find it preferable to leave all the boards behind in our garage. It is however markedly noisier when driving without the roof boards. I suggest that you look at an Alphie which already has a pop top to see how it all fits together and whether it suits your envisaged needs - after all , they are expensive and if its sleeping room only that you’re wanting, an awning may be a better (and cheaper) choice.
  14. Hi Denis You could try Calder Campers. They used to rent campers (I don’t know whether they still do) but they do import / convert Alphards. We bought our 3.0 litre AWD Alphard with only 15k miles on the clock from them in February 2022 and have been very pleased with our purchase.
  15. So… disconnected the negative terminal on the car battery and left for 15 minutes to ensure all capacitors drained. Reconnected, and left ignition in position 1 for another 15 minutes then started the engine and took the car for a 30 minute blast up the motorway. Got back and turned off. No alarm sounding. No idea what the alarm was nor original cause for the battery to drain but everything seems to be ok 🤞
  16. Hi. The room lights were off when power was restored and I don’t have non-factory fitted driving lights. Something had drained the ignition battery entirely as nothing worked for about 20 minutes after I jump started and the charge level improved through the alternator. I have a battery condition meter in the camper conversion which showed that the ignition battery was on zero whilst the leisure battery was on max. We’d been to Anglesey and back twice the previous week so everything should have been tickety boo and I had a new battery fitted by Calder Campers when we got the vehicle 18 months ago. Whether the ‘alarm’ is being generated by the current drainer or whether there is something else causing the drain I don’t know but nothing had been accidentally left on. The car came with an after market ‘remote auto starter’ (20 page instruction booklet in Japanese 🤷‍♂️) which I have never used but is obviously still connected and whether this is the guilty party only the auto electrician will be able to tell me. I’ll check to see if the car starts today and update the forum with investigation results.
  17. Went to start up our 2007 3.0 Alphie today but the battery was completely flat. ☹️ Thankfully the jump start pack which I’d purchased for such an eventuality worked impeccably. 👍However, there is now a beep, beep, beep, pause sound emanating from the right hand side of the driver’s footwell. The ‘alarm’ stops when the ignition is started but starts again as soon as the engine is turned off. I’ve had the car since February 2022 and have not encountered this problem previously (but the battery has never been flat before). Before I seek the services of an auto electrician can anyone advise whether they have encountered a similar problem or suggest what the problem maybe - something that needs to be reset perhaps following reconnection of a re charged battery? I’m hoping someone can prove just how smart our fellow forum members are.
  18. Hi Mark. Depends what you want from your awning and how you plan to fix it to your vehicle. Plenty of posts on this forum if you search for awnings. Ours is a Vango Faros Airbeam which is an inflatable driveaway awning and is secured by a roofrail on a pop-top camper with side conversion.
  19. Hi Think I picked up my AWD 3.0 2007 Alphie from Calder a week or two after you. They initially told me that the Pioneer wouldn’t work with the steering controls but after I pressed them on the subject they managed to work out how to do it. The camera was replaced but everything else works as it should.
  20. Hi. You say you’re on a campsite so I’ve assumed your Alphard has been converted to a campervan. If so, I’ve also assumed it’s a side conversion. Our campervan has it’s water storage tank in a compartment above and to the rear of the driver’s side rear wheel. Check to see if any of the hoses have become detached or if the tank was full it hasn’t slopped over during the journey. At least the fuel tank is on the passenger side so it shouldn’t be that.
  21. Hi Syl. The glued awning rail hasn’t moved since it was fitted last year. We’ve had the awning up 17 nights this year in all sorts of weather and it’s never given any cause for concern. We use a Vango Airbeam Faros II and it fits well. Haven’t experienced any problems with the sliding door rubbing against the awning roof either. Just about mastered re-connecting the awning after we’ve done ‘driveaway’ exploring.
  22. Hi Syl. I note that you’re in Wigan (I’m on the Wirral). H L Campers in Liverpool glued a rail to my pop-top campervan for less than £100 and I’m sure they’d be happy to advise you on your options. They do a lot of work with Gaz Tech who are Alphard specialists based in Warrington.
  23. You need to get a rail fitted. The pop-top may prove a hindrance but it can be overcome. Search the forum for ‘awnings’ - there’s plenty of postings.
  24. The jack and associated tools should normally be found in the storage compartment above the nearside rear wheel near the tail lights.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.