Michael Brown

I tend to put my hand up to other Alphard drivers as a mark of respect that they have one. I have had a few drivers putting a hand up and I acknowledge them. I am seeing fewer and fewer Alphards on the roads I am using. I display a club badge front and back.

Heaters now working, I was looking at a similiar thread to mine here, that by taking off the radiator caps, starting the engine, then topping up with water with an antifreeze solution in, one could just wait for the air bubbles to come out. It took a little time, but a lot of air bubbles came out. I was shocked that I put in 2 Litres of fluid in. When the bubbles stopped I put the radiator caps back on and after the engine warmed up I tried the heater and lovely war air came through, Magic. Thank you Richard, Roger and others for your help, This forum is a mind of information.

Thank you Richard, I will give it a try. Also I will check the radiator, open the caps, start her up and see if any air bleeds out, top up if neccesary and replace the caps

What and where is the flap valve. The radio works fine

Thank you Roger, but I am absolutely stumped. Maybe its a different place on the hybrid. I took off the cover on the wheel arch and it shows a diagram of what it looks like. I read somewhere its near front passenger seat ? I have had 3 attempts to find the fuse bank, its not there?

Just having to wear more jumpers wile driving till I do. I have watced a Utube clip showing the fuse box. All I can find is a lt of padding and a mass of cables

Still not been able to find the bally fuse box for to change the aircon fuse

I have used the RAC since 1982 and have used them on many occasion. My former Estima's and now current Alphard have been on many a transporter. My current fee for the year is £256.

The first thing I did on buying my Hybrid Alphard was to send away for the Hybrid version of the manual. I bought the Alphard manual from ebay and it was posted from New Zealand. It has been quite helpful and the picture on the front is the same colour as my Alfie in Olive Green

Does anyone know for sure if you can fit a towbar to a 2007 2.4 Alphard Hybrid ?

I consider myself a fairly safe driver until 2020. Then 3 accidents in a 3 year period, 20, 21 & 22 and nothing since I lost 60% and am down to 40% on my no claims, just will have to build it back up again. I have always had fully comprehensive car insurance. I really like the Estima and now the Alphard as they are well appointed in their construction and inside luxury. Also I cannot afford to buy a newer vehicle. As it is I paid £9,500. for Alfie back in August 2022 and I want to get some more use from driving it. Lovely vehicle to drive.

I have had the misfortune to have made 3 claims in a 5 year period. But been clear since June 2022. I bought my present 2.4 Alphard on August 27th 2022. The insurance on top of £500. I had already paid for my 2004 Estima was an additional £1,500. When my Alphard insurance came up for renewal on the 3rd March 2023 it was a staggering £3,600. + a loading to pay it over 12 months took it to around £4,200. Then the Inverter went and was replaced with a brand new one imported from Japan for £5,200. ( including VAT and Delivery )+ fitting and set up charge and whilst Alfie was off the road I hired a car for 5 weeks @ £350. a week. So all in I have had an expensive time, my love affair with Japanese imports since 2007, may be coming to an end. As the renewal quote for Alfie is slightly cheaper this year at £3,600. including payment plan loading. I understand from my insurance broker who I have been with since 1975, that there are only 2 companies who will insure me, Aviva is the one I am with plus one other Sabre but their quote was around £500 more than Aviva. My broker said get rid of the import and your premium will drop by a lot as the insurance companies don't like insuring the imports and are quick to write them off with the smallest of accident, quoting we can't get the parts mate. So I will drive Alfie for another year and see what next years quote will be. I hope to make the meet up this year as last year I had a stroke and could not drive for a month which happened to fall around last years meet up time.

Hoping its drier tomorrow , I will have another look thank you Roger

I managed to remove the bottom glove box, front passenger side, but could not see a fuse box. Does one have to remove the cover over the left wheel arch too ?

The fan works, but the heater does not work, any suggestions gratefully received, fuse maybe ? and where is it.

Get someone to stand behind your vehicle who will hopefully tell you what happns when you press th brake pedal

Having spent a few nights under canvas trying to sleep and being very very cold then making a bed and sleeping in my old Estima Mk2 there's no comparison. Much much warmer, you are off the ground and no drafts . I'd post a picture to show you but those pics are in an old computer that crashed and I don't think I saved the pics onto a memory stick.. So waiting for warmer weather to set up Alfie with the bed and air awning in my garden

No Roger, its finding the time to do it and its not raining. I have a funnel, hose pipe and a hair dryer. I did try to get one of the bulbs out but could not do it in fear of breaking it. I will wait till we get some better weather and try again

Having my Inverter replaced was the best thing I had done . I have had no trouble with Alfie since. Like its had a new heart transplant. Just got to pay monthly for it over the next few years. Worth every penny of £5,200. imported from Japan including VAT & delivery

They are'nt cheap to buy. I still have not dealt with the condensation inside the glass lense on my nearside one. I have a few jobs stacking up when I find the time and its not raining

Whilst driving on the A272 near Winchester last year at night a rabbit ran out straight into my front bumper with damage much like David's. I went to Chips Away in Chichester. They repaired and then resprayed it , like new. Cost around £460. The bumper had split too

When I first went camping with my mk2 Estima I attatched a drive away awning to the nearside. The straps I slung over the roof and pegged them. I made up a box base for a bed, taking out the rear bench seat, put a mattress on it and slept in the Esti. I did my cooking in the awning which had a built in groundsheet. When I wanted to go away for the day I detatched the vehicle, zipped up the awning. The awning had nylon poles. In 2015 I bought a 1992 Gobour Carousel 12TD folding caravan. Which I have been advised that I should not tow behind the 2007 Alphard Hybrid I now have. Wether that is right or not I dunno. Anyway last year I bought a drive away air awning and a magnetic strip to put on Alfie's roof to attatch the awning too. I was going to use this set up last year when I went to a Toyota Estima Owners Club meet, ony the magnetic strip nor the air awning turned up in time. I still went to the meet but could not camp. I was going to sleep in Alfie like I did in the Estima.

Hard luck, I do hope you can get it repaired as I fear the Alfie will be written off. I had the missfortune to have an accident in 2 of my Estimas and the insurance company each time wrote them off a they could not source the parts. I did get paid off what they were worth by my insurance company. I then bought an Alphard in August 2022. The insurance is a crippler as I had made 3 claims in 5 years and the insurance last March was £4,200. with Aviva. I could not get it cheaper. I sincerely hope the renewal will be a lot lot less. Then last year the Inverter packed up and a new one was imported from Japan, for an eye watering £5,200. inc VAT & delivery, to ft it and set it up another £350. So one way or another I have had an expensive year with Alfie.

Strewth !! I was introduced to Peter Holland by Colin Cambell at CMC in Sidlesham nr Chichester, who services Alfie as he had serviced my previous estima's since 2011. Peter is an electronics expert in the motor and marine industry and gets quite busy. Just glad I was introduced to him, Bright Spark Automotive www.brightsparkautomotive.co.uk 07774 152660. I'd paid £9,500. for Alfie back in August 22 from a garage in Exeter and I was not going to get rid of Alfie. So I looked at it as an investment and hope to keep Alfie for many years and if I get a roblem again I know who to call. Good luck

I hired a car for 5 weeks altogether at £350. a week, whilst Alfie was off the road.