Michael Brown

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.

£5,200. including delivery and VAT imported from Japan, plus around £350. to fit and set up. I have been trouble free since. I took out a bank loan to pay for it all.

Mine was off the road for 3 weeks whilst waiting for the new Inverter to be shipped over from Japan and for Peter Holland get it fitted and set up. Had no probems since.

I had a rear view mirror on the first Estima Emina I bought in 2007 very handy it was too for reversing up to my trailer to hook up

The most I have put in is 65 litres. The only way to test the tank is have a can of petrol in the back and run the tank dry noting how long alfie went on the orange reserve light for future

70 Litres

Or try Estima's, many of them had curtains. I have a set at home somewhere, but no rails. I will look them out next time I am home

Your brave, yes at around 10mph the batteries run the Alphard, ideal if you are in a Q of traffic. Occasionally the engine will kick in to either run the vehicle or charge the batteries up. For an Alphard of that age you will have to expect things wear out as I found out earlier this year after breaking down twice and having to have Alfie ferried home via the RAC on a transporter twice, each time a reference was made to the Inverter packing up. 2nd time I broke down I had the Inverter replaced with a brand new one imported from Japan at an eye watering £5,200. including VAT and delivery plus fitting and setting up. I look at it as an investment in Alfie's future. I have had nearly 6 months trouble free since installation and hope it will last at least 10 years. I had speciallists electronics help from a guy called Peter Holland. So good luck with yours when you get it and start looking out for a car electrics expert and someone to service it for you, just in case. Not all car garages work on Hybrids

When Iused to have my previous Estima's MOT'd as well as the MOT certificate you always got a sheet with emissions and other Data on. Not Now, all I got was the MOT Certificate

I only ever used to listen to Radio 4 or Radio 4 digital. but on the 2007 Japanese fitted radio I have in my Alphard Hybrid now, I can only get Radio 2 and I am enjoying it. I have not gotten round to fitting an aerial expander yet or an add on digital radio which will transmit the sound to the radio unit fitted

I get 33 - 40 mpg, if I eased off on the excellerator on trunk an M roads, I'd probably get more

Peter Holland could not sorce the parts he needed to repair my Inverter, then he rang me to say theat the Inverter was available in Japan and could be ordered. Peter would need the money up front before it could be ordered. Well I do not have that kind of money foating about, so I contacted my bank and explained the situation and was told yes I could borrow the money. So an order was put in after paying the money up front. Yes it was kinda expensive but I had paid £9,500. for the Alphard in August the previous year, so I felt I was investing in Alfie's future. Glad I did. Not had a problem since. Been going well over 6 months now.

You need an electronics specialist to check over the codes and the Inverter. The Inverter seems to me to run the Alphard and if its not running right nothing works properly. I used a man called Peter Holland of Bright Spark Autos 07774152660 he is a busy man and you maybe too far away ? He shares a workshop in Southbourne, West Sussex. About as far west in West Sussex you can get. But he sorted out my Hybrid and it runs very well now. I had a new Inverter fitted at an eye watering £5,200. inc vat and delivery. It did not include fitting it and setting it up. So I should hopefully be trouble free for 10 years or more Good Luck

I had this probem on 2 of the Estima's I have owned I went to a Toyota main dealer and asked. I was told about £240, inc the key. I did not argue and arranged to have it done. Over the years of Estima ownership I went to that Toyota dealer again and again. Listers Toyota in Stratford Upon Avon.

You have to expect a 16 year old Alphard to have some faults, they cannot all be perfect. There is a time limit how long major parts last. For instance my Inverter packed up and my mechanic could not source spare parts for it. He looked into importing one from Japan an they are available for £5,200. including VAT and delivery. I was not going to get rid of Alfie that cost me £9,500. last August, so I took out a bank loan to buy the Inverter and I have had 6 months trouble frree motoring. I expect it to last at least 10 years ( the Inverter )

So if you breakdown as I have twice, insist the recovery people provide a vehicle transporter, flatbed car transporter where your vehicle can pulled up onto. I joined the RAC in 1982, the best thing I ever did.

Is that a 4 or 6 seater

Sorry, I meant Ignition off

Since I had the Inverter changed for a brand new one imported from Japan around 6 months ago, I have changed my driving style. Where as before I would turn my engine off if I stopped for lunch in a layby. Now I don't, sometimes parked up for 10 - 15 minutes. I hear what sounds like a fan, ( cooling the Inverter perhaps ) Then when I drive off, I put it in drive and away I go, less stress on the engine ? or is one supposed to drive a hybrid like that ?

Hello Aftab Now that pod is neat, do you have a web site link to it you can share with us and approximate cost of it please