Michael Brown

Really hard luck, I hope its found for you

About 5 weeks ago I had a puncture on the nearside back wheel and I had the skinny wheel spare put in its place, on my Hybrid. Then drove home the 37 miles at roughly at 50mph. Then had the puncture repaired the following day, no problem

Well done for coming up with a solution. When I have had to have paintwork touch up done, I used "Chips Away" in Chichester and they did a good job matching up the paintwork . Mine is Olive Green in colour and looks Pearlescent.

Don't forget in many cases some of these Alphards are up to 20 years old + and parts don't last forever. They have a lifespan. One hopes when buying one that you are going to get many happy years driving your Alphard without having to fork out shed loads of money to keep your pride and joy on the road. They are a joy to drive when everything works as it should. I enjoy driving mine, the gremlins are on board again and Alfie is off the road presently waiting to have the rear trailing arm bushes replaced next monday. So I am driving Mother's 07 Auris till its fixed. Her car has only just clocked up 60,000miles as its not used much. So I am looking forward to getting Alfie back.

Try Peter Holland of Brightspark Autos his workshop is in Southbourne near Emsworth on West Sussex/Emsworth border. I'm sure if you google him you can find the info you want. I'm away from home presently, as l do not have his tel no to hand. He is a busy man but he knows his stuff. Speciallises in auto & boat electronics l believe.

How do I or where can one connect to, to replenish the air-con system. Should be 2 connecting points under the bonnet, where are they

Brilliant, one of the best investments I have made. Other than a couple of punctures Alfies been a dream to drive. I had to borrow the money to pay for the new Inverter, they only have a limited life span. So I should get many years of trouble free motoring now and I still get 35 - 40 mpg.

I joined the RAC in 1982 with breakdown and recovery, one of the best investments I have made.

Any vehicle that is older than 10 years old will need to have worn out parts replaced or end of their life parts replaced. For instance in August 2022 I bought a 2007 2.4 Hybrid expecting may years of happy motoring. Then 2 breakdowns in quick succession bought me down to earth. My car mechanic Colin Campbell reccommended a car and boat electrical expert Peter Holland of BrightSpark Autos from nr Emsworth, West Sussex Hampshire border to look at Alfie. As it was dead having been transported back home from the 2nd breakdown, it was transported over to Peter's workshop and he reports that the Inverter is Kapput and he could not source spare parts for it. But as luck would have it the Inverter was still available in Japan and could be ordered if paid for first at a whopping £5,200. inc VAT and delivery, but not including fitting and setting up. I said leave it with me and I rang my bank and asked if I could borrow the money. Within 2hrs the money was in my A/C, so I rang Peter back, paid for the new Inverter, being told about 10 days to come, actually 2.5 weeks. I saw this as an investment for at least ( touch wood ) 10 years trouble free motoring. 15 months so far and apart from a couple of punctures Alfie is a dream to drive. I get 35 - 40 MPG and I am pleased with that. It cost £352. to get the Inverter fitted and setup. Happy motoring now. So good luck in your quest

What, looking for spare parts or dumping stuff

When I needed some trim clips for my previous bus, an 03 Estima, I went to Listers Toyota in Stratford upon Avon explaining what I wanted. They looked it up somewhere. I needed all the nearside front passenger inside card panel clips plus some other clips. They said they may take a while to come, but they got them, not cheap though but genuine Toyota ones. I guess if you went to your local Toyota dealer and ask nicely, you might be in luck. You will need your Vin No etc. Good Luck

Just sorry I could not make it to the meet last year, about a week or so bfore the meet I had a Mini Stroke and could not drive for a month. I was taken by Ambulance to Coventry Hospital (they have a Stroke Unit there) from my Mother's house in Stratford upon Avon. In the morning I had to have a taxi to take me back, £75. It looked like I missed a good event, having seen many posted pictures.

Hard luck Chris, that underside of the engine looks pretty thin, I wonder if something has punctured it, maybe repairable I dunno, I wish you luck.

Yes mine is compliant

When vehicle is registered with the DVLA, go to their web site and when asked put in the vehicles number plate details and or the vin no and it will say if compliant or not. When my hybrid is MOT'd they dom't do an emission test, I just get a pass certificate and if lucky no suggestions of work that needs doing

Sorry to hear of your loss. It would be interesting to know at what years the Alphard was updated, revamped. The only major problem I have had is the Inverter was replaced. The man I used was Peter Holland at Brightspark Autos, he imported one for me from Japan, Cost £5,200. inc VAT and delivery + a fitting and set up charge around £320. I have had no more trouble for over a year now apart from 2 punctures.

Well my Alfie had an MOT this last Friday and passed no advisories and no mention of condensation on nearside headlight lense

For ladies there is such a gadget called a Peewee, bit like a funnel to pee into and then into a lidded pint bottle or similiar. This is to save you having to get up and go outside your vehicle. This is a tempory fix. Just empty contents down a loo in morning and wash bottle etc out for next time. If you need a dump, you may have a problem

I can verify that as I have taken my previous Estima's there as well. They have been very helpful in the past

I have managed to buff up the outside of my headlights with Turtle Wax Buffing compound. So I need to access the inside of the light housing to dry out the moisture inside. How do I get into them ? If I could remove the cover from the top of the new Inverter, I would have more room to get my hand to the light assembly. Any suggesions how I remove the silver plastic cover on the Inverter ?

Turtle Wax do a heavy duty rubbing compound. With a microfibre cloth or similiar, rub this gunge onto the outside lens hard, rubbing back and forth, or round and round. Don't let it dry on, with another cloth buff it off and if you have a buffing wheel for your electric drill use that. You might have to give it more than 1 application, sorted

if its a pee you need to get up for, have a plastic 1 pint bottle handy and some hand gel to clean your hands afterwards, then you do not have the worry about waking others

My 2.4 Hybrid costs £325. a year road tax. I'd be interested to know if that could be made cheaper ?

I'd always fancied a Hybrid, so after looking at many I bought my 2007 Hybrid in August 2022 and yes I had a few teething problems. After all a Alphard which was 15 going on 16 years old back then you'd expect a few problems. I broke down and the RAC ferried me home twice. ( Best investment I made in 1982 by joining with recovery ). First time the 12volt battery had to be changed, second time the Inverter went. The chap I used was Peter Holland at Bright Spark Autos in Southbourne nr Emsworth, West Sussex Hampshire border. Peter said he could not source the parts needed to replace damaged Inverter, but he could order a new one from Toyota in Japan, but he needed the money upfront to order it. £5,200. inc vat and delivery + a fitting charge. I don't have that kind of money so I took out a bank loan in April 2023 and it was ordered. Peter said about 10 days, it took two and a half weeks to arrive. Then £352 to fit it and set it up. Like giving her a new heart. I should get around 10 years of trouble free motoring, Touch wood not had a problem since. I have driven up to Scotland and back 4 times in the last year and Warwickshire and back practically every week. Its a dream to drive and I get 32 - 40mpg So good luck and happy hunting

Comfortable they certainly are. I have the 3rd row seats stowed away to the sides as I need the space at the back for all the stuff I have to carry around with me and I stil have 5 seats inc the drivers seat. Many years ago I used to have mk2 Estima's. A friend of mine wanted to move some furniture up to Scotland and asked if I could hire a van. So I suggested if I took out the middle and 3rd rows seats I would have a comfortable van and we would'nt have to hire a van. He thought it a good idea. So after the seats were out I put down half inch plywood to give better loading floor and it all worked a treat. I guess one could do something similiar with the Alphard/Vellfire ? Good Luck