Become 6 person family.
Need a car with 3 rows of seats and boot space.
Ponder to buy old or new.
Decide car is for next 10 years, buy 2017 Toyota Proace (car) for £23k.
Park the car on driveway and your 2003 Honda Accord on street as no space for 2 cars.
Wake up to a stolen catalytic converter from the Honda on 3rd night.
Receive £1500 after insurance write off.
Schedule fitting of witness cameras.
One day before fitting, bump into ambulance on way to get nav maps updated.
And fail to update maps as shop can’t connect to update server.
Notice one seat armrest is broken. Bought that way.
Refuse warranty fix from local Toyota as not a defect.
Call dealer and be asked to bring it for free fix.
Hit a deer on way to dealer.
Arrive for armrest fix with front smashed at 2 sides from 2 incidents.
Learn from insurer you need to deal with 2 middlemen & their services for fixes. Different procedures when at fault (deer) vs not (ambulance).
Ring 5 companies to arrange & track repairs.
Pass car to first repair shop for ambulance fixes.
2 weeks to find out parts have to be ordered.
2 weeks for wrong parts to arrive.
2 weeks to get it repainted.
Pass car to 2nd shop for deer fixes.
2 weeks for unexpected parts to be ordered.
2 weeks to learn radiator has to be replaced.
Be told gearbox cooler fluid from radiator was dirty and needs investigation.
Be surprised as repair shop sends car to Toyota for look up.
The gearbox cooler unit has to be replaced + not damaged from deer crash.
Get quote for £1300 not under insurance.
Remind Toyota you have 1 year extended warranty and be told cooler is not under it.
Show part is in fact under warranty. Get agreement for claim.
Get claim declined as warranty has car at 10k miles when it’s at 108k miles. (missing 0)
Get warranty fixed from dealer.
Get claim declined again as car didn’t have Toyota service in past 10k miles.
Call dealer, whom educates headquarters the 10k service doesn’t apply for the van.
Get claim accepted and cooler replaced.
Meanwhile be asked from 2nd repair shop to pay excess as deer damages were fixed.
And be told to fetch the car yourself from Toyota.
Argue they sent the car so they should return it. Get agreement.
Agree & pay excess after agreement is confirmed via email.
Receive repaired car and think all is over.
Get refusal from current insurer for new year insurance quote. And admire raised prices due the 3 claims.
Find the accumulator flat after cold week.
Call mechanic to replace it, but fail as new unit in wrong size.
Succeed on 2nd try on day before 350 miles trip to Edinburgh.
During trip get Ad Blue emission failure + warning car won’t start if not refilled in 700 miles. (tank is full)
Take a calculated risk to continue trip where wife tells you to cancel. Arrive with 350 miles remaining before no start.
Post this blogpost. Be going back in 2 days.
Wonder if car will make it on way back.