Tweet
just thought i would write up the latest trip to france in the surf.
a bit of background is that its had a bit of a water leak problem for a while but seemed to have stopped since I changed the rad cap.
So, with no euro break down cover i just crossed my fingers, loaded up with 55 litres of water (25 for drinking, 30 for washing) a tent (for the girls to sleep in, I was sleeping in the surf), sleeping bags, wet suits, body board and canoe... oh and two female friends we headed out on a road trip.
initially aiming for Bilbao we soon changed our minds after 2 days solid driving in heats of around 37-38 degrees. We settled at bordeaux but not before the surf decided to start to overheat. I watch the gauge like a hawk and as luck would have it we were passing a quiet side road at the same time. so off we pulled, parked up in the blistering heat and prepared for a little wait for the engine to cool enough for me to add more water. the surf picks its moments well as it made us park up next to an old derelict farm house building and huge vine yard. a picnic and siesta later the surf's topped up with water and we are back on our way to bordeaux.
being careful from now on to keep the water checked before every journey, we gradually coast hopped each day stopping at beaches along the way and finding top notch 2 star campsites. ( very cheap and excellent tidy facilities)
After 9 days we had covered a little over 3000kms, the car had drunk around 10 litres of water and was covered in a layer of dust/sand so thick it was impossible to see its true colour. The brakes dont feel quite so sharp and have started to make a feint noise like a wear marker noise and the brake warning light is more on than off ( its always been a bit faulty) plus the rear wash wipe is more internal than external, ie, if i want to wash the back window, the water pishes through the back panel into the back of the car instead of through the squirter onto the window!
The most memorable moment was waking up in the back of the surf with the tail gate down, parked up on a sand dune in bordeaux overlooking the sea.
all in all, the cars still a bit annoying with its water leak and lack of power but it did its job well and is off again in 6 weeks to southern Brittany.
if anyone has any ideas on how i go about sorting out the water leak problem im all ears.
a bit of background is that its had a bit of a water leak problem for a while but seemed to have stopped since I changed the rad cap.
So, with no euro break down cover i just crossed my fingers, loaded up with 55 litres of water (25 for drinking, 30 for washing) a tent (for the girls to sleep in, I was sleeping in the surf), sleeping bags, wet suits, body board and canoe... oh and two female friends we headed out on a road trip.
initially aiming for Bilbao we soon changed our minds after 2 days solid driving in heats of around 37-38 degrees. We settled at bordeaux but not before the surf decided to start to overheat. I watch the gauge like a hawk and as luck would have it we were passing a quiet side road at the same time. so off we pulled, parked up in the blistering heat and prepared for a little wait for the engine to cool enough for me to add more water. the surf picks its moments well as it made us park up next to an old derelict farm house building and huge vine yard. a picnic and siesta later the surf's topped up with water and we are back on our way to bordeaux.
being careful from now on to keep the water checked before every journey, we gradually coast hopped each day stopping at beaches along the way and finding top notch 2 star campsites. ( very cheap and excellent tidy facilities)
After 9 days we had covered a little over 3000kms, the car had drunk around 10 litres of water and was covered in a layer of dust/sand so thick it was impossible to see its true colour. The brakes dont feel quite so sharp and have started to make a feint noise like a wear marker noise and the brake warning light is more on than off ( its always been a bit faulty) plus the rear wash wipe is more internal than external, ie, if i want to wash the back window, the water pishes through the back panel into the back of the car instead of through the squirter onto the window!
The most memorable moment was waking up in the back of the surf with the tail gate down, parked up on a sand dune in bordeaux overlooking the sea.
all in all, the cars still a bit annoying with its water leak and lack of power but it did its job well and is off again in 6 weeks to southern Brittany.
if anyone has any ideas on how i go about sorting out the water leak problem im all ears.
she's no angel