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mattnsal Card Holder Posts : 9 Location : Newport, South Wales Status : Offline 
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Crisis of confidence CF owners advice wanted!!! Hi dear folks..we've got a lovely Advantura CF350, owned her for about 4 weeks now..just had a good look at her(been working really hard lately) I have the scouts mechanics badge(can take foto)which is about 32 yrs old, just a bit older than our van! Thing is this...the engine(2.3 diesel) seems sound(apart from an exhaust leek from the first expansion box which is weird coz its still silver newish and not rusty!) We're just about to head off for a grand tour around Wales for a couple of weeks...what I want to know is this?..Is the Bedford basically a reliable vehicle we can roam about it in a care free fashion(providing I check oil and water!) or is she liable to engine failure at any point..requiring surgery...please advise feeling a little scared...theres 5 of us..and I will get in trouble if it goes horribly wrong!?!! Matt---------------------- |
 Sat 24 Jul 2010 @ 22:14
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philbradshaw Card Holder Posts : 2328 Location : Haslingden Status : Offline 
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The Opel 2.3 diesel is a reliable lump; if it sounds good now then it'll last a good long while yet as long as the engine oil is changed regularly, likewise oil, air & fuel filters. If the exhaust has a double silencer (actually silencer & resonator) after the front pipe (CF1) & it's not rusty then it may have fractured; if so then a competent welder should be able to repair it & add bracing on the outside to deter further fractures. ---------------------- |
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Sat 24 Jul 2010 @ 22:26
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Dubzi Ebay Admin Posts : 978 Location : Somerset Status : Offline 
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THe thing with driving any 32 year old British vehicle is that you never know! Most likely you'll have a trouble free trip but you have to be prepared for "running repairs". Lashing things together on the side of the road to get you through. It's part of the joy of driving such things. It probably won't be catastrophic failures but little things you'd never think of. We went to Scotland from Somerset in ours a few years back. The wiper fell off when the holding pin sheared off so had to spend an afternoon in West Bromwich finding a suitable sized bolt! The brake light switch failed too (2 days after the MOT). Had to break it apart to bend the contacts back together, used gaffer tape and cable ties to put it back together. It's still on the van now and works perfectly. I've got two more now, just never got around to fitting one! If you want ultra-reliability buy a Mercedes Sprinter! ---------------------- |
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Sat 24 Jul 2010 @ 22:26
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mattnsal Card Holder Posts : 9 Location : Newport, South Wales Status : Offline
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Thanks Phil!! Kind of you to reply so quickly..it is a fracture..no rust, will try and find a welder on monday! Cheers Matt---------------------- |
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Sat 24 Jul 2010 @ 22:29
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ScoobyDoo Card Holder Posts : 557 Location : Nottingham Status : Offline 
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Hi Mattnsal and welcome to the Beddies. I can understand your anxiety as I too have had a few panicky moments when heading out in ours, especially if you have children aboard. I now take the view that anything could break down, new or old, at anytime. If you regularly check the basics, the oil, water, tyres etc. then you should be absolutely fine. Also, should you have a breakdown, the breakdown people are more likely to be able to fix yours compared to a computer driven 30k machine. We are about to head out in to Derbyshire; we cheer when she gets up big hills etc. , it's all part of the fun. As this will be your first holiday in yours, just enjoy - you'll be fine 
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Sun 25 Jul 2010 @ 10:53
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jonboy Card Holder Posts : 14 Location : rugeley staffs Status : Offline |
No No No do not buy a Mercedes Sprinter both my sons use them for work they are nothing but trouble |
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Sun 25 Jul 2010 @ 21:07
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waynjac Card Holder Posts : 288 Location : West midlands u.k Status : Offline 
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I used a sprinter for work a few times and that was great for a while and then hit and miss for a while so I guess it really is luck of the draw with most vehicles. Just enjoy your CF, Like the others say If it go's wrong they are basic enough not to cost a fortune most times. I actually feel more concerned by modern electronic all singing vehicles as they do cost a lot if they go wrong, cause quite often, the average owner cannot diagnose or rectify the problems for themselves. ---------------------- |
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Sun 25 Jul 2010 @ 22:34
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Ed-Don Card Holder Posts : 728 Location : Exeter, Devon Status : Offline 
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Be reassured that if something goes wrong on a CF it is a lot easier to fix than a more modern vehicle! On Friday I had issues with overheating - turned out to be a duff radiator cap, so easily sorted for £3. On the same day the glow plugs stopped working. I used a pair of scissors to bypass the relay and get me home (plastic handles prevent skin being in contact with hot metal!) and rewired the system when I got to the workshop. During the rewire I broke the wire to the starter solenoid so the engine wouldn't fire. Again, a simple fix using a 30 amp terminal block. Moral of the story - carry basic tools with you and be prepared to think outside the box! ---------------------- |
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Mon 26 Jul 2010 @ 19:16
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