Perodua Hot Dog / Coffee Van

A Perodua in the UK tends remain in the specification it arrived in the UK. Perodua modification is popular in Malaysia, but not here! Hence, I was surprised to find a very non-standard Perodua Nippa advertised on Gumtree. Although not that stylish, its certainly non-standard: a hotdog van ~









Screen shot of original advert.

Little Things Bring Big Changes

Last week life was normal(ish), the loft needed 1.2m insulated loft boards, and FTP handled these without problem.



Unfortunately, I knew I was not functioning correctly. Just little things like hitting the key on the keyboard (or mobile phone) next to the one I aimed at, and having a headache that would not go away. After much thinking I realised that that there was only one explanation, and so I went to the Doctor, and then the local hospital. They were not convinced I was Ill, my reactions and senses were a very good normal, but I knew they poor for me. Eventually, I got a scan, and a brain tumor was apparent.

Now we are waiting to see what the doctors can do, and FTP is waiting for me to get my driving license back .....



Deece and myself are very positive.

Footnote: Because I am not medically fit to have a driving license, and Deece does not drive someone else has had to take on the insurance in their name to allow FTP to wait on the road outside our house (its not very often you wish you had a drive).

A Full Boot For Only £4

4 Bales of Straw!




Taken with the excellent new Jolla Phone.

Countryside Walks

FTP has taken us on some great local countryside walks recently. November and early December have been mild and dry this year.

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Oscar has enjoyed some of the walks too.

Table Transporting

A few weeks ago we were taking a break in Yorkshire, and we found a table we liked in an amazing shop Stone Dam Furniture, Halifax. We bought the table immediately, because we have been looking for many months without finding one we liked.

We picked up the table and popped it into the car on the journey home. It sat upright against the back seats, and our luggage stopped it moving.





It struck me that all the other small hatches on the market would have a problem with carrying the table. The back seat base cushions in the Myvi pull forward to the floor, allowing the rear seat upright cushions to take up their space creating a continuous flat low load area; unfortunately, most cars just rest the seat uprights on the bases, such as the Toyota Yaris giving reduced hight and an uneven load space:

To Myvi Owners

Every year the AutoExpress Driver Power survey of driver satisfaction/car reliability comes out. Although the Myvi would probably rank higher than most other cars - considering that the Daihatsu Sirion often topped such surveys - the Myvi is never listed because there are too few responese from Myvi owners.

With just under 3,000 Myvis on UK roads there is the potential for enough replies to get the Myvi onto the survery........Lets get the Myvi listed! Take the survey.

700 Litre Tank

Sometimes you need to take a leaking 700 liter water tank to the recycling centre. Alas, its longer than the lenght of a Myvi behind its seats....



but with a couple of bungies the tailgate can be secured....



Although rear visibility is poor....

Holiday - Isle of Wight

Had a couple of weeks on the Isle of Wight. Originally booked for one week, but stayed for two. Camped near Sandown, and just relaxed. The Isle of Wight like many islands just feels so much more relaxed than the bustling mainland, for example when pottering along, tourist style, no one hoots or tries to overtake dangerously!

A friend at work has just returned recently and said that he, "Just could not have believed that there is somewhere so relaxed in Southern England."

Rather than write on and on, here are some pictures:
































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Air Conditioning

As mentioned in an earlier post, FTP had to go into the garage for a few days. A strange noise was coming from the V belt which runs the alternator, power steering and air conditioning. Upon closer inspection there appeared to be damage to the belt.

The garage found that the air conditioning compressor was not running freely, which in turn was not allowing the belt to run properly. Rather than replace the compressor the garage removed the compressor and fitted a shorter belt. I have never wanted air cinditioning because I have always seen such things as adding more to a car to go wrong. Alas, my prophecy appears right, with FTP having no issues in 44,000 miles other than the air conditioning!

The garage said that they had never known a compressor to fail. They stated that compressor looked as though it had been submerged in water, causing loss of lubrication on the bearings. Thinking about this, it may be due to my enjoyment of driving through fords, especially the local one at Geddington, which I enjoy driving through all year round - after all its more fun when deep! I also enjoy exploring the Welland Valley when the river floods.

Geddington Ford, August 2013

I wondered if Perodua fitted poor quality air conditioning compressors, and so checked the part number: Denso HFC 13.4a. Upon checking this compressor is used by Toyota, Lexus, Land Rover, Mazda, and others. Hence, it is not an inferior part to standards of other manufacturers. Plus, should I decide to replace it and have air conditioning in the future, its cheap to buy of e-bay.

Do I still think the Myvi is reliable? Yes, but probably best not to regularly drive though fords, especially when deep in winter, if you wish to keep the air conditioning working!

Will the UK be getting the facelifted Myvi?

The Myvi is a great car. However, in the UK sales are small. The Myvi we have is several years old. In Malaysia there is a newer version. Are we about to get it in the UK?

I happened to visit a dealers website in Éire, and found details listing the facelifted Myvi. it even gives a starting price of €10,500, and has a PDF brochure. Unfortunately, they do not have one in stock yet.



Hopefully, the new Myvi will be here soon, and Perodua publicity and sales will increase accordingly.

FTP Great To Have You Back

FTP has been in the garage for a few days, so I had a Toyota Yaris to cover this. Although, the Yaris is twice the price of our Myvi we are so glad to have FTP back. Why anyone would pay that much for the Yaris when the Myvi is available I do not know!

FTP avives home - and we say ferwell to the Yaris, via the Yaris reversing camers


I am very busy at the moment but as soon as I have chance I will cover recent events in full.

More Vandalism

Two Myvis

As can be seen by the the above photo someone has broken off FTPs front numberplate, whilst parked overnight near our house.

The local police say its because  of kids want want the FTP numberplate. If this was the case they would remove carefully, and not rip it off splitting the plate. Plus, why the eggs, and broken wing mirrors? All the kids tell me that the FTP plate is cool!

First MOT

Been far too busy lately. This has meant I have missed a few posts, so heres a compilation.

Quite some time ago FTP had his 40,000 mile service - no issues. Still have the original brake pads (scheduled says check from 20.000 miles), I do use the brakes less than most, using the gearbox predominately instead for slowing.

FTP Passed his first MOT (Ministry of Transport Test), first time without any problems. I had forgotten the MOT was due, and so did not have time to check the lights, etc. Thus, I was concerned that he may fail on something silly, but FTP sailed trough.

The MOT certificate is shown below. At one time MOT certificates looked like official documents, with official rubber stamps and watermarks, but now that everything can be checked instantly on-line, the certificate is just a shoddy piece of A4 paper!



Problem: Some time back the air conditioning stopped working. We thought it must need re-gassing because it had only been used a couple of times in the first year of having the the car.

I tend to open a window if below 40mph, or not bother, but very occasionally Denise will want it on. Because this is the first car we have had with air conditioning, I did not know that you need to run the system regularly to stop the gas leaking. My view on air conditioning has always been, why add another thing to a car to go wrong?

Denise decided that we might as well fix the air conditioning. Because the garage that does my servicing could not re-gas I took FTP to a local Suzuki dealer, Coop Motors , Kettering. When they tried re-gassing they found a small hole in one of the aluminum air conditioning pipes. The pipe runs behind the front grill, and Co-op Motors believed that the pipe may have been hit by a stone thrown up by a vehicle in front. However, they thought I was very unlucky, because the pipe is protected by the grill.



Not being Perodua dealers, Co-op Motors contacted the nearest Perodua dealer, the Garage at Blakesley, who supplied the part, so that Co-op Motors could restore our air conditioning.

On Holiday With Oscar.

Have been busy laterly, but we are now having a few days away with Oscar in Denver, Norfolk.

Speedwell Cavern, Castleton.

Las t week we got back from a few days away in Buxton, a spa town in the Peak District. It snowed, but this probably addded to the magic of our break. Staint Annes Well spouted warm Buxton Spring Water, it tasted delicious, even in the snow.


The lines on the picture are falling snow flakes.



Deece was particulary impressed with Speedwell Cavern. Speedwell Cavern is an old lead mine whose tunnels are permanatly semi-filled with water.

We found Speedwell after a beautiful drive theough the Winnats Pass



FTP parked outside Speedwell Cavern, with Winnats Pass behind.

Speedwell:

Beyond the natural unerground cavern.

Deece in the boat.

Our guide. Speedwell was not busy; indeed we had the mine to ourselves - a lot to be said for visiting places out of the holiday season.

The steps out.

Snow

Arrived home after working till late last night. Heavy snow. Visibility good but.....







...Myvi transformed.

Last week before the snow started I was looking for another CD to "lose" it the car, and picked 50 Words For Snow, by Kate Bush! Very enjoyable for a laid back ride home in the snow.