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[Varche]

Or at least think so. The Vitara is still embedded in a tree. Lots of panel damage and front left wheel has moved back a few inches.

I stopped in an olive grove to chat with a neighbour. Got out to help with irrigation. Next thing he said “ your car”. I hadnt put the handbrake on. Duh. He had time to get in and put handbrake on but didnt. By the time I got to the door , it was really on the move downhill. I made the decision to not risk . About a hundred yards on down a slope it slammed into a tree and stopped dead.

Tuesday I have a friend with tractor coming to drag it home  half a mile. Then I can figure out what to do. Scrap yards offer 100 euros for cars delivered! Or collect for free………

I am gutted as I use it two or three times every day, including off road.

[dave the builder]

"Main thing is no one is hurt "
"it's just metal"
and all the other quotes 
for 100 euro ,it's not worth weighing in 
maybe find another the same and keep the bent one as a parts car or "farm truck" 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I stopped in an olive grove to chat with a neighbour. Got out to help with irrigation. Next thing he said “ your car”. I hadnt put the handbrake on. Duh. He had time to get in and put handbrake on but didnt. By the time I got to the door , it was really on the move downhill. I made the decision to not risk . About a hundred yards on down a slope it slammed into a tree and stopped dead.

Presumably he had time to get out again before it hit the tree? 

What a bastid tho. 

[ronnyd]

Did you say "ole" as it went past?  Sorry Varche.

[Varche]

 

Hasta luego baby!

[Andy B]

bugger! 

but as Dave said, at least no one was hurt!

[Rangie]

No injuries so that's a great result in my book

[TheBoy]

Shame on the car, but as others have said, nobody was hurt, which is the biggest thing.  So although there is the cost to fix/replace, imagine had somebody manged to get in the way of it....

[STEMO]

Shame on the car, but as others have said, nobody was hurt, which is the biggest thing.  So although there is the cost to fix/replace, imagine had somebody manged to get in the way of it....

Would've been ok if it was Speedy Gonzales, but anyone else, yes...

[Varche]

A good friend towed my wreck from the olive grove to our property yesterday.

The damage is far worse than I had seen once it was removed from the tree!  Both front doors deformed. One front wheel with zero clearance to rear of wheel arch. Amazingly the engine started and would run but exhaust  broken somewhere. Gear lever in neutral but box in a gear to rear axle.

So dragged it backwards home with engine off Turning was a challenge.

Couldnt even get the bonnet open. Definitely 100% a write off.

The search for a replacement run around starts. Something like a golf . I did see a s/h UTV Can Am Maverick for sale but common sense and all that………

[TheBoy]

Something like a golf

Don't you still need the semi off road capability?  I had it in my mind you used the Suzuki in said olive groves?

[Varche]

Well ideally I do but we are thinking of selling up and downsizing and moving to Northern Spain.

Maybe a Fiat Panda 4x4………… I am already missing tooling about. I will go and see what the local garage has. Nissan Patrol? I draw the line though at any Of the old Santana produced Land Rovers.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Here you go Snr Varche, here's your new car! 

[Varche]

Crikey 20 k more than I am looking to pay. Paintwork gets thrashed by branches, boot gets mucky throwing logs etc in.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Crikey 20 k more than I am looking to pay. Paintwork gets thrashed by branches, boot gets mucky throwing logs etc in.

I thought you might like a wee upgrade! 

You could always sell the VW, and then take a leaf out of Lord Opti's book and make Senora Varche run around in an old banger! 

[Keith ABS]

 Is it worth considering a double cab pick up like a Navara or Isuzu?
IMO the Toyota is overpriced, the Mitsi is fragile, Rangers are for "Bully" boys

[Varche]

 

Ha ha , this is Spain not England. Men do all driving, drinking. Jobs are still well demarcated. Women do the cooking and cleaning ( and house painting - not a mans job unless it is his profession). Men rest when they  get back from the bar. Opti paradise!

Here is an example of a neighbour’s typical day.  Get up and service olive picking machinery ready for the day. Wife prepares breakfast and gets the children ready for school anda pack up for midday.Then off to the olive groves. Man wields the motorised tree shaker. Wife strafes the trees with an eight foot long pole. Beer with mans lunch ( juice for woman as she needs a clear head). Pack up at dusk. Man drives car and trailer ( with about 1200kg of olives) .Drops wife of home so she can do washing, help kids with homework, prepare evening meal for 9.00pm. Man drives to olive oil co op and joins queue to offload. Plenty of time to chat with others in Q. He knows them all.

Then to bar and some cuba libres ( g and t s) then home for meal and watch football while wife clears up and gets kids to bed.

Repeat every day from September to end of March except if there is heavy rain.

[ronnyd]

Ha ha , this is Spain not England. Men do all driving, drinking. Jobs are still well demarcated. Women do the cooking and cleaning ( and house painting - not a mans job unless it is his profession). Men rest when they  get back from the bar. Opti paradise!

Here is an example of a neighbour’s typical day.  Get up and service olive picking machinery ready for the day. Wife prepares breakfast and gets the children ready for school anda pack up for midday.Then off to the olive groves. Man wields the motorised tree shaker. Wife strafes the trees with an eight foot long pole. Beer with mans lunch ( juice for woman as she needs a clear head). Pack up at dusk. Man drives car and trailer ( with about 1200kg of olives) .Drops wife of home so she can do washing, help kids with homework, prepare evening meal for 9.00pm. Man drives to olive oil co op and joins queue to offload. Plenty of time to chat with others in Q. He knows them all.

Then to bar and some cuba libres ( g and t s) then home for meal and watch football while wife clears up and gets kids to bed.

Repeat every day from September to end of March except if there is heavy rain.

Opti heaven then 

[TheBoy]

Men do all driving, drinking. Jobs are still well demarcated. Women do the cooking and cleaning ( and house painting - not a mans job unless it is his profession).

TB looks out of window, just in case. Nope, its Blighty. All that happens in deepest Brackley

[Doctor Gollum]

Nothing wrong with a traditional way of living. Goes without saying however that if your on your own you do everything and if you both work, then you share the responsibilities.

A concept oft overlooked by the wokist eejits

[Doctor Gollum]

Would a Seat Altea 4track suffice🤔 should be old enough to be cheap, and basically a good looking Golf with raised suspension and AWD...

[Lizzie Zoom]

That is awful bad luck Varche
, but at least you or noone else was hurt

Hope you soon find a replacement car.

[Varche]

Had three developments.

First is our annual tax is less than I expected.
Second is that there are loads of cars available sub 4000 euros
Third is we had an unsolicited buy offer today to repair.

Managed to get the bonnet open. Radiator is holed and pushed up to the engine. Not against the cambelt. I also noticed for the first time that the roof is rippled and the side panel over the door.

I know the guy and he thinks his mate can “ repair it” The big no no for me is it crashed in neutral, gearlever is in neutral but it is in a gear! He would be mad to take it on.

I have started looking around for a replacement….

[Doctor Gollum]

https://www.autoscout24.es/anuncios/seat-altea-2-0tdi-170-4wd-diesel-gris-be6c4bd9-6626-442e-a992-b4a0f1bf34fd?utm_source=web-native-share&utm_campaign=share

[Varche]

Interesting proposition.  Not sure why you would have that car here? Maybe in areas that get snow regularly .

I occasionally need a towbar. Our other car deliberately didnt hsve one. Plus  hardly a day goes by without brushing against branches or Weeds.

OH found a Lada Riva one owner low miles for 2000 euros. Maybe another Vitara and then I can keep the wreck just in case I need any parts…….

[dave the builder]

,,,,,,,

 Maybe another Vitara and then I can keep the wreck just in case I need any parts…….

that's what I'd look into if I was in your situation 

the Vitara was doing the job before it's sudden demise ,
there's usually a few niggles ,bit's of trim etc on a "new to you"  vehicle that can be sorted quickly,
if you have a donor with known good parts etc ,it can save money and time (including searching, waiting for delivery of parts etc )
even wheels & tyres far exceed the £100 scrap value of the old bus ,

BUT ,,,
can you find another Vitata ,at a reasonable price ,local enough ,in a reasonable time scale 

[Varche]

Yes, yes and yes. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I quite like the idea of the Lada assuming you meant Niva, not Riva.

They're tough little 4x4's and would be a great farm truck. What about spares though?