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I tried using my AA cover provided by Nationwide summer 2024 when I cracked my sump on ‘the long way north’ Westie weekend. As soon as I told them it was an accident, rather than a breakdown they lost what interest they had in recovering the car. After a long conversation they offered to recover the car, which was around 100 miles from my home for a cost of approx £850. I was told Ali and me would have to make our own way home. I wouldn’t touch the AA with my barge pole now. They were happy to leave me and Ali and the car on top of a mountain, in the wind, nothing but an ice cream van for company. All our Westie ‘friends’ having deserted us…Anyway. I rang Howdens, they sorted car and us out, despite not having any recovery plan with them. Absolutely brilliant company and 4 months later my insurance premium went up by £8.

Luckily for you it was the other end of the country to me, I'm pretty sure I'd have bought it if I'd been able to view it. Do you have any particular plans for the car? Going to track it? Road only? Euro-blats!

Hi all i purchased David’s car just for the record

European cover only if less than 10 years old

@Kingster The company that provide the breakdown cover under the Howden policy is AXA assistance, maybe worth trying them 👍🏼

So, just looked back through my records. AutoAid were the UK breakdown company I used; this is UK only cover, they then offered Euro cover through their sister company, EuroRescue. I don't know if you can purchase the EuroRescue cover on it's own, while being an A member, but might be worth looking into. https://www.eurorescue.co.uk/

No judgement, but is: is this code for he had a quote from, or spoke to Howden, and didn't want to use them - just trying to shortcut the inevitable! When i was with AIB on the Sigma, I had third party (UK) breakdown, but I do remember getting a quote on Euro breakdown from the same company. In practice, it would have been more cost effective to end my cover early and swap to Howdens.

September poem for @marcusb AI Style. “Traded raw thrills for a badge and some gloss, Swapped Westfield joy for Lotus loss. The dark side called, but let’s be frank- It’ll never match that Westfield spank!” Oh Westfield, my thunder, my open-air song, You roared through the bends, where my spirit belonged. Your heartbeat was raw, unrefined, yet so true, A cockpit of joy with a limitless view. We danced through the corners, alive in the breeze, The crackle of throttle, the rush to appease. Each mile was a memory, bright as the flame, Each drive was a story, no two were the same. But now you are gone, sold off with a sigh, Replaced by a Lotus-oh, how could he try? To trade purist passion for something so tame, To cross to the dark side-it just isn’t the same. So here’s to the Westfield, forever my muse, A car for the mad ones, the brave ones who choose. Though others move on, I’ll remember your fire, A legend of freedom, of purest desire. He’ll be back!

Yea will come up a bit earlier tonight for sure.

If the weather forecast is good I'll come

Why is there no mention in the listing of the car being listed as a cat D write off ?

Private message sent!

Thanks I’m yet to get the experience of driving it but the spec seems pretty good with 130bhp at the flywheel so I’m told.

Calendar worthy pics mate 👍

Maybe, but my mate isn’t with Howden. Edit: I just asked if his renewal is due soon and thus maybe worth exploring other avenues. Edit 2: recently renewed and avenues already explored without success

And having just reviewed the thread, it sunk in you switched to Octopus. Sounds like the exact fault I had. Demand a new meter because clearly they haven’t fixed the fundamental issue. Unfortunately, you have to be (incredibly) patient while they work through every possible option other than the one that actually solves it. They have a script that they won’t deviate from and will try everything possible before putting in a new meter…because that’s expensive. Hopefully you don’t get the same comms issues with the new meter that I had! Happy to discuss offline if you want, just PM me if you want.

The issue I had with the double billing was after switching. All had been fine with the previous supplier. I’d switched supplier with the same meter before without problems. It was a while ago, or perhaps I’ve just blanked it(!), so I don’t recall exactly when I spotted it, but the bills/usage seemed too big compared to before I switched. It was easy to prove the error - meter reading at start of period + charged units > new meter reading at end of period! Bizarre that they had no error checking in their billing software for something so basic. And as I said, I also had two other measurements courtesy of the PV inverter and the home battery monitoring as backup, even though they wouldn’t be deemed accurate. Once the issue was raised, they said a fix was being worked on. I left it for a good while but in the end asked for the replacement meter….which fixed the double billing, only to replace it with the patchy comms/missing reads issue. Aaargh! Anyhoo, stick with the complaints - they have to fix it eventually. eta. This topic is bringing back just how hugely frustrating it was at times though.

Well i've been in the house 8years with this metre. Previously with a different supplier. Unsure when its gone wrong. And yes a big thanks to the Ev for makijg me aware

Cracking run out last night for our WSCC north east monthly meet, not as many as previous months but still a good night, looking forward to Octobers meet already 👍

Fingers crossed

Howden will cover.

I sent EDF a proper snottogram at 0730 today. As if by magic the multiple meter issues I'd been politely tackling them on for 3.5 months were sorted by 1pm. Just have to see if the next bill is accurate now.

There's only one man who needs a satnav to get around The Ring .......... ME!!!!!!!!!! 🤣

Recently I asked ChatGPT to make me a table with speeds in all gears, for different diff ratios (3.14, 3.38, 3.62 and 3.92) and for two wheel sizes, using a CBR1000RR gearbox (I didn’t know the exact gearbox ratios). In less than a minute I had all the numbers on my screen – wow 😅. Something that would normally take way more time to calculate, even with those online calculators. BTW – this text was also translated with ChatGPT. 2nd version : So I asked ChatGPT to throw together a table with gear speeds, different diff ratios (3.14, 3.38, 3.62, 3.92) and two wheel sizes, based on a CBR1000RR gearbox (didn’t even know the exact ratios). Less than a minute later – boom, all the numbers on my screen 😅. Normally that’d take ages to work out, even with online calculators. BTW – this bit was also run through ChatGPT for translation. 3rd version: Recently, I asked ChatGPT to prepare a table showing the vehicle’s speeds in all gears, calculated for several differential ratios (3.14, 3.38, 3.62, and 3.92) and two different wheel sizes, based on a CBR1000RR gearbox (at the time, I did not know the exact gearbox ratios). Within less than a minute, the complete set of results was displayed on my screen. This is quite remarkable, considering that performing such calculations manually, or even with the aid of online calculators, would normally require significantly more time. For reference, this text has also been translated with the assistance of ChatGPT.

I just got home for the first time this month and turned over my calendar, I think I will enjoy September, cos thats @Marcusb following me round the Nurburgring 😂😂😂