Our lot all use giff gaff packages as sim only, seems to work well and reasonably priced. I think it runs off O2 network so putting sim in yours will be fine

I had a 52 reg a while back as a temp runabout, cost £1200 flogged it for a bit more a few months later, nothing went wrong with it at all, loads of room and nice to drive but fuel consumption was pretty bad (2.0 petrol) and the clutch was heavy, maybe that was just the one I had. I did like it overall though.

A Very British Coup

‘Anssems’ are great in my opinion having had several trailers over the years. They do ones with covers. Not the cheapest but are well made and have decent running gear and wheel sizes. Hold their price well on ebay though, try local gumtree serach too if buying 2nd hand. Cheers

A chap near us hand makes these:
http://www.bigxtop.com/collections/all
not cheap but good quality

I’ve been looking for a 80’s/90’s 4 x 4 one for a while (fond memories), but I think they are already extinct

it worked! thanks for your help

I’ve used direct line past few years for kombi van, no issues at all

A greater spotted one outside my office now scoffing peanuts, a family of them empty the feeder in a day, other birds fly off as soon as they appear

We used to go to ‘Domaines Des Ormes’ near Dol in Northern Brittany with kids when that kind of age, plenty to do there and surrounding area, we all loved it. Never actually camped on site (you can) but used the mobile homes or wooden lodges.

^^ They’re pretty impressive, giant UFO’s. Thanks for answer above too

Might be mice, they make a lot more noise than you think they would for the size of them when scurrying about in the roof and voids. Little Nipper traps seem to work best, baited with choc chip biscuits or peanut butter.
If it is squirrels, get an air gun or mesh live trap baited with bird food peanuts, obviously you’ll need to deal with them after…

We had electrical problems once with lights tripping, traced to a (now dead) squirrel with it’s mouth clamped on some wiring in the roof, so they do get in sometimes and cause havoc apart from just the noise.

Jap stuff like Honda Accord or Toyota Avensis, boring but okay to drive and likely to most reliable for that sort of money. Auto ones are a nice easy drive now you’ve reached a certain age etc

A good place to go with kids camping in Wales is Carreg Llwyd by Port Eynon beach on the Gower. Good beach, rock pools, chip shops, tat shops, nice walks etc. Good base for days out to Rhossilli, Three Cliffs bay, Mewslade & into Swansea for the leisure centre with wave machine and the Mumbles for Verdi’s ice creams. Use to take my kids there when little and they loved it.

My work one was a while back, someone bought two ipads and did a click and collect from Argos within an hour so they got away with the goods but paypal were really good when I reported it, got all the money back within 24 hours. Obviously had to change password, security questions etc

Talybont on Usk is good for beer & food, the river (obviously) and canal. The Starr Inn was our favourite and did B & B. Walk up Pen y Fan from Storey Arms is pretty good although there are other ways from the resevoir side or Gap road etc. Waterfalls at Ystradfellte good too, particularly if you get to the bottom one you can walk behind. Isn’t the jazz festival on around then too?

Rats

We bought a couple of the solid plastic islander types off this place last year:
http://www.south-coast-canoes.co.uk/sit-on-top-kayaks/single-sit-on-tops.html
Friendly service and knocked a fair bit off for buying 2 and chucked in backrests, plus paddles cheap too.

Towbar on your Merc?
Fiver a week at my place, you know where I am…

Sapiens by Yuval Harari
Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
All Hell Let Loose by Max Hastings
Anything by Bill Bryson
That should keep you busy for a while, all very good

12 months in my case to get better with a spate of physio, lesson learned – don’t try and chuck stones further than my kids at the beach

We have all used it for years in our household no problem at all. I pay £12 a month and have more than enough for calls/texts/data etc

Ever seen that Johnathan Meades programme on Golf? Sums it up..

OP, Honest John reports for them weren’t that good when I was looking at them a while back as you say because the price looked good. In the end bought a VW Passat 2007 tdi 140 estate as a temp runabout, was fine, comfy to drive, loads of space and amazing economy considering it was pretty nippy. Mind you Honest John reports for these weren’t brilliant, maybe I was lucky as it had a VW FSH. Cost £3K, sold for a bit more 3 months later. Worth a look too I reckon.

I just got this auto T5 below last week for work/trips away/bikes inc. carrying motorbike occasionally, seems okay so far touch wood. Always had Hiace vans before because they are so reliable but a busted foot last year meant I had to get an auto and this seemed the only choice (people warned me off Vitos). Was more expensive than a similar aged Hiace but I guess will always be worth more if I flog it at some stage.

I carry kayaks occasionally and a folding front seat makes this possible without having to fart about with roof racks. I’m well aware of the ‘scene’ and didn’t really want to be part of it, but cracked when the auto option became a necessity. Time will tell if I stick with it.

This big bugger visited us yesterday, we get loads in our neck of the woods each summer, look scary but never seem aggressive or annoying like wasps

thanks all, will try sjs or lbs

Christchurch, highest over 65 population in UK, owning a Honda Jazz / Hyundai i20 auto that can’t go over 20mph anywhere is a prerequisite around here, it must also run people over at crossings and smash into shop windows on a regular basis too. That said it is pretty nice having the sea, New Forest and Purbeck on our doorstep

Look for a Toyota Hiace D4D minibus / disabled conversion, the most reliable vehicle for that kind of money, will have windows and extra seats in back and then you can adapt to suit your needs.

Something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-55-TOYOTA-HIACE-2-5-D4D-WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE-VEHICLE-DISABILITY-VEHICLE-/131525229754?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9f83bcba

or this auto import one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-HIACE-GRANVIA-3-0-TD-INTERCOOLER-AUTO-7-SEATS-2001-51-REG-AERO-KIT-/281711115079?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item41974a7b47

and you’ll or have plenty of change for other stuff

There’s a pub near us called the Fighting Cocks at Sandy Balls…maybe they’d like them.
local rag last week carried a story on how PETA were hassling them to change their name

Make it the August BH weekend onwards and you could visit the big bike bash again and sample loads from all over Dorset/Hants

The Only Mistake

^ rip it out and burn the evil stuff

Don’t put it in, lethal stuff decking whatever you try and treat it with (tried all sorts), seen so many slipping over injuries due to the stuff where I worked for many years and 9 months later I’ve still got a knackered ankle because of this 1990’s groundforce spawn of the devil evil material. Nearly as bad as bouncy castles in a list of hated things

I got mine about 10 years ago, I like the fact that it’s plain, simple & it’s never gone wrong. I’m not an architect either

Go for some original stuff – anything by Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Justin Hinds, the Skatalites etc – this box set is a good start:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Ska-4CD-Various/dp/B00004TW5R/ref=sr_1_20?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1432315705&sr=1-20&keywords=ska+box+set
cheers

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
by Yuval Harari

Guns, Germs, and Steel
by Jared Diamond

ok not what you specified OP but good

Honda crv, can be had cheap and are very reliable

Thanks, Granvia/Regius a possibility but a bit long in the tooth now and a pain to take the seats in and out as they are bolted on sliders. I like the look of iload/i800, at least on paper, must go and look at one and try out. Is an easytronic gearbox like a dsg (robotised manual)?

Does she wear a wig?