"What's it all about .....?" Why, funding for next year's cruising of course, by not

[Steve C Cronin]

"What's it all about .....?" Why, funding for next year's cruising of course, by not

...being tradesman-shafted in absentia.

Friend came home a few days after his wife, having stayed to put their boat to bed in Corfu, only to be told that their boiler was U/S according to a local expert and that he wanted £3500 to replace it. No condemnation ticket was attached so friend invesigated and found that some scale had fallen across the pilot burner and that there was insufficient heat to keep the thermocouple "on". Quick brush out with a small paintbrush and of it went. So to avoid losing the equivalent of three months or so's wine and souvlaki money, it's a good idea to get the boiler serviced BEFORE you leave home in the spring.

What IS it all about? THere are lots of honest tradesmen in our local directory. I counted 168!

 

[GrahamM376]

I have a good tale about boilers. The heat exchange in our Worcester started to leak, local boiler repairer said it would cost around £450 with labour and suggested I took out a service contract with Worcester Bosch for around £250 p.a. and up to 3 faults would be covered. Did that and the boiler, which we inherited with house, was fixed. After having made 3 months payments, the DD stopped and we received a credit for the full amount paid On contacting them I received an apology that the heat exchange had failed and that the boiler was still under guarantee although I hadn't bought it

 

[Steve C Cronin]

I have a good tale about boilers. The heat exchange in our Worcester started to leak, local boiler repairer said it would cost around £450 with labour and suggested I took out a service contract with Worcester Bosch for around £250 p.a. and up to 3 faults would be covered. Did that and the boiler, which we inherited with house, was fixed. After having made 3 months payments, the DD stopped and we received a credit for the full amount paid On contacting them I received an apology that the heat exchange had failed and that the boiler was still under guarantee although I hadn't bought it

Not then difficult to see why they are the UK's favourite boiler, is it? However, please donot let us be diverted from my original concern as pp overall costs of living aboard.

 

[AndrewB]

On two occasions I've been told by the professional that my Perkins 4-108 was beyond repair and would have to be replaced. First time: blown head gasket, £80 to fix with the help of a mate who is an AA man. Second time, £20 for a new thermostat, replaced in about an hour.

Strangely enough, on both occasions the engineer "just happened to have" a replacement engine he could let me have cheap.

 

[rotrax]

On two occasions I've been told by the professional that my Perkins 4-108 was beyond repair and would have to be replaced. First time: blown head gasket, £80 to fix with the help of a mate who is an AA man. Second time, £20 for a new thermostat, replaced in about an hour.

Strangely enough, on both occasions the engineer "just happened to have" a replacement engine he could let me have cheap.

Sounds that is how he got the one he offered you-condem it, supply a repaired one and fix the one he "conveniently" can dispose of for you to sell on.

Barsteward.

 

[keithgdg]

Funny the way these things just happen to come about.