Feeling Miffed

'Don't count your chickens before they hatch,' is a saying that seems appropriate to us at the moment. 
At the end of 2015 we set a time frame to be living on the road by January/February 2017. That gave us over a year to save, sort the house out, have a shed made for the truck and to get to know the rig and sort out any teething problems should they occur before we were living in it.

It turns out we needed that year. There were teething problems with the rig, and we sorted them. The truck now has an amazing shed on the back, that provides extra storage. We also got two water tanks made which sit behind the truck's shed.

Thinking we were leaving early 2017, I resigned from teaching at the end of 2016. Bernie decided to stay a bit longer at his job before handing in his notice to be sure nothing else popped up. 
Did he sense something that I didn't? It turns out it was an excellent decision that Bernie didn't resign. 
Now...I'm hunting for a full time job and our departure date has been put back at least six months. 

Here's what happened!

Bernie noticed a sensor light flashing in the truck when we were in Marlborough so he took it a truck stop in the area. A mechanic used a diagnostic machine which revealed a cranking issue. When we got back to Nelson, we took it to a garage. We were told the flashing light was a sensor by one of the mechanics. He couldn't find the sensor so gave us the truck back reassuring us it was okay to drive. 

In the following months we used the truck to tow the rig several times. However coming back from Golden Bay the light flashed on and off again. Bernie decided not to take it back to Heslops just to be told that it was okay - although Bernie isn't a professional he believed a flashing light shouldn't be ignored. So he took it to another garage for a second opinion.

The second garage quickly picked up that there was low oil pressure. This resulted in having to replace the big end bearing. On further inspection more damage was noticed. Now, the whole motor has to come out and have a complete overhaul.

If the first garage had of picked up the problem when we first took the truck in for a flashing light we wouldn't have traveled extra kilometres on a motor that had low oil pressure. Because we were assured it was okay to use the truck we probably did more damage, resulting in a complete overhaul and costing us $11,000.

We will email the first garage to explain our predicament. We'd like to think they will accept responsibility for giving us the wrong advice and help with the $11,000 we now owe. We'll keep you posted on their response. 

So, life on the road will have to wait. It has definitely thrown a spanner in the works!

We Are Ready....The Rig Is Ready....But Now We're Waiting For The Truck!

Last week the truck refused to start! It had always been slow to turn over and ignite into life, but finally, it refused to start at all!
When we bought the truck through 'Star Trucks" in Richmond at the end of May 2015, the condition of the purchase was that the starting would be fixed. Star Trucks is owned by Dale, and Dale took the truck to Heslops to repair the starting. Heslops had the truck for a couple of months and the starting didn't improve! Eventually, four months later, in September, Bernie had to take the truck to Tauranga, so the hitch could be fitted on it. Even after all that time, the truck remained slow to turn over and start!
At the end of December, when Bernie drove the rig back from Tauranga, the truck was still slow to start....plus...when towing the rig up hills, the truck's temperature rose into the max zone.
Fortunately, we got the truck and the rig back to Nelson. The following day, the truck absolutely & completely refused to start. It turned over, and over and over...but nothing! SO FRUSTRATING!

The next day (Monday), Dale (from 'Star Trucks') organised someone from Heslops to collect the truck. We were told they'd remove the pump and send it to Auckland to get repaired. After a week, on Friday, Bernie rang Heslops to ask how everything was going...he was told that they had been busy and hadn't removed the pump to send it to Aukland! 
To say we were majorly disappointed is an understatement! 
The holidays are now quickly drawing to a close and our plans/dreams of having time in the rig haven't happened. It is really disappointing and soooo frustrating.

We've told 'Heslops' that we need the truck ready for this Friday. We've already made plans to meet Amanda & Paul Walters at McKee Domain in Ruby Bay. They've said 'Rob' who also owns a Big Country will be there, plus a couple who own an 'Ultima". So we're really keen to be there as well, to meet the others, and learn how they've set themselves up for life on the road.