MMR 4: The Walker Family

Peter is just gorgeous gatra and I'm looking forward to catching the whole of your programme today at 4.30 on ITV2 as I missed bits of it first time round.

Excellent programme today and congrats gatra on the birth of your little son, he is gorgeous. I was very interested in this programme as I have 4 children, they are 4, 6, 9 and 11 years old but so far with the extension plans and saving for the work to be done etc we have managed with 2 cars as OH is a shift worker. However, the bit about the MPV was very interesting as we are planning to finally get one in the summer and will be shopping around. All the best for the future - Michelle x

I saw the re-run of the programme over the weekend. I was interested to see Martin's advice about buying a people carrier - a couple of years ago we wanted a diesel Ford Galaxy, but couldn't find a second hand one at a sensible price. After my husband did a LOT of research, he ended up going through an internet middleman to a dealer and saved about £3,000 on a new car (they were just bringing a slightly updated model so there was an extra discount), but he did have to travel from Wiltshire to Derbyshire to collect it, so it wasn't an easy option. Still, we are pretty happy with the car so we would do it again if we needed to.

Just a quick update:

Well the van is now running better than ever I have now found the fault it had since we bought it and fixed it, the trouble I have had trying to find it all fault code where pointing to the EGR valve and EGR pipes Oxygen sensor and Kat.

I took it to a Garage paid out £40 for them to look at it just to be told sorry we can't find the fault, try to change the MAP sensor and EGR pipes, Fords where tried next they drew a blank as well. "sorry sir for us to find the fault it could cost up to 5 or 6 hour labour and at £85 and hour it will cost a fortune for us to fix it but try unplugging the MAF sensor and see if van runs OK (unplugging this sends a default signal to van computer)

I did this and straight away the van ran far better, so a quick trip to the local motor factor and 5 mins to fit the new part the van now runs like new, saving a small packet to the bargain.

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We made around £700 in interest this year borrowing money and paying into the A and L high interest account. Have just noticed that A & Leic have a new 12% offer at the moment on new accounts. Thinking of taking a £11,000 loan at 5.9% and paying it in for a year.

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Still getting good deals from Tesco last year we got a caravan holiday at Yarmouth a years free admission to Alton towers and a holiday at Center Parcs in France all on points. and got points now for another holiday at Haven caravan site but booking two vans this time and take the whole family....... Thank you Mr Tesco's

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Just got my first cheque cash back from my mobile phones free for a year

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Moved to Talk Talk had lots of trouble but stuck it out now okay but disappointed to find out it run by AOL..... Always said I would NEVER go back to them...........

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Got another new member to the family well new additions we got two Rabbits we now have ten....... so if anyone wants one free let me know...

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Ah well that's it for now got to feed the boys bye for now

Gaz

Still trying to save money here and there but finding we can still better last years deals , cut the car insurance again and again, my free mobile has run it's coarse so rang '3' up and they have put me on a loyalty rate of £5 bill a month giving me 300 x network talk and 150 texts. wouldn't give me a new phone though. may ring up once more, and push abit more.

A bit te'd off with Tesco points/French life as we had just saved enough points for a two week holiday at Centre Parcs in France only to be told they have finished this offer. (I bet it proved to popular.)

Van still running well 2 years on passed it's MOT no probs just been to France and back, this week to Glasgow and back and never missed a beat.

Tracey's car is another story, 3 months ago the car missed it's annual service, I was going to change it's cam-belt, and check the timing, but I put it off a month, to busy what a mistake this was, one day the wife broke down on the way to work (Yes the cam-belt had snapped) Result 4 bent valves, cylinder head off, I changed ALL 16 valves and fitted new ones (£200) New gaskets (£60ish) and new cam belt set (£70) had a quote from garage £1,000+ so nice saving and car back on road.

Story don't finish here as she broke down once more, two months later, this time with much more effect, one of the new valves had snapped at the bottom collet ring and dropped in to the piston smashing it's way to the sump and cracking the piston liner whole engine was now scrap, had a trip down to the local scrap yard and found a new engine, on first looks it looked like any old engine, but after a closer look, it looks like it's a Ford reconditioned lump (All the bits fitted are genuine O/E parts from Fords) plus it had a brand new O/E clutch that only had less than half millimeter of wear, so this time I fitted a new cam belt and dropped the lump in to the car , she's started first time and seems very happy it it's new home. Cost of engine £175.

Cost for a garage to do job around £2000. (Would have scrapped car before paying this out.)

Saved around £1825

Will do an update next year as well.

Gaz