update to threads 88351 and 88344
Submitted: Thursday, Aug 11, 2011 at 13:45
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lizzyb74
Earlier this week I posted these two threads and I wanted to update them. Briefly, we were in outback
Normanton when we found our windup caravan wouldn't wind up, and then I was asking for the fastest route to drive to
Darwin.
When in
Normanton we spoke to the van's manufacturer in
Perth andafter discussing a few things, in the end he said that we needed to take it up to
Darwin to the coromal dealer there. They are tricky to fix apparently so we didn't want to take it to anyone else.
We got to
Darwin from
Normanton yesterday after driving through some fantastc spots we would have loved to spend more time at but that will have to be another trip.
The four of us spent a night at a cabin in
Normanton and then two more in the car (not fun!) at Hell's
Gate and just north of
Mataranka before reaching
Darwin. We left the van with the dealer and luckily have friends to stay with otherwise this would have proven to be an expensive wait!
Hope to hear back from the dealers soon once they've looked at the van.
Thank you for all of your suggestions and numbers.
Second post was a silly question as I had no reception to check any answers, but I didn't think of that!
Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Thursday, Aug 11, 2011 at 17:13
Thursday, Aug 11, 2011 at 17:13
Hi Lizzy,
glad you made it to
Darwin OK. Hope they sort the van out for you soon. Meanwhile, enjoy your stay in
Darwin.
regards
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: lizzyb74 - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 22:24
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 22:24
thanks Fred!
Darwin is awesome.
We went down to the waterfront today, and to the museum too.
Free entry to the museum is fantastic!
We're off the the Leanyer (sp??) water park tomorrow, another freebie that I think our kids (7 and 9) will love!
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 23:26
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 23:26
you are welcome.
Glad you are enjoying your stay.
regards
FollowupID:
736273
Reply By: Rockape - Thursday, Aug 11, 2011 at 20:11
Thursday, Aug 11, 2011 at 20:11
Hope all goes
well, maybe you could mention to the dealer what it has cost you for a minor problem. Things have got to be fit for purpose and at least have a back mechanism that allows you to do the job. You have travelled a long way to have what I call a minor problem fixed (by this I mean the top should come up very simply if the raising mechanism fails) that may take grunt but it should be factored in.
All the best,
RA.
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Reply By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 14:02
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 14:02
It would be even more useful if you put this update as a reply INTO those two post so people following them can be aware also. Just a tip!
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Follow Up By: Member - blackbird1937 - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 21:46
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 21:46
Hello Liz , I will be interested to find out what caused the problem .Regards
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Follow Up By: lizzyb74 - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 22:26
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 22:26
As soon as I find out I'll post blackbird, a winch specialist is going to take a look at it on Monday, so we'll see what he says!
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Follow Up By: lizzyb74 - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 22:30
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 22:30
... and thank goodness we have good friends here, as we've spent much more $$ than usual getting from
Normanton to
Darwin in 3 days, plus accommodation in
Darwin for a self contained unit is expensive.
I know theoretically the company should pay this as the van is still under warranty, but we'd still need to come up with the $$ upfront to pay for it before hopefully being reimbursed.
If it proved a real problem our parents would gladly lend us $$ but at 37 I would like to think I'd be past this!!
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Reply By: garrycol - Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 23:38
Friday, Aug 12, 2011 at 23:38
For repairs to your van, wouldn't it have been better to go to
Cairns from
Normanton rather than
Darwin?
I hope it all works out for you.
Cheers
Garry
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Follow Up By: lizzyb74 - Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 13:46
Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 13:46
Hi Garry,
Distance wise - definitely yes!
We spoke to Coromal who recommended we go to
Darwin as they have a dealership/service centre there.
Also, we are doing a "lap" anticlockwise from Bunbury WA, and
Darwin is on our way
home.
Thanks for your good wishes!
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Follow Up By: garrycol - Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 14:50
Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 14:50
Thanks for that - it is shame you missed all the sites in between - I have not been to the the Gulf coast but it is on the list of
places to visit.
At least you will know where to visit on your next trip around the country.
Garry
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Follow Up By: garrycol - Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 14:50
Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 14:50
Thanks for that - it is shame you missed all the sites in between - I have not been to the the Gulf coast but it is on the list of
places to visit.
At least you will know where to visit on your next trip around the country.
Garry
FollowupID:
736298
Reply By: lizzyb74 - Tuesday, Aug 16, 2011 at 23:02
Tuesday, Aug 16, 2011 at 23:02
THE LATEST : Our van got picked up from
Darwin today and is being trucked down to
Perth by Coromal and they are taking it into their workshop. This was only decided at around 3pm
Darwin time yesterday so we had a couple of hours to get it packed before the dealers closed. This was a bit of a rush.
My youngest son and I are flying from
Darwin to
Perth on Friday and then will take the train home to Bunbury.
My older son and husband will take a couple of swags and the car home over the next few weeks. Luckily we had packed the gas stove and gas light so they have these already.
Coromal have said that the pulleys have pulled their mounts away from the floor of the van. We don't get how this would have happened, but hopefully we will know more once it has been disassembled in Coromal's workshop.
So not the ideal end to our trip, but noone has been hurt, and in a couple of months are finances should have settled down (unexpected cost of fuel, air travel and swags has added up a bit...).
We've had a fantastic 4 1/2 months
on the road and tomorrow we are heading to
Litchfield NP which will be great!
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