Another Newbie in the Fold

[MartinS]

Hi

I've recently bought a '97 1.9d van and intend to do a 5,000 mile trip across Southern Europe in it next month.

What could possibly go wrong?    

I've spent a bit of time lurking around the site and have already learned quite a lot about my new (hopefully) trusty steed which have helped with my tinkering. Thanks to all that make this forum such a useful resource. However I have no doubt that I'll be looking for advice and guidance from the Berlingo gurus before to long.

I'll seek advice on the sanity of undertaking such a journey on forums dedicated to psychiatry!

Best wishes
Martin

[3rensho]

Hello Martin and welcome. What is the mileage on the van and did you get a service history??

[bikergraham]

Hi Martin and welcome.More power to your elbow.I recently did a "war tour" in Europe ending up at Auschwitz in Poland after visiting the killing fields of Belgium and Belson Bergen altogether over 4000 miles in 3 weeks on a B.M.W. motorcycle.Should be a breeze in a van.! Good luck and keep us posted on your exploits.

[Jed Clampit]

Hello Martin welcome to the forum if the Berlingo been well cared for it won't even break a sweat enjoy your travel's 

[MartinS]

Hi and thank you for your welcome messages.

The van has got 220,000 miles on the clock but is supposed to have had a replacement engine at some point. It came with a pile of receipts, although little after 2013 so I suspect it got home maintenance from then. There's a stack of old MoT certificates plus a very recent current one. I'm not quite sure how it passed though as I've found a few niggles including bulbs that didn't work due to broken wires and a burnt out contact in the fuse box. Despite that it does seem to have been looked after and looks good for it's age. (Wish I could say the same. /c: ) It even has the original filler cap, something of a rarity from the ones I've seen around here!

It's booked in for a good check-up with a nearby garage who are experts with Citroen and Peugeot vehicles. Between their talents, the expert advice and guidance on this forum and my stubbornness and incompetence it should be in good order for the trip.

I am looking forward to the trip; spectacular success or failure, it'll be an adventure whatever. I've spent a lot of time touring Northern Europe on two wheels but haven't ventured this far South under my on steam before. I was hoping to have done the Italy run by motorbike this Summer but my wife's "Do whatever you want to!" put paid to that!

I am getting my own back; I keep putting 'Stelvio', 'Winter' and 'fully laden van' in the same sentence! (I haven't mentioned that the pass is closed between October and April. Now that WOULD be an adventure!)

Right, time for some more TLC tinkering....

[bikergraham]

Hi Martin.Look for threads by the Wanderer.He's on a big tour in Europe as we speak in his 160k ? van.Although i havnt seen any posts from him for a couple of weeks.I do hope that he's ok.Anyway i'm happy to see your another fellow biker,there's a few of us that use this forum.
My wifey says the same thing to me ,the only difference is that i do anyway !!!!

[Jed Clampit]

I think he's in the south of Spain at the moment looking for his next property in his shorts and sun glass's lucky Ba person  

[MartinS]

Hi

The Wanderer's thread is a good read. I'm not sure my run will be that exciting, although the long range weather forecast could say otherwise!

I too am a bit concerned as the last post mentions an oil leak followed by a 'signing off' note. Let's hope he hasn't been lured by the dark side and traded in for a Seat Inca!

(BTW Bikergraham, before this thread gets moved elsewhere, is that a Boss Hoss in your avatar pic?)