ColinE

Hi Heard today oil barrel prices had drop from 135$ to 122$ a barrel, dont see any petrol or diesl prices coming down, they are quick to put them up, same old story.   Colin

Hi Dc When I moved from a previous house and went over the gas heating, I drained mine with a drill pump, at small unit that fits into a hand drill, I think I took out something like 250 gallons. Sorry cannot help in cutting it up,maybe an angle grinder, but think it may be worth flushing out with water to get rid of the disel. other wise it could catch light.   Colin

Hi Rich1972 I second that, I have worked for 49 years in the UK born and breed here, I strongly object to people coming into our country, having not paid a penny into the system, getting benifits and free health care. It should be as we will have to do in France, if we ever get there, unless retired, buy their own health care, the NHS must be spending millions on these people. Its the same these people going into hospital having babies etc then clearing off without paying, make them pay up front or no treatment. I had better stop there, other wise I my say something I should not. This is one of the reason for us to move to France.   Colin

Hi Ernie. We have done it twice, Calais, to Avignon the last time, it was fantastic, we worked out the cost to get the MG to Grasse, as I do not push the old car I recond it would take me three days to get there, petrol, hotels meals, there was nothing in it. When we arrived at Avignon, it was a bright sunny morning, and breakfast was set out on the station for us, it was really good, after breakfast ,we had  I believe about a three hour drive to get to the site, all in all a good experiance. That was a few year ago, sorry do not remember the cost.   Colin

Hi Oldie. If you want something to seal pipe threads, use ptfe tape, much better than all the mucky pastes, I have been using the tape for over 20 years, to seal water gas, hydraulic oils, it works fine without all the mess.   Colin

Hi Thanks Clair.   Colin

Hi Ernie Sorry for the spelling mistake. No, had an offer a couple of  weeks ago £25,000 under the valuation, told them to see a taxidermist. In the local newspaper it was saying 5 house agents have closed in Basingstoke due to no business, so it seems quite bad, its another story, but we changed agents 4 weeks ago, the boss of the one we have now got, I can only discribe as a clown, first thing he said when he came round, you will have to change the blue bathroom suite as people like white ones, I think the words starts with B. The following day he came, and said that white fence at the begining of the road wants sorting out, GO AND TELL THEM TO SORT IT, nothing to do with us at all, again B. the latest thing he telephoned and asked if the grass in our front garden belonged to us or the council, I told him it was MY front garden, its open plan, only a possible client asked he said, roll on 4 weeks time when we can get rid of him. What chance have I got with this P. Colin

Hi Ernie. Have a look on leboncion.fr, there are a few on there.   Colin

Hi powerdesal. You dont know what your missing, toast with slices of cheese on top. light spread of marmite, in the microwave for 45 secs. Wonderful   Colin

Hi Thanks guys.  woolbanans brother, do you really wear these.?   Colin

Hi People. Hope I have posted in the right section, I have a big car rally in the uk in 3 weeks time, some friends of our have been lucky to have already moved to France, I would like to make a present to them, for the work they have done with the club before moving on, I would like to include things that you people miss being in France, ie Marmite, brown sauce, Tetly Tea, Nescafe Coffee, maybe Oxo cubes, any thing you can surgest I could include  in the parcel, things you miss being in FRANCE, thanks in advance.   Colin

Hi. First who have you spoken to about insuring your cars, would be interested as I have three MGs and a Jaguar to bring over. If you had classic insurance in the UK, did you not have a valuation done for this, for the classic insurance, could you not use this valuation. Would be interested in the out come.   Colin

Hi I just remembered another incident, arriving at Newhaven for the morning ferry to France in my MGB GT, we got pulled over and asked where we were going, then I was asked if I had any thing that could cause anyone any harm, the first thing I thought of was, and I replied to the lady: got a couple of tins of baked beans:, I think I must have caught her on the hop as for a moment she did not answer, then said thank you sir very good. what a load of toffee an old car with a load of spares on board, come on.

Hi Its not only Dover we recently came back by ferry to Portsmouth, we had come up from Issigac, six hours driving, then 5 hours across on ferry, 30 minutes to get off the ferry, then into the system, through passport control, then a woman customs officer stopped a French car in front of me, did not pull him over out of the line, an stood and talked to he for some 10 mins, why did she not pull him of of the line, crazy. I have always said it is harder to get back into our own country, I have flown in from Pakistan where I we working, to heather row, 3 jumbos in at the same time, one person checking the passsports.

Hi people Can anyone tell me if there are a list of french post codes I can refer to.   Thanks Colin

Hi I have the same problem, as I am not in France as yet, the local Jaguar dealer has quoted £285 per headlight for my 1999 XJ8, where they get their price from I really do not know, if anyone  knows a source of supply I ma listening.   Colin

Hi David I also had this problem, with the picture of the SD coming out of the slot, I found out, and was told after calling them, that the new card had to be  autherised before it would function. I tried to download a French map, so did a friend, neither of us could manage it, I tried man times, when tom tom came up with tom tom home I managed to get the download, but all in all it was a saga. Used it this week in France, but maybe I have not got the knack of it in France, found it difficult to find places, in the UK postcode in, and away you go, I think because the postcodes in France seem to cover a very large area, it gets you close but not to the actual place. When it told us to turn right at 80 yards on the motorway, with no junction, we were getting worried.   Colin 

Hi Clair Sorry do not know where that is, we are going to Lot et Garonne. Near what town? Colin  

Hi Clair. Where abouts are you, I am driving down to the South West on Sunday.   Colin

Hi People We are coming over to France tomorrow for a visit, Just come back from the post office after getting my Euors, the rate was 1.259, the lowest I have ever known.   Colin

Hi JJ Thanks for your imput, what I read up about salt pools on this forum,  a lot from poolguy, which I am concerned about, I read there was going to be some law on discharging salt water to fosse/drains etc, the write up was dated 2004, did this law come into force, if so, how do you cope with this problem. This has all come about for me as I am going to look at a house that has a salt pool installed, so I am just trying to do some homework before seeing the house. If the salt pool is a problem, would it take much to change it to a normal pool? Thanks  Colin

Hi Could I ask Poolguy for some advice. Can you tell me the Pros and Cons of a salt water pool, we are going to look at a house north of Bergerac in the next couple of weeks, it has this type of pool installed, the only time I have ever come across this type of pool was in Australia at a house my brother owned. Is it good or bad, what about costs as against a normal pool? Thanks   Colin

Hi Thanks cooperlola.   Colin

Hi People. Could someone please give me any advice re pension payments, I have a state pension and a private pension, these are being paid monthly to me. less tax. Is it best to leave them as they are, or should I have them paid gross, then pay the taxes in France, I am not trying to avoid anything, just dont know what is best. Thank you.   Colin

Hi Just for information, we are selling our house in the UK, hoping to move to France early next year, we have just had the HIPS done, Home information Pack, (another load of codswollop) more or less the same as in France, cost £349. Colin