Garaged unused for three years worth anything?

Positive or negative earth mini, the described connections would not be a good idea...

The date being 17 Nov 2007, David Taylor decided to write:

Just connect +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve. That's all there is to it.

I only said be careful because if the cars are opposite polarities you must neither let them touch each other while the leads are connected nor connect earth to earth and live to live (which you could easily do if you connected the jump leads to the block and solenoid without first checking the battery in the boot of the Mini).

Indeed. So connecting +ve to -ve as suggested might be sub-optimal, no?

Car transporter trailers are available from HSS hire shops.

They cost £92.50 for a day but you will get that money back with an early mini. Your local branches are hampstead, east finchley, staples corner etc. Give them a call as they often do deals for a few hours or weekend hires. I have used their transporters before without any problems. Just take some ID and your credit card, but remember to call a few days in advance to ensure that the transporter is in stock.

Failing that your local recovery firm may well do the job for cash in hand if you ask nicely. The worst they can say is no.

georgina Smith ("georgina Smith" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

...about twice the price of a small local trailer rental place. Knowing HSS, they probably charge extra for tiedowns, too.

There are plenty of people with transporters around the London area offering delivery from 80p/mile upwards. Check Ebay for Classic car transportation. I used one guy a couple of years ago to bring a golf to Wycombe from Hemel, cost me about £35. So much easier than faffing about with trailer hire etc.

Mike P

Absolutely correct. It's not exactly a couple of miles down a deserted country road, either.

Four warnings about hiring a trailer for this job:

1) A driver who passed his test after 1 Jan 97 is unlikely to hold the right licence to tow such a trailer

2) Many cars are not rated to tow a typical hired trailer with even a mini on it. The may be capable of it in the sense of "will still reach a good speed" or even "can brake it to a stand", but Officer Dibble will be more interested in the manufacturer's views on the matter.

3) Hired trailers are often in dreadful condition.

4) Towing trailers isn't everyone's idea of fun, particularly if tight manoeuvering is involved.

I'd do it myself for you, but the 125 miles to the starting point might kill the job on price. Watch out for headline-grabbing low prices: I don't know anyone who'd do an five mile collect/deliver for £4, even if one end was next to their depot. Make sure the car rolls and is reasonably accessible - or at least warn the firm doing the job. Unearthing a car from under a pile of junk, then having to skid it round a parked caravan, can be done, but tests the patience of firms who've tried to quote a fair price.

I enquired about this exact scenario recently (ok it was three miles and I live half a mile from the garage) and got quoted almost a hundred pounds. That was also on a "you can pick it up any time you like on any day" basis.

As other have said +ve to +ve, -ve to -ve. A neighbour of mine did it the wrong way round and was very lucky he had the usual cheap crap leads, one of the clip joints smoked and the cabling insulation was melted in places. IIRC he did have to swap his battery afterwards in the car used for jumping. The car needing the jump had a brown positive lead IIRC and that confused him, he didn't actually check the battery markings. In my experience the cheap jump leads are a waste of time if the problem battery is totally flat. I got the problem car going with my HD leads and a spare battery.

I made my own jump leads from four heavy duty clips and two runs of arc welding cable. They are capable of jump starting a car with a completely flat battery, but I haven't found any ready-made sets that will.

Jim

We have a set of new tyres on our boat trailer, kept at 40psi. Been on 1 winter and one summer without moving (due to ill health). Sidewalls are now cracked and brittle, strangely on the side that gets no sun! Same with a car we havent used for 6 months, already showing signs of sidewall crackage.

I managed to buy a ready made set but they do amount to just what you made, if I couldn't have bought them I would have made my own as well. BTW they are also a good length, about 3m IIRC so can jump a car when parked next to each other and the batteries on opposite sides. They are about 20 years old now, I wouldn't want to price them up these days with the price of copper being what it is.

Mine are made up from high amp cable like is used for electricity meter tails etc.