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Motorist's fobbed off
FREDERICK Bennett was looking forward to hitting the open road in his new car but three weeks of misery with a broken key fob drove him crazy.
Mr Bennett bought the second-hand silver Renault Laguna three months ago but within weeks the central locking failed, meaning he had to put the brakes on a planned holiday – because he couldn't lock his car.
Operated not by a key but with an electronic credit card-style fob, both sets developed faults, meaning he had to cancel his holiday on the Lincolnshire coast.
He said: "I couldn't lock my car, so I couldn't go.
"You can't go away and leave your car unlocked in the middle of Skegness.
"You can't leave it unlocked anywhere.
"If I go shopping someone has to sit in the car all the time.
"I'm having to put the car in the garage every night and lock the garage but it is a tight squeeze to get the car in there."
Leaving the car unlocked meant his insurance would be invalid so he had to come up with an unusual solution.
He could operate the central locking from inside the car – but had to leave the window slightly open and get a long stick to press the button, which is near the handbrake.
He also had to hope it did not rain.
But after three weeks of inconvenience, Mr Bennett finally got his hands on a new fob card, meaning he can now securely lock his car and will try to resurrect his holiday plans.
He said he was relieved the whole affair was over but added there was still a problem with the car's driver side window, with the experience putting him off buying another Renault.
"I'm really glad it's over," he said.
"The right hand side window is still sticking and if it rains all the electrics are down that side and it could blow them.
"It was very inconvenient and has cost me a fortune in phone calls to sort out."
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Weather for Bridlington
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
