Luccombe Garage

08/09/2026

DAY 2: DOVER → ROUEN 🇬🇧➡️🇫🇷

Well… it wouldn’t be the Rat Run without a little roadside engineering. 😂🔧

After making it across the Channel, the Civic found herself sitting in around 45 minutes of stop-start traffic — and apparently decided France was quite warm enough already. 🌡️

The temperature gauge started climbing dangerously close to the red, so James pulled over and switched her off before things got expensive.

Once she’d cooled down — conveniently outside a boulangerie, because apparently emergency diagnostics are best performed with French pastries nearby 🥐😂 — James got to work.

Coolant level: fine. ✅
Problem: faulty coolant fan switch. ❌

With no replacement switch available, a little Rat Run ingenuity was required. Armed with some wire cutters, James borrowed a section of wiring from the rear heated window — because we’re hopefully not going to need that in Spain — and bypassed the faulty switch.

The result? The cooling fan now runs continuously, the temperature is behaving itself, and the £600 Civic lives to fight another day. 😂

185.97 miles and 7½ hours later, they’ve made it to Rouen.

Disaster avoided. Day 2: DONE. ✅

Luckily, she’s survived… for now! 😂🤞🚗🇫🇷

07/09/2026

🏁 RAT RUN 2026 — DAY 1: DONE!

Bristol ➡️ Dover: COMPLETE! ✅

The Rat Run is officially underway, and we’re pleased to report that the £600 Civic has successfully completed its first 201 miles without falling apart. 😂

First pit stop of the rally?
Not quite Formula One… McDonald’s. 🍟🏎️

From there it was onwards to Dover, with even the motorway signs wishing the Rat Runners good luck!

They’ve now made it safely to the port, where the banger gets a well-earned rest before the ferry tomorrow morning. ⛴️

Next up: 🇫🇷 FRANCE!

Dover ➡️ Dunkirk ➡️ Rouen

That’s when the Rat Run really begins… 👀

201 miles down. Benidorm still a very, very long way away. 😂

07/09/2026

AND THEY’RE OFF! 🚗💨

The testing is done. The stickers are on. The bags are packed. And somehow, nobody has talked James out of it. 😂

Today the £600 Civic officially leaves Bristol and begins its journey to Benidorm for The Rat Run 2026.

First stop: Dover. 🇬🇧

From there, it’s five days, three countries and around 1,300 miles between this very old Honda and the finish line in Benidorm. 🇪🇸

We’ve tested it.
We’ve checked it.
We’ve even sent it to Liverpool and back for absolutely no sensible reason.

Now there’s only one thing left to do…

See if it actually gets there. 🤞😂

We’ll be following James and the Civic throughout the week, with updates from each leg of the journey.

Benidorm or bust. Let’s go! 🐀🚗

03/09/2026

MEET THE BANGER 🚗

If you saw our first Rat Run post, you’ll know that James is planning to drive from Bristol to Benidorm in this 2001 Honda Civic.

It currently has 158,107 miles on the clock, has seen better days cosmetically, and cost comfortably within the Rat Run’s £600 maximum car budget.

Naturally, James has therefore been putting it through a rigorous pre-Benidorm testing programme. 🔧

Local journeys? ✅
Motorway miles? ✅
A 350-mile Bristol → Liverpool → Bristol round trip to collect a customer’s replacement engine? Apparently that counts too. 😂

To be fair, if you’re going to test an old Civic, loading a replacement engine into the back and sending it on a 350-mile motorway round trip isn’t a bad way of finding out what you’ve bought.

So far, so good.

Next stop: approximately 1,300 miles of Europe.

What could possibly go wrong? 😬

31/08/2026

🚗💨 JAMES IS OFF TO BENIDORM… IN THIS. 😂

Some ideas are good ideas.
Some ideas involve taking a 25-year-old Honda Civic with 158,107 miles on the clock and attempting to drive it from Bristol to Benidorm.

We’ll let you decide which category this falls into. 😂

On Monday 7th September, James will be setting off on The Rat Run 2026 — a five-day charity banger rally taking him (hopefully) from Bristol, through France and Spain, and eventually to Benidorm.

There is, of course, a catch.

💷 Maximum spend on the car: £600.

And this magnificent specimen is the chosen one. A 2001 Honda Civic which has already seen rather a lot of life and is now being asked to see quite a lot more of Europe.

The route:

📍 Day 1: Bristol → Dover
📍 Day 2: Dover → Rouen
📍 Day 3: Rouen → Bordeaux
📍 Day 4: Bordeaux → Zaragoza
📍 Day 5: Zaragoza → Benidorm 🏁

Over the five days we’ll be following James and the Civic here on the Luccombe Garage page — the journey, the stops, the inevitable questionable decisions and, quite possibly, some roadside repairs. 😂

What could possibly go wrong?

24/08/2026

🚗 Bank Holiday plans? Don’t forget your tyres! ☀️

Many of us will be packing up the car and heading away this Bank Holiday weekend, but before you set off, take two minutes to check your tyre pressures.

It might not sound exciting, but correctly inflated tyres can make a surprising difference.

✅ Better fuel economy
✅ Improved grip and braking
✅ Longer tyre life
✅ Better handling, especially when the car is fully loaded with passengers and luggage

Remember, the recommended pressures are usually for cold tyres, so check them before you’ve driven far. And if you’re heading off on holiday with a packed boot, your vehicle handbook may recommend slightly higher pressures.

While you’re there, it’s worth giving your tyres a quick once-over too.

✔️ Check for cuts or bulges
✔️ Make sure there’s plenty of tread remaining
✔️ Don’t forget the spare wheel if your car has one!

A couple of minutes before you leave could save a lot of hassle during your journey.

Have a fantastic Bank Holiday and safe travels from everyone at Luccombe Garage. 🚗☀️

17/08/2026

🎂 A slightly different James’ Tips today…

Apparently even the man who keeps everyone else on the road needs a service eventually. 😂

Today it’s James’ birthday, so we’re swapping the usual motoring advice for one very important reminder:

Age is just a number. Mileage, however, is recorded.

Luckily, it’s the journey that makes the mileage worthwhile. 🧡

Although, at this mileage, the warranty is definitely long expired. 😂

Please join us in wishing James a very Happy Birthday! 🎉

He’ll be back with some actually useful James’ Tips soon… assuming he passes his annual inspection. 🔧😂

Happy Birthday James! 🧡🖤

06/01/2026

We are back and well rested after our festive break!

Our MOT diary is already filling towards the end of January. To avoid disappointment or last minute panics, please book in as much advance as possible. Remember, you can MOT your vehicle upto 1 month before your expiry date without losing your full 12 month certificate on top of your original expiry.

We look forward to seeing and looking after all your vehicle needs in 2026.

James, Rob and The Luccombe Team

18/12/2025

Seasons Greetings!

We will be closed for a Christmas break from 4pm on Friday 19th December. We reopen on Monday 5th January 2026 at 8am.

During this time, James will still be booking you all in ready for January and beyond.

If you would like to book in you can:

Voicemail on 0117 9735021
Private Message on Facebook
Email [email protected]
Or fill in our online contact form at www.luccombegarage.co.uk

Please leave your name, contact number, desired date, and the service you need.

We will be monitoring our messages and will confirm your booking using the details you provide.

Thank you for supporting us this year. We wish you all the best for 2026.

05/03/2025

Wanted - MOT Tester / Vehicle Mechanic

Due to the fantastic support of our customers and growth of our business, we need to take on another MOT Tester / Vehicle Mechanic.

We are a busy, local garage with high standards and a stable team.

We pay well and provide sociable, regular hours. No weekends or late nights.

If you are Qualified and are interested in this opportunity, visit our job profile on Indeed, private message, call 0117 9735021 or contact [email protected]

Motor Mechanic and MOT Tester

Luccombe Garage