barefoot's automotive debacles...

[barefoot]

I've been on here for a couple of years now & hoped that you all wouldn't mind if I indulged in a bit of a thread to keep you up to date with the fiasco that is my automotive joy.

 

So - latest news (which I may have posted elsewhere) Scirocco in for CV joints/oil change/alternator belt on Thursday.

Returned to me on Friday & sat there in the street until this afternoon when I wanted to pop out for a pint of milk.

 

Dead as a fucking dodo

 

I resisted calling the garage & leaving a message this afternoon as I don't need the car again until Wednesday - but I am a little vexed.

 

Tomorrows fun involves taking the T2 for its first run since I SORN'd it in November.

Fuel, bit of an oil change at a VW 'specialist" before off for MOT on Tuesday.

[barefoot]

Van fired up first turn of the key, yet before taking it for fuel and mot, I used it to jump start the Scirocco.

Way hay!

The radio came on - mystery solved.

T2 off to the garage, update later in the week...

[pandarus]

Nice to haves:

 

Audio that turns itself off when you remove the ignition key

 

A buzzer that tells you that you are a muppet and you have left your lights on

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

The lights on buzzer is one of the only things worth retrofitting to everything.

[STUNO]

The lights on buzzer is one of the only things worth retrofitting to everything.

 

 

Waste of time, last time I had to call the AA the first thing that came on when they connected the jump battery was ..........

[Albert Ross]

Old style Lucas flick switches in a Series Land Rover, make sure they're all pointing up as you leave! Even the dash lighting switch has been made to work the opposite way, to ensure a tidy dash..... Simple really, don't do modern! (I have managed to rewire my lighting through the ignition switch and a split charge relay, so nothing's on until the alternator starts working!)

[barefoot]

I also thought that it was time I posted a few spots, so I'll start with this.

It was at the garage next door to where I took the van.

 

When did you last see one of these?

 

 

 

 

It was a left hooker but looked very, very nice.

The bloke imports a bit of stuff....

 

I also thought I'd try to add up my motoring costs for the full year.

There'll be a bit of copy & paste going on but here's the scores on the doors so far this year.

 

Porsche - MOT & 6 hydraulic tappets - £160

 

Scirocco - service, two CV joints, two rear brake cylinders & an alternator belt - £300

 

T2 van - new radio - £72

T2 van - Insurance - £220

 

Is this going to get frightening?

[RedSparrow]

This Fiat is amazing. I'm in love!

[HillmanImp]

Van fired up first turn of the key, yet before taking it for fuel and mot, I used it to jump start the Scirocco.

Way hay!

The radio came on - mystery solved.

T2 off to the garage, update later in the week...

 

If its the same stereo that was in there when I had the car, it used to drain the battery all the time as I had the yellow cable plugged in the back to ensure that it would remember what MP3 it was playing when I parked up. However I decided having a car that did not require jump starting all the time was better than being able to listen to the rest of the CHOON I was banging out before I parked up and disconnected the wire and had a working car again.

[barefoot]

Gawd no, that was nice looking but truly dreadful. It's been sat in a box in the back bedroom for a couple of years.*

Although I think your problem with the battery, was down to the battery - it had some cells with no liquid in!

 

No its a bit of a blaupunkt thing that if you push the on/off switch it mutes it unless you push it hard for a second.

A proper bad bit of design, bloke from garage brought it back & parked it up outside the house.

It hadn't occurred to me that I'd need to sit down with him & explain how something as ostensibly simple as a radio works!

 

* for sale - nice looking radio - plays cds & memory stick things.

[HillmanImp]

Gawd no, that was nice looking but truly dreadful. It's been sat in a box in the back bedroom for a couple of years.*

Although I think your problem with the battery, was down to the battery - it had some cells with no liquid in!

 

No its a bit of a blaupunkt thing that if you push the on/off switch it mutes it unless you push it hard for a second.

A proper bad bit of design, bloke from garage brought it back & parked it up outside the house.

It hadn't occurred to me that I'd need to sit down with him & explain how something as ostensibly simple as a radio works!

 

* for sale - nice looking radio - plays cds & memory stick things.

 

Aye it was a shit Halfrauds own brand IIRC. After I disconnected the 'always on' wire it was always a rush to find something to listen to on the memory stick before I heard the 'This is the sound of Altern-8' (

) which was the first track EVERY time I switched on the stereo.

 

Re the batery, it was new I was obviously just given a shit one. I guess like a goon I gave you all the paperwork less the Battery guarantee. I probably gave that to the guy I sold the DAF to or some such......I am not very organised.

[barefoot]

Did you ever get that 'Neds Atomic Dustbin' disc back that I found in the player thing?

I posted it back to you after I'd ripped it to iTunes, but I've only listened to it the once, you clearly have even less taste in music than you do in cars!

[HillmanImp]

Did you ever get that 'Neds Atomic Dustbin' disc back that I found in the player thing?

I posted it back to you after I'd ripped it to iTunes, but I've only listened to it the once, you clearly have even less taste in music than you do in cars!

 

That was you! Mystery solved! Hurzah! There was no postmark on the envelope when it arrived so I had no idea where it came from.

 

I was asking people for ages about that. I checked my purchases and there was no indication I had bought it on Ebay whilst drunk so was mightily confuzzled. I did think this girl who I had been seeing a few times had got me it as I had complained to her I had lost my copy (she liked them too), or some ex housemates had sent it back to me or something similar but everyone denied it.

 

TBH, I dont think I have listened to it many times since I got it back though. They (like PWEI) are probably more famous for selling more T-Shirts than they did records. Might have to dig it out tonight though.

[barefoot]

Van failed MOT when first presented on Windscreen Washers not working & emissions a bit rich.

Re-presented, passed & serviced. - that'll be £250 please sir.

[barefoot]

Whether this should be here or or in 'stupid question amnesty' is beyond me, so it's here...

 

Winter tyres - when I first had them, I only had the one set of wheels (as you do) and all was fine.

 

Now I have two sets & both summer & winter tyres go down when unused and when used

faster than a fast thing on speed.

 

Should I get a new dealer or swap me tyres over rims or will this just screw both sets of tyres?