The new news 24 thread

[danthecapriman]

Was bored this morning, so decided the beautiful warm weather was a good opportunity to just get out for a drive somewhere.

Took the Volvo out since it’s not moved further than the end of the driveway for about three months now! It was also pretty much running on fumes too, so I treated the old girl to 3/4 tank of Esso super unleaded. 
Took it right out to Midhurst on the A272 then cut back south towards the back of Chichester via the A286 & back roads then back home. Did a good 55 miles or so. 
The old tank didn’t miss a beat, but the work I’ve done on it over the last few months really has transformed it. It’s so much smoother and the new exhaust has completely silenced the annoying ‘chuffing’ from the blowing front pipe. I didn’t actually realise it was as bad as it was!

Absolutely gorgeous day to be out and about too, especially out on the back roads. Some really lovely scenery right on my doorstep! 
Might get the Mercury out for the same route on the weekend!
 

[brownnova]

5 hours ago, Essex V6 said:

Wow - Chevette HS last week, Lotus Sunbeam this week - superb!

It’s amazing what turns up week by week... the Chevette was there again this week in fairness! 

[Datsuncog]

1 hour ago, Ghosty said:

My local Halfords have offered me a job interview for part time working in the bike bit.
It's less per hour and less hours that my current job ((£9.50ph 20 hours with commute, vs.  £10ph 40 hours working from home) but the job security is potentially better. 

The thing is I don't interview well... dilemmas. 

Funnily enough, my interview went something like this...

"So, what attracts you to working for Halfords?"

"Well, I've always been interested in cars; I've rebuilt a couple, and I'm currently restoring a Vauxhall Viva. I'm very familiar with service items and accessories, including audio and touring, and I've two years retail experience."

"Right... so what if I told you that this position's for the bike department?"

"Um... I own a bike?"

I still managed to get the job.

Bike section (or BikeHut, or whatever it is now) used to be mostly building kids' bikes and trying to stop wee toerags stealing BMX bits. It may be a bit more adult oriented these days, but if you've an ounce of mechanical nous I reckon they'll be more than happy.

Slip in that you used to work as a cycle courier, and you've no fear in stripping down a bottom bracket or setting up a gearset, and you'll be ahead of 99.9% of applicants.

Pay was never great (and then worse when the company was owned by CVC - minimum wage all the way) but they used to run various staff bonus incentives, plus there were always additional hours to pick up if you wanted. Doing out of hours deliveries, and especially bike builds around Christmas (14hr days out the back in the store, bolting together endless Pretty Princesses and Fire Chiefs) can boost the wage packet.

If you're after full-time hours, you may find yourself being offered a full-time post before long.

In terms of job security, then yes - unless things have changed, it was always pretty secure. The only way people ended up getting the heave-ho was due to staff theft, which was endemic on an industrial scale at times (guys stealing pressure washers and Professional toolsets to order) - although one manager did get the chop (or, was encouraged to tender his resignation) over a nasty bullying incident over which he was quite rightly challenged by staff. 

I worked for them on and off for nearly ten years - different stores, different roles. Bike tech, touring 'expert', We'll Fit It! hi-viz mook, till monkey, child seat fitter, Area 6 trainer.

I left and came back numerous times, and to be honest it helped me out of a hole on a number of occasions. When things went tits-up in Australia and I ended up back in my parents' place, broke and jobless, I called in to get a brake spanner in an effort to get my old Escort running again, and came out again as the parts manager. One of the fellas who'd been a part-timer years before on bikes was now the store manager; saw me, remembered me, asked what I was up to these days. Lifesaver.

Go for it. If nothing else, it's experience - but don't get hung up on the corporate bullshit, just tell them a bit about your cars, about overcoming mechanical problems, and that you know how to look up parts online and handle cash. You'll be grand.

Oh, and don't forget - staff discount!

[Supernaut]

I worked in my local BikeHut from 2009-2011 part-time while I was a student.

All of us in BikeHut knew far more about cars than the guys downstairs in car parts! We were all proper petrolheads upstairs.

[LightBulbFun]

19 hours ago, gm said:

I was raking around in the garage at me mam’s house and found an old Halon fire extinguisher - so I brought it home and hung it up in my own garage (still shows pressure but I doubt I would rely on it, it’s probably illegal to use one these days anyway)

also found this tiny multi tool spanner thing

Some kind of spark plug tool ? 

there isn't STY645 written on it somewhere is there perchance? as it looks an awful lot like the Fire extinguishers fitted to Model 70's in later service!  

 

[Ghosty]

7 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

"Right... so what if I told you that this position's for the bike department?"

"Um... I own a bike?"

Yep, this. They said 'we saw on your CV you like cycling, well we'd be starting you in the bike department' which was amusing as it was listed as just a CSA role. I've actually applied to specifically work in a Halfords bike section before and been refused... 

 

[dome]

7 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

I worked in my local BikeHut from 2009-2011 part-time while I was a student.

All of us in BikeHut knew far more about cars than the guys downstairs in car parts! We were all proper petrolheads upstairs.

I was a Bikehut Manager for a year or so around the same time-I tried to avoid sharing my car knowledge where possible as I'd just get roped into fitting fecking bulbs and wipers when I should be bolting together shit bikes. 

 

@Ghosty I'd say it's worth a shot, if nothing else it should get you some experience and look good on your CV if you want to carry on in the cycle trade. 

 

[BorniteIdentity]

On 6/8/2021 at 4:05 PM, vulgalour said:

I might be the only person ever to have no issues at all with Lion batteries.  Maybe I have the only good one?

 

23 hours ago, Stanky said:

I've bought several batteries from them over the years and always been impressed by the service and prices. The onl;y time I didn't was when I needed a new battery RIGHT NAO after it died just before I was due to go away with the family for a holiday in Quornwall and the old one gave up. I got a Lion one then and it was fine for several more years actually.

 

23 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I've had plenty of Lion batteries without issue.

 

Lion Batteries are fine - I've had 3 on various cars over the last 10 years.  Never a problem.  I am a staunch supporter of "Buy cheap, buy twice" but on the basis that you have to change them anyway, I just buy them and they never let me down.

I had a couple of shit Yuasas though.  

[brownnova]

Not car related but... 

We do a zoom pub quiz every week and there’s one team on there who are smug and think they know it all, and this week they had 49 out of 57... and were leading as all the teams gave their scores. We were last to give our scores and we had 49 1/2... watching them get smugger and smugger knowing we were about to beat them by half a point was actually really satisfying... 

Last week we came last 😂😂

[High Jetter]

Quizzes can be un-predictable. The Chase is getting really challenging!

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

Not car related but... 

We do a zoom pub quiz every week and there’s one team on there who are smug and think they know it all, and this week they had 49 out of 57... and were leading as all the teams gave their scores. We were last to give our scores and we had 49 1/2... watching them get smugger and smugger knowing we were about to beat them by half a point was actually really satisfying... 

Last week we came last 😂😂

Slightly kinda vaguely related I guess...

Back when I was in secondary school I was the least sport-type orientated person in existence...So nobody ever wanted me on their team.  The one thing they didn't realise though is that I'd been playing pool since the day I could see over the edge of the table - not least because we used to live literally next door to the pub in our tiny rural village so we basically lived in there as much as in the house.  Especially as I was friends with the kids of the landlords.

Roll round the school sports events when I was in year two (so I'd have been 14).  Nobody else from my school house turned up...years 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6...I was meant to be one of two people for year 2.

My house won the pool competition that year...There were a few surprised faces that day...The expression on the face of a 17 year old who's just had their ass handed to them three frames in a row by the nerdy second year is something I'll always remember!

Really want to get our table unburied as it's been forever since I last had a game.  If anyone in the vicinity of MK would like a game of pool once we're safely able to meet again, feel free to give me a shout!

[EightMegs]

The Yaris has passed its NCT on the third go and a friend has bought a Fiesta for £185 which will need remedial work for its M.O.T in August and I'm glad the Yaris is roadworthy again so I can use it to lug the welder and some tools across on the ferry.

[Lankytim]

I’m going to look at this on Saturday, it’s going to be a spares source for my Volvo 145 provided-

It can be extricated reasonably easily.

It doesn’t fall to bits when moved.

Theres anything useable left on it.

There’s a very good chance it may fall down on all three of these deal-breaker issues.

I might just salvage what I can and leave the rest for the bin man tbh. 

 

[egg]

Yeah I need to use the Mondeo more (Lion battery!)

[stuboy]

Nothing exciting,  swept and deweeded my allocated parking space, and painted badly house number on floor, and put up signs, yes one needs moving.

 

Also found bit my old mk2 mondeo sill that rotted off ( rip )

[rusty998]

5 hours ago, Lankytim said:

I’m going to look at this on Saturday, it’s going to be a spares source for my Volvo 145 provided-

It can be extricated reasonably easily.

It doesn’t fall to bits when moved.

Theres anything useable left on it.

There’s a very good chance it may fall down on all three of these deal-breaker issues.

I might just salvage what I can and leave the rest for the bin man tbh. 

 

Looking forward to seeing this being pulled out of the under growth

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 hour ago, rusty998 said:

Looking forward to seeing this being pulled out of the under growth

It will probably come out with the undergrowth still attached. 

[Datsuncog]

Hey, that's not undergrowth, that's overgrowth...

Still, the 140-series grille with the integrated driving lamps looks salvageable - look forward to more pics of the retrieval/spontaneous disintegration!

[rusty998]

1 hour ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

It will probably come out with the undergrowth still attached. 

Please remember to take pictures of the extraction for us all or maybe only me to enjoy 

[Zelandeth]

9 hours ago, Lankytim said:

I’m going to look at this on Saturday, it’s going to be a spares source for my Volvo 145 provided-

It can be extricated reasonably easily.

It doesn’t fall to bits when moved.

Theres anything useable left on it.

There’s a very good chance it may fall down on all three of these deal-breaker issues.

I might just salvage what I can and leave the rest for the bin man tbh. 

 

I know someone who's been after the rocker switches from the dash for the foglights, hazards, window demister etc for ages if they're any good.

[junkyarddog]

Had to replace the rear wheel cylinders on my 205,they had started to leak,these are about 5 years old and have about 10k on them.

Can't say I'm overly impressed with the quality of parts these days.

 

[richardmorris]

Some nice people left this outside my window this afternoon. Such a great design, Gordon Murray is useing it again for his new electric car.

[richardmorris]

35 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Some nice people left this outside my window this afternoon. Such a great design, Gordon Murray is useing it again for his new electric car.

This one has 41,000 miles , 10,000 since 2006. Last failed its mot because of a sticker on the windscreen! 

[PhilA]

I get to bring this back today.

Ram CLASSIC BASE.

It has an options list that's very short.

Vinyl seats, steel wheels, unpainted plastic bumpers, rubber mats, switch blanks, the lot. It's even last year's model (hence Classic).

It does have a bed protector and side steps. I think those are the only options.

Phil

[richardmorris]

3 minutes ago, PhilA said:

I get to bring this back today.

Ram CLASSIC BASE.

It has an options list that's very short.

Vinyl seats, steel wheels, unpainted plastic bumpers, rubber mats, switch blanks, the lot. It's even last year's model (hence Classic).

It does have a bed protector and side steps. I think those are the only options.

Phil

Do you need a truck licence to drive it?!

[PhilA]

38 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Do you need a truck licence to drive it?!

Nope, regular car license.

[richardmorris]

2 minutes ago, PhilA said:

Nope, regular car license.

It’s enormous!

[PhilA]

1 minute ago, richardmorris said:

It’s enormous!

19' 9", not that big.

[Supernaut]

51 minutes ago, PhilA said:

I get to bring this back today.

Ram CLASSIC BASE.

It has an options list that's very short.

Vinyl seats, steel wheels, unpainted plastic bumpers, rubber mats, switch blanks, the lot. It's even last year's model (hence Classic).

It does have a bed protector and side steps. I think those are the only options.

Phil

It's got a crew cab too. Surely that's an option.

Otherwise brilliant! A proper working truck.

[dollywobbler]

If you want really silly, in Florida, it seems you can drive anything you like as long as it's classed as an RV.

I'd want at least a bit of training before driving something that enormous!