The new news 24 thread

[Metal Guru]

18 hours ago, cobblers said:

I repair a particular gear ECU for a truck, it's a lot of work and materials. We charge £880. They're £3500 new, or £400 for a 2nd hand one that's usually knackered.

Had one in the other day, tested it, confirmed it was fucked, phoned the guy with a quote "Yep, we can recondition it, it'll be ready in 3 days. £880 please"

"HOW MUCH? I can get a 2nd hand one for £400"

"OK then you'll have to do that instead, our prices are what they are and we think they're very good value, especially compared to a new unit with a warranty"

"But I've already bought three 2nd hand ones and none of them worked"

Should have told him you could supply a non working one for £395!

[cobblers]

1 minute ago, Metal Guru said:

Should have told him you could supply a non working one for £395!

I did offer to buy the three faulty ones off him for £125 each, but he said he would put them back on ebay and get his money back! 🤠

[wuvvum]

5 hours ago, brownnova said:

Text my tame MoT tester last night

As a teacher, maybe you can explain something to me that I've never quite been able to understand (perhaps because I'm old).  How come the past participle of the verb "to text" is "text" rather than "texted"?

[High Jetter]

Is it? I'd say "I texted him last night", though "I sent a text to him last night" is probably better.

[grogee]

'Text' is a verb and noun in OED, so 'texted' is fine

[richardmorris]

Gave up after 24hours with no power at home or work and decamped to oxford for the weekend. Checking alerts and my webcam is now back online, typical. Candlelit dinner for one last night too!

big tree down at home though.

[wuvvum]

I would say "texted" too, but I often hear "text".  Maybe it's a Millennial thing.

[Fumbler]

8 hours ago, GingerNuttz said:

Aye I've still got a gallon of it in the shed for you, I got 6 last time I saw him. 

That could be very useful as I've got a boot floor and sill patch to paint up... well... finish welding and paint up! It's a shame you're so far away.

[brownnova]

3 hours ago, wuvvum said:

As a teacher, maybe you can explain something to me that I've never quite been able to understand (perhaps because I'm old).  How come the past participle of the verb "to text" is "text" rather than "texted"?

I teach RE not English… so that would be an ecumenical matter. 

[artdjones]

5 hours ago, cobblers said:

I did offer to buy the three faulty ones off him for £125 each, but he said he would put them back on ebay and get his money back! 🤠

It's probably the same three faulty ECUs being passed around, costing £400 each time they change hands.

[somewhatfoolish]

41 minutes ago, brownnova said:

I teach RE not English… so that would be an ecumenical matter. 

Do you include the Flying Spaghetti Monster in your lessons?

[grogee]

35 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Do you include the Flying Spaghetti Monster in your lessons?

All hail his noodly appendage 🙏

[brownnova]

2 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Do you include the Flying Spaghetti Monster in your lessons?

Oh no we only discuss the fictional gods. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Didn't quite know there was as many teachers here. I'm planning on putting myself through hell doing the same thing. Currently doing English Lit at university, the next logical step is doing my Post-Graduate in Teaching/Education.

[rickvw72]

I’m a FE lecturer, and I don’t think I’m the only one here either. (Not sure who else is, heard it mentioned)

Proper change from my first career as a mechanic, but still use the old skills with the new. Rewarding but challenging is how I’d sum it up.

[Ghosty]

I've somehow managed to end up in Edinburgh. 

 

 

The airhorn I fitted to the hatch Civic blew the horn fuse last Friday. 

The horn fuse also controls the brake lights. 😬

[Austat]

Went out to the country today to see this. I believe @dollywobbler did a show report on this when he was here in Aus:

I was not disappointed at all, hundreds of vehicles on show there. I'll make sure to post some of my spots from the show on The Lazy Spotters thread soon.

High amounts of chod in the car park as well:

(Had to take a few pictures of this CX as many on here would enjoy it)

I also picked up some early issues of Practical Classics at one of the show stands, 3 for $5 was a pretty good find:

[dollywobbler]

Brings back some memories!

[MrGTI6]

I'm off to look at a Berlingo 1.9D today. I was going to look at it yesterday, but ended up dealing with power-cut-related issues instead.

It belongs to a mate who needed to tow a large trailer. So he replaced the Berlingo with a pickup. This was in 2015 and the Berlingo has been sat in his yard ever since. It hasn't moved or even been started in over 6 years! 

Due to scrap values being at an all-time high, he told me the other day he'd been offered £300 to have it collected. This upset me more than it should, so I decided if I can get it running, I'll take it off his hands for scrap value.

The van is solid and should scrub up really well. Mileage is about 150k or thereabouts. 

I'm heading over with my 306, a set of jump leads and a half-empty can of Lynx Africa. 

What are my chances? 

[Cookiesouwest]

1 hour ago, MrGTI6 said:

I'm off to look at a Berlingo 1.9D today. I was going to look at it yesterday, but ended up dealing with power-cut-related issues instead.

It belongs to a mate who needed to tow a large trailer. So he replaced the Berlingo with a pickup. This was in 2015 and the Berlingo has been sat in his yard ever since. It hasn't moved or even been started in over 6 years! 

Due to scrap values being at an all-time high, he told me the other day he'd been offered £300 to have it collected. This upset me more than it should, so I decided if I can get it running, I'll take it off his hands for scrap value.

The van is solid and should scrub up really well. Mileage is about 150k or thereabouts. 

I'm heading over with my 306, a set of jump leads and a half-empty can of Lynx Africa. 

What are my chances? 

It will be interesting to find out if a battery thats been dead for 6yrs will take a jump and then charge.

Good luck and hope you get it running.

[fatharris]

Tactical parking of the cars and use of spare wheels as windbreaks meant we weathered the storm pretty well down here (we were in the red zone).

Even with the torrent of rain in the night, the Laguna's roof was dry the following day, which is a bonus.

[chancer]

2 hours ago, MrGTI6 said:

I'm off to look at a Berlingo 1.9D today. I was going to look at it yesterday, but ended up dealing with power-cut-related issues instead.

It belongs to a mate who needed to tow a large trailer. So he replaced the Berlingo with a pickup. This was in 2015 and the Berlingo has been sat in his yard ever since. It hasn't moved or even been started in over 6 years! 

Due to scrap values being at an all-time high, he told me the other day he'd been offered £300 to have it collected. This upset me more than it should, so I decided if I can get it running, I'll take it off his hands for scrap value.

The van is solid and should scrub up really well. Mileage is about 150k or thereabouts. 

I'm heading over with my 306, a set of jump leads and a half-empty can of Lynx Africa. 

What are my chances? 

It will fire up no bother from a jump start

[loserone]

23 hours ago, HillmanImp said:

Yay, guess who sold their 4 wheel drive the other day! 

Yeah but I bet it looks more like this now

[MrGTI6]

Great news! It took a bit of cranking, but the Berlingo eventually clattered into life. No Lynx required, just a set of jump leads hooked up to my trusty 306! Now running sweet after a few seconds of lumpiness. 

 

Obviously the battery was dead flat, but I'm satisfied with the condition and levels of fluid, etc., so will leave it running for an hour to get up to temp. 

@Cookiesouwest, I will report back in an hour or so on whether or not the battery will hold a charge. The date on the battery is 2005 so I'm not holding out too much hope, but you never know!

[HillmanImp]

12 minutes ago, loserone said:

Yeah but I bet it looks more like this now

Yeah. Was there when I went to bed at about 1am was gone when I got up. 

[Yoss]

It's not often both Škodas go out together. Even if it was only to the nearest Lidl and necessitated by Mrs Yoss wanting to go straight to the gym afterwards, which is that building behind Felicia in the picture. 

They look odd to me parked side by side as they are always line astern in the drive. Slow news day, I know. 

Also, how small do they look in those parking spaces? 

[Cavcraft]

[TheXUDfiles]

The ex-EML 406 now has an MOT. Needed handbrake repairs (the 20p is still MIA) and a patch on the sill. Pretty damn chuffed with this. Treated it to a clean and ditched the roofrack as it looked like a tetanus jab waiting to happen.

£280 well spent. 
 

 

no idea why AS always uploads my pics upside down.

[SiC]

Ahhh nothing like the warm glow of a flashing glow plug light on a recent VAG purchase to inform you of an engine fault code stored. 🤣

When our last (newer) A4 did this, it was just before the high pressure fuel pump munched itself. This is probably* much more minor fault.

Other warning on the dash is for the left rear reversing light bulb being out. 

Drives nice though, even if it stinks of dog inside. The light coloured fabric is filthy. So need to figure how to clean it up.

[dozeydustman]

Tyres ordered for the C2, and going to view a car on Tuesday. An collect may occur