The new news 24 thread

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

Any builder types on here?

Our garage window needs replacing, I found a UPVC one on marketplace which is exactly the right size for £20, and can get it fitted by a proper window fitter for £80. Seems fair to pay £100 all in for it to look presentable again.

However I’m now wondering whether it’d be silly money for a builder to come in and create a doorway in place of the window? At the moment there’s no personnel door so it’d be useful to have access from the garden. Plenty of used doors on marketplace, I just don’t know what sort of money it’d be to have it knocked out and partly bricked up to create a doorway?

 

 

Just get out the old sledge hammer! I mean, how hard can it be?

[DeanH]

Provided there's a lintel in there already the easy DIY way would be to buy a door and sidelight to suit your opening. The hardest thing that will leave you to do it tidy the brick reveals to the lower half of the door (snap some bricks in half, bed them in the gaps you made). 

If you're going to pay someone I suspect you're in for around £1k. And they'll likely have it done in a day.

[DanGleables]

I did a similar job, I paid the guy who was laying a patio next door £20 to run the saw down the walls which took him about 2 minutes!

I then used a drill to stitch drill around all the half bricks to 'sawtooth' the wall. A cold chisel and wire brush to clean up the 'good end' of each half brick before mortaring them back in.

The mortar wasn't a perfect match with the existing, but otherwise it looked pretty good and I had it done in a day.

Id definitely rather spend the money getting a door to fit the hole rather than adjusting the hole!

Fitting the door was a doddle, about 8 frame fixings to drill in, a few plastic shims and then a mastic seal.

Have a go!

[Tenmil Socket]

On 1/10/2023 at 1:29 PM, cobblers said:

The 360BHP AWD Skoda I won from Darkside Developments had drop links like that.

It looks fucking shit but I suppose it's perfectly safe.

What did you end up doing with that car I can’t remember?

[cobblers]

2 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

What did you end up doing with that car I can’t remember?

I drove it about ten miles on the road, accidentally ended up very very deep into 3 figure speeds, drove it back home and then very quickly sold it before I broke it and or lost my licence. It was a total bitsa, every part of every bit of it was custom and the more I looked at it, the more I just saw "headache" rather than "fun". The wiring on it especially was horrible.

I got about seven grand for an "easy sale" to an acquaintance of mine. The lads at darkside said I'd undersold it and it was worth 20k, but when he came to sell it on a 2nd time, again all he could get was 7k. I spent the money building my camper van.

[Tenmil Socket]

On 1/14/2023 at 1:19 PM, captain_70s said:

Whenever I go to a Halfords it's deserted, and Amazon will ship most of the stuff they sell to your door for less money...

I visited Halfords a couple of years ago and quickly found what I wanted and walked to the till. There was no one there and I stood there looking around for a member of staff. It’s then I noticed through the glass of the shop front about 4 of them trying to change a bulb on a customer’s car! 

[Supernaut]

14 minutes ago, cobblers said:

I drove it about ten miles on the road, accidentally ended up very very deep into 3 figure speeds, drove it back home and then very quickly sold it before I broke it and or lost my licence. It was a total bitsa, every part of every bit of it was custom and the more I looked at it, the more I just saw "headache" rather than "fun". The wiring on it especially was horrible.

I got about seven grand for an "easy sale" to an acquaintance of mine. The lads at darkside said I'd undersold it and it was worth 20k, but when he came to sell it on a 2nd time, again all he could get was 7k. I spent the money building my camper van.

I remember you winning that.

I also remember thinking the guy who got the second prize was the real winner, as he ended up with a heavily tuned - but still entirely usable (as in all the interior was still present) - Ibiza instead.

[juular]

I'm going to do the unconscionable and say good things about Halfords.

I know they're overpriced, badly stocked and often frustrating. But I'm glad they exist. 

If I need a specific size of hose clamp, or a fuse holder, MIG wire, or random electrical bit on a Sunday afternoon when everything else is shut, they often provide the difference between having the car working on Monday morning, or it sitting on the drive for another week.

Euro Car Parts really have lowered the bar for the customer experience to the point Halfords feels friendly. Brain dead perhaps, but still friendly.

I don't mind overpaying for something when something helpful is provided in return. In this case it's the ability to drive 10 minutes down the road and lift the right thing off the shelf to keep me going.

I really wouldn't like to see them go under.

[dozeydustman]

I defected a van I had the pleasure* of driving this morning for poor brakes and a handbrake lever so high it looked like a donkey was laying on its back while it had a stiffy.

 

That’ll be why.

[cobblers]

15 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

I remember you winning that.

I also remember thinking the guy who got the second prize was the real winner, as he ended up with a heavily tuned - but still entirely usable (as in all the interior was still present) - Ibiza instead.

They gave me the choice of either and I definitely chose wrong!

[Bren]

25 minutes ago, juular said:

I'm going to do the unconscionable and say good things about Halfords.

I know they're overpriced, badly stocked and often frustrating. But I'm glad they exist. 

If I need a specific size of hose clamp, or a fuse holder, MIG wire, or random electrical bit on a Sunday afternoon when everything else is shut, they often provide the difference between having the car working on Monday morning, or it sitting on the drive for another week.

Euro Car Parts really have lowered the bar for the customer experience to the point Halfords feels friendly. Brain dead perhaps, but still friendly.

I don't mind overpaying for something when something helpful is provided in return. In this case it's the ability to drive 10 minutes down the road and lift the right thing off the shelf to keep me going.

I really wouldn't like to see them go under.

I was hoping home servcing would make a comeback given most people's finances and the difficulty of findjng competent workshops that don't charge the earth.

Maybe it will?

[chodweaver]

I was hoping home servcing would make a comeback given most people's finances and the difficulty of findjng competent workshops that don't charge the earth.
Maybe it will?

I was too, but I'm a hopeless optimist.

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, juular said:

I'm going to do the unconscionable and say good things about Halfords.

I know they're overpriced, badly stocked and often frustrating. But I'm glad they exist. 

If I need a specific size of hose clamp, or a fuse holder, MIG wire, or random electrical bit on a Sunday afternoon when everything else is shut, they often provide the difference between having the car working on Monday morning, or it sitting on the drive for another week.

Euro Car Parts really have lowered the bar for the customer experience to the point Halfords feels friendly. Brain dead perhaps, but still friendly.

I don't mind overpaying for something when something helpful is provided in return. In this case it's the ability to drive 10 minutes down the road and lift the right thing off the shelf to keep me going.

I really wouldn't like to see them go under.

I've never really had an issue with Halfords. I quite like the fact I can go in and have a wander about, if anything. But I don't get called a doughnut for having the wrong brake discs sent to me by them if I shop in Halfords too, that was an ECP only thing.

[New POD]

12 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

Any builder types on here?

Our garage window needs replacing, I found a UPVC one on marketplace which is exactly the right size for £20, and can get it fitted by a proper window fitter for £80. Seems fair to pay £100 all in for it to look presentable again.

However I’m now wondering whether it’d be silly money for a builder to come in and create a doorway in place of the window? At the moment there’s no personnel door so it’d be useful to have access from the garden. Plenty of used doors on marketplace, I just don’t know what sort of money it’d be to have it knocked out and partly bricked up to create a doorway?

 

 

Why not get a full width lintle, and put in an up and over door (or roller shutter, so that you can drive through into the garden. 

[New POD]

Talking of Brake discs. 

Anyone help me find a set of front discs and pads for a 2015 Astra J GTC 1.4 T auto.  Fucking prices on line seem to me to be fucking mental. I'd quite like a set which will last too. And work

[JJ0063]

38 minutes ago, New POD said:

Why not get a full width lintle, and put in an up and over door (or roller shutter, so that you can drive through into the garden. 

Mrs JJ would hate that, the garden is also only probably the length of a car wide / it wouldn’t be the most practical use however much I’d love it (the left hand side of that wall is the garage for next door)

[dozeydustman]

3 hours ago, juular said:

I'm going to do the unconscionable and say good things about Halfords.

I know they're overpriced, badly stocked and often frustrating. But I'm glad they exist. 

If I need a specific size of hose clamp, or a fuse holder, MIG wire, or random electrical bit on a Sunday afternoon when everything else is shut, they often provide the difference between having the car working on Monday morning, or it sitting on the drive for another week.

Euro Car Parts really have lowered the bar for the customer experience to the point Halfords feels friendly. Brain dead perhaps, but still friendly.

I don't mind overpaying for something when something helpful is provided in return. In this case it's the ability to drive 10 minutes down the road and lift the right thing off the shelf to keep me going.

I really wouldn't like to see them go under.

I have found my local ECP and GSF to be pretty much spot on - no incorrect parts and they guys behind the counters are pleasant and friendly.

Halford has its place as in it’s convenient for a bottle of oil or some wiper blades but they train their staff to sell or sign up to e-mails etc which when your car has thrown a wiper blade off on a rainy Sunday is the last thing on your mind.

[Rust Collector]

49 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

Mrs JJ would hate that, the garden is also only probably the length of a car wide / it wouldn’t be the most practical use however much I’d love it (the left hand side of that wall is the garage for next door)

The back garden is there to be driven on, partners definitely disapprove but don't let that stop you!

[ruffgeezer]

1 hour ago, dozeydustman said:

I have found my local ECP and GSF to be pretty much spot on - no incorrect parts and they guys behind the counters are pleasant and friendly.

Halford has its place as in it’s convenient for a bottle of oil or some wiper blades but they train their staff to sell or sign up to e-mails etc which when your car has thrown a wiper blade off on a rainy Sunday is the last thing on your mind.

To be fair, I've been buying parts through halfords trade card this week - which are supplied by ECP - and they work out cheaper than on my ECP trade account.

ECP in return deactivated my Omnipart account as I wasn't spending enough.  Cunts. 

I asked for a mid spec 019 battery today;  ECP 4yr model £120+vat trade,  Halfords 5yr model £96 Inc vat.  Its not even a small difference. 

[puddlethumper]

2 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

Mrs JJ would hate that, the garden is also only probably the length of a car wide / it wouldn’t be the most practical use however much I’d love it (the left hand side of that wall is the garage for next door)

Have you got a big angry grinder ? If so, get a diamond disc and cut a line as deep as you can and then chisel off the cut bricks. I've done this a few times.

[artdjones]

3 hours ago, New POD said:

Talking of Brake discs. 

Anyone help me find a set of front discs and pads for a 2015 Astra J GTC 1.4 T auto.  Fucking prices on line seem to me to be fucking mental. I'd quite like a set which will last too. And work

Brakes International have discs at £57 apiece and pads at £40 a set if yours are the 321mm discs. I don't know if you would consider that mental or not.

[Jenson Velcro]

6 hours ago, Bren said:

I was hoping home servcing would make a comeback given most people's finances and the difficulty of findjng competent workshops that don't charge the earth.

Maybe it will?

Do a lot of people even bother with or understand the need for servicing nowadays? “ that’s wot the mot’s for innit?”

[New POD]

1 hour ago, artdjones said:

Brakes International have discs at £57 apiece and pads at £40 a set if yours are the 321mm discs. I don't know if you would consider that mental or not.

Using Euro random car parts and putting in my reg CE65ANR i get offered 276, 300, and 322 mm diameter.  I do wonder. 

[New POD]

1 hour ago, artdjones said:

Brakes International have discs at £57 apiece and pads at £40 a set if yours are the 321mm discs. I don't know if you would consider that mental or not.

I suppose it depends on the quality  and fuck knows these days, it's impossible to tell. 

[richardmorris]

Daily new fiat has thrown up a message this week since idling for 30mins to defrost on Tuesday. Change engine oil.

I thought it may have a sensor to detect degradation and indeed there was a bit of emulsion on the cap, but I wiped that away and it’s ok now. But message still there.

it’s only 2000miles since the dealer service last august.

Anyone know if it’s based on a sensor reading, or miles and stop-/start trips etc? Also anyone know how to remove the message ? There’s no light showing on the dash, just a message on the car info page.

[wuvvum]

I was almost very late for work this morning.  Got the car defrosted in good time, got out of the estate OK although pulling out of my road was a challenge as it was sheet ice so I went to pull away and the car just sat there spinning its wheels.  Then on the main road someone had hit a deer - not a muntjac either, one of the big feckers the size of a small horse.  It was still alive but was lying down and didn't look like it was able to move very far, and its arse was sticking out into the carriageway - I didn't see the car that had hit it but a postie van had pulled in in front of it and another car had stopped behind to protect it from traffic.  It was on a bend too so not ideal.  Plod had just arrived at the same time as me and I was the last vehicle to get through before he stopped the traffic. 

Not sure what happened after that, but I would assume they'd call one of the local vets out to check it over and put it out of its misery if need be - not sure how they'd go about moving it after that though, presumably that'd be a specialist job as it wasn't of a size that you could just drag it off the road.  Shame as it was quite an impressive creature.

[grogee]

46 minutes ago, New POD said:

I suppose it depends on the quality  and fuck knows these days, it's impossible to tell. 

It is sort of impossible to tell with most brands, but I'll share what little I know:

Delphi are alright and actually make their stuff, with proper quality control and all that sort of thing.

Brembo too decent and sometimes not £OMG

EVERYTHING ELSE is a lottery. Mintex is a zombie brand now, EBC I've heard terrible reports, Comline will be the same Chinese factory as Mintex, QH ditto. Ferodo used to be good but I've no idea now.

When I changed discs and pads for a mate's Jag XE in the summer, there was three options of size and I couldn't tell until I'd got the wheel off which one I needed. Then we went to Leamoco and spent about £120 on discs and pads, because they were open and had what we needed.

The three options of size makes it a pain if you want to order online and use the car in between having the wheel off to measure up.

[New POD]

2 hours ago, artdjones said:

Brakes International have discs at £57 apiece and pads at £40 a set if yours are the 321mm discs. I don't know if you would consider that mental or not.

Total from them comes to £155 plus shipping.  And they only list 321 mm which suggests mine has the same disc size as a VXR with twice the power. 

Lodger still has a trade account with Vauxhall dealer in Derby, so is going to price up GM parts for me. 

[artdjones]

2 hours ago, New POD said:

Using Euro random car parts and putting in my reg CE65ANR i get offered 276, 300, and 322 mm diameter.  I do wonder. 

Task 1 would be to get a wheel off and measure whatever is on there now  but 321mm was the only listing for a GTC 1.4  on Brakes International.

[New POD]

24 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Task 1 would be to get a wheel off and measure whatever is on there now  but 321mm was the only listing for a GTC 1.4  on Brakes International.

Strangely all the GTCs have different wheel PCD from other Astra J s even If they have.the same engine..