The new news 24 thread

[RoverFolkUs]

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

[LightBulbFun]

19 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

What?! LOL

and thats a genuinely LOL, not at you but at the DVLA dropping the post office

because there are certain things which you can more or less *only* do at a post office, case in point putting a vehicle into the historic vehicle taxation class

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/apply-for-vehicle-tax-exemption

so I wonder how they are going to deal with that for example...

(ok there is a way to do this directly with certain DVLA forms, but it involves a lot more paperwork then the post office method)

[RoverFolkUs]

2 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

What?! LOL

and thats a genuinely LOL, not at you but at the DVLA dropping the post office

because there are certain things which you can more or less *only* do at a post office, case in point putting a vehicle into the historic vehicle taxation class

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/apply-for-vehicle-tax-exemption

so I wonder how they are going to deal with that for example...

(ok there is a way to do this directly with certain DVLA forms, but it involves a lot more paperwork then the post office method)

Yes that's what I was thinking, especially when they currently say things like "you can't transact online for 5 days if you make a SORN" .. so I guess they're going to have to change all those processes

With the DVLA still firmly stuck in the 90s I think they're slightly out of their depth trying to digitise things when so many processes are still quite archaic!

Not sure why it hasn't been announced more, but the contract expires on the date above and it doesn't sound like they're having any joy renegotiating a new one. The same article suggested that the 6 million post office transactions cost the govt more than £3 million per year, so it's presumably a cost cutting exercise. If you were to Google DVLA axing post office services then there will be more info for you to peruse

Maybe post offices won't exist any more and this is one nail for the coffin... peculiarly, as a side note, it's now cheaper to send a parcel if you book and pay for it online and opt for collection rather than PO dropoff. Madness!

[Zelandeth]

59 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

Can't say it surprises me.  Last time I went to try to change a car's tax class to historic it took me either three or four post offices before I found one where they had the foggiest idea what I was talking about.  Last time I wanted to tax a car there, the local (now closed) one told me you couldn't do it using the new keeper slip but needed the whole V5...

If that's the sort of quality of service they've been getting on average from the PO on what are really simple matters, I'd not be wanting to renew the contract either.  It's only a small sample size, but it's all I've got to go on.

In contrast dealing with the DVLA directly, it took a fair while of telephone tennis to get through to the right department, but they were actually knowledgeable and efficient in sorting the issue I had - the actual nature of which is now completely eluding my memory and is probably going to bug the hell out of me now.

Plus so many post offices around here have over the last year been vastly cutting back their opening hours it's been making them far less viable as an option if I do need something sorted there and then anyway because they're not open.

[GeordieInExile]

The C6 is going in for the MOT on the 30th. Will it pass first time? Last time it did work a few advisories which I believe have been sorted since.

 

Mad respect to whatever maniac got a clean MOT out of it, did 20,000 miles in a year then managed to get another clean MOT!

[cort16]

3 minutes ago, GeordieInExile said:

The C6 is going in for the MOT on the 30th. Will it pass first time? Last time it did work a few advisories which I believe have been sorted since.

 

Mad respect to whatever maniac got a clean MOT out of it, did 20,000 miles in a year then managed to get another clean MOT!

When are you getting it?

[Lankytim]

The Laguna is wearing out the inside edge of one of the front tyres and pulls under acceleration so I’ve taken it to be tracked up. After 5 minutes the thing that every shiter dreads happened… the guy came  walking back in to the waiting room with a serious look on his face and told me the tracking was pretty much spot on…. Dammit! It’s had a replacement used strut on one side and there’s a possibility it’s the wrong type. To cancel out the disappointment I papped a couple of lovely old motors parked outside. They’re both fabulous! 

[Lankytim]

11 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

I was listening to a R4 program about that Horizon scandal in the PO that resulted in a load of innocent post masters getting jailed, apparently it was hushed up for so long because big ticket contracts like the DVLA would be spooked if they found out the software used was unfit for purpose/shit.

[GeordieInExile]

39 minutes ago, cort16 said:

When are you getting it?

Saturday September 2nd at 2.30pm.

[artdjones]

35 minutes ago, Lankytim said:

The Laguna is wearing out the inside edge of one of the front tyres and pulls under acceleration so I’ve taken it to be tracked up. After 5 minutes the thing that every shiter dreads happened… the guy came  walking back in to the waiting room with a serious look on his face and told me the tracking was pretty much spot on…. Dammit! It’s had a replacement used strut on one side and there’s a possibility it’s the wrong type. To cancel out the disappointment I papped a couple of lovely old motors parked outside. They’re both fabulous! 

There's two numbers listed for hub knuckle and wishbone. Also the top mount may be movable. Otherwise it sounds like something bent. Did they check for camber?

[Lankytim]

10 minutes ago, artdjones said:

There's two numbers listed for hub knuckle and wishbone. Also the top mount may be movable. Otherwise it sounds like something bent. Did they check for camber?

I don’t think they checked camber, as for the other stuff I’ve no idea. The guy did say it could be an issue with the gearbox/diff putting too much torque to one wheel. There’s vibration at idle from what I think could be a dodgy engine mount so maybe the engine is moving to one side under acceleration. It’s been remapped up to 200bhp (apparently) so it might be just good old fashioned torque steer. 

[egg]

On 20/08/2023 at 21:09, Ghosty said:

^I was talking to the lass that runs the Favorit FB group last week. She's mental, but good mental.

Do you mean Corrie? Proper Favorit fan!

[artdjones]

48 minutes ago, Lankytim said:

I don’t think they checked camber, as for the other stuff I’ve no idea. The guy did say it could be an issue with the gearbox/diff putting too much torque to one wheel. There’s vibration at idle from what I think could be a dodgy engine mount so maybe the engine is moving to one side under acceleration. It’s been remapped up to 200bhp (apparently) so it might be just good old fashioned torque steer. 

Pardon me, but the tyre guy sounds like he's talking from some other part of his body than his mouth.  I'd like to hear his explanation as to how the diff could make one tyre edge wear. I could do with a laugh 

The car needs a proper check of all bushings and joints in the front suspension and a careful physical examination of the shocks and hubs to make sure they aren't bent, followed by a proper alignment with a camber and castor check. The top mount is probably movable and may have been put back in a different position. 

For an engine mount or diff to affect a tyre it would have to be capable of moving the suspension out of line, and could only do that if there's play or movement in some part of it.

 

[Cavcraft]

Imagine going for an early morning ride on a  moped and it breaking down. Then imagine pushing the bastard a mile or so, before it re-starting and struggling to get to your destination. Then imagine buying new plugs and a plug spanner, CBA changing them and struggling home again.

 

The imagine coming home, going to put your new spare plugs and plug spanner into the side panel and finding the other new plugs and plug spanner you put in it months ago.

 

Well, that.

[egg]

Proof that i10's are white goods.

Twice in the last 6 months neighbours have said 'new car' to me as I've been fiddling with something, I say 'oh we've had it a while'....

...3 years next month, seems some haven't even noticed its existence

(and it sits outside or near our house 97% of the time)

[beko1987]

Fighting for time this month but the mot is up on the 3rd sept so I've got it booked in for Thursday now I've been paid from YouTube! (bloody 5 week Months 😢). 

Going to give it a good vacuum out to help it's chances in a bit then it's on its own! Front brakes should be fine, an advisory at most and their priority one to sort next along with the yearly oil change which is 2 months later than last year, although that won't kill it, anything else found will be new and exciting *

[Lankytim]

3 hours ago, artdjones said:

Pardon me, but the tyre guy sounds like he's talking from some other part of his body than his mouth.  I'd like to hear his explanation as to how the diff could make one tyre edge wear. I could do with a laugh 

The car needs a proper check of all bushings and joints in the front suspension and a careful physical examination of the shocks and hubs to make sure they aren't bent, followed by a proper alignment with a camber and castor check. The top mount is probably movable and may have been put back in a different position. 

For an engine mount or diff to affect a tyre it would have to be capable of moving the suspension out of line, and could only do that if there's play or movement in some part of it.

 

In his defence the tyre guy was referring to the pulling under acceleration rather than the wear on the inside edge of a tyre, presumably that’s a totally different issue. I’ve driven it a bit since and after swapping the worn NSF tyre with the NSR it does feel quite a bit better. The strut was replaced on the OSF just to add confusion to the matter, surely any camber issues would show themselves on that side?

 

In other news, Yesterday I took the 145 fuel tank into the local old skool radiator repairers to see if he could solder a new pick-up pipe after I snapped the old one off. Collected it today and it turns out he’s literally soldered a pipe to the side of the tank so it can’t draw fuel up from the bottom. I’m sure he’ll put it right but I explained to the guy about a million times when I dropped it off so it’s still pretty annoying. 

[artdjones]

1 minute ago, Lankytim said:

In his defence the tyre guy was referring to the pulling under acceleration rather than the wear on the inside edge of a tyre, presumably that’s a totally different issue. I’ve driven it a bit since and after swapping the worn NSF tyre with the NSR it does feel quite a bit better. The strut was replaced on the OSF just to add confusion to the matter, surely any camber issues would show themselves on that side?

 

In other news, Yesterday I took the 145 fuel tank into the local old skool radiator repairers to see if he could solder a new pick-up pipe after I snapped the old one off. Collected it today and it turns out he’s literally soldered a pipe to the side of the tank so it can’t draw fuel up from the bottom. I’m sure he’ll put it right but I explained to the guy about a million times when I dropped it off so it’s still pretty annoying. 

Why would he do that. As regards the Laguna I'd look very carefully at the rear wishbone bush on the affected side. Maybe it looks ok but has gone soft? They are horizontal bushes aren't they?

[Lankytim]

3 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Why would he do that. As regards the Laguna I'd look very carefully at the rear wishbone bush on the affected side. Maybe it looks ok but has gone soft? They are horizontal bushes aren't they?

Yes, horizontal bushes. The wishbones look quite new but might not be top quality.

[richardmorris]

Crit air sticker came today.

[Rustybullethole]

mrs has a run to do so thought best sort the tyre   and wing the biscuit back in the boot since i got my bead breaker bar back i couldn't find for two fucking  hours Saturday then recalled i lent it too a mate.

Off you go. Lets find my levers.

Yeah ok these will do

and a bit of this

Sealed after a fuckabout looking for that

will it go back on. will it fuck. 

Ive two big irons here somewhere but can i find them. fuck no. 

Shall dive out from work tomorrow for 'lunch' and tap up my friendly local for a go on their tyre machine. Need to book a bike for a ticket anyway so hopefully that'll sweeten the deal. 

Mrs swears shes been using the pump and not driven it flat. Shall let you good people be the judge on that.

Recurring theme on every job is it takes longer to find the bastard tools. How i long for the time and space and brain function to be an organised cunt. 

[Back_For_More]

Dude..... If you ever look at sorting that place and need an extra pair of hands we can go at it over a weekemd to get some semblence of order*

[grogee]

15 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

 

Calendar pic entry

[stuboy]

17 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

the answer to this is too........ rent another garage and buy the stuff u need so ur have 2 of everything..

[Rustybullethole]

29 minutes ago, stuboy said:

the answer to this is too........ rent another garage and buy the stuff u need so ur have 2 of everything..

My guy.

Am saving the funds. 

If you have stuff you need space. I dream of work benches and not having buy, beg, borrow another set of tyre levers when i need them now. 

50 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

Dude..... If you ever look at sorting that place and need an extra pair of hands we can go at it over a weekemd to get some semblence of order*

Much appreciated my good man. You may live to regret this kind offer when the time comes 😂 

[brownnova]

Saw this on the way home… a Chevrolet Epica… which is interesting in its own right… but there’s something a bit odd about this one… 

[RoverFolkUs]

10 hours ago, Lankytim said:

The Laguna is wearing out the inside edge of one of the front tyres and pulls under acceleration so I’ve taken it to be tracked up. After 5 minutes the thing that every shiter dreads happened… the guy came  walking back in to the waiting room with a serious look on his face and told me the tracking was pretty much spot on…. Dammit! It’s had a replacement used strut on one side and there’s a possibility it’s the wrong type. To cancel out the disappointment I papped a couple of lovely old motors parked outside. They’re both fabulous! 

As said above check the rearmost bush on the bottom arm, also get it put on a proper 4 wheel alignment which also checks camber and castor. Once you have those figures as well it will be easier to see what you're up against

Check for vertical play in the steering rack, get someone to rock the steering side to side while you observe the inner track rod, you won't find any play with the car in the air rocking the wheel, you will only find this type of play with the weight of the car on the suspension. I have seen this before and it's been tricky to pick up on

Swap the left and right front tyres (not front and rear) and check for any difference. I've also seen shitty budget tyres (but not exclusively in the case of an underlying suspension fault) that wear the tread in such a certain way that it causes a pull. 

Also just because the arms are relatively new don't assume they're good, aftermarket arms only really have an expected lifespan of a year or two, so if you're doing the steering check I mentioned above then check the arm bushes and also the lower ball joint

Some Renaults are notoriously difficult to find play in a bottom ball joint with the suspension hanging free so also pay attention to this while someone rocks the steering

[D.E]

2 minutes ago, brownnova said:

Saw this on the way home… a Chevrolet Epica… which is interesting in its own right… but there’s something a bit odd about this one… 

A facelifted one!

[artdjones]

7 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

that wear the tread in such a certain way that it causes a pull. 

I had a set on a B2 Passat once that had a terrible pull down the camber, but no uneven wear. I had new ball joints and the tracking done, also fitted a replacement steering damper, no difference, but as soon as I fitted two Kellys, which were Goodyear's second line then, it tracked arrow straight.

[D.E]

Trying to sort a few niggles... The speedo occasionally cuts out for a moment, and the info centre is poorly lit. Caused by a broken bulb and what I suspect to be a faulty connector.