The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, hairnet said:

still 2cv

Oh I’m tempted with the chapron styled Bentley.  Cost per mile in the 2cv this year is around £20 with parts, insurance and labour. Although the recent bills on the Bentley are worse… £5500 for door and roof lubrication?

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

Rats do seem to get a bad press don't they. I mean we tolerate squirrels and pigeons but not rats it seems. I realise if you get an infestation something would need to be done but one little rat on his own in a semi rural area isn't doing anybody any harm apart from frying the dogs brain. 

Here's one of the mice I found in the garage. 

This shows how tiny he was. 

I have no problem with him living in the garage but you hear about them chewing wiring so I thought I ought to do something about it. Not only that but he had got in to the bird food I keep in the garage removed all the sunflower seeds, taken them from one side of the garage to the other, shelled them all and placed all the empty husks in an old margarine tub that I kept some quarter inch sockets in. 

I bought some of these small mouse traps and he just ate his way out. Just to take the piss more he started moving nesting materials in to it. 

 

I remember when you originally posted about this, I LOLed so hard I had tears in my eyes.  Still one of my all time favourite AS stories.

[Yoss]

7 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I remember when you originally posted about this, I LOLed so hard I had tears in my eyes.  Still one of my all time favourite AS stories.

And there's me thinking everything I wrote was instantly forgotten.

[Metal Guru]

13 hours ago, Yoss said:

Rats do seem to get a bad press don't they. I mean we tolerate squirrels and pigeons but not rats it seems. I realise if you get an infestation something would need to be done but one little rat on his own in a semi rural area isn't doing anybody any harm apart from frying the dogs brain. 

Here's one of the mice I found in the garage. 

This shows how tiny he was. 

I have no problem with him living in the garage but you hear about them chewing wiring so I thought I ought to do something about it. Not only that but he had got in to the bird food I keep in the garage removed all the sunflower seeds, taken them from one side of the garage to the other, shelled them all and placed all the empty husks in an old margarine tub that I kept some quarter inch sockets in. 

I bought some of these small mouse traps and he just ate his way out. Just to take the piss more he started moving nesting materials in to it. 

 

I had a rat in my garden and found many tunnels under my shed so called pest control. The guy told me pigeons are a far bigger health hazard but wasn’t allowed to tell me how to get rid off them.

We subsequently got a cat and haven’t seen a rat since but apparently there’s hundreds of mice. 

[juular]

17 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Looks like a juvenile to me.  Hopefully he'll enjoy the new location.  

It's funny how when you've had them as pets for a while that you become much more adept at spotting them out in the wild I found.

Do miss them, just gets hard with how short their lives are.  Plus having two large dogs would make it untenable these days, and very unfair on the rats.  They can be incredibly entertaining little buggers though, and as many people have said, bloody clever.

They are so bright I think we as humans can't fully appreciate it, because we (intentionally or not) equate intelligence with human-like behaviour. Their ability to just 'survive' is phenomenal, as is shown by their ability to completely foil traps, complete complex tasks and puzzles and to find food in the most insane of environments. 

It's not just their survival intelligence that's impressive though, their emotional capacity is incredible.  Having them as pets you quickly realise how emotional they are, more so than dogs I'd say. I've not had many other pets that can show actual concern for both fellow rats and their human companions. I've said it before, but looking into the eyes of a rat you can see there's not just a cold animal stare, but a fellow being.

It's a tragedy they don't live longer. Having had several dogs, I'd still rather have rats any day. They're just better.

[Marshall2810]

Changed the wheels on Dad's Triumph thing back to standard steelies for him. It looks quite unusual and nice but he wants it back to standard ride height. Also like the quarter light windows. 

 

[Back_For_More]

That is a thing of beauty......... If he ever loses interest in it - please, PLEASE let me know should it become available. 

I miss my 2500S badly.... 

[Marshall2810]

18 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

That is a thing of beauty......... If he ever loses interest in it - please, PLEASE let me know should it become available. 

I miss my 2500S badly.... 

Thanks, its a really nice thing. He will certainly lose interest and we're talking @HMC levels of automotive turnover 😂

He plans to have a few bits welded, painted and get it as stock as possible (from what he's said briefly) Will let you know if/when 👍

[Snake Charmer]

12 hours ago, Marshall2810 said:

Thanks, its a really nice thing. He will certainly lose interest and we're talking @HMC levels of automotive turnover 😂

He plans to have a few bits welded, painted and get it as stock as possible (from what he's said briefly) Will let you know if/when 👍

I remember many years ago seeing an estate for sale with a Stag engine and Ferguson Formula 4 wheel drive in need of restoration. Instant want as the estate was a cool car as a kid, a V8 with Ferguson Formula even more so but 45p in the bank scuppered my Triumph ownership!

[RobT]

17 hours ago, Yoss said:

And there's me thinking everything I wrote was instantly forgotten.

Not at all.  I've had a shit day today and reading about rodents has cheered me up no end.

[wuvvum]

9 hours ago, juular said:

rats

 

 

[vulgalour]

On 25/06/2024 at 12:44, vulgalour said:

Right then, job interview done and it went way better.  Ironically, Microsoft wouldn't let me log in on the back-up laptop (or my mobile, for that matter), even when I tried all the stuff that should allow that to happen so I *had* to use my laptop.  My laptop which then decided that after several tests throughout the morning was going to have the webcam crap out ten minutes before the interview was due to begin.  Just about at my wits end with tech, it miraculously started working and stayed stable throughout the whole interview which was a *lot* shorter than I was expecting.

It was kind of odd when I mentioned having worked for the NHS before and they didn't know, like... it's in my CV, I had several temp posts through an agency doing medical secretary work with almost exactly the same responsibilities as the one I applied for.  So if I got shortlisted without them knowing that then I definitely do something right on paper.  Or they're desperate for staff.  Might be both.

Anyway, key thing is I'm feeling a lot better about it and now I just have to wait for a call back to see if I'm adding another rejection letter to the pile, or starting a new part time job.

I just got a surprise phone call.  One of the other candidates turned down the offer of the position so they offered it to me!  I got the job

Default! Default! Default!

[High Jetter]

9 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

  I got the job

Very well done! Really hope it works out well for you.

[wuvvum]

Seems like the perfect opportunity to use the new congratulations reaction!

20 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

Default! Default! Default!

The two sweetest words in the English language.

[auntiemaryscanary]

32 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

I just got a surprise phone call.  One of the other candidates turned down the offer of the position so they offered it to me!  I got the job

Default! Default! Default!

That's absolutely great news! Well done you. 

[auntiemaryscanary]

13 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Seems like the perfect opportunity to use the new congratulations reaction!

Can you get those congratulations ice cream cones in any of the shops?!

[Rust Collector]

Congratulations @vulgalour, that sounds like a result!

[320touring]

Great news @vulgalour! Congratulations!

[Marshall2810]

Absolutely delighted for you @vulgalour sometimes things are just meant to be 

[Pat Earrings]

So after selling the Qashqai to a lovely couple who even bought the Apple car play unit I jumped on a train to go pick up my next venture.

high mileage hero. 194k miles, with stacks and stacks of history. Stamps/invoices. Engine really does start on the button, and everything feels tight as. Possibly paid a bit as it was a very light Cat N from the rear but the chap loved it and had it fixed properly. Only rear bumper damage tbh and I saw the pictures. Scrubs up really well. A few chips and minor scrapes at the front and the rear sensors are inoperative, so need to figure out which ones a dud. Aside from that, interior is nigh on perfect and apart from the steering wheel wear it just doesn’t look like a car that’s done the mileage.

Pre LCi means no DPF which is superb. It’s had a clutch/flywheel around 4 years ago too. Everything else works. The 19” alloys all have new tyres. Lovely place to be

ill be doing a swirl flap delete myself and possibly EGR delete too. Yes I know people will say im an awful person for the egr delete but its not an issue for me personally.

already ordered up the service bits and some bonnet struts as these ones are a bit weak

forgot to tag @JJ0063 for approval to join high mileage BMW club 😂oh and @horriblemercedes

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

320d?  330d?  335d?  Tell us more!

[wuvvum]

Presumably an M-prefix engine on that year?  Looks rather nice.

[GeordieInExile]

Haldex module for the XC70 all boxed up and on its way to Romford to be fixed. 

Exhaust blow sorted and cambelt/aux belt changed today, as well. 

This time next week, fingers crossed, I might have a fully working Volvo that's ready for the MOT...

[JJ0063]

2 hours ago, Pat Earrings said:

 

Looks nice! Same colour as mine I imagine!

M47 or M57?

Looks well on the E92 wheels, just watch out for cracks as they’re very prone!

[richardmorris]

2cv lost dash electrics on the way home ( indicating, fuel gauge wipers, horn etc plus the radio feed which is on with the ignition and not on the same fuse). It corrected itself and everything was working by the time I got home so hard to check, but wiring for the ignition switch is the first area I think.

[Pat Earrings]

1 hour ago, JJ0063 said:

Looks nice! Same colour as mine I imagine!

M47 or M57?

Looks well on the E92 wheels, just watch out for cracks as they’re very prone!

M47 chaps.

yeah I’m dead slow over any speed bumps.   Really lots of car for not much money 

[JJ0063]

13 minutes ago, Pat Earrings said:

M47 chaps.

yeah I’m dead slow over any speed bumps.   Really lots of car for it much money 

Very robust engine, I’m sure it’ll do you well! 

[richardmorris]

9 hours ago, vulgalour said:

I just got a surprise phone call.  One of the other candidates turned down the offer of the position so they offered it to me!  I got the job

Default! Default! Default!

Congratulations!

[SiC]

9 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Seems like the perfect opportunity to use the new congratulations reaction!

Seemed like the perfect opportunity to add a new congratulations reaction!

[EightMegs]

#

This drop link was fine, but the threads were so thoroughly fucked I couldn't get it out of the car to change the strut without destroying it, which ended up taking me nearly two hours. At least it was nylon so I could shatter it with a hammer.