The grumpy thread

[Richard]

The Volvo's heater hasn't been as hot as I think it should be so I decided to change the thermostat. Two bolts, how hard can it be? The torx bolts rounded out immediately, then resisted all attempts to shift them with a hammer and punch. I tried hammering a bigger socket on and sheared the entire thermostat housing off. I took the assembly to the vice and even with vice grips and good access the bolts only just came out. The amount of effort required would have sheared the housing anyway, they have been done up by some gorilla.

That's me without a car for the holidays I'm tempted to take the remains to a welder to see if they can be put back together.

[Lankytim]

21 minutes ago, Richard said:

The Volvo's heater hasn't been as hot as I think it should be so I decided to change the thermostat. Two bolts, how hard can it be? The torx bolts rounded out immediately, then resisted all attempts to shift them with a hammer and punch. I tried hammering a bigger socket on and sheared the entire thermostat housing off. I took the assembly to the vice and even with vice grips and good access the bolts only just came out. The amount of effort required would have sheared the housing anyway, they have been done up by some gorilla.

That's me without a car for the holidays I'm tempted to take the remains to a welder to see if they can be put back together.

What sort of Volvo is it? I’ve got a couple of D5 engines if you need anything.

[Richard]

I appreciate the offer but it's an 850 with a 20V petrol engine. There's a 10V engine here but the housing is very different. I believe the 4 and 6 cylinder versions of the engine use the same housing if they are 16/24V, but it changed in later engines. I've ordered a new housing at an eye-watering price but it's not going to be here in a hurry at this time of year.

I might nip along to U-Pull-It in the morning to see if one of their x40s have a bit that will do, this one looks promising https://www.u-pull-it.co.uk/breaker-parts/volvo-v40-2001/58207729

The vent for the expansion tank is in the wrong place but I should be able to plug it and use the 850's lid as a temporary measure.

Thanks for the offer though, this place etc.

[Saabnut]

38 minutes ago, Richard said:

 

That's me without a car for the holidays

Where are you? I have a spare car or two if you are stuck.

[anonymous user]

2 hours ago, New POD said:

Beauty is only skin deep. 

And I'm inside out

[Richard]

4 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

Where are you? I have a spare car or two if you are stuck.

I'm in Fife. I might well take you up on that if tomorrow's plan doesn't work. Much appreciated, this place again.

[BorniteIdentity]

Harrupmh. I bought a Toyota Corolla today.  I tried absolutely fucking everything to tax it.  Tried using the code on the green slip - tried adding a number onto the code on the green slip - tried using the document reference on the front page as if I was the seller.  Nothing.

I must have sent every ANPR camera on the M25 and A1(M) bat shit on the way home with it this evening.  

I wonder if the system is somehow down?  I did the change of keeper on behalf of the seller (online) to expedite the road tax process.  In the end, all it's done is cause a ball ache.  Annoyingly, the car was UNTAXED and not SORN (although tax ran out 3 weeks ago) so am keen to get it taxed this month for 'continuation'.

If it still won't work tomorrow (the online system closes at 1900) is my only choice the post office?

[clayts450]

6 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

If it still won't work tomorrow (the online system closes at 1900) is my only choice the post office?

Yes - you can even set up a DD there too - they've usually got V62s in the documents on display on the public side.

[wuvvum]

I think it's only the change of keeper system that closes at 7 - the tax bit works 24/7.  Or at least it used to.

[clayts450]

Just now, wuvvum said:

I think it's only the change of keeper system that closes at 7 - the tax bit works 24/7.  Or at least it used to.

I suppose with it being Christmas Eve it is possible it closes early tomoz ?

[BorniteIdentity]

Just now, wuvvum said:

I think it's only the change of keeper system that closes at 7 - the tax bit works 24/7.  Or at least it used to.

Ah.  Right you are.  

It's very queer.  I could easily change myself to the registered keeper via the V5c - but the code on the green slip won't work.  I wondered if I had an old V5 so added a digit or 2 to the front of the 13 digit code but no dice.

I will try again in a mo.

[clayts450]

I've had that before - tried it again later and all good. Probably granny-suck-eggs, but do make sure you're using the right number - I've tried putting the wrong one in before with hilarious* consequences. If memory serves its the document reference number ?

[BorniteIdentity]

Nope.

[wuvvum]

If it's an old V5 the online system won't work at all - it only works if the document ref you put in matches the most recent V5 issued for that vehicle.

[clayts450]

If the reg was changed online, I believe 'the system' issues a new V5 almost instantaneously, so there'll be a new doc ref number on the slip.

Post Office works wonders BTW - assuming no queues, in and out in 5 mins

[wuvvum]

Aah, that error message rings a bell - I think you can only do one online VED-related transaction in any 5 days, so if it was just sorned by the seller that would explain it.

[BorniteIdentity]

2 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Aah, that error message rings a bell - I think you can only do one online VED-related transaction in any 5 days, so if it was just sorned by the seller that would explain it.

Fucksticks.

He didn't say anything about putting it on SORN to me, but then it was all quite a hurried affair.  

Post Office tomorrow then.  I've parked it up in the village hall car park, so there'll be curtains twitching by morning!

[Richard]

It's almost like the system is completely fucking useless or something.

[Timewaster]

20 hours ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

How would you like your haircut, sir?

'In silence'.

Here's a tip. 

 

Don't piss off the man who is about to cut your hair. 

[The Moog]

I appreciate the offer but it's an 850 with a 20V petrol engine. There's a 10V engine here but the housing is very different. I believe the 4 and 6 cylinder versions of the engine use the same housing if they are 16/24V, but it changed in later engines. I've ordered a new housing at an eye-watering price but it's not going to be here in a hurry at this time of year.

My ones rounded as well - stuck a Renault 5 thermostat in the top hose to avoid the faffing you are having.

Good luck!

[richardmorris]

1 minute ago, Timewaster said:

Here's a tip. 

 

Don't piss off the man who is about to cut your hair. 

Weirdly I don’t like men cutting my hair. Most of my haircuts for the last forty years have been from two hairdressers. Jan who used to have a salon in colnbrook when I moved there is now mobile and comes to me at 7am on a Saturday. £10. She also has loads of cars - vw up, golf gti, Porsche 944 turbo etc.

[N19]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

If it still won't work tomorrow (the online system closes at 1900) is my only choice the post office?

An online system that closes at 1900! Only DVLC could have such madness. 

(actually, in fairness, I could readily imagine the likes of the phone company or British Rail coming out with a similar thing) 

[BorniteIdentity]

10 minutes ago, N19 said:

An online system that closes at 1900! Only DVLC could have such madness. 

(actually, in fairness, I could readily imagine the likes of the phone company or British Rail coming out with a similar thing) 

My (partial) mistake.

The ownership changes (V5c) can only be done 07–19hrs. Tax can be done anytime. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Weirdly I don’t like men cutting my hair. Most of my haircuts for the last forty years have been from two hairdressers....

I once tried a haircut at the Vidal Sassoon salon near Bond Street. They didn't really do anything that a regular barber couldn't do.

[Lankytim]

2 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

My (partial) mistake.

The ownership changes (V5c) can only be done 07–19hrs. Tax can be done anytime. 

I don’t think it operates at the weekend, either. 

[xtriple]

Two days before Christmas and I'm sick. so is fat dog... the usually sick dog is currently, fine.  Chester is worrying me: he was fine when I took him out earlier (though it was a real chore for me walking while shivering and shaking even though wrapped up in the thickest coat I own with another one over the top of it,, hat scarf, gloves the works trying to keep warm) but as soon as we got in, he would normally go mad for his Jumbone but tonight, he didn't even want it. Anyone that has met Chester will know this is a major worry.

Jumbones are life as far as he is concerned.

[Jazoli]

8 hours ago, Lankytim said:

I don’t think it operates at the weekend, either. 

It does, 7am to 7pm.

[adw1977]

My brain hurts at the idea of an online system that only works 12 hours a day.

[cort16]

In the last 7 days the following things have chucked it

TV

Iron

iPhone

I need to try to get a new phone today as I'm backup for any issues that happen at work over Christmas. Oh joy.

 

 

[Fat_Pirate]

The fridge/freezer chose today to break, was only noticed when things started to appear wet in the fridge. Have had to distress-purchase some bottom-of-the-range units from Currys to avoid becoming Thin_Pirate over Xmas.

Also: I had to help the dog with his foreskin, which was distressing.  He'd been humping something and had pulled it back past his plums, and was crying 'cos it wouldn't go back.